QUDIT Constitution – February 2010 v1.4
1. Name
The organisation shall be known as the Queensland Regional Network Organisation (QUDIT) or Queensland Regional Network Organisation Board of Management, hereafter called “the QUDIT”. The name, “Queensland Regional Network Organisation” will be established as a registered trading name by one of its members.
2. Objective
The QUDIT is established to promote and advance the development and use of networks for the benefit of its members, primarily but not exclusively, in Queensland and Northern New South Wales. The principal focus of the QUDIT will be on networks for the purposes of education, research and government. These objectives will be advanced through a variety of relevant means, including but not limited to the following:
- Undertaking network or services projects where a collective approach provides cost savings and delivers an outcome of benefit to members;
- Initiating pilot projects that demonstrate the benefits of a larger scale undertaking to funding bodies;
- Maintaining an active Technical Advisory Committee;
- Actively partnering with AARNet, government agencies and other organisations as necessary to extend and evolve the existing data network between member sites;
- Dealing with Vendors on a regional basis appropriate to QUDIT members;
- Developing and maintaining good relationships with, QUESTnet, QCIF, CAUDIT, ARCS, ANDS, NCI, AAF and AusCERT as well as key Federal and State Government agencies such as DIISR, DEEWR, Public Works, Health and Education;
- Working with members, AARNet and other telecommunications providers to address substandard network connectivity, including the need for more resilience.
3. Membership
There are three categories of membership: Voting Member, Affiliate Member and Personal Member
3.1 Voting Members
The organisations comprising the QUDIT are listed in Schedule 1 of this constitution. Each organisation shall be entitled to one Voting Member, who shall be an officer who contributes strategic ICT leadership to the organisation and who normally manages core ICT services and infrastructure. Additional organisations entitled to a voting member may be elected from time to time by resolution of the voting members.
3.2 Affiliate Members
Affiliate Members may be drawn, in a similar way as for Voting Members, from other bodies as may be determined from time to time by a resolution of the voting members. Affiliate Members are listed in Schedule 2.
3.3 Personal Members
Individuals who can contribute to the objectives and work of the QUDIT, may be invited to become personal members for one or two years as may be determined from time to time by resolution of the members. Renewal of personal membership will be by vote of the members. Personal Members are listed in Schedule 3.
3.4 Voting Rights
Affiliate Members and Personal Members shall have all the rights of audience and debate on all issues, unless the majority of voting members present determine otherwise on a case by case basis, but are not eligible to vote. Personal members may sit on the Executive provided that their candidature is supported by a resolution of the voting members.
3.5 Proxies
Voting Members may nominate proxies to attend meetings of the QUDIT in their place.
4. Membership Fees
There shall be an annual membership fee to support the activities of the QUDIT. The fees shall fall due on January 1st each year, and shall be established by resolution of the members except there shall be no fee for Personal Members. Voting Members whose fees or any other subscription are more than six months in arrears shall have their voting rights suspended unless a resolution of the voting members shall determine otherwise. Affiliate Members whose fees are more than six months in arrears shall have their membership suspended unless a resolution of the voting members shall determine otherwise. Affiliate Members whose fees are more than twelve months in arrears shall have their membership terminated unless a resolution of the voting members shall determine otherwise. Suspensions shall be in effect until such time as the fees are no longer in arrears. Members whose membership is terminated who wish to re-join are required to make a fresh application.
5. Use of Funds
The income and property of the QUDIT shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objective of the QUDIT as set out in clause 2 herein, and no portion shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to or amongst the Members, except as bona fide compensation for services rendered or expenses incurred on behalf of the QUDIT.
All expenditures shall be approved by the Executive, in accord with budgets and other general approvals given by the members from time to time.
Funds shall be held in an account at one of the members set up for that purpose, or in some financial institution as agreed by the members in general meeting.
QUDIT may borrow funds, or obtain credit, only to the limit of the account balance, or to the account balance minus outstanding liabilities and commitments to the end of the current financial year, whichever is the lower amount.
6. Executive Group
An Executive Group (hereafter called “the Executive”) shall be elected from the members at the Annual Meeting to organise the affairs of the QUDIT, including the following:
- Arranging meetings;
- Developing and reviewing strategic directions;
- Monitoring standing committees, sub-committees and working parties;
- Representing and acting for the QUDIT between meetings as required;
- Oversighting the financial affairs of QUDIT including the preparation of annual budgets and monitoring revenue and expenditure against budget;
- Canvassing the opinions of members between meetings.
The Executive shall consist of the Chair, the Deputy Chair and the Treasurer. The three elected members shall be elected for 2-year terms at the Annual Meeting of the QUDIT, with the Chair and the Treasurer being elected in odd-numbered years and the Deputy Chair in even numbered years.
Nominations shall be called at the time that notice of the Annual Meeting is issued, and shall close during the meeting. Nominations must be in writing bearing the signatures of the nominee, nominator and seconder; voting shall be by secret ballot, and the person with the most votes shall be elected; the elections shall be conducted in the order Chair, Deputy Chair, Treasurer; Office Bearers shall take office at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting.
The Executive shall meet (electronically or face-face) at least once per quarter to review and plan the affairs and activities of the QUDIT. A record of such meetings shall be prepared and distributed to all members in a timely fashion.
Voting members may appoint an Executive Officer at any meeting of the QUDIT and this may be a paid appointment. The Executive Officer will normally be employed through one of the members and may attend, participate in and speak at all QUDIT meetings, but may not vote. The Executive Officer will be an ex-officio, not voting member of the Executive.
7. Office-Bearers
7.1. Chair
The Chair shall be responsible for conducting all meetings of the QUDIT, including Executive meetings, and is empowered to represent the QUDIT as required.
7.2. Deputy Chair
The Deputy Chair shall be responsible for assisting the Chair in conducting the affairs of the QUDIT, and for deputising for the Chair when the Chair is absent.
7.3 Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be responsible for oversight of all financial matters associated with the operation of the QUDIT and in addition shall be responsible for presentation of budgets and financial statements at the Annual Meeting and at other times as required.
7.4 Co-option
The Executive shall have the power to co-opt additional members to the Executive when required.
7.5 Casual Vacancies
In the event of the resignation of any member of the Executive, an election shall be held within 60 days to fill this casual vacancy. The person so elected shall remain in office only for the unexpired portion of the term of the person who resigned.
This election may take place at any meeting of the QUDIT which occurs within the prescribed period, else it shall be conducted electronically, as follows:
- Nominations shall be called for, closing 14 days later;
- A person may nominate themselves, or another person provided they consent to being nominated;
- The vote shall be taken within 7 days of nominations closing;
- Voting shall proceed as for other electronic votes, except that the list of votes shall not be broadcast; instead, each vote shall be individually acknowledged;
- The Executive Officer, or in the absence of the Executive Officer, someone else appointed by the Executive to act as Executive Officer, shall conduct the election;
- The objection time and declaration of the poll shall be as for other electronic voting.
8. Meetings
There shall be at least two full meetings of the QUDIT held each calendar year, one of which shall be designated the Annual Meeting by the Chair (provided that it is at least 4 months since the previous Annual Meeting). Twenty-eight days’ written notice of the holding of the Annual Meeting shall normally be given to all members.
Meetings other than the Annual Meeting may be held as required, and may take place electronically (including phone conferencing, video conferencing, and computer conferencing). Voting at Electronic Meetings must comply with the Rules for Voting given below.
The Chair may invite any person to attend a meeting under such conditions and circumstances as determined by the Chair.
8.1 Special Meetings
A special meeting of the QUDIT can be called by the Chair or by any Voting Member with the support of 50% of Voting Members. Twenty-eight days written notice of such a meeting must be given and the notice must state the purpose of the Special Meeting.
9. Rules for Voting
At all meetings of the QUDIT, and for all votes taken, a Quorum shall consist of not fewer than half the Voting Members plus one. All motions except changes to the Constitution shall be passed by a simple majority, with the Chair having a casting vote (if needed) in addition to a deliberative vote.
Electronic Voting may be used to decide any matter which comes before the QUDIT, either at a meeting or at any other time, except those matters which must be decided at Annual Meetings. Members without electronic mail addresses may not participate in Electronic Votes. It is the responsibility of all members to ensure that the Executive Officer is advised of their current electronic mail address.
Electronic Voting shall proceed as follows:
- Electronic votes may only be conducted by the Executive Officer at the direction of the Executive;
- The motion shall be dispatched via electronic mail to all members, at approximately the same time, together with any explanatory material, giving a date by which votes must be received, and inviting members to broadcast any comments they may have electronically to all members;
- The final date for receipt of votes shall be 7 days from the date of dispatch of the motion (except for proposed Constitutional amendments);
- All votes received by the Executive Officer by midnight (Executive Officer’s local time) on the due date shall be counted;
- The Executive Officer shall formally acknowledge the receipt of each electronic vote;
- The Executive Officer shall prepare a list of all those voting for, voting against, or formally abstaining from the motion, and dispatch that to all members as a check that the votes have been recorded correctly;
- If no objection that a member’s vote has been recorded incorrectly is received by the Executive Officer within 4 days of the dispatch of the voting list, then the motion shall be declared passed/lost/lapsed in another message despatched to all members, with a simple majority being required to have a motion passed; in the event of a tie, the Chair will have a casting vote (as above);
- Members may appoint “proxies” only and merely by assigning the right to use their electronic mail address to someone else;
- In the event of any irregularity being detected in the voting, then the vote shall be declared void and, at the discretion of the Executive, retaken;
- In the event of any irregularity being uncovered subsequently, then the vote shall be declared void, but any action taken based upon that decision shall not be invalid; at its discretion, the Executive may retake the vote and/or reverse any action it may have taken based upon that voided vote;
- The Executive Officer shall ensure that all electronic votes are recorded, acknowledged and added to the minutes of the next formal meeting.
10. Sub-Committees
The QUDIT or the Executive may appoint Standing Committees, Sub-Committees and Working Parties of one or more members, with power to coopt, to address specific issues, and may nominate one or more members to represent the QUDIT on joint Working Parties with, or at meetings with, other bodies.
11. Annual Report
The Executive shall be responsible for the production of the Annual Report of the QUDIT, which shall be produced in the first quarter of each calendar year. It shall document the affairs of the QUDIT during the calendar year just concluded. Copies shall be despatched to all members.
12. Amending the Constitution
The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of all Voting Members provided that at least fourteen days’ written notice of the proposed amendment is given prior to the vote being taken either electronically or at a meeting.
13. Winding Up
A motion to wind up QUDIT shall be considered only at a special meeting, called for the purpose with at least fourteen (14) days written notice, and must be approved by not less than two-thirds of the Voting Members present. Upon winding up, if there remain, after satisfaction of all the QUDIT’s debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall be distributed among the Voting Members in proportion to the level of subscription that they paid. Personal members may not participate in such a distribution.
(Version: 18th February 2010)
Queensland Regional Network Organisation
Schedule 1
Voting Members
The organisations comprising QUDIT and eligible for one voting member each are:
Australian Catholic University
Australian Institute of Marine Science
Bond University
CQ University
Commonwealth Scientific, Industrial and Research Organisation
Griffith University
James Cook University
Queensland University of Technology
Southern Cross University
The University of Queensland
University of Southern Queensland
University of the Sunshine Coast
Queensland Regional Network Organisation
Schedule 2
Affiliate Members
Organisations having Affiliate Membership of QUDIT are:
Queensland Regional Network Organisation
Schedule 3
Personal Members