The University of Leeds Ladies' Club

Constitution

THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS LADIES’ CLUB

(founded in October 1924 as the University of Leeds Ladies’ Tea Club)

CONSTITUTION

[as amended at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on 11 October 2022]

Unless otherwise specified the term ‘members’ relates to all members 

1.  (a) The Club shall be called “The University of Leeds Ladies’ Club”, as permitted by the University.

(b) The Club may have a Patron and one or two Vice-Patrons, if members so wish. When a vacancy occurs Club members may nominate a suitable candidate for consideration by the Committee, any subsequent appointment to be ratified at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM). 

2. Membership 

2.1 Club Membership is open to those women who have an affiliation with the University of Leeds, such membership to be at the discretion of the Committee (whose decision will be final) including  

(a) all women members of and wives/partners/widows of members of Court/Council; the academic, administrative, library, research and analogous, technical and clerical staff;   

(b) retired women members of staff and wives/partners/widows of retired staff; 

(c) women visiting staff and wives/partners of visiting staff;

(d) women postgraduate students and wives/partners of postgraduate students;

(e) women graduates and wives/partners/widows of graduates;   

(f) women who have been members - or have been eligible to become members - of the Ladies’ Clubs of other universities.

(g) women undergraduate mature students

2.2 Associate Membership is open to women who are invited to join by Club members with the approval of the Committee and limited in number to 10% of the total membership. Associate members are eligible to vote and can stand for election to the Committee, to a maximum of 25% of total Committee members, and as Secretary or Treasurer but cannot stand for the office of President or Vice-President. 

3. (a) The purpose of the Club is to encourage mutually supportive and acceptable social interaction amongst members, to offer a welcome to newcomers to the University and to maintain contact with the University. Club and Associate members must be seen to uphold the ethos of the Club. 

(b) Club members may arrange small groups of special interest: two Book Groups and the Garden Group exist at present. Club members may also arrange social occasions locally. The Convenors of these groups must be Club members.

4. Members may bring guests to meetings of the Club where so indicated on the programme. 

5. (a) The arrangements for each year’s meetings shall be in the hands of a Committee normally comprising four officers and eight members.

(b) The officers shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Treasurer.

6. (a) The President shall hold office for one year and shall be immediately eligible for re- election as President for a further year. 

(b) The President and Vice-President shall be nominated by the Committee from those Club members who have completed a term of service on the Committee. The nomination shall be confirmed at the AGM. 

(c) The Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected annually by members by nomination, and ballot if necessary, at the AGM. They shall hold office for one year and shall be immediately eligible for re-election for an additional year.

(d) The Committee members shall be elected annually by members by nomination, and ballot if necessary, at the AGM. Each shall serve for up to three years, four retiring annually. 

(e) The Committee shall be empowered to fill by co-option any vacancy among the officers and members which might exist at the beginning of or occur during the session.

7. (a) An annual subscription, payable by Club and Associate members, shall be determined at the AGM and shall be due during the first term of the Academic session and by 31 January at the latest. 

(b) Members whose subscriptions are outstanding after 31 January in any session shall be deemed to have ceased to be members. They may rejoin at any time at the discretion of the Committee and on payment of the annual subscription.    

(c) New members joining after 1 April and paying the full subscription will not be required to pay again in the following Academic session.  

(d) An additional charge may be made for individual meetings, payable by members and their guests. 

8. (a) An AGM shall be held at the end of each Academic session. Where circumstances do not permit the holding of a meeting in person the Committee may make arrangements for the meeting to be held by suitable electronic means.

(b) The quorum for the AGM shall be ten members of the Club or one tenth of the membership, whichever is the greater.  

(c) The Committee shall be empowered to appoint an Independent Examiner of the  accounts and to approve their remuneration.

(d) The independently examined accounts shall be presented at the AGM.

9. In the event of the Club, for whatever reason, being unable to continue, it shall be wound up by majority vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), of which the membership shall have at least 14 days’ notice. Any funds remaining in the Club’s bank accounts and any assets shall be allocated to a purpose or purposes nominated by the Committee and agreed at the EGM. 

10. Any alteration to the Constitution must be approved by a majority of those present at an AGM or at an exceptionally convened EGM. Members must normally be notified of any proposed changes at least 14 days before the AGM/EGM. 

September 2022