UCD Mountaineering Club

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN MOUNTAINEERING CLUB CONSTITUTION

Section 1. Designation, Function and Government
1. The club shall be known as the University College Dublin Mountaineering Club, hereinafter
referred to as U.C.D.M.C. or the club.
2. (a) The object of the club shall be to encourage students, graduates and staff of U.C.D to
participate in mountaineering activities and to organise mountaineering activities.
(b) Mountaineering activities shall be deemed to consist of hill-walking, rockclimbing, scrambling
and snow and ice climbing. The government of the club shall be entrusted to a committee.

Section 2. Membership
1. (a) Members shall consist of all those whose names are on the club register.
(b) The club register shall consist of the names of all honorary members, fully paid up members
and associate members.
2. (a) Membership shall be restricted to students, graduates and staff of U.C.D.
(b) Members shall pay an annual subscription which shall be regulated by the committee.
(c) Membership subscription must be paid during the period beginning with the commencement of
the Michaelmas term and ending 5 days before the A.G.M.
3. Persons who are not students, graduates or staff of U.C.D shall be eligible for Associate
Membership on the recommendation of the committee, notwithstanding any provision to the
contrary contained in this here constitution.
4. (a) Honorary Membership of the club may be conferred by the committee for such a period as
they think fit upon persons who in their opinion have rendered distinguished service to the club,
notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this here constitution. The names of
such persons shall be announced at the A.G.M.
(b) All captains of U.C.D.M.C. who have completed 1 year of office are deemed to be honorary
members of the club for life and are entitled to vote, nominate candidates for election and to all
other rights of ordinary members.
5. (a) Associate members shall not be entitled to vote; or hold any position on the committee; or
nominate any person for the committee, notwithstanding etc.
(b) Honorary members who are entitled to membership as defined in Section 2, paragraph 2(a)
shall be entitled to vote, nominate candidates for election and to all other rights of ordinary
members. Other honorary members shall not be entitled to vote, or hold any position on the
committee, or nominate any person for the committee, notwithstanding etc.
6. Membership in any year shall end at the beginning of the Michaelmas term.

Section 3. THE COMMITTEE.
1. (a) The Committee shall consist of; Captain; Meets Secretary; Treasurer; Correspondence
Secretary; Assistant Meets Secretary; Climbing & Equipment Officer, Development Officer and
the co-opted members.
(b) All Committee members must be members of the club.
2. (a) The Committee except for the co-opted members shall be elected at the A.G.M.
(b) At least one Committee member shall be co-opted by the Committee before the beginning of
the Hilary term. One further Committee member may be co-opted by the Committee at its
discretion before the end of the Hilary term.
3. (a) The elected Committee shall take up office on the first of the month following that in which
the A.G.M. is held and shall continue in office until the new Committee takes office.
(b) The term of office of the co-opted members shall commence upon co-option and continue until
the new Committee takes office.
4. The names of the elected Committee members shall be automatically entered on the club register
at the commencement of the Michaelmas term following their election.
5. The Committee shall have the power to:
(a) fix the amount of annual subscription, in accordance with the rules of the Athletic Union
Council of U.C.D;
(b) regulate any matter whatsoever concerning the club and its members in their capacity as
members;
(c) call General Meetings of the club;
(d) form sub-committees and define their terms of reference;
(e) nominate a Graduate Liaison Officer for the following year at the A.G.M.

Section 4. ELECTIONS.
1. The Committee with the exception of the co-opted member shall be elected at the A.G.M.
2. All members with the exception of associate members and honorary members who are not
eligible for membership as defined in Section 2, paragraph 2(a),shall be entitled to vote in all
elections.
3. (a) Candidates for the elected committee must be proposed and seconded, and nomination papers
signed by the proposer and seconder must be lodged with the Correspondence Secretary not later
than eight days before the A.G.M.
(b) In the event of no valid written nomination being received for any office on the Committee,
candidates for such office may be proposed and seconded at the A.G.M.
(c) No candidate may be proposed or seconded at the A.G.M. for any position on the Committee if
a valid written nomination, as set out in the constitution, for such position has been received by the
Correspondence Secretary.
4. (a) At least fifteen days before the A.G.M. the Correspondence Secretary shall post notice of the
date of the A.G.M. and invite nominations for the various positions on the Committee.
(b) At least five days before the A.G.M. the Correspondence Secretary shall publish a list of valid
nominations for the various positions on the committee. Such a list shall be previously ratified by
the committee and signed by the Correspondence Secretary.
5. At the A.G.M. the Correspondence Secretary shall read aloud the list of valid nominations for
the various positions on the Committee, together with the proposers and the seconders of each
candidate.
6. At the A.G.M. the elections for the various Committee positions shall be in the following order:
(i) Captain;
(ii) Meets Secretary;
(iii) Treasurer;
(iv) Climbing & Equipment Officer;
(v) Correspondence Secretary;
(vi) Assistant Meets Secretary;
(vii) Development Officer.
7. (a) All elections shall be by secret ballot.
(b) Each ballot shall be authenticated by the signature of the Returning Officer prior to being
issued.
(c) The R.O. shall be appointed by the Committee, and such R.O. shall have the power to appoint
two assistants.
8. Ballot papers may be issued only by the R.O. and shall not be issued to any person whose name
is not on the Club Register.
9. Whenever there shall be an equal number of votes cast in favour of two or more candidates for
office on the committee the election shall be decided by the casting vote of the Captain.

Section 5. ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICE.
1. Any student of U.C.D., or any person in his/her first year after leaving U.C.D shall be eligible
for election to the Committee.
2. No person may hold more than one position on the Committee.
3. Only persons who have previously been elected to the Committee shall be eligible for
nomination as Captain, unless no such candidates are nominated.
4. No person shall hold office as Captain or Meets Secretary while serving as a committee member
of another College club.

Section 6. DISMISSALS AND RESIGNATIONS.
1. Any Committee member may be dismissed from his/her position on the committee, on the
recommendation of the Captain, or by majority of the Committee, at an Extraordinary General
Meeting by a majority of two-thirds of the members present and voting, provided always that no
proposition to remove a Committee member shall be considered by such a meeting without
allowing him/her a reasonable opportunity to show cause that he/she should not be removed.
2. (a) In the event of the death, resignation or dismissal of any member of the elected Committee
the vacancy shall be filled by an election.
(b) In the event of the death, resignation or dismissal of a co-opted member of the Committee, the
vacancy shall be filled by another co-option within a month of the vacancy arising.
3. (a) The term of office of any Committee member elected to fill a vacancy shall commence upon
his/her election, and shall continue until the new Committee takes office, notwithstanding etc.
(b) The term of office of any Committee member co-opted to fill a vacancy shall commence upon
his/her co-option and shall continue until the new Committee takes office, notwithstanding etc.

Section 7. COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
1. The Captain shall take the chair at all Committee meetings of the club; in his/her absence the
chair shall be taken by another Committee member delegated by the Captain.
2. (a) A quorum for a Committee meeting shall be four members:
(i) The Captain, or other committee member delegated by him.
(ii) The Meets Secretary.
(iii) The Correspondence Secretary.
(iv) Another Committee member.
(b) The Meets Secretary, and/or Correspondence Secretary and/or Treasurer may delegate any
other Committee member to take his/her place at a Committee meeting.
3. All Committee members present shall be entitled to vote on any proposition before the meeting
and a simple majority of those present and voting shall be necessary to carry it. In the event of a tie
the chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

Section 8. GENERAL MEETINGS.
1. The club shall hold its A.G.M. before the last day in May in each year on a date to be fixed by
the Committee.
2. The Committee shall call at least one General Meeting in each term.
3. The Committee shall give at least seven days notice of General Meeting by means of notices
posted in College which shall specify the date, time and venue of the Meeting.
4. Twenty members entitled to vote shall be necessary and sufficient to form a quorum at a General
Meeting.
5. (a) At all General Meetings the chair shall be taken by the Captain or his nominee unless he is
absent in which case the Correspondence Secretary in the first place, or the Meets Secretary shall
take the chair.
(b) The chairman shall be responsible for the preservation of order in the discussion and the
decision of points of order and procedure arising therein.
6. A simple majority of members present and voting shall be necessary and sufficient to carry any
proposition properly before the meeting. In the event of the number of votes for and against a
proposition being equal, the chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
7. (a) A proposition shall be deemed to be properly before the meeting when it has been proposed
and seconded in writing by any two members present.
(b) Any proposition properly before the meeting shall be open to debate by the members present.

Section 9 FUNCTIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE.
1. In the absence of at least three Committee members the captain shall have authority to take any
decisions on the behalf of the club, and such decisions shall be binding except in so far as they may
conflict with any decisions of the Committee at a valid Committee meeting.
2. The Meets Secretary shall be responsible for:
(i) All official club meets.
(ii) The posting of notices concerning club meets.
(ii) The arrangement of transport and the booking of accommodation for meets, when necessary.
(iii) The writing of reports of meets in the club logbook.
3. The Climbing & Equipment Officer shall:
(i) Be responsible for the storage, upkeep and development of the club equipment pool. The club
equipment pool consists of all club mountaineering equipment and the club library.
(ii) Be responsible for the distribution and recovery of the club equipment pool. The club
equipment pool is lent at the discretion of the Climbing & Equipment Officer.
(iii) Ensure that the club equipment pool is used only for mountaineering activities.
(iv) Be responsible for all official club climbing meets, and the posting of notices concerning these.
(v) Facilitate the provision of club equipment for all official club climbing meets.
(vi) Report to the club at all general meetings and make available to members a complete listing of
the club equipment pool on demand.
4. (i) The Treasurer shall be solely responsible for all club funds.
(ii) The Treasurer shall collect all membership fees and be responsible for the register.
(iii) The Treasurer shall keep accounts and books, showing the financial affairs, receipts and
payments the club.
(iv) The Treasurer shall present to the Committee a monthly written financial statement showing
bank lodgements and payments, all subscriptions received and details of outstanding accounts.
(v) The Treasurer shall bank all club funds and shall not supply club funds to any person except
with the approval of the Captain or majority of the Committee.
(vi) If at any time club funds are found to have been used by the treasurer in contravention to this
constitution, he /she shall be liable to dismissal from office by the majority vote at a General
Meeting.
(vii) The Treasurer shall be obliged to report the financial affairs showing all receipts and payments
of the club at all general meetings.
5. The Correspondence Secretary shall be responsible for:
(i) All club correspondence;
(ii) The writing and reading of the minutes of all committee meetings and general meetings;
(iii) The posting of notices concerning club meetings and social activities, and ensuring that only
notices sanctioned by the Committee appear on the club noticeboard, and that these notices are not
altered without the sanction of the Committee;
(iv) The good upkeep and state of the club noticeboard and ensuring it is only used for the posting
of notices related to club activities;
(v) Publishing a summary of the proceedings of general meetings;
(vi) All indoor club meetings.
6. The Assistant Meets Secretary shall:
(i) Assist the Meets Secretary in performing his/her duties.
(ii) Perform the duties of the Meets Secretary in his/her absence.
7. The Development Officer shall work to ensure the development and expansion of the club in the
long-term and in particular to:
(i) Act as a liason for all new members to the club, provide relevant information in a suitable format
and be available to answer queries from new members regarding particpation in Club activities.
(ii) Act as a liason for members under the age of eighteen and in particular
- to obtain written evidence, in a discreet manner of their choosing, from the parent or guardian of a
member who is under the age of eighteen, giving permission for that member to participate in Club
activities
- to act as a highly approachable point of first contact for members under the age of eighteen with
queries or difficulties relating to club activities.
(iii) Identify short, medium and long term training goals for the club, develop plans to attain these
goals, implement the plans in a timely and organised manner using both club and external resources
and advertise all training opportunities within the club.
(iv) Request funding from The Conor O'Keeffe Training Fund as required.

Section 10 CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE AND AMENDMENT.
1. This Constitution may only be changed or amended at a general meeting of the club.
2 (a) Proposals for the change or amendment of the Constitution must be proposed and seconded,
and proposition papers signed by the proposer and seconder must be lodged with the
Correspondence Secretary not later than eight days before the general meeting.
(b) At least five days before the general meeting the Correspondence Secretary shall publish a list
of valid proposals for Constitutional change or amendment.
3. A two-thirds majority of the members present and voting shall be necessary and sufficient to
carry out the proposed Constitutional change or amendment.
Section 11: The Conor O'Keeffe Training Fund
1. The Club will maintain the Conor O'Keeffe Training Fund, hereafter referred to as the 'Fund'
2. The Fund shall consist of a contribution from the O'Keeffe family and a similar contribution
from the Club account.
3. The Fund will be collected in a separate bank account entitled 'The Conor O'Keeffe Training
Fund account' hereafter referred to as the 'Account'. Contributions to the Account shall be by direct
debit from the Club account and an account of the O'Keeffe's choice every October (after the start
of the college term). The signatories on the account are to be the same signatories of the club
account in each year.
4. The Fund is to be used for the provision of professional mountaineering training for members of
the club. Beneficiaries of the training should have demonstrated a commitment to the Club and be
prepared to pass on skills and knowledge gained to the rest of the club. To encourage the desired
attitude to the training received beneficiaries should make a contribution to the total cost of the
training.
5. A summary of Fund usage and distribution should be prepared each year by the Captain and
presented at the Annual General Meeting. A copy should also be forwarded to the O'Keeffe
family.
6. Administration of the Fund is the responsibility of the Captain. It his/her responsibility to ensure
the correct distribution of the Fund in accordance with the wishes of the O'Keeffe family.

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