The Constitution of the Edinburgh University Mountaineering Club

As voted Spring 2024 

  

  1. GENERAL
  1. The Club shall be known as The Edinburgh University Mountaineering Club. 
  1. The purpose of the Club is to foster interest in all aspects of mountaineering at The University of Edinburgh. 
  1. The Club shall be the representative member of Mountaineering Scotland. 

  

  1. RELATIONSHIP WITH E.U.S.U.
  1. The Club shall form a Club under the jurisdiction of E.U.S.U. The Club shall send representatives to each meeting of the General Committee of E.U.S.U. and may nominate candidates for its officers and Executive Committee. 
  1. Membership shall be confined to those eligible to membership of the Edinburgh University Sports Union. 
  1. Ordinary and non-matriculated members shall pay an annual subscription, the amount to be fixed by the Committee before the beginning of each academic year. 
  1. Those funds raised from subscriptions and such other ways as the Committee sees fit shall be under the control of the Club and not the Sports Union, but proper accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer. 
  1. Should the Club terminate for any reasons, its funds shall be held in abeyance for 3 years pending reconstitution of the Club; failing reconstitution they shall fall to the general account of the E.U.S.U. 
  1. Honorary members shall be exempt from payment of a subscription. 
  1. The funds will be employed by the Committee in the direct interest of the Club as a whole. 
  1. Payment of a subscription entitles a person to full rights of membership, subject to clause 5. 
  1. The Treasurer shall give an account of the financial position at each Committee meeting. 
  1. The auditor to the Club shall be the Treasurer to the E.U.S.U. 
  1. The Club may open a bank account in its own name, subject to the approval of the General Committee of the E.U.S.U. 
  1. OFFICE-BEARERS AND COMMITTEE
  1. At the A.G.M., the Club shall elect from the ordinary members of the Club at the time, the following office-bearers, who shall constitute the committee: 
  • President 
  • Secretary 
  • Treasurer 
  • Social Secretary 1 
  • Social Secretary 2 
  • Mental Health, Wellbeing and inclusion officer  
  • Safety & Training Secretary 
  • Safety and Training Apprentice 
  • Meet Secretary 
  • Gear Secretary 
  • Bothy Secretary 
  • Bothy Apprentice 
  • Journal Editor 
  • Alumni / Publicity Officer 
  • Climbing Secretary 1 
  • Climbing Secretary 2 
  • Competitions Secretary 
  • Environmental & Sustainability Secretary 

  

  1. The Office-Bearers shall hold office from the end of the academic year, and their duties shall continue until at the end of the next academic year. 
  1. In the event of a vacancy arising for any reason amongst the office-bearers, the Committee may elect an ordinary member to occupy the post for the remaining period until the next General Meeting. 
  1. The Committee shall have the power to conduct the business of the Club. 
  1. The members at a General Meeting may invite a suitable person to fill the office of Honorary President for a period of three years. 

  

  1. DUTIES OF OFFICE - BEARERS

  

The duties of office bearer shall be: 

  

4.1 President:  

  1. to chair Committee and general meetings 
  1. Must have been on committee for at least one term prior to election unless there are exceptional circumstances meaning this is not possible 
  1. The president has responsibility for the lead organisation of the events of the first week of the new academic term, in arranged absence agreement must be arranged for tasks to be taken on by another committee member.   
  1. Chair of Committee meetings and general meetings.  
  1. Must insure the club follows the guidelines set out by the E.U.S.U such that membership is continued.  
  1. Ensure all committee members keep to their defined roles within the constitution.  

  

4.2 Secretary:  

  1. to conduct the President's business in their absence 
  1. The Secretary has the responsibility to take minutes of Committee and general meetings and provide access to the minutes to all members of the Committee 
  1. Keep records of the Club including an accurate membership list.   
  1. Act as Club representative and liaison to Mountaineering Scotland 

  

4.3 Treasurer:  

  1. shall be responsible for the administration and accounting of the Club's general account.  
  1. They shall be responsible for timeous remitting of Club accounts to the Sports Union Treasurer and attend to such claims for reimbursement from Sports Union funds that the Club may have. 

  

4.4 Social Secretary 1 + 2:  

  1. shall organize social events and promote social life in the Club and organise dinner meet. 

  

4.5 Mental Health, Welfare and Inclusion Officer 

  1. Ensure that the club takes steps to protect the mental health and general wellbeing of all its members 
  1. Work to make the club more accessible for new members, especially those that may not have previous experience in mountaineering. 
  1. Assist in organising social events with aim of strengthening relationships within the club  
  1. Shall attend SU workshops on inclusion and wellbeing and shall engage in SU Campaigns on inclusion, wellbeing and mental health awareness. 

  

4.6 Safety & Training Secretary:  

  1. shall be responsible for the organising of training and instruction courses for club members. 
  1. Shall be responsible for organising and/or running weekly training sessions for technical mountain and climbing skills, such as navigation and trad climbing rope work, led by committee/club members and external providers where appropriate.  
  1. They will be expected to run/help with the running of at least 10 skills sessions throughout the year 
  1. For 2022 only, anyone who wishes to stand for safety and training secretary must be recommended by a current or past committee member 

  

4.7. Safety and training apprentice 

  1. Must be appropriately experienced and recommended by a member of the current committee (or past committee) to stand for the following year (though there is no limit to how many candidates a committee member can recommend) 
  1. Throughout the year as apprentice, take their RCI training and work towards assessment (paid by the club).  
  1. They will be expected to shadow/help out on a minimum of 5 skills sessions throughout the year. 

  

4.8 Meets Secretary:  

  1. Establish the meet calendar for the year and allow committee members to volunteer to which meets to be the Meet Organiser of. In the case where a Meet has had no volunteers for Meet Organizer, the Meet Secretary has the right to allocate. Allowances must be made for cases where a committee member objects to the allocation, objections must be made in writing to the Meet Secretary. 
  1. Has the responsibility for all transport bookings within the club.  
  1. Must maintain a workable number of Minibus drivers ensuring they meet the requirements set out the E.U.S.U .   

  

4.9 Gear Secretary:  

  1. administration and maintenance of Club mountaineering equipment, and keeping an inventory of the same. 

  

4.10 Climbing Secretary 1 +2 :  

  1. Organize climbing training sessions  
  1. Work with Competitions Secretary to organise Performance Coaching and specific training for competition level climbers.   
  1. Organize social indoor climbing within the club  
  1. Organize indoor and outdoor climbing trips in semester 1 & 2  
  1. Attend appropriate training courses throughout the year.  

  

  

4.11 Competitions Secretary:  

  1. Liase with Climbing Secretary to organize Performance Coaching and specific training for competition level climbers.  
  1. To promote club member attendance to Edinburgh/UK Climbing Competitions  
  1. To liase with meet secretary to organize teams and transport for selected climbing competitions. 
  1. To organise UoE team for BUCS 

  

4.12 Bothy Secretary:  

  1. Matters pertaining to the Hadden-Woodburn Memorial Hut. 

  

4.13. Bothy Apprentice:  

  1. Aid the Bothy Secretary in their tasks 

  

4.14 Alumni / Publicity Officer : 

  1. Attend yearly Alumni Workshop run by the Alumni Officer of the Sports Union 
  1. Act as the liaison between alumni members and current members of the Club 
  1. Be the first point of contact for the EUSU Alumni Association, EUSU Alumni Officer, EUSU Alumni Association Management Committee 
  1. Submit regular match reports and Club updates to the EUSU Alumni Officer for publication in Grandstand (the Alumni Newsletter). 
  1. Actively encourage all graduating Club members to join the Alumni Association. 
  1. Attend yearly Publicity Workshop run by the Publicity Officer of the Sports Union 
  1. Be in charge of running and updating a useful Club website 
  1. Submit regular match reports and Club updates to the EUSU Publicity Officer for publication on the website and to Student and the Journal 
  1. Be the first point of contact for the Sports Union in terms of publicity issues 
  1. Actively promote the publicity and growth of your Club 

  

  

4.15 Journal Editor:  

  1. to edit and produce an annual journal and be responsible for publicity throughout the year, and maintain the EUMC archives, archiving old documents and journals for the future. 

4.16 Environmental & Sustainability Secretary:  

  1. Liaise with other committee members to aim towards more sustainable pursuits and organised activities 
  1. Organise informative events to entertain and educate members to help them explore and enjoy the outdoors in a more sustainable and respectful manner 
  1. Liaise with external charities and organisations to promote fundraising and awareness of environmental and sustainability issues 
  1. COMMITTEE MEETINGS
  1. Committee meetings may be called by any member of the Committee, and will be held once a term or as often as deemed necessary. 
  1. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members to attend Committee meetings if considered expedient. Such co-opted members shall have no voting power. 
  1. The President or, in their absence, the Secretary shall be chairman. In the absence of both, a chairman may be elected by the meeting. 
  1. The Secretary shall keep minutes for each Committee meeting. In their absence, a person elected by the meeting shall do so. 
  1. Six voting members shall constitute a quorum at Committee meetings. 
  1. The annual estimates shall be prepared by the Committee and forwarded by the Treasurer to the E.U.S.U. for appropriate further consideration. 

  

  1. GENERAL MEETINGS
  1. The Secretary shall call general meetings at the direction of the President or Committee, and is required to do so within three weeks of ten ordinary members submitting a written request for a general meeting. 
  1. The Secretary will inform members by notices on the Club emailing list and website of the time, place and agenda of a general meeting at least 7 days in advance. 

6.1 The agenda at an annual general meeting shall be as follows: 

  1. Constitution of meeting. 
  1. Apologies for absence. 
  1. Reports from the President, Treasurer and Secretary 
  1. Matters arising from reports 
  1. Amendments to constitution 
  1. Any other competent business 
  1. Election of office-bearers 

  

6.2 An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held during the last term of the academic year. 

  1. The chair at general meetings shall be taken by the President or, in their absence, the Secretary. In the absence of both, a member elected by the meeting may take the chair. 
  1. The Secretary or, in their absence, a member elected by the meeting shall keep minutes of each general meeting. 
  1. Voting at general meetings is open to all members. 
  1. The Chairman shall have a casting and deliberative vote. 
  1. All proposed alterations in the constitution must be submitted to the Secretary in writing with names of proposer and seconder at least 7days in advance of the general meeting. The secretary shall distribute the text of all proposed amendments to members at least 3 days in advance of the general meeting. 
  1. Voting shall be conducted in these ways:  
  1. In the case of general matters voting will be conducted by a show of hands. 
  1. In the case of the election of office-bearers voting shall be conducted by secret ballots 
  1. Members can vote on any standing candidate, or vote to Re-Open Nominations (RON) 
  1. Alterations to the constitution can only be made if they receive at least two-thirds of the votes recorded and are subject to ratification by the General Committee of the E.U.S.U. and by the next subsequent A.G.M. of the E.U.S.U. 
  1. A general meeting shall have the power, by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, to expel from the Club any member for any reason deemed sufficient and that their subscription to forfeit. 
  1. Decisions on other matters shall be made by a simple majority. 

  

  1. MEETS
  1. Official Club meets are organized by a Committee member specified on Club Membership Cards.  The Committee member in charge of an Official Club Meet will be called the Meet Organizer.     
  1. The committee has the right to refuse access to a meet if: 
  1. in the opinion of the Meet Organizer, the member is insufficiently equipped. 
  1. the meet is already booked. 
  1. The committee may delegate its authority to any club member to act as Meet Organizer. The Meet Organizer will have full authority to run the meet. 
  1. The Meet Organizer will be empowered to charge a deposit before meets, at the discretion of the Comittee. 
  1. The Meet Organizer shall be responsible of organizing transportation and eventual accommodation for the meet. 
  1. Members may bring guests to meets at the discretion of the Meet Organizer. 
  1. Members of other mountaineering clubs may be invited to meets at the discretion of the Meet Organizer. 
  1. Members will at all times be given preference over such non-members. 
  1. Non-members will not be subsidised in any way by the Sports Union. 
  1. Meets shall be subsidised by 95% for those individuals whom are blessed with the surname of Simons, to honour the most brilliant year of the 76th president, the honorable Ben Simons.  

  

  1. CLUB PROPERTY
  1. Members attending the Official Club Meet scheduled for the upcoming weekend shall have preferential use of equipment available at the Club Gear Store.  
  1. Members may be charged a sum determined by the Committee for any damage which they inflict on club property. 
  1. The club has the right to use the living room at Graham Brown House, subject to consultation with the residents. 
  1. The Committee shall inform the Club that the Graham Brown House exists to provide a meeting place for the Club in the form of a clubroom and further, to provide accommodation for six (6) club members subject to current University Regulations.  

  

  1. HADDEN-WOODBURN MEMORIAL HUT
  1. Hadden-Woodburn Memorial Hut is a locked hut located on the Kintail Estate. 
  1. All matters toward its upkeep are directed to the Bothy Secretary and Bothy Apprentice. 
  1. The Bothy Secretary should report to the Treasurer in concerns to annual rent and expenses.   

  

  1. COLOURS
  1. Colours exist to reward those members of your Club who have been excellent Club servants. Colours are not awarded for sporting excellence and are only usually awarded to those in their 3rd or 4th year. The criteria for awarding Colours are long playing service and Club involvement, services over many years in Club organisation, coaching and encouraging new members. Successful candidates tend to exceed the requirements of their Committee positions. Nominations are considered during the first and second term meetings only. Colours certificates will be presented at the Blues and Colours Ceremony in May. 
  1. The Club Committee should decide whether to nominate members for Colours 

  

  1. SAFEGUARDING
  1. The committee has the power to issue official warnings and subsequently exclude any participating persons, regardless of their membership status, from club-run events. This should be exercised for any actions that are deemed to either carelessly or maliciously put other people at risk or make them feel uncomfortable in continuing to participate. The aim of a warning should be to inform and educate the person that their actions are inappropriate and will not be tolerated within the EUMC if they continue.  
  1. In the event of a specific complaint being made, judgement on appropriate action should be made by the exec committee, who may also choose to involve other relevant committee members E.g., Wellbeing and/or Safety secs.  
  1. The supplementary safeguarding guide should be referred to for procedure.   

  

  1. INTERPRETATION
  1. In the case of a conflict of interpretation between the provisions of this constitution and those of the E.U.S.U. or its Bye-laws, the provisions of the E.U.S.U. constitution or its Bye-laws shall prevail. 
  1. This constitution takes effect from the date of the Sports Union AGM at which changes were approved and cancels all previous constitutions.