Constitution of Our Society

Constitution of the Oxford & Cambridge Society of Hong Kong

1. Name and Registered Address

The name of the Society shall be “The Oxford and Cambridge Society of Hong Kong” or in Chinese “香港牛津劍橋校友會” hereinafter referred to as “the Society”. Unless and otherwise decided by the Committee, the address of the Society shall be “P. O. Box 2397, General Post Office, Hong Kong”.

2. Aims & Objectives

The aims and objectives of the Society shall be to promote and advance the welfare and the fellowship of former and present students and staff members of Oxford University and Cambridge University (hereinafter referred to as “the Universities”).

3. Membership

Persons eligible for membership of the Society shall be those who have matriculated at either of the Universities or who are members of either of the Universities or who have been appointed to an office or post at either of the Universities or who have followed a recognised course of study in either of the Universities and who are willing to pay the prescribed annual membership fee.

4. Patron of the Society

Members may decide by any vote taken during the Annual General Meeting or any Extraordinary General Meeting to invite a specified person deserving of their invitation to hold the titular position of Patron of the Society. The name of such potential Patron may be put forward by the Committee or by any Member.

5. Honorary Members

Benefactors of the Society and members who have contributed outstanding services to the Society or who by their demeanour and contribution have and will assist in promoting the interests of the Society or are deserving in the Committee’s opinion of such a recommendation may be elected Honorary Members at the Annual General Meeting or at any Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society. Once elected they shall remain Honorary Members for life, unless otherwise resolved unanimously by the Committee.

6. The Annual General Meetings

(a) An Annual General Meeting shall be held once at least in every calendar year and not more than fifteen months after the holding of the last preceding Annual General Meeting for the purpose of receiving and considering and if thought fit approving the reports and accounts for the past year; reviewing, and if thought fit, revising the policy of the Society, the Rules and the Constitution; electing the President and members of the Committee and deciding any question of general policy or administration.

(b) All decisions of the Annual General Meeting shall be arrived at solely by a majority of the Members present and voting at the meeting.

(c) For the convening of the Annual General Meeting, written notice of fourteen days shall be given by the honorary Secretary to Members.

7. Convening of Extraordinary General Meetings

(a) An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society shall be convened by the Honorary Secretary at the request of the Committee or on the written request of not fewer than ten members of the Society and shall have all the powers of an Annual General Meeting of the Society.

(b) For the convening of any Extraordinary General Meeting, written notice of twenty-one days shall be given by the Honorary Secretary to Members.

8. Quorum at Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings

Twelve members of the Society shall constitute a quorum for an Annual General Meeting and an Extraordinary General Meeting.

9. The Committee

(a) There shall be a Committee for administering and managing the affairs of the Society which shall consist of the following:

President
Vice-President
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Treasurer
No less than two Committee Members
The immediate Past President

(b) The Members of the Committee (save for the immediate Past President who shall be an ex-officio Committee Member) shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Society when they shall come into office immediately at the close of the meeting and shall retire at the following Annual General meeting. Any Committee shall be eligible for re-election.

(c) In case of any vacancy occurring in the Committee such vacancy shall be filled up by such member of the Society as the Committee shall appoint. A Member so appointed shall be subject to retirement at the same time as all other members of the Committee.

(d) Three Members of the Committee shall form a quorum.

(e) The Committee shall have power to carry out the objects of the Society in whatever form it may think expedient, to frame and or to amend the rules as to the management and administration of the affairs of the Society, and to regulate finances and submit a statement of the same to members at the Annual General Meeting.

10. Funds

(a) All funds received by or for the Society from any source shall be paid to the Bank Account of the Society. The withdrawal of funds shall be made by an instrument requesting the said withdrawal which shall require the signatures of the Honorary Treasurer and one other Member of the Committee.

(b) The funds of the Society shall be applied to further the aims and the objects of the Society and to meet the Society’s recurrent expenditure and shall not be used for any other purpose unless approved by a three-quarter majority of Members present and voting thereon.

(c) No expenditure shall be undertaken by or on behalf of the Society without the consent of the Committee who may confirm or ratify any expenditure.

(d) The Committee shall cause to be prepared annually a General Account of the receipts and expenditures of the Society.

11. Dissolution

(a) The Society shall be dissolved and wound up if a resolution to that effect is passed by three-quarters of the Members for the time being of the Society present and voting at the Extraordinary General Meeting at which such resolution is proposed.

(b) On dissolution of the Society whether it be voluntary or under the provisions of the Societies Ordinance or otherwise any surplus balance of funds shall be paid to such registered charity or charities in Hong Kong or in the United Kingdom as the Committee shall in its discretion decide.

12. The Constitution

No alternation, repeal, or amendment shall be made to the Constitution of the Society unless the same shall have been carried by a two-thirds majority of Members present at the Extraordinary General Meeting and voting thereon. And any alteration, repeal or amendment so made shall be subject to the approval of the Registrar of Societies.

The Oxford and Cambridge Society of Hong Kong
Last Updated by Jenny Jardine
25 May 2001

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