OLD VERULAMIAN ASSOCIATION - CONSTITUTION ( revised October 2000 )

NAME The name shall be "The Old Verulamian Association", hereinafter referred to as "The Association".

OBJECTS

• To promote social contacts between Old Boys of Verulam School St Albans, hereinafter referred to as "The School".
• To promote an Annual Reunion of Old Boys which shall be entirely separate from the Annual General Meeting.
• To establish a source of help for members in need.
• To promote contacts between Old Boys and present members of The School.
• To assist The School from time-to-time with projects approved by the Head Teacher and by the OVA Committee.

MEMBERSHIP The Association shall consist of:

• President
• Vice President(s)
• Full members
• Any other membership which shall be decided from time-to-time by full members voting in person or by post at a properly convened General Meeting.

Full membership shall be open to past pupils of The School. Boys of Verulam School over 16 years of age, upon conclusion of their full time education at The School, ( i.e. leaving The School ) shall be entitled in the ensuing year to apply for 5-year membership plus an OVA Necktie for a single payment of twice the current annual subscription. Full membership will also be available to present & former members of The School staff.

Suspension of membership The Management Committee is empowered to suspend membership immediately of any member whose conduct is considered to be prejudicial to the Association. In such an event, the Secretary will be instructed to write to the offending member, informing him that he has been suspended, and quoting the Committee’s reasons for taking this step.

Unless the member advises the secretary otherwise at least 30 days before the date of the next General Meeting; the suspension will be the subject of a resolution, at the next General Meeting, to ratify the exclusion of the member or to restore normal facilities. The member will be informed that he has the right to be present and address the meeting, or to be represented. A vote will be taken by those present and entitled to vote, to confirm or rescind the suspension. The member shall be informed of the result.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

The annual subscription for full members shall be reviewed by the Management Committee from time-to-time. In the light of such a review, the Management Committee may change the annual subscription, subject to an overall limit of £10.00 (Ten Pounds) per annum, by means of a motion submitted by the

Hon. Treasurer to a properly convened meeting of the Management Committee and approved by a majority of those present and entitled to vote. The paid-up membership shall be informed of the change in the next OVA Newsletter, and the matter shall be the subject of a report at the next Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association.

Should the Management Committee wish to increase the annual subscription to a sum exceeding £10.00 (TEN POUNDS) a resolution to that effect shall first be submitted to an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association.

• Any subscription not paid within thirty (30) days after the commencement of the Financial Year shall be considered as in arrears, and if not paid within a further thirty (30) days, membership will have lapsed.
• Life membership shall be granted at any time to any Old Boy who qualifies for full membership upon a single payment of twenty times the current annual subscription.

FINANCIAL YEAR The financial year shall end on 31st July.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held during the month of October to transact the following business:

• To receive a statement of Accounts.
• To receive a report of the Hon. Auditors.
• To receive a report and recommendations, if any, of the Management Committee.
• To elect a Management Committee comprising:
• Chairman
• Vice-Chairman
• Hon. Secretary
• Hon. Treasurer
• such other officers as may be elected at a General meeting
• To appoint Hon. Auditors.
• To consider any notices of motion which shall have been received in writing by the Hon. Secretary not later than 31st August and which shall have been specified in the notice of the meeting.
• Any other business.

The Management Committee shall arrange for the meeting to be called by giving not less than 14 days notice in writing to each member at his last known address.

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS If the Hon. Secretary is instructed by the Management Committee or receives a written requisition signed by no less than 20 full members, such requisition containing the motion or motions to be moved at the meeting concerned, he shall call a special General Meeting by giving to each member at his last known address not less than 14 days notice in writing. The notice of any such meeting shall include all motions to be moved thereat.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The duties of the Management Committee shall be to attend to the affairs of the Association. Not less than one half of the total number of Committee members shall constitute a quorum at meetings. The Committee shall meet within 30 days after the election and on not less than two further occasions in the year. The Committee shall have power to co-opt non-voting affiliates for specific purposes. Decisions of the Committee shall be effective by a simple majority vote and the Chairman shall, if necessary, have a casting vote. The Committee shall keep minutes of each meeting.

VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS Unless otherwise decided by members attending the meeting, voting shall be by a show of hands of those present plus proxy votes. The Chairman will appoint tellers as necessary. A FULL MEMBER may appoint another FULL MEMBER, attending the meeting, as his special proxy, to cast his vote IN FAVOUR or AGAINST any of the motions which are to be voted upon, if that member is unable to attend in person. In the absence of a full member being named on the proxy, the proxy holder shall be the Chairman, whom failing, whichever Officer of the Association is taking his place at the meeting.

A suitable proxy form will be provided with the notice of the General Meeting and, if used, must be signed by the FULL MEMBER and posted to the Association secretary, so as to be in his hands three clear days prior to the date of the meeting. The Committee may authorise, in the notice of meeting, the acceptance of E-mail proxy votes sent to the Association e-mail address in a suitable format if a Control Number (shown on each voting form ) is quoted.

Only FULL MEMBERS who have paid their current subscriptions will be entitled to vote and be proxy holders. A simple majority shall be effective, with the exception of amendments to the constitution (see clause 11 below). If necessary the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

QUORUM AT GENERAL MEETINGS A quorum shall be such number (whether voting in person or by postal ballot) as shall be more than twice the total number of Management Committee members.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTlTUTION Amendments to the constitution may only be made at a properly convened General Meeting of FULL MEMBERS by a majority of two- thirds of those voting (whether in person or by postal ballot).

DISSOLUTION In the event of the Association becoming defunct or the members deciding to wind up the affairs of the Association, all monies and assets after discharge of all the Association's liabilities and dues, shall be passed unconditionally to The School to be disposed of as directed by the Headmaster. One month’s notice of winding up must be given to all members by means of an advertisement in a local newspaper whose circulation covers St Albans and District. In the event of the Association becoming defunct or the members deciding to wind up the affairs of the Association, all monies and assets after discharge of all the Association's liabilities and dues, shall be passed unconditionally to The School to be disposed of as directed by the Headmaster. One month’s notice of winding up must be given to all members by means of an advertisement in a local newspaper whose circulation covers St Albans and District.