Constitution
Napier University Law Society Constitution
Article 1 NAME AND OBJECTS
1. The Name of the Society
(1) The Society shall be known as ‘Napier University Law Society’
2. The Aims of the Society
(1) The society shall:
(a) Foster and further the interest in law throughout the university
(b) Support new and existing law students
(c) Hold regular speaker and social events for its members
(d) Publish a regular newsletter, containing articles of legal interest
(e) Act as a point of liaison with other law societies in Scotland
(f) Work together with the Centre for Law to maintain cohesion between staff and students
3. The Composition of the Society
(1) The Society shall be comprised of an Executive Committee and temporary sub-committees
Article 2 MEMBERSHIP
1. Eligibility of Membership
(1) Membership shall be open to all students of Napier University on payment of a membership fee
(2) Associate membership is open to all non – students upon payment of a membership fee
(3) Associate membership shall be at the discretion of the Executive Committee
(4) The membership fee for Associate members is variable and may differ from that applicable to student members
2. Membership Fee
(1) The membership fee shall be set by the Executive Committee at the first committee meeting at the commencement of each academic session
(2) The membership fee is variable according to the discretion of the Executive Committee in accordance with the requirements of Napier Students’ union
3. Termination of Membership
(1) The Executive Committee may terminate any individual’s membership should individual concerned demonstrate conduct unbecoming to the Society by vote at any Executive Committee meeting subject to the procedure set out in Article 7
(2) Such vote shall be comprised of two thirds majority
(3) The quorum for such vote shall be the full Executive Committee
(4) The notice for such a vote taking place shall be five days
Article 3 OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE COMPOSITION
1. Composition of Executive Committee
(1) The administration and management of the Society shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee which itself shall comprise five positions
2. Officers
(1) The five positions of the Society shall be the President, Vice-president, Treasurer, Secretary and Events/Promotions Co-ordinator
(2) The positions shall be elected annually
(3) The Committee shall strive to be unanimous in all its decisions though in incidences where this is impossible, a majority decision will suffice.
3. Sub-committees
(1) Sub-committees may be created to assist any member of the Executive Committee
(2) Such sub-committees may be formed on the instigation of the Executive Committee or with the permission of the Executive Committee on instigation by any Officer
(3) Members of such sub-committees shall neither attend Executive Committee meetings nor hold voting rights on said Committee
(4) Sub-committees shall be dissolved on the instigation of the Executive Committee
4. Handing over
(1) The outgoing Executive Committee shall hand over to the incoming Executive Committee at the end-of-year ball
(2) In the event of the end-of-year ball failing to take place, handing over will be deemed to have occurred on the final day of the academic session
(3) The outgoing Chairperson shall ensure that a copy of the Society’s constitution be handed to the incoming Chairperson
Article 4 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS (AGMs)
1. Timing of the AGM
(1) The AGM shall be held at the end of the term of office of each President
(2) The Executive Committee shall decide the date and time but shall ensure it is prior to the end-of-year ball
(3) At the AGM, a thorough report of the actions and progress of the previous year shall be given by the President
(4) Notice of the date and time of the AGM shall be placed on the Society’s website and at least two weeks prior to a meeting taking place
Article 5 EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
1. Calling an EGM
(1) An EGM may be called by the President, three members of the Executive Committee or ten members of the Society
(2) The President of the Society shall chair the meeting
(3) Should a meeting directly concern the President, the Vice-President shall be responsible for holding the meeting
(4) Five days notice shall be given to all members of such a meeting
(5) Notice of the date and time of the meeting shall be placed on the Society’s website
(6) The quorum for such a meeting shall be 20% of the existing members of the society
2. Powers of an EGM
(1) An EGM shall have the power to:
(a) Request any committee member to account for their actions
(b) Subject to the procedures of Article 7 being followed, remove a committee member from office
(c) Subject to the procedures of Article 11 being followed, amend the Society’s Constitution
(d) A two thirds majority of those present is required to pass any decision of an EGM
Article 6 TIMING OF MEETINGS
1. Timing and Recording of Executive Committee meetings
(1) Executive Committee meetings shall be held at least once every month, the time and place to be determined by the Secretary who will record minutes of such
2. Attendance at Committee meetings
(1) All Executive Committee members shall attend Committee meetings
(2) Non-attendance is only permissible upon notification to the Secretary
(3) The quorum for meetings is such that no more than one member of the Executive Committee shall be absent at each meeting
Article 7 DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE
1. Procedure
(1) If an elected member of the Executive Committee is deemed to be failing in their duties, the following protocol shall be observed:
(a) Two members of the Executive Committee must deem the members actions to be improper
(b) A verbal warning will be given, by the President, to the member
(c) A written warning will be given, by the President, to the member
(d) Should the member cease to desist in his actions, Article 7, Paragraph 2 shall be invoked
2. Votes of No Confidence
(1) A vote of no confidence must be proposed by two other Committee members
(2) Votes of no confidence shall only be used in the most extreme circumstances and determined on an individual basis
(3) The examination of the actions of the Committee member must take place at an EGM
(4) The vote of no confidence shall be undertaken by a secret ballot with the Committee member concerned not being present
Article 8 ELECTIONS
1. The Elected Posts
(1) The elected posts for each academic session shall be President, Vice-president, Treasurer, Secretary and Events/Promotions Co-ordinator
2. Candidature
(1) Eligibility for elections is dependent on membership of the Society and full matriculation of Napier University as a law student
3. Timing of elections
(1) Elections shall take place by the end of the academic year.
4. Nominations
(1) All candidates must be both nominated and seconded
(2) Candidates shall apply by notifying the Secretary of their intent
(3) Applications shall be open for one week before elections and shall close five days prior to elections taking place
(4) All members of the Society shall be notified of prospective elections and candidates
(5) Failure to comply with the above shall void any application
(6) All candidates must be notified of these requirements
5. Electoral process
(1) Prior to elections taking place, all candidates shall have the opportunity to present a short speech
(2) All candidates shall be permitted up to three minutes to speak
(3) All candidates shall be required to answer up to three questions from members
(4) The Executive Committee shall notify all members of the date and place of elections
6. Voting
(1) All full members may vote in elections
(2) Proxy votes are permitted on proof of matriculation
(3) All voters must provide evidence of their matriculation status prior to voting
(4) All voters must have fully paid up their membership fee prior to voting
7. Voting majority
(1) In order to be nominated to a position on the Executive Committee, there must be an absolute majority in favour of the election. In the event of a minority vote, there shall be no election to such a position and the nomination process shall be re-opened
Article 9 UNION POLICY
1. Adherence to the Students’ Union policy
(1) The Society is an affiliated Society under the Napier Students’ Union constitution and shall abide by the Napier Students’ Union constitution
(2) In the event of conflict between the Students’ Union constitution and the Society’s constitution, the former will prevail
Article 10 DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
1. Dissolving the Society
(1) In the event of dissolution of the Society, once all debts and liabilities have been settled, any remaining funds shall be paid to the Napier Students’ Union
Article 11 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
1. Process of Alteration
(1) The Constitution may be altered in the following ways:
(a) By a two-thirds vote at an EGM
(b) By a majority vote at any Executive Committee meeting dependent on all Officers being in attendance
(2) Five days notice of proposed changes shall be given to Executive Committee members
2. Submission of proposals
(1) Any proposed amendment must be submitted in writing to the President
3. Effecting of amendments
(1) Any proposed amendment shall take effect immediately it has been approved
Article 12 DISCRIMINATION POLICY
1. The Policy
(1) No member shall be subjected, by any other member, to discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, gender, disability, marital status, religion, culture, age, parental or property status and sexuality
(2) Any member alleged to be acting in such a discriminatory manner shall have their membership terminated subject to the provisions of Article 2
Article 13 OBJECTIONS TO DECISIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. Objections
(1) Any member may object to decisions made by the Executive Committee on any, non-frivolous ground(s).
2. Procedure.
(1) Any objections, and reasons for such, must be initiated by notification to the Executive Committee in writing.
(2) All objections require the proposer of such to be supported by a minimum of fifteen other members.
3. Executive Committee’s obligations
(1) The raising of any objection fulfilling the requisite criteria will require the Executive Committee to revisit and reconsider the decision objected to.
(2) The Committee’s decision is discretionary and the Committee reserves the right to veto any objection after reconsideration.
(3) Upon fulfilment of the above criteria, any reconsidered decision by the Committee is final.
