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The Carolian Astronomy Society
Rules and Constitution
The Name
of the Society shall be “The Carolian Astronomy Society”, hereinafter
referred to a “the Society”.
The
Society is an independent organisation, but affiliated to King Charles I School
and Specialist Science College, Kidderminster, hereinafter referred to as “the
School”, for the mutual benefit of both organisations.
3.1
support the continuing provision of the GCSE Astronomy course at the
School by offering free Associate Membership to bona fide students, as described
elsewhere in these Rules, of that course; 3.2
provide a continuing educational resource for astronomy and the discovery
of the night sky for the benefit of the local community; 3.3
provide theoretical and practical sessions for the mutual benefit and
enjoyment of all Members; 3.4
promote and raise awareness of amateur astronomy to the general public; 3.5
support local efforts to reduce light pollution.
Membership is open
to any individuals who support and wish to further the Objectives of the
Society. However, the
Committee of the Society may at their discretion refuse an application for
Membership or suspend or cancel the Membership of any person; that person may
appeal in writing against the decision within 28 days. Such an appeal shall be
heard at the following Committee Meeting. There
are three classes of Membership: 4.1
Full Membership, open to any member of the general public, of any
age. This is the standard membership level and whilst it attracts the
Society’s full Annual Subscription, it carries with it the greatest rights,
privileges and benefits. 4.2
Student Membership, open to any member of the general public of any
age who is in full-time education either at school, college or university. It
carries with it a lesser Annual Subscription but enjoys only an intermediate
level of rights, privileges and benefits. 4.3
Associate Membership, for those of any age. This is a privileged
class of Membership, attracting no Membership subscription, available only to
those that are bona fide students of the GCSE Course provided by the School,
whether or not they intend to take the examination; and for those that attended
the course during the previous academic year, irrespective of whether or not
they took the examination, providing they attended more than 2/3rds of the
formal lectures. However, certain rights, privileges and benefits of other
classes of Membership are not available to Associate Members, although they can
transfer to any other class of membership to which they are entitled simply by
going through the standard procedures and paying the appropriate Membership
subscription in full. The
agreement of a parent or guardian must be given in writing before anyone under
16 years of age can be admitted as a Member of the Society. No
Member of the Society will receive any payment for their services as an Officer
or as a Member of the Society, although bona fide expenses will be reimbursed. The
Secretary will keep a list of the names, addresses, telephone numbers and email
addresses of all Members, which will be kept confidential and for Society use
only. Guests
or visitors may addend two meetings of the Society for evaluation purposes, but
would be expected to pay any attendance fee levied on members of the Society.
5.1
Full Members may: act as a Trustee of the Society; stand for election
as an Officer or Committee Member of the Society; nominate other Full Members to
be elected as Officers or Committee Members of the Society; act as an Officer or
Committee Member of the Society; have one vote concerning each proposal at
Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings of the Society; attend any meetings of
the Society; participate in any visits (subject to places being available)
organised by the society; receive a quarterly Newsletter (one only per
household); hire any hirable equipment belonging to or available to the Society;
and borrow any books, slides and other publications belonging to the Society. 5.2
Student Members may: speak, but not vote, at Annual and Extraordinary
General Meetings of the Society; attend any meetings of the Society; participate
in any visits (subject to places being available) organised by the society;
receive a quarterly Newsletter (one only per household); hire any hirable
equipment belonging to the Society, and borrow any books, slides and other
publications belonging to or available to the Society. 5.3
Associate Members may: attend any meetings of the Society, except
Annual or Extraordinary General Meetings; participate in any visits (subject to
places being available after all Full and Student Members have been given the
opportunity to participate) organised by the Society, and receive a quarterly
Newsletter (one only per household).
Members
must behave in a responsible manner at all times, and obey the site’s rules
concerning alcohol, tobacco and drugs. Members
must not misuse any property belonging to the Society, the School or another
Member, and any damage caused by a Member is the responsibility of that Member. Members
must not act in any way, or publish any information, that may bring the Society
or the School into disrepute. Members
attend meetings and events and bring their own property to such meetings and
events entirely at their own risk. A
responsible adult must accompany members under the age of 16 years.
Every
Full and Student Member will be required to pay an Annual Subscription within
the first two months of the start of the Society “year”, which runs from 1st
September to 31st August. A discount will be given to those Members who pay by
Standing Order. The
Annual Subscription rates for the Association “year” just starting will be
set at the Annual General Meeting. An
attendance fee to cover refreshments etc. will also be levied at each Society
meeting, which will be set by the Committee from time to time.
8.1
Trustees: The
Society shall have up to four Trustees, who shall hold and administer the
property of the Society. Trustees shall be Full Members of the Society and shall
be eligible as members of the Committee. If
a vacancy occurs among the Trustees for any reason, the remaining Trustees may
nominate a member to fill the vacancy within three months. Such nomination shall
be approved by a majority vote at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary
General Meeting. If the nomination is not approved the Trustees shall have a
further three months to nominate another member. 8.2
Committee: The
management of the society shall be vested in a committee elected from Full
Members of the Society. The committee shall consist of Officers and Ordinary
Committee members. The
Officers will be: Chairman; Secretary;
and Treasurer. The
Ordinary Committee Members shall be two Full Members of the Society. Any Full
Member is entitled to make a nomination to the Committee (with the Nominees’s
permission), whether an Officer or an Ordinary Committee Member, which must be
seconded by another Full Member. The Officers and Ordinary Committee Members
will be elected at the Annual General Meeting by a simple majority of those Full
Members present and will serve until the next Annual General Meeting. Any
Member of the Committee has the right to resign from the Committee at any time. The
Committee will have the power to co-opt a Full Member to the Committee, who
shall have the same voting rights as elected Members and whose Committee
membership will end at the next Annual General Meeting. The
Committee Quorum will consist of a majority of the Committee, including two
Officers, and Committee decisions will be made by a simple majority of those
present. The
Committee will adjudicate on all matters not covered by this Constitution, and
their majority will be binding on all Members.
The
Annual General Meeting will, except where the Committee may otherwise decide, be
held in Kidderminster during September each year.
The Committee will
publish a notice of the Annual General Meeting at least 28 days before the date
thereof, giving the date, place and time of the meeting. A
Full Member may request items to be added to the agenda by giving written notice
to the Secretary, supported by two other Full Members, at least 14 days before
the date of the meeting. The
business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to receive the reports of the
An
Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society may be summoned at any time by A
Quorum at Annual or Extraordinary General Meetings will consist of the
square root (to the nearest whole number) of the number of Full Members, but no
less than five.
The
provisions of the Constitution and Rules of the Society may be altered from time
to time by a resolution not inconsistent with the objects passed by a two-thirds
majority of the Full Members voting at an Annual General Meeting or
Extraordinary General Meeting.
Version
060126
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