Constitution of Friends of IVFDF

Name

a.        The name of the organisation is “Friends of The Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival” more usually known as Friends of IVFDF or FoIVFDF.

Aims

b.       The aims of FoIVFDF are to:

       i.         provide an “underwriting fund” which may be used to protect an IVFDF festival from financial collapse.

       ii.        allow easier access, by IVFDF festival organisers, to existing expertise and information.

       iii.      provide an organisation for participants of IVFDF who are not members of student societies.

Membership

c.        Anyone over the age of 17 may become a member of Friends of IVFDF on payment of the appropriate membership fees.  The membership fees shall be determined by a General Meeting of FoIVFDF, at least once a year.

d.       Membership shall last from the date payment is made to the end of the next IVFDF.  Membership fees will be due at IVFDF.

Affiliations

e.         Subject to approval by the IVFDF Representatives’ Meeting, FoIVFDF shall be a member organisation of IVFDF.

Executive Committee

f.         The governing body of FoIVFDF shall be the Executive Committee (elsewhere referred to as the Committee).  The Committee shall consist of:

       i.         Chair.  The duties of the Chair shall include being responsible for:

              1.       chairing all General Meetings and Committee Meetings

              2.       representing FoIVFDF whenever required

              3.       providing leadership when that is necessary.

       ii.        Treasurer.  The duties of the Treasurer shall include being responsible for:

              1.       collecting and receiving all monies due to FoIVFDF.

              2.       making all payments authorised by FoIVFDF.

              3.       keeping correct records showing the financial affairs of FoIVFDF with full details of all expenditure and receipts.

              4.       preparing and presenting a financial report each year.

              5.       the appropriate auditing and/or external checking of the accounts being performed.

       iii.      Secretary.  The duties of the Secretary shall include being responsible for:

              1.       taking minutes of the resolutions and proceedings of each General Meeting and Committee meeting together with a record of the names of all those present at Committee Meetings.

              2.       providing notice of General Meetings and Committee meetings as defined below.

              3.       keeping a register of all members containing their contact details and type of membership.

              4.       keeping up-to-date copies of the Constitution and Bylaws.

              5.       dealing with any correspondence not handled by the other officers.

              6.       providing all members with details of each year’s festival in a timely fashion.

       iv.      IVFDF Information Point.

              1.       This post is NOT elected by members of Friends of IVFDF, but is appointed by an IVFDF Representatives meeting.

              2.       The purpose of this post is to ensure that there is a formal line of communication between the Friends of IVFDF and the IVFDF Information Point.

       v.       Up to three other, ordinary, members.

g.       The tenure of a member of the Committee shall be from the conclusion of the meeting at which they were elected to the Committee to the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting next following the date of appointment.  Members may seek re-election on an annual basis.

h.       In the event of a casual vacancy occurring in the Committee, the Committee may co-opt an appropriate member to fill the vacancy.  The tenure of a co-opted person shall be until the conclusion of the next AGM.

i.         The members of FoIVFDF may, in a General Meeting, by resolution, remove any Committee member from office and appoint another qualified member in their stead.  This will be achieved by a vote of censure against or of no confidence in the named individual.

j.         Should a committee member become a member of an IVFDF organising committee, where that IVFDF festival is to be held within one calendar year, they must resign their FoIVFDF committee post forthwith.

Meetings

k.        FoIVFDF shall, in each calendar year, convene an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of its members.  The AGM shall be held on such a day, at such a time and in such a place as the Committee determines, but not normally less than nine months or more than fifteen months after the previous AGM.

l.         The following business shall be conducted at the AGM:

       i.         Confirmation of the minutes of the last AGM and any other General Meetings held since that meeting.

       ii.        Receiving from the Chair a report on the progress of FoIVFDF since the last AGM.

       iii.      Receiving from the Treasurer a financial report covering the period since the last AGM.

       iv.      Receiving from the Secretary a report on the administration of FoIVFDF and its membership since the last AGM.

       v.       Election of the Committee.

       vi.      Setting of the subscription fee(s) for FoIVFDF.

       vii.    Any other appropriate business.

m.      Any General Meeting other than the AGM shall be called an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

n.       The Committee may convene an EGM whenever it thinks fit, but must convene an EGM should a period of more than fifteen months elapse after an AGM.

o.       Ten percent of members or five members, whichever is greater, may, in writing, cause the Secretary to convene an EGM.  That meeting shall be held, where possible, at a date, time and place chosen by the requesting members.  If, within one calendar month of the date of sending the EGM request to the Secretary, the Committee has not called an EGM, then the members concerned may convene an EGM themselves, giving due notice of the EGM as if it were called by the Committee.

p.       Any business that may constitute valid business at an EGM may also be transacted at an AGM.  Any business that may constitute valid business at an AGM may also be transacted at an EGM.

q.       The Secretary shall cause to be sent to each member of FoIVFDF, at the address appearing in the register of members, a notice stating the date, time and place of the General Meeting, the type of General Meeting and the nature of the business to be transacted at the General Meeting at least fourteen days (or if there is any special resolution proposed, at least twenty-one days) before the date of that General Meeting.  It shall be deemed sufficient to have sent the notice of meeting electronically to an address appearing in the register of members.

r.         A member desiring to bring any business before a General Meeting shall give notice, in writing, to be with the Secretary at least 7 days before the date of that Meeting.

s.        The quorum for the transaction of business at a General Meeting shall be five members or three percent of the membership, whichever is greater.

t.         Should the Chair not be present at a General Meeting then the members present shall elect a Chair from amongst themselves.

u.       Amendments to the Constitution may be made only at a General Meeting.  Proposal(s) for amendment(s) must appear in the notice of meeting sent to the membership.

v.       The Committee shall meet as required each year.  Where all members of the Committee agree, these meetings may be held using electronic means of communication, rather than all being physically present in one place.

w.      The quorum for the transaction of business at a Committee Meeting shall be three Committee members, of which at least one must be an officer of FoIVFDF.

x.        Should the Chair not be present at a Committee Meeting then the Committee members present shall elect a Chair from amongst themselves.

y.       The Secretary shall give notice to each Committee member stating the date, time and place of the meeting at least seven days before the date of the meeting.

Voting and Elections

z.        Voting at all General Meetings shall be by an open show of hands.  Unless a count is demanded, a declaration by the Chair that a vote has, on a show of hands, been carried, carried unanimously, carried “nem con” or lost shall be sufficient to determine the result.

aa.     All members have a vote at General Meetings and may take part in discussion.  Each member may cast only one vote.

aa.     Nominations of candidates for election as Committee members:

       i.                     may be made in writing, signed by two members and accompanied by the written consent of the candidate and delivered to the Secretary before the General Meeting.

       ii.                    may be made and seconded by two members from the floor during the General Meeting.  The candidate must be present and give consent or written consent from the candidate must be presented to the meeting.

       iii.                  The candidate must be a member of FoIVFDF who is not on an IVFDF organising committee at the time of nomination.

ab.    The election of Committee members shall be conducted at the AGM in such a usual and proper manner as the Committee may direct.  Should there be only one candidate for any post, they shall be considered to have been elected without an election being conducted.

ac.     Proxy voting shall be allowed for votes on resolutions.  Proxy voting shall not be allowed for elections.

ad.    All votes, except those listed below, shall require a simple majority of members present to be passed.

ae.     Resolutions of censure, of no confidence or constitutional amendments shall require a two-thirds majority of members present to be passed.

af.      Should the Committee so direct, a resolution which would normally be put to a General Meeting may be decided by a general ballot of the members of FoIVFDF using a postal ballot or other appropriate, verifiable means.  The members proposing any such resolution may insist on a General Meeting being held to discuss their resolution.

Underwriting Fund

ag.    Friends of IVFDF shall set up a “underwriting fund”, the sole purpose of which will be to provide financial support to one or more IVFDF festivals, should that prove necessary.  This support shall be provided entirely at the discretion of the IVFDF Reps. Meeting. 

ah.    This fund shall be kept entirely separate from all other funds of FoIVFDF, IVFDF Information Point and individual IVFDF festivals.

ai.      A proportion of each membership fee received shall be paid into the underwriting fund.  The amount of this “donation” shall be determined by a General Meeting of FoIVFDF, at least once a year.  Any member may voluntarily increase their own personal donation.

Miscellaneous

aj.      Cheques: Committee members shall be allowed to sign cheques on behalf of FoIVFDF.  All cheques shall carry two signatures, one of which shall normally be that of the Treasurer.  IVFDF Information Point shall not be a cheque signatory, unless they are also an officer of FoIVFDF.

ak.     Literature: Official Friends of IVFDF leaflets, newsletters and other material may only be produced by, or under the direction of, the Committee.  The copyright in such material shall be reserved to FoIVFDF.  Any Friends of IVFDF logos may only be used with the express permission of the Committee.

al.      Winding-Up: In the event of the winding-up of FoIVFDF, all property and assets of FoIVFDF shall be converted into money and collected together; all debts and liabilities of FoIVFDF shall be settled immediately with this money and any remaining sum shall be donated to the IVFDF Information Point, or, if no such  post exists, some organisation involved in the promotion or continuation of Folk Dance.

End of Constitution