THE CATHOLIC SOCIETY, HKUSTSU CONSTITUTION

  SECTION ONE:     GENERAL

Article 1:         Name

The Name of the Society shall be the Catholic Society, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Students' Union, herein after referred to as the Society.   The Chinese name of the Society shall be  

Article 2:         Aims

The Aims of the Society shall be:

2.1       To bear witness to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel Message.

2.2       To help Catholics to show forth their faith  and to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Article 3:         Status

The Society shall be under The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Students' Union (HKUSTSU).  The Society shall be a constituent member of the Hong Kong Federation of Catholic Students.  (H.K.F.C.S.)

Article 4:         Session

The Society session shall commence with the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting and shall terminate with the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the following year.

SECTION TWO:     MEMBERSHIP

  Article 1:         Full Membership

All Catholic students in the University shall be Full Members of the Society upon registration.   They shall be entitled to vote, nominate candidates and be nominated for candidature to the Society's Executive Committee.

Article 2:         Associate Membership

Any Non-Catholic student in the University wishing to abide by the Constitution of the Society is eligible to become an Associate Member of the Society.

Article3:          Honorary Membership

All Catholic Members of staff in the University, together with any person recommended by the Executive Committee, shall be Honorary Members of the Society.

Article 4:         Registration

Any member upon registration thereby signifies his recognition of the aims of the Society and his willingness to undertake his obligations and responsibilities of fulfilling these aims.

Article 5:         Annual Membership Fee.

The Executive Committee shall charge an annual membership fee which may be collected in instalments. In special circumstances, the same Committee may waive any of the instalments. This yearly fee shall be determined by the said Committee and shall cover the twelve months from September to August of the following year.

SECTION THREE:     GENERAL MEETING  

Article 1:         Authority

The General Meeting shall possess the highest authority in all matters affecting the Society.

Article 2:         Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be convened and held within the first three weeks of the Spring Semester.

Article 3:         Extraordinary General Meeting

All Extraordinary General Meetings  shall be convened at the request of the Executive Committee or on a requisition in writing to the Chairperson signed by not less than twenty members.

Article 4:         Voting

At all General Meetings of the Society, all matters shall be decided by a simple majority of votes of those present and voting.   In the event of an even vote, the Chairperson shall give the casting vote.

Article 5:         Notice

A notice of any General Meeting of the Society and the agenda thereof shall be posted seven days before the General Meeting.

Article 6:         Quorum

At all General Meetings, at least one tenth of the voting members of the Society will form a quorum.

SECTION FOUR:     ELECTION  

Article 1:         Annual Election

The Annual Election of the Society shall be held during the Annual General Meeting stated in Section Three, Article 2.

Article 2:         Nomination

Nominations for the posts in the Executive Committee as stated in Section Five, Article 1, shall be opened two weeks and closed three days before the Annual General Meeting.

SECTION FIVE:     THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Article 1:         Composition

The Executive Committee of the Society shall include the following:

            Chairperson

            Spiritual Affairs Vice-Chairperson

            Internal Vice-Chairperson

            External Vice-Chairperson

            Internal Secretary

            External Secretary

            Financial Secretary

            Publications Secretary

Article 2:         Function

The Functions of the Executive Committee shall be:

2.1       To arrange meetings and other activities in accordance with the aims of Society.

2.2       To appoint sub-committees whenever necessary.

2.3       To recommend, invite or elect for the current year a person or persons for any vacancy or vacancies which may occur in the Executive Committee.

Article 3:         Meeting

3.1       Committee Meetings shall be convened by the Chairperson at least once a month.

3.2       A simple majority shall form a quorum at all Committee Meetings.

Article 4:         Responsibilities

4.1       The Chairperson shall be the chief executive of the Society, and shall preside at all meetings of the Society.

4.2       The Spiritual Affairs Vice-Chairperson shall be responsible for all the spiritual affairs of the Society.

4.3       The Internal Vice-Chairperson shall assist the Chairperson in all internal matters concerning the Society and shall perform his duties in his absence.

4.4       The External Vice-Chairperson shall be responsible for all matters relating to the external affairs of the Society.

4.5       The Internal Secretary shall be responsible for organizing all the social functions within the Society, and shall keep a record of the minutes of all the meetings of the Society.

4.6       The External Secretary shall assist the External Vice-Chairperson in all matters relating to the external affairs of the Society and shall reply to all relevant correspondence.   He shall be an official representative of the Society the Hong Kong Federation of Catholic Students (H.K.F.C.S.).

4.7       The Financial Secretary shall be responsible for all financial matters relating to the Society and shall present an audited account of the finances of the Society at the Annual Meeting.

4.8       The Publications Secretary shall be responsible for all the publications of the Society and for the publicity work in all matters regarding the Society.

SECTION SIX:     SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

The Spiritual Director shall give advice on all matters concerning the Society.

SECTION SEVEN:     CONSTITUTION

  Article 1:         Amendment

The Constitution shall not be amended except by a motion carried at a General Meeting.   A notice with the proposed amendment shall be posted seven clear days before the General Meeting.

Article 2:         Interpretation

The Interpretation of the Constitution shall rest with the Executive Committee during its term of office.

UST KATSO: AMENDMENtS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Under SECTION TWO: MEMBERSHIP

Article 1:   Full Membership

All Catholic undergraduate students and all non-Catholic undergraduate students in the University who share the Roman Catholic vision and the Aims of the Society may become Full Members of the Society upon registration.   All Full Members shall be entitled to vote, nominate candidates and be nominated for condidature to the Society's Executive Committee.

-------   Delete Article 2 in this Section.   The previously numbered Article 3 now becomes Article 2; the previously numbered Article 4 now becomes Article 3, and the previously numbered Article 5 now becomes Article 4.

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Under SECTION THREE:  GENERAL MEETING

Article 2:   Annual General Meeting

There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the Society in every Calendar Year before 15^th March.