Student Astronomy Club, HKUSTSU
Get our consituition here:
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本 會 宗 旨
提 供 機 會 讓 同 學 認 識 天 文
To provide a media for students to know more about astronomy.
培 養 同 學 對 天 文 的 興 趣
To foster students’ interest in astronomy.
為 會 員 爭 取 福 利 及 優 惠
To promote the general welfare and privileges of members.
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Constitution of Student Astronomy Club, HKUSTSU
Table of content:
Section I: General
Section II: Membership
Section III: General Meeting
Section IV: Election
Section V: Executive Committee
Section VI: Finance
Section VII: Constitution
Section VIII: Dissolution of the Club
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Section I: General
Article 1: Name
The full name of the club shall be “Student Astronomy Club, HKUSTSU” in English and Chinese “香港科技大學學生會天文學會”; hereinafter referred to “the Club”.
Article 2: Address
Student Astronomy Club, HKUSTSU
Mailbox #42, Student Center
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Clear Water Bay, Kowloon
Hong Kong
Article 3: Aims
．To provide a media for students to know more about astronomy;
．To foster students’ interest in astronomy;
．To promote the general welfare and privileges of members.
Article 4: Official Language
Chinese and English, enjoying equal status, shall be the official language of the Club.
Article 5: Affiliation
The Club is affiliated to Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Students’ Union and shall not apply other affiliations within The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Article 6: Logo
The official logo of the Club should be:
Article 7: Definitions of Terms
．Public NoticePublic Notice is an official announcement to all members through email, public notice area.
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Section II: Membership
Article 1: Full Membership
All full-time undergraduates and postgraduates currently registered in The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, AND being Full Member of the Students’ Union, shall be eligible for Full Membership of the Club.
Article 2: Associate Membership
All staffs and part-time students of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology shall be eligible for Associate Membership of the Club.
Article 3: Honorary Membership
All Executive Committee in previous sessions, and any person recommended by the Executive Committee shall be eligible for Honorary Membership of the Club.
Article 4: Validity of membership
．All Full / Associate student members shall cease their membership upon graduation or expiry of payment of membership
fee.
．All staff members shall cease their membership upon termination of staff status or expire of payment of membership fee.
．The duration of membership shall be indicated at the moment of the payment of membership fee.
Article 5: Privileges
．All members of the Club shall have the following privileges:
1. The use of all services and facilities provided by the Club;
2. To be eligible for membership of sub-organization of the Club;
3. Have the speaking right in any General Meeting.
．All Full Members of the Club shall have the following privileges:
1. To be eligible for standing for election, or hold office as an office bearer of the Club;
2. To be entitled to vote at all elections and General Meeting.
Article 6: Obligations
All members shall:
．Abide by the constitution of the Club;
．Abide by the resolutions of General Meeting;
．Pay the annual membership fee.
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Section III: General Meeting
Article 1: General Meeting
．Authority
The resolution(s) of a General Meeting shall possess the highest authority.
．Chairperson
1. The General Meeting shall be chaired by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee, or in his/her absence, the
Internal Vice-Chairperson of the Executive Committee.
2. If the Chairperson and the Internal Vice-Chairperson of the Executive Committee are absent, the meeting shall be
chaired by a full member appointed by the Executive Committee at that time.
3. The Chairperson of the meeting shall have the casting vote.
．Secretary
The Internal Secretary or in his/her absence the External Secretary shall preside as the Secretary at every General
Meeting. If neither of them shall be present, the Full Members present shall elect one of them to preside as the Secretary.
Article 2: Annual General Meeting
．Occurrence
An Annual General Meeting shall be held within two months after the beginning of the Spring semester of each academic
year.
．Notice
An official Public Notice and an agenda of the Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be issued a week in advance.
．Quorum
1. No less than ten percent of Full Membership of the Club shall form a quorum of the Annual General Meeting.
2. If the quorum cannot be formed within one hour of the time scheduled for the commencement of the Annual General Meeting, the meeting shall be postponed within two weeks with official Public Notice posted three days in advance of
the meeting. If the quorum still cannot be formed at that meeting, all Full Members present shall form a quorum.
．Business
1. To receive and adopt the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting together with the minutes of all
Extraordinary General Meetings which have been held since the previous Annual General Meeting, if any;
2. To receive and adopt the agenda of the Annual General Meeting;
3. To receive and adopt the annual report of the current session of the Club;
4. To receive and adopt the annual financial report including an audited financial statement and a balance sheet by the
Financial Secretary of the current session of the Club;
5. To introduce the Executive Committee of the next session;
6. To receive and adopt the year plan of next session;
7. To receive and adopt the financial budget of next session;
8. To pass amendment(s) to the Constitution, if any;
9. Any other business specified by the Executive Committee, if any;
10. No nay other business other than those matters listed in the agenda after adoption can be discussed in the Annual General Meeting.
Article 3: Extraordinary General Meeting
．Occurrence
1. The Chairperson seconded by at least three Executive Committee members, shall have the right to convene an
Extraordinary General Meeting of any purpose whenever necessary;
2. The Chairperson shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting upon a requisition signed by not less than one-fifth of Full Membership of the Club, such requisition shall specify the object of the proposed meeting.
．Notice
An official Public Notice and an agenda of the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club shall be issued a week in
advance.
．Quorum
1. No less than ten percent of Full Membership of the Club shall form a quorum of an Extraordinary General Meeting.
2. If the quorum cannot be formed within one hour of the time scheduled for the commencement of the Extraordinary
General Meeting, the meeting shall be cancelled.
．Business
Business not stated on the agenda shall not be discussed in any Extraordinary General Meeting unless with the consent of
more than one half of Full Membership present in the meeting.
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Section IV: Election
Article 1: Election Board
．An Election Board shall be set up at least seven days before the nomination period starts.
．An official Public Notice regarding the Election shall be issued by the Election Board a week in advance.
．The Election shall be conducted by an Election Board consists not less than five Full Members appointed by the Executive
Committee of the current session and at least one of them shall not be the Executive Committee of the current session.
．Members of the Election Board shall not nominate, second, vote or to be nominated in the election.
．The Election Board shall be responsible for counting the votes and receiving complaints, if any.
Article 2: Nomination
．The length of the nomination period shall not be less than five working days.
．The Executive Committee shall be elected in form of a cabinet.
．Nominations in prescribed form, shall be submitted to the Election Board before the closure of nomination period. The
nomination must be seconded by at least one Full Member.
．Each candidate shall only join one cabinet.
．A maximum amount of expenses allowed for each cabinet shall be introduced.
．In case there is no nomination received, the Annual General Meeting shall resolve the matter.
Article 3: Voting
．Polling shall be held before the Annual General Meeting in both cases of only one cabinet or more than one cabinet.
．In case of two or more cabinets, the cabinet with the highest vote shall be elected into office.
．In case of only one cabinet, the cabinet is successful upon receiving at least fifty percent of valid votes in favor.
Article 4: Quorum
The result of the voting shall be declared valid provided the number of valid votes cast is not less than twenty percent of Full Membership of the Club.
Article 5: Complaints
．Complaints of the election shall be directed to the Election Board in writing within forty-eight hours after the end of the
polling.
．If no complaint is received, an official result shall be made within twenty-four hours after the complaint period.
．If complaints were received, the Election Board shall convene a meeting to adjudicate them.
．No official result shall be made until all complaints have been settled
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Section V: Executive Committee
Article 1: Session
The Executive Committee shall hold office from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in the year of their election until the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in the following year.
Article 2: Composition
．The Executive Committee shall have the following members:
1. Chairperson *
2. Internal Vice-Chairperson *
3. External Vice-Chairperson *
4. Internal Secretary
5. External Secretary
6. Financial Secretary *
with condition that:
1. The position that with an asterisk (*) shall not hold any other positions in the Club;
2. No more than one person shall hold the position that with an asterisk (*);
3. The minimum number of office bearers at any time shall be 5.
Article 3: Authorities and Responsibilities
The Executive Committee shall:
．Represent the Club in all matters;
．Have the right to appoint sub-committees and delegate authority to them. At least one member of the Executive Committee
shall be included in a sub-committee;
．Co-opt any Full Member as Executive Committee to take up the position(s) of any resigned office-bearer(s), if necessary;
．Have the right to interpret the Constitution of the Club;
．Have the right to repudiate members if they disobey the obligations of members.
Article 4: Duties of Executive Committee members
．The Chairperson shall:
1. Be a chief executive of the Club;
2. Represent the Executive Committee in all matters;
3. Preside over all meetings of the Club.
．The Internal Vice-Chairperson shall:
1. Assist the Chairperson in all internal affairs of the Club;
2. Chair all Executive Committee meetings in the absence of the Chairperson.
．The External Vice-Chairperson shall:
1. Assist the Chairperson in all external affairs of the Club;
2. Chair all Executive Committee meetings in the absence of the Chairperson and the Internal Vice-Chairperson.
．The Internal Secretary shall be responsible for internal duties including keeping all records, except the financial reports of
the Club.
．The External Secretary shall be responsible for external duties including keeping all records, except the financial reports of
the Club.
．The Financial Secretary shall:
1. Be responsible for all financial matters of the Club;
2. Prepare budget and financial report at the beginning and at the end of a financial year respectively.
Article 5: Resignation
．Any Executive Committee member who wishes to resign shall inform the Committee of the Club by a signed letter at least
fourteen days before the effective date of resignation. A notice concerning the resignation shall also be issued.
．Any Executive Committee member, having committed any illegal acts in the name of the Club, or found negligent for duties
shall be requested for resignation by the Executive Committee at an Extraordinary General Meeting.
．Should the Chairperson resign for the post or receive a vote of non-confidence, the Internal Vice-Chairperson shall fill in
his/her place.
．Should any post other than that of the Chairperson in the Executive Committee becomes vacant, the Chairperson shall
nominate a Full Member to fill the vacancy and such nomination shall be approved by the Executive Committee.
．An official Public Notice shall be issued to inform members a week in advance if any changes of the office-bearers take
place.
Article 6: Reformation
．Any change of Executive Committee shall be discussed and adopted by Extraordinary General Meeting except resignation.
．An official Public Notice shall be issued a week in advance to inform members any changes of the office-bearers take place
after Extraordinary General Meeting.
Article 7: Dissolution
The Executive Committee shall be automatically dismissed if:
．Any four members of the Executive Committee resign from office, or;
．The Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons resign from office.
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Section VI: Finance
Article 1: Financial Year
The financial year of the Club shall follow the session of the Executive Committee.
Article 2: Expenditure
The balance and proceeds of the previous financial year, the membership fee and the donation of the current financial year shall be spent on the activities and functions of the Club.
Article 3: Membership Fee
．The amount of the membership fee shall be proposed and approved in the Annual General Meeting and shall not be
changed henceforth.
．No membership fee is refundable.
Article 4: Others
．The annual financial budget and the annual financial report shall be prepared and presented in the Annual General Meeting.
The Annual General Meeting shall consider and approve them.
．The Club shall not apply or accept any loans outside the Students’ Union.
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VII: Constitution
．The Constitution shall only be amended in the Annual General Meeting with a resolution of not less than two-thirds of the
Full Members present voting for at the Annual General Meeting.
．An office Public Notice shall be issued a week in advance to inform members for the amendment of the Constitution.
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Section VIII: Dissolution of the Club
．The Club will only be dissolved if more than eighty percent of Full Membership vote for dissolution in the Extraordinary
General Meeting.
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Amended on 10th March 2010
