[Formally approved on 21 January 2022 at CUBS Annual General Meeting]
Executive Committee 2023
(tbd)
See the past Executive Committees here.
1. NAME:
The name of the Society shall be “Cambridge University Brazilian Society” hereafter referred to as “the Society”.
2. OBJECTS:
The Society’s aims shall be:
- To bring and promote Brazilian culture, identity and perspectives at the University of Cambridge and in the city of Cambridge;
- To promote academic, social, cultural, and political initiatives always in agreement with the University’s mission and core values;
- To promote initiatives (e.g. talks, debates, seminars, etc.) related to Brazil that contribute to democratising spaces CUBS’s members access at the University of Cambridge so that they are accessible and open to contributions and collaborations from Brazilian scholars abroad and interested social groups and movements.
- To develop partnerships with Brazilian and British institutions;
- To welcome Brazilian newcomers to Cambridge by providing a space for students to flourish academically, socially, politically and culturally.
3. MEMBERSHIP:
- CUBS Membership shall be open to people linked with the University of Cambridge only (currently enrolled or former students of the University of Cambridge, and staff):
(2) There shall be two CUBS Membership options: annual or life. There shall be small fees for the annual and life membership that should be determined by the Executive Committee annually – fee charging is a requirement for the eligibility of societies for some funding applications at the University;
(3) The Committee shall not refuse an application for CUBS Membership on the grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or political views;
(4) The Executive Committee may expel any member whose conduct seems likely to bring the Society into disrepute. Such expulsion shall be undertaken following Section 8 and is subject to confirmation at the next General Meeting of the Society. Any person expelled shall have the right of appeal to the Senior Treasurer.
Note: Other people interested in the Cambridge University Brazilian Society can be part of the “CUBS Community“, which means being registered on the CUBS mailing list and being able to participate in ALL the initiatives developed by the society.
4. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
(1) The day-to-day management of the Society’s affairs shall be in the hands of the Executive Committee, which shall typically be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM);
(2) The Executive Committee shall consist at least of a President/Chair, Vice-President, Secretary, and Junior Treasurer, who the members shall elect as is described in 4(1). In addition, there shall be a Senior Treasurer, who shall be a member of the Regent House, or other person approved by the Junior Proctor. The Senior Treasurer shall be appointed by the elected members of the Executive Committee and shall be ex officio a member of the Executive Committee.
Additional positions are Social and Cultural Events Officer, responsible for leading the planning and organisation of CUBS social and cultural events with the collaboration of other members; Academic Events Officer, responsible for leading the planning and organisation of CUBS academic events with the collaboration of other members (ex.: the X Oxbridge on Brazilian Studies); Communication and Social Media Officer responsible for managing of CUBS communication channels (website and contact email) and CUBS social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube); Political and Community Engagement Officer responsible for developing a political articulation agenda with external actors (e.g. Brazilian societies of other universities in the UK, academic institutions in Brazil, Cambridge research groups, among others). These additional roles may be carried out by more than one person of the Executive Committee, as long as a first officer with primary responsibility for the role is defined.
All executive committee members must be currently enrolled at the University of Cambridge.
(3) A majority of the elected members of the Executive Committee shall be full-time undergraduate or postgraduate students of the University;
(4) The Executive Committee may, at its discretion, co-opt additional Committee members to itself where it perceives the need to fill vacancies that may arise. There is no hierarchy implied by the title, the President’s distinctive role will only be to represent the Society if required. The only authoritative figure in the society will be the body of members that gathers every time there is a General Meeting (GM). The quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be three members and a written record of each meeting shall be kept.
(5) The Executive Committee shall organise activities for the members following the aims set out in 2 above.
(6) The members of the Executive Committee may run to be re-elected but only for a different position than the one(s) they have had. No member of the society shall be part of the Executive Committee for more than 3 years.
5. GENERAL MEETINGS:
(1) The Society will hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) during each academic year. Ideally, the AGM should be held in January of each year, marking the election and the transition to the new committee. Also, all members shall be entitled to attend and vote at any General Meeting.
(3) Every motion at a General Meeting shall be proposed and seconded by two members. Voting shall be by secret ballot, and if there are more than two candidates for a post or more than two options on a motion, voting shall be by Single Transferable Vote.
(4) An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be held at any time during Full Term. It shall be held in Cambridge and may be called by the Executive Committee or at the written request of at least ten members enrolled at the University of Cambridge. The current executive committee shall give members twenty-one days of written notice before an EGM. An EGM shall have the same powers as an AGM;
(5) The President (or in their absence the Vice-President) shall take the Chair at any General Meeting. In the absence of the President and Vice-President, the meeting shall elect a Chairperson for that meeting. The quorum for a General Meeting shall be five members, and a written record of every General Meeting shall be kept.
6. FINANCIAL MATTERS:
(1) The Society shall maintain a banking account with a suitable Bank or Building Society to hold the Society’s funds;
(2) It shall be the responsibility of the Junior Treasurer to ensure that the money received is adequately accounted for and that the Society’s financial records are kept in good order. In particular, the Junior Treasurer shall ensure continuity of Cambridge resident signatories for any bank accounts held by the Society;
(3) The Senior Treasurer shall make arrangements for the Society’s Accounts to be properly audited, either by themselves or by some other person approved under University Ordinances;
(4) The Senior Treasurer shall not be liable for any financial debt or other obligation of the Society unless they have personally authorised such a debt in writing;
(5) For so long as the Society shall be registered with the Junior Proctor, it shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to ensure that the Society complies with the requirements for Registration as a University Society.
7. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION:
The Constitution may be amended at a General Meeting, with at least two-thirds of those present approval. No amendment to this Constitution intended to remove the position of Senior Treasurer, to alter its prerogatives and duties, or to change the criteria and procedure for the appointment of a Senior Treasurer can be put to the vote without the prior written agreement of the Junior Proctor of the University of Cambridge.
8. DISCIPLINARY PROCESSES:
The Society’s only disciplinary sanctions are to expel or to suspend a member whose actions are felt to be such as to bring the Society into disrepute, or to adversely affect the smooth running of the Society in a major way. Such expulsion or suspension can only be effected by a majority vote of all Executive Committee members, excluding the Senior Treasurer. In the event of an expulsion, the excluded member is required to return all equipment, documents and finances belonging to the Society within 7 days. They will not be entitled to any full or partial refund of annual subscriptions;
If the excluded or suspended member wishes to appeal the decision, that appeal should be made to the Senior Treasurer, who will consider all the facts, and whose decision will be final. An appeal as to the process of exclusion, but not a further investigation into the facts, may be lodged with the Junior Proctor.
9. DISSOLUTION:
(1) The Society may be dissolved at a General Meeting provided that at least Twenty-one days written notice of the intention to dissolve the Society has been given to the members. At least two-thirds of those present and voting at the General Meeting must vote in favour of the motion for Dissolution for it to be effective;
(2) Any motion for Dissolution of the Society shall provide that assets remaining after all liabilities have been met shall be transferred either to another Registered University Society, or the Societies’ Syndicate.