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constitution.md

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Hackers at Cambridge Constitution

1. Name

The Name of the Society shall be "Hackers at Cambridge", hereafter referred to as the "Society".

2. Vision Statement

Our vision is to foster a community of creators and innovators in technology at Cambridge, to promote the sharing of ideas and knowledge in the community, and to encourage the community to build upon these ideas to positively impact the world.

3. Membership

  1. Membership of the Society shall be open to students based in Cambridge that have shown an interest in joining the Society.

  2. There shall be no annual fee.

  3. Membership shall be granted by nomination of any current member and must be confirmed by a majority vote at a meeting of the Executive Committee.

  4. Members of the Society are members for life.

4. Executive Committee

  1. The day-to-day management of the Society's affairs shall be conducted by the Executive Committee.

  2. The Executive Committee shall consist of a group of officers in a non-hierarchical structure dividing between them the typical executive duties. Among the officers, there shall be elected a General-Secretary and Junior Treasurer.

  3. In addition, there shall be a Senior Treasurer, who shall be a member of Regent House or any other person approved by the Junior Proctor. The Senior Treasurer shall be appointed by the elected members of the Executive Committee and shall be ex officio a member of the Executive Committee.

  4. The Executive Committee shall be made up of full members of the Society.

  5. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be chaired by one member on a voluntary basis. In the event that there is no volunteer to chair a meeting, the duty falls to the General-Secretary. The quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be three members of the Executive Committee and a written record of the members present and minutes of the meeting shall be kept.

  6. Executive Committee members are elected in accordance with the process outlined in section 6.

5. Society Repository

  1. In addition to the Constitution, the Society shall be subject to the guidelines listed in a public repository (the Repository) currently located at: https://github.com/hackersatcambridge/constitution.

  2. The Repository shall enumerate the powers and responsibilities of the Executive Committee, as well as additional acting roles as deemed fit by the Executive Committee.

  3. The Repository shall record precedent for major decisions by the Executive Committee.

  4. The Repository cannot contradict or supersede the constitution.

  5. The Repository's constituent documents may themselves determine what conditions are required for them to be changed. If none is specified, a majority vote at a meeting of the Executive Committee may issue a change to the Repository's documents.

6. General Meetings

  1. The Society shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) during each Academic year. The AGM shall be held in Cambridge during Easter Full Term. All members shall be entitled to attend and vote at any General Meeting. At least fourteen days written notice shall be given to members before the AGM.

  2. The AGM shall approve minutes of the last General Meeting and the Society's accounts for the preceding year, elect the Executive Committee for the year ahead and conduct such other business as is necessary.

  3. The number of Executive Committee positions available to be filled at AGM elections is to be determined by the Executive Committee and announced with fourteen days' written notice. Only those who are members of the Society may be elected as a member of the Executive Committee. Candidates for election to office shall be proposed and seconded by two other members. Voting shall be by secret ballot. If there are more than two candidates for a post or more than two options on a motion, voting shall be by single transferable vote. A majority of the elected members of the Executive Committee shall be full-time undergraduate or post graduate students of the University of Cambridge.

  4. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be held at any time during full term. It shall be held in Cambridge and may be called by the Executive Committee or at the written request of at least ten members. Ten days' written notice shall be given to members before an EGM is held. An EGM shall have the same powers as an AGM.

  5. The General Meeting will be chaired by a member of the Executive Committee in the same manner as the Executive Committee meetings detailed in 4.5. The quorum for a General Meeting shall be five members and a written record of every General Meeting shall be kept.

7. Financial Matters

  1. The society shall maintain a banking account with a suitable bank or building society to hold the Society's funds.

  2. It shall be the responsibility of the Junior Treasurer to ensure that monies received are properly accounted for and that the Society's financial records are kept in good order.

  3. The Senior Treasurer shall make arrangements for the Society's Accounts to be properly audited, either by themselves or some other person approved under University Ordinances.

  4. The Senior Treasurer shall not be liable for any financial debt or other obligation of the Society unless he or she has personally authorised such a debt in writing.

  5. For so long as the Society shall be registered with the Junior Proctor, it shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to ensure that the Society complies with requirements for registration as a University of Cambridge society.

8. Changes to the Repository

Changes to the Repository may be proposed by any member during any regular meeting of the Executive Committee (including General Meetings) and will be brought to vote if seconded by a member of the Executive Committee. Changes to the Repository require the process outlined in 5.5.

9. Changes to the Constitution

The Constitution may be amended at a General Meeting, with approval of at least two thirds of those present.

No amendment to this Constitution intended to remove the position of Senior Treasurer, to alter its prerogatives and duties, or to change the criteria and procedure for the appointment of a Senior Treasurer can be put to a vote without the prior written agreement of the Junior Proctor of the University of Cambridge.

10. Disciplinary Processes

  1. The Executive Committee may expel any member whose conduct seems likely to bring the Society into disrepute. Expulsion requires the agreement of a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee, excluding the Senior Treasurer. In the event of an expulsion, the excluded member is required to return all equipment, documents and finances belonging to the Society within 7 days.

  2. If the excluded or suspended member wishes to appeal the decision, that appeal should be made to the Senior Treasurer, who will consider all the facts, and whose decision will be final. An appeal as to the process of exclusion, but not a further investigation into the facts, may be lodged with the Junior Proctor.

  3. Additionally, the Executive Committee may expel any other member of the Executive Committee whose conduct seems likely to bring the society into disrepute, or who has proven to be unable to carry out his or her duties as an officer. Expulsion of an officer from the Executive Committee requires the agreement of all other members of the Executive Committee, excluding the Senior Treasurer, and additionally constitutes as an expulsion from Membership.

11. Dissolution

  1. The Society may be dissolved at a General Meeting provided that at least twenty-one days' written notice of the intention to dissolve the Society has been given to the members. At least two-thirds of those present and voting at the General Meeting must vote in favour of the motion for dissolution for it to be effective.

  2. Any motion for dissolution of the Society shall provide that assets remaining after all liabilities have been met shall bet transferred to Hack Cambridge. In the case that Hack Cambridge has been dissolved, then either to another registered university society or to the Society's syndicate. This decision may be superseded by a vote.