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Rules for the conduct of sections and associated co-ordination committees
(Clause 3.20 of the Constitution and Section 9 of the By-Laws)
(A) RULES
1. OBJECTIVES
Sections shall promote the Mission of the Institute in general, and of the Section in particular, in terms of Clause 1.3 of the Constitution and of Clause 9.1 of the By-Laws.
2. MEMBERSHIP
The membership of Section shall consist of
2.1
those members of the Institute, of all grades, who, at the time of payment of the annual subscription, and on the payment of such additional fees as may be levied, indicate that they
wish to be members of the Section;
2.2
those non-members of the Institute who show interest in the activities of a Section, who may
be recruited as Section members without all the benefits of members of the Institute and whose membership fees shall be levied and administered by the Division.
3. MANAGEMENT
3.1.
The affairs of a Section shall, subject to the control of Council in terms of Strategic/Business
Plans and Job Descriptions, be managed by a Section Committee.
3.2.
The Committee shall meet at least twice a year. Adequate notice of these meetings shall be
given to all members of the Committee.
4. COMMITTEE
4.1.
The Committee shall comprise members of the Institute in good standing and consist of:
4.1.1.
The Office Bearers, namely:
4.1.1.1.
The Chairperson,
4.1.1.2.
The Immediate Past-Chairperson,
4.1.1.3.
Two or three other Officers who shall fulfil the function or combined functions of Vice-Chairperson, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.
4.1.2.
Not less than one nor more than ten additional elected members, the number to be fixed for the ensuing year by the outgoing Committee before the issue of nomination forms.
4.2.
The Chairperson, or his/her nominee in case he/she is not a Member (Corporate) of the Institute, shall ex officio be a member of Council in terms of Clause 3.2.2 of the Constitution. He/she shall also serve on a Coordination Committee coordinating the activities of the various Sections operating in the geographical region where he/she resides.
4.3.
Committee members shall be elected to hold office for one or two years, and Office Bearers, from 1st July to 30th June, at the discretion of the outgoing Committee and shall be eligible for re-election.
4.4.
The Chairperson for the ensuing year shall be elected by the outgoing Committee from amongst its members, before nominations for elected members are invited for the following year.
4.5
Elected members of Section Committees shall be nominated by members of the Division in good standing, who shall be entitled to nominate not more than the number of candidates decided in terms of Clause 4.1.2. The Committee shall cause nomination forms (on which shall be given the names of the Chairperson and the Immediate Past-Chairperson for the ensuing year) to be
issued not later than 30th April, and all such nominations, duly signed by a proposer and
seconder and the person nominated, shall be returned to the Honorary Secretary of the Division not later than 14th May.
Should the number of nominations exceed the number of vacancies, a ballot list shall be posted
to all members of the Section not later than 21st May. Ballot papers, duly completed, shall be returned to the Honorary Secretary of the Section not later than 31st May.
Should the nomination list not indicate the names of as many candidates as are required to fill
the vacancies, then the Office Bearers of the section shall nominate eligible members of the Division to complete the list.
4.6
At a Committee Meeting prior to 31st May the Committee shall appoint two scrutineers whose duty it shall be to open and examine the ballot papers and report the result of their scrutiny to the Office Bearers of the Section.
4.7
At the first meeting of the Committee for the ensuing year(s), the members present shall elect
the Vice-Chairperson, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer for the year, in terms of Clause 4.1.1.3.
4.8
At meetings of the Committee the quorum shall be at least half the number of members entitled
to vote, and all matters shall be decided by vote of the majority, the Chairperson having a
de-liberative and a casting vote.
4.9
The Committee shall have power to co-opt additional members, subject to the provision that such members shall not have a vote.
4.10
Minutes shall be kept of all meetings and two copies of the Minutes of Committee meetings, including a Calendar of Forthcoming Events, Budget and Résumé of the activities shall be forwarded to the Secretaries of the Institute for submission to Council. Such Minutes shall be forwarded within 30 days of the date of the meeting, and shall be signed by the Chairperson before dispatch.
5. FUNDS
5.1.
The Council may allocate such funds and assistance as it may, from time to time, find necessary
to provide for the satisfactory functioning of Sections.
5.2.
Section funds shall be deposited on account of, and for the use of, the Section, in an accredited bank or institution. All cheques drawn on such account shall be signed by two authorized Committee Members.
5.3.
An audited copy of the Annual Accounts of the Section shall be submitted to the Council in May
of each year.
5.4
A Section shall generate and accrue funds to finance future events/projects. However, 25% of
the generated revenue shall have to be transferred to the Central Fund. Council shall be responsible to subsidize from the Central Fund, if appropriate, 25% of a loss incurred from an event held by a Section.
6. AUTHORITY OF DIVISIONS
6.1.
A Section shall not purport to act for the Institute as a body in any matter either directly or
by correspondence vis-a-vis public bodies or any organization, group, or individual unless specifically authorized in writing by the Council.
6.2
Sections shall not contract debts in the name of the Institute or pledge the Institute's credit in
any way.
6.3
Sections may affiliate societies into the Section subject to Council's approval.
6.4
Sections shall have the responsibility to jointly set up Coordination Committees in defined geographical regions through which events could be properly scheduled. Such Coordination Committees shall consist of the Chairpersons or Regional Officers of the Sections, and not less than one nor more than five additional Members (Corporate) of the Institute duly elected according to the appropriate clauses under 4 for Section Committees to organize events (students? symposia, joint universities? lectures, annual general meetings) not normally catered for by the Sections. The elected Chairperson of a Coordination Committee which has no sectional representation on Council shall ex officio be a member of Council in terms of Clause 3.2.3 of the Constitution.
7. DISSOLUTION
All assets, books, records, and funds of the Institute in the custody of a Section shall remain the property of the Institute, and in the event of the dissolution of a Section shall immediately be forwarded to the Secretaries of the Institute.
(B) CONSTITUTION
3.20
The Council may upon receipt of a written request signed by at least 25 Corporate Members create at its discretion a Division of the Institute. The affairs of such a Section, and its cooperation with other Sections within Coordination Committees in defined geographical regions shall be conducted in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws and shall be subject to the control
of Council.
3.20.1
A Section Chairperson shall ex officio represent the Section on Council subject to the requirements of Clause 3.2.2. of the Constitution. In addition, a Section Chairperson shall serve on a Coordination Committee operating in the geographical region where he/she resides. If a
Section has one or more geographical entity(ies), nominated Regional Managers shall represent that Section on the Coordination Committee(s) in the respective geographical region(s).
3.20.2
Any Section may be dissolved
3.20.2.1
on a resolution of the Council to that effect, provided that 6 months' notice of its intention is
given by the Council to such a Section;
3.20.2.2
at the request of more than 50% of the members of a Section subject to approval by the Council. In the event of a Section being dissolved, its affairs shall be wound up and its funds applied in such a manner as may be directed by the Council.
3.20.3
A Coordination Committee shall consist of the Chairpersons or Regional Managers of the Sections operating in a geographical region as well as additional Corporate (or Honorary) Members of the Institute elected for specific portfolios not catered for by the Sections. The Chairperson of a Coordination Committee shall ex officio represent the Coordination Committee on Council subject to the requirements of Clause 3.2.3 of the Constitution. Coordination Committees shall operate
in close association with the Sections or the geographical entities of Sections according to Rules approved by the Council.
(C) BY-LAWS
9. DIVISIONS AND ASSOCIATED COORDINATION COMMITTEES
9.1
Sections shall cover one of the major disciplines (branches) of Chemistry, specialist subjects
within one of the major disciplines (branches) of Chemistry, or multidisciplinary subjects linking Chemistry with other branches of science, and shall operate nationally. The Chairperson of each Section (or his/her nominee if he/she is not a Corporate or Honorary Member of the Institute) ex officio serves on Council and on the Coordination Committee in the geographical area where he/she resides.
9.2
Coordination Committees shall consist of Chairpersons of Sections or of appointed Regional Managers of geographical entities of sections, and of additional Members (Corporate or Honorary) of the Institute elected for portfolios not catered for by the Sections. The Chairperson of a Coordination Committee which has no Sectional representation on Council shall ex officio serve
on Council. Coordination Committees shall meet as often as deemed necessary to properly coordinate events of the Sections, to allow geographical entities of Sections to mutually assist each other in their respective regions of operation and to organize events not primarily catered for by the Sections.
9.3
The sections and their associated Coordination Committees shall be constituted, and their affairs conducted, in accordance with Rules approved for that purpose by the Council.
