As accepted at the Annual General Meeting of May 12th, 2001 and superseded by the constitution accepted at an Extraordinary General Meeting of March 7th, 2002

1. Name — 2. Objects — 3. Affiliation — 4. Membership — 5. Administration — 6. General Meetings — 7. Amendments to this Constitution — 8. Finance — 9. Trustees — 10. Data Protection Act, 1998 — 11. Availability of the Constitution — 12. Dissolution

Schedule 1. The Data Protection Principles — Schedule 2

1. Name

The name of the Society shall be The Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society.

2. Objects

The objects of the Society shall be:–

• To promote and encourage the study of heraldry, genealogy, and related topics.

• To promote the preservation, security and accessibility of relevant public and private archival and other material.

• To publish any appropriate research findings and other relevant information in a Society Magazine or other appropriate publication.

• In furtherance of the above objects the Society may:–
  • Organise meetings and lectures;

  • Build up collections of books and other items;

  • Preserve, transcribe and publish source material of interest to members;

  • Collaborate with individuals and organisations, including Specialist Societies and others concerned with the topics covered in (a) above;

  • Support the activities of the Federation of Family History Societies in its pursuit of these and similar objects.

3. Affiliation

This Society shall be a member of the Federation of Family History Societies and have the power to associate with other organisations which have compatible and mutually supportive objects.

4. Membership

• Membership of the Society shall be open to members of the University and others (by invitation) showing interest in the Society’s objects.

• Subscriptions shall be payable at a time and rate determined by the Society’s Executive Committee subject to the approval of the Society’s A.G.M.

• The Society’s Executive Committee may suspend membership from anyone whose activities it thinks prejudical to the interests of the Society. A person so suspended shall have his or her case considered by the next A.G.M. or by an E.G.M., which the Executive Committee shall call at the suspended person’s request. A General Meeting shall either revoke the Committee’s decision, determine the length of the suspension from membership, or expel the suspended person. No person expelled by a General Meeting shall be re-admitted to membership other than by a decision of a General Meeting. No person suspended from membership shall continue to hold office or attend any function of the Society while suspended, other than the General Meeting at which his or her case is to be considered.

5. Administration

• The Society shall be administered by an Executive Committee consisting of a President, Secretary, Senior Treasurer (who shall be a member of the Senate), Junior Treasurer and such other officers and members as may be elected or co-opted. A quorum shall be three members, one of whom shall be either the Senior or Junior Treasurer. A General Meeting shall have the power to remove any officer or committee member from office and elect a replacement if it so chooses, to serve until the next A.G.M.

• The officers and other members of the Committee shall be elected annually at the A.G.M. Nominations shall be submitted to the Secretary not less than seven days before the meeting takes place. If insufficient nominations have been received prior to the meeting the Chairman may accept nominations at the meeting from the floor.

• The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members to fill casual vacancies or for some other purpose provided the maximum number of committee members does not exceed twelve.

• Only fully paid-up members of the Society may vote at a General Meeting.

• The A.G.M. shall appoint an individual to verify the Society’s accounts at the end of the Society’s financial year ending on 30th September.

6. General Meetings

• An Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.) shall be held no later than 31st May when an account of the Society’s activities and finances shall be presented. Notice of the A.G.M. shall be issued at least 28 days beforehand. A quorum shall be seven members.

• An Extraordinary General Meeting (E.G.M.) may be convened at the request of the Executive Committee or ten members with prior written notice issued at least 14 days beforehand. A quorum at such a meeting shall be not less than seven members.

7. Amendments to this Constitution

The Constitution may be amended only at an A.G.M. or an E.G.M. provided the appropriate notice has been given. Amendments are only valid if supported by two thirds majority of those present.

8. Finance

• All income and property of the Society shall be applied solely towards the promotion and execution of the objects set out in Clause 2 above. No officer or member shall receive disbursements from the Society’s funds unless it is by way of reasonable out-of pocket expenses incurred on the Society’s behalf.

• The Executive Committee shall maintain proper account books recording all sums of money received and expended by the Society.

• The Society shall keep its funds at an approved banking institution and appoint three authorised signatories, the signatures of any two being required on cheques and other documents.

• The Annual Accounts shall be verified by an individual appointed under Clause 5(e).

9. Trustees

The Executive Committee may appoint not less than three people to hold property in trust for the Society.

10. Data Protection Act, 1998

Personal details relating to members of the Society, whether in manual or computer form, shall only be held or processed by the Society, or on its behalf, in accordance with the Data Protection Act, 1998. The eight Data Protection Principles of the Act are contained in Schedule 1 of this Constitution. The application form for membership of the Society shall contain a consent form for these purposes; the form shall be subject to the approval of a General Meeting and be displayed in Schedule 2 of this Consitution.

11. Availablility of the Constitution

Any member of the Society shall be entitled to a copy of the current Constitution of the Society upon application to the Executive Committee.

12. Dissolution

The Society may be dissolved only at an A.G.M. or an E.G.M., called for the purpose, by a resolution supported by three quarters of those present including post. The resolution must specify the disposal of the Society’s collections and other assets after debts and liabilities have been settled. This may involve their transfer to an appropriate organisation or institution with objects compatible with those of the Society.

Schedule 1. The Data Protection Principles

Personal data must be processed following these principles so that data are::

1. Processed fairly and lawfully and only if certain conditions are met;
2. Obtained for specified and lawful purposes;
3. Adequate, relevant and not excessive;
4. Accurate and where necessary kept up-to-date;
5. Not to be kept for longer than necessary;
6. Processed in accordance with the subject’s rights;
7. Kept secure;
8. Not transferred abroad without adequate protection.

Schedule 2

"Please note the details that you have provided on this form will be held on a computer system and may be held in a manual filing system. These data will be processed by the Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society (C.U.H.&G.S.).

"If you wish to obtain a copy of the data processed, a description of the purposes for which it is being processed, a description of any potential recipients of the data, or any information as to the source of the data, please contact the current C.U.H.&G.S. Secretary. Please note that the C.U.H.&G.S. is entitled to charge a statutory fee not exceeding £5.00 for the provision of this information.

“Please sign below to confirm your consent to your personal data be held, processed and used in the manner set out above and as necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests of the C.U.H.&G.S.”

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Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society
Last updated May 15th, 2001