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Ngee Ann Polytechnic Act

(Chapter 207, Section 24)

Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Clubs) Rules

R 2

REVISED EDITION 1990

(25th March 1992)

[7th November 1980]

Citation

1. These Rules may be cited as the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Clubs) Rules.

Definitions

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

“Bursar” means the Bursar of the Polytechnic;

“club” means a constituent body of the Union;

“council” means the council of the Union;

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

“management committee” means the management committee of a club;

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

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

Constituent bodies

3.—(1) The Union shall have the following constituent bodies:

(a)	the Building Society;
(b)	the Business Studies and Accountancy Society;
(c)	the Computer Studies Society;
(d)	the Cultural Activities and Social Service Club;
(e)	the Electrical Engineering Society;
(f)	the Electronic Engineering Society;
(g)	the Literary and Debating Club;
(h)	the Mechanical Engineering Society;
(i)	the Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering Society;
(j)	the Sports Club; and
(k)	such other constituent bodies as may be approved by the Council of the Polytechnic.

(2) A constituent body shall not be formed with fewer than 50 members and shall not be dissolved except by a resolution of the Council of the Polytechnic.

Membership

4.—(1) A student shall be a member of the club relevant to the department in which he is enrolled.

(2) Every student may be a member of any of the clubs referred to in regulation 3(1)(d), (g) and (j).

(3) Membership of a club shall be confined to members of the Union.

Privileges of a member of a club

5. A member of a club may —

(a)	stand for election, nominate or second a candidate for election and vote in the club’s elections;
(b)	speak and vote at a meeting of the club; and
(c)	participate in the activities of the club.

Member to abide by Rules

6.—(1) A member of a club shall abide by these Rules and not act in any way inconsistent with the objects of the club.

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

(3) Except with the approval of the Council of the Polytechnic, no person who is not a member of a club shall participate in any activity of the club.

Management committee

7.—(1) The administration of a club shall be managed by its management committee.

(2) The management committee of a club shall consist of the following members:

(a)	the president;
(b)	the honorary secretary;
(c)	the honorary treasurer; and
(d)	not fewer than two other members.

(3) There shall be one member of a management committee of a club to every 50 members, and there shall be at least 5, but not more than 15 members of the committee.

(4) The members of the management committee of a club shall be elected annually by the members of the club not later than the fifth week of the first semester.

(5) Every member of a management committee, except the honorary treasurer, shall be eligible for re-election.

(6) Office-bearers in a management committee shall be elected by the management committee from among its own members.

(7) All the names of the office-bearers and members of a management committee shall be submitted to the Registrar of the Polytechnic within one week of their election.

(8) Where there is a vacancy in the management committee of a club, the committee may appoint a member to fill the vacancy.

(9) A management committee shall not appoint any person to be a member of the committee except with the approval of the Principal.

(10) Where a management committee fails to appoint a person to be a member of the committee, the Principal may appoint a person to fill the vacancy.

Functions of club

8.—(1) Every club referred to in rule 3(1)(a), (b), (c), (e), (f), (h) and (i) shall promote the academic interests of its members.

(2) The Sports Club shall —

(a)	promote sports among its members;
(b)	assist the Polytechnic in planning and co-ordinating the sports activities of the Polytechnic;
(c)	inculcate the spirit of sportmanship, team-work, fair-play and friendship; and
(d)	represent the Polytechnic in such sports and games as it may participate in.

(3) The Cultural Activities and Social Service Club shall —

(a)	promote community service by its members; and
(b)	promote the cultural interests of its members.

(4) The Literary and Debating Club shall promote the interests of its members in current affairs and debates.

Functions of management committee

9. The management committee of a club shall —

(a)	organise activities which are consistent with the aims of the club;
(b)	take charge of the premises of the club;
(c)	be responsible for the club’s moneys in accordance with a budget approved by the Union; and
(d)	publish an annual report of the club’s activities including the annual accounts of the club.

Powers of management committee

10.—(1) The management committee of a club may —

(a)	elect union representatives from among its members to the council in accordance with the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students’ Union) Rules (R 1);
(b)	consider any provisional annual budget prepared by the honorary treasurer of the committee prior to its submission to the Council of the Polytechnic for approval;
(c)	appoint sub-committees for the proper administration of the club and exercise control over them;
(d)	delegate to the sub-committees such powers as it thinks fit;
(e)	accept the resignation of any member of the club;
(f)	accept the resignation of a representative of the club in the council or a member of the management committee or any other office-bearer of the club and fill the vacancy by appointment from among the club’s members;
(g)	appoint a member of the club to fill a vacancy that may arise from the resignation of a member of the club from the executive committee or from any other cause. Such appointment shall not be made from among the members of the management committee;
(h)	report to the council any member who contravenes or fails to comply with any of these Rules or the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students’ Union) Rules;
(i)	subject to rules 40, 41, 43 and 44 of the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students’ Union) Rules (R 1), authorise publications or issue statements to the press on behalf of the club; and
(j)	convene all meetings of the club.

(2) Any publication or statement issued under paragraph (1)(i) shall be consistent with the aims of the club.

(3) No statement may be issued except by the president or the honorary secretary of the club and only with the approval of the management committee.

Meeting of management committee

11.—(1) A meeting of a management committee shall be either an ordinary or extraordinary meeting.

(2) An ordinary meeting shall be held at least twice a semester.

(3) The honorary secretary shall give at least 7 days’ notice of the meeting.

(4) A member of the management committee shall give 3 days’ notice to the honorary secretary of any amendment to the agenda.

(5) The date and time of the meeting shall be determined by the president, but the first meeting of the academic year shall be held not later than the sixth week of the first semester.

Extraordinary meeting of management committee

12.—(1) An extraordinary meeting of a management committee shall be held whenever a matter requiring urgent attention arises or when a written request signed by 3 members of the management committee is received by the honorary secretary.

(2) Only the matter for which the extraordinary meeting is called shall be on the agenda.

(3) An extraordinary meeting shall be convened by the honorary secretary within 5 days of the receipt of a written request for the meeting.

(4) If the urgency of the agenda requires a shorter notice, it may be convened within 3 days of, but not less than 24 hours after, the receipt of the request.

(5) At least half the members of the management committee shall constitute a quorum.

(6) In the absence of the president at any meeting, the management committee shall elect a chairman to preside at the meeting.

President

13.—(1) The president of a club —

(a)	shall preside at all meetings of its management committee;
(b)	may call meetings of the management committee; and
(c)	shall sign all bills, vouchers and invoices for expenditure incurred by the club.

(2) The president or, in his absence, a member of the management committee (other than the honorary secretary) elected to preside at a meeting of the management committee shall have a casting vote.

Honorary secretary

14. The honorary secretary of a club shall —

(a)	convene all meetings of the club and its management committee;
(b)	keep minutes of meetings of the club and of the management committee;
(c)	carry out the decisions of the club and of the management committee;
(d)	take charge of all the club’s records and carry out the correspondence of the club;
(e)	submit at a management committee meeting any matter for discussion raised by a member of the club;
(f)	submit the records of the club for inspection by any member of the club who has given one week’s notice of the inspection; and
(g)	prepare the annual report of the club for presentation to its members.

Treasurer

15. The honorary treasurer of a club shall —

(a)	on behalf of its management committee, prepare and submit to the Bursar of the Polytechnic, the provisional budget of the club for the two periods 1st October to 31st March and 1st April to 31st September, for the approval of the Council of the Polytechnic;
(b)	keep a record of the club’s accounts;
(c)	present at the annual general meeting, the club’s audited accounts for the preceding financial year; and
(d)	receive, on behalf of the club, any funds that may be paid to the club, and such funds shall be remitted to the Bursar for credit to the club’s accounts.

Standing committees

16. A club shall have the following standing committees:

(a)	an organising committee;
(b)	a publications committee; and
(c)	an elections committee.

Organising committee

17.—(1) An organising committee of a club shall consist of the following members:

(a)	the honorary secretary who shall be the chairman of the organising committee; and
(b)	4 other members appointed by the management committee on the advice of the chairman of the organising committee of whom one shall be elected by the committee as secretary.

(2) The organising committee shall —

(a)	look after the interests of the members and organise all the activities of the club; and
(b)	assist the management committee in the performance of his duties.

Publications committee

18.—(1) The publications committee of a club shall consist of the following:

(a)	a chairman who shall be elected by the management committee from among its own members; and
(b)	4 other members appointed by the management committee on the advice of the chairman of the publications committee, from amongst whom a secretary shall be elected.

(2) The publications committee shall —

(a)	be responsible for the production of such publication as the management committee thinks fit to produce. All such publications shall be in accordance with these Rules; and
(b)	appoint, with the approval of the management committee, an editorial board for every publication of the club.

Elections committee

19.—(1) The elections committee of a club shall consist of the following:

(a)	a returning officer who shall be the chairman of the committee; and
(b)	3 other persons who shall assist the returning officer.

(2) The elections committee of a club shall be appointed by the management committee of the club by the second week of the first semester of the academic year.

(3) The elections committee of a club shall —

(a)	supervise elections to the management committee and the executive committee;
(b)	give notice of every one of those elections at least 7 days before the date fixed for the receipt of nomination papers; and
(c)	announce the posts that are to be filled by the members of the club under the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students’ Union) Rules (R 1).

Financial year

20. The financial year of a club shall be the financial year of the Union.

Bills of expenditure

21.—(1) All bills, vouchers or invoices for expenditure incurred by a club and any of its committees shall be submitted to the treasurer of the club who shall endorse and forward all such bills, vouchers and invoices to the Bursar for payment.

(2) All bills, vouchers or invoices submitted to the Bursar under paragraph (1) shall be signed by the president.

Grants

22. Any application for a special or supplementary grant to a club shall be made by the management committee and shall be submitted by the honorary treasurer of the club to the Council of the Polytechnic for approval.

Collection of money

23.—(1) All standing committees of a club shall, before making any collection of money on behalf of the club, obtain the approval of its management committee and the Council of the Polytechnic.

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

Club not to have any bank account

24. A club and all its standing committees shall not have any bank account.

Auditors

25.—(1) The auditors of a club’s annual accounts shall be the auditors of the Union.

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

Election of members of management committee or executive committee

26. The elections committee of a club constituted under rule 19 shall conduct the election of members of its management committee and the representatives of the club in the executive committee at the same time.

Nomination

27.—(1) Each candidate nominated for election to the management committee or the executive committee shall have a proposer and seconder.

(2) No proposer or seconder may sign more nomination papers than there are vacancies to be filled.

Signing of nomination paper

28. A nomination paper shall be signed by the proposer and seconder and shall contain the written consent of the candidate for election as a member of the management committee of a club or the representatives of the club in the executive committee.

Rejection of nomination paper

29. The returning officer of a club shall reject any nomination paper that does not comply with these Rules.

Appeal

30. A candidate whose nomination paper has been rejected by the returning officer of a club may appeal to the Registrar of the Polytechnic whose decision shall be final.

Elected candidates

31.—(1) If, after nominations are closed, the returning officer of a club receives fewer valid nominations than there are vacancies to be filled, he shall declare the candidates nominated to be elected.

(2) If the returning officer receives more valid nominations than there are vacancies to be filled, a secret ballot shall be held for the contested seats.

Ballot

32.—(1) Balloting shall take place not earlier than one week and not later than 10 days after nominations are closed.

(2) The time, date and place for such ballot shall be announced on all the Union’s notice boards by the returning officer.

Returning officer

33.—(1) The returning officer of a club shall be in charge of the ballot with the assistance of the other members of the elections committee of the club.

(2) A member of the elections committee shall not nominate any candidate or stand for election.

General meeting

34. All general meetings of a club shall be convened by the honorary secretary.

Annual general meeting

35.—(1) The annual general meeting of a club shall be held in September.

(2) Notice of the meeting shall be given to all members not less than 10 days before the date of the meeting.

(3) Any business to be included in the agenda for the meeting shall be handed in writing by any two members to the honorary secretary not less than one week before the meeting.

Extraordinary general meeting

36.—(1) An extraordinary general meeting shall be convened by the honorary secretary of a club —

(a)	on the instructions of the president of the club; or
(b)	at the written request of not less than 20 members of the club, together with a written statement of the purpose for which the meeting is to be called.

(2) The meeting shall be held within one week of the receipt of the request for the meeting by the honorary secretary under paragraph (1).

(3) Notice of the meeting shall be posted on all the club’s notice boards not less than 3 days before the date of the meeting.

(4) No extraordinary general meeting shall be convened during any vacation, or on a Sunday or public holiday.

(5) Only a matter for which an extraordinary general meeting is called shall be on the agenda for the meeting.

Removal of management committee

37.—(1) A vote of censure or of no confidence against the management committee of a club or a member of the committee may be taken at the annual general meeting or at an extraordinary general meeting of the club if it is on the agenda for that meeting.

(2) If the motion is passed, the club shall elect a new management committee at that meeting or another member of the committee for the remainder of the term of office of the management committee or the member.

Resignation of management committee

38. The management committees of a club may resign en bloc at an extraordinary general meeting convened for that purpose and the club shall then elect a new management committee at that meeting to hold office for the remainder of the term of office of the previous committee.

Quorum

39.—(1) Ten per cent of the members or 50 members, whichever is the less, present at the commencement of a meeting of a club shall constitute a quorum.

(2) Where there is no quorum, another meeting shall be held within one week of the postponement, but not within 72 hours when, irrespective of the number present, the meeting shall be carried on.

(3) No alteration of the agenda shall be made during the period of postponement of a meeting under paragraph (2).

(4) No decision may be taken at a general meeting of a club if the number of members present falls below half of the number present at the commencement of the meeting.

Motion

40.—(1) A motion at a general meeting of a club shall be carried by a simple majority vote, and no member of the club shall vote by proxy.

(2) All decisions made at a general meeting of a club shall be binding on all members of the club.

Discipline

41.—(1) All the members of a club shall abide by these Rules and any contravention or failure to comply with any provisions of these Rules shall be a disciplinary offence punishable under the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students — Conduct and Discipline) Rules (R 3).

(2) Any disciplinary offence committed by a member of a club shall be reported to the council by the management committee.

(3) The council shall, if two-thirds of its members present at a meeting thereof so decide, refer the case to the disciplinary commission of the Union, established under rule 64 of the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students’ Union) Rules (R 1), for investigation.

(4) The disciplinary committee shall, after due inquiry, submit its findings to the Principal for such action to be taken under the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students — Conduct and Discipline) Rules as he thinks fit.

Amendment of Rules

42.—(1) A management committee may request the Council of the Polytechnic to make such amendment to these Rules as the committee thinks fit, if at least two-thirds of the members of the committee have voted in favour of the amendment at a meeting of the committee.

(2) The Council of the Polytechnic shall inform the honorary secretary of a club of any amendment to these Rules.

[G.N. Nos. S 300/80; S 95/82; S 99/89]