Constitution

1. The union shall be called Catholic University School Union. The aims of the union shall be

(a) To stimulate friendship and co-operation among past pupils,

(b) To strengthen and continue the good relations between the School and the union and to offer the services of the Past Pupils to assist the School in any way appropriate, and

(c) To promote the aims of the Society of Mary

2. Membership of the Union shall be confined to:

a) Past pupils of Catholic University School who have reached their seventeenth birthday and have paid the annual subscription, and

b) The Principal for the time being of Catholic University School or his nominee

3. The Committee shall have power to decide the categories of membership to which a particular subscription shall apply and to vary the subscriptions as required.

4. The official Union year shall commence on the first day of September in each year. All subscriptions shall be payable as of September 1st in each year and members whose subscriptions are in arrears for a period of 12 months after same became due may have their names erased from the list of members at the discretion of the Committee.

5. The Officers of the Union shall comprise the President, Vice-President, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Membership Secretary.

6. The business of the Union shall be conducted by a Committee consisting of:

a) The current fiveOfficers.

b) Not less than three ordinary members.

c) Two students who have just completed their time at the school. These two students will be co-opted by the Committee for one year at the first committee meeting following the Annual General Meeting, and

d) On issues where a vote is required each Committee member will have one vote, with the President (or Chairman for that meeting if the President is absent) having the casting vote; all votes are required to be carried by a simple majority. Clause 14 below will be an exception to this voting arrangement.

7. Four members of the Committee shall form a quorum one of whom must be an Officer.

8. The Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Committee as often as occasion shall require provided however that the Committee shall meet on at least four occasions in each year.

9. If there is a vacancy on the Committee the Committee shall have the power to co-opt a member to fill this vacancy for the remainder of that Union year.

10. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in November of each year on such date and at such time and place as may be decided by the Committee. The Secretary shall give at least 12 days notice of any General Meeting to all members. Members must be given at least 14 days prior notice of any proposal to change either the Constitution or any rules that have been adopted. The required quorum for an AGM/EGM will be at least six members.

11. The President and Vice-President shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office for not less than one year and not more than two years. Members desiring to suggest a candidate for the Vice Presidency are to send nominations to the Committee 14 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

12. The Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer, the Honorary Membership Secretary and the ordinary members of the committee shall be elected by the members of the Union voting in person at the Annual General Meeting.

13. The Officers and Committee shall at each Annual General meeting present a Report and Statement of Account of the Union’s finances for the last financial year.

14. If any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee, be guilty of conduct, discreditable to the Union, the Committee (excluding the President), after giving such member an opportunity of being heard, may at a meeting of the Committee specially convened for that purpose, by a two thirds majority of those present and voting, remove him from membership of the Union. Such a removed member may appeal this decision of the Committee to a panel comprised of the President and three Past Presidents.

15. The Committee shall have power to expend the funds of the Union for any purpose which they may deem beneficial to the Union.

16. The Committee shall have power to make Rules on any subject not dealt with in this Constitution; all such rules must be ratified at a General Meeting of the Union.

17. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by a requisition of any one of the following:

(a) The President of the Union.

(b) A majority of the Committee of the Union, and/or

(c) Twenty ordinary members of the Union.The Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held within 30 days of receipt of the requisition to hold the meeting. The notice convening the meeting shall specify the business which is to be laid before the meeting and no other business shall be transacted.

18. In the absence of the President or Vice-President at any General Meeting or ordinary Meeting of the Committee the members present shall elect their own Chairman, and the Chairman at any meeting shall have, if necessary, a casting vote.

19. A change of rules will require a 2/3 majority of those present and voting.

20. The Committee shall if required assist the Trustees of the Sarsfield Hogan Scholarship Fund and the Ronnie Delany Sports Scholarship as appropriate from time to time.

21. At the first meeting of the newly elected Committee, which shall take place as soon as possible after the Annual General Meeting, the programme for the year shall be drawn up.

22. In the event of the Union being disbanded for any reason, any remaining funds of the Union shall be forwarded to the Principals of the Junior and Senior School for the use at their discretion for the benefit of the Catholic University School Senior and Junior sections.