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Archived Documents THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ARCHIMEDEANS
____________________________________
adopted Friday 7 March 1969
amended Monday 2 June 1975
amended Wednesday 8 March 1978
amended Tuesday 3 February 1981
abolished Wednesday 4 March 1981
Chapter I : The Interpretation of the Constitution
__________________________________________________
SECTION 1
The Society shall be called 'THE ARCHIMEDEANS'.
SECTION 2
Throughout this Constitution:
i) 'The University' means the University of Cambridge,
England, and terms and phrases relating thereto
shall be interpreted as in its Statutes and
Ordinances,
ii) 'Member' includes all categories of Member of the
Society, except where specified to the contrary,
iii) 'Committee' means that Committee defined in Chapter
IV of this Constitution,
iv) 'Day' means a Day of University Full Term,
v) 'College Society' means any Society recognised to be
such as provided in Chapter XVI of this Con-
stitution.
SECTION 3
Throughout this Constitution, words of the masculine
gender shall be taken to apply equally to members of the
female sex.
SECTION 4
If any provision of this Constitution shall be found
to conflict with the then current Statutes, Ordinances
Regulations, or Proctorial Edicts of the University, it
shall be deemed void insofar as it does so conflict.
SECTION 5
The Society's financial year shall run from 1st April in
any calendar year until 31st March in the following
calendar year.
Chapter II : The Objects of the Society
_______________________________________
SECTION 1
The objects of the Society are:
i) to publish annually a journal which shall be called
'Eureka',
ii) to cooperate with, and to cause cooperation between,
the College Societies,
iii) to promote the study of Mathematics, and to further
the cause of Mathematicians in the University,
iv) to cooperate with the Mathematics Faculty in the
University,
v) to hold meetings of interest to Mathematicians.
SECTION 2
The activities of the Society shall have no political,
racial or religious bias.
Chapter III : Membership
________________________
SECTION 1
The Society shall consist of Honorary Members, Ordinary
Members, and Associate Members.
SECTION 2
The Committee may from time to time elect such persons as
it thinks fit to Honorary Membership of the Society, such
membership being valid for the period specified in the
Standing Orders Section 1(a).
SECTION 3
An Ordinary Member of the Society shall be any resident
member of the University who shall have paid the sub-
scription specified in the Standing Orders Section 1(b).
Ordinary Members who have returned to residence in Cam-
bridge after an absence of more than one year and who wish
to receive notification of the Society's meetings shall
notify the Membership Secretary.
SECTION 4
An Associate Member of the Society shall be any person
not a member of the University who shall have paid the sub-
scription specified in the Standing Orders Section 1(c).
The membership of such a person shall be limited to that
period specified in the Standing Orders Section 1(c).
SECTION 5
All Members of the Society shall be entitled to attend
the meetings of the Society other than Committee meetings,
and to receive notice of meetings of the Society other than
Committee meetings, except as provided in Section 3 of this
Chapter. Ordinary and Associate Members shall be entitled
to vote at General Meetings of the Society.
SECTION 6
The subscription of an Ordinary or Associate Member shall
become due on the first day of the Michaelmas Full Term
each academic year and his membership shall date either
from that day or from the payment of his first subscription
(whichever is the later) or, in the case of a Member re-
turning into residence and wishing to enjoy the privileges
of membership, from the date on which he returned to
residence in Cambridge, until:
i) his subscription becomes more than one term overdue,
or
ii) his membership is terminated by a General Meeting of
the Society, or
iii) he has given notice in writing to the Secretary of
his resignation from the Society, or
iv) he becomes an Honorary Member, or
v) if an Ordinary Member, he ceases to be a resident
member of the University.
SECTION 7
Production of a currently valid Membership Card shall be
held to be sufficient evidence that the person named on the
card is a Member in the absence of evidence to the
contrary.
Chapter IV : The Committee
__________________________
SECTION 1
The affairs of the Society shall be governed by a Com-
mittee consisting of the following Officers of the Society:
i) The President
ii) The Vice-President
iii) The Secretary
iv) The Senior Treasurer
v) The Junior Treasurer
vi) The Caterer
vii) The Membership Secretary
viii)The Minutes Secretary
ix) The Visits Secretary
x) The Editor of Eureka (if not already a member of the
Committee, or else the Business Manager of Eureka if
he is not already a member of the Committee)
xi) The Bookshop Manager (if not already a member of the
Committee).
This Committee may co-opt further members to represent
specific interests at its discretion. Such co-opted
members shall resign not later than the end of the fin-
ancial year of the Society in which they were co-opted.
SECTION 2
In addition, each College Society shall have the right to
send one representative to any Committee Meeting. Such a
representative shall be a Member of the Archimedeans and
shall not have a vote at the Committee meeting.
SECTION 3
The Senior Treasurer shall be a resident senior member of
the University and shall be ex officio an Honorary Member
of the Society.
SECTION 4
The offices numbered (i)-(iii) and (v)-(ix) shall be
elective and shall be held by Ordinary or Associate
Members. The elections shall take place at an Annual
General Meeting of the Society. In the absence of candid-
ates the remainder of the Committee shall be empowered
to elect persons to fill vacant posts.
SECTION 5
The elected members of the Committee shall take office
immediately upon the resignation of their predecessors and
shall hold office until they themselves resign, or shall
have been deemed to have resigned at this time unless re-
elected. They shall resign not later than the end of the
next following financial year of the Society. If an elected
member of the Committee resigns before a successor has been
elected, the remainder of the Committee shall elect a sub-
stitute.
No person shall hold two or more of the elective posts on
the Committee at the same time.
Chapter V : The Duties of the Committee
_______________________________________
SECTION 1
The Committee shall meet within 14 days of being called
upon to do so by any three voting Committee members, and in
any case not less than once in each Full Term. The Com-
mittee shall also meet within 14 days of the post of Senior
Treasurer falling vacant.
SECTION 2
The Committee shall transact business of the Society only
when there are at least five voting Committee members
present.
SECTION 3
The Committee shall transact the business of the Society
in any manner that it thinks fit, save that it shall not
delegate any part of the business of the Society to any
person who is not a Member of the Society nor to any body
of persons some of whom are not Members of the Society.
SECTION 4
Voting on matters of dispute at a Committee meeting shall
be on a simple majority basis of those Committee members
present and voting. The Chairman shall have, in the event
of a tie, a casting vote in addition to his normal vote.
SECTION 5
The President, Secretary, and Junior Treasurer of the
Society acting unanimously shall be empowered to transact
such routine business of the Society as they think fit
without reference to the Committee, provided that
i) they shall report all decisions made and actions
taken since the previous Committee meeting to the
Committee at its next meeting, and
ii) they shall not authorise any expenses greater in to-
tal than twenty pounds between meetings of the Com-
mittee.
SECTION 6
Should the post of Senior Treasurer of the Society fall
vacant at any time, the Committee shall, not later than 7
days after its next meeting, invite a senior member of the
University to accept the post.
SECTION 7
The Officers of the Society shall perform the following
duties:
i) The President shall chair all meetings of the Society
other than Extraordinary General Meetings, unless he
is unable to do so. He shall also be responsible
for the entertainment of any guests of the Society.
ii) The Vice-President shall take the chair at meetings
of the Society other than Extraordinary General
Meetings in the case of the President's inability to
do so, and shall organise such social activities as
may be specified in Standing Orders Section 4. He
shall be responsible for appointing a deputy to
chair a meeting other than an Extraordinary General
Meeting if neither he nor the President is able to
do so.
iii) The Secretary shall conduct the Society's correspond-
ence, invite speakers to address the Society, and
inform the Proctors of the University of any change
in the Constitution or change of Senior Treasurer.
He shall also furnish on demand any persons with
such information relating to the Society as may be
their legal due.
iv) The Senior Treasurer shall be responsible for the
financial affairs of the Society as required by the
University Statutes, Ordinances, Regulations and
Proctorial Edicts.
v) The Junior Treasurer shall conduct the financial af-
fairs of the Society and keep true and faithful
records thereof. These records shall be available
on request at any reasonable time to Members and
other persons authorised to require them. He shall
also annually inspect the records kept by the Busi-
ness Manager of Eureka and the Bookshop Manager on
behalf of the Society.
vi) The Caterer shall cause refreshments to be provided
at meetings of the Society.
vii) The Membership Secretary shall keep records of all
current Members of the Society and shall coordinate
the recruiting of new members in the various Col-
leges of the University.
viii)The Minutes Secretary shall keep, or cause to be
kept, Minutes of meetings of the Society.
ix) The Visits Secretary shall organise visits to places
of interest to Members of the Society, in particular
the annual visit to Oxford.
x) The Editor of Eureka shall perform the duties set out
in Chapter XII.
xi) The Bookshop Manager shall perform the duties set out
in Chapter XIII.
Chapter VI : Standing Orders
----------------------------
SECTION 1
There shall be Standing Orders of the Society. Any pro-
vision of the Standing Orders shall govern the conduct of
Society Members and Society Business as though it were a
provision of the Constitution of the Society, provided that
if it conflicts with any provision of this Constitution it
shall be void insofar as it does so conflict.
SECTION 2
The Standing Orders may be amended by
i) a simple majority at a General meeting of the society
ii) a simple majority at a Committee meeting, provided
that a) no such amendment of the Standing Orders may
take effect earlier than seven days after the
motion containing it is passed, or while an Ex-
traordinary General Meeting of the Society
called to discuss the amendment is pending
and b) any such amendment of the Standing Orders shall
be subject to ratification at the next General
Meeting of the Society.
SECTION 3
Any amendment of the Standing Orders shall be publicised
by a notice on the Society's notice board within 72 hours
of the passing of the motion containing it, and the notice
shall remain there for at least seven Days. This shall be
the responsibility of the Chairman of the meeting at which
the amendment is passed.
Chapter VII : Meetings
______________________
SECTION 1
The Business Meetings of the Society shall be:
i) Committee meetings
ii) Annual General Meetings
iii) Extraordinary General Meetings
iv) Constitutional General Meetings.
SECTION 2
No Society Business may be conducted at a meeting other
than a Business Meeting of the Society, except that the
Minutes of a meeting of the Society other than a Business
Meeting may be read, taken as read, amended if necessary
and approved at a meeting of the Society which is not a
Business Meeting.
SECTION 3
A Committee meeting is a meeting of the Committee as
defined in Chapter IV, duly called as set out in Chapter V
Section 1 and in the Standing Orders Section 2(a).
SECTION 4
An Annual General Meeting is a Meeting called as set out
in Chapter VIII Section 1 and in the Standing Orders Sect-
ion 2(b) to transact Society Business as detailed in
Chapter VIII Section 2.
SECTION 5
An Extraordinary General Meeting is a Meeting called as
set out in Chapter IX Section 1 and in the Standing Orders
Section 2(c) to transact the Society Business for which
it was called.
SECTION 6
A Constitutional General Meeting is a Meeting called as
set out in Chapter X Section 2 to amend the Constitution.
Chapter VIII : Annual General Meetings
______________________________________
SECTION 1
An Annual General Meeting shall be held each year in the
Lent Term at a time and place calculated to be to the
convenience of Members. The Meeting shall be void unless:
i) at least 14 days' notice of the time and place of the
Meeting has been given to all resident Members of
the Society, and
ii) there are present at least the positive square root
of 'n' Ordinary or Associate Members including at
least five members of the Committee, where 'n' is
the total number of Ordinary and Associate Members
of the Society.
SECTION 2
The business at an Annual General Meeting shall include:
i) reading, amendment if necessary, and adoption of the
Minutes of any previous General Meeting not already
adopted by an Annual General Meeting, other than a
Constitutional General Meeting hald on the same Day.
ii) ratification in whole or in part of such changes in
the Standing Orders as have been made since the im-
mediately previous General Meeting,
iii) presentation and acceptance of the Junior Treasurer's
interim report for the current financial year, and
presentation and acceptance of the audited accounts
for the previous financial year,
iv) presentation of reports by the Editor of Eureka and
the Bookshop Manager,
v) election of auditors to examine the Junior
Treasurer's books for the next Annual General
Meeting,
vi) election of the Officers of the Society for the
coming year,
vii) any other business.
SECTION 3
The election of Officers shall take place in the follow-
ing order:
i) the election to the post of President,
ii) the election to the post of Vice-President,
iii) the election to the post of Secretary,
iv) the election to the post of Junior Treasurer,
v) the election to the post of Caterer,
vi) the election to the post of Membership Secretary,
vii) the election to the post of Minutes Secretary,
viii)the election to the post of Visits Secretary.
SECTION 4
Nominees for election as Officers of the Society shall be
Members and shall be proposed and seconded by different
Ordinary or Associate Members. Nominations shall be made
in writing to the Secretary at least twenty-four hours in
advance of the Annual General Meeting and shall be accom-
panied by the signature of the nominee indicating his
willingness to stand. Nominations may only be withdrawn
by the nominee who may withdraw his nomination at any time.
Members may stand for more than one post, but no person
already elected to a post at an Annual General Meeting may
stand in a further election at that Meeting.
In the event of more than one nomination for any of the
posts listed in Section 3, the election shall be by
majority vote among the Ordinary and Associate Members
present, each of whom shall have one vote in each election.
The voting shall only be valid if it takes the form of a
show of hands during which the nominees shall have with-
drawn from the Meeting, or of a secret ballot. In the
event of a tie in an election the Chairman shall have a
casting vote in order to resolve the election.
No nominee for any post may be elected against his wish.
Officers of the Society may stand for re-election.
SECTION 5
Voting on matters of dispute at a General Meeting shall
be on a simple majority basis of the Ordinary and Associate
Members present and voting. The Chairman shall have, in
the event of a tie, a casting vote in addition to his
normal vote. If seven Members present demand a secret
ballot such demand shall be granted.
Chapter IX : Extraordinary General Meetings
___________________________________________
SECTION 1
An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held at a time
and place calculated to be to the convenience of Members,
not more than 21 days nor less than 7 days after the motion
requesting it is passed by the Committee, or after receipt
by the Secretary of a request for such a Meeting signed by
at least the positive square root of 'n' Ordinary or As-
sociate Members, where 'n' is defined as in Section 1 of
Chapter VIII. Notice of the Meeting shall contain details
of all business to be discussed and shall be given at least
7 days in advance of the Meeting.
SECTION 2
Such a Meeting may appoint a Chairman from among Ordinary
Members present, and may transact any Society Business,
including the change of the Society's Constitution if
notice of this change has been given in accordance with
Chapter XV of this Constitution. It may also:
i) call for the resignation of any elected Officer of
the Society, dismissing him from his post if such
resignation is not offered,
ii) dismiss from his membership any Ordinary or Associate
Member,
provided that seven days' notice has been given to him in
writing of the Meeting and of his proposed dismissal, and
provided that such dismissal shall have been agreed to by
at least two-thirds of the Ordinary or Associate Members
present and voting at the Meeting.
No business may be transacted however if there are not at
least the positive square root of 'n' Orinary and As-
sociate Members present at the Meeting, 'n' being defined
as in Section 1 of Chapter VIII.
SECTION 3
The voting on matters of dispute at an Extraordinary
General Meeting shall be governed by the same rules as the
voting at an Annual General Meeting, except that on a mot-
ion calling for the resignation or dismissal of any
elected Officer of the Society the Chairman shall have no
casting vote.
SECTION 4
If an Officer of the Society offers his resignation or is
dismissed at an Extraordinary General Meeting, the Meeting
may elect his successor from among Members present at the
Meeting, using the procedure of the preceding Chapter
(dispensing with the provision that the nomination must be
in writing and made 24 hours in advance of the Meeting).
If the Meeting does not do this, the Committee may elect
any Member of the Society to the Office or Offices
in question.
If the Chairman at an Extraordinary General Meeting is
nominated for election to any Office in the Society at that
Meeting he shall vacate the chair, and a Chairman shall be
appointed by the Meeting from among the Ordinary Members
present.
SECTION 5
The Chairman at an Extraordinary General Meeting shall
appoint some person, him being willing, from among the
Members present to be responsible for keeping the Minutes
of the Meeting.
Chapter X : Constitutional General Meetings
___________________________________________
SECTION 1
The Committee may from time to time appoint a subcom-
mittee consisting of Members, who shall, with due regard to
the opinions of Officers of the Society and of the College
Societies and the Junior Proctor review the workings of the
Constitution. It shall have access to all records in the
possession of the Society. It shall if it thinks fit recom-
mend to the Committee that a Constitutional General Meeting
be held.
SECTION 2
In order that the Meeting be valid it shall be required
that
i) a motion requesting it shall have been passed by the
Committee
ii) fourteen Days' notice shall have been given to all
Members of the nature of the proposed changes
iii) fourteen Days' notice shall have been given on the
Society's notice board of the details of the pro-
posed changes
iv) a quorum of the positive square root of n Ordinary
and Associate Members shall be present throughout
the Meeting, where n is the total number of Ordinary
and Associate Members.
SECTION 3
i) The Meeting shall appoint a Chairman from among the
Ordinary Members present.
ii) For an amendment to be passed a two thirds majority
of those voting shall be required in its favour.
iii) The Chairman shall strictly confine the business
of the Meeting to those matters pertinent to the
motions previously advertised.
iv) It shall not be required that the Minutes of any pre-
vious Meeting be read.
SECTION 4
The Chairman shall accept the proposition of further
amendments not previously advertised if he is satisfied
that there is sufficient time for their discussion and that
the motion is relevant and called-for as a result of the
previous dismissal of another motion concerning the same
subject. Such motions may be debated and passed as if the
required notice had been given.
SECTION 5
The amendments made at a Constitutional General Meeting
shall come into force immediately that the Meeting is clos-
ed. The Minutes Secretary shall ensure that a full copy of
the Minutes of the Meeting and of the revised Constitution
is posted on the Society's notice board within fourteen
Days.
Chapter XI : Minutes of Meetings
________________________________
SECTION 1
The Minutes of a Committee meeting shall be read at the
next following Committee meeting, and when passed by a
majority vote with or without amendment, shall be signed by
the Chairman at that following meeting.
SECTION 2
The Minutes of any General Meeting shall be read at the
next Annual General Meeting, and when passed by a majority
vote with or without amendment, shall be signed by the
Chairman at that following Annual General Meeting.
SECTION 3
The Minutes of all meetings of the Society shall be
available for inspection by any Member at any reasonable
time.
Chapter XII : Eureka
____________________
SECTION 1
The Committee shall appoint an Editor of Eureka and may
also, with the approval of the Editor, appoint a Business
Manager who shall keep true and accurate accounts of
Eureka's financial affairs. These records shall be kept
available for inspection by Members at any reasonable time.
Should no Business Manager be appointed the Editor shall
undertake his duties. The Editor and the Business Manager
shall be jointly responsible for all matters concerning
Eureka to the Committee and shall both be Members of the
Society, but neither of them shall be its President,
Secretary or Junior Treasurer. They may delegate any or
all of their duties, but none of their financial re-
sponsibilities, to other Members of the Society, who must
first be approved by the Committee.
SECTION 2
The Editor and the Business Manager shall hold their
posts independently of each other until either
i) they tender their resignation to the Committee, or
ii) they are relieved of their duties by the Committee,
or
iii) they cease to be Members.
SECTION 3
The Society shall be financially responsible for Eureka
in all circumstances. With the approval of the Committee,
Eureka may have a financial year different from that of the
Society.
Chapter XIII : The Society's Bookshop
_____________________________________
SECTION 1
The purpose of the Bookshop is to buy and sell
mathematics textbooks to Members at rates better than those
offered by town bookshops. It shall not be expected to
make a profit, although any profit made is either to be
kept in the Bookshop funds or else returned to the Society.
Both the books in stock, and any monies in the Bookshop's
cash reserves or its bank accounts are the property of the
Society.
SECTION 2
The Committee shall appoint a Bookshop Manager, who shall
be responsible for all matters relating to the Bookshop to
the Committee. He shall keep true and accurate records of
the Bookshop's affairs, and make these available to the
Junior Treasurer for inspection when required. He shall
be a Member and may delegate all or any of his duties to
other Members, retaining responsibility for their actions.
He shall produce an account of the Bookshop's financial
position at each Annual General Meeting.
SECTION 3
The Bookshop Manager shall hold his position until either
i) he tenders his resignation to the Committee, or
ii) he is relieved of his duties by the Committee, or
iii) he ceases to be a Member.
Chapter XIV : Indemnity
_______________________
SECTION 1
No Member other than the Senior Treasurer shall be held
responsible for the debts incurred on behalf of the
Society. 'On behalf of the Society' shall be taken to mean
with the approval of a voting majority at a Committee
meeting, and of the Senior Treasurer and the Junior
Treasurer, except as provided in Chapter V Section 5.
SECTION 2
The Society shall not be held responsible for debts
otherwise incurred nor for the personal property or effects
of any persons.
Chapter XV : Amendment of the Constitution
__________________________________________
SECTION 1
Except as provided in Section 2, this Constitution shall
be amended only by an Annual General Meeting or an
Extraordinary General Meeting or a Constitutional General
Meeting and only provided that
i) details of the proposed amendment shall have been
given to all resident Members at least 14 days in
advance except as provided in Chapter X Section 2,
ii) the proposed amendment shall have been agreed to by
at least two-thirds of the Members present and
voting at the Meeting.
SECTION 2
If the Standing Orders of the Society are amended in such
a way as to renumber paragraphs or Sections, references
within this Constitution to the renumbered paragraphs or
Section may also be renumbered, such renumbering being
treated as an amendment of the Standing Orders under the
procedure of Chapter VI.
Chapter XVI : College Societies and Subgroups
_____________________________________________
SECTION 1
The following shall be deemed to be recognised as College
Societies at the date of adoption of this Constitution:
i) that society in existence on 31st December 1968 in
the University known as 'The Adams Society',
ii) that society in existence on 31st December 1968 in
the University known as the 'New Pythagoreans',
iii) that society in existence on 31st December 1968 in
the University known as 'The Quintics',
iv) that society in existence on 31st December 1968 in
the University known as 'The Tensors',
v) that society in existence on 31st December 1968 in
the University known as 'The Trinity Mathematical
Society'.
SECTION 2
The Committee may from time to time recognise a Society
or other body as being a College Society within the meaning
of the Constitution. It shall however at no time recognise
any Society or other body which has not formally requested
such recognition on a date at least one year and one day
before the passage of the formal motion recognising that
Society, except that in the case of a recognised College
Society changing its name or dividing to form two or more
Societies, or in the case of two or more recognised College
Societies amalgamating, the Committee may recognise at once
any of these Societies as College Societies at its discret-
ion, so long as the aims, corporate membershio, assets and
liabilities of the new Society or Societies are identical
to those of the dissolved one(s).
SECTION 3
It is a condition of recognition as a College Society
that it admit to its meetings as a guest anyone who is a
Member both of the Archimedeans and of any other College
Society.
As long as a recognised College Society conforms with the
above condition it shall continue to be recognised until
either:
i) it dissolves itself, or
ii) it fails to hold a meeting during any academic year,
or
iii) it is disaffiliated by a General Meeting; this may
only be done if
a) 14 days' notice has been given to the College
Society of its proposed disaffiliation, and
b) two-thirds of the Members present and voting are
in favour of the disaffiliation.
SECTION 4
The Committee may approve the formation of Subgroups for
special interests within the objects of the Society. Such
Subgroups shall be organised by Members authorised by the
Committee to do so.
Meetings of Subgroups shall be open to all Members. The
expenses of authorised subgroups shall be paid by the
Society, provided that they shall have been incurred within
the conditions of Chapter XIV Section 1.
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