Constitution

  1. NAME
    1. The name of the Society shall be The University of Bristol Computer Gaming Society
    2. The Society shall be recognised by the University of Bristol Union
  2. AIMS
    1. To provide a gaming community for members to play and discuss computer games of all genres.
    2. Where appropriate to provide the means, equipment or place for tournaments agreed upon by the committee.
    3. The society shall aim always to abide by the Union’s Equal Opportunities and Harassment Policies.
  3. MEMBERSHIP
    1. Full membership is open to all members of the Union by application in writing or email to the Committee of the Society.
    2. Associate membership is open to all other persons who are interested in the aims and objectives of the Society.
    3. Not less than two-thirds of the Society members shall be members of the Union.
    4. The secretary shall keep a list of all members, differentiating between full and associate members.
    5. There shall be a subscription fee levied for membership, which shall be fixed at the discretion of the committee being no less than the minimum rate demanded by Student Activities Committee.
  4. PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP
    1. Only full members of the society may sit on the committee
    2. All categories of membership shall have equal rights of voting and attending meetings.
    3. If any member should misuse facilities provided or are behaving in a manner deemed inappropriate by the Committee, the Committee reserves the right to rescind membership or privileges of the member.
  5. COMMITTEE
    1. There shall be a committee of the society which shall be the executive decision making body of the society.
    2. The President of the Committee shall be a full member of the Union
    3. The Committee shall be responsible for the general and financial policy of the Society, subject to such rules as laid out in the General Union Functions.
    4. Quoracy for committee meetings shall be set at 50% of the post filled positions plus one.
    5. The Committee shall consist of the following positions:
      1. President -The President shall be responsible for ensuring that meetings are chaired, and act as a liaison between the society and other bodies and performing any other tasks delegated by the Committee.
      2. Vice President – The Vice President shall act as a deputy for the President, and should the need arise the Vice President can act in stead for the President.
      3. Secretary – The Secretary shall be responsible for taking minutes at meetings and ensuring all paperwork for the Society is completed.
      4. Treasurer – The Treasurer shall be in charge of all society monies in accordance with the constitution of the society and the current instuction to society treasurers by the Union. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of membership fees from prospective members and shall make arrangements for them to join at any stage during term time. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for ensuring that the Society’s accounts are audited at least once per annum.
      5. Webmaster – the webmaster shall be responsible for services that the members interact with as well as their content. This includes (but is not limited to) the website and IRC services.
      6. Sysadmin – the sysadmin shall be responsible for all servers. This includes (but is not limited to) the upkeep of both the server hardware and the server software (i.e. dedicated game servers).
      7. Ents Rep – Responsible for the organisation and running of social events outside of LANs.
  6. HONORARY OFFICERS
    1. Honorary Officers may be appointed by the Committee if ratified at a properly constituted Meeting.
  7. FINANCIAL
    1. The Treasurer of the society shall be a full member of the Union and not in their final year at the University
    2. The accounts of the Society shall be audited by a member of University Staff and submitted to the Union Treasurer (Secretary to Student Activities Committee) as and when requested and at least once per annum.
    3. All financial arrangements must be made in accordance with current instructions to Society Treasurers, as set down by Student Activities Committee.
    4. Notwithstanding article 7c above, the Treasurer and General Manager, jointly, shall be empowered to issue financial instructions on behalf of the society if:
      1. The society folds with outstanding financial affairs
      2. Change of mandate forms are not completed, and the old committee are out of reasonable contact
      3. Financial irregularities are found
  8. GENERAL MEETINGS
    1. There shall be an Annual General Meeting once per annum, and this shall be during the Spring Term.
    2. Notices of such meetings must be published on the Society’s notice board at least seven days beforehand, together with the Agenda.
    3. Quorum of such meetings shall be set at twice the committee size plus one
    4. An Emergency General Meeting may be called by twice the filled committee posts-plus one (15) of the membership of the Society, or 5 members, whichever is larger, by application to the Secretary. An EGM shall be called as specified on the application, but at least 7 days notice shall be given.
    5. Should any person present at a General Meeting behave in a disorderly or offensive manner such that the meeting is severely disrupted, then the Chair of the General Meeting may, at his discretion, eject that person from the meeting
  9. ELECTIONS
    1. Elections shall be held at the Annual General Meeting to elect officers of the committee for the following session
    2. There shall be provision for by-elections to be held at an EGM in October should there be vacant committee posts.
    3. Any restrictions on who can stand must be stated – note that such restrictions must not contravene the Equal Opportunities Policy
    4. State when nominations must be received (e.g. Three days in advance)
    5. There shall one Returning Officer at any election, who shall be appointed by the outgoing committee (or the current committee in the case of an EGM) and who should not be standing in the election and is forbidden from voting.
    6. Voting shall be carried out by exhaustive ballot and be carried out by a show of hands at a properly constituted General Meeting.
    7. In the case of a tied ballot, the Returning Officer shall have the deciding vote.
  10. AFFILIATIONS
    1. The society shall affiliate to external bodies only where membership of those bodies is essential to the fulfillment of the core aims, and only with the prior agreement of the Union’s Student Activities Committee
  11. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
    1. Any amendment to this constitution shall require a two-thirds majority of the members present at a properly constituted General Meeting.
    2. All such amendments shall become valid only after approval by Student Council