Constitution
Amended by a meeting of the club on 2nd May 2009.
1. Name
The Club shall be called Christ’s College Boat Club.
2. Membership
All member of Christ’s College are entitled to be members of the Club.
3. Objectives
The objectives of the Club are to encourage and develop rowing in Christ’s College. The Club shall aim to produce competitive crews and provide facilities and coaching to enable this.
4. Interpretation
The club shall have a President, appointed by The Administrative Committee from amongst the senior members of Christ’s College. The decision of the President shall be final in any dispute as to the provisions of this Constitution.
5. Constitutional Change
Any constitutional change shall be approved by the Steering Committee. A two-thirds majority of those present at a quorate General Meeting shall be required to change this constitution. A simple majority of those present at a quorate General Meeting shall be required to change the Standing Orders.
6. Composition
The following shall be Officers of the Club: a Captain of Boats, a Captain of Men’s Boats, a Captain of Women’s Boats, a Captain of Men’s Lower Boats, a Captain of Women’s Lower Boats, up to two Vice-Captains of Men’s Lower Boats and up to two Vice-Captain of Women’s Lower Boats (the number to be decided by a vote at the annual general meeting each year). The Captain of Boats shall either be the Captain of Men’s Boats or Captain of Women’s Boats. Additionally, the secretarial roles of the Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Officer, Social Secretary and Webmaster shall be filled; a single person may hold more than one of these roles, provided that the Secretary and Treasurer are held by different people. The role of Safety Officer shall be fulfilled by the Boathouse Manager. The Senior Officers shall be the Men’s and Women’s Captains, the Secretary and the Treasurer.
7. Meetings
The Club may hold a General Meetings in each of the Lent and Michaelmas Terms. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be in the Easter Term. The Secretary shall advertise the meeting and its agenda. Any member of the club with a proposer and seconder may call an Extra-ordinary General Meeting by writing to the secretary.
8. Elections
The Club shall hold elections at the Annual General Meeting in the Easter Term in order to elect its Officers. Elections are to be run in accordance with Standing Orders(A).
9. Tenure
The officers shall hold their posts from the Sunday of Henley Royal Regatta post their election to the Sunday of the following Royal Regatta.
10. Termination of Office
A post shall fall vacant whenever an officer resigns his/her post (either through his/her own volition or following a vote of no confidence), or ceases to be a member of the Club.
11. Resignation
An Officer shall resign by a written letter of resignation to the Captain of Boats. The Captain of Boats must address her/his letter of resignation to the Administrative Committee. A three day cooling-off period shall be then given in which the resignation may be withdrawn in writing. After this the resignation will be accepted and a bye-election called, and run in accordance with normal election procedures (Standing Orders(A)).
12. Votes of No Confidence
If there is dissatisfaction with any member of the Clubs Officers, a motion of no confidence in the whole Administrative Committee may be submitted, proposed and seconded to a General Meeting, by any three members of the electorate. A two-thirds majority of those present and eligible to vote is required to carry the motion. Voting shall be conducted by secret ballot. If the motion is carried, the whole Administrative Committee is thereupon deprived of office. The President shall appoint an impartial Returning Officer and a Bye-Election shall be called.
13. Quoracy
Half of those members eligible to vote is required for a General Meeting or Open Meeting to be quorate.
14. Committees
The Club may constitute committees for any purpose and delegate powers to the committees. There shall be the following Standing Committees:
1. The Administrative Committee
There shall be a committee consisting of the Captain of Women’s Boats, the Captain of Men’s Boats, the Captain of Women’s Lower Boats, the Captain of Men’s Lower Boats, the Vice-Captains of Women’s Lower Boats, the Vice-Captains of Men’s Lower Boats the Treasurer, the Publicity Officer, the Social Secretary, the Webmaster and the Secretary. The Committee shall hold a meeting at least three times in each term. The Secretary is responsible for producing an accurate record of the minutes and actions points from any meeting. If the voting members are equally divided on any question, that question shall be decided by a General Meeting of the Club.
2. The Steering Committee
The two respective Captains, the Secretary, the Publicity Officer, the Treasurer, the Webmaster and the Boatman of the College shall be ex-officio members of the Steering Committee.
The Steering Committee shall meet once a term in accordance with its Constitution. It shall review the Club’s financial position and its facilities, and shall make recommendations to the Club, its officers, and to the College authorities on any matter concerning the welfare and promotion of the Club. It shall have its own Constitution, that shall form the first Appendix to the Constitution of Christ’s College Boat Club.
15. Use of Equipment
Any person wishing to have private use of any of the Club’s equipment shall first obtain the consent of the Boatman and one of the Senior Officers of the Club. Every member of the Club shall observe the Rules of the Boathouse as outlined in Standing Orders (C).
16. Subscriptions
Every active member of the Club shall pay subscriptions in accordance with Standing Orders (B).
17. Finances
The finances of the current account of the Club shall be subject to approval by the Administrative Committee. They shall be administered by the Treasurer who shall present termly accounts to the Steering Committee. Cheques shall be signed by any two senior members of the club as approved by the mandate of the club bank account. The President may forbid the incurring of any proposed expenditure.