Constitution

1. The Name of the organisation shall be Monash University Managers’ Association, hereinafter called the Association.

2. The Objects of the Association shall be to:

2.1 Promote co-operation and interchange of ideas on operational and managerial issues.

2.2 Contribute to continuous improvement within the University.

2.3 Actively seek participation on appropriate decision and policy-making committees of the University.

2.4 Provide a collegial forum to foster development of management expertise.

3. New Membership shall be open to:

3.1 a persons who fulfil the following criteria:

(a) salary scale must be HEW Level 8 or above; and

(b) authorising officer for the resources of a department, faculty or other unit for such matters as Personnel, Occupational Health & Safety, Finances, Maintenance, Minor Works, Equipment, Purchasing/Selling and Capital Works.

3.2 Visitors and/or Observers may be invited to attend meetings.

3.3 Only one member of a budgetary unit may be eligible for membership or as determined by Association quorum agreement.

3.4 Membership may also be offered to a person by a majority quorum vote.

4. Meetings

4.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held in June each year.

4.2 General meetings will be held each month unless otherwise decided by the Committee.

4.3 At least seven days notice of each meeting shall be given to each member.

4.4 Any three members may request the Chairperson to call an extraordinary meeting. On receipt of such a request in writing, the Chairperson shall call a meeting within 14 days.

4.5 The Quorum at general meetings shall be ten members or two thirds of the membership, whichever is the smaller.

5. Committee. At the Annual General Meeting a Committee of five, comprising the following shall be elected from members. Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and Assistant Secretary. In addition, up to two ordinary members of the Association can be elected/coopted to the Committee as required.

The position of any Committee person absent from three consecutive meetings (either general or committee) without leave of absence, shall automatically become vacant. Acceptance of an apology shall be deemed to grant such leave.

6. Elections shall be by secret ballot, each member having one vote. Nominations in writing, signed by proposer and nominee, shall be called for at least 21 days before the Annual General Meeting and will close with the Secretary seven days before that date. Members may appoint a proxy to vote for them in their absence. Proxy nomination forms signed by the member and his proxy must be in the Secretary’s hands three days before the Annual General Meeting.

7. Voting. Each member shall be entitled to one vote, in the event of equal voting on any question, the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.

8. The Constitution may be amended by a three fifths majority at a general meeting provided that 21 days notice in writing of the proposed amendment has been given to all members. Absent members may appoint a proxy.

9. Interpretation. Any doubt arising as to the application or meaning of any clause of this Constitution shall be decided by a vote of a general meeting, whose decision shall be final.

10. Limitation of Office. In the event that there will be two or more nominated candidates for any of the positions of Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary or Assistant Secretary, no member shall be eligible for election to the Committee if he or she has served on the Committee for the preceding two years. In the event that there will be only one nominated candidate for any one of the committee positions, the candidate will be eligible for election by the members unopposed, regardless of previous duration of committee service.

11. Chairperson shall take the chair at all meetings, or in his/her absence, the Deputy Chairperson shall act. In the absence of both Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson, the meeting will elect a member to take the chair. The Chairperson will invite new appointees to membership, and will also issue invitations to observers and visitors. Correspondence of the Association shall be signed by the Secretary.

12. The Secretary shall:

12.1 Take the minutes of all meetings

12.1.1 Copies of minutes shall be circulated to members, at least 1 week before the next general meeting. Copies of minutes shall be sent to the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellors, General Manager, Assistant General Manager - Finance, Assistant General Manager (Personnel Services), Deans and Records Management.

12.2 Send due notice of meetings.

12.3 Keep a record of members’ attendance at meetings.

13. Meeting Attendance. Association Membership will be terminated if any member:

(a) does not pay their annual subscription by 31 December of the financial year to which the subscription relates; and/or

(b) attends less than 50% of meetings in one calendar year without tendering an apology to the Secretary.

In the event of either (a) or (b), the matter will be referred to the Committee. If the Committee agrees that termination of membership is warranted, ratification of this decision will be sought at the next monthly meeting, and the member advised in writing of the outcome.

14. Supply of Copies of Constitution. The Secretary shall supply a copy of this Constitution to all new members and, on reasonable request, to any existing member. A copy shall be kept in the Association’s official records.

15. Non-Profit Clause: "The assets and income of the association shall be applied solely in furtherance of its abovementioned objectives and no portion shall be distributed directly or indirectly to members of the organisation except as bona fide compensation for services rendered or expenses incurred on behalf of the organisation."

16. Dissolution: "In the event of the Association being dissolved, the amount which remains after such dissolution and the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall be paid by the Committee in accordance with their powers to an organisation, authority, institution or fund which is both exempt from income tax under Section 23 of the income Tax Assessment Act and non-profit organisation".