KLEA Constitution

Adopted by the KCLEA AGM on 27 November 2009

RULES OF THE ASSOCIATION

1. NAME

The name of the body constituted by these Rules shall be "King's College London Engineers' Association" (hereinafter called "the Branch") It shall be a Branch of the King's College London Association (hereinafter called "the Association").

2. AIMS

The aims of the branch shall be those of the Association with particular reference to the interests of the Division of Engineering, and its predecessors, of King's College London and the other institutions which have merged or which may merge with it, together with the past and present students thereof.

3. MEMBERSHIP

3.1. Ordinary Members.

3.1.1. All former students of the Division of Engineering, or its predecessors, of King's College London and the other institutions which have merged with it who were registered for at least three terms or two semesters, and past and present members of the teaching staff, and with whom the Alumni office is in communication shall automatically be entitled to ordinary membership of the Branch.

3.1.2. The Committee may elect other well-wishers and supporters of the Division of Engineering to ordinary membership.

3.2. Honorary Members.

3.2.1. The Committee shall have the power to recommend to a General Meeting the election of such persons as it thinks fit for honorary membership of the Branch. Such members shall be entitled only to those privileges which are given to members of the Branch.

3.2.2. A General Meeting of the Branch shall have the power to approve the election to honorary membership of persons recommended by the Committee of the Branch and recommend to the Council of the Association the election of such persons as shall be proposed by the Committee of the Branch for honorary membership of the Association.

4. COMMITTEE

4.1. Governance of the Branch.
The Branch shall be governed by a Committee. The Committee shall call an Annual General Meeting, other General Meetings and Committee Meetings as required under the Rules.
Constitution of the Committee. The Committee shall consist of:
4.1.1. The Officers of the Branch.

4.1.2. The Immediate Past President

4.1.3. The Honorary Secretary of the King's College London Engineering Society

4.1.4. Not more than six additional members, of whom one shall have special responsibility for the 13 Club Trophy, who shall be elected for a period of five years, but who shall be eligible for re-election

4.1.5. Where possible, one member elected for one year who shall be an immediate past student of the college.

4.2. Co-option of Committee members.
In the event of any office or position on the Committee falling vacant during the year, the Committee shall have the power to co-opt any member willing to act in place of the retiring member. The appointment shall be subject to confirmation at the next Annual General Meeting.

4.3. Sub-committees.
The Committee may appoint sub-committees for any purpose it may think fit. Such sub-committees shall have power to co-opt any person, whether a member of the Branch or not, who may be of service for any purpose of the sub-committee.

5. OFFICERS

The Officers of the Branch shall be elected from the ordinary membership and shall be:

5.1. President.
A President who shall retire annually, but who shall be eligible for re-election, he/she shall not hold office for a longer period than two years consecutively and he/she shall not be eligible for re-election to the office of President for a period of five years after retirement from that post. The President may represent the Branch on the Council of the Association.

5.2. Vice Presidents.
Such Vice-Presidents (hereinafter called "Senior Vice-Presidents") as shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Branch. They shall be at least two in number. They shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election. The President of the Engineering Society of the College shall also be a Vice-President of the Branch "ex-officio".

5.3. Honorary Treasurer.
An Honorary Treasurer, whose duty shall be, on behalf of the Branch, to receive all monies and disburse all sums for ordinary current expenses and for special purposes, which latter shall require the sanction of the Committee, and to prepare an Annual Account of the Finances, such account to be audited by two Auditors, neither of whom shall be a member of the Committee nor a Trustee, and at least one of whom shall be a member of the Branch., who shall be appointed for that purpose by the members present at the Annual General Meeting. The Honorary Treasurer shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election. The Honorary Treasurer may represent the Branch on the Council of the Association.

5.4. Honorary Secretary.
An Honorary Secretary whose duty shall be to keep proper minutes of all proceedings and other records of the Branch, to send out all notices, and as far as possible, in association with the Events Secretary, to keep members informed of occasions of special interest to former students of the Division of Engineering, or its predecessors, of the College and the other institutions which have merged with it. The Honorary Secretary shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election. The Honorary Secretary shall normally represent the Branch on the Council of the Association.

5.5. Honorary Events Secretary.

An Honorary Events Secretary whose duty shall be to arrange any social events which may be decided upon by the Committee. He/she may have the assistance of a sub-committee appointed for any event where the Committee may deem this necessary. He/she may be an ordinary member of the Committee or may hold this office jointly with one other office, and he/she shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.

5.6. Honorary Editor.
An Honorary Editor whose duty shall be to produce the regular publications of the Branch, to ensure the exchange of information between the Branch and the Association and King's College London Engineering Society, and to assist the Association with a view to ensuring insertion in the Association's publications information concerning the members and activities of the Branch.; and such other duties as may be decided by the Committee. He/she may be an ordinary member of the Committee or may hold this office jointly with one other office, and shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.

5.7. Honorary Web Master.
An Honorary Web Master, whose duties shall be to maintain the KCLEA website, by keeping it up to date regarding notices, information about meetings, members and events and general information relating to the running of the Association; the website shall also be linked to the KCLA website where appropriate. He/she may be an ordinary member of the Committee or may hold this office jointly with one other office, and shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.

5.8. Honorary Membership Secretary.
An Honorary Membership Secretary, whose duties shall be to liase with the Alumni office to maintain a current address list of the members. He/she may be an ordinary member of the Committee or may hold this office jointly with one other office, and shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.

5.9. Honorary Liaison Officer
An Honorary Liaison Officer whose duty shall be to maintain liaison between the Branch, the King’s College London Engineering Society, the Division of Engineering, the Association and the College’s Alumni Office. Duties will include ascertaining the names and addresses of all members of that Society who are eligible for membership of the Branch and assisting the Association, through the Alumni office, to maintain a current address list of members. He/she may be an ordinary member of the Committee or may hold this office jointly with one other office and shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.

6. BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS

There is no subscription charge. However the Branch shall be required to seek approval of the Annual General Meeting to charge a subscription to members.

7. BENEFITS

Each member who is in communication with the Branch shall be entitled to receive a copy of each of the publications of the Branch, Alumni office and KCLA.

8. TRUSTEES

Three Trustees shall be appointed by the Committee to manage the Life Subscription Fund for the benefit of the Branch. Trustees shall not hold office for a period longer than ten years but may be subject to removal by resignation, by death or by the resolution of a Special General Meeting of the Branch called for the purpose within a lesser period. One Trustee shall be appointed Senior Trustee by his fellow Trustees. The Senior Trustee shall be responsible for receiving all correspondence from outside bodies, for co-ordinating the actions of the Trustees and for providing the Honorary Treasurer and Auditors such information as they shall require to ensure the timely preparation and auditing of the Annual Account of Finances.

9. MEETINGS

9.1. Annual General Meeting timing.
An Annual General Meeting of the Branch (of which at least fourteen days notice shall be given to all members resident in Great Britain) shall be held in the second half of each calendar year.

9.2. Annual General Meeting agenda.
At the Annual General Meeting, Auditors, Officers and committee members shall be elected in place of those retiring, the Annual Report and the Annual Account of the Finances shall be presented and considered, and any other business mentioned in the notice convening the meeting shall be transacted. The quorum shall be ten in addition to the Chairman.

9.3. Annual General Meeting elections.
At the last Committee Meeting before the Annual General Meeting, the Committee shall appoint a nominee for each office and position falling vacant. In the absence of further nominations being made at the Annual General Meeting, for any office or position, the Committee's nominee shall be considered as elected. If further nominations are made at the Annual General Meeting, voting shall be by show of hands unless the Meeting desires the election to be taken by ballot.

9.4. Special General Meetings.
The Honorary Secretary shall convene a Special General Meeting of which at least twenty one days notice shall be given at any time if called upon to do so by the Committee, or if in receipt of a requisition signed by at least twenty members of the Branch. The quorum shall be ten in addition to the Chairman.

9.5. Committee Meetings.
The Honorary Secretary shall summon a Committee Meeting at least four times a year or when requested to do so by the President or any two members of the Committee. The quorum at any Committee Meeting shall be five. Whenever possible, at least seven days but in special circumstances not less than two days notice shall be given of any Committee Meeting.

9.6. Chair at meetings.
The Chair shall be taken at the Annual General Meeting, any Special General Meetings, or any Committee Meetings, by the President or in his/her absence by a member elected at the Meeting.

9.7. Meeting notices.
The notice convening each meeting shall be accompanied by an agenda.

10. FUNDS

10.1. Life Subscription Fund.
The Life Subscription Fund shall be invested by the Trustees. The Trustees may, at their discretion, adopt such modes of investment as may be authorised either by law for the investment of Trust Funds or by resolution of an Annual or Special General Meeting of The Branch, due notice of the proposed resolution having been given in the notice convening the Meeting. Cash received by way of interest from such investments shall form part of the income of the Fund and shall be re-invested by the Trustees.

10.2. General Fund.
Donations and the like shall be paid to the Treasurer and held in the General Fund, from which all disbursements on behalf of the Branch shall be made. The general fund shall comprise the various Bank accounts of the Branch and together with such surplus revenue may, at the discretion of the Committee, from time to time be invested under the conditions laid down in Rule 10.1 by the Trustees. Cash received by way of interest from such investment shall form part of the revenue of the Branch, but may be wholly or partly re-invested by the Trustees at the discretion of the Committee. Sums may, at the discretion of the Committee, be drawn from such investment for the use of The Branch.

11. DISSOLUTION OF THE BRANCH

If, in the opinion of the Committee, there is no longer adequate support or justification for the continued existence of the Branch, the Committee shall call a postal vote of those members who are in communication with the Branch whose subscriptions (if currently being levied) are up to date overseen by an Independent body (such as the Electoral Reform Society) to propose that the Branch shall be dissolved. The consent of at least three quarters of those voting in the Poll shall be required for the Branch to be wound up. The Committee shall make proposals in detail on the voting paper for the disbursement of any outstanding monies held by the Branch, including the Life Subscription Fund and the General Fund.

12. RULES

12.1. Changes to the Rules.
Any motion involving an alteration or addition to the Rules shall require the consent of at least two thirds of those voting at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose. Any such motion shall be set out in full on the agenda of the meeting. Alterations or additions to the Rules shall be consistent with the aims of the Branch.

12.2. Issues not covered by the Rules.
Any matter not provided for by these Rules shall be left to the discretion of the Committee.