Chinese Studies Group

 General

 1          There shall be formed within the University of Aberdeen a Studies Group, to be known as the Chinese Studies Group.

 Objects

 2          The objects of the Studies Group shall be:

a)         To establish, maintain and develop, initially within the University of Aberdeen, the inter-disciplinary study and discussion, on an academic and strictly non-political basis, of all aspects of Chinese social, political, economic and cultural development.

b)         To encourage and establish within North East Scotland links with other educational establishments, members of the public, local organisations and the local business community having personal, educational or business interests in China.

c)         To establish contacts with similar Studies Groups or Societies in other centres.

 Membership

 3          Membership shall, initially, be open to all Members of Staff, Undergraduates and Postgraduates of the University of Aberdeen. Membership shall also be open, within these categories, to members of Colleges and Research Institutes affiliated to the University of Aberdeen.

 4          Membership may be offered to other persons in category 2b) above, who express interest in formal membership of the Studies Group.

 5          Persons in the above categories who have attended meetings of the Studies Group, who express the wish to subscribe to the Group’s aims and who have paid any Membership Fee which may have been approved, shall be listed as Registered Group Members. Only Registered Group Members shall have the right to participate in the management of the Studies Group and vote at Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings.

 6          Persons who have made a special contribution to the aims and the work of the Studies Group may be proposed for Honorary Membership of the Studies Group.

 Committee and Officers

 7          A Committee shall be elected and entrusted with the organisation of the Group. The Committee shall consist of no fewer than four members, of whom three shall be a valid quorum. The Committee may, as it sees fit, co-opt additional members to fill vacancies.

 8          The Studies Group shall have a minimum of two Officers: Chairman and Secretary. These shall be directly elected by a simple majority of Registered Group Members present at the appropriate Group meeting. Officers shall automatically be Members of the Committee. The Committee may, if necessary, appoint one of its Members to the post of Group Treasurer.

 9          Committee Members and Officers shall normally serve for one academic year, but shall be eligible for re-election.

 10        In order to facilitate the successful establishment and expansion of the Studies Group, those Officers and Committee Members appointed at the Inaugural Meeting shall, subject to any later decision to the contrary taken at any Extraordinary General Meeting, serve until the Annual General Meeting of the Studies Group held during the 1990/1991 Academic Year.

 11        The Studies Group shall have an Honorary President, who shall be directly elected by Registered Group Members. The Honorary President initially elected shall serve until the first Annual General Meeting of the Group. The Honorary President, who shall be eligible for re-election, shall be, ex officio, a member of the Committee.

 Group Finances

 11        A Membership Fee may be proposed by the Committee and introduced by a positive vote of a majority of Registered Group Members. The introduction of an initial Membership Fee may be agreed at any regular meeting of the Group held within the first two years of the Group’s existence. Thereafter, the introduction, continuance of or any change to such Membership Fee shall be subject to a positive vote of a majority of Registered Group Members present at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Group.

 12        Funds held by the Group shall be deposited by the Committee in an established Bank in the name of ‘Chinese Studies Group, University of Aberdeen’. Such funds may only be used in pursuance of the aims of the Group. Disbursements from such funds must be authorised by two members of the Group Committee. The Group Treasurer (if appointed) of the Group Secretary shall report on the Group’s finances to each Annual General Meeting of the Group.

 Regular Group Meetings

 13        The Group will seek to meet on at least two occasions during each Academic Term, subject to the availability of Speakers.

 14        The Group may sponsor joint meetings with other Studies Groups, with Academic Departments, University Affiliated Institutes or with Public Organisations whose aims are compatible with those of the Chinese Studies Group.

 15        Details of Group Meetings will be circulated by the Secretary. They will be posted on Departmental and other appropriate University notice-boards and, whenever possible, advance notice of meetings will be given in the University of Aberdeen Monthly Newsletter. Registered Members who do not have regular access to these outlets may request to be placed on a mailing list. The Committee is authorised, where it considers this appropriate and necessary, to inform media outlets of Group Meetings.

 Annual General and Extraordinary General Meetings

 16        A General Meeting of the Studies Group shall normally be held once during each Academic Year for the discussion of Group organisational matters and, as appropriate, for the election (re-election) of Committee Members and Officers. Notice of such a meeting shall be given to Registered Group Members at a meeting of the Group held not later than two weeks before the date of the proposed Annual General Meeting and posted on appropriate University Notice-boards by a similar date. Registered Group Members on the Secretary’s Mailing List shall be appropriately informed.

 17        There shall be no requirement on the Committee to call an Annual General Meeting of the Group during the 1989/1990 Academic Year. Such an Annual General Meeting shall, However, be called not later than the end of the Spring Term of the 1990/1991 Academic Year.

 18        An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Studies Group shall be convened by the Secretary within four weeks of receiving a formal written request for such a meeting. Such a request must be signed by not less than ten Registered Group Members in good standing and shall specify the matters to be discussed. Any Extraordinary General Meeting shall be publicised, as prescribed for an Annual General Meeting, at least two weeks before the date on which it is to be held.

 17        Annual and Extraordinary General meetings shall be chaired by the Group Chairman, unless an independent chairman, pro tem, is proposed and seconded by two Registered Members in good standing and that proposal is carried by a majority of Registered Members present.

 18        All motions at Annual or Extraordinary General Meetings shall be carried by a simple majority of Registered Group Members present, excepting any motion for a change in the Group Constitution which shall require the positive support of two-thirds of the Registered Group Members present.

 The above Constitution of the University of Aberdeen Chinese Studies Group was adopted by the Founder Members of the Group present at the Inaugural Meeting, held on 2 May, 1989.

 The Inaugural Meeting made the following appointments:

Committee

 Professor Geoffrey MacCormack         (Chairman)

 Dr Norman Stockman              (Secretary)

 Mr Neil Chalmers

 Honorary President                           Thomas N. Haining C.M.G.