The Constitution of the Romanian Society

Preamble
We the Members of the Romanian Society, in order to provide Romanian students and
all those interested in Romanian and its rich cultural, social and political aspects, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Romanian Society of the University of Manchester.

Article I Fundamental Principles

Section 1 Name
The name of the Society shall be the University of Manchester: Romanian Society, RS for short.

Section 2 Membership
Any member of the University of Manchester can become a member (i.e. General Member) of the Society provided he/she pays the basic membership subscription. All members of the University of Manchester Students Union shall be eligible for full membership of the Society. At least three-quarters of the membership of the Society shall be registered students of the University of Manchester. All Committee members must be ordinary members of the University of Manchester Students Union.

Section 3 Nature of Activities

All activities that the Society undertakes shall be agreed upon by the Committee. All activities shall abide by the rules set by the University of Manchester Students Union.

Section 4 External Funding

The Society may receive external funding depending on the activities and enthusiasm of the Committee.

Section 5 School

The Society shall not be linked with any specific academic School of the University of Manchester.

Section 6 Motto
The Society shall have the following motto: Romania into Europe.

Article II Aims and Objectives

Section 1 Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the Society shall be as follows: - Enable our members to interact and share ideas. - Provide and insight into Romanian cultural, social and political environment. - Organise exhibitions, cultural festivals and other events. - Act as a voice for the concerns and ideas of our members. - Provide support and guidance for our members.

Article III Structure of the Society

Section 1 Officers
The Officers of the Society shall be a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.

Section 1.1 Additional officers

In addition to above (Article III, Section 1), there will be 4 elected Committee Members and not more than 4 co-opted Committee Members who shall constitute a Committee which shall be the governing body of the Society.

Section 2 Committee
The Committee shall be the governing body of the Society.

Section 2.1 Committee Meetings

The Committee meetings shall be attended by Committee Members only. Other General Members can attend the Committee Meetings only after they received an invitation from one of the Officers. They shall not have a right to vote on the decisions. The Chair shall decide about their input to the discussion. Date of a Committee Meeting shall be decided upon at the end of the last Committee Meeting by the Committee Members. The Secretary shall give at least 3 days written notice prior to the Committee Meeting with the preliminary agenda which is to be drafted by the Chair.

Section 2.2 Emergency Committee Meetings1

Emergency Committee Meetings may be called by the Chair without prior announcement and/or agreement and/or without a written notice by the Secretary in special circumstances of emergency.

Section 2.3 Special Responsibilities

The Committee may allocate special responsibilities to individual General Members. These members shall be called delegates.

Section 2.4 Committee Quorum

The quorum of the Committee shall be 60% Committee Members personally present (including the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer). All effort must be made to ensure that all 3 Officers are present at a Committee Meeting. At least 2 Officers shall be present at the Committee Meeting, otherwise the Meeting cannot proceed.

Section 2.5 Committee and General Meeting

The Committee shall be bound by decisions of the General Meeting.

Section 2.6 Cardholders

The Society shall have 2 Committee Members (at least one of whom must be the Chair, Secretary or Treasurer) to act as cardholders.

Section 2.7 Behaviour during Committee Meetings

It shall be the role of the Chair of the Society to ensure that the behaviour of the Committee Members and all those present at a Committee Meeting are appropriate.

Section 2.8 Absence during the Committee Meetings

The Committee Members shall give a prior notice to the Secretary regarding their absence during the Committee Meeting at least 1 day before the Meeting. In unexpected

circumstances, the Committee Members shall send their apologies with a reason for absence to the Secretary as soon as possible after the Meeting.

Section 3 Committee positions

There are 7 elected positions in the Committee: Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Activities Secretary, IT Secretary, Socials Secretary and External Relations, Publicity & Funding Secretary.

Section 3.1 Chair

The Chair of the Society shall fulfil the following roles: - spokesperson of the Society - representing the Society and its Members - chairing the Societys Committee Meetings and General Meetings - giving public speeches and announcements - networking and coordination between the Committee Members and all other General Members - in contact with the Students Unions Activities Officer and other members of the Students Unions Council (including the Executive) and General Office - delegating duties to Members - booking rooms as one of the two Society cardholders (if chosen as the cardholder) - decides who is to temporarily (until the Committee decides upon the replacement) cover or a Committee Member who is no longer able or willing to carry out his or her duties

Section 3.2 Secretary

The Secretary of the Society shall fulfil the following roles: - general secretary and communications secretary - dealing with official correspondence between all members - responsible for the mailing list and List of Members sheets - checking pigeon holes at the Students Union - taking, writing out and sending Society Committee Meetings minutes - booking rooms as one of the two Societys cardholders (if chosen as the cardholder) - responsible for constitutional issues and amendments - acting as a Chair in the case of Chairs absence, resignation, or illness

Section 3.3 Treasurer

The Treasurer of the Society shall fulfil the following roles: - responsible for all financial matters of the Society - gives financial reports to the Committee after events

- attends financial training programmes organised by the Students Union - acting as a Secretary in the case of Secretarys absence, resignation, or illness if not otherwise decided by the Chair

Section 3.4 Activities Secretary

The Activities Secretary of the Society shall fulfil the following roles: - responsible for all activities undertaken by the Society - responsible for photo and other media coverage during Societys activities - coordination of debates and talks

Section 3.5 Socials Secretary

The Socials Secretary of the Society shall fulfil the following roles: - responsible for all social activities - responsible for sport events

Section 3.6 IT Secretary

The IT Secretary shall fulfil the following roles: - responsible for Societys website, Facebook account and yahoo account

Section 3.7 External Relations, Publicity & Funding Secretary

The External Relations & Funding Secretary shall fulfil the following roles: - responsible for external liaisons and funds (NGOs, Embassies, etc.) - in contact with other Students Unions societies and cooperating with them - in contact with the International Society - in contact with relevant societies and student bodies outside the University of Manchester - responsible for all publicity and other issues related to it - in contact with the Students Unions Communications Secretary regarding promotion of Societys events - responsible for Societys merchandise

Section 3.8 Committee Members Assistants

Committee Members may choose their own assistants who shall help them fulfil their roles and duties. The Committee Members Assistants are not members of the Committee but they might participate as specified in Article III, Section 2.1. All Committee Members Assistants must be General Members of the Society.

Section 4 General Members

All Members of the Society are the General Members as long as they pay for the subscription.

Section 5 Subscription
The annual subscription in order to become a General Member shall be 2 per member.

Section 5.1 Additional Subscription

Additional subscription shall be nil per session.

Section 6 General Meetings

General Meetings shall be open to all General Members. Decisions made at the General Meetings are binding to the Committee.

Section 6.1 Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting shall be in the second semester. Retiring Officers shall present a report and accounts for the past year, which shall be presented for consideration. The new Officers and Committee shall then be elected.

Section 6.2 Emergency General Meeting

An Emergency General Meeting may be called by the Secretary upon instructions of the Committee or not fewer than 25% Society Members in writing.

Section 6.3 General Meeting Announcement

At least 5 weekdays written notice in term time shall be given to each member of the Society informing them of any General Meeting.

Section 6.4 Quorum for General Meetings

The quorum for General Meetings shall be 25% members personally present.

Section 6.5 General Meetings Procedure

The Procedure shall follow the Standing Orders of the General Meeting of the University of Manchester Students Union.

Article IV Decision-making

Section 1 Decision Making within the Committee

All decision making within the Committee shall be done by a simple majority vote with the three following options: yes, no, abstain. If there is a split (i.e. 1-1, 2-2 or 3-3 or other) then the Chair has an extra vote which will decide the motion. The Chair does not have to cast the same vote as before. The Chair otherwise has and equal vote to all other Committee Members. Only Committee Members shall have the right to vote on decisions.

Section 2 Decision Making within the Society

The Society shall organise General Meetings where all decisions made are binding to all members and the Committee. Decision making shall be done by a simple majority vote with the three following options: yes, no, abstain. In the case of a tie, the Chair has an extra casting vote. The Chair does not have to cast the same vote as before.

Article V Symbols

Section 1 Official logo

The official logo shall be the following:

Article VI Elections and Resignation

Section 1 Elections
The Officers of the Society and elected Committee Members shall be elected by a ballot at the Annual General Meeting.

Section 2 Vacancies
Casual vacancies shall be filled by the Committee until the next General Meeting of the Society when the vacancies shall be reopened and a ballot held.

Section 3 Resignation
Any Committee Member may resign provided he or she provides a written statement of his or her resignation addressed to the Chair of the Society. He or she has to provide a reason for resignation. The Chair has to accept a resignation.

Section 4 Suspensions
The Committee has a right to suspend any of its Committee Members and General Members.

Article VII Property

Section 1 Society Property

All property is ultimately the property of the University of Manchester Students Union.

Section 2 Dissolution and Property

In the event of dissolution of the Society, or if it shall have failed to meet during any period of 12 consecutive months, the said property, subject to the payment of any liabilities of the Society and a right of the Treasurer to indemnify himself/herself against any liabilities properly incurred by him/her as Treasurer, be vested in the University of Manchester Students Union.

Article VIII Amendments

Section 1 Society Constitutional Amendments

This Constitution for the Eastern European Society may be amended by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of those voting at the Societys General Meeting. Constitutional Amendment forms are available from and shall be returned to the Student Activities Officer in the Student Activities Centre.