Constitution of the GSN
Amended at the AGM in March 2003

1. NAME.

The Society shall be called the Geological Society of Norfolk, hereinafter referred to as the Society.

2. OBJECTS.

The object of the Society shall be to advance the education of the public in geology, particularly that relevant to East Anglia.

3. POWERS.

In furtherance of the above object, but not otherwise, the Society may

a) Organise lectures, exhibitions, and field excursions

b) Produce regular bulletins, and other publications containing geological information and original papers

c) Sell publications to commercial organisations.

4. ORGANISATION.

a) The Society’s business shall be administered by a committee comprising of the following officers and ordinary members:

Honorary President Honorary President 1

General Secretary General Secretary 1

Treasurer - Membership Secretary Treasurer - Membership Secretary 1

Bulletin Editor Bulletin Editor 1

Field Work Secretary Field Work Secretary 1

Committee Ordinary Members 4

b) Four members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

c) The General Secretary's and Treasurer - Membership Secretary’s posts must be filled each year, however, if it proves impossible to fill either the Fieldwork Secretary's or Bulletin Editor's posts at an Annual General Meeting these posts shall be deemed to have lapsed for the ensuing year.

d) The Committee shall have the power to co‑opt additional, or replacement members to fill vacant committee posts, or to establish sub‑Committees for specific purposes should the necessity arise, subject to ratification by the membership at the next AGM.

5. PROCEDURES.

a) Records.

Minutes shall be kept containing a record of all meetings. The minutes of all meetings, (except Field Meetings), shall be made available at the next ensuing meeting of the same kind.

b) Meetings.

An Annual General Meeting shall be held in March of each year. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at the request of not less than seven members. Not less than fourteen days written notice of business to be transacted at such meetings shall be given to members. Ten paid up members shall constitute a quorum at such meetings. Other meetings shall be held as appropriate.

c) Election of officers and committee members.

Candidates shall be proposed and seconded at the Annual General Meeting, and elected for a period of twelve months on a simple majority. All Officers are eligible for re‑election. Ordinary Committee members are eligible for re‑election for periods of not more than three consecutive years.

d) Finance.

An auditor, not being a member of the Committee, shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting to serve for the ensuing year. That auditor shall report back to the committee on the Society’s accounts within six months of the AGM and subsequently, if need be, to the Society at the succeeding AGM.

6. MEMBERSHIP.

6.1 Ordinary and Student Membership.

a) Membership shall be open to all persons over the age of sixteen having an interest in the objects of the Society.

b) A copy of this Constitution shall be made available to each member either directly on request or via the Society’s web site.

6.2 Student Membership.

a) Students, here defined as persons in full-time higher education but otherwise meeting the criteria for Ordinary Membership, shall pay a subscription equal to one half that of the current ordinary membership subscription rate.

6.3 Institutional Membership.

a) Institutional members shall be entitled to one copy of each publication and a copy of meeting notices whose contents it may publicise and distribute as it sees fit subject to the provisions of para. 6.5 below.

b) Each Institutional member may exercise one vote, (through a nominee), in the business of the Society. Institutional members shall otherwise enjoy all rights and privileges of ordinary members at meetings, except that they may not introduce guests.

6.4 Subscription Payment.

a) Members shall pay an annual subscription at the rate set at the last constitutionally convened AGM where a recommendation from the Treasurer - Membership Secretary to set the relevant subscription rate, (i.e. ordinary, institutional), was approved.

b) The subscription is payable in advance, and subsequently each year on the 1st January.

c) No member in arrears with their subscriptions shall be entitled to the privileges of the Society. Any member failing to pay their subscription for two consecutive years shall be removed from the list of members.

6.5 Discipline.

Individual members or institutions found to have acted in a manner detrimental to the interests of the Society, or to have used the Society’s name other than when specifically empowered to do so, may be suspended by the committee. In the case of dispute, the member or institution concerned shall have the right of representation by another member of their choice.

6.4 Guests.

Guests may be introduced by members to ordinary and field meetings, but such guests shall have no voting rights in the Society’s business. Bone fide students may attend meetings even if they are not members.

6.5 Commercial Partners.

The Society may enter into contracts with commercial organisations to distribute and sell its publications. Publications may be sold to commercial organisations.

7. RESEARCH AWARD.

a) The Society shall make open to all students undertaking research on any aspect of East Anglian Earth Science, whether members of the Society or not, the offer of a one-off grant, The Brian Funnell Award, towards the direct or indirect costs of their research. Award of the grant will be based on the quality of the research or significance of the purpose for which sponsorship is being sought. Normally, no more that one award shall be granted each year. However, the committee reserves the discretion to exceed this number if it considers the quality of the projects submitted warrants this, or the combined costs of the separate awards fall within what the Society considers it can afford. The committee also reserves the discretion not to make any award at all if it considers the submission(s) do not merit such.

b) The maximum rate of any individual grant shall be determined by the passage of a motion at the Society’s AGM and shall remain in force until superseded. The availability of the grant shall be as widely publicised throughout the research and student community as is reasonably practicable.

c) Applications for the grant should normally be supported by a sponsor who would be expected to be a research supervisor.

d) Applicants for the grant would be expected lead a field trip on behalf of the Society during the year when the award is made.

8. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION.

This constitution may not be amended or replaced except by two thirds majority of members voting at an Annual General Meeting, or Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose. Not less than a clear fourteen days written notice of any proposed amendments must be given to all members.