Patron: H.E. Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan
Served from Grants Pass, Oregon, United States of America
Constitution of Emirates Natural History Group (Al Ain)Constitution of Emirates Natural History Group (Al Ain)Constitution, adopted by ad hoc working party 20/10/02, approved by Committee 5/11/02, and adopted by the membership at the Annual General Meeting held November, 2002.Constitution of Emirates Natural History Group (Al Ain)
1. Authority issuing the Constitution The authority for issuing this Constitution consists of the Chairperson, Committee and Members of the Group in consequence of the Annual General Meeting held on 4 December 1984, as amended at the Annual General Meeting on 26 November 2002. Return to Constitution Index 2. Name The name of the Group shall be: The Emirates Natural History Group (Al Ain), referred to forthwith as the Group. Return to Constitution Index 3. Status The Group shall be affiliated to the Emirates Natural History Group (Abu Dhabi), but it shall be an independent unit as regards administration and finance. Return to Constitution Index 4. Purpose of the Group The purpose of the Group shall be to give encouragement and assistance towards the appreciation and study of the natural history, natural sciences and history of the United Arab Emirates and neighbouring states. It shall endeavour to exchange findings with other natural history organisations in the Gulf, and to publish recordings and other information through its Newsletter and Website. Return to Constitution Index 5. Membership of the Group Membership shall be open to any person who shares the interests of the Group as stated above (Clause 4). There shall be Individual, Family and Honorary Membership. Each category shall be entitled to one vote in meetings (Clauses 7, 10, 11). Return to Constitution Index 6. Governance of the Group The Group shall be governed by a Committee elected yearly at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee shall consist of the following members:
In addition, Special Interest Group (SIG) coordinators shall form part of the Committee. Specialist advisers and ordinary members may be co-opted as non-voting members as necessary. A quorum of the Committee shall be six Members, one of whom must be the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson, or their designated replacements. The responsibilities and powers of the Committee shall be specified by the Constitution and Bye-Laws. Return to Constitution Index 7. Annual and Extraordinary General Meeting The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in November each year. Notice of an AGM shall be given to members in the Newsletter and Website at least thirty days in advance. The AGM shall include the following items:
Election of Committee members shall be by majority vote (see Clause 5). Voting on other matters, except amendments to the Constitution (see Clause 10) or dissolution (Clause 11), shall also be by majority vote. Voting by proxy shall be allowed. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called by the Committee at any time or upon the request in writing of not less than twenty Members. The minimum period of notice to Members of an EGM shall be fourteen days. Return to Constitution Index 8. Finance Accounts of income and expenditure shall be maintained by theTreasurer and audited each year within four weeks preceding each AGM. Cheques issued by the Group must be signed by two Committee Members who have been specifically designated by the Committee. Return to Constitution Index 9. Bye-laws Bye-laws may be adopted, amended and revoked from time to time by majority vote of the Committee, or by the Membership through an AGM or EGM. In the event of such amendment, the Membership shall be informed in the next Newsletter. Return to Constitution Index 10. Amendments to the Constitution Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by the Membership or the Committee, through an AGM or an EGM, and always with fourteen days notice. Decisions will be made by a two-thirds majority of the total Membership (see Clause 5). Return to Constitution Index 11. Dissolution of the Group The Group can only be dissolved by decision of an AGM or EGM, by a two-thirds majority of the total Membership (see Clause 5). Return to Constitution Index Bye-laws
1. Fees Annual membership fees shall be payable as follows:
Fees may be modified from time to time by the Committee. The meeting fee for non-members is Dh10 per meeting. Amended in August 2006 to allow Family membership at Dh80 and Individual membership at Dh60. Return to Bye-laws Index 2. Honorary membership Honorary Membership may be awarded at the discretion of the Committee to people who have made a significant contribution to natural history in the Gulf region. Such Honorary Membership shall be reported at the AGM or in the Newsletter. Return to Bye-laws Index 3. Newsletter The Group shall aim to publish a monthly Newsletter to inform Members of forthcoming events and to report on previous ones. It shall attempt to promote knowledge of the natural history of the Gulf region. Any Member or non-member may contribute, at the Editor's discretion. The Editor reserves the right to amend or abridge articles at his/her discretion. The Newsletter shall be distributed free to Members at regular meetings. Members wishing to have their Newsletter sent by post shall pay an additional Dh20 per year above their annual subscription. Newsletters shall be sent free to other Gulf natural history organisations, to Honorary Members and to others at the discretion of the Committee. Return to Bye-laws Index 4. Activities The Group shall aim to provide evening meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, except in July, August and December, when one meeting on the last Tuesday shall be held, and at least one field trip per month. Events and competitions may be organised at the Committee's discretion and may be suggested by Members. All meetings and field trips should conform to the Purpose of the Group. Return to Bye-laws Index 5. Dress code Members shall normally observe the following dress code during field trips: Men: Shirt and long trousers, not shorts. Return to Bye-laws Index 6. Photography Members shall exercise care not to offend when taking photographs of people and ask permission beforehand. Return to Bye-laws Index 7. Collection of specimens
Members shall exercise care not to disturb the environment or national patrimony by removal of plants, artifacts including pottery, or other specimens, even when the aim is to establish an identity. In case of doubt, especially on genuine scientific grounds, the decision of the field trip leader shall be final. Return to Bye-laws Index 8. Behaviour code on field trips The Committee or a field trip leader may restrict the number of people on trips. The Committee or a field trip leader may deny any person from joining a trip in the event of concern over dress or behaviour. In any case, the decision of the trip leader shall be final. Members shall not act in any way that might offend or interfere with the comfort of local people or others on field trips. Members shall be responsible for removing their litter and leaving camp and picnic sites tidy. Return to Bye-laws Index 9. Infractions In the event of infraction of the codes described in Clauses 5 to 8, a trip leader will report the case to the Committee, who may decide to suspend the offending Member(s) from further trips, suspend their Membership, or take other appropriate action. Return to Bye-laws Index Return to Constitution Index |
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Patron: H.E. Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan Served from Grants Pass, Oregon, United States of America |