Constitution

THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE SOCIETY OF SINGAPORE

CONSTITUTION (2016)

1 Name

The name of the Society is “The Oxford and Cambridge Society of Singapore”.

2 Objects

The objects for which the Society is constituted are:

2.1 That there shall be in Singapore a duly constituted society of eligible persons to promote social contact between members of these two Universities residing in Singapore.

2.2 To arrange for the holding of an Oxford and Cambridge annual celebration and social gatherings at such time as the Committee shall deem desirable.

2.3 To provide opportunities whereby members may co-operate in professional, intellectual or cultural activities.

3 Membership

3.1 There shall be four eligible categories of membership:
(1) Life
(2) Ordinary
(3) Associate
(4) Honorary

3.2 Ordinary Members
Ordinary membership of the Society shall be open to persons who are resident in Singapore at the time of
application for membership and fulfils any one of the following criteria:
(1) matriculated at Oxford or Cambridge and spent at least one academic year at either institution;
(2) admitted to a degree at Oxford or Cambridge;
(3) admitted to a fellowship at one of the colleges of Oxford or Cambridge; or
(4) admitted as a faculty member at Oxford or Cambridge

3.3 Life Members
Ordinary members may apply for life membership, on payment once and for all of a life membership fee, such amount to be determined from time to time by a general meeting of the members.

3.4 Associate Members
Associate membership shall be open to persons who are resident in Singapore at the time of application for membership and fulfils any one of the following criteria:
(1) the spouse of an ordinary, life or honorary member;
(2) matriculated at Oxford or Cambridge and has spent less than one academic year at either institution;
(3) administrative staff at one of the colleges of Oxford or Cambridge for not less than three academic terms; or
(4) persons who, in the opinion of the Committee, can demonstrate a significant connection with either university.

Associate membership shall only be available to persons who do not otherwise qualify for ordinary membership. Such members shall be required to pay the prevailing subscription, but shall not be eligible to vote at meetings or hold office.

3.5 Honorary Members
The members in general meeting may elect a person who is or has been a member of either University to become an honorary member in recognition of outstanding service to the Society, Oxford, Cambridge or to the Republic of Singapore. Such members shall not be required to pay any entrance fee or subscription and shall not be eligible to vote at meetings or hold office.

4 Application for membership and Annual Subscriptions

4.1 Each candidate for life, ordinary or associate membership, shall on application pay a subscription of an amount previously determined by a general meeting of the members. Each application must be supported by a nominator and seconder, both of whom must be members of the Society. Applications for membership shall be approved by the Committee or a sub-Committee under the Committee.

4.2 The annual subscription shall be paid not later than 31 Mar in each subsequent calendar year.

4.3 The Committee shall be empowered to remove from the list of members any member whose
subscription is more than two years in arrears.

4.4 The annual subscription for the membership of the Society, if any, shall be such amount as may from time to time be determined by a general meeting of the members.

5 Officers and Committee

5.1 The management of the Society shall be vested in a Committee to be elected from ordinary and life Members at the Annual General Meeting every second year. Standing for office in absentia would be permitted, provided a letter of consent from the candidate is produced by someone present at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee shall consist of the following officers:
The President
The Immediate Past President
The Vice-President for Oxford
The Vice-President for Cambridge
The Honorary Secretary
The Assistant Honorary Secretary The Honorary Treasurer
The Assistant Honorary Treasurer
The Liaison Officer from the British High Commission
Fourteen members

All officers, except the Honorary Treasurer, may be re-elected.

*The Immediate Past President shall automatically be part of the Committee without need for election.

5.2 The duties of the office bearers are as follows:

5.2.1 The President shall act as chairman at all general and committee meetings. He shall also
represent the Society in its dealings with outside persons.

5.2.2 The President may authorise a Vice-President to act on his behalf and a Vice-President shall deputise for him in his absence.

5.2.3 The Hon. Secretary shall keep all records, except financial, of the Society, minutes of all general and committee meetings and shall be responsible for their correctness.

5.2.4 The Assistant Hon Secretary shall assist the Hon. Secretary, and act for the Hon Secretary in the latter’s absence.

5.2.5 The Hon Treasurer shall keep all funds and collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of the Society and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. The Hon. Treasurer is authorised to expend up to $100.00 per month for petty expenses on behalf of the Society but will not keep more than $100.00 in the form of cash and money in excess of this will be deposited in a bank to be named by the Committee. Cheques and other written instruments for the withdrawal of funds from the bank shall be signed by the President, the two Vice-Presidents or the Hon. Secretary in addition to the Hon. Treasurer.

5.2.6 The Assistant Hon. Treasurer shall assist the Hon. Treasurer and act for the Hon. Treasurer in the latter’s absence.

5.2.7 The Liaison Officer from the British High Commission shall act as the official link between the British High Commission and the Society.

5.3 Any member of the Committee absenting himself from three meetings consecutively without satisfactory explanation shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Committee, and a successor may be co-opted by the committee to serve until the next annual general meeting.

5.4 Upon the approval of the Registrar of Societies to the amendment to paragraph 5.1 of the Constitution to enlarge the number of non-office bearing Committee members from 6 to 14, the Committee may forthwith appoint 8 new members of the Committee as non office-bearing members, such appointment to be effective until the next election of Committee members.

The Committee shall also be empowered to co-opt any Member of the Society to fill any vacant Committee position until the next election.

5.5 The Committee shall hold meetings as and when it shall seem necessary to- the -President or in his absence a Vice-president; six members present shall form a quorum for all purposes.

6 Auditors

Two persons not members of the Committee will be elected as Hon Auditors at each annual general meeting and will hold office for one year only and may not be re-elected. They will be required to audit each year’s accounts and present a report upon them to the annual general meeting. They may be required by the President to audit the Society’s accounts for any period within their tenure of office and at any date and make a report to the committee.

7 Annual General Meetings

The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held by July of each calendar year and other general meetings shall be held at such times as the Committee shall deem necessary. At least two (2) weeks’ notice shall be given of an Annual General (inclusive of weekends and public holidays). Notice of meeting stating the date, time and place of meeting shall be sent by the Secretary to all voting members. The particulars of the agenda shall be posted on the Society’s website four (4) days in advance of the meeting. Any nomination for officers of the Society shall be supported by a nominator and seconder, both of whom must be members of the Society, and shall be submitted to the Secretary no later than one week before the meeting. Nomination for officers of the Society shall not be allowed during the Annual General Meeting.

One- tenth of the voting membership or thirty (30) voting members present at a General Meeting, whichever is the lesser, shall form a quorum for the Meeting, provided that only one-tenth or more of the voting membership shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of altering, amending or making additions to the existing rules.

At every Annual General Meeting a statement of accounts for the past year shall be submitted by the Treasurer. An office bearer shall hold office for the ensuing 2 years and elections for the Committee shall only be held at every alternate Annual General Meeting.

In the event of there being no quorum present at a meeting that meeting shall be adjourned a half hour later and should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum those present shall be considered a quorum but they shall have no power to alter, amend or make additions to any of the existing rules.

8 Special General Meeting

The Committee may convene a Special general meeting of the members at any time for the transaction of business duly specified in the notice calling the meeting, and no other and the Hon Secretary shall convene a special general meeting of the members on receiving a requisition to do so, signed by at least 12 ordinary, life or honorary members of the Society stating the subject to be submitted. At least two (2) weeks’ notice shall be given of a Special General Meeting (inclusive of weekends and public holidays). Notice of meeting stating the date, time and place of meeting shall be sent by the Secretary to all voting members. The particulars of the agenda shall be posted on the Society’s website four (4) days in advance of the meeting.

One- tenth of the voting membership or thirty (30) voting members present at a Special General Meeting, whichever is the lesser, shall form a quorum for the Meeting, provided that only one-tenth or more of the voting membership shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of altering, amending or making additions to the existing rules.

In the event of there being no quorum present at a meeting that meeting shall be adjourned a half hour later and should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum those present shall be considered a quorum but they shall have no power to alter, amend or make additions to any of the existing rules.

9 Voting

At all general meetings or meetings of the Committee, the President or in his absence one of the Vice- Presidents, shall preside and in the absence of a Vice-President, one of the Committee shall be elected as Chairman in his place. Every ordinary and life member present shall be entitled to one vote upon each motion or resolution before the meeting and each motion or resolution shall be decided by a show of hands.

In cases of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote. Proxy voting shall not be allowed, except in the case of dissolution as provided by paragraph 15.1 of this Constitution.

10 Year
The year of the Society shall be from the 1st January to 31st December.

11 Removal from Register of Members

The Committee shall have the power to remove from the register of members of the Society the name of any member who in the opinion of the Committee has been guilty of conduct unbecoming as a member of the Society or prejudicial to the interests and objects or the Society. Provided that such member shall, have the right within 14 days of receiving the committee’s notice of its decision to request the Hon. Secretary to convene and the Hon Secretary thereupon shall convene a special general meeting. If thereat a majoriv of not less than two thirds of members present consider the offender’s conduct to warrant expulsion, the member’s name shall be deleted from the register of members.

12 Place of Business

The place of business of the Society shall be at 10 Shenton Way #13-02 MAS Building Singapore (079117)

13 Prohibitions

13.1 Gambling of any kind whether for stakes or not, is forbidden on the Society’s premises. The
introduction of materials for gambling or drug-taking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.

13.2 No funds of the Society shall be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in Court of any offence.

13.3 The Society shall not attempt to restrict or in any other manner interfere with trade or prices or engage in any Trade Union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in Singapore.

13.4 The Society shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the society or its office-bearers, Committee or members.

13.5 The Society shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes.

14 Alterations

No alterations or additions to these rules shall be made except at a general meeting, and they shall not come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies.

15 Dissolution

15.1 The Society shall not be dissolved, except with the consent of three-fifths (3/5) of the voting membership of the Society expressed in person or by proxy at a general meeting convened for the purpose or by postal vote.

15.2 In the event of the Society being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Society shall be fully discharged and the remaining funds shall be equally divided amongst the members.

15.3 Notice of dissolution shall be given within 7 days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies.

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