CONSTITUTION OF TSINGHUA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (SINGAPORE)
NAME
1.1 This Society shall be known as the “TSINGHUA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (SINGAPORE)”, hereinafter referred to as the “Society” or “TAAS”.
PLACE OF BUSINESS
2.1 Its place of business shall be at “21, Bukit Batok Crescent #19-73, WCEGA Tower Singapore 658065” or such other address as may subsequently be decided upon by the Committee and approved by the Registrar of Societies. The Society shall carry out its activities only in places and premises which have the prior written approval from the relevant authorities, where necessary.
OBJECTS
3.1 TAAS is a non-profit, non-political organization. Its objectives are:
a) To enhance the friendship and communication among our alumni in Singapore.
b) To establish and strengthen links with our mother school and Tsinghua alumni associations elsewhere.
c) To contribute and participate in programmes, projects or activities that may eventually benefit Tsinghua and local community in Singapore.
MEMBERSHIP/ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP QUALIFICATION AND RIGHTS
4.1 Membership or Associate Membership, as the case may be, is open to legal residents of Singapore (Singapore citizens, Singapore Permanent Residents, and holder of valid visa which entitles the long term stay of one year or longer in Singapore) who meets at least one of the following conditions:
a) Who had been admitted into and attended formal courses and programmes in Tsinghua University (including short courses and training programmes) or any of her predecessors as well as affiliated Institutions during the entire history of Tsinghua.
b) Who is a current, or was a past staff or employee of Tsinghua University.
4.2 Subject to section 4.1, an individual who holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and/or a doctoral degree conferred by Tsinghua University may be registered as a Member of TAAS (a “Member”). A Member shall have the right to vote and the right to hold office in TAAS.
4.3 Failing to satisfy section 4.2, an individual who satisfies condition(s) set out in section 4.1 may be registered as an Associate Member of TAAS (an “Associate Member”). An Associate Member shall have no right to vote and no right to hold office in TAAS.
4.4 Spouse or immediate family members of registered members and well wishers who support and contribute to TAAS for achieving its objectives can apply for and may be registered as Associate Members.
4.5 An individual (a “New Member”) as referred to in section 4.2, 4.3 or 4.4 shall become a registered Member or Associate Member of TAAS, as the case may be, upon receipt by TAAS of his/her payment of the initial annual fee.
4.6 An Associate Member may submit an application to the Committee (which shall have the meaning prescribed to it in section 8.1) for a conversion (the “Conversion”) into a Member.
4.6.1 The Conversion shall be effective from and upon approval by a majority of the Committee Members (as defined in section 8.1).
4.6.2 Any Committee Member shall have the right to propose to the Committee for termination of the Conversion, and upon approval of a majority of the Committee Members, the Conversion may be terminated. Upon termination of the Conversion, the subject individual shall resume being an Associate Member.
4.7 Membership or Associate Membership shall be suspended if annual fee is not received by TAAS during the Annual Fee Collection Period (defined in section 6.2 below). Such suspended Member or Associate Member may re-apply for the Membership or Associate Membership, as the case may be, and upon receipt by TAAS of relevant fees as required by this Constitution and satisfaction of sections 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 below, he/she/it may be granted Membership or Associate Membership. For the avoidance of doubt, Membership or Associate Membership granted after suspension shall be treated the same as it were granted for the first time. Tsinghua University, herein thereafter, is referred to both Beijing campus and Tsinchu campus.
Persons who are below 18 years of age can be accepted as Members or Associate Members with the written consent of their parent or guardian.
4.8 Only Members who are above 21 years of age shall have the right to vote and to hold office in the Society.
APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP OR ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
5.1 A person wishing to join the Society should submit his/her particulars and supporting documents if required to the Secretary on a prescribed registration form.
5.2 Membership or Associate Membership is subject to the approval of the Committee of the Society.
5.3 A copy of the Constitution shall be furnished to all approved Members and Associate Members.
ENTRANCE FEES, SUBSCRIPTIONS AND OTHER DUES
6.1 Subject to section 4.5, there shall be no entrance fee payable for any Member or Associate Member.
6.2 Save for the new Members, annual fee for each financial year will be collected from 1 April to 1 October of such year (the “Annual Fee Collection Period”).
6.3 The funds of the Society shall be derived from free-will offerings.
6.4 Any additional fund required for special purposes may only be raised from Members and/or Associate Members with the consent of the General Meeting of the Members.
SUPREME AUTHORITY AND GENERAL MEETINGS
7.1 The supreme authority of the Society is vested in a General Meeting of the Members.
7.2 An Annual General Meeting shall be held before the first day of July in each calendar year. Valid registered Members of TAAS for each financial year shall have the right to attend, vote and be nominated in the Annual General Meeting which is ascribed to such financial year in section 7.7 below. Valid registered Associate Members of TAAS for each financial year shall have the right to attend the Annual General Meeting.
7.3 At other times, an Extraordinary General Meeting must be called by the President on the request in writing of not less than 25% of the total voting membership or ten (10) voting members, whichever is the lesser, and may be called at anytime by order of the Committee. The notice in writing shall be given to the Secretary setting forth the business that is to be transacted. The Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened within two (2) months from receiving this request to convene the Extraordinary General Meeting.
7.4 If the Committee does not within two (2) months after the date of the receipt of the written request proceed to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting, the Members who requested for the Extraordinary General Meeting shall convene the Extraordinary General Meeting by giving ten (10) days' notice to voting members setting forth the business to be transacted and simultaneously posting the agenda on the Society's notice board.
7.5 At least two (2) weeks' notice shall be given of an Annual General Meeting and at least ten (10) days' notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting. Notice of meeting stating the date, time and place of meeting shall be sent by the Secretary to all voting members. The particulars of the agenda shall be posted on the Society's notice board four (4) days in advance of the meeting.
7.6 Unless otherwise stated in this Constitution, voting by proxy shall not be allowed at all General Meetings.
7.7 The following points will be considered at the Annual General Meeting:
a) The previous financial year's accounts and annual report of the Committee.
b) Where applicable, the election of office-bearers and Honorary Auditors for the following term.
Any Member who wishes to place an item on the agenda of a General Meeting may do so provided he/she gives notice to the Secretary one (1) week before the meeting is due to be held.
7.8 At least 25% of the total voting membership or thirty (30) voting members, whichever is the lesser, present at a General Meeting shall form a quorum. Proxies shall not be constituted as part of the quorum.
7.9 In the event of there being no quorum at the commencement of a General Meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned for half an hour and should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered a quorum, but they shall have no power to amend any part of the existing Constitution.
MANAGEMENT AND COMMITTEE
8.1 The administration of the Society shall be entrusted to a Committee consisting of the following to be elected at alternate Annual General Meeting:
A President
Two Vice-Presidents
A Secretary
An Assistant Secretary
A Treasurer
An Assistant Treasurer
Two Ordinary Committee Members
(Each of the above is hereinafter referred to as a “Committee Member”).
Unless with the prior approval in writing of the Registrar or an Assistant Registrar of Societies, majority of the Committee Members shall be Singapore Citizens. In addition, the President, Secretary, Treasurer and their deputies shall be Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents and Tsinghua Degree holders. Singapore citizenship or Singapore permanent residence is not required for the two Ordinary Committee Members. The President should have his/her first degree from Tsinghua University. Foreign Diplomats shall not serve as Committee Members.
The President of TAAS may appoint and terminate the appointment of an Honorary President of TAAS, with approval of a majority of the Committee Members. The term of office of the Honorary President shall end when the term of office of the Committee, which approves his/her appointment, ends. The Committee shall have the right to regulate the rights and obligations of the Honorary President.
8.2 Names for the above offices shall be proposed and seconded at the Annual General Meeting and election will follow on a simple majority vote of the Members. All office-bearers, except the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer may be re-elected to the same or related post for a consecutive term of office. The term of office of the Committee is two (2) years.
8.3 Election will be either by show of hands or, subject to the agreement of the majority of the voting members present, by a secret ballot. In the event of a tie, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote.
8.4 A Committee Meeting shall be held at least once every four (4) months after giving seven (7) days' notice to Committee Members. The President may call a Committee Meeting at any time by giving five (5) days' notice. At least majority of the Committee Members must be present for its proceedings to be valid.
8.5 Any member of the Committee absenting himself from three (3) meetings consecutively without satisfactory explanations shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Committee (the “Withdrawal”). A Committee Member may at any time give to the Committee a one-month written notice of his intention to terminate his/her service on the Committee (the “Termination”). In the event of the Withdrawal or Termination of a Committee Member or circumstances otherwise make service on the Committee of such Committee Member unreasonably difficult as may be determined by the majority of the rest of the Committee Members, a successor may be co-opted by the Committee to serve as the same until the next Annual General Meeting. Any changes in the Committee shall be notified to the Registrar of Societies within two (2) weeks of the change.
8.6 The duty of the Committee is to organise and supervise the daily activities of the Society. The Committee may not act contrary to the expressed wishes of the General Meeting without prior reference to it and shall always remain subordinate to the General Meetings.
8.7 The Committee has power to authorise the expenditure of a sum not exceeding $1000 (or total available fund whichever is lesser) per month from the Society's funds for the Society's purposes.
DUTIES OF OFFICE-BEARERS
9.1 The President shall chair all General and Committee meetings. He/She shall also represent the Society in its dealings with outside persons.
9.2 The Vice-President shall assist the President and deputise for him/her in his/her absence.
9.3 The Secretary shall keep all records, except financial, of the Society and shall be responsible for their correctness. He/She will keep minutes of all General and Committee meetings. He/She shall maintain an up-to-date Register of Members at all times.
9.4 The Assistant Secretary shall assist the Secretary and deputise for him/her in his/her absence.
9.5 The Treasurer shall keep all funds and collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of the Society and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. He/She is authorised to expend up to $100 (or total available fund whichever is lesser) per month for petty expenses on behalf of the Society. He/She will not keep more than $100 in the form of cash and money in excess of this will be deposited in a bank to be named by the Committee. Cheques, etc. for withdrawals from the bank will be signed by the Treasurer and either the President or the Vice-President or the Secretary.
9.6 The Assistant Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer and deputise for him/her in his/her absence.
AUDIT AND FINANCIAL YEAR
10.1 Two (2) voting members, not being members of the Committee, shall be elected as Honorary Auditors at Annual General Meeting and will hold office for a term of two (2) years only and shall not be re-elected for a consecutive term. The accounts of the Society shall be audited by a firm of Certified Public Accountants if the gross income or expenditure of the society exceeds $500,000 in that financial year, in accordance with section 4 of the Societies Regulations.
10.2 They:
a) Will be required to audit each year's accounts and present a report upon them to the Annual General Meeting.
b) May be required by the President to audit the Society's accounts for any period within their tenure of office at any date and make a report to the Committee.
10.3 The financial year shall be from 1st April to 31st March.
TRUSTEES
11.1 If the Society at any time acquires any immovable property, such property shall be vested in trustees subject to a declaration of trust.
11.2 The trustees of the Society shall:
a) Not be more than four (4) and not less than two (2) in number.
b) Be elected by a General Meeting of Members.
c) Not effect any sale or mortgage of property without the prior approval of the General Meeting of Members.
11.3 The office of the trustee shall be vacated:
a) If the trustee dies or becomes a lunatic or of unsound mind.
b) If he/she is absent from the Republic of Singapore for a period of more than one (1) year.
c) If he/she is guilty of misconduct of such a kind as to render it undesirable that he/she continues as a trustee.
d) If he/she submits notice of resignation from his/her trusteeship.
11.4 Notice of any proposal to remove a trustee from his/her trusteeship or to appoint a new trustee to fill a vacancy must be given by posting it on the notice board in the Society's premises at least two (2) weeks before the General Meeting at which the proposal is to be discussed. The result of such General Meeting shall then be notified to the Registrar of Societies.
11.5 The address of each immovable property, name of each trustee and any subsequent change must be notified to the Registrar of Societies.
VISITORS AND GUESTS
12.1 Visitors and guests may be admitted into the premises of the Society but they shall not be admitted to the privileges of the Society. All visitors and guests shall abide by the Society’s rules and regulations.
PROHIBITIONS
13.1 Gambling of any kind, excluding the promotion or conduct of a private lottery which has been permitted under the Private Lotteries Act Cap 250, is forbidden on the Society's premises. The introduction of materials for gambling or drug taking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.
13.2 The funds of the Society shall not be used to pay the fines of any Member or Associate Member who has been convicted in court of law.
13.3 The Society shall not engage in any trade union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in Singapore.
13.4 The Society shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes.
13.5 The Society shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its Members and/or Associate Members or not, in the name of the Society or its office-bearers, Committee, Members or Associate Members unless with the prior approval of the relevant authorities.
13.6 The Society shall not raise funds from the public for whatever purposes without the prior approval in writing of the Assistant Director Operations, Licensing Division, Singapore Police Force and other relevant authorities.
AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION
14.1 No alteration or addition/deletion to this Constitution shall be made except at a general meeting and with the consent of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members present at the General Meeting, and they shall not come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies.
INTERPRETATION
15.1 In the event of any question or matter pertaining to day-to-day administration which is not expressly provided for in this Constitution, the Committee shall have power to use their own discretion. The decision of the Committee shall be final unless it is reversed at a General Meeting of Members.
DISPUTES
16.1 In the event of any dispute arising amongst Members and/or Associate Members, they shall attempt to resolve the matter at an Extraordinary General Meeting in accordance with this Constitution. Should the Members and/or Associate Members fail to resolve the matter, they may bring the matter to a court of law for settlement.
DISSOLUTION
17.1 The Society shall not be dissolved, except with the consent of not less than three-fifths (3/5) of the total voting membership of the Society for the time being resident in Singapore expressed, either in person or by proxy, at a General Meeting convened for the purpose.
17.2 In the event of the Society being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Society shall be fully discharged, and the remaining funds will be disposed of in such manner as the General Meeting of Members may determine or donated to an approved charity or charities in Singapore.
17.3 A Certificate of Dissolution shall be given within seven (7) days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies.
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