The Constitution

The name of this club shall be UC Women in Business (WIB) and will be affiliated to the University of Canterbury Students Association (UCSA).

Purpose/Aims/Objectives

  • Promote UC Women in Business (WIB) within the University of Canterbury campus and the wider community

  • Fulfil obligations set forth by UCSA and the University of Canterbury

  • Guide club decisions with UCSA and UC policy documents

  • Grow and foster student engagement and wellbeing on campus

  • Treat all members of the club and wider student population with fairness and equality

  • Provide a platform for businesses to recruit female talent at the University of Canterbury

  • Offer UC female students mentoring and support to apply for internships and graduate roles

Membership

Membership shall be open to all University of Canterbury students and the community, provided that majority of members are current students.

  • Membership of the club will be granted by payment of the annual membership fee of $5.00

  • The Club President must be either a UC student or a UC Alumni that has left a maximum of 2 years previously. Other executive must be a current UC student.

  • All members are subject to the regulations contained in this constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these and the UCSA regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted

Officers of the Club

The officers of the club will be the:

  • President;

  • Vice President;

  • Secretary;

  • Treasurer;

The officers combined will make up the management executive of the club. Officers shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). All officers will serve for a one year term but will be eligible for re-appointment.

Duties of the Management Team

President — it shall be the duty of the President to:

  • Represent the club

  • Preside at meetings, organising all general/special/annual meetings as well as occupy the Chair at executive meetings

  • Liaise with the external community in terms of sponsorship and/or events 

  • Perform other duties as ordinarily pertain to this office

  • Provide general support for club events

Vice President – it shall be the duty of the Vice President to:

  • Preside in the absence of the President

  • Occupy the Chair at exec meetings in absence of the President

  • Support the president and represent the club

  • Support the president by liaising internally with the executive and with other internal responsibilities

  • Head the newly established Mentorship Programme alongside the Workshops Team

  • Provide general support for club events

  • Co-ordinate with all members of the club and organise all committee members regarding their own roles and responsibilities 

Secretary — it shall be the duty of the Secretary to:

  • Provide general support for club events 

  • Record minutes of all meetings

  • Keep a file of club records

  • Maintain current roster of membership 

  • Keep details updated with the UCSA

Treasurer — it shall be the duty of the Treasurer to:

  • Receive and process all funds

  • Collect and account for all subscriptions and dispose of them as directed

  • Prepare a financial report for the AGM and/or if requested

  • Create invoices if requested for event or academic purposes

  • Ensure there is a record of club capital

  • Keep an itemized account of all receipts and expenditures and make reports as directed

Adding and Removing an Officer

In the case where an officer is not carrying out the above tasks then it is the President’s role to unappoint an officer. They are able to do this with consensus of the rest of the executive. If the executive and other officers (vice president, treasurer or secretary) do not see the president carrying out their roles and responsibilities then they can remove the president, if all agree that this is the best possible outcome for the club.

Meetings

Regular meetings shall be held at least weekly during term time. There should be one weekly meeting outside of this meeting for each sub-committee (sponsorship, communications and events). An estimated eight events shall be organised throughout the year; open to all members.

Management will be required to attend advisory board meetings with UCE four times a year.

Special General Meetings

  • Notice of Special General Meetings (SGM) will be given by the club Secretary with a minimum of 14 days notice

  • The quorum for SGMs will be 8 plus the number of executive officers (21)

Annual General Meetings

  • Notice of Annual General Meetings (AGM) will be given by the club Secretary with a minimum of 14 days notice

  • The AGM will receive a report from the President and Treasurer and a statement of accounts

  • The quorum for AGMs will be 8 plus the number of executive members (21)

Executive Recruitment

Recruitment for the Management Team - President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer: 

  1. Applicants should first fill out an initial application form

  2. The applications should then be screened by the president, vice president, and other chosen members of the executive. If the applicants are deemed suitable, they will move on to the next stage. If not, the candidates will be emailed to be notified of this.

  3. The applicants will then be interviewed by the current WIB president and other chosen parties

  4. The successful applicant will be chosen by the representatives stated above based on their information provided in the initial application stage, as well as their performance and character demonstrated in the interview

Successful applicants will be notified, unsuccessful applicants will be notified/reminded to apply for other positions.

Recruitment for other executive - Events Manager, Workshops Manager, Events Associate, Workshops Associate, Sponsorship Manager, Marketing Manager, Communications Manager, Design Manager and Podcast Manager 

  1. Applicants should first fill out an initial application form

  2. The applications should then be screened by the president, vice president, and other chosen members of the executive. If the applicants are deemed suitable, they will move on to the next stage. If not, the candidates will be emailed to be notified of this.

  3. The applicants will then be interviewed by the current WIB president and other chosen parties

  4. The successful applicant will be chosen by the representatives stated above based on their information provided in the initial application stage, as well as their performance and character demonstrated in the interview

Finances

  • The club will have a bank account held in the name of the club

  • All club monies will be banked into the account held by the club

  • The financial year of the club will end on 30 September

  • A statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the AGM and uploaded to the UCSA website

Discipline and Complaints

  • All complaints should be presented in writing to either the President or Secretary

  • The committee will meet to hear complaints within 14 days of the complaint being lodged. If the committee requires guidance on the issue they will bring the complaint to the UCSA Clubs or advocacy staff. The staff will only guide the club in matters of process.

  • The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership. The outcome shall be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 14 days of a decision being reached.

  • Student to student complaints that are not club related, shall be passed to the University of Canterbury Student Development Team

Dissolution

  • A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM through a majority vote of membership. Or if the club has not had contact with UCSA for over 12 months, the UCSA executive can deem the club as dissolved.

  • In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club that remain will become the property of the UCSA with the aim of holding the resources for the next similar club. If another club is not created within a reasonable amount of time, the resources or funds will be reabsorbed into the UCSA grant pool.

Amendments to the Constitution

  • The constitution can only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting (SGMs require a minimum of 14 days notice to all members)

  • Proposed amendments to the constitution are to be made in writing to the secretary 5 days before the Annual General Meeting

  • The secretary will publicise the proposed alterations to the constitution 2 days prior to the Annual General Meeting

Declaration

UC Women in Business hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.