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CONSTITUTION OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMPUTER SOCIETY OF IRELAND

(ADOPTED MAY, 2003)

1 NAME & AFFILIATION

  1. The name of the organisation shall be: The Visually Impaired Computer Society of Ireland, hereinafter referred to as VICS.
  2. VICS shall be a specialist Interest Subgroup of the Irish Computer Society (ICS) and shall be entitled to send a representative to meetings of the ICS.

2 AIMS & OBJECTIVES

  1. To meet the needs of visually impaired people in the area of general computer access.
  2. To provide support to those who are new to computers.
  3. To encourage employers to hire visually impaired employees enabled by new technology.
  4. To promote and where possible, assist in the development of adaptive technology, and to encourage developers of new software and hardware to ensure accessibility.
  5. To act in an advisory capacity to bodies seeking to provide access to electronic data.
  6. To advise on, and promote the development of fully accessible websites.

3 MEMBERSHIP

Membership will be open to:

  1. All visually impaired people.
  2. Honorary Membership, which may be bestowed by members at an Annual General Meeting, on people who have contributed to VICS in some significant way.
  3. Associate Membership, which will be open to sighted people with an interest in the use of computer Technology for visually impaired people. Associate Members may not vote at the AGM, or on any occasion when a vote is required.

4 MEMBERSHIP FEES

  1. The committee subject to members' approval at the Annual General Meeting will set annual membership fees for:
  2. Waged.
  3. Non-Waged and students.
  4. Associate members.
  5. Life Members.

5 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

  1. The Annual General Meeting must take place between April 1st and June 30th each year.

6 QUORUM

  1. A quorum requires one third plus one of membership for a committee meeting and twelve Members for General meetings.
  2. A quorum is necessary before a meeting can continue and make decisions.

7 COMMITTEE

  1. Elections for the positions of Chairperson, Deputy chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and up to three members to serve on the committee will take place at each
  2. Annual General Meeting.
  3. Nominations may be made for persons not present at the meeting, on receipt of written approval from the nominee.
  4. An officer position may be held by any one member for a maximum of 3 terms, after which the member must stand down for 1 year, but may continue to serve on the committee.
  5. At an Annual general Meeting, members may authorise the establishment of branches in other parts of the country, to cater for the needs of members in that area. Branches will not be autonomous and will be accountable to the National committee.
  6. People with specific expertise or who will fulfil a particular function, may be co-opted onto the committee. No more than three of these shall be non-members.
  7. An amendment to the Constitution was passed at the AGM in 2006 as follows:
    Motions
    A motion was received by Tim Culhane to make one member of the committee the Public Relations Officer. This does not increase the overall number of members of the committee. The motion is detailed in the Agenda for the meeting.
    The motion was proposed by Gerry Ellis and Seconded by Tim Culhane. It was passed unanimously.

8 WORKING GROUPS

  1. The committee may set up working groups to undertake designated tasks as and when required. Such groups may operate for up to three years, or until the completion of their work, whichever is the shorter.

9 NOTIFICATION OF GENERAL MEETINGS

  1. Members should be notified of the Annual General Meeting, or of any Extraordinary General Meeting, at least 3 weeks in advance.

10 VOTING

  1. All paid up and Honorary members have the right to vote at the AGM or on any occasion when a vote is required.
  2. Voting method to be "Show of hands".

11 MOTIONS

  1. All paid up and honorary members have a right to submit a motion relating to amendments to the Constitution to be considered at the Annual General Meeting
  2. or Extraordinary General Meeting.
  3. The Secretary must receive such motions in writing, not less than 2 weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting, or an Extraordinary General Meeting.
  4. To be passed, a motion to amend the Constitution must have the support of at least two thirds of members present and voting at the meeting.

12 FINANCE

  1. In addition to the treasurer, who is elected annually, two signatories to VICS bank accounts or investments will be appointed for a period of three years. The Treasurer plus one signatory must sign any withdrawal from VICS accounts or investments.
  2. The VICS financial year will be from April 1st to March 31st.
  3. The Treasurer will present a Statement of Accounts to each Annual general Meeting.

13 DISSOLUTION

  1. VICS may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a majority of at least three-quarters of members present and voting at a General Meeting convened for that purpose. Upon dissolution the assets of VICS shall be held in trust by the existing signatories.
  2. A period of not more than five years shall be allowed for the disposal of VICS assets by funding research and/or testing of adaptive technology which will benefit blind and vision impaired people.
  3. Thereafter the signatories shall be empowered to hand over any remaining assets to a properly constituted charitable organisation, as they would at that time consider appropriate.