Engineering Society Bylaw 1 (The Constitution): Difference between revisions

*1.0.4 The fiscal year of the Society shall conclude on 31 May each year.

*1.1.1 In this document the masculine form shall be interpreted to include the feminine form

*1.1.2 In this document:

== CHAPTER 2 – MEMBERSHIP AND FEES ==

*2.0.1 There shall be three (3) types of Members:  

**a) Full Time Members  

**c) Alumni Members  

*2.1.1 Full Time Members must be students registered in the Faculty enrolled in full time undergraduate studies as defined by the Faculty.  

*2.1.2 Part Time Members must be students registered in the Faculty enrolled in part time undergraduate studies as defined by the Faculty.  

*2.1.4 Full Time Members must have paid in full the Membership Fee described in Section 2.2.  

*2.2.1 The Membership Fee shall be $44.64 in the year 2010-2011  

*2.2.2 Upon a resolution of the Board of Directors, the Membership Fee for each subsequent year shall include a cost of living adjustment as determined by the Governing Council.  

*2.2.4 Any fees or levies to be created, altered, or removed except as specified in section 2.2.2 must be done so by the Membership through a referendum.  

*2.3.1 Alumni Members shall enjoy no rights of Membership other than the right to speak at General Meetings and at meetings of the Board of Directors.  

*2.3.2 All other rights and responsibilities of Members described in this document shall pertain only to Full Time and Part Time Members.  

== CHAPTER 3 – GENERAL MEETINGS ==

*3.0.1 The duties specified in this chapter, where they relate to:

**a. Annual General Meetings, are the responsibility of the Vice-President Communications; and

**c. Other General Meetings are the responsibility of the Vice-President Communications.

*3.1.1 An Annual General Meeting shall be called annually, in October.

*3.1.2 A General Meeting shall be called upon:

*3.1.3 Said resolution or petition must specify the purpose of the General Meeting.

*3.2.1 The agenda for each Annual General Meeting shall include motions to:

**a. appoint an auditor for the current year;

*3.2.3 The agenda of any other General Meeting shall contain only those motions pertaining to matters specified under section 3.1.3.

*3.3.1 Notice shall be given at least seven (7) days prior to any General Meeting;

*3.3.2 Notice shall be given:

*3.3.3 Without written notice as defined in Sections 3.3.1 and 3.3.2, no motions passed at a General Meeting shall have force.

*3.4.1 At each General Meeting each Member of the Society holds one (1) vote.

*3.4.2 A Member may proxy their vote at a General Meeting to another Member.

*3.4.3 No Member may hold more than three (3) votes at a General Meeting.

*3.5.1 Quorum is fifty (50) Members present in person.

*3.5.2 Proxy votes do not count for the purpose of quorum.

*3.6.1 The Speaker of the Board of Directors shall preside over General Meetings.

*3.6.2 All General Meetings shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order where these rules of order do not conflict with the Bylaws of the Society.

*3.6.3 The Speaker shall not hold more than one (1) vote at any General Meeting.  

*3.7.1 At least fourteen (14) days before the Annual General Meeting, the Vice-President Finance shall cause a copy of the Society’s financial statements and the auditor’s report to be:

**a. Published online at the http://www.finance.skule.ca website, and all students made aware of their availability via the Engineering Society Digest.

== CHAPTER 4 – OFFICERS ==

*4.0.1 The Officers of the Society shall be the President, the Vice-President Finance, the Vice-President Communications, the Vice-President Academic, the Vice-President External, and the Vice-President Student Life.

*4.0.2 Each Officer shall be elected by the Membership, as defined in Bylaw 3.

*4.0.12 Upon a resolution of Council, the requirements of 4.0.11 may be waived for an Officer enrolled part time for reasons of disability, injury or illness. Documentation from a licensed medical professional or Accessibility Services at the University of Toronto shall be sufficient evidence of disability, injury or illness for the purpose of Council.

*4.1.1 The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Society.

*4.1.2 The President must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

*4.1.5 The President shall maintain the Seal of the Society.

*4.2.1 The Vice-President Finance shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the Society.

*4.2.2 The Vice-President Finance shall be responsible for the preparation of budgets for Board of Director approval as specified in the Bylaws.

*4.2.8 The Vice-President Finance shall be responsible for the security of the Society’s property and offices, and overseeing access thereto.

*4.3.1 The Vice-President Academic shall represent students' interests with regards to their academic and professional development.

*4.3.2 The Vice-President Academic shall be responsible for maintaining and disseminating information on the academic regulations and procedures of the Faculty and University.

services that the Engineering Society provides to its students.

*4.4.1 In accordance with the provisions of the Corporations Act of Ontario, the Vice-President Communications shall be responsible for the maintenance of:

**a. A copy of the letters patent and any supplementary letters patent issued to the Society;

*4.4.4 The Vice-President Communications shall be responsible for submitting Notices of Change to the Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Business Services within 15 days of any change in officer or director in the Society. The Vice-President Communications will be further responsible for keeping duplicates of these Notices on file in the Society’s office in accordance with the Ontario Corporations Information Act.  

*4.5.1 The Vice-President Student Life is responsible for the social and cultural well-being of the Society.

*4.5.2 The Vice-President Student Life shall be responsible for outreach and social activities as specified in the Bylaws.

*4.6.1 The Vice-President External shall represent the Society and its members at provincial and national conferences;

*4.6.2 The Vice-President External shall be responsible for all communication between the Engineering Society and organizations external to the University of Toronto;

*4.6.3 The Vice-President External shall gather information required for the strategic development of the Engineering Society and implement new strategic programs.

*4.7.1 The Signing Officers of the Society shall be the President, the Vice-President Finance, the Vice-President Academic, the Vice-President Communications, the Vice-President Student Life, and the Vice-President External, except those officers who are not Members.

*4.7.2 One of the President or Vice-President Finance and one other Signing Officer’s signatures shall be required for any expenditures of Society funds.

*4.8.1 An Officer may only be recalled by a two-thirds vote at a General Meeting called for that purpose.

*5.0.1 The business and affairs of the Society shall be managed by a Board of Directors.

*5.1.1 The Board shall be comprised of all:

**a. The Six (6) Officers of the Engineering Society;

**d. Four (4) Upper Year Representatives, elected from Second, Third and Fourth Year, and PEY.

*5.2.1 The CRO must bring forward a motion to ratify the new Board at the first Board meeting following the Joint Council Meeting

*5.2.2 The Board shall not refuse to ratify the results of an election conducted in accordance with the Bylaws of the Society

*5.2.3 Each incoming Board member’s term of office shall begin at the adjournment of the meeting at which their election is ratified by the Board

*5.3.1 Each Board Member shall have one (1) vote on each question to be decided by the Board;

*5.3.2 A Board Member (except Officers) may proxy their vote to a Member of the Society of the same constituency;

*5.3.4 No member may hold more than two (2) votes at a meeting of the Board of Directors.  

*5.4.1 Every Board Member and his heirs, executors and administrators, and estate and effects, respectively shall be indemnified and saved harmless out of the funds of the Society, from and against:

**a. All costs, charges and expenses whatsoever that are sustained or incurred by the Board Member in or about any action, suit or proceeding that is brought, commenced and prosecuted against the Board Member for, or in any respect of, any act, deed, matter or thing whatsoever made, done or permitted by the Board Member, in or about the execution of the duties of the Board Member’s office; and

*5.5.1 In accord with the provisions of the Corporations Act of Ontario, every Board Member who is in any way directly or indirectly financially interested in a contract or proposed contract with the Society shall declare their interest at a meeting of the Board of Directors and shall not vote in respect to that contract.

*5.6.1 The Board of Directors shall hold a meeting at least once a month during the academic year.

*5.6.2 The President may call a meeting of Board of Directors, and shall call a meeting within one (1) week of receiving a written request to call such a meeting signed by one half of the Board.

*5.6.6 Unless its consideration is unanimously approved by the Board, no substantive motion shall be considered other than those on the agenda, or those to clarify motions on the agenda.

*5.7.1. Notice of meetings of the Board of Directors must be given electronically or in writing to every Member by the Vice-President Communications at least five (5) days before the time chosen for such a meeting.

*5.8.1 Minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors shall be kept in accordance with the Bylaws.

*5.8.2 Copies of all Board meeting minutes shall be circulated to all Board members with the agenda for the upcoming Board meeting, and presented at the meeting.

*5.9.1 Quorum of the Board of Directors shall be fifty per-cent (50%) voting members present.

*5.9.2 Proxy members shall not count towards quorum.

5.10.1 The Speaker shall ensure proper procedure during all meetings of the Board.

5.10.2 In the absence of the Speaker, the President shall act as Chair of the Board, except as determined by a majority vote of the Board.

5.10.6 The Speaker shall act as the Speaker for Council, where necessary.

5.11.1 The following shall be considered Standing Committees of the Board:

a. The Executive Committee;

== CHAPTER 6 – COUNCIL ==

6.0.1 The Council shall compose of the Officers, Project Directors, Class Representatives, Discipline Club Chairs and Ex-Officio Directors.

6.1.1 The Council shall meet twice each semester to discuss the following:

a. Progress reports of the Officers;

c. Discussion for Class Representatives on current issues and events.

6.2.1 There shall be a Joint Council Meeting after the election of the Officers and before the commencement of spring examinations, consisting of two (2) parts.

6.2.2 The Joint Council Meeting (First Part) shall include, in this order:

== CHAPTER 7 – EMPLOYEES ==

7.0.1 The Society shall employ an Office Manager and such other persons as the Board of Directors may approve.

7.1.1 There shall be an Office Manager who shall be responsible for:

a. Overseeing the administration of the Society’s Head Office;

== CHAPTER 8 – AMENDMENTS, BYLAWS AND POLICIES ==

8.0.1 There shall be three levels of documents specifying the organization of the Society;

a. Bylaw 1 (Constitution);

c. Policies.

8.1.1 Bylaw 1 shall specify the fundamental organization of the Society.

8.1.2 Bylaw 1 may only be amended by:

(General Meetings), Chapter 5 (Board of Directors), Chapter 6 (Councils), or Chapter 8 (Amendments, Bylaws and Policies) shall be effective only upon the approval thereof by the Governing Council.

8.2.1 Other Bylaws shall:

a. Provide additional order to the organization specified in Bylaw 1; and/or

b. A meeting of the Board of Directors.

8.3.1 Policies shall:

a. Describe details of the functioning of the Society; and