University Computer Club Ordinary General Meeting, 2015-02-13 Attendance: [BG3], [GOZ], [JDN], [SAS], [HTL], [BOB], [TPG], [DAA], [SRH], [Steven Correia], [Grace Rosario], [TBB], [JAB], [DJF], [SMR], [*OX], [RVS], [NEO], [TFD], [AJT], [AMS], [MSW], [Lewis Newman], [Rowan Ashwin], [EJK] Meeting opened at 17:44 - [BG3] waves his right to chair. - [GOZ] waves his right to chair. - [BG3] moves to elect [SAS] chair of meeting. [*OX] seconds. - The motion passes. - [BOB] moves to adjourn the meeting at 18:54 if it has not already finished. [BG3] seconds. - The motion passes. - [SAS]: We have only one item for the agenda tonight: To consider the adoption of the amended University Computer Club constitution. - [BG3] moves the following special resolution: Resolved, that the constitution hereby be amended according to the proposed changes put forward and the amended constitution be thereafter adopted. [GOZ] seconds. - Changes to the constitution require the approval of an absolute 3/4 majority of members in attendance. - Attendees are issued copies of the constitution detailing the proposed changes. - The proposed changes include: - The removal of the Vice President position - The introduction of Educational and Social Vice President positions - The removal of one Ordinary Committee Member - The introduction of Educational and Social Officers - Modifications to Election, Quorum, Duties of Committee, and Vacancy sections to account for the restructuring of committee - The increasing of the club's maximum allowable total long term liability from $100 to $200 to account for inflation since the original figure was chosen - The modification of the Duties of the Secretary to specifically reference the Associations Incorporation Act 1987 in preparation for upcoming changes to the Act - [GOZ]: These changes allow us to focus better on our typical activities and goals as a club, and reduces the risk of us overlooking something important to our members. This seems to me to be a purely positive change for the club. However, there is the possibility that we will struggle to fill these new positions with interested parties. - [RVS] moves to immediately consider and approve the changes to Sections 13.4 (Powers of the Clube/Allowable Long Term Liability) and 16.4.1 (Duties of the Committee/Secretary/Register of Members) jointly. [*OX] seconds. - The motion passes. - Debate is opened on the changes to Section 4 (Executive). - [*OX] opposes these changes on the grounds that education is not a sufficiently significant part of the club, and increasing the size of the committee is too much of a detriment. - [BOB] opposes these changes on the grounds that the committee would be too large. - [Rowan Ashwin] supports these changes on the grounds that other clubs that have adopted similar committee structures are typically more successful in fulfilling their goals, and he believes the same would be true for UCC. He also believes the club is large enough to support a committee of this size without issue. - [RVS] raises the point that at the previous Annual General Meeting there was not a lot of competition for executive positions, and these changes could potentially worsen the issue. - [SRH] believes the changes may have the opposite effect, as the new positions are therefore less daunting to those interested only in either the Social or the Educational aspects of the club. - [Grace Rosario] believes that the changes are not entirely in line with the clubs objects, as the objects do not focus in any way on the social activities of the club. - [*OX] would like to know if it is possible to amend the objects of the club at this meeting. - [SAS] informs the meeting that this would be out of order as sufficient notice has not been given to change the relevant sections. - [MSW] supports these changes on the ground they better focus the duties of the committee on the activities and goals of the club. - [*OX] proposes to open debate and to vote on the changes to Section 5 (Committee) simultaneously, as they are closely related. - The proposal is met without opposition. Section 5 is considered open for debate. - [SMR] proposes that the new positions should only exist as officer positions and should not be executive so as to make them less daunting. - [BOB] believes that, should these positions exist, they should be executive positions in order to afford them the power required to run events and perform other actions in accordance with their aims. - [BOB] would like to know what options we would have if these changes turn out to be detrimental and we wish to rescind them. - [SAS]: The process would be the same as implementing the changes, requiring a general meeting to approve the changes. - [MSW] proposes that the educational and social officer positions should be implemented as a committee policy regardless of constitutional policy. - [Chris Forbes] believes that these non-executive positions afford people more of an opportunity to run for committee, and make joining committee less daunting. - [HTL] points out that having both vice president and officer positions for each field is good as many events require two organizers. - [*OX] moves to reduce the number of OCMs in the changes to one in order to make the committee smaller. No seconder is found. - [RVS]: Much of the debate is as to whether or not these positions should be executive positions or not. - [RVS] opposes the consideration of Sections 4 and 5 on block. - Section 4 alone is now under consideration. - [Rowan Ashwin] moves that we consider Sections 4 and 5 on block. [Lewis Newman] seconds. - The motion fails. - [*OX] moves that debate cease and that Section 4 be put to the vote immediately. [MSW] seconds. - The motion passes. - The question is to accept Section 4 (Executive) as amended. - The vote passes. - Section 4 is accepted as amended. - Debate is opened on the changes to Section 5 (Committee). - [*OX] moves that Section 5 be put to the vote immediately. [MSW] seconds. - The motion fails. - [Grace Rosario] proposes replacing both officer positions with OCMs to bring the total count to four. - [BG3] explains the purpose of the positions as being specifically tasked with aiding the corresponding Educational or Social Vice President. - [DAA] proposes that while increasing the size of committee may increase the number of people able to work on club projects and events, it is not necessary to do so, and that the same result could be achieved in other ways. - [BG3] points out that we do not have many members that act in this capacity already. - [Rowan Ashwin] moves to reconsider the motion that Section 5 be put to the vote immediately. [SRH] seconds. - The motion passes. - The question is to accept Section 5 (Committee) as amended. - The vote passes. - Section 5 is accepted as amended. - Debate is opened on the changes to Section 9 (Election). - [Chris Forbes] moves that Section 9 be put to the vote immediately. [BG3] seconds. - The motion passes. - The question is to accept Section 9 (Election) as amended. - The vote passes. - Section 9 is accepted as amended. - Debate is opened on the changes to Section 15.4 (Proceedings of Committee/Quorum). - [MSW] raises that the change to the size of committee may require a change to the quorum required for a general meeting. - [SAS] explains that making this change (to Section 18.8) would be out of order due to insufficient notice, but asks that [MSW] speak to committee in order to raise it at the upcoming Annual General Meeting. - The question is to accept Section 15.4 (Proceedings of Committee/Quorum) as amended. - The vote passes. - Section 15.4 is accepted as amended. - Debate is opened on the changes to Section 16.2 (Duties of the Committee/Education Vice President). - The proposed changes are met without opposition. - The question is to accept Section 16.2 (Duties of the Committee/Education Vice President) as amended. - The vote passes. - Section 16.2 is accepted as amended. - [*OX] moves to amend Sections 16.2.4, 16.3.4, 16.4.4, 16.7.4, 16.8.4, and 16.9.4 to share wording with Section 16.1.4. - [DAA] explains the reasoning behind the wording. - [*OX] withdraws the motion. > [SMR] leaves. - Debate is opened on the changes to Section 16.3 (Duties of the Committee/Social Vice President). - [*OX] moves that debate cease and that the entirety of Section 16 be put to the vote immediately. [JAB] seconds. - The motion passes. - The question is to accept Section 16 (Duties of the Committee) as amended. - The vote passes. - Section 16 is accepted as amended. - Debate is opened on the changes to Section 17.3 (Vacancies/Election) - [AMS] questions the legal complications related to the potential vacancy and hence substitution of the Treasurer. - To the best of the assembly's knowledge there are none. - The question is to accept Section 17.3 (Vacancies/Election) as amended. - The vote passes. - Section 17.3 is accepted as amended. - Debate is opened on the changes to Section 18.3 (General Meetings/Special General Meeting). - The proposed changes are met without opposition. - The question is to accept Section 18.3 (General Meetings/Special General Meeting) as amended. - The vote passes. - Section 18.3 is accepted as amended. - Debate opens on the changes to section 18.10 - The changes are accepted without debate - Debate is opened on the changes to Section 18.10 (General Meetings/Chair). - The proposed changes are met without opposition. - The question is to accept Section 18.10 (General Meetings/Chair) as amended. - The vote passes. - Section 18.10 is accepted as amended. - Debate is opened on the changes to Section 22.5 (Finance/Committee Expenditure Outside a Meeting). - The proposed changes are met without opposition. - The question is to accept Section 22.5 (Finance/Committee Expenditure Outside a Meeting) as amended. - The vote passes. - Section 22.5 is accepted as amended. - The question is to accept the special resolution: Resolved, that the constitution hereby be amended according to the proposed changes put forward and the amended constitution be thereafter adopted. - The vote passes with eighteen votes for, five votes against, and one abstention. Meeting closed at 18:52