ACCA/ICPAS STUDENT SOCIETY CONSTITUTION

Transcription

1 ACCA/ICPAS STUDENT SOCIETY CONSTITUTION

2 CONTENTS Clause 1. Name and Constitution 2. Duration 3. Definitions 4. Role 5. Location 6. The Committee 6.1 Role 6.2 Composition 6.3 Election/Retirement/Re-Election 6.4 Proceedings 7. Membership 8. Annual General Meeting 9. Extraordinary General Meeting 10. Special General Meeting 11. Notices 12. Powers of the Committee 13. Roles of the President 14. Chief Operating Officer and Staff 15. Mode and Right of Voting 16. Actions by or against the Student Society 17. Prohibitions 18. Disputes 19. Dissolution or Amalgamation of the Student Society 20. Indemnity 21. Alteration or Waiver of Constitution

3 ACCA/ICPAS STUDENT SOCIETY CONSTITUTION 1. NAME AND CONSTITUTION The organisation shall be called: ACCA/ICPAS Student Society, and shall be organised in accordance with this Constitution. The ACCA/ICPAS Student Society is for the students registered under the Joint Examination Scheme of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore. 2. DURATION The duration shall be indefinite. 3. DEFINITIONS 3.1 In this Constitution unless the context otherwise requires: ACCA means The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Institute means the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore incorporated in Singapore by the Accountants Act (Cap 2A) Chief Executive means the Chief Executive of ACCA as duly appointed by Council Committee means the duly elected Committee of the Student Society as from time to time constituted in accordance with the Constitution Chief Operating Officer means the Chief Operating Officer of ACCA, duly appointed in accordance with Clause 14(a) Council means the Council of ACCA as from time to time constituted in accordance with bye-laws Extraordinary General Meeting means a meeting of Student Society Members held in accordance with Clause 9 "Head of Singapore" means the Head of ACCA Singapore "International Assembly" means the International Assembly of ACCA as from time to time constituted in accordance with the decisions of the Council

4 Member means any person admitted to ACCA membership in accordance with or pursuant to the bye-laws Office Bearers means the President, Vice President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer elected in accordance with Clause 6.4 President means a Student Society Member duly appointed as President in accordance with Clause 6.4 Registered Student means a student registered with ICPAS and ACCA as defined by ACCA bye-laws Special General Meeting means any general meeting duly held in accordance with Clause 10 Student Society means the ACCA/ICPAS Student Society in Singapore Student Society Member means a person deemed to be a Member of the Student Society in accordance with Clause 7 Vice President means a Student Society Member duly appointed as Vice President in accordance with Clause Any reference in this Constitution to: a Bye-law is a reference to a bye-law of ACCA and a Clause shall, subject to any contrary indication, be construed as a reference to a clause hereof. 3.3 Save where the contrary is indicated, any reference in this Constitution to words importing the masculine includes the feminine and vice versa. 3.4 Words importing the singular number only shall include the plural and vice versa. 3.5 Clause headings are for ease of reference only. 4. ROLE The role of the Student Society is to arrange:

5 (a) lectures, addresses and discussions by and with Student Society Members of the profession visits to businesses and other organisations (c) seminars, study courses and revision courses in preparation for the ACCA s examinations (d) access to library or other study facilities which might assist students in achieving the qualification (e) social gatherings (f) provide an organisation for Registered Students (g) promote the study of professional subjects amongst Registered Students and provide opportunities for them to widen their knowledge in the accountancy profession; (h) promote social interaction amongst Registered Students; (i) and (j) keep the Head of Singapore and the Institute informed of relevant matters which affect the interests of Registered Students. The Student Society may be affiliated to any other associations or form part of any federation of associations, provided that in so doing such affiliations are not detrimental to the role of the Student Society. The Student Society shall not affiliate itself to a foreign organisation without the prior written approval of the Registrar or Assistant Registrar of Societies If a branch or centre exists in the same place, the Students Society must operate under the auspices of the senior committee. 5. LOCATION The location of the Student Society shall be in Singapore at the place as may be selected from time to time by the Chief Operating Officer and/or an ACCA staff member designated by him and such address shall be approved by the Registrar of Societies 6. THE COMMITTEE

6 6 Role: Subject to this Constitution, the Committee shall carry out the actions necessary to perform the Role of the Student Society as outlined in Clause Composition: The Committee shall be elected by the Student Society in a general meting from among the Student Society Members and shall comprise such Student Society Members as so elected in accordance with Clause 6.3 or Clause 6.3 (c). The number of Student Society members of the Committee shall not be less than three but not more than seven, excluding ex officio Student Society Members. The Chief Operating Officer and/or an ACCA staff member designated by him, in consultation with the Institute, will appoint an ACCA Member to sit as an ex officio Member of the Committee, with full voting rights. Where practical, the Chief Operating Officer, and/or an ACCA staff member designated by him, and a representative from the Institute, shall attend Committee meetings in a non-voting capacity. 6.3 Election/Retirement/Re-Election: (a) (c) (d) Two or more Student Society Members may nominate a Student Society Member for election to the Committee at the Annual General Meeting. Each nomination shall be in writing, shall specify the name of the candidate and shall be signed by each of those Student Society Members making the nomination. The Chief Operating Officer and/or an ACCA staff member designated by him shall arrange for Student Society Members to be notified of such nomination at least 28 days before the Annual General Meeting. There shall be appended for each such nomination a consent, signed by the candidate, of his willingness to be elected a Student Society Member of the Committee. Any Student Society Member of the Committee may be removed from the Committee and replaced by a majority vote of Student Society Members given at an Extraordinary General Meeting. The Committee will identify and appoint Student Society Members to fill up to three vacancies in any year. The person appointed to fill such a vacancy shall be subject to retirement at the same time as if he had become a Committee Student Society Member on the day on which the Committee Student Society Member in whose place he is appointed was last elected a Committee Student Society Member. Any further vacancy arising in the course of the relevant year shall remain vacant until the next Annual General Meeting. At each Annual General Meeting there shall retire from office (a) any Committee Student Society Member appointed pursuant to Clause 6.3(c); and any other Committee Student Society Members who did not retire from office at the Annual General Meeting immediately preceding the

7 present one. Subject to Clause 6.3(f), a retiring Committee Student Society Member shall be eligible for re-election in accordance with the procedure set out in Clause 6.3(a). (e) (f) (g) Any Student Society Member who has served as a Student Society Member of the Committee for four consecutive years or more and is seeking for re-election at the Annual General Meeting shall notify Student Society Members present at the Annual General Meeting of his previous tenure as a Committee Student Society Member prior to the election of the Committee. The Honorary Treasurer shall not be reelected to the same or related post for a consecutive term of office. Any Student Society Member of the Committee who has served for eight consecutive years excluding the period during which he has been appointed to fill up a casual vacancy shall resign but shall be eligible for election after one year. Other than in exceptional circumstances, and with the prior approval of the Chief Operating Officer, the President and the Vice President elected in accordance with Clause 6.4 shall serve terms of one year s duration. 6.4 Proceedings: (a) (c) (d) (e) (f) The Committee shall meet at least quarterly and may, subject to this Constitution, regulate its meetings as it sees fit. The Committee shall appoint from its Student Society Members a President and a Vice President, an Honorary Secretary and an Honorary Treasurer. On the requisition of the President or any two Student Society Members of the Committee, the Chief Operating Officer and/or staff member designated by him should arrange to summon a meeting of the Committee. Notice of any meeting of the Committee shall be given in writing to all the Student Society Members of the Committee at least seven days before the date fixed for the meeting. The Committee may delegate any of its functions to one or more subcommittees. The Committee may from time to time revoke all or any of the functions delegated to such sub-committee and discharge such subcommittee in whole or in part. At all meetings of the Committee, the Vice President shall take the chair when the President is unable to do so. In the absence of the Office Bearers, a Student Society Member of the meeting shall be elected from among those present to take charge for that meeting. Every question at a meeting of the Committee shall be determined by a

8 majority of the votes of the Student Society Members present, every Student Society Member having one vote, and in the case of an equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote. (g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (l) A quorum at meetings of the Committee shall be four or such greater number as the Committee may from time to time decide. Ex officio Student Society Members shall not be counted for the purposes of quorum. Minutes of the proceedings of every meeting of the Committee and of the attendance of the Student Society Members of the Committee thereat shall be recorded by the Chief Operating Officer and/or an ACCA staff member designated by him (or in their absence a Student Society Member of the committee) in a book kept for that purpose and shall be signed by the chairman of the meeting at which they are read. Copies of the notice, agenda and minutes of such meetings shall be sent to the Chief Operating Officer by the Head of Singapore and/or an ACCA staff member designated by him and the Institute. Every such minute when so signed shall in the absence of proof of error therein be considered an accurate record of the proceedings referred to therein. The Student Society Members of the Committee may act and exercise all their powers notwithstanding any defect in the ACCA registered status or appointment of all or any of them provided that such defect, if capable of rectification, is rectified promptly following discovery of such defect. Any Student Society Member of the Committee who has not attended a meeting of the Committee for a consecutive period of six months, without leave of absence, shall be deemed to have resigned from the Committee. No Student Society Member of the Committee shall receive any remuneration with respect to the respective duties undertaken by them in their capacity as Student Society Members of the Committee, except as shall have been previously approved in writing by the Council. 7. STUDENT SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP (a) All Registered Students resident in Singapore shall be deemed to be Student Society Members. For this purpose, residence is based on the correspondence address of a Student Society Member as shown in the record of ACCA. Any person ceasing to be a Registered Student, shall cease, at the same time, to be a Student Society Member and shall have no claim whatsoever against the Student Society including, without limitation, any claim to a

9 refund of any contribution made by him to the Student Society in any way. 8. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The supreme authority of the society shall be vested in the General Meeting of members. The Annual General Meeting of Student Society Members shall be held not later than the 31 May of each year to receive a report for the year ended 31 December, to elect Student Society Members to the Committee for the ensuing year, and to transact any other necessary business. 25% of Society Members or 30 Society Members whichever is the lesser present in person and entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for any Annual General Meeting. In case there is no quorum, the Annual General Meeting shall be postponed for 30mins and at that subsequent meeting whatever be the number of Student Society Members present the business to be transacted at the Annual General Meeting shall be proceeded with except the power to amend any of the existing rules of this Constitution. 9. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING Extraordinary General Meetings of the Student Society shall be held at such times and places as the Committee may decide. 25% of the Society Members or 30 Society Members whichever is the lesser present in person shall form a quorum for such meetings. In case there is no quorum, the Extraordinary General Meeting shall be postponed for two weeks and at that subsequent meeting whatever be the number of Student Society Members present the business to be transacted at the Extraordinary General Meeting shall be proceeded with except the power to amend any of the existing rules of this Constitution SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING SUBJECT TO RELEVANT LEGISLATION Upon a written requisition signed by 15% of the total number of Student Society Members, the Chief Operating Officer and/or a staff member designated by him shall arrange a Special General Meeting, stating fully in writing the object for which it is called. Every such meeting shall be held within forty five days from the date of the receipt by the Chief Operating Officer and/or an ACCA staff member designated by him of such request or requisition. 25% of the Student Society Members or 30 Society Members whichever is the lesser present in person shall form a quorum for such meetings. In case there is no quorum present for such meeting, the Special General Meeting shall be absolutely dissolved.

10 11. NOTICES At least twenty-one days written notice of all Extraordinary General Meetings and Special General Meetings shall be given to each Student Society Member. At least twenty eight days written notice of each Annual General Meeting shall be given to each Student Society Member. Such notice shall state the business to be brought before any such meeting. However, the non-receipt of any notice by a Student Society Member shall not invalidate the proceedings of any such meeting. No business other than that stated in the notice of such meeting shall be considered at the Annual General Meeting, the Extraordinary General Meeting or the Special General Meeting. However, any Student Society Member may bring forward a resolution at an Annual General Meeting provided that he has given notice to the Chief Operating Officer and/or an ACCA staff member designated by him not less than fourteen days before any such general meeting. 12. POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE The Committee is expressly prohibited from entering into contracts affecting ACCA or the Student Society or imposing any liabilities whatsoever upon ACCA except in the case of: (a) expenditure contained in Council s Annual Budget for activities in Singapore and expenditure or investments for which the approval of the Chief Operating Officer shall have been obtained beforehand. 13. ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT The President shall preside over all general meetings of the Student Society. In the President s absence, a general meeting of the Student Society shall be presided over by the Vice President and the Vice President shall deputise as appropriate in representational matters. In the absence of both Office Bearers from a general meeting, a Student Society Member chosen from among the Student Society Members present in person at the general meeting shall take the chair. At the Annual General Meeting, the President shall submit a report on the working of the Student Society for the previous year ending 31 December. 14. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND STAFF

11 (a) Reporting to the Chief Executive, the Chief Operating Officer (who may have a different job title, as determined by the Chief Executive) and/or a staff member nominated by him shall be responsible for: (i) (ii) (iii) the implementation of ACCA s strategies and policies in Singapore advice and, where required, Secretarial support to the Committee and sub-committees the day-to-day management of the affairs and activities of the Singapore Student Society and (iv) the financial management of ACCA s operations in Singapore. He shall have such other powers and duties as may be assigned to him by the Chief Executive. The Chief Operating Officer may appoint such other staff and for whom agreed budgetary provision has been made. 15. MODE AND RIGHT OF VOTING Voting at any general meeting shall be by show of hands and the number of ballot papers received by post or otherwise. All ballot papers shall be sent to Student Society Members twenty-eight days before any general meeting. Voting by post shall be allowed and the completed ballot papers shall be received by Student Society at least seven days before the general meeting is held. 16. ACTIONS BY OR AGAINST THE STUDENT SOCIETY Subject to the provision set out below the Student Society shall act, sue and shall do all other acts under its corporate name and through the Chief Operating Officer that it is legally able to do, provided that the Student Society shall not act, sue or otherwise commence proceedings in any way unless the Chief Operating Officer has received the prior written approval of the Chief Executive to such proceedings being commenced. Furthermore the Chief Operating Officer shall advise the Council promptly upon receiving notification of the commencement of any action against the Student Society. 17. PROHIBITIONS

12 (a) (c) (d) (e) (f) Gambling of any kind and the playing of paikow or mahjong, whether for stakes or not, is forbidden on the Society s premises. Items used for gambling or drug-taking cannot be brought in to the premises. The introduction of persons into the premises who are likely to breach the Rules is prohibited The finds of the society shall not be used to pay fines of members who have been convicted in a Court of Law. The society shall not engage in any trade union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in the Republic of Singapore The Society shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Society, of its office-bearers, committee or members The Society shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes The Society shall not raise funds from the public for whatever purposes without prior approval in writing of the Assistant Director Operations, licensing Division, Singapore Police Force and other relevant authorities. 18. DISPUTES Any dispute between the Student Society and any of the Student Society Members or any person s claim by or through a Student Society Member shall be settled in the first instance by a Special General Meeting of the Student Society Members, with final authority resting with Council. 19. DISSOLUTION OR AMALGAMATION OF THE STUDENT SOCIETY (a) The Singapore Student Society derives its existence and authority from Council in accordance with bye-law 31, which states: The Council may form local branches and committees or appoint local representatives in any part of the world and may dissolve such branches or local committees or remove such local representatives. The Council may from time to time make and vary rules for the government and control of local branches and committees. ACCA, or the Institute, reserves the right to dissolve the Student Society, after consultation with the other party, for any of the following reasons:

13 (i) (ii) (iii) non-compliance with the rules laid down by the Registrar of Societies concerning the registration and conduct of societies non-compliance with this Constitution if the Student Society Membership of the Student Society is such as, in the opinion of Council, to warrant dissolution and (iv) for any other reason the Council deems it desirable in the interest of ACCA. (c) (d) In the event of the winding up of the Student Society, all its property, movable or immovable, shall be disposed of in conformity with the rules laid down by the Registrar of Societies concerning the registration and conduct of societies, or failing the presence of any such law, at the discretion of Council or the Institute, upon consultation with the other party. A certificate of dissolution shall be given within seven days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies 20. INDEMNITY Pursuant to bye-law 42, every Committee Student Society Member shall be indemnified by ACCA from all liability, expenses or costs which by virtue of any rule of law would otherwise attach to him in relation to ACCA unless such liability arises from his own willful default. 21. ALTERATION OR WAIVER OF CONSTITUTION No proposal for the rescission, alteration or modification of this Constitution or for any addition thereto or for waiver of compliance with any of them shall be effective unless (a) such a proposal has been duly approved, by not less than 2/3 of the voting members present and voting in general meeting which at least twenty-one days notice shall have been given and such a proposal has been approved by the Council and the Registrar of Societies.