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1) INTRODUCTION

The name of the Association shall be "Napier University Conservative and Unionist Association" hereafter referred to as the Association or NUCUA.

The objectives of the Association shall be:

a) To work within Napier University to stimulate among students greater interest in, and understanding of the Conservative Party and Conservative philosophy.

b) To expand Conservative influence among students in Napier University.

c) To advise the Conservative Party of student viewpoints on matters of local and national interest.

d) To recruit able and active workers for the Conservative Party from among students.

e) To speak as the representative body of Conservative Students at Napier University.

f) To propagate the policies of the Conservative Party amongst young people as a whole.

g) To administer any funds contributed to further the aims of the Association by placing such funds in a clearly designated account under the control of the Association. The ultimate responsibility and administration of the funds will rest with NSA. The accounts shall be audited annually.

h) To take any other action appropriate to further the well-being of the Conservative Party and Conservative philosophy.

2) MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Association shall be open to all matriculated students at Napier University and any other persons who subscribe to the aims of the Association.

Members shall be liable to pay a subscription at a rate set each year by the committee, with two provisos; firstly that the minimum subscription be one pound, secondly that non-matriculated students of Napier University pay a subscription fee of at least two times that of matriculated students.

Membership shall be at least 75% matriculated students of Napier University.

3) AFFILIATION

The Association shall affiliate to the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Students in the manner set out in their constitution.

The Association shall affiliate to the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party in the manner laid out in its constitution.

The Association shall lodge with the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and with the National President of Scottish Conservative Students:

a) A full copy of the current rules.

b) Such detail as shall be required from time to time by the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party as to its paid up or recorded membership.This detail shall include name, term-time address, term-time telephone number and home address.

c) An audited set of accounts for the previous financial year at the time of, and coinciding with the AGM.

A copy of this constitution and any amendments shall be lodged with the Napier Students Association.

4) EXECUTIVE

The Executive of the Association shall consist of the following officers:

President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer

The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be matriculated students of Napier University.

No member of the Executive shall hold a position for more than two consecutive years.

The Executive are ultimately responsible for the running of the Association and Executive decisions may only be overruled by an Extraordinary General Meeting - see rule 9.

The quorum of the Executive shall be half its membership. All votes require this quorum to be present, or they are invalidated.

The President shall not have the casting vote on the Executive.

The meetings shall be minuted by the Secretary or his designate in a book designated for the purpose. These minutes shall be typed for the next meeting of the Executive where they shall be passed as an accurate record of the proceedings. They shall be submitted if requested, to the National President of the Scottish Conservative Students.

Election to the Executive is by voting at AGM.

Any casual vacancy that may occur shall be filled as soon as possible by the President according to rule 17.

Each member of the Executive shall hold office from the conclusion of the meeting at which they were adopted until the conclusion of the next AGM.

All members of the Executive shall be subject to election annually.

5) COMMITTEE

There shall be a Committee which shall meet at least three time each academic semester. Advance notice of these meetings shall be given to all entitled to sit on the Committee however the subsequent meeting is not invalidated by the absence (intentioned or not) of any member.

The meetings shall be minuted by the Secretary or his designate in a book designated for the purpose. These minutes shall be typed for the next meeting where they shall be passed as an accurate record of the proceedings.They shall be submitted if requested, to the National President of the Scottish Conservative Students.

The compilation of the Committee shall consist of the following:

a) The Executive

b) Up to six Committee members, their positions as follows:

Speakers Secretary
Communications Secretary
Press Secretary
Social Secretary
Events Secretary
Publicity Officer

c) The Secretary (or his designate) of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party who shall not vote.

d) The Hon. President (or his designate) of Scottish Conservative and Unionist Students who shall not vote.

e) The National President of the Scottish Conservative Students who shall not vote.

All members of the Committee shall be subject to election annually.

The quorum of the Committee shall be half its membership (to include members of the Executive). All votes require this quorum to be present, or they are invalidated.

Election of each Committee member is at AGM or by appointment by the Executive (see rule 17). Each member of the Committee shall hold office from the conclusion of the meeting at which they were adopted until the conclusion of the next AGM.

Any casual vacancy that may from time to time occur amongst the members shall be filled according to rule 17.

The roles, duties and responsibilities attached to any vacant Committee position may be delegated to other members of the Committee at the discretion of the President.

6) SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE

The clauses set out in this rule should be used in conjunction with the relevant rules listed.

a) This constitution may at any time be suspended by the Chairman of the Conservative Party in Scotland.

b) Any ordinary member of the Association, Committee member, or member of the Executive wishing to resign their position, must lodge a letter with the Secretary to that effect a minimum of fourteen clear days before the resignation become valid. The member shall maintain their responsibilities as set out in this constitution until their resignation becomes valid.

c) On the resignation of the President, the National President of Scottish Conservative Students shall appoint an interim President until the AGM which shall be chaired by the National President of Scottish Conservative Students. The AGM shall be called immediately according to rule 8.

d) The Executive may, with good reason, vote to terminate the membership of any member. In this circumstance, written notice including clear explanations of the appeals procedure (see rule 7) and reasons for the action must be given to the member a minimum of fourteen clear days before the termination of membership becomes valid. Membership subscription for the year is not refunded.

e) The President may, with good reason, elect to terminate the period of office of any member of his committee. Written notice including clear explanations of the appeals procedure (see rule 7) and reasons for the action must be given to the Officer a minimum of fourteen clear days before it is valid. There shall be two principal reasons for this action (although not limited to):

i) the member of the Committee has not complied satisfactorily with the duties, powers and responsibilities invested in them as set out by the National Executive.

ii) the member of the Committee has wilfully or negligently brought the Association into disrepute or disorder.

f) The President may elect to terminate the period of Office of any member of the Executive. The removal of any member of the Executive can only be authorised by the vote of an Extraordinary General Meeting (see rule 9).

g) In the sole case of the removal of the President from Office, the EGM may be called by the Vice President. See rule 9. The Vice President may only call this on the written request of either a minimum of half the members of the Committee or of a minimum of five ordinary members of the Association. Should there be fewer than five ordinary members, the full ordinary membership must sign the request. The Vice President shall be compelled to act on this request.

h) There is no appeal from a decision made at EGM. The criteria for calling this EGM shall be that (though not limited to):

i) the member of the Executive has not complied satisfactorily with the duties, powers and responsibilities invested in him as set out by the National Executive.

ii) the member of the Executive has wilfully or negligently brought the Association into disrepute or disorder.

i) Additionally, the President may be removed from office immediately, with good reason, on the direction of the Chairman of the Scottish Conservative Party. There is no appeal. Following this direction, the National President of Scottish Conservative Students shall appoint an interim President until the AGM which shall be chaired by the National President of Scottish Conservative Students. The AGM shall be called immediately according to rule 8. The President removed in this manner may not stand again on the Committee of NUCUA.

j) The Societies Convener of Napier University Students Union and the Secretary of the Scottish Conservative Party shall be informed of the removal of any Office Bearer from the Association by EGM.

7) APPEALS

There shall be an internal appeals procedure which shall act fairly and independently. The member, on receipt of the notification of termination of office / membership may make a written request to the Secretary for an appeal within the fourteen days before the notification takes effect. The appeal must be held within fourteen clear days of receipt of the request. During this period, membership of the Association / holding of position on Committee is suspended. During the appeal procedure, temporary co-option (see rule 17) to fill the vacant the Committee position may be undertaken.

The appeal committee shall consist of:

a) President (who shall be the only representative of the NUCUA Committee)

b) National President of SCUS

c) A National Vice-President of SCUS

d) Secretary to SCUS

e) Hon. President of Scottish Conservative Students (or his designate)

The committee shall meet with the claimant and study the appeal in camera. The decision regarding the appeal shall be final.

8) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The AGM of the Association shall be held before the end of the Lent (Easter) vacation of each academic year. It shall meet for the following purposes:

a) To approve the minutes of the previous AGM as being an accurate record.

b) To approve the minutes of any EGM occurring since the last AGM as being an accurate record.

c) To receive the audited reports for the financial year past and an unaudited report for transactions since the accounts were last audited.

d) To receive and adopt a report of the activities of the Association for the year since the previous AGM.

e) To elect the Executive and Committee of the Association in accordance with rules 4 and 5.

f) To elect an Honorary President and two Honorary Vice Presidents, of whom one may be a matriculated student whose role shall be advisory.

g) To transact any other business which may be competently brought before it.

All members shall be entitled to attend and vote, providing that they have been a member for a clear twenty-one days before the meeting.

The following may attend the meeting but shall not vote:

a) The National President of the Scottish Conservative Students (or his designate)

b) The Chairman of the Party in Scotland (or his designate)

c) The Hon. President of Scottish Conservative Students (or his designate)

d) Secretary of the Party in Scotland (or his designate)

All reasonable efforts must be made to give notice of the AGM to members. Notice shall be given twenty-one clear days before the day of the meeting in writing by the Secretary on the direction of the President. The notice shall require nominations for officers and other vacancies to be made in writing and submitted to the Secretary not later than seven clear days before the date of the meeting and duly seconded. Distribution of this notice is not permitted by email.

Any member of the Association shall be entitled to submit nominations.

If no written nominations for a particular office or vacancy is received nominations made for that post at the meeting shall be valid.

Voting shall be by secret ballot and by First-Past-the-Post.

Postal or proxy votes shall not be accepted.

The meeting shall be minuted by the Secretary or his designate in the minute book. These minutes shall be typed for the next AGM where they shall be passed as an accurate record of the proceedings.

See rules 10, 11 and 12.

9) EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS

An EGM of the Association may be summoned at any time by the President who shall send a written request to the Secretary to convene such a meeting. The meeting shall be convened within fourteen days of the request.

In the special circumstance of the expulsion of the President, the EGM may be summoned by the Vice-President (see rule 6(g)). Should the majority vote to expel the President, procedures for the calling of the AGM shall be immediately instituted by the Secretary (rule 8 applies fully). During the transition period of twenty-one days between the expulsion of President at EGM and the holding of the AGM (as stipulated in rule 8) the National President of Scottish Conservative Students shall appoint an interim President.

Any member may request in writing to the President that an EGM be summoned. Compliance with this request is at the President's discretion (with the exception described in rule 13).

The business of the meeting shall be stated in the notice convening it and no other business shall be discussed. At least ten clear days notice shall be given of an EGM. That notice shall be in writing and may be distributed by email.

All reasonable efforts must be made to give notice of the EGM to members. Whilst every member of the Association is entitled to attend, the fact that any member of the Association has not been notified of an EGM shall not invalidate such a meeting or any business transacted thereat.

Voting shall be by open ballot (show of hands).

Postal or proxy votes shall not be accepted.

The meeting shall be minuted by the Secretary or his designate in the minute book. These minutes shall be typed for the next AGM where they shall be passed as an accurate record of the proceedings.

See rules 10, 11 and 12.

10) QUORUM AT AGM AND EGM

For all EGMs and AGMs of the Association, the quorum shall be not less than the square root of the total paid-up membership.

11) VOTING AT MEETINGS

Voting at AGM shall be by secret ballot and by First-Past-the-Post.

Voting at an EGM shall be by open ballot (show of hands) and by First-Past-the-Post.

In all votes, with the exception of those taken in meetings of the Executive (see rule 4) the President shall have a second or casting vote in all cases where the voting is declared equal.

The Returning Officer shall be a member of the Appeals Committee (not the President) who shall be seen as independent of the process.

12) AMENDMENTS TO MOTIONS

An amendment may be tabled by a member on any motion presented at AGM or EGM.

The amendment shall be directly connected with the motion in question and shall attempt to amend part of the motion, not the motion in entirety.

Request for an amendment shall be received in writing by the Returning Officer a minimum of two clear days before the vote.

The amendment shall be debated and voted upon. Following this vote, the original motion shall be debated and voted upon. The result of the latter vote shall be final and shall be overruled only by a separate EGM or AGM.

13) QUESTIONING OF EXECUTIVE

A member shall have the right to call a meeting of the Executive to question or make suggestions regarding the running of the Association. The member shall apply to the Secretary in writing that they wish to question the Executive. The Secretary shall call a meeting of the Executive within seven clear days of receipt of the request.

The Executive shall be quorate (see rule 4).

The proceedings of the meeting shall be minuted by the Secretary or his designate. These minutes shall be held confidentially.

The meeting shall be held in camera.

There is no obligation for action to be taken regarding the complaint or suggestion, however it should be made clear that if the member remains sufficiently concerned, they should apply within fourteen days of the meeting, to the Secretary for the calling of an EGM according to rule 9. Compliance with this request shall be given. On no account may this EGM call for the removal of the President (for this see rule 6(g)) or any other member of the Executive or Committee.

No member may formally question the Executive more than once in an academic term.

This remains the only method by which an ordinary member may ask for an EGM to be called (other than that described in rule 6(g)).

14) MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT

A Freshers Fair stall shall be held at the Freshers Fair in Freshers Week for the purposes of membership recruitment.

Membership recruitment shall be an on-going process.

15) COMMUNICATION

Communication between Executive and membership shall be an integral part of the running of the Association with the commitment to a minimum of one newsletter per academic semester to be sent to each member.

Regular communication shall be sent to members via email where possible.

A web-site unique to the Association on the World-Wide Web shall be maintained and regularly updated.

16) SPEAKERS

Speaker meetings form an integral part of the Association. A minimum of three speaker meetings per academic semester shall be held.

17) APPOINTMENT TO COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE

Any vacancy which arises within the Committee or Executive due to resignation or removal may be filled at the President's discretion. Should any member of the existing Committee or Executive feel though that the appointment is not suitable may ask the Secretary for a vote to be taken during the next Committee meeting. In this case the appointment must be backed up by a majority vote of the Committee. That vote shall be final.

18) CONSTITUTION

The rules as laid down in this constitution, shall be amended only at AGM. The amendment must have support of at least two thirds of those present and voting.

Once voted for, each amendment shall be presented to the Chairman of the Conservative Party in Scotland for approval. Only with this approval shall the amendment be effective.

This constitution may at any time be suspended by the Chairman of the Conservative Party in Scotland (or his designate).

Amendments shall be attached to the back of this document and shall each be signed and dated by the Chairman of the Conservative Party in Scotland (or his designate).

Deliberate abuse or ignorance of clauses or rules of this constitution or any of its approved amendments by any member of the Association, its Committee or Executive shall institute an enquiry by SCUS. Immediate suspension by the National President of Scottish Conservative Students of any offender pending an enquiry of the Appeals Committee may be instituted proceeding or preceding this enquiry. The Appeals Committee shall have the ability to remove any offender from the Committee, Executive or membership if a majority so favour.

19) INTERPRETATION

The interpretation of this constitution shall rest entirely with the National President of Scottish Conservative & Unionist Students (SCUS).

This constitution has been approved for use by SCUS from February 1999.