Constitution for LYIT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Society
1. The Society shall be known as LYIT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Society (or the LGBT Society).
Objects
2. The objects of the Society shall be to educate, inform and offer a supportive environment to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and staff of the Letterkenny IT. and the local community of Co. Donegal
Membership
3.(i) Membership shall be open to all capitated students and staff of the LYIT on payment of an annual subscription.
(ii) Honourary Membership may be given to those individuals who are neither students nor staff of the LYIT, but who have made a significant contribution to the society. Honourary Members are not entitled run for election for a position on the Committee.
The Committee
4. The Committee shall consist of-
.President
·Social Secretary, and
·Treasurer/ Vice President,
. As far as is reasonably practicable, the Committee should be balanced regarding gender and the different forms of sexual orientation covered by the Society.
5. The Committee shall meet every second week (if possible) during term at an agreed date and time. Attendance shall be recorded in the minutes and absentees noted. Minutes shall be circulated to all Committee members via email within five days of the meeting. Normally, all meetings of the Committee shall be open to any member of the Society to attend.
6. In the case of a Committee member resigning his/her post under the circumstances, the Committee will elect a temporary replacement until the next available AGM or Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
7. Notwithstanding the provisions of article 6, members of the Committee may be removed from office before the completion of their term of office only by a majority decision of members of the Society present at an EGM. A motion to remove any such Committee member(s) must be proposed and seconded by two members of the Society, and must be submitted in writing to the Committee at least three days before the date for the EGM.
8. All meetings of the Committee shall adopt standard committee rules and procedures, as set out in Schedule 1.
The Annual General Meeting and Extraordinary General Meetings
9. (i) The AGM shall be held in a designated Room (to be announced). A notice shall be posted on the Society's noticeboard and publicised to all members via email not less than seven days before the date of the meeting giving the date, time, venue and agenda for the meeting.
(ii) The quorum for the AGM and for any EGM shall be ten persons, or one tenth of the membership of the Society, whichever is the larger.
10. Only fully paid-up members of the Society shall be entitled to vote at an AGM or an EGM.
11. At the AGM the agenda shall be as set out.
12. An EGM of the Society may be called by any five members of the Society presenting to the Committee a signed petition stating clearly the purpose of the requested EGM. Notice for an EGM shall be as provided for an AGM in article 11 (i).
13. An EGM may consider only the one item listed in the petition to the Committee. Such items, which will be exceptional by nature, should refer to changes in this Constitution, the removal of an Officer from the Committee, or an election to fill a vacancy on the Committee.
14. Candidates for election to the Committee must be current members of the Society, and each candidate must be nominated and seconded by two current members of the Society.
15. No person admitted to membership less than 24 hours before an AGM or EGM shall be eligible to vote at that meeting.
16. The Secretary shall
·be responsible for all the correspondence of the Society, and shall keep a written record of all such correspondence;
·take and record the minutes of all meetings of the Society and of the Committee;
·provide the secretary of the CSC with a written record of the Society’s activities during his/her term of office not later than the date set by the CSC for submission of this report, and
·be answerable to the Committee.
17. The Treasurer shall
·be responsible for all the finances of the Society,
·be responsible for the collection of subscriptions and the maintenance of accounts, and
·have the duty of conducting routine communications with the CSC on financial matters including the provision of estimates for expenditure.
Finances
18. The Treasurer shall close his/her accounts on April 31st of each year and as soon as may be possible thereafter shall arrange for the accounts to be audited as provided by the CSC. In due course these accounts shall be presented to the Committee of the Society and the CSC for approval.
19. All cheques and withdrawal forms from the Society's bank account shall be signed by two of the designated officers, namely the President, Treasurer and Student Union President.
Ordinary Members
20. The Ordinary Members of the Committee shall assume any duties as agreed by the President and the Committee.
Honorary President
21. The Society may elect one Honorary President at every AGM or EGM. The Honorary President shall hold the office for one year, or until he/she resigns, or until he/she is replaced by resolution at an AGM or EGM. The Honorary President shall be elected by a two-thirds majority of the members present at such a meeting. A resolution to remove the Honorary President shall not be carried at such a meeting, unless at least two-thirds of the Members present shall have voted for the removal of the person. All persons nominated for the position of Honorary President shall be proposed and seconded by two members of the Society, with the names of the proposer and seconder given in writing to the Secretary at least five days before the AGM or an EGM.
Policies
22.The Society is not to be used as a dating agency
The Society will not be held responsible for another members actions
Anything a member(s) does outside society time is of his, hers, their actions and the Society is not responsible
Any member which brings the society into disrepute will be asked to leave.
Amendments
23. This constitution may only be amended by a vote of a majority of those present at an EGM or an AGM. Notices of such amendments must be submitted in writing not less than five days before the date of the general meeting and must be signed by a proposer and seconder, each of whom shall be fully paid-up members of the Society.
24. The Schedules of this Constitution may be changed by the Committee, only with a two-thirds majority at a quorate Committee meeting.
25. This constitution is binding as and from the date of being approved by both the Society and the CSC.