Constitution
Last updated: 3 May 2025
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 members of the University of Cambridge.
2.1.* The Society can contain non-members but must be primarily focused around University of Cambridge Students.
2.2. Only the members of the Society 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. The membership status of the Society is obtained upon subscribing to the Society mailing list, which is done by submitting the membership form on the Society website. The membership status of an individual is lost when the individual unsubscribes from the Society mailing list.
2.4 The Society membership shall be free of charge.
Executive committee
3.1. The management of the Society's affairs is the responsibility of the Executive Committee, which shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). An exception is the initial Executive committee, which is self-appointed.
3.2. The Executive Committee shall consist of a President, Vice-President, and Junior Treasurer.
3.3. In addition, there shall be a Senior Treasurer, who must be a member of the Regent House or a person approved by the Junior Proctor. The Senior Treasurer shall be appointed by the Executive Committee, and shall be ex officio a member of the Executive Committee.
3.4. A majority of elected members of the Executive Committee shall be full-time undergraduate or postgraduate students at the University of Cambridge.
3.5. Graduated or non University of Cambridge members may act in advisory or supporting roles but not officially listed committee positions.
3.6. All matriculated members of the Society shall be eligible to run for positions.
3.7. Voting will take place via 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.
3.8. A member of the committee may resign at any time during their term of office, through
a letter to the President. 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 Treasurers
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.
Meetings
6.1. 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 seven 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.
6.4. Candidates for election to office shall be proposed and seconded by two other members. Every motion at a General Meeting shall be proposed and seconded by two members. Voting shall be by secret ballot and if there are more than two candidates for a post or more than two options on a motion, voting shall be by Single Transferable Vote.
Financial matters
7.1. The Society shall maintain a banking account with a suitable Bank or Building Society to hold the Society’s funds.
7.2. It shall be the responsibility of the Junior Treasurer to ensure that monies received are properly accounted for, and that the Society’s financial records are kept in good order. In particular, the Junior Treasurer shall ensure continuity of Cambridge resident signatories for any bank accounts held by the Society.
7.3. The Senior Treasurer shall not be liable for any financial debt or other obligation of the Society unless personally authorised such a debt in writing.
7.4. For so long as the Society shall be Registered with the Junior Proctor, it shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to ensure that the Society complies with the requirements for Registration as a University Society.
Registration with the Cambridge Students' Union
8.1. This Society is affiliated with the Cambridge Students’ Union through official channels.
8.1* This Society intends to affiliate with the Cambridge University Proctors’ and Marshal’s Office.
8.2. 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.
8.3. 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.
Amendments to the constitution
9.1. Amendments to this constitution can be made at an AGM or EGM of the Society, with subject to majority vote of the attending Society members.
9.2. Amendments will be subject to ratification through the relevant Cambridge Students’ Union channels.
9.3. No amendment to this Constitution intended to remove the position of Senior Treasurer, to alter its prerogatives and duties, or to change the criteria and procedure for the appointment of a Senior Treasurer can be put to a vote without the prior written agreement of the Junior Proctor of the University of Cambridge.
Disciplinary processes
10.1. The Society’s only disciplinary sanctions are to expel or to suspend a member whose actions are felt to be such as to bring the Society into disrepute, or to adversely affect the smooth running of the Society in a major way. Such expulsion or suspension can only be effected by a majority vote of all Executive Committee members, excluding the Senior Treasurer. In the event of an expulsion, the excluded member is required to return all equipment, documents and finances belonging to the Society within 7 days.
10.2. If the excluded or suspended member wishes to appeal the decision, that appeal should be made to the Senior Treasurer, who will consider all the facts, and whose decision will be final. An appeal as to the process of exclusion, but not a further investigation into the facts, may be lodged with the Junior Proctor.
Dissolution of the Society
11.1. The Society may be dissolved at a General Meeting provided that at least twenty-one days written notice of the intention to dissolve the Society has been given to the members. At least two thirds of those present and voting at the General Meeting must vote in favour of the motion for dissolution for it to be effective.
11.2. Cambridge Students’ Union has the power to deregister a Society if it fails to elect a committee within the specified handover period.
11.3. Any motion for Dissolution of the Society shall provide that assets remaining after all liabilities have been met shall be transferred either to another Registered University Society, or to the Societies’ Syndicate.
11.3* 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.