Constitution

The Hong Kong Student Services Association

Constitution

I. NAME
1. The name of the organization shall be "The Hong Kong Student Services Association".

II. OBJECTS
1. The objects of the Association shall be:-
a. To advance, develop and strengthen student service work among members;
b. To assist students in better fulfilling their educational goals through provision of service; and
c. To promote interaction and cooperation among persons in student service work in Hong Kong and abroad.

III. MEMBERSHIP
1. There shall be the following categories of members:-
a. Full member
Any person who holds a full-time appointment in a tertiary education institution in Hong Kong at the time of membership registration or renewal and has demonstrable interest in student services shall be eligible to be a full member of the Association. (amended in AGM 2018/19)
b. Associate member
Any person who has a demonstrable interest in student services and whose full-time appointment is not in a tertiary education institution shall be eligible for associate membership.
c. Honorary member
Honorary member of the association shall be conferred on such persons who have made a unique and exceptional contribution to the field of student affairs and the Association with nomination by the Executive Committee and approved by the Annual General Meeting of the Association. (amended in AGM 2021/22)
d. Retired Member
Any person (with at least two years membership of the Association) who has retired and wishes to retain their association with the Association shall be eligible to be a retired member of the Association. (amended in AGM 2021/22)

IV. PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERS
1. All members shall have the privilege to attend Annual General Meetings and other functions and activities organized by the Association.
　
2. All full members of the Association may participate in and vote at Annual General Meetings and Extra-ordinary General Meetings and may nominate and be nominated for election for office in the Executive Committee.

V. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held as a physical meeting and/or as an online meeting, as determined by the Executive Committee at its absolute discretion, in March every year to (amended in AGM 2021/22)
a. receive and adopt minutes of previous Annual and Extra-ordinary General Meetings;
b. receive an annual report from the Chairperson;
c. receive a financial statement from the Honorary Treasurer;
d. elect members of the Executive Committee;
e. elect Honorary members; and
f. appoint an auditor and
g. deal with any other matters related to the development of the Association.

2. The Annual General Meeting shall be convened by the Chairperson of the Association with at least 14 days of notice. Notice, specifying the time and date of the meeting, and the place of the meeting, and agenda of the meeting shall be sent to all members. In the event of an online Annual General Meeting, the notice shall include a statement to that effect and with details of the electronic facilities for attendance and participation by electronic means prior to the meeting. (amended in AGM 2021/22)

3. The quorum of the Annual General Meeting shall be one fifth of its full members and voting shall be by simple majority. Any Member or any proxy attending and participating in a physical meeting or any Member participating in an online meeting by means of electronic facilities is deemed to be present at and shall be counted in the quorum of the meeting. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote. (amended in AGM 2021/22)

VI. EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
1. Extra-ordinary Meeting shall be convened by the Chairperson at the request of the Executive Committee or any full member of the Association seconded by five other full members.
　
2. The meeting shall comprise of only full members of the Association.
　
3. No other agenda shall be discussed except those convened especially for the purpose.
　
4. Notice and agenda of the Meeting shall be sent to all members at least seven days before the meeting.
　
5. The quorum of the meeting shall be one fifth of its full members and voting shall be by simple majority. Following the same arrangement of an Annual General Meeting, any Member or any proxy attending and participating in a physical meeting or any Member participating in an online meeting by means of electronic facilities is deemed to be present at and shall be counted in the quorum of the meeting. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote. (amended in AGM 2021/22)

VII. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. There shall be an Executive Committee to formulate and implement policies of the Association.
　
2. The Executive Committee shall comprise of the following:-
a. Chairperson
b. Vice-Chairperson
c. Hon. Secretary
d. Hon. Treasurer, and
e. Not less than Seven and not more than Twelve other members, one of them shall be the Immediate Past Chairperson. (amended in AGM 2018/19)

3. The Chairperson shall be the chief executive of the Association and shall be responsible for conducting Annual and Extra-ordinary General Meetings and meetings of the Executive Committee.
　
4. The Vice-Chairperson shall assist the Chairperson in performance of duties and shall act as Chairperson when the Chairperson is absent.
　
5. The Hon. Secretary shall be responsible for the keeping of minutes of meetings and other records of the Association.
　
6. The Hon. Treasurer shall be responsible for the keeping of all accounts of the Association.
　
7. The Executive Committee shall meet not less than two times in a year. Quorum of and voting in the Committee shall be by simple majority. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote.
　
8. The Executive Committee shall have the power to form sub-committees and to coopt members for the Executive Committee and its sub-committees as and when required.
　
9. All members shall be elected for a term of one year. Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretary shall not hold the same position in the Executive Committee for more than three consecutive years.

VIII. ELECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected in the Annual General Meeting. Notice of open nomination for the posts of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer shall be sent to all members at least 14 days before the date of election. Nomination shall be closed twenty-four hours before the date of election provided that at least one nomination has been received for each respective post.
　
2. Nomination for other members in the Executive Committee shall be made in the Annual General Meeting.
　
3. Nomination for Election shall be made in hard copy form or in electronic form provided for the purpose. Each form shall contain the names and signatures of the candidate, a proposer and a seconder. (amended in AGM 2021/22)
　
4. Only full members of the Association shall have the right to stand for election and to act as proposers and seconders for persons standing for election.
　
5. Voting shall be by a show of hands or a poll by electronic means or otherwise, as the Chairperson of the meeting may determine, and shall be by simple majority. Members attending in person or authorizing a Full Member via a proxy form shall have one vote on a show of hands or a poll by electronic means. Under exceptional circumstances, the Annual General Meeting may decide to conduct voting by secret ballot. (amended in AGM 2021/22)
　
6. In case of vacancies other than the post of Chairperson in the Executive Committee during a term of office, the Executive Committee shall have the power to coopt full members to fill the vacancies. In the case when the post of Chairperson becomes vacant during a term of office, the Vice-Chairperson shall become the Chairperson.

IX. MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION AND USE OF FUNDS
1. With exception of honorary members, all other members shall be required to pay a membership subscription. The amount of subscription for full members and associate members shall be decided by the Annual General Meeting.
　
2. Funds of the Association shall only be used for
a. activities organized by the Association; and
b. such other activities that will enhance the development of the Association.

X. AVOIDANCE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST
1. None of the income and property of the Association shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly, by way of bonus, or otherwise howsoever to any member of the Association.

2. No member of the Executive Committee or governing body of the Association shall be appointed to any salaried office of the Association, or any office of the Association paid by fees and no remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth shall be given by the Association to any member of the Executive Committee or governing body of the Association.

3. If a member of the Executive Committee is in any way (directly or indirectly) interested in a transaction, arrangement or contract or a proposed transaction, arrangement or contract with the Association that is significant in relations to the Association’s operations and his interest is material, he must declare the nature and extent of his interest to the other members of the Executive Committee. The member of the Executive Committee must neither vote nor be counted for quorum purposes in respect of the transaction, arrangement or contract or the proposed transaction, arrangement or contract in which he is so interested, and if he does so vote his vote must not be counted. (amended in AGM 2021/22)

XI. LIABILITY OF MEMBERS
Members of the Association shall only be liable to the accounts for the year during which they are members as approved by the Annual General Meeting.

XII. DISSOLUTION
1. The Association shall not be dissolved except by a motion carried in an Extra-ordinary General Meeting and with a two-third-majority vote of those present.
　
2. In the event of dissolution of the Association, all assets after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities and property whatever, shall not be paid to or distributed among the members, but shall be given to such or any of such charitable institutions or trusts of a public character as may be approved for the purpose by the Commissioner of Inland Revenue.

XIII. INTERPRETATION AND AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION
1. The interpretation of the provisions of this Constitution shall be vested in the Executive Committee. (amended in AGM 2018/19)

2. This constitution shall not be amended except by a motion carried at the Annual General Meeting or the Extra-ordinary General Meeting.

XIV. ADDRESS
The address of the Association shall be the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

Last Modified: Mar 2022