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Constitution

  1. Title
    The society shall be known as the "Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group".

  2. Objectives
    The objectives of the society shall be to further the interests of the art of music and in particular to give amateur performances and further the interests of the Savoy Operas.

  3. Membership

    1. There shall be two classes of membership of the society, videlicet:

      1. Ordinary Membership, which shall be confined to matriculated students of the University of Edinburgh.

      2. Extra-ordinary Membership, which shall be confined to other such persons, not being matriculated students of the University of Edinburgh who are either:

        1. Former students, graduates, or staff of the University of Edinburgh, or

        2. Students, former students, graduates or staff of Associated Colleges or
          Universities, or

        3. Such other persons not included in the foregoing provisions of this section as shall in the opinion of the office-bearers have qualifications suitable for the membership of the society.

        4. Ordinary members shall make up at least two thirds of the membership of the society.

  4. Subscription

    1. The minimum annual subscriptions shall be:

      1. For Ordinary members at least £5 per annum.

      2. For Extra-Ordinary members at least £10 per annum.

    2. The annual subscription shall be payable on or before 31st October each year, for those taking part in the November show, and before for 31st February for those taking part in the March show.

    3. Any member whose subscription shall be overdue shall forfeit his or her membership but may be reinstated at the discretion of the office-bearers on payment of the subscription.

    4. The annual subscription may be changed only at an Annual General Meeting or an Extra-ordinary General Meeting of the society by a majority of the members present and voting at that meeting. Such changes to take effect immediately after that session’s AGM.

  5. Office-bearers

    1. The office bearers shall be as follows videlicet:

      1. President

      2. Vice-President

      3. Treasurer

      4. Secretary

      5. Ticket Manager

      6. Social Convener

      7. Publicity Convener

      8. Sponsorship Convener

    2. The above office-bearers shall be elected by the society at the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office for the period of one year. They shall be eligible for re-election but no person may hold the office of President for more than two consecutive years. Any vacancy, which may occur during the interim, shall be filled at an election at an Extra-ordinary General Meeting.

    3. At least one "ordinary member" shall also be elected annually by the new membership at an Extra-ordinary General Meeting during the first university term and shall hold such office until the following Annual General Meeting.

    4. The society shall have the power to elect at either an Annual General Meeting or an Extra-ordinary General Meeting an Honorary President and up to three Honorary Vice Presidents who shall hold such offices until the following Annual General Meeting and who shall not be entitled to vote at any meetings of the society.

    5. The society shall have the power to elect at an Annual General Meeting one or more Honorary Members. This should be an individual who, in the opinion of the membership, has made an extraordinary commitment to Savoy over a number of years. Nominations must be made to the committee prior to the Annual General Meeting.

    6. Postal or proxy votes shall not be competent at any time.

    7. The society shall execute deeds by the subscription of the president and of the secretary, whom failing by the subscription of any two other members of the committee, as shall be appointed by the committee, said subscriptions being before two witnesses also signed.

  6. Committee

    1. The office-bearers together with the ordinary member shall form a committee that shall manage the affairs of the society. All decisions concerning the policies of the society shall be discussed at a full committee meeting and voted in by a simple majority, the President (or whoever is in the chair) having the casting vote only. The committee shall have the power to form ad hoc sub-committees to carry out any specific purpose within the scope of the objects of the society. Such adhoc sub-committees may appoint members of the society to serve on such sub-committees.

    2. The committee shall be entitled if necessary to secure the services of such persons as they consider essential to the proper conduct and success of the following year's production and if necessary to choose that production in consultation with the producer(s) and musical director. In the event of the committee exercising any or all of the powers hereby conferred they shall report fully to the members of the society at the Annual General Meeting marking the expiry of their term of office and that before the election of the new office bearers has been carried out.

  7. General meetings

    1. Unless otherwise arranged the society will meet weekly during the Edinburgh University term.

    2. The Annual General Meeting shall be between 1st April and 31st May of each year on a date to be fixed by the committee. The secretary shall send fourteen days notice of the meeting to all members of the society.

    3. The secretary shall convene an Extra-ordinary General Meeting on the application of the committee or on receiving a requisition by ten percent or at least twelve members of the society setting out the reasons for holding such a meeting. The secretary shall give fourteen days notice of such a meeting in writing to all members of the society and a copy of the requisition shall be sent with such notice. No business other than that referred to in the notice may be transacted at an Extra-ordinary Meeting.

    4. At Annual General Meetings and Extra-ordinary General Meetings of the society, twenty members or one third of the total membership of the society whichever is the lesser, shall form a quorum.

    5. At all General Meetings a constitution shall be available.

    6. Voting in of the committee shall be by secret ballot. Voting of all other matters by a show of hands, unless a secret ballot is requested by any member present.

    7. Voting in on the committee will be conducted in a first past the post system, whereby the nominee with the largest number of votes shall be elected.

  8. Accounts

    1. The financial year shall be from the 1st May to the 30th April.

    2. At each Annual General Meeting the Treasurer shall submit a statement of the accounts for the immediately preceding financial year, such accounts having been duly audited by an auditor appointed at the preceding Annual General Meeting. Also there shall be presented an un-audited statement of accounts for the period from the date of the last audited accounts up to the last day of the month immediately preceding the Annual General Meeting. Such an auditor may be a member of the society but not a member of the committee.

    3. Any profits made by the society in the course of its activities and funds acquired by donation or in any other way shall be applied solely to the objects of the society.

    4. The society shall have the power to give donations to charitable and other deserving causes. The nature of such donations to be agreed on the decision of a majority of two thirds of the members of the society present and voting at the Annual General Meeting.

  9. Dissolution
    In the event of the society being dissolved any balance of cash remaining in hand after payment of just debts and after meeting the obligations of the society shall be paid to the University of Edinburgh for the use of such societies as will further the aims of the society.

  10. Amendments

    1. This constitution shall be amended only at a duly constituted Extra-ordinary General Meeting or Annual General Meeting of the society. An amendment shall be passed only by a majority of two thirds of the members present and voting at such a meeting.

    2. Constitutional amendments to take effect immediately after that sessions' AGM.

 

Last amended 13th May 2005