Constitution

The Constitution of the Computer Science and Software Engineering Postgraduate Group

University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association

    NAME

  1. Name.
    1. That the name of the group shall be the Computer Science and Software Engineering Postgraduate Group.
    2. The CSSEPG is affiliated to UMPA and anything contained in this constitution that conflicts with the Constitution of UMPA or with any regulations shall be null and void. In all matters not specifically provided for herein, the Constitution of UMPA and any regulations shall apply.

    AIMS

  2. The aims of the CSSEPG are:
    1. To enhance the academic and professional life of Computer Science and Software Engineering Postgraduate Students.
    2. To provide academic support to fellow postgraduates and thus foster communication of research ideas and collaborations.
    3. To encourage social interaction of students within the Department.
    4. The assets and income of the group shall be applied solely in furtherance of its above-mentioned aims and no portion shall be distributed directly or indirectly to the members of the group except as bona fide compensation for services rendered or expenses incurred on behalf of the group.

    MEMBERSHIP

  3. There must be a minimum of 6 postgraduate members to constitute the CSSEPG. Of these, 70% must be postgraduates of the Department. Membership shall be open to:
    1. All postgraduate students of the University of Melbourne who subscribe to the aims of the group;
    2. Other persons who subscribe to the aims of the group.
  4. A person shall be considered a member on having:
    1. enrolled in a post graduate course in the department of Computer Science and Software Engineering and are actively working within the department.

    CHAIRING OF MEETINGS

  5. A Chair shall be appointed for all meetings.

    6. THE COMMITTEE

  6. The committee shall have the following members:
    1. An executive consisting of;
      1. the President/Chair, who shall be a postgraduate student, is the representative of CSSEPG who shall liaise with UMPA.
      2. the Secretary, who shall be a postgraduate student, is responsible for maintaining a current membership list, constitution and minutes of any meetings held.
      3. the Treasurer, who shall be a postgraduate student, is responsible for maintaining the financial records of the CSSEPG.
    2. Non executive members consisting of three general representatives.
  7. The committee shall meet at least twice a semester and have the following powers:
    1. Control over the finances of group; and
    2. Control over the activities of the group.
  8. A committee meeting may be called by any member of the Committee, with a minimum of five days notice.
  9. The committee is at all times bound by the decisions of a group general meeting. Any committee decision may be overturned by a CSSEPG general meeting.

    10. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

  10. There shall be one Annual General Meeting every calendar year, which shall be held during term time in either first or second semester. Five Academic days notice must be given through an email to pgrad@cs.mu.oz.au. At this meeting:
    1. Reports shall be presented by the President, Treasurer and any other reports that are deemed necessary.
    2. Full financial reports shall be presented and adopted. They will report on finances from the previous AGM to the present AGM.
    3. Elections will be held for a new committee, with the new committee to take charge of the group once the elections have concluded. The term of office for a committee will be from AGM at the time of their election to the following AGM.
    4. Other motions on notice may be discussed and voted upon.
    5. General business may discuss motions that are not on notice and vote on them.

    GENERAL MEETINGS

  11. The committee may call general meetings as it sees fit or if they are petitioned. The form and procedure of general meetings will be consistent with the Annual General Meeting except that committee elections will not be held unless notice is given specifically calling for them.
  12. If ten members, or one third of the membership, whichever is the smaller, should petition the committee for a general meeting, such meeting must take place within twenty Academic days. Ten Academic days notice must be given through email to pgrad@cs.mu.oz.au.

    13. QUORUM FOR MEETINGS

  13. The quorum for meetings shall be:
    1. At a committee meeting, three committee members of which at least one must be an executive member.
    2. At the Annual General Meeting , ten members, seven of whom are not committee members, or one third of the group, whichever is the lesser.
    3. At a general meeting, ten members or one third of the group, whichever is the lesser.
  14. The committee shall be required to give five Academic days notice of a general meeting or Annual General Meeting.

    15. VOTING AT MEETINGS

  15. Voting at meetings.
    1. Voting for all meetings will be conducted democratically. A simple majority of members present will see any motion passed. All tied motions are lost.

    CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION

  16. Changes to the constitution.
    1. Constitutional changes require a simple majority of members present voting at a general meeting or Annual General Meeting, and take effect from the conclusion of the meeting.
    2. Constitutional motions must be presented in writing to the committee at least fifteen Academic days before the meeting and notice of these should be sent by mail to the membership ten academic days before the general meeting to change them.

    ABSENCE FROM MEETINGS

  17. Any committee member absent from three consecutive committee meetings without apology or due cause may, at the committees discretion, be deemed to have resigned their position, and a general meeting must be called to elect a success or.

    18. IMPEACHMENT

  18. By a motion of the committee, or a petition bearing the names of at least 75% of members, impeachment proceedings will take place against the nominated committee member. At the next general meeting or Annual General Meeting, a motion shall be put to impeach the committee member, provided that at least ten Academic days notice has been given to the membership and to the member concerned in writing. If this is passed by a two thirds majority, that committee position will become vacant and a new election held immediately. The committee member to be impeached will be given at least five minutes to speak before a vote is taken. No member may be expelled on the grounds of race, religious, moral, political or sexual views.
  19. By a motion of the committee, or a petition bearing the names of at least 75% of members, any member of the group can be expelled. The procedure is the same for impeachment except that the result is the voiding of the persons membership. No member may be expelled on the grounds of race, religious, moral, political or sexual views.

    20. REAFFILIATION

  20. Reaffiliation to UMPA shall take place on the 31st March of each year. The CSSEPG shall provide to UMPA no later than the 31st of March each year the following:
    1. a current copy of the constitution;
    2. a membership list (showing faculty, students and non students);
    3. the minutes of the most recent Annual General Meeting with an attendance list;
    4. a financial statement for the previous affiliation period;
    5. Office bearers details which includes names, addresses, phone numbers (business and home) and email addresses.
  21. During any stage of affiliation to UMPA the CSSEPG shall comply with any requirements by UMPA to provide the appropriate records and documents to maintain affiliation. Any grant money received by the group must be appropriated in accordance with the manner in which the UMPA originally granted the money.
  22. Once all the affiliation material has been checked by UMPA and is assessed as correct; retrospective reaffiliation shall be granted by the UMPA council from April 1st of that year.

    23. WINDING UP

  23. A motion to wind up the CSSEPG must be written and notice of the motion is to be given in the agenda for the General Meeting at which the winding up motion is to be decided. A winding up motion is carried by a simple majority.
  24. If the CSSEPG has not been able to organise a quorate meeting within a 12 month period, UMPA may wind up the group by passing a motion under its own regulations. Any member of the group who opposes the winding up may make a submission to the UMPA Council. The decision of Council is final.
  25. In the event of the group being dissolved, the amount that remains after such dissolution and the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, shall be transferred to any association with similar purposes which is not carried on for the profit or gain of its individual members.

    DISPUTES

  1. Any disputes that arise that cannot be resolved internally by the group will be presented to UMPA Council to be resolved. Any decision of the UMPA council is final.

    2. DEFINITIONS

  2. CSSEPG refers to Computer Science and Software Engineering Postgraduate Group.
  3. UMPA means the University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association Incorporated.
  4. An Academic day is a day on which teaching occurs during first or second semester of the University's academic year that is not a Saturday, Sunday or University holiday.
  5. Academic Year means the period commencing on and including the Monday falling on or closest to the first day of March of each calendar year and concluding at the end of the annual examination period.
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