RULES OF
EC-Menz
Incorporated
THE
SOCIETY
1.0
Name
1.1
The name of the society is EC-Menz Incorporated ("the Society").
1.2
The Society is constituted by resolution dated 10th February
2008
2.0
Registered Office
2.1
The Registered Office of the Society is
3.0
Purposes of Society
3.1
(a) The purposes of the Society are to:
(i) To promote early childhood education as a great career for men
(ii) To network with other men involved in Early Childhood Education
(iii) To support men in the early childhood education sector and those in training
(iv) To promote the role of men as carers and educators of children
(v) To collect and promote research in relation to men in early childhood care and education.
(vi) To research and disseminate the benefits to children of having males as educators and care givers.
(vii) To advocate on behalf of men involved within the Early Childhood Sector within New Zealand/Aotearoa
(viii) To lobby for initiatives to increase numbers of men teaching in early childhood education
(ix) To provide guidance on the recruitment and retention of male teachers for the early childhood sector
(x) To develop and maintain international links with other agencies/organisations with similar goals
(b)
Do anything necessary or helpful to the
above purposes.
3.2
Pecuniary gain is not a purpose of the Society.
MANAGEMENT
OF THE SOCIETY
4.0
Managing Committee
4.1
The Society shall have a managing committee (“the Committee”),
comprising the
following persons:
(a)
The President ;
(b)
Vice - President
(c)
The Secretary;
(d)
The Treasurer; and
(e)
up to four Other Members
4.2
Only Members of the Society may be Committee Members.
4.3
There shall be a minimum of four Committee Members.
5.0
Appointment of Committee Members
5.1
At a Society Meeting, the Members may decide by majority vote:
(a)
How large the Committee will be;
(b)
Who shall have the title of President, Vice President , Secretary, and
Treasurer;
(c)
Whether any Committee Member may have more than one title;
(d)
How long each person will be a Committee Member (‘the Term’).
6.0
Cessation of Committee Membership
6.1
Persons cease to be Committee Members when:
(a)
They resign by giving written notice to the Committee.
(b)
They are removed by majority vote of the Society at a Society Meeting.
(c)
Their Term expires.
6.2
If a person ceases to be a Committee Member, that person must within
one month
give to the Committee all Society documents and property.
7.0
Nomination of Committee Members
7.1
Nominations for members of the Committee shall be called for at least
30 days before
a General Meeting. Each candidate shall be proposed and seconded in
writing by
Members and the completed nomination delivered to the Secretary.
Nominations
shall close at 5pm on the 14th day before the Annual General
Meeting. The Secretary shall post all nominations on the web site at least 10 days before the Annual General
Meeting. All retiring members of the Committee shall be eligible for
re-election.
7.2
If the position of any Committee Member becomes vacant between Society
Meetings, the Committee may appoint another Committee Member to fill
that
vacancy until the next Society Meeting.
7.3
If any Committee Member is absent from three consecutive meetings
without leave
of absence the President may declare that person’s position to be
vacant.
8.0
Role of the Committee
8.1
Subject to the rules of the Society (“The Rules”), the role of the
Committee is
to:
·
Administer,
manage, and control the Society;
·
Carry
out the purposes of the Society, and Use Money or
Other Assets to do that;
·
Manage
the Society’s bank accounts;
·
Ensure
that all Members follow the Rules;
·
Decide
how a person becomes a Member, and how a person stops
being a Member;
·
Decide
the times and dates for Meetings, and set the agenda
for Meetings;
·
Decide
the procedures for dealing with complaints;
·
Set
Membership fees, including subscriptions and levies;
·
Make
regulations.
8.2
The Committee has all of the powers of the Society, unless the
Committee’s
power is limited by these Rules, or by a majority decision of the
Society.
8.3
Decisions of the Committee bind the Society, unless the Committee’s
power is
limited by these Rules or by a majority decision of the Society.
9.0
Roles of Committee Members
9.1
The President’s role is to:
(a)
Ensure that the Rules are followed;
(b)
Convene Meetings;
(c)
Chair Meetings, deciding who may speak and when;
(d)
Oversee the operation of the Society;
(e)
Give a report on the operation of the Society at each Annual General
Meeting;
(f)
Advise the Registrar of Incorporated Societies of any rule changes;
(g)
Advise the Registrar of Incorporated Societies of any alteration to the
Rules.
9.2
The Secretary’s role is to:
(a)
Record the minutes of Meetings;
(b)
Keep the Register of Members;
(c)
Hold the Society's records, documents, and books;
(d)
Receive and reply to correspondence as required by the Committee;
(e)
Retain the common seal of the Society, if the Society has a common
seal.
9.3
The Treasurer’s role is to:
(a)
Collect and receive all payments made to the Society. These payments
must be
banked within seven days after the Treasurer receives them;
(b)
Keep a true and accurate record in the Society’s account book, so that
the
Society’s financial situation can be clearly understood at any point in
time;
(c)
Give a financial report and statement of accounts (including an Income
and
Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet) at each Annual General Meeting,
and more
often if either the Committee or a majority of the Society decides this
in a
Meeting.
(d)
Forward the annual financial statements for the Society to the
Registrar of
Incorporated Societies upon approval by the Members at an Annual
General
Meeting.
SOCIETY
MEMBERSHIP
10.0
Types of Members
10.1
A Member is either an Ordinary Member or a Life Member, but not an
Honorary
Member.
10.2
An Ordinary Member has the rights and responsibilities set out in these
Rules.
10.3
A Life Member is a person who is acknowledged as a longstanding Member
of the
Society. A Life Member has all the rights and responsibilities of an
Ordinary
Member (including the right to vote), but does not have to pay fees,
subscriptions, or levies.
10.4
An Honorary Member is a person who is acknowledged as providing or
having
provided important services to the Society. An Honorary Member has none
of the
rights or privileges of a Member.
11.0
Admission of Members
11.1
To become an Ordinary Member, a person (“the Applicant”) must:
(a)
Complete an application form, and
(b)
Supply any other information the Committee requires.
11.2
The Committee may interview the Applicant when it considers Membership
applications.
11.3
The Committee shall have complete discretion when it decides whether or
not to
let the Applicant become an Ordinary Member. The Committee shall advise
the
Applicant of its decision, and that decision shall be final.
11.4
An Ordinary Member may become a Life Member only if:
(a)
The Committee recommends that the Society should appoint the Ordinary
Member as
a Life Member; and
(b)
The Society passes a resolution appointing the Ordinary Member as a
Life Member
by a two-thirds majority of those Members present and voting.
12.0
The Register of Members
12.1
The Secretary shall keep a register of Members (“the Register”), which
shall
contain the names, the addresses and telephone numbers of all Members,
and the
dates at which they became Members.
12.2
If a Member’s address or telephone number changes, that Member shall
give the
new address or telephone number to the Secretary.
12.3
Each Member shall provide such other details as the Committee requires.
13.0
Cessation of Membership
13.1
Any Member may resign by giving written notice to the Secretary.
13.2
A Member may have his or her Membership terminated in the following
way:
(a)
If, for any reason whatsoever, the Committee is of the view that a
Member is
breaching the Rules or acting in a manner inconsistent with the
purposes of the
Society, the Committee may give written notice of this to the Member
(“the
Committee’s Notice”). The Committee’s Notice must:
(i)
Explain how the Member is breaching the Rules or acting in a manner
inconsistent with the purposes of the Society;
(ii)
State what the Member must do in order to remedy the situation; or
state that
the Member must write to the Committee giving reasons why the Committee
should
not terminate the Member’s Membership.
(iii)
State that if, within 14 days of the Member receiving the Committee’s
Notice,
the Committee is not satisfied, the Committee may in its absolute
discretion
immediately terminate the Member’s Membership.
(iv)
State that if the Committee terminates the Member’s Membership, the
Member may
appeal to the Society.
(b)
14 days after the Member received the Committee’s Notice, the Committee
may in
its absolute discretion by majority vote terminate the Member’s
Membership by
giving the Member written notice (“Termination Notice”), which takes
immediate
effect. The Termination Notice must state that the Member may appeal to
the
Society at the next Meeting by giving written notice to the Secretary
(“Member’s Notice”) within 14 days of the Member’s receipt of the
Termination
Notice.
(c)
If the Member gives the Member’s Notice to the Secretary, the Member
will have
the right to be fairly heard at the next Society Meeting. If the Member
chooses, the Member may provide the Secretary with a written
explanation of the
events as the Member sees them (“the Member’s Explanation”), and the
Member may
require the Secretary to give the Member’s Explanation to every other
Member
within 7 days of the Secretary receiving the Member’s Explanation. If
the
Member is not satisfied that the other Society Members have had
sufficient time
to consider the Member’s Explanation, the Member may defer his or her
right to
be heard until the following Society Meeting.
(d)
When the Member is heard at a Society Meeting, the Society may question
the
Member and the Committee Members.
(e)
The Society shall then by majority vote decide whether to let the
termination
stand, or whether to reinstate the Member. The Society’s decision will
be
final.
14.0
Re-admission of former Members
14.1
Any former Member who has resigned may apply for re-admission in the
same way
as a new applicant, but if the former Member's membership was
terminated by the
Committee or the Society, the Applicant shall not be readmitted without
the
approval of the Committee by majority vote.
15.0
Obligations of Members:
15.1
All Members (and Committee Members) shall promote the purposes of the
Society
and shall do nothing to bring the Society into disrepute.
MONEY
AND OTHER ASSETS OF THE SOCIETY
16.0
Use of Money and Other Assets
16.1
The Society may only Use Money and Other Assets if:
(a)
It is for a purpose of the Society;
(b)
It is not for the sole personal or individual benefit of any Member;
and
(c)
That Use has been approved by either the Committee or by majority vote
of the
Society.
17.0
Joining Fees, Subscriptions and Levies
17.1
The Society shall decide by majority vote at a Society Meeting:
(a)
What a Member must pay to join the Society (“Joining Fee”); and
(b)
What a Member must pay in order to stay a Member (“Subscription”) and
how often
this must be paid.
17.2
The Committee may by majority vote impose a levy or levies on Members
up to a
maximum total of $20.00 in any one financial year.
17.3
If any Member does not pay a Subscription or levy by the date set by
the
Committee or the Society, that Member shall have a further period of
seven days
to pay the Subscription or levy. After the seven day period, the Member
shall
(without being released from the obligation of payment) have no
Membership
rights and shall not be entitled to participate in any Society activity
until
all the arrears are paid, and the Member’s Membership shall be
suspended until
all arrears are paid in full.
18.0
Additional Powers
18.1
The Society may:
(a)
Employ people for the purposes of the Society;
(b)
Exercise any power a trustee might exercise;
(c)
Invest in any investment that a trustee might invest in;
(d)
Borrow money and provide security for that if authorised by Majority
vote at
any Society Meeting.
19.0
Financial Year
19.1
The financial year of the Society begins on [1 January of every year
and ends
on 31 December] of the same year.
20.0
Cheques
20.1
Any Payment made by the Society above a value of twenty dollars must be
by
Cheque or electronic deposit.
20.2
All Cheques must be signed by the President, and countersigned by one
other
Committee Member.
21.0
Appointing an Auditor
21.1
At an Annual General Meeting, the Society may by majority vote appoint
someone
to audit the Society (“the Auditor”). The Auditor shall audit the
Society’s
accounts, and shall certify that they are correct. The Auditor must be
a member
of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, and must not be a Member of
the
Society. If the Society appoints an Auditor who is unable to act for
some
reason, the Committee shall appoint another Auditor as a replacement.
CONDUCT
OF MEETINGS
22.0
Society Meetings
22.1
A Society Meeting is either an Annual General Meeting or a Special
General
Meeting.
22.2
The Annual General Meeting shall be held once every year between 1
January and
30 June. The Committee shall determine when and where the Society shall
meet
within those dates.
22.3
Special General Meetings may be called by the Committee. The Committee
must
call a Special General Meeting if the Secretary receives a written
request
signed by at least a quarter of the Members.
22.4
The Secretary shall give all Members at least 14 days written notice
of:
(a)
The business to be conducted at any Society Meeting;
(b)
A copy of the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts, if the Society
Meeting
is an Annual General Meeting;
(c)
A list of Nominees for the Committee, and information about those
Nominees if
it has been provided. (The Secretary must not provide Members with
information
exceeding one side of an A4 sheet of paper per Nominee).
(d)
Notice of any motions and the Committee’s recommendations about those
motions.
If the Secretary has sent notice to all Members in good faith, the
Meeting and
its business will not be invalidated simply because one or more Members
do not
receive the notice.
22.5
All Members may attend and vote at Society Meetings.
a)
If a member is unable to attend they may register a proxy vote with the
president.
22.6
No Society Meeting may be held unless at least 30 Members attend.
22.7
All Society Meetings shall be chaired by the President. If the
President is
absent, the Secretary shall chair the Society Meeting. If the Secretary
is also
absent, the Society shall elect another Committee Member to chair that
meeting.
Any person chairing a Society Meeting has a casting vote.
22.8
On any given motion at a Society Meeting, the President shall in good
faith
determine whether to vote by:
(a)
Voices;
(b)
Show of hands; or
(c)
Secret ballot.
However,
if any Member demands a secret ballot before a vote by voices or show
of hands
has begun, voting must be by secret ballot. If a secret ballot is held,
the
President will have a casting vote.
22.9
The business of an Annual General Meeting shall be:
(a)
Any minutes of the previous Meeting(s);
(b)
The President’s report on the business of the Society;
(c)
The Treasurer’s report on the finances of the Society, and the
Statement of
Accounts;
(d)
Election of Committee Members;
(e)
Motions to be considered;
(f)
General business; and
(g)
Approval of plans for the balance of the current and next calendar
years.
23.0
Motions at Society Meetings
23.1
Any Member may request that a motion be voted on (“Member’s Motion”) at
a
particular Society Meeting, by giving written notice to the Secretary
at least
28 days before that meeting. The Member may also provide information in
support
of the motion (“Member’s Information”). The Committee may in its
absolute
discretion decide whether or not the Society will vote on the motion.
However,
if the Member’s Motion is signed by at least a quarter of all Members:
(a)
It must be voted on at the Society Meeting chosen by the Member; and
(b)
The Secretary must give the Member’s Information to all Members at
least 14
days before the Society Meeting chosen by the Member; or
If
the Secretary fails to do this, the Member has the right to raise the
motion at
the following Society Meeting.
23.2
The Committee may also decide to put forward motions for the Society to
vote on
(“Committee Motions”).
24.0
Committee Meetings
24.1
No Committee Meeting may be held unless more than half of the Committee
Members
participate.
24.2
The President shall chair Committee Meetings, or if the President is
unable to
participate , the vice chair shall chair the Committee Meeting. If the
vice
chair is also unable to participate, the Committee shall elect a
Committee
Member to chair that meeting.
24.3
Decisions of the Committee shall be by majority vote.
24.4
The President or person acting as
President has a casting vote.
24.5
Only Committee Members who participate in Committee Meeting may vote at
that
Committee Meeting.
24.6
Subject to these Rules, the Committee may regulate its own practices.
SIGNING
OF DOCUMENTS
25.0
Signing of Documents
25.1
The Society shall have a common seal. A document shall be executed on
behalf of
the Society if:
(a)
The common seal is attached to the document; and
(b)
The document is witnessed by any one of the President, Vice president,
Secretary, or Treasurer, and countersigned by one other member of the
Committee.
ALTERING
THE RULES
26.0
Altering the Rules
26.1
The Society may alter or replace these Rules at a Society Meeting by a
resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those Members present and
voting.
26.2
Any proposed motion to amend or replace these Rules shall be signed by
at least
15 Members and given in writing to the Secretary at least 28 days
before the
Society Meeting at which the motion is to be considered, and
accompanied by a
written explanation of the reasons for the proposal.
26.3
At least 14 days before the General Meeting at which any Rule change is
to be
considered the Secretary shall give to all Members written notice of
the
proposed motion, the reasons for the proposal, and any recommendations
the
Committee has.
26.4
When a Rule change is approved by a General Meeting the Managing
Committee
shall cause to be filed with the Registrar of Incorporated Societies
advice of
the Rule changes in the required form. No Rule change shall take effect
until
this is done.
WINDING
UP
27.0
Winding up
27.1
If the Society is wound up:
·
The
Society’s debts, costs and liabilities shall be paid;
·
Surplus
Money and Other Assets of the Society may be
disposed of:
(i)
By resolution; or
(ii)
According to the provisions in the Incorporated Societies Act 1908; but
·
No
distribution may be made to any Member;
·
The
surplus Money and Other Assets shall be distributed to:
(i)
A charitable organisation that has related goals.
28.0
Definitions
28.1
In these Rules:
(a)
“Cheque” means a personal cheque or a bank cheque.
(b)
“Committee” means the Committee of the Society.
(c)
“Committee Meeting” means a meeting of the Committee.
(d)
“Committee Member” means any Member who is on the Committee.
(e)
“Majority vote” means a vote made by more than half of the Members who
are
represented at a Meeting and who are entitled to vote and voting at
that
Meeting upon a resolution put to that Meeting.
(f)
“Meeting” means any Annual General Meeting, any Special General
Meeting, and
any Committee Meeting.
(g)
“Money or Other Assets” means any real or personal property or any
interest
therein, owned or controlled to any extent by the Society.
(h)
“Payment” means any transfer of legal tender by cash, electronic
transfer, bank
cheque, or any other means of paying legal tender, and includes payment
by
personal cheque.
(i)
“Rules” means these rules, being the rules of the Society.
(j)
“Society Meeting” means any Annual General Meeting, or any Special
General
Meeting, but not a Committee Meeting.
(k)
“Use Money or Other Assets” means to use, handle, invest, transfer,
give,
apply, expend, dispose of, or in any other way deal with, Money or
Other
Assets.
(l)
“Written Notice” means hand-written, printed or electronic
communication of words
or a combination of these methods.