University College, Cork

Colaiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh

UCC Nursing Society Constitution

Article 1 - The Organisation

Article 2 - Object and aims

Article 3 - Functions

Article 4 - Membership

Article 5 - Committee

Article 6 - Meetings

Article 7 - Voting

Article 8 - Amendment of Constitution

Article 9 - Rules and Regulations governing members

There shall be a Nursing Society in the College. The title of this organisation, which is a representative of nursing students in this college, shall be the UCC Nursing Society - herein referred to as "the Society".

The object and aim of the Society is to represent all UCC Nursing students with regards to educational*, extracurricular and social activities.

* Educational in this sense .meaning the organisation of workshops, learning seminars etc.

The functions of the Society are:

to organise educational activities for its members - e.g. workshops, learning seminars etc.

to organise social activities for its members - e.g. annual ball, mystery tours, party nights etc.

to organise extracurricular activities for its members - e.g. first aid courses, sign language coursesetc.    

to discuss, and if deemed appropriate by the Society Officers, act upon motions raised by our

membership, or refer the motion to a more appropriate avenue (e.g. IR issues etc.)

The UCC Nursing Society membership shall comprise of an elected executive committee and a general membership of all UCC Nursing students, of all 3 disciplines (General, Psychiatric and Intellectual Disability). Membership of the Society is open only to UCC Nursing Students.

All general members, and members of the Committee shall hold a vote at the AGM and at any EGM. Any member of the Society may stand for election into any office at the AGM, provided their nomination reaches the Secretary by the specified closing date and time.

An Executive Committee shall administer the society (herein referred to as the Committee). There shall be 13 members on the Committee, elected at the AGM (with the exception of the Staff Representative position):

1.   Auditor

2.   Honorary Secretary / Deputy Auditor

3.   Honorary Treasurer

4.   Public Relations Officer

5.   Social Secretary

6.   Administration Officer

7.   Postgraduate Representative

8.   Mature Student Representative

9.   1st Year Representative

10. 2nd Year Representative

11. 3rd Year Representative

12. 4th Year Representative

13. Staff Representative (from the UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery) - no election required

Other portfolios as are deemed necessary shad be appointed from amongst the committee members. Up to two members may be co-opted by the Committee annually, and may be appointed a portfolio if deemed necessary.

These individuals may be removed from the Committee once their portfolio has been exhausted (e.g. short-term co-option). A Committee member may be removed from his/her post if deemed necessary, this will be carried out by a majority vote at a Committee meeting through a secret ballot.

The Quorum for any EGM or AGM shall be five of the ExecutiveCommittee. and a minimum of 20 student members.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society shall be held early in the first term following a week's notice.

Posters to be erected campus wide, and in all venues used by nursing students (observing postering rules of the Societies Guild). Notices will also be conveyed to each nursing year.

The Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on a week's notice. A decision of the Committee may be nullified by an EGM. An EGM is also required to elect new candidates should the positions of 1) Auditor or 2) Secretary become vacant for any reason.

Committee meetings of the Society are open to Committee members only. The Quorum for a Committee Meeting shall be five of the elected committee. If five members are not present, the meeting is to be postponed, and rescheduled.

in the event of after a motion being put to vote at a Committee meeting, a tie emerges, the Auditor (or in his/her absence, the Hon. Sec. / Deputy Auditor) holds the casting vote.

This vote by the Auditor/Deputy Auditor is final. In the event that both the Auditor and the Hon. Sec/Deputy Auditor are absent, then a motion that needs to be voted upon should be withheld until one of these Officers are present.

All members shall hold a vote at Society AGM and EGMs. Voting at these meeting is open to students of a nursing course in University College Cork only. In order to vote, College ID is required to prove membership of the Society.

This Constitution mav only be changed at the AGM of the Society bv a majority vote.

In the event of a Committee member being unable to attend a meeting, they must notify the Secretary in advance. If a member fails to do so, they must explain their absence to the Auditor/Deputy Auditor.

In the event of a member missing multiple meetings, without notice or adequate explanation, said member may be expelled from the Committee if deemed appropriate by a majority of the Committee, through a voting method of choice.

Adopted by the UCC Nursing Society Committee 2003/2004 on Monday 15th December 2003.     

Amended and re-adopted at 2nd Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday 12th October 2004.

Re-adopted at 3rd Annual General Meeting held in October 2005.