Our
Constitution
ZHONGHUA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION
Chapter One : General
1. Name :
The Association shall be known as Zhonghua Alumni Association.
2. Place of Business :
The place of business of the Association shall be at 13, Serangoon Ave 3 Singapore 556123 or such other address as may subsequently be decided upon by the committee and approved by the Registrar of Societies.
3. Objects :
The objects of the Association shall be to foster better relationship among alumni, to promote mutual assistance and mutual encouragement, to assist the Alma Mater in her development, to carry out various academic, social and cultural activities.
Chapter Two : Membership and Advisers
4. (1) Ordinary members :
All alumni of Chung Hwa Normal School, Chung Hwa Girl’s High School and ites Primary, and Zhonghua Secondary School, above the age of 18 years may apply for membership to the Association, and shall become Ordinary Member of the Association upon their application being approved by the Executive Committee. An Ordinary Member who makes the required lump sum payment shall made a Life Member.
(2) Associate Members
Alumni who are still pursing studies in higher institutes of learning such as Polytechnics, or Universities etc , may apply to be Associate members. Associate Members shall not be entitled to elect, be elected nor to vote on any resolutions. However, they shall be entitled to participate in all activities organized by the Association.
(3) A copy of the constitution shall be provided to every approved applicant who has paid the entrance fees. Any member of the Association who violates the Rules of the Association shall be warned or expelled by the Executive Committee.
(4) Honorary Advisers :
The Association may invite former members of the School Board, Advisory Committee members, former and present Principals and Vice-Principals, and teachers of the Alma Mater to be Honorary Advisers of the Association. Such Honorary Advisers shall not be entitled to elect, to be elected, nor to vote on any resolution.
Chapter Three : Organisation
5. General Meeting :
The General Meeting of members shall be the supreme authority of the Association.
6. Executive Committee :
The annual general committee meeting shall elect 15 members of the Executive Committee who shall then elect among themselves to fill up the following posts in the executive committee : –
1 President
1 Vice-President
1 Secretary
1 Assistant Secretary
1 Treasurer
1 Assistant Treasurer
1 Academic Officer
1 Deputy Academic Officer
1 Welfare Officer
1 Deputy Welfare Officer
1 Recreation Officer
1 Deputy Recreation Officer
3 Ordinary Committee Members
7. Auditors :
The Annual General Meeting shall elect two voting members who are not members of the Executive Committee as Honorary Auditors. The Auditors shall serve a term of one year at the expiration of which they shall not be re-elected. The duty of the Auditors shall be to audit each financial year’s account and present a report upon them to the annual general meeting. They may be called upon by the President at any time to audit the accounts for any period within their tenure of office and present a report to the Executive Committee thereon. The financial year shall be from 1st August to 31 July.
8. Committee of Trustees :
A Committee of Trustee comprising four Trustees shall be elected by the General meeting. If the Association at any time acquires any immovable property, such property shall be vested in Trustees subject to a declaration of trust. Any trustee may any time resign his trusteeship. If a trustee dies or becomes lunatic or of unsound mind or moves permanently or is absent from the Republic of Singapore for a period of one year, he shall be deemed to have resigned his trusteeship. If a trustee is guilty of misconduct of such a kind as to render it undersirable that he continue as a trustee, a General Meeting may remove him fro his trusteeship. Vacancies in the trusteeship may be filled at a General Meeting. Notice of any proposal to remove a trustee from his trusteeship or to appoint a new trustee to fill a vacancy must be given by affixing in the premises of the Association a document containing such proposal at least two weeks before the meeting at which is to be discussed. The result of such meeting shall then be notified to the Registrar of Societies. The address of immovable properties, name of trustees and any subsequent changes must be notified to the Registrar of Societies.
9. Ad Hoc Committee :
If necessary, the Executive Committee may set up ad hoc committees to deal with emergency matters.
Chapter Four : Power & Duties
10. Power of Annual General Meeting
(1) To receive reports by the Executive Committee;
(2) To approve the Treasurer’s report;
(3) To elect members of the Executive Committee, Trustees and Auditors;
(4) To amend the Rules and
(5) To decide on other important matters.
11. Duties of Executive Committee
(1) To represent the Association externally;
(2) To deal with internal matters of the Association;
(3) To implement all resolutions of the General Meeting;
(4) To have the power to expend not more than Two Thousand Dollars in a month to carry out the activities of the Association. Expenditure in excess of the said amounts shall not be made without the approval of the General Meeting;
(5) To have the right to make public announcements, notices, press releases, and to publish booklets, send out letters etc.
(6) To organize and supervise over the day-to-day activities of the Association,, and to decide on various matters concerning the Association in between General Meeting. It may not act contrary to the expressed wishes of the general meeting without prior reference to it and always remains subordinate to the general meetings.
(7) To nominate and set up ad hoc committees.
12. Duties of Office-Bearers
(1) President :
To supervise over the affairs of the Association and convene the various meetings. He shall preside over the General and Committee Meetings and represent the Association in external dealings.
(2) Vice-Presidents :
To assist the President in dealing with the Association’s affairs and deputise for the President in the latter’s absence.
(3) Secretary :
To deal with matters as instructed by the President, safe keep all records, except financial, of the Association and be responsible for their correctness, deal all internal and external correspondence, keep the minutes of all General Meeting and Executive Committee Meeting and maintain as up-to-date Register of Members at all times.
(4) Assistant Secretaries :
To assist the Secretary in the execution of his duties and deputise for the Secretary in the latter’s absence.
(5) Treasurer :
(a) To keep all funds and collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of the Association;
(b) To keep an account of all monetary transactions and responsible for correctness;
(c) To keep all income and expenditure accounts and other financial records;
(d) To have the right to expend not more than Two Hundred Dollars in a month for petty expenses on behalf of the Association;
(e) To deposit any cash in excess of Two Hundred Dollars in the bank account appointed by the Executive Committee;
(f) All cheques drawn on the Association’s bank account shall be signed jointly by the President, Vice-President or Secretary in addition to the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer;
(g) To prepare a Budget, and to submit financial reports to the Annual General Meeting and the Executive Committee.
(6) Assistant Treasurer :
To assist the Treasurer in the execution of his duties and deputise for the Treasurer in the latter’s absence.
(7) Academic Officer :
To organize and conduct various academic talks, and cultural activities.
(8) Deputy Academic Officer :
To assist the Academic Officer and deputise for him in his absence
(9) Welfare Officer :
(a) To liaise with the members and promote better relationship among the members; and
(b) To organize and promote various social activities concerning the members.
(10) Deputy Welfare Officers :
To assist the Welfare Officer and deputise for him in his absence.
(11) Recreation Officer :
To plan and conduct various activities which are good for the physical health of the members.
(12) Deputy Recreation Officer :
To assist the Recreation Officer and deputise for him in his absence.
(13) Ordinary Committee Members :
To assist in the general administration and perform other duties assigned by the committee.
(14) Any changes in the committee shall be notified to the Registrar of Societies within two weeks of the change.
Chapter Five : Terms of Office
13. The Executive Committee shall serve a term of two years at the expiration which all officers, except the Treasurers and Assistant Treasurer may be re-elected. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall not serve consecutive term in the same or related posts.
The Auditors shall serve a term of one year, at the expiration of which they shall not be re-elected.
Ad Hoc Committee shall exist for so long as it is necessary for them to complete their respective assignements.
Newly elected officers shall take over from the outgoing officers within two weeks of their election.
Chapter Six : Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of Members shall be held in September each year. Notice of meeting shall be sent two weeks prior to the date of the Scheduled meeting. In the event of special matters, the Executive Committee or 20 or more members in a written requisition may propose that an Extraordinary General Meeting to be convened, notice of which shall be dispatched seven (7) days in advance. Any member who wishes to place an item on the agenda of a general meeting may do so provided he gives notice to the Secretary one week before the meeting is due to be held.
One quarter of the total number members present at General Meeting shall constitute a quorum. In the event of there being no quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned for half an hour. Should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum, those present at the adjourned meeting shall be considered a quorum for the meeting to be convene. However, the meeting so convene shall have no right to amend the existing Rules.
The Executive Committee shall meet once every three months. In the event of an emergency, the President or one-third the number of members of the Executive Committee may request for an emergency meeting to be convened. Half the number of members present shall constitute a quorum. Notice of Meeting shall be sent one week in advance.
Chapter Seven : Funds
The funds of the Association shall consist of Entrance Fees from the Ordinary Members and Associate Members, Subscriptions from the Ordinary Members and Associate Members, and Special Donations.
(1) Upon admission to the Association, an Ordinary Member shall pay an Entrance Fee of $5.00 and an Associate Member shall pay $1.00.
(2) Annual Subscription :
Ordinary Member : $10.00
Associate Member : $1.00
(3) Any Ordinary Member who pays a lump sum payment of $200.00 shall be made a Life member.
(4) The entrance fee and subscription for retirees are reduced or waived.
(5) In the event of the Association being in lack of funds or requiring additional funds for special purposes, the General meeting may pass a resolution to convass for special donation from the members.
Chapter Eight : Right & Obligations
All Ordinary Members of the Association shall enjoy the following rights:
(1) To speak and vote on any resolution;
(2) To elect and to be elected; and
(3) To participate in all activities of the Association.
All Ordinary members shall fulfill the following obligations:
(1) To abide by the Rules of the Association;
(2) To comply with and carry out all resolution of the Association;
(3) To assist in the promotion of various activities of the Association and undertake duties assigned by the Association;
(4) To pay the Entrance Fees, Subscription and Special Donations;
(5) Any member who wishes to resign from Association shall give one month’s notice in writing stating his reason. The resignation shall take effect only after it has been approved by the Executive Committee.
(6) Any Member who is in arrears of subscription for 3 months shall cease to be a member of the Association.
Chapter Nine : Prohibitions
(1) Gambling of any kind and the playing of paikow or mahjong whether for stakes or not, is forbidden on the Association’s premises. The introduction of material for gambling or drug taking and of bad characters onto the premises is prohibited.
(2) The Association shall not engage in any Trade Union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in Singapore.
(3) The funds of the Association shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in Court.
(4) The Association shall not attempt to restrict or interfere with trade or make directly or indirectly any recommendation to, any arrangement with its members which has the purpose or is likely to have the effect of fixing or controlling the price or any discount, allowance or rebate to any good or services to be supplied by them.
(5) The Association shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Association of its office-bearers, Committee or members.
(6) The Association shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/ or premises to be used for political purposes.
(7) The Association shall not raise funds from the public or whatever purpose without the prior approval in writing of the Registrar of Societies and other relevant authorities.
Amendments to Rules
No alteration or additions / deletions to these rules shall be made except at a general meeting, and they shall not come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies.
Interpretation
In the event of any question or matter arising out of any point which is not expressly provided for in the rules, the Committee shall have power to use their own discretion. The decision of the Committee shall be final unless it is reversed at a general meeting of members.
Dissolution
(1) The Association shall not be dissolved except with the consent of note less than 3/5 of the members of the Association for the time being resident in Singapore expressed, either in person or by proxy, at a general meeting convened for the purpose.
(2) in the event of the Association being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Association shall be fully discharge, and the remaining funds will be donated to an approved charity or charities in Singapore.
(3) Notice of dissolution shall be given within 7 days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies.