Constitution

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

(English Version Based on the Constitution Amended on 19 January, 2013)
(Any argumentative interpretation of this Constitution shall be referred to its Chinese version)

I. GENERAL

1. Name
The Society is named “The Chinese University of Hong Kong Journalism and Communication Alumni Association (香港中文大學新聞與傳播學院校友會)”, abbreviated as CUHK-JCAA (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”).
2. Objectives
The objectives for which the Association is established are:
a. To maintain liaison among its members;
b. To advance the development of journalism and communication;
c. To promote professionalism in journalism and communication.

3. Registered Office
The registered office of the Association is:
School of Journalism and Communication
The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin, N.T.

II. MEMBERS

4. General Members
a. Qualifications:
All who have completed the undergraduate major programme (including major and double-major Bachelor’s degree and double-Bachelor’s degree) or the postgraduate programmes of the School of Journalism and Communication, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (named the Department of Journalism before 1974, and the Department of Journalism and Communication between 1974 and 1999; hereinafter referred to as “the School”) shall automatically become general members of the Association.
b. Duties:
i. To abide by the Constitution;
ii. To help carry out the work of the Association.
c. Rights:
i. To initiate, to vote, to elect, to be elected and to dismiss office-holders;
ii. To participate in activities organized by the Association and to share the benefits provided by the Association.

5. Student Members

a. Qualifications:
All students of the School’s undergraduate major programme (including major and double-major Bachelor’s degree and double-Bachelor’s degree) or postgraduate programmes shall automatically become student members of the Association.
b. Duties:
i. To abide by the Constitution;
ii. To help carry out the work of the Association.
c. Rights:
All student members of the Association are entitled to the rights to participate in activities organized by the Association and the benefits provided by the Association.
Student members do not have the rights to initiate, to vote, to elect, to be elected or to dismiss office-holders.

6. Honorary Members

a. Qualifications:
i. Current and former staff of the School may become honorary members of the Association with the approval of the Executive Committee.
ii. Persons who have contributions to journalism or communication in Hong Kong or to the Association may become honorary members of the Association with the approval of the Executive Committee.
b. Duties:
i. To abide by the Constitution;
ii. To assist in promoting the activities of the Association.
c. Rights:
All honorary members of the Association are entitled to the rights to participate in activities organized by the Association. Honorary members do not have the rights to initiate, to vote, to elect, to be elected or to dismiss office-holders.

7. Associate Members
a. Qualifications:
Persons who are currently engaging in the work of journalism or communication in Hong Kong may become associate members of the Association with the approval of the Executive Committee.
b. Duties:
i. To abide by the Constitution;
ii. To assist in promoting the activities of the Association.
c. Rights:
All associate members of the Association are entitled to the rights to participate in activities organized by the Association. Associate members do not have the rights to initiate, to vote, to elect, to be elected or to dismiss office-holders.

8. Members’ List and Personal Information
The School keeps the members’ list and members’ personal information.

III. GENERAL MEETING AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

9. Authority
The General Meeting is the highest authority of the Association, which delegates its power to the Executive Committee to manage the Association’s day-to-day business.

10. Functions
a. To review and pass the report of the Executive Committee;
b. To elect new Chairperson and Vice-chairpersons of the Executive Committee;
c. To amend the Constitution when it is necessary.

11. Proceedings
a. The General Meeting, which shall be called for and presided over by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee, shall be held not less than once every five years.
b. The agenda must be served at least 14 days before the meeting by post, or by email, digital or any other means addressed to the registered address of such member as appearing in the Register of the Association.
c. The quorum for all general meetings shall not be less than forty General Members.

12. Voting Method
All items shall be passed by simple majority except for the amendment of the Constitution. One of the following ways can be used:
a. Voice vote;
b. Vote by show of hands;
c. Vote by secret ballots.

13. Special General Meeting
The Chairperson of the Executive Committee shall call for a Special General Meeting within three weeks, upon a joint request by at least forty General Members or by a resolution of the Executive Committee. The agenda must be served at least 14 days before the meeting by post, or by email, digital or any other means addressed to the registered address of such member as appearing in the Register of the Association.

IV. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

14. Election
The Executive Committee shall be elected every five years by the General Meeting convened by the Chairperson. The election date shall be determined by the Executive Committee. All candidates for the position of Chairperson or Vice-chairperson must be ordinarily resident in Hong Kong. Ordinary residence in Hong Kong is defined as residing in Hong Kong for more than 183 days in a year. The Chairperson and Vice-chairpersons, can be re-elected for once at most upon expiry of their office. When the offices of the Chairperson and Vice-chairpersons are vacated simultaneously, a Special General Meeting shall be called for to elect new office holders.

15. Organization
The Executive Committee shall comprise:
a. the Chairperson;
b. the Vice-chairperson (Internal Affairs);
c. the Vice-chairperson (External Affairs);
d. the Secretary;
e. the Treasurer;
f. Liaison Officers.
The above Executive Committee members shall be general members of the Association.
The office period starts from January 1 of the year after the officials are elected and ends on December 31 of the fifth year. The total number of Executive Committee members shall not exceed 30. All Committee members are volunteers and shall not receive any reward for taking up the offices or participating in the activities of the Association.

16. Authority of the Executive Committee Members
a. Chairperson
The Chairperson is the highest authority of the executive affairs of the Association, who shall preside over all Executive Committee meetings and externally represent the Association.
b. Vice-chairperson (Internal Affairs)
She or he shall assist the Chairperson and shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee during the absence of the Chairperson.
c. Vice-chairperson (External Affairs) She or he shall assist the Chairperson in handling external affairs and shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee during the absence of the Chairperson
and Vice-chairperson (Internal Affairs).
d. Secretary
Appointed after discussion by the Chairperson and the Vice-chairpersons, the Secretary shall look after the documents of the Association and the minutes of committee meetings.
e. Treasurer
Appointed after discussion by the Chairperson and the Vice-chairpersons, the Treasurer shall control the finance of the Association and prepare accounts for annual inspection by the Executive Committee.
f. Liaison Officers
The Liaison Officers shall be recommended by the School and approved by the Chairperson and Vice-chairpersons. The graduates of the undergraduate programme shall have one liaison officer every few years since 1967. The graduates of postgraduate programmes shall have one or more representatives. They shall liaise with members to promote activities of the Association.

17. Committee Meetings
a. The Executive Committee shall hold not fewer than one meeting a year.
b. The quorum for Committee Meetings shall not be less than one-third of the Committee members.
c. The Executive Committee Meetings shall be held in Hong Kong.

18. Dismissal
Other than the Chairperson and two Vice-chairpersons, Executive Committee members listed in sections (d) to (f) of Article 16 shall be dismissed by simple majority vote of the Executive Committee. The Chairperson or the two Vice-chairpersons shall be dismissed by simple majority vote of the General Meeting or the Special General Meeting of the Association.

19. Regional Coordinators (Outside Hong Kong)
a. Since many alumni are living outside Hong Kong, the Executive Committee may appoint Regional Coordinator(s) (outside Hong Kong), whose tenure shall end with the Executive Committee making the appointment. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to dismiss Regional Coordinators (outside Hong Kong) before the end of their tenure.
b. There can be one or more Regional Coordinator(s) (outside Hong Kong) for each city outside Hong Kong, who is/are responsible for liaising, organizing and promoting activities of the Association in that city and adjacent areas.
c. Before organizing activities outside Hong Kong in the name of the Association, Regional Coordinator(s) (outside Hong Kong) shall inform the Association and seek its approval.
d. While the Executive Committee can approve funding part of the expenses of activities organized outside Hong Kong in the name of the Association, the surpluses of all these activities belong to the Association and the surplus of each activity shall be deposited into the account of the Association after the activity.

20. Executive Secretary
The Executive Secretary shall attend the Executive Committee Meetings, but does not have the right to vote. She or he shall act as a bridge between the Association and the School, and shall be nominated by the School. The Executive Secretary does not need to be a general member of the Association. She or he shall assist in looking after the documents of the Association, handling the minutes of committee meetings, dealing with the daily routines of the Association and executing the decisions of the Association.

V. FINANCE

21. Financial Year
The financial year of the Association commences on 1 January and ends on 31 December of that year.

VI. OTHER MATTERS

22. Membership Fee
Members are not required to pay membership fee.

23. Expulsion of Members
A member shall be liable to permanent or temporary expulsion by a resolution of the Executive Committee, which is agreed by the General Meeting or Special General Meeting if he or she:
a. willfully refuses to comply with the Constitution of the Association; or
b. intentionally uses the name of the Association without permission for any conduct leading to any injury to the Association.

24. Amendments
The Constitution shall be amended only with the approval of at least two-thirds of the General Members at the General Meeting.

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Constitution