Constitution
Aims
1.1. The Society shall be called ‘Cambridge University Materials Society’ and will sit in the subgroup Academic Life
1.2. The aims of the Society shall be to:
Promote materials science within the university
Present students with future opportunities in the field of materials science
Build a materials science community where enthusiasts can connect with each other
Membership
2.1. The Society is open to all matriculated Students of the University of Cambridge
2.1.* The Society can contain non-matriculated members but must be primarily focused around University of Cambridge Students
2.2. Only those matriculated at the University of Cambridge may hold a position on the Society committee. Graduated or non University of Cambridge members may act in advisory or supporting roles but not officially listed committee positions
2.3. Each member of the Society shall pay a membership subscription according to whether they have subscribed for a Year or for a Life Membership. A Year Membership shall lapse on the first day of Full Term of the following academic year and the Life Membership will be defined literally as “valid for the lifespan of the holder”. The rates of subscription shall be fixed from time to time with the approval of the Senior Treasurer, and may be different for matriculated and non-matriculated members
2.4. If a year member wishes to upgrade to Life Membership, they may do so at the cost of the difference between the life and annual membership rates by exchanging their Year Membership for a Life Membership. This may be done while the Year Membership is valid; if the Year Membership has expired, a Life Membership will cost the usual amount
Committee
3.1. Only those matriculated at the University of Cambridge may hold a position on the Society committee. Graduated or non University of Cambridge members may act in advisory or supporting roles but not officially listed committee positions
3.2. All matriculated members of the Society shall be eligible to run for positions.
3.3. Voting will take place via the Cambridge SU website and will be a Secret Ballot, and where the votes obtained by one candidate exceed the votes obtained by any other candidate for that position, they shall be deemed elected to that position
3.4. A member of the committee may resign at any time during their term of office, through a letter to the President, Secretary or Chair. Cambridge SU must also be informed of changes to the committee to ensure record keeping is kept up to date
Committee responsibilities
4.1. Sponsorship/partnership agreements involving a Cambridge Students’ Union Society are at the discretion of the respective committee
4.2. The finances of the Society will be managed by the President and the Treasurer
4.3. No member of the committee of the Society shall receive remuneration from the group for personal financial gain
Events
5.1. The committee reserves the right to ask attendees to leave from any Society events
5.2. The Society will have the right to levy a charge on members and non-members for attendance of Society-organised events in order to subsidise and improve the quality of the event, provided that the rate charged is appropriate and that members will receive substantial discounts relative to the non-members’ rate
Meetings
6.1. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall take place at the discretion of the Society, at a time to be determined by the committee
6.2. The committee will provide all members with a written notice of the meeting date at least 7 (seven) working days in advance
6.3. Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM) may be called by a resolution passed by the majority of the committee, or on the receipt of a request from the membership which carries support from 10% of the membership
Registration with the Cambridge Students' Union
7.1. This Society is affiliated with the Cambridge Students’ Union through official channels
7.1.* This Society intends to affiliate with the Cambridge University Proctors’ and Marshal’s Office
7.2. Affiliated societies are afforded a range of support from Cambridge Students’ Union, the University of Cambridge Proctors’ and Marshal’s Office and the Societies Syndicate
7.3. As an affiliated Society, the members (individually and through their committee each year) will ensure they abide by the Cambridge Students’ Union regulations laid out in this constitution & Terms and Conditions, as well as the Cambridge Students’ Union By Laws, and the Cambridge University Code of Conduct
Dissolution of the Society
9.1. The Society may be dissolved through a vote at an AGM or EGM
9.2. Cambridge Students’ Union has the power to deregister a Society if it fails to elect a committee within the specified handover period
9.3. In the event of the dissolution or not re-registering within the handover period (July 1st-August 31st) Society monetary assets which are held by the Students’ Union will be held for a period of 3 years. If in those 3 years the Society is not reformed or an agreed successor has been chosen then the monetary assets will be redistributed into a Society grant fund for other SU registered societies to use
9.3.* Physical assets owned by the Society will be redistributed or donated by Cambridge Students’ Union due to lack of storage facilities for Society items. If the Society has alternate storage arrangements for equipment that can be held for the foreseeable future, the committee shall inform the Cambridge Student’s Union so they will be able to make students wishing to reform or become a successor to the Society aware of the assets. Physical assets will be redistributed or donated within 1 working week after the items come into possession of Cambridge Students’ Union