The Constitution
1.0
NAME AND AFFILIATION
1.1 The Society's name shall be the
Murdoch Alternative Reality Society, also known as MARS and
hereafter shall be referred to as MARS.
1.2 MARS is an
affiliate of the Murdoch University Guild of Students and is thus
subject to the Murdoch University Statute, Guild Regulations and
Guild Rules.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
2.1 Subject to Guild
Statutes and Regulations, the objectives of MARS shall be:
2.2
To promote alternative and unusual genres, such as, but not limited
to, Science Fiction, Gothic, and Fantasy, in a variety of media,
such as, but not limited to, films, computer games, wargames, card
games, LARP, RPG, literature, and visual arts, via organised social
functions, competitions, and services.
3.0 ACTIVITIES
3.1 Subject to Guild Statutes and Regulations, the
activities of MARS shall consist of promotion of the objectives of
MARS.
3.2 Any person may take part in any MARS sponsored
activity, Restrictions or Exclusions may only occur if there are
legal or practical limitations on activity group size, age or sex.
3.3 Any funding provided by the Murdoch Guild of Students or
external sponsors will be used for the activities the funding was
provided for.
3.4 Price differentials are in effect for any of
the societies sponsored events or functions, which includes an
entrance or participation fee. The differentials will be applied to
the full fee for MARS members, members of clubs with a current
formal association with MARS, and Guild members. These
differentials shall be determined by MARS
3.5 MARS prohibits
the giving of gifts and/or monies (money and assets must stay
within the club for the running of the club).
3.6 MARS will not
perform any initiation rituals at any stage in its existence.
4.0
MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Subject to conditions stipulated in Guild
Regulations, any person may join MARS.
4.2 Membership shall
begin on payment of the membership fee and shall expire twelve (12)
months after payment of that fee.
4.3 Membership fees shall be
set by MARS, provided that they do not conflict with the minimum or
maximum set down by the Murdoch University Guild of Students.
5.0
EXECUTIVE
5.1 The office bearers of MARS, in order of
seniority shall be:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Librarian
Clubs and Societies Representative
Publications
Web Co-coordinator ('the geek')
The Minion
(Ordinary Executive Member No. 1)
The Karl* (Ordinary Executive
Member No. 2)
*In honor of Karl Brown’s long term holding
of this position.
5.2
In the case of a casual vacancy the President may appoint a person
from the membership of MARS.
5.3 No person shall hold more than
one position on the MARS Executive. This statute can be temporarily
revoked if an Executive position has remained vacant for a period
greater than fourteen (14) days. Should such a situation exist, the
Executive may appoint another Executive to temporarily fill the
vacant position until a replacement has been organised.
5.4 The
Annual General Meeting of MARS may decide to include any number of
ordinary Executive positions if there is a requirement for more
than the constitutionally mandated two ordinary Executive.
6.0
EXECUTIVE RESPOSIBILITIES AND POWERS
6.1 The Executive
shall meet at least once a month.
6.2 Quorum for such a meeting
shall be two-thirds (2/3) of the total Executive.
6.3
Notification of all such meetings shall be done by the Secretary
via the clubroom notice board and the executive email list.
Notification by telephone is also required to any executives who
have previously requested this. Notification of a meeting shall be
made at least seven (7) days before the meeting.
6.4 The
Executive shall have the power to formulate activities and policy
for MARS in general, as long as they are not in contradiction with
prior policy as decided by a General Meeting of MARS, this
constitution, or other rules and regulations of the Murdoch
University Guild of Students.
6.5 The Executive shall not have
the power to allocate substantial sums of money without prior
approval of a General Meeting of MARS. A substantial sum in this
case is deemed to be over $300.00
7.0
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PRESIDENT
7.1 To act as Chairperson
for all meetings of MARS.
7.2 To be an ex-officio member of all
MARS committee's, sub-committee's, et al.
7.3 To Co-ordinate
and supervise the activities of Executive members.
7.4 To
represent MARS in matters relating to MARS.
7.5 To authorise
expenditure of the funds of MARS, providing that such expenditure
is not in contradiction with sections 3.1, 3.2 and 6.5 and the
amounts withdrawn over the term of office do not exceed 20% of the
funds of MARS at the beginning of the term of office.
7.6 To
familiarise members of MARS with the objectives, activities, rules
and regulations of MARS.
8.0
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT
8.1 To assist the
President in the carrying out of the Presidents responsibilities,
as required by the President.
8.2 To act as the President in
the President's absence.
8.3 To act as Deputy Chair at all
meetings of the Society.
9.0
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY
9.1 To record the minutes
of all meetings of MARS. To maintain a minutes file. To ensure that
minutes are signed by the Chairperson of the meeting.
9.2 To
conduct and keep correspondence of MARS. To maintain correspondence
files of MARS.
9.3 To maintain a list of MARS members.
9.4
To ensure that an updated copy of the MARS Constitution is readily
available to the MARS Executive and general MARS members.
9.5
To ensure that the MARS membership list remains current and
up-to-date. To ensure the personal details of MARS members
contained within their membership applications remains private and
confidential. To ensure that the current MARS membership
applications can only be viewed by other MARS Executive members
with valid reason to do so.
9.6 To familiarise members of MARS
with correspondence, minutes and membership of MARS.
10.0
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TREASURER
10.1 To keep a proper
book of accounts dealing with the property and finances of MARS.
10.2 To ensure the collection of membership fees from members.
10.3 To prepare a financial statement showing all receipts and
payments of MARS for the preceding year at the MARS Annual General
Meeting.
10.4 To prepare and present a budget of income and
expenditure for the following year to the Annual General Meeting of
MARS for approval.
10.5 To familiarise members of MARS with the
accounts on financial status of MARS.
10.6 To ensure that the
MARS Bank Account Signatories are current members and Executives of
MARS.
10.7 To ensure the security and availability of the MARS
Petty Cash Box and other MARS funds.
11.0
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LIBRARIAN
11.1 To be responsible
for the cataloguing and maintenance of MARS' library.
11.2 To
supervise access to the MARS library by members.
11.3 To
familiarise the members of MARS with the rules associated with the
use of the MARS library. To administer the rules of the MARS
library, including the collection of fines.
11.4 To ensure that
only current members of MARS have access to the MARS library.
11.5
To ensure that overdue MARS library assets are returned and fines
applied.
11.6 To apply overdue fines which are $1.00 for every
month past the expiration date.
11.7 To assist the Secretary as
required by the Secretary, and to act as the Secretary in the
Secretary's absence.
12.0 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CLUBS
AND SOCIETIES REPRESENTATIVE
12.1 To act as a
representative of MARS at meetings of the Clubs and Societies
Association. To represent MARS policy at such meetings.
12.2 To
submit applications for Guild funding on behalf of MARS.
12.3
To act as a liaison officer between MARS, other Murdoch University
Societies, clubs from other universities, the Clubs and Societies
Association, the Guild, and external non-university affiliated
societies and clubs.
12.4 To familiarise MARS members of the
Association activities and the relationship of MARS to other campus
bodies, including the Guild.
13.0 RESPONSIBILITIES OF
THE PUBLICATIONS OFFICER
13.1 To be editor of the
Phantasmagoria (annual).
13.2 To produce the bi-monthly
newsletter.
14.0 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE WEB
CO-ORDINATOR
14.1 To maintain the MARS website. 14.2
Electronic distribution of the bi-monthly news letter.
15.0
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ORDINARY EXECUTIVE MEMBERS
13.1 To
perform tasks as delegated by the Executive committee and to assist
other Executive members as required.
13.2 To keep the MARS
clubroom in a clean and acceptable condition.
16.0
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
16.1 The Annual General Meeting of
MARS shall be held in May each year.
16.2 The following events
shall occur at the Annual General Meeting - The election of the
Executive for the following financial year. - A report from each
Executive office bearer, giving a summary of their activities and
the carrying out their responsibilities over the past year. - The
passing of a budget of income and expenditure for the following
year.
17.0 GENERAL MEETINGS
17.1 A General
Meeting of MARS may be convened by the Secretary who must give
fourteen (14) days notice of such a meeting by posting the meeting
date on the MARS clubroom notice board and the email list for
members.
17.2 Each General Meeting of MARS must include a
report by each member of the Executive on the carrying out of their
responsibilities.
17.3 Any decision of a General Meeting on
matters of policy, objectives or activity shall be binding on the
Executive of MARS as long as those decisions are not in
contradiction with the rules and regulations of the Murdoch
University Guild of Students.
17.4 Quorum for a General Meeting
shall be fifteen (15) percent of MARS members, or ten (10) members,
whichever is greatest.
18.0 MEETING PROCEDURE
18.1
All meetings shall use the standard orders of the Senate as meeting
procedure, as published in the University Handbook and Calendar.
For "Senate" read "MARS", for "Chancellor"
read "Chairperson", for "Pro-Chancellor" read
"Deputy Chair". Ignore all references to the
Vice-Chancellor. Quorum shall be as noted in the Constitution.
19.0 ELECTIONS
19.1 Elections for the Executive
shall be held at the Annual General Meeting of MARS, except in the
case of a casual vacancy, in which case the election shall be held
at the following General Meeting. 19.2 All elections for all
positions shall be by an optional preferential system and secret
ballot. A Returning Officer who is not a candidate shall be
appointed by the meeting. There shall be a provision for "no
candidate" in each election. If "no candidate" is
elected, the position shall be deemed vacant and nominations shall
be open until the next General Meeting of MARS.
19.3 Current
members of the MARS Executive may run for re-election.
19.4 Any
members of MARS may stand for any position in MARS.
19.5 Any
MARS member applying for a position on the MARS executive must
submit a written and witnessed nomination to the current MARS
Secretary seven (7) days before the MARS Annual General Meeting.
19.6 The new executive will take over their respective offices
on the first day after the day they are elected.
20.0
POWERS OF MEMBERS
20.1 Any five members, upon written
request may demand the Secretary to hold a meeting to discuss an
issue of business noted upon their written request.
20.2 Any
members, after giving four (4) days written notice may demand from
the Secretary the right to view the membership list (if such a
request is made, an abbreviated membership list withholding members
addresses and phone numbers will be issued, this is to respect and
protect the privacy of MARS members) and/or minutes book and /or
correspondence file and/or account book. (certain account details,
such as the MARS account number will be withheld to ensure security
of the MARS account is maintained.
20.3 Any ten (10) members,
upon written request to the secretary containing a valid reason for
doing so may demand the resignation of an Executive member. The
Secretary shall call a General Meeting on the matter. If two thirds
(2/3) of those present at the General Meeting approve of the
resignation demanded, the position shall be declared vacant.
20.4
Any member of MARS may attend meetings of the Executive and have
moving and speaking rights.
21.0
ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
21.1 Alterations to this
constitution may only be made by a General Meeting of MARS.
Suggested alterations must be circulated with other items of
business (if any). Murdoch Guild of Students must be notified in
writing of any alterations to this constitution.