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Constitution and Rules of Bosporos Boat Club


1. Name

The club shall be known as Bosporos Boat Club (the "Club").
 

2. Objects

The objects of the Club are (i) to provide facilities which may be used by Oxford University oarsmen and oarswomen, (ii) to enter and compete in regattas throughout the year, to accept invitation events with the OUBC and the OUWBC, (iii) to provide a focus for Oxford University oarsmen and oarswomen in their support of the OUBC and the OUWBC, (iv) to provide a channel of communication between the old members of OUBC and OUWBC and the current OUBC and OUWBC and (v) and any other object which the Committee or the members consider appropriate in the context of the above.
 

3. Colours

The colours of the Club shall be dark blue, gold and white.
 

4. Membership

4.1 The following are eligible for membership:
(a)  Oxford Blues and Isis Colours;
(b)  Oxford Women’s Blues and Osiris colours;
(c)  Oarsmen and oarswomen who have rowed in the OUBC or OUWBC Trial VIIIs; and
(d)  Other oarsmen and/or oarswomen at the discretion of the Committee.

"Oarsmen" and "oarswomen" shall, for the avoidance of doubt, include coxwains.

4.2 Classes of membership:
(a)  Full Racing Member: a member who has paid an affiliation fee to the ARA and is eligible to compete in ARA events and who uses the club on a regular basis.
(b)  Associate Racing Member: a member who has paid an affiliation fee to the ARA and is eligible to compete in ARA events and who uses the club on an occasional basis.
(c)  Associate Member: a member who is not eligible to row for the Club except by invitation of the Committee.

A person who has been expelled from or refused membership of the Amateur Rowing Association ("ARA") shall not be eligible for membership.
 

5. Fees

5.1 Joining fee
There shall be no fee for joining the Club.

5.2 Subscription
Each Full Racing Member, Associate Racing Member and Associate Member must pay an annual subscription, for each year during which he or she wishes to be a member of the Club. The rates of subscription shall be proposed by the Committee and determined by ordinary resolution of the members and shall be due on admission and, thereafter, on or before 1 January each year or by any direct debit scheme which the Committee may decide.
 

6. Resignation of membership

6.1 Any member who has been elected by the Committee can resign his or her membership by writing to the Secretary. Any subscriptions or levies overdue must be paid. Any member can elect to stop being a Full Racing Member at the end of any membership year.

6.2 The Committee may propose to the members, whether at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting, that a member be expelled from the Club. Such member shall be deemed to be expelled from the Club if the members so resolve by special resolution.
 

7. General Meetings

7.1  An Annual General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary every year and shall be held in March.

7.2  Motions by members for discussion at an Annual General Meeting shall be lodged with the Secretary at least 15 days prior to such Annual General Meeting, and be signed by 5 members entitled to vote. Motions of the Committee shall be tabled at an Annual General Meeting.

7.3 An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called on the instructions of a simple majority of the Committee, or upon presentation of a petition signed by not less than 10 members of the Club entitled to vote. Notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting, containing any motions to be proposed, shall be circulated to all members by the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the proposed date of such Extraordinary General Meeting.

7.4 All members of the Club shall be entitled to vote at a General Meeting. Voting shall be by simple show of hands, or, at the discretion of the Committee, by secret ballot. All elections to the Committee shall be done by way of secret ballot.

7.5 The Club shall elect a member to represent it on the Executive Committee of the OUBC (or any such body as may replace such committee) at each Annual General Meeting by ordinary resolution. The Club shall also elect a member at each Annual General Meeting by ordinary resolution to represent it on any committee of OUWBC which the Committee shall deem appropriate. The term of such appointments shall be for one year and may be renewed.

7.6 An ordinary resolution of the Club shall be deemed to be passed if at least 50% of the members present and voting vote in favour thereof. An extraordinary resolution of the Club shall be deemed to be passed if at least 75% of the members present and voting vote in favour thereof.

7.7 At all General Meetings not less than 50% of all members of the Club entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum. If after half an hour of the time appointed for the General Meeting a quorum is not present, the General Meeting, if called at the request of the Members shall be dissolved or, in any other case, shall be adjourned until such time as may be decided by the Committee. If after half an hour of the time appointed for the adjourned General Meeting a quorum is not present, such members as are present shall constitute a quorum.
 

8. Committee

8.1 The Committee shall conduct the affairs of the Club as a whole and shall consist of a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Rowing Captain and other officers as deemed necessary by the members in a General Meeting.

8.2  The terms of office for any President, Secretary, Treasurer, Rowing Captain or other officers shall be one year. Any officer shall be eligible for re-election at an Annual General Meeting in accordance with paragraph 7.4.
 

9. Duties of the Committee

9.1  The President shall preside at all General Meetings of the Club and at all meetings of the Committee. He or she shall be responsible for guiding the activities of the club in accordance with its general policy as expressed by the majority of its members and as expressed in paragraph 2 above. The President shall represent or arrange for the representation of the Club at ARA regional level and at meetings of other organisations. He or she shall ex-officio be a member of any other committee of the Club.

9.2 The Secretary will be responsible for the organisation of meetings of the Committee and of the Club, and of recording minutes relating to such meetings and all correspondence relating to the general business of the Club.

9.3  The Treasurer will be responsible for the collection of all monies and shall keep such books of account as required by the Committee. He or she shall arrange for the audit of the books annually and shall produce accounts for each Annual General Meeting showing the financial state of the Club, to be approved by the members.

9.4 The Men’s Rowing Captain and the Women’s Rowing Captain shall be responsible for the day-to-day organisation of the rowing crews, entering crews for regattas and other such duties as the Committee may decide.

9.5 The Committee shall be responsible for the management and running of the Club and for ensuring that the objects of the Club as set out in paragraph 2 are maintained and fulfilled. The Committee shall also have the power to elect any member in accordance with paragraph 4.1 (c) above.

9.6 The Committee shall appoint a member to act as Safety Adviser whose duty it will be to understand the requirements of the ARA Code of Practice for Water Safety and advise on their prominent display, their observation, and their implementation at all times.

9.7 The Committee shall meet as and when it sees fit but, in any event, it shall meet at least four times in each calendar year.

9.8 All decisions of the Committee shall be on a simple majority basis.

9.9 The Committee shall manage the affairs of the club. Financial or legal liability incurred in the rightful exercise of their office shall not be the personal responsibility of the Committee but shall be the responsibility of the Club as a whole.
 

10. Application of Moneys

Any moneys received by the Club whether by way of subscription or otherwise, shall be used to fulfil the objects of the Club as set out in paragraph 2 above.
 

11.Alteration of the Constitution

This constitution shall not be altered, amended or revoked except by special resolution at a General Meeting of the Club.
 

12. Equal Opportunities Policy

The Club will ensure that the talents and resources of all members are utilised to the full and that no member receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, handicap, marital status, creed, social class, colour, ethnic group, age or sexual orientation or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be relevant to performance.
 

13. Child Protection Procedures

The Club accepts the policy and procedures relating to Child Protection (as set out by the ARA) and requires all members to accept them as a condition of membership.
 

14. Other

Any matter not provided for in this constitution, or any question over the interpretation of it, shall be dealt with by majority decision of the Committee, whose decision is final.