1. NAME
2. OBJECTIVES
3. MEMBERSHIP
4. VOTING RIGHTS
5. MAIN COMMITTEE AND YEAR GROUPS
6. THE OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY
7. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
8. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE POWER AND DUTIES
9. GENERAL MEETINGS
10. FEES, DONATIONS, BEQUESTS ETC
11. NOTICES
12. AMENDMENTS TO RULES
13. TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
14. COLOURS

1. NAME

The Society shall be called “The Old Shirburnian Society”.

2. OBJECTIVES

The Society’s objectives are to:

2.1 keep all Old Shirburnians in touch with one another and the School and its affairs.

2.2 provide the framework within which social and other events involving Old Shirburnians can occur.

2.3 provide funds through the “Old Shirburnian Society Charitable Trust 1975”(“The OS Charitable Trust”) to assist children of Old Shirburnians who might not otherwise be able to enjoy the benefits provided by the School or who might not be able to complete their time at the School for financial reasons.

2.4 facilitate concerted action where the interests of the School and Shirburnians past and present coincide.

3. MEMBERSHIP

3.1 Subject to Rule 3.6, the following shall become a full member of the Society:

3.1.1 any person who has left the School having attended as a pupil for at least one complete academic year and who has paid the relevant fee or subscription to the Society;

3.1.2 the Headmaster after his retirement from office;

3.2 At its discretion, any member of the staff who has been a permanent member of the teaching staff of the School for ten years or more and who has paid the relevant fee or subscription to the Society may be invited by the Executive Committee to full membership of the Society.

3.3 Subject to Rule 3.6 the following shall be honorary members of the Society:

3.3.1 the Headmaster during his term of office;

3.3.2 members of the Governing Body of the School whilst serving in that capacity.

3.4 At its discretion the following may be invited by the Executive Committee to honorary membership of the Society:

3.4.1 during their time as such those members of staff who have been permanent members of the teaching staff of the School for three years or more; and

3.4.2 any other person who has provided special services to the School or to the Society.

3.5 The Executive Committee may impose such terms as it shall in its absolute discretion think fit on the terms of honorary membership of the Society conferred on any person under Rule 3.3 or Rule 3.4.

3.6 The Executive Committee shall have the power, at its absolute discretion, to exclude any person from becoming a member of the Society in any capacity.

3.7 The Executive Committee shall have the power, in its absolute discretion, to revoke the membership of any member of the Society who in its opinion:

3.7.1 fails to comply with these Rules or the spirit of the Society;

3.7.2 fails to pay any dues, subscriptions or other financial liabilities which are now or may become owing in the future;

3.7.3 brings the name of the School or the Society into disrepute.

3.8 Before any exclusion of a prospective member from membership of the Society or any revocation of membership of the Society is confirmed, the member or prospective member shall be notified by the Executive Committee of its initial decision and that member or prospective member shall be given the opportunity to make either verbal or written representation to the Executive Committee at the next properly constituted Executive Committee meeting following such decision. The Executive Committee shall then appoint an appeals Executive Committee to hear such representations and shall confirm or reject its original decision. In default of any representation the Executive Committee’s original decision shall stand. The appeal Executive Committee shall consist of three members of the Society who shall be drawn from such members of the Governing Body of the School who are not already Executive Committee Members.

3.9 The Executive Committee shall have the power in its absolute discretion to reinstate the membership of any person of the Society that has been previously revoked.

3.10 The exclusion from membership of any person or the revocation or reinstatement of the membership of any person and its subsequent confirmation shall only be effective after a resolution has been passed by three quarters of those present at a properly constituted Executive Committee meeting. The voting on such resolution to be conducted by secret ballot.

3.11 Any member who wishes to resign his membership of the Society shall so notify the Secretary in writing and his resignation shall take effect from the time of receipt by the Secretary of such notice.

4. VOTING RIGHTS

4.1 A full member of the Society shall be able to speak at any General Meeting of the Society and to vote on any resolution put to such meeting.

4.2 An honorary member of the Society shall be able to speak at any General Meeting of the Society but shall not be able to vote on any resolution put to such meeting.