Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students’ Union) Rules

Ngee Ann Polytechnic Act

(Chapter 207, Section 24)

R 1

REVISED EDITION 1990

(25th March 1992)

[7th November 1980]

Citation

1. These Rules may be cited as the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students’ Union) Rules.

Definitions

2. In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires —

“Bursar” means the Bursar of the Polytechnic;

“constituent body” means a constituent body of the Union;

“council” means the council of the Union constituted under rule 6;

“executive committee” means the executive committee of the Union;

“management committee” means the management committee of the constituent body;

“student” means a student of the Polytechnic, but does not include a member of the staff who is pursuing a course of study at the Polytechnic;

“Union” means the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Students’ Union.

Crest and place of business

3.—(1) The crest of the Union shall be that of the Polytechnic.

(2) The place of business of the Union shall be the Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Clementi Road, Singapore.

Aims

4.—(1) The Union shall —

(a)	promote and safeguard the interests of the Polytechnic and the Union; and
(b)	uphold and respect the dignity and equality of each member of the Union without regard to religion, race or politics.

(2) The Union shall not engage in such activity as the Council of the Polytechnic may determine to be of a political nature.

(3) The Council of the Polytechnic may let any building or room at the Polytechnic to the Union upon such terms and conditions as the Council thinks fit.

Members

5.—(1) Every full-time student shall be a member of the Union.

(2) A person shall not be a member of the Union unless he is a full-time student.

(3) A member may speak and vote at a general meeting of the Union and may participate in the Union’s activities and shall abide by the provisions of these Rules.

(4) No person other than a member of the Union shall participate in any activity thereof without the prior approval of the Council of the Polytechnic.

Council

6.—(1) The Union shall have a council to manage its affairs.

(2) The council shall consist of —

(a)	Union representatives elected by the members of all the management committees; and
(b)	members of an executive committee (who shall not concurrently be members of any management committee) elected by the members of all the constituent bodies.

(3) The council shall have a chairman elected in accordance with rule 19.

(4) A Union representative shall be elected from a management committee by the members thereof.

(5) Where there is a vacancy in the executive committee, the executive committee may appoint a member to fill the vacancy.

(6) The executive committee shall not appoint any person to be a member of the committee under paragraph (5) without the approval of the Principal.

(7) Where the executive committee fails to fill a vacancy in the committee, the Principal may appoint a person to fill the vacancy.

Vacation of and removal from office

7.—(1) A Union representative shall cease to be a member of the council if, before the expiry of his term of office, he ceases to be a member of the management committee of the constituent body which he represents and, if he is chairman of the council, he shall forthwith cease to be the chairman.

(2) A member of the executive committee shall vacate his office if he resigns from the council.

(3) A motion of censure or of no confidence passed against the council shall not take effect unless it obtains the endorsement of two-thirds of the management committees of all the constituent bodies.

(4) A Union representative shall not be removed from his office except by a majority of members of the management committee which voted him in.

(5) A member of the executive committee shall not be removed from his office except by a majority of the members of the constituent body which voted him in and the endorsement of two-thirds of the members of the council present at a meeting.

(6) A person who is co-opted into the council under rule 6(5) or (7) shall not be removed from office except with the approval of the Principal.

(7) A member of the council who represents two or more management committees shall have only one vote.

(8) A member of the executive committee who represents two or more constituent bodies shall have only one vote.

(9) The ratio of Union representatives to the members of a management committee shall be 1:5.

(10) A person who is appointed to be a member of a management committee by the committee itself under the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Clubs) Rules (R 2) shall not be a Union representative.

(11) A member of the executive committee shall not concurrently be a member of a management committee.

(12) A member of the executive committee shall be elected from a constituent body by the members thereof.

(13) There shall be one executive committee member for a constituent body with up to 500 members and two executive committee members for a constituent body with more than 500 members.

(14) Membership of the executive committee shall be confined to members of the Union who are Singapore citizens.

Disqualification from office

8. A member of the Union who has been found guilty of a disciplinary offence under the disciplinary rules of the Polytechnic or who is repeating a course of study shall not be eligible to stand for election to the council.

Functions of council

9. The council shall -

(a)	determine the policies of the Union in accordance with its aims as specified in these Rules;
(b)	organise such functions as are cocsistent with the aims of the Union;
(c)	provide such facilities for the welfare of the members of the Union as it thinks fit;
(d)	maintain such premises as may be let to it by the Council of the Polytechnic in accordance with such conditions as the Council may impose;
(e)	publish the Union’s activities in an annual report which shall also include the Union’s annual accounts; and
(f)	publish such books, papers or articles as it thinks fit in accordance with the aims of the Union.

Powers of council

10.—(1) The council may —

(a)	exercise control of the executive committee and any other committee of the Union;
(b)	accept the resignation of any member of the council or executive committee or any other committee of the Union and cause the vacancy to be filled in accordance with these Rules;
(c)	allow any member of the Union to attend any of its meetings, and the member may take part in the discussions, but may not vote;
(d)	initiate disciplinary action against any member of the Union who has contravened or failed to comply with any provision of these Rules; and
(e)	employ, control and dismiss employees of the Union.

(2) The council shall ensure that the activities of the executive committee and all other committees of the Union are not prejudicial to the public interest and that rules 40(2) and 41 are strictly complied with in respect of all publications of the Union.

Terms of office of member of council

11.—(1) The election of every member of the council by the management committee of a constituent body shall be completed by the sixth week of the first semester of an academic year.

(2) A member of the council shall hold office from the date of his election until the date of the election of the next council in the following academic year.

Meeting of council

12. A meeting of the council shall be either an ordinary or an extraordinary meeting.

Ordinary meeting of council

13.—(1) The council shall hold at least one ordinary meeting every two months.

(2) The honorary general secretary of the council shall give 7 days’ notice of the meeting.

(3) A member of the council shall give at least 3 days’ notice to the honorary general secretary of any proposed amendment to the agenda.

Extraordinary meeting of council

14.—(1) An extraordinary meeting shall be held when a matter requiring urgent attention arises or when a written request for such meeting signed by at least 5 members of the council is received by the honorary general secretary.

(2) The meeting shall be held within 5 days’ of the receipt of any request.

(3) Only those matters for which the meeting is convened shall be discussed at the meeting.

(4) The honorary general secretary shall give at least 3 days’ notice of the meeting unless he decides that the urgency of the agenda requires a shorter notice, the decision being subject to a ratification by the council when it meets.

Quorum

15. At least half of the members of the council shall constitute a quorum at a meeting.

Minutes of meeting

16.—(1) The minutes of a meeting of the council shall be submitted for adoption at the following meeting.

(2) A general report of every meeting shall be put on all the Union’s notice boards within 10 days of the meeting.

Absence from meeting

17.—(1) A member of the council who absents himself from more than two-thirds of the total time of 3 successive meetings of the council without submitting a written explanation to the honorary general secretary shall cease to be a member of the council.

(2) If, at the third meeting, a written explanation for his absence is submitted, the council shall consider the explanation and decide by a simple majority whether or not the absent member shall remain in the council.

(3) A member of the council may absent himself for more than 15 minutes from any meeting of the council with the permission of the chairman to whom he shall also submit a written explanation.

(4) The honorary general secretary shall produce such explanation if called upon to do so by the council.

Chairman of meeting of council

18. The chairman of the council shall preside at every meeting and, in his absence, one of the members present, other than a member of the executive committee, shall be elected to preside at the meeting.

First meeting of council

19.—(1) The first ordinary meeting of the council shall be convened by the honorary general secretary of the previous council not later than the eighth week of the first semester of the academic year and at least 4 weeks before the annual general meeting of the Union.

(2) The minutes of the first meeting shall be recorded by the honorary general secretary of the previous council.

(3) The first item on the agenda of the first meeting shall be the election of the chairman of the new council.

(4) The election shall be presided over by the chairman of the previous council who shall have no vote unless he is also a member of the new council.

(5) The council, presided by the newly elected chairman, shall then elect the office-bearers of the executive committee from among the members of that committee.

(6) At the first meeting the provisional budget for the ensuing year as proposed by the financial committee of the previous council shall be considered and recommendations shall be submitted to the Principal for the approval of the Council of the Polytechnic.

Second meeting

20.—(1) The second ordinary meeting of the council shall be held not later than two weeks after the annual general meeting.

(2) The standing committees of the Union may be appointed at that second meeting.

Executive committee

21.—(1) The executive committee shall consist of —

(a)	a president who shall be the chairman of the committee and the president of the Union;
(b)	a vice-president;
(c)	an honorary general secretary;
(d)	an honorary assistant general secretary;
(e)	a financial secretary;
(f)	a publications secretary;
(g)	a students’ welfare secretary;
(h)	a social secretary; and
(i)	other members of the committee elected or appointed under these Rules.

(2) All the members of the executive committee, except the honorary financial secretary, shall be eligible for reappointment.

Functions of executive committee

22.—(1) The executive committee shall carry out the policies of the council.

(2) All communications between the Union and the Polytechnic or any other person shall be carried out through the executive committee.

Powers of executive committee

23.—(1) The executive committee may —

(a)	appoint such members of the Union to be present at its meetings and to participate in its deliberations as it thinks fit, but those members shall not vote;
(b)	accept the resignation of any member of a standing committee of the Union and fill the vacancy thus arising;
(c)	make rules regulating the proper management and approve applications for the use of such premises as may be let to the Union by the Council of the Polytechnic;
(d)	ensure that any such use of the premises is in accordance with the objects of the Union; and
(e)	convene all meetings of the council or of the Union.

(2) Subject to the approval of the Council of the Polytechnic, the executive committee may make standing orders to regulate the procedure for all meetings of the Union, the council, the executive committee and all standing committees of the Union.

Term of office of executive committee

24.—(1) A member of the executive committee shall hold office from the date of his election until the first meeting of the council elected in the following academic year.

(2) A member of the executive committee shall not hold more than one office in the executive committee.

Meeting of executive committee

25.—(1) The executive committee shall meet at least once a month.

(2) The honorary general secretary shall give at least 3 days’ notice of the meeting unless he decides that the urgency of the agenda requires a shorter notice, the decision being subject to ratification by the executive committee when it meets.

(3) A meeting of the executive committee shall be convened by the honorary general secretary as directed by the president or at the request of at least 3 members of the executive committee.

(4) At least half the members of the executive committee shall constitute a quorum.

Absence from meeting

26.—(1) Any member of the executive committee who absents himself from 3 successive meetings of the executive committee, without submitting a written explanation to the honorary general secretary, shall cease to be a member of the executive committee.

(2) If a written explanation for his absence is submitted by the third meeting, the executive committee shall consider the explanation and decide by a simple majority of those at the meeting whether the absent member shall remain in the executive committee.

(3) The president or, in his absence, the vice-president shall preside at a meeting of the executive committee.

(4) In their absence, one of the members present, other than the honorary general secretary, shall be elected to preside at the meeting.

President

27.—(1) The president of the Union —

(a)	may call meetings of the council, the executive committee and the Union; and
(b)	shall sign all bills, invoices and vouchers for expenditure incurred by the Union.

(2) The president or any person acting in his capacity shall have a casting vote at a meeting of the executive committee at which he presides.

Vice-president

28. The vice-president shall —

(a)	in the absence of the president, carry out all the duties and functions of the president;
(b)	succeed the president for the remainder of the president’s term of office if his office falls vacant; and
(c)	assist the president in the performance of his duties.

General secretary

29. The honorary general secretary shall —

(a)	take charge of the Union’s records and conduct the correspondence of the Union;
(b)	keep a register of all members of the Union;
(c)	keep an inventory of all property of the Union;
(d)	convene all meetings of the Union, the council and the executive committee;
(e)	keep minutes of every general meeting of the Union and of every meeting of the council and the executive committee, and post them on all the Union’s notice boards within 7 days of such meetings;
(f)	circulate copies of those minutes to all members of the council as well as to the Bursar within two weeks of the meeting;
(g)	submit at a meeting of the executive committee any matter received from a member of the Union for discussion;
(h)	submit the records of the Union for the inspection of any member thereof who shall give one week’s notice;
(i)	prepare and submit on behalf of the council an annual report of the Union at the annual general meeting; and
(j)	if the council ceases to remain in office before the expiry of its term, prepare and submit to its successor a report of the Union’s activities during its period of office within 4 weeks of the change in the membership of the council.

Assistant general secretary

30. The honorary assistant general secretary shall —

(a)	assist the honorary general secretary in the performance of his duties;
(b)	assume the duties of the honorary general secretary during his absence;
(c)	if the honorary general secretary vacates his office, succeed him for the remainder of his term of office; and
(d)	maintain a permanent record of all policy decisions made by the Union and all the important activities of the Union.

Financial secretary

31. The honorary financial secretary shall —

(a)	be the chairman of the Union’s financial committee;
(b)	receive from the Bursar and present on behalf of the committee at the annual general meeting the audited statement of income and expenditure and balance-sheet of the Union;
(c)	prepare and present on behalf of the committee the provisional budget for two periods, that is to say, from 1st October to 31st March and 1st April to 30th September of the ensuing year to the incoming Union council;
(d)	keep a record of the Union’s accounts;
(e)	receive, on behalf of the committee, any funds that may be paid to the Union;
(f)	remit those funds to the Bursar for credit to the Union’s accounts;
(g)	be responsible for posting up minutes of each meeting of the committee on all the Union’s notice boards within 7 days of the meeting, and for circulating those minutes to all members of the council within two weeks of the meeting; and
(h)	sign all bills.

Publications secretary

32. The publications secretary shall —

(a)	be the chairman of the Union’s publications committee;
(b)	be an ex-officio member of every editorial board of the Union;
(c)	act as a liaison officer between the executive committee and the editorial board;
(d)	be responsible for co-ordinating the work of the editors of the Union’s publications;
(e)	publicise such activities of the Union as may be directed by the council or the executive committee; and
(f)	disseminate such information as may be directed by the council or the executive committee.

Students’ welfare secretary

33. The students’ welfare secretary shall be the chairman of the Union’s students’ welfare committee.

Resignation of council

34.—(1) If the membership of the council falls below two-thirds of its possible maximum number of members through resignation or any other cause or where a vote of no confidence is passed on the council, the entire council shall resign.

(2) The council may also resign en bloc voluntarily, but may do so only at an extraordinary general meeting of the Union convened for that purpose.

(3) Where the entire council resigns from office, a new council shall be elected within 4 weeks in accordance with rule 6.

Composition of interim council

35.—(1) Pending the election of a new council, there shall be an interim council.

(2) The interim council shall consist of not more than 15 members comprising not more than two representatives from each management committee of the Union’s constituent bodies.

(3) The members of the interim council shall be elected at a joint meeting of all the management committees.

(4) The meeting shall be convened as early as possible by the outgoing honorary general secretary.

(5) A member of the management committee of a constituent body against whom a vote of no confidence has been passed shall be disqualified from standing for election to the interim council.

Functions and powers of interim council

36. The interim council shall carry out all the duties and functions of the council under these Rules and shall exercise such powers as are conferred on the council by these Rules.

Term of office of interim council

37. The interim council shall be dissolved on the election of a new council or at the end of 4 weeks from the date of the resignation of the previous council, whichever is the earlier.

Standing committees

38. The Union shall have the following standing committees:

(a)	the finance committee;
(b)	the publications committee; and
(c)	the students’ welfare committee.

Financial committee

39.—(1) The Union’s financial committee shall consist of —

(a)	the honorary financial secretary who shall be its chairman;
(b)	the president of the Union who shall be an ex-officio member; and
(c)	3 other members from amongst whom a secretary shall be elected (who shall not be members of the executive committee) elected from the members of the council.

(2) The financial committee shall —

(a)	prepare the Union’s budget to be presented to the new council and for the approval of the Council of the Polytechnic; and
(b)	submit to the council a report on the financial affairs of the Union at the end of each term.

Publications committee

40.—(1) The Union’s publications committee shall consist of —

(a)	the publications secretary who shall be its chairman;
(b)	the editor and the business manager of every publication of the Union; and
(c)	a secretary and not more than two other members who are elected from the council and are not members of the executive committee.

(2) The publications committee shall —

(a)	implement the Union’s policies on the publications of the Union;
(b)	co-ordinate the work of all publications of the Union; and
(c)	keep a record of all major events of the Union in a diary kept for that purpose.

Publication policy

41.—(1) The policy of every publication of the Union or a constituent body thereof shall be decided by the council.

(2) The policy shall reflect the aims of the Union as set out in these Rules.

(3) No matter of Union policy may be published without a written directive from the council.

(4) No printed matter shall be published unless it is an article submitted by a member of the Union or a member of the Polytechnic Staff.

(5) Every article submitted to the publications committee shall bear the name of the author, but a pseudonym may be used when the article is printed.

(6) An article from a publication other than that of the Union may be reprinted in a Union’s publication if the source of that reprint is specified.

Secretary of publications committee

42. The secretary of the publications committee shall keep the diary referred to in rule 40(2)(c) and shall keep the records and documents of the committee.

Editor of publication

43. Every editor of a publication of the Union or a constituent body thereof shall —

(a)	be responsible for obtaining a permit for the publication as is required by the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Cap. 206);
(b)	ensure that the Union’s publication policy is implemented; and
(c)	be answerable to the council for any deviation from the Union’s publication policy.

Business manager of publication

44. Every business manager of a publication referred to in rule 43 shall —

(a)	be responsible for the distribution of the publication;
(b)	submit the estimates of income and expenditure through the honorary financial secretary to the council for approval and transmission to the Bursar;
(c)	remit all funds received to the Bursar for credit to the appropriate account; and
(d)	keep a record of the accounts of the publication.

Students’ welfare committee

45.—(1) The Union’s students’ welfare committee shall consist of —

(a)	the students’ welfare secretary who shall be its chairman; and
(b)	4 other members (who shall not be members of the executive committee) elected from the members of the council from amongst whom a secretary shall be elected.

(2) The students’ welfare committee shall —

(a)	be responsible for the proper maintenance of such premises as may be let to the Union by the Polytechnic;
(b)	bring to the attention of the council any problem affecting the welfare of a member of the Union within the Polytechnic;
(c)	recommend to the council such action for improving student welfare within the Polytechnic as it thinks fit;
(d)	implement any decision of the council relating to the students’ welfare;
(e)	direct the treasurer of the committee to submit through the honorary financial secretary the estimates of income and expenditure of the committee to the council for the approval of the Bursar;
(f)	remit all funds received to the Bursar who shall credit them to the appropriate account; and
(g)	keep a record of the accounts of the committee.

(3) The students’ welfare committee may —

(a)	approve an application for the use of premises let to the Union by the Council of the Polytechnic if such use is in accordance with the aims of the Union; and
(b)	appoint sub-committees for the purpose of assisting the committee in the performance of its duties.

Financial year, and income and expenditure

46.—(1) The financial year of the Union shall be from 1st April to 31st March.

(2) The Union and each of its constituent bodies shall submit a budget for the approval of the Council of the Polytechnic.

(3) All fees and subscriptions shall be paid by a member of the Union directly to the Bursar.

(4) Any income of the Union shall be paid by the honorary financial secretary to the Bursar for credit to the appropriate account.

(5) All bills of expenditure of the Union and any of its committees, properly incurred in accordance with any budget approved by the Council of the Polytechnic, shall be submitted to the honorary financial secretary.

(6) All such bills shall be signed by the honorary financial secretary and the president and forwarded to the Bursar for payment.

(7) A payment in respect of any expenditure properly incurred by the Union or any of its constituent bodies shall be made by the Bursar from the appropriate account.

Application for a grant

47. Any application for a special or supplementary grant to any of the Union’s committees shall be submitted by the honorary financial secretary to the Council of the Polytechnic for approval.

Collection of money

48.—(1) A committee of the council shall, before making any collection on behalf of the Union, obtain the permission of the executive committee and the approval of the Council of the Polytechnic.

(2) All funds collected shall be paid by the honorary financial secretary to the Bursar for credit to the appropriate account.

Bank account

49. The Union and every committee thereof shall not operate any bank account.

Audit of Union’s accounts

50.—(1) The auditors of the Union’s accounts shall be the auditors of the Polytechnic’s accounts or any other auditor approved by the Council of the Polytechnic or by the Principal.

[S 175/95 wef 01/04/1995]

(2) The fees for the audit of the Union’s accounts shall be paid from the Union’s funds.

General meeting

51. The honorary general secretary shall convene the following meetings:

(a)	the annual general meeting;
(b)	any extraordinary general meeting; and
(c)	any emergency general meeting.

Annual general meeting

52.—(1) The annual general meeting shall be held in September and the agenda for the annual general meeting shall consist of —

(a)	the presidential address;
(b)	the annual report;
(c)	the audited statement of income and expenditure and balance-sheet for the previous financial year;
(d)	the budget approved by the Council of the Polytechnic; and
(e)	any other matter of which notice in writing has been given to the honorary general secretary at least 96 hours before the meeting.

(2) The notice of the annual general meeting shall be posted on all the Union’s notice boards together with a provisional agenda at least 7 days before the meeting.

(3) Any business in the final agenda shall be handed in to the honorary general secretary by any two members of the Union at least 96 hours before the meeting.

Extraordinary general meeting

53.—(1) An extraordinary general meeting of the Union shall be held —

(a)	when the council or the executive committee thinks it necessary;
(b)	if a written application specifying the purpose of the meeting is made to the honorary general secretary by at least 10% of the members of the Union, and such a meeting shall be held within 14 days of the receipt of the application; or
(c)	on the instruction of the president.

(2) The notice of an extraordinary general meeting shall be posted on all the Union’s notice boards at least 5 days before the meeting.

(3) No matter shall be on the agenda except that for which the extraordinary general meeting has been called.

Emergency general meeting

54.—(1) An emergency general meeting of the Union shall be held when the council, the executive committee or the president thinks it necessary.

(2) The notice of an emergency general meeting shall be posted on all the Union’s notice boards not less than 10 hours before the meeting.

(3) No matter shall be on the agenda except that for which the emergency general meeting has been called.

No extraordinary or emergency general meeting during vacation

55. No extraordinary general meeting or emergency general meeting shall be convened during the Polytechnic’s vacation.

Quorum for annual or extraordinary general meeting

56.—(1) Five per cent of the members of the Union or 200 members thereof, whichever is the less, shall be present at the commencement of an annual general meeting or an extraordinary general meeting before the meeting can proceed.

(2) Where the required number is not present the meeting shall be postponed and another meeting shall be called within one week, but not within 72 hours, of the postponement and at such meeting, irrespective of the number of members present, the business fixed for the previous meeting shall be considered.

(3) No alteration of the agenda shall be made during the postponement.

Quorum for emergency general meeting

57.—(1) Ten per cent of the members of the Union or 400 members thereof, whichever is the less, shall be present at the commencement of an emergency general meeting before it can proceed.

(2) Where the required number is not present, the meeting shall be cancelled.

Decision taken at meeting

58. No decision may be taken at the annual general meeting or an extraordinary general meeting if the number of members present is below half of the members present at the commencement of the meeting. No decision may be taken at an emergency general meeting if the number of members present is below 200.

General meeting of Union

59. The president shall preside at all general meetings of the Union and, in his absence, one of the members present, other than a member of the executive committee, shall be elected to preside at the meeting.

Vote

60.—(1) No member shall vote by proxy.

(2) Voting at a general meeting shall be by ballot.

(3) Voting other than by ballot may be carried out if the unanimous consent of the persons present is obtained.

(4) The motion at a general meeting of the Union shall be decided by a simple majority vote.

Vote of censure or no confidence

61.—(1) A vote of censure or no confidence against the council or any member thereof may be taken only at an annual general meeting, extraordinary general meeting or emergency general meeting, if it has been included in the agenda for that meeting.

(2) When such a vote is passed against the entire council, the motion of censure or no confidence shall take effect only if it is approved by at least two-thirds of the members of all the management committees of the constituent bodies.

(3) When such a vote is passed against a representative of the Union, the motion of censure or no confidence shall take effect only if it is approved by a majority of the members of the management committee of the constituent body which elected him to the council.

(4) When such a vote is passed against a member of the executive committee, the motion of censure or no confidence shall take effect only if it is approved by —

(a)	a majority of the members of the constituent body which voted him in; and
(b)	at least two-thirds of the members of the council present.

Amendment of Rules

62.—(1) The Council of the Polytechnic shall inform the honorary general secretary of any amendment made to these Rules.

(2) The council may request the Council of the Polytechnic to make such amendment to these Rules as the council thinks fit, if at least two-thirds of the members of the council present at a meeting thereof have voted in favour of the amendment.

Compliance with Rules

63.—(1) All the members of the Union shall comply with these Rules and with the standing orders of the Union as may be approved by the Council of the Polytechnic.

(2) A breach of these Rules or the standing orders shall be a disciplinary offence punishable under the disciplinary rules of the Polytechnic.

(3) Where an alleged infringement of any of these Rules or any standing orders comes to the knowledge of the president or the council, the president or the council shall, if not less than two-thirds of the members of the council present at a meeting so decide, refer the alleged offence to the disciplinary committee constituted under rule 64.

(4) The disciplinary committee shall investigate into the alleged offence and shall, after due investigation, submit its findings to the Principal.

(5) The Principal shall take such action under the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students — Conduct and Discipline) Rules (R 3) as he thinks fit.

Disciplinary committee

64.—(1) There shall be a disciplinary committee which shall consist of 5 students who shall be selected by the Principal from the most senior students of the Polytechnic with not more than one member from a department.

(2) The members of the disciplinary committee shall elect a chairman from among themselves.

(3) The honorary general secretary shall be the secretary of the disciplinary committee, but he shall not take part in its deliberations.

(4) The Principal shall nominate a member of the staff of the Polytechnic to sit on the disciplinary committee to provide such guidance and assistance to the committee as may be necessary.

(5) The member of the disciplinary committee shall be appointed by the council for a period of one academic year.

Functions of disciplinary committee

65.—(1) The disciplinary committee shall —

(a)	investigate every disciplinary case in respect of any student referred to it by the president or the council; and
(b)	submit its findings in the investigation to the Principal and to the council if so requested by the council.

(2) The disciplinary committee may direct any member of the Union to give evidence in any disciplinary action if at least 72 hours’ notice has been given to him.

(3) In an investigation under this rule, every person affected by the investigation may be present and have a reasonable opportunity of being heard at a meeting of the disciplinary committee.

Union’s notice board

66.—(1) The honorary assistant general secretary shall be in charge of all the Union’s notice boards.

(2) All notices posted on those notice boards by the council or any of its committees shall bear the signature of an office-bearer of the council or the committee.

(3) Any other notice posted on any of the notice boards shall be signed by a member of the council.

Resignation

67.—(1) The holder of an office in the Union may tender his resignation, but shall not be deemed to have resigned until his resignation is accepted.

(2) A resignation from an office in the Union shall be sent to the honorary general secretary for acceptance by the council.

(3) When the resignation of a member of the council or of the executive committee has been accepted, the council shall cause that vacancy to be filled by the management committee of the constituent body from which the member was elected.

(4) Any member of a committee of the council, other than the executive committee, who wishes to resign shall hand in his resignation to the executive committee through the secretary of the committee concerned.

(5) If the resignation is accepted, the executive committee shall appoint a new member.

Vacancy

68. Where an office in the council or any committee thereof is vacant for any cause other than resignation, the vacancy shall be filled in the manner in which that office had previously been filled.

Interpretation of Rules

69.—(1) Any dispute arising over the interpretation of any provision of these Rules shall be referred to the Principal.

(2) The Principal shall hear and determine the dispute, and the decision given by him shall be binding and conclusive on all parties without appeal.

Office-bearers

70. The name of a member of the council or a standing committee of the Union shall be submitted to the Registrar of the Polytechnic within one week of his election to office.

Statements to press

71. Any statement by the Union to the press on any matter relating to the Union shall be made by the president or the honorary general secretary.

[G.N. Nos. S 299/80; S 97/82]

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