1. General

This is the continuous and binding constitution of the Expeditions Society.

Acceptance of membership of the Expeditions Society shall be deemed acceptance of the constitution.

In this constitution, unless specified otherwise:

1. Club shall mean the Expeditions Society

2. Committee shall mean the elected committee of the Expeditions Society.

3. Member shall mean fully paid-up member of the Athletic Union and the Expeditions Society.

4. General Meeting shall mean General Meeting of the Expeditions Society.

This constitution may be seen by any Member of the club on demand.

2. Objectives

To encourage and support undergraduate expeditions through the development of skills and dissemination of information.

To provide an opportunity for members of the club to meet and participate in outdoor pursuits such as might develop skills useful to expeditions.

3. Membership

Membership of the Club shall only be open to individuals who recognise that activities undertaken by the Club have a danger of personal injury or death. Members shall be aware of and accept these risks and agree to be responsible for their own actions and involvement. Members must read and sign the Membership Declaration before attending any Club trips or using any Club equipment.

4. Management of the Club

4.1 The management of the Club shall be entrusted to the Club Committee.

4.2 The elected officers of the Club shall be the President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer, hereafter referred to as the Officers.

4.3 There will also be one Officer who is responsible for the Club equipment, this may be in the form of an elected Gear Secretary, or may be one of the other Officers.

4.4 The above positions may be added to by agreement of the existing Officers, according to the developing needs of the Club. Elections must be held to fill the new position. Appendix 1 must be updated by the Secretary to reallocate the responsibilities of the Officers.

5. Elections

In this section:

1. Member shall mean fully paid-up member of the Athletic Union and the Expeditions Society, who had such status at the time the relevant election was called.

Elections are made by a single transferable vote, one member, one vote, in a secret ballot.

All Members may vote. To do so, they must attend the election or leave a ballot paper in an envelope signed by said member, with an Election Officer (see below).

Elections for the entire Committee are to be held the first Wednesday before the end of the Lent term. The ballots are to be counted on the night of the vote. The results are to be announced at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. The new Committee will take full responsibility for the Club at the beginning of the new academic year. The summer term will be a period of integration of the old and new Committee to allow a smooth introduction of the new Committee.

Other elections to be held upon the resignation of, or vote of no confidence in a Committee Member.

There must be at least two weeks notice of elections, nominations opening at that time, and closing on the commencement of hustings and elections. Notice by delivery of a Club newsletter to all Club Members is sufficient. Hustings are to be held on the day of the election(s) commencing at 21.00. All nominations must be open, i.e. not secret.

The Committee shall appoint, for the duration of the election only, two Election Officers to supervise hustings, the election(s) and to count the ballots. These Officers may not be candidates standing for the election. In the case of a tied ballot, the position will be decided by the drawing of lots. At the end of the election(s) the Election Officers must stand down.

6. General Meetings

In this section:

1. Member shall mean fully paid-up member of the Athletic Union and the Expeditions Society, who had such status at the time the General Meeting was called.

A General Meeting may be called by petition of at least ten Members and/or two Committee Members. Once said petition is presented to a Committee Member, the General Meeting must be held on the third term-time Wednesday, inclusive from that time, commencing 20.00 at an Aberystwyth venue.

Notice is to be given at least seven days in advance of any General Meeting, and is the responsibility of the entire Committee. Notice by delivery of a Club newsletter by email to all Club Members is sufficient.

Once a General Meeting has been called, another may not be called until at least one week after the end of the previous General Meeting.

Any such Member may call a motion to be voted upon, all such motions must be seconded by another Member. Any Member is also entitled to call any Committee Member to answer for their actions within or concerning the Club, whether this be concerning Club policy, or the day to day running of the Club.

For a motion of no-confidence to be passed against any Committee Member a simple majority of attending members is required in favour of that motion.

For a motion to change this Constitution , a majority of attending non-committee members is required in favour of that motion, as well as a majority of attending committee members.

7. Accounts

The accounts may be seen by any Member of the Club on demand.

8. Expenditure

All expenditure must be approved or subsequently ratified by the Committee.

9. Equipment

Any capital equipment purchased by the Club must be accounted for in at least one Committee meeting per session.

10. Safety

The Club accepts no liability for any loss, inconvenience, damage, or injury sustained to person or property, while engaging in any activity with the Club and its Committee.

All Members must have their activity plans for a club trip agreed by a Member of the Committee or person appointed by the Committee, before commencing that activity. Committee Members must have their plans agreed by another Committee Member or person appointed by the Committee prior to the trip.

The Committee reserve the right to disallow any Member from taking part in any Club activity if the feel said Member may be a source of danger or liability to themselves or any other person.

Individuals plans for trips must be written down and left with a 'responsible agent' (determined by the Committee). The written plans must contain enough information to be of use to the relevant rescue services.

11. Club Rules (see appendix 2)

The Committee shall have the power to set the Club rules. Such rules shall be in accordance with the articles of the Club's constitution and the policies of the BMC.

12. Activities

The club aims to, but has no compulsion to:

1) undertake weekend and day trips to wilderness areas for participation in outdoor pursuits, such as might develop skills useful to expeditions. Such activities might include: hill walking, backpacking, scrambling, rock climbing, orienteering, caving, survival skills, wilderness first aid.

2) hold an annual expedition planning seminar, providing information on fundraising, expedition logistics, project design, expedition techniques, views from experienced expeditioners.

3) hold lectures on matters of interest to expeditioners, including talks from returning expeditions.

13. Athletic Union

The club will abide by all Athletic Union rules and its constitution, and all motions and amendments to this Constitution passed by the Club are subject to the same.

14. The Owain Baglow Award

To be awarded at the end of each year, during the summer meal. To be decided by ballot vote at the start of the meal. To the person who most embodies the spirit of the club through their commitment and contribution to the club activities and socials.
In memory of Owain Baglow; former president and treasurer.
(Award donated by Owain’s family)

Appendix 1

Committee responsibilities:

President:

1. 1. Overall direction of the Club.


2. 2. General leadership of the Club.


3. 3. Upholding of Club traditions.


4. 4. Innovation of ideas.


5. 5. Liaising with the Students Union

Treasurer:

1. Collection and distribution of money within the Club.

2. Purchase and payment for equipment and services to the Club.

3. Booking and payment for Club activities.

4. Costing of the Club activities.

Secretary:

1. Taking of minutes of Club General Meetings, and updating of this Constitution.

2. Arrangement of transport and accommodation for the Club and its activities.

3. Preservation of current membership lists and membership involvement,

4. Preservation and updating of Club archives.

Gear Secretary

1. Storage and availability of Club equipment.

Social Secretary

1. General organisation of club social meets.

Vice President:

1. Assisting the president with his/her duties, and standing in for him/her where he/she is not available.

General Committee responsibilities:

1. Representation of the Club to the Athletic Union, the Royal Geographical Society Expedition Advisory Centre, the BMC and any other relevant organizations.

2. Day to day running of the club and forming of, and adherence to, Club policies.

3. Organisation of Club activities and Members partaking in them.

4. Creation and publication of Newsletters and all other promotional material relating to club events.

Should the Committee be evenly split upon a decision in the day to day running of the Club, or concerning its policies, the President has the casting vote save for those decisions that involve the pricing of Club activities - in which case the Treasurer has the casting vote.

The committee may appoint, for any Club outdoor activity, those whom they consider competent to organize or approve an activity who are then held equally responsible and in equal authority with Committee Members present (or in their stead) for the events which they organize / approve. Any Committee Member present at the event can veto the appointment of any such person.

Appendix 2: Club Rules

1. Club members shall sign for club equipment and undertake to use it entirely at their own risk. Any incidents involving club equipment must be fully reported in the equipment book on return.

2. On Club trips, club members shall leave a basic route plan with the meet organiser.

3. Members must provide themselves with adequate and appropriate clothing for any club activity.

4. The committee reserves the right to disallow any member from taking part in any club activity if they feel that person is a source of unacceptable danger, or a liability to themselves or any other person.

5. Members must read and sign the 'Membership Declaration' before taking part in trips or using club equipment.

6. Signup for trips takes place in accordance with the policy detailed in the 'Trip Signup Policy'

The BMC recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.

The information provided on this and other webpages by the Expeditions Society, club16, is under the club's and web master's personal responsibility and not that of Aberystwyth University. Similarly, any opinions expressed are of the clubs and are in no way to be taken as those of AU.

Copyright © 2010 Aberystwyth Expeditions Society.