EUS Constitution

The EUS Constitution encompasses all EUS governance,

The Society

Article 1: Names

1.1 The official name of the Society shall be, in English, the “Engineering Undergraduate Society of McGill University” and, in French, "Association des Étudiants et Étudiantes en Genie de l’Université McGill”, Herein referred to as E.U.S. and A.E.E.G., respectively.

1.2 Notwithstanding the foregoing, the E.U.S. may be designated by a name other than the official name for non-commercial activities, as approved by the E.U.S. Council.

Article 2: Members

2.1 The Regular Members of the E.U.S. shall be all students currently registered at McGill University in an undergraduate program of the Faculty of Engineering, subject to payment of fees as prescribed in Article 4.

2.2 Honourary Members of the E.U.S. may be appointed at the discretion of the E.U.S. Council, but may not be considered Regular Members.

2.3 Any former Regular Member of the E.U.S. or current member of the McGill Community may become an Associated Member of the E.U.S., subject to ratification by the E.U.S. Council.

Article 3: Purpose

3.1 The purpose of the E.U.S. shall be:

i) to regroup in association the Regular Members of the E.U.S.

ii) to represent and promote the views of its members, and to implement academic, cultural, educational, physical, professional, social, and other programs of interest to its members.

iii) to engage in other such activities and undertakings as may seem appropriate to the Society.

Article 4: Fees

4.1 The Society Fee shall be collected from each Regular Member by the Cashier of the University or the Vice-President of Finance of the E.U.S.

4.2 The E.U.S. Council may from time to time, as it sees fit, propose a change in the Society Fee.

4.3 Any change in the Society Fee shall be subject to ratification by referendum.

Article 5: Finances

5.1 There shall be a set of Financial Bylaws governing the Finances of the E.U.S.

5.2 The accounts of the E.U.S. shall be maintained according to standard accounting practice and shall be made available to the University auditors upon demand.

5.3 The finances of the E.U.S. shall be subject to an annual independent audit by a Chartered Accountant.

5.4 The E.U.S. shall not run at a deficit for more than two consecutive fiscal years.

Article 6: Rights, Privileges and Obligations of Members

6.1 The rights of Regular Members shall include the following:

i) the right to vote in the E.U.S. general elections, referenda and General Assemblies;

ii) the right to attend General Assemblies and Council meetings of the E.U.S.;

iii) the right to move or second Motions at General Assemblies;

iv) the right to speak for or against any Motion at any General Assembly or Council meeting;

v) the right to nominate candidates for E.U.S. elections; and

vi) the right to initiate referenda or General Assemblies as per 6.5.

6.2 The privileges of Regular Members shall include the following:

i) holding office within the E.U.S. subject to the qualifications as specified by Title III;

ii) making use of E.U.S. facilities and services;

iii) holding a Chief Organizing Position on an E.U.S. Organizing Committee;

iv) holding a Managerial Position on an E.U.S Service Committee;

v) being a member of a Standing, Select or Standing Selection Committee of the E.U.S.; and

vi) starting an E.U.S. Club, holding an executive position on an E.U.S. Club, and being a member of an E.U.S. Club.

6.3 The privileges of Associated Members shall include the following:

i) making use of E.U.S. facilities and services;

ii) being a member of a Standing, Select or Standing Selection Committee of the E.U.S.; and

iii) being a member of an E.U.S. Organizing Committee as deemed appropriate by a Two-Thirds (2/3) Majority vote of E.U.S. Council; and

v) holding an executive position on an E.U.S. Club and being a member of an E.U.S. Club.

6.4 All members of the E.U.S. shall be obliged to conform to the E.U.S. constitution, Bylaws and regulations.

6.5 Every Regular Member has the right to request of the Vice-President Clubs and Administration that a question be asked through a General Assembly or referendum of the E.U.S. by submitting a petition bearing the signatures of the lesser of one hundred (100) or ten percent (10%) of the Regular Members of the E.U.S.

6.6 No member is empowered to make purchases in the name of the E.U.S. or to financially obligate the E.U.S. in any way, until such permission has been granted to so purchase or obligate the E.U.S. by the Executive Committee of the E.U.S. Council.

6.7 No member is empowered to act as an agent of the E.U.S. unless permission to act so has been granted at a meeting of Council.

6.8 Subject to ratification by a Simple Majority of the E.U.S. Council any Regular Member of the E.U.S. may from time to time be indemnified and saved harmless from and against any liability and costs, charges, and expenses that they sustain or incur in respect of the execution of a mandate of the Society, with the exception of cases of negligence.

Article 7: Dissolution of the Society

7.1 In the event of dissolution, trusteeship, or cessation of the Society, all fees and assets shall be transferred to a similar association with the same membership and purpose as defined in Articles 2 and 3.
Amended to: November 2004, page 4

Organization of the Society

The Executive Committee

Article 8: Membership of the Executive Committee

8.1 The Executive Committee shall consist of :

i) the President;

ii) the Vice-President Internal;

iii) the Vice-President External;

iv) the Vice-President Finance;

v) the Vice-President Academic;

vi) the Vice-President Clubs and Administration;

vii) the Vice-President Services; and

viii) the Vice-President Communications;

8.2 The candidates for positions of the Executive Committee must be Regular Members of the E.U.S. and remain Regular Members for the whole duration of their mandate.

8.3 No member of the Executive Committee shall receive financial remuneration for action as such.

Article 9: Powers and Duties

9.1 The Executive Committee shall:

i) coordinate and administer the policies, activities and other day-to-day

affairs of the E.U.S.;

ii) study and prepare any matter to be debated upon at meetings of the

Amended to: March 2013 Page 4 E.U.S. Council;

iii) call meetings of the E.U.S. Council;

iv) ensure the execution of Council and General Assembly decisions;

v) report its activities and decisions to the E.U.S. Council;

vi) report its activities and expenditures during the summer at the first Regular Meeting in the fall semester;

vii) present the List of Organizing Committees at the first meeting of the E.U.S. Council of each semester;

viii) uphold the constitution, Bylaws, policies, and regulations of the E.U.S.; promote the E.U.S. to the McGill Community and to groups

outside that community;

ix) prepare and present to the E.U.S. Council an election schedule for E.U.S. elections and referenda; and

x) be present and available for office hours at the discretion of the VicePresident Clubs and Administration.

10.1 The President shall:

i) be charged with the general management and supervision of the affairs of the E.U.S.;

ii) call and preside at Executive Committee meetings;

iii) serve as an ex-officio member of all constituted and affiliated committees of the E.U.S.;

iv) be the official spokesperson for the E.U.S. on all occasions;

v) represent the E.U.S. at meetings of the Faculty of Engineering; and

vi) be responsible for holding the engineering representatives to S.S.M.U. Council and the Engineering Senator accountable to the Engineering student body through E.U.S. council;

vii) shall be responsible for meeting with Departmental Society Presidents no less than once per month during the fall and winter semesters

viii) be responsible for the E.U.S. Equity Commissioner; and

ix) be responsible for the E.U.S. Sustainability Coordinator

Article 11: VP Internal

11.1 The Vice-President Internal shall:

i) be responsible for the organization of social, cultural, and other activities for the members of the E.U.S.;

ii) Removed.

iii) be responsible for relations between the E.U.S. and other faculty associations of McGill University;

iv) serve as the official spokesperson for the E.U.S. in the absence of the Vice-President External and the President; and

v) be responsible for gathering report files of all committees at year’s end.

Article 12: VP External

12.1 The Vice-President External shall:

i) in conjunction with the President, represent the E.U.S. to outside bodies and individuals;

ii) have responsibility for matters relating to the interaction of the E.U.S. with outside groups;

iii) be responsible for maintaining links with student organizations at the provincial, federal, and international levels and with other engineering student societies of other universities;

iv) be responsible for relations with industry, with government, and all other external relations of the E.U.S. outside the University;

v) be responsible for assuring the representation of the E.U.S. at Canadian Federation of Engineering Students (C.F.E.S.) meetings and at Quebec Confederation of Engineering Student Outreach (Q.C.E.S.O.) meetings; and

vi) serve as the official spokesperson of the E.U.S. in the absence of the President.

Article 13: VP Finance

13.1 The Vice-President Finance shall:

i) in cooperation with the Executive Committee, prepare the annual budget of the E.U.S., which shall include the actual expenditures from the previous year, and submit it to the E.U.S. Council before the 15 of October;

ii) in cooperation with the Executive Committee, manage the funds of the E.U.S.;

iii) keep proper financial accounts and records according to the Financial Bylaws of the E.U.S.;

iv) prepare a year-end financial report by May 15; and

v) obtain and update the previous year’s financial report as mentioned in Article 13.1, item iv).

Article 14: VP Academic

14.1 The Vice-President Academic shall:

i) be responsible for all educational and curricular concerns of the E.U.S.;

ii) be the Chair of Engineering Student Academic Committee (E.S.A.C.);

iii) be the Chair of the Engineering Equipment Fund Committee, (E.F.C.);

v) chair the Student Faculty Liaison Committee (S.F.L.C);

v) represent the E.U.S. at any academic committees of the Faculty of Engineering and the broader McGill community; and

vi) oversee Engineering Peer Tutoring Services (E.P.T.S).

Article 15: VP Clubs & Admin

15.1 The Vice-President Clubs and Administration shall:

i) be responsible for the secretary of the E.U.S. Council and General Assembly;

ii) be responsible for issuing agendas and minutes of the E.U.S. Council meetings and General Assemblies, prior to any E.U.S. Council meeting or General Assembly;

iii) be responsible for maintaining the E.U.S. office;

iv) be responsible for ensuring that members of the E.U.S. Council attend meetings;

v) be responsible for updating the E.U.S. Policy Manual;

vi) be responsible for the orientation of all Council Members;

vii) be responsible for gathering year end reports from Departmental Societies

viii) be the E.U.S. liaison to the U0 Class representative

ix) be responsible for the formation and operations of E.U.S. Clubs, as per the Clubs Bylaws

x) be responsible for scheduling the use of and maintaining the E.U.S. Clubs Space.

Article 16: VP Services

16.1 The Vice-President Services shall:

i) be responsible for all student facilities of the E.U.S., except as otherwise stated herein;

ii) be responsible for all photocopying facilities, retail services, locker facilities, and publication facilities of the E.U.S.;

iii) be responsible for new services undertaken by the Society;

iv) be responsible for all staff remuneration and records of payroll including PST and GST records;

v) be responsible for providing adequate building services in E.U.S. space in conjunction with the Faculty Building Director.

Article 17: VP Communications

17.1 The Vice-President Communications shall:

i) be responsible for Telecommunicationsservices of the E.U.S.;

ii) be responsible for submitting E.U.S. information to the E.U.S.

publications;

iii) be responsible of all internal communications inside of the E.U.S.;

iv) be responsible for all internal communications relating to the E.U.S. within the McGill Community;

v) be responsible for all Publications Committees of the E.U.S.; and

vi) be responsible for all Information Technology committees of the E.U.S.

Article 18: Meetings of the Executive Committee

18.1 The Executive Committee shall meet at least once every two (2) weeks while classes are in session during the Academic Year.

18.2 Quorum shall be the greater of five (5) or two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Executive Committee.

18.3 The President of the E.U.S. must participate in all meetings of the Executive Committee.

Article 19: Terms of Office

19.1 The terms of office of the President, Vice-President Internal, Vice-President External, Vice-President Finance, Vice-President Academic, Vice-President Clubs and Administration, Vice-President Services and Vice-President Communications shall begin May 1 and last one year.

Article 20: Vacancies

20.1 Vacancies shall be filled as they occur during the year by the Standing Selection Committee, subject to ratification by the E.U.S. Council.

20.2 In the case of a vacancy in the position of President, the Vice-President Internal shall assume the responsibilities of President until the E.U.S. Council has ratified the nomination of a new President.

The Council

Article 21: Members of the EUS Council

21.1 The members of the E.U.S. Council must be Regular Members of the E.U.S.

The E.U.S. Council shall consist of:

i) the members of the Executive Committee, as defined in Article 8;

ii) one representative from each of the four years in each of the following Classes:

a) Chemical

b) Civil

c) Computer

d) Electrical

e) Mechanical

f) Materials

g) Mining

h) Software

i) Architecture

iii) The President of each Departmental Society as per Title II, Section IV.

iv) One elected representative from the Engineering U0 Council.

v) The Engineering Representatives to S.S.M.U. Council.

vi) In the event that there is more than one Regular Member of the E.U.S. holding the position of Engineering Senator and/or Delegate to Senate, they shall all be members of the E.U.S. Council.

vii) Two (2) elected representatives from E.U.S. Clubs Council.

21.2 Each member of the E.U.S. Council shall have a single vote.

21.3 No Regular Member may hold more than one voting position on the E.U.S. Council

Article 22: Powers and Duties

22.1 The E.U.S. Council shall:

i) act as the governing body of the E.U.S., empowered to make all decisions and take all actions on behalf of the E.U.S.;

ii) approve and/or reject budgets for all E.U.S. Committees and Publications, general expenses and all other expenses which may arise subject to the conditions stipulated in the Financial Bylaws;

iii) define all general policies of the E.U.S.;

iv) ratify the List of Organizing Committees;

v) ratify a Chief Returning Officer and the Deputy Returning Officers.;

vi) have the right to reverse any decision taken by the Executive Committee;

vii) establish Standing, Select and Standing Selection Committees of the E.U.S.; and

viii) be held accountable to General Assembly

22.2 For the period from the last council of the school year to the 1 ^st E.U.S. Council meeting of the following school year, the powers of the E.U.S. Council may be exercised by the Executive Committee.

Article 23: Speaker

23.1 The Speaker of the E.U.S. Council shall be chosen from amongst the Members of the E.U.S., with preference given to Regular Members.

23.2 The Speaker may not be a member of the E.U.S. Council. As such, the Speaker does not have the right to vote in order to make or break a tie.

23.3 The Speaker shall:

i) chair all meetings of the E.U.S. Council and General Assembly; and

ii) enforce the rules of order under which the E.U.S. Council meets.

23.4 In the event that the Speaker is absent or where the Speaker’s possible impeachment is on the agenda, an Executive of the Society shall assume the duties of the Speaker.

Article 24: Class Representatives

24.1 Class Representatives shall:

i) attend E.U.S. Council Meetings. In case of absence, Class representatives are responsible for arranging a proxy from among their Constituents, and notifying the Vice-President Clubs and Administration of their replacement in writing before the meeting;

ii) inform their Constituents on matters of the E.U.S. Council;

iii) represent the interests and concerns of their Constituents at the E.U.S. Council;

iv) prepare a year-end report by May 15 intended for their successor, which shall include suggestions on how to improve communications with their Constituents.

24.2 No Class Representative to the E.U.S. Council may also be a member of the Executive Committee or represent a Departmental Society at a meeting of the E.U.S. Council.

24.3 A Class Representative who misses three (3) Regular Meetings of the E.U.S. Council without providing for a proxy may be impeached as per Article 40.

24.4 The term of office for a Class Representative shall begin on May 1, and last for one year notwithstanding Article 52.

24.5 In the case of a vacancy, another Class Representative shall be appointed by the concerned Departmental Society.

Article 25: Representatives to Senate

25.1 In the case that the elected student Senator from the Faculty of Engineering is not a Regular Member of the E.U.S., then a Delegate to Senate shall be chosen from among the Regular Members of the E.U.S. by the Selection Committee, subject to ratification by the E.U.S. Council.

25.2 Non-Existent

25.3 The Engineering Senator shall:

i) represent the interests and concerns of Engineering students as expressed through the E.U.S. Council to Senate;

ii) inform the E.U.S. on matters of the Senate; and

iii)hold bi-weekly office hours

25.4 The Delegate to Senate shall:

i) communicate the interests and concerns of Engineering students as expressed through the E.U.S. Council to Senate; and

ii) inform the E.U.S. on matters of the Senate.

25.5 The terms of office of the Engineering Senator shall be in accordance with the constitution of the S.S.M.U. and the statutes of the Senate

25.6 The terms of office of the Delegate to Senate shall begin May 1 and last one year.

Article 26: Engineering Representative to SSMU Council

26.1 The Engineering Representatives to S.S.M.U. Council shall:

i) represent the interests and concerns of Engineering students as expressed through the E.U.S. Council to S.S.M.U. Council; and

ii) inform the E.U.S. on matters of the S.S.M.U.

iii)hold weekly office hours

26.2 The terms of office of the Engineering Representatives to S.S.M.U. Council shall begin May 1 and last one year

Article 27: Meetings of the EUS Council

27.1 Quorum for a meeting of the E.U.S. Council shall be fifty percent (50%) of its members.

27.2 E.U.S. Council meetings shall be open unless voted closed by Two-Thirds (2/3) Majority

27.3 In the case of a vote that results in a tie, the question shall be considered to be defeated.

27.4 The E.U.S. Council shall hold Regular Meetings at least once every four (4) weeks while classes are in session during the Academic Year.

27.5 Notice of the meeting and agendas shall be provided at least three (3) School Days prior to a Regular Meeting.

27.6 In the case of an emergency, the President or the Vice-President Clubs and Administration may call a Special Meeting of the E.U.S. Council, at any time. Only Motions ruled by the Speaker to be pertinent to the emergency may be considered at such a meeting.

27.7 The rules of procedure for all meetings of the E.U.S. Council shall be the most recent edition of Roberts’ Rules of Order.