CONSTITUTION

1. NAME

The name of the club shall be "GLASGOW ROWING CLUB".

2. OBJECTS

The objects of the club shall be:-

1. To promote active rowing and to encourage and aid the attainment of a high competitive standard among members of the club.
2. To encourage rowing for purely recreational purposes among the membership. (3/99)
3. To foster and encourage youth rowing in general. (3/99)
4. To do all other such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects, having no regard to ethnic, religious or political difference.
5. To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all club members by adopting and implementing the current (at any time) SARA policies in safety and child protection. (2/11/2005)

3. MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Club shall be open to persons wishing to further the above Objects who satisfy the definition of an amateur as defined by the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association. Admission to membership shall require the approval of a simple majority of the Committee. The Committee shall have the power to refuse membership in the interests of the Club and to limit the membership of one or more categories in the interests of the Club.
There shall be the following categories of membership:-

SENIOR

Membership which is open to persons aged 18 years or over when subscriptions are due.

JUNIOR

Membership which is open to persons under 18 years of age when subscriptions are due. A reduced subscription will be charged to Junior Members who are under 16 years of age when subscriptions are due.

ASSOCIATE

Membership which members shall not be eligible to use any rowing equipment of the Club except at the discretion of the Committee, nor be entitled to vote at a general meeting, but shall enjoy all social facilities of the Club.

COUNTRY

Membership which is open to persons who neither live or work within a 20 mile radius of the Club and who are consequently expected only to make infrequent use of Club equipment.

STUDENT

Membership which is open to persons attending a course of full time education.

UNEMPLOYED

Membership which is open to persons who are unemployed when the subscription is due to be paid. If and when an unemployed member is subsequently employed before the 1st April of the following year, that member shall be transferred to another category of membership and the balance of subscription relevant to that category shall then be due.
If and when a member of a different category becomes unemployed for a continuous 6 month period of the financial year, that member may be transferred to the Unemployed Membership category and may apply to the Committee for reimbursement of the difference in the two subscriptions.

HONORARY

Membership which is open to persons as the Committee from time to time may decide. Honorary Members shall not be liable to pay a subscription.

NEW GRADUATE

Membership which is open to recent graduates. This is available for a single year post graduation. (2/11/2005)

FAMILY

Membership where one adult pays full SENIOR membership and each additional family member pays half the standard rate applicable for their membership type. (2/11/2005)

The Committee shall decide the relevant category of Membership for each member.

4. SUBSCRIPTIONS

Each member shall pay an annual subscription according to his or her category of membership. The subscriptions shall be due immediately following the Annual General Meeting and on admission to entry. The amounts of subscriptions for each category shall be fixed by a simple majority vote at the Annual General Meeting. Should the Annual General Meeting not be held due to a quorum not being present, the correct notice of meeting having been given, a further Annual General Meeting shall be called with the correct notice of meeting being given. Should the further Annual General Meeting not be held due to a quorum not being present, the correct notice of meeting having been given, the members present at that further inquorate Annual General Meeting may fix the amount of subscriptions for the coming year, with full regard to the correct management of the Club, as long as the proposed setting of annual subscriptions was included in the notice of further Annual General Meeting. A member more than three months in arrears of subscription shall be dealt with at the discretion of the Committee.      (6/12/97)

5. MANAGEMENT

The affairs of the Club shall be managed exclusively by a Committee consisting of a President, Vice-President, Captain, Boathouse Manager, Secretary, Treasurer, and ordinary members of the Committee.
Fifty % of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt to full membership of the Committee any member who can assist it in the management of the Club. The Committee shall meet for the transaction of Club business once monthly all year round, or as often as required. Any member absenting him/herself from three meetings in succession, without reasonable excuse, shall be liable to expulsion from the Committee. All Committee members shall be elected annually by the Club at the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office from election until the following Annual General Meeting. All members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election each year.
Any Club member unable to attend the Annual General Meeting may propose a member with his or her approval for the Committee, by letter, provided this reaches the Secretary before the commencement of the election. (1988).

6. DUTIES OF OFFICE BEARERS

President

The President, or in his absence, the Vice-President, shall take the chair at all General Meetings and Committee Meetings of the Club and shall have a deliberative and casting vote thereat. In the absence of the President and Vice President, a chairman shall be elected from the Committee.

Vice-President

The Vice-President, in the absence of the President, shall take the chair at all General Meetings and Committee Meetings of the Club and shall have a deliberative and casting vote thereat (1988)

Captain

The Captain shall have full responsibility for selecting crews and entering them in competition. The Captain shall have final say in allocation of boats for competitions.

Boathouse Manager

The Boathouse Manager shall have the management of the Boathouse and its contents (with the exception of boats, oars, etc). With the co-operation and assistance of members he shall be responsible for the general fabric and cleanliness of the Boathouse.

Secretary

The Secretary shall receive and conduct all correspondence on behalf of the Club and be responsible for same.

Treasurer

All financial business of the Club shall be transacted by the treasurer who shall provide a Financial Report as directed by the Committee and shall provide Audited Accounts for submission to the Annual General Meeting.
The Committee shall have the right to supplement the above duties and responsibilities, and Office Bearers shall be responsible to the Committee and Club in General Meetings for the conduct of their duties. Unless specifically mandated to the contrary by a General Meeting, the Committee may take whatever actions subject to the Constitution it considers reasonable to further the objects of the Club. To this end the Committee may effect arrangements with third parties including sponsors and patrons, undertake bank borrowings and give any individual, or sub-committee which it may convene, a particular duty.
The Committee shall have the power to make Bye-laws for the proper conduct of the Club, provided that such Bye-laws are not contrary to the Constitution. The Bye-laws shall be displayed in the Clubhouse.
All disputes between members of the Club which cannot be resolved by the appropriate Office Bearer shall be decided by the Committee whose decision shall be final. The Committee may discipline any member who violates the Constitution or any Bye-law of the Club in whatever manner it considers appropriate, including expulsion from the Club or forfeiture or suspension of any privileges of Membership of the Club.

7. FINANCE

The financial year shall end on 30th September annually. The Annual Accounts shall be audited by two auditors, who are not members of the Committee, to be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting. Copies of the Annual Accounts shall accompany the Notice of Meeting.
Withdrawals from the Club Bank Account shall require the signature of any two of the following:- President, Captain, Treasurer, Secretary, (3/2/99)
No contracts or expenses may be incurred or accounts settled without prior approval of the Committee or a General Meeting.
Execution of Deed on Club's behalf.
A deed shall be executed on behalf of the Club by signature on it's behalf by any two of the following duly elected office-bearers, from time to time -
The President, the Captain, the Secretary and/or the Treasurer. (5/6/96)

8. GENERAL MEETINGS

The Club shall hold in each year in November a General Meeting as it's Annual General Meeting. (March half yearly Meeting deleted at AGM 3/11/04)
Should the Annual General Meeting not be held due to a quorum not being present, after the correct notice having being given, the present Committee shall continue to manage the affairs of the Club until the next General Meeting.    (6/12/97)
At least 14 days notice shall be given of all General Meetings. The reasons for calling the Meeting shall be stated in the notice which shall be posted on our website and clubhouse noticeboard (2/11/2005) 14 days prior to the meeting. (3/99)
Any other General Meeting shall be known as an Extra-ordinary General Meeting and shall be convened:-

1. at the discretion of the Committee, or
2. on the written application of at least 10 members.

No other business other than that stated in the circular calling an Extra-ordinary General Meeting may be considered at that Meeting.
A quorum for a General Meeting shall consist of 12 members or one quarter of the total membership, whichever is the fewer.
Persons entitled to attend and vote at a General Meeting, other than the Annual General Meeting, must be fully paid up Club members prior to the start of the Meeting.
Persons entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting, must have been fully paid up Club members for the financial year immediately prior to the Annual General Meeting. (1987) A member who is unable to attend and who wished to vote on any issue at a General Meeting may do so in writing to the Secretary, stating clearly:-

1. who is to vote for him/her
2. on which issue the proxy acts
3. voting instructions to the proxy

A Junior Member (3/99) shall only be entitled to vote at a General Meeting after:-

1. having attained the age of 14 years by the date of the General Meeting, and
2. having been a member of the Club for one full year on the date of the General Meeting.

Honorary members shall be entitled to vote only after their membership has been ratified by a General Meeting. (3/99)
Any General Meeting duly constituted, may adjourn to such time and place as the members present may direct and may continue such adjournment from time to time until the business is satisfactorily concluded. No business shall be brought up at any adjourned meeting contrary to the agenda under discussion.

9. INSURANCE

Club property and equipment shall be insured as directed by the Committee against fire and theft and where possible against accident when travelling.

10. REGATTAS

All Regattas shall be rowed under the Rules and Regulations of the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association.

11. CLUB COLOURS

Club colours shall be yellow with a single red hoop.

12. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

No addition or alteration of this Constitution shall be made unless approved by a majority at a General Meeting of at least two thirds of the members voting. Such alteration shall only be considered at a General Meeting if the proposal has been displayed for at least 14 days before the General Meeting. Intention to propose such an alteration must be sent in writing to the Secretary in ample time to allow display of such information.

13. DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution all property of the Club shall be sold and after all liabilities are met the balance, if any, shall be donated to a local charitable institution.

BYE-LAW No. 1

"Dual Membership is not permitted except under the following circumstance:
Dual Membership is only allowed if the other Senior Club involved is a University, or if the other Senior Club involved has it's rowing centre outwith the Central Belt of Scotland or if the applicant is no longer involved in the other Senior Club."
The above Bye-Law was an amendment to the original following the Committee Meeting of 9 January 1991.