YSTV Constitution: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:25, 24 November 2010

This is the YSTV constitution as dated 9th June 2008. It is also available both in the documents directory on the server, and the old website at http://old.ystv.co.uk/about/constitution.pdf.

Introduction

York Student Television (often referred to as YSTV) is a student society based at the University of York, and provides a television service to the staff and students of the University. This document sets out the details of how the society is organised and administered. It may be helpful to read this constitution in conjunction with the current society Policy (see section 10) and with the constitution of York University Student Union.

Aims and objectives

The society aims to provide a television service to the University of York campus, and involve its members in all aspects of the operations of this service. As a part of this, the society seeks to produce original programme content of interest and relevance to the society’s membership and to the student body at large.

Terms and definitions

3.1 YSTV is an abbreviation of York Student Television.

3.2 YUSU is an abbreviation of York University Student Union.

3.3 AGM is an abbreviation of Annual General Meeting.

3.4 The terms “YSTV” and “the society” refers to the society membership as a whole.

3.5 “The Station” refers to the rooms occupied by YSTV that are used for the production of television programmes.

3.6 “Facilities” refers to all of the rooms and equipment owned or occupied by YSTV.

3.7 “The Studio” is the room within the Station used for the set of television programmes.

3.8 “The Control Room” is the room within the Station which holds the electronic and computer equipment used in the production of programmes.

3.9 “The Workshop” (colloquially referred to as the “Techie Room”) is the room within the Station used for the construction and maintenance of equipment.

3.10 “in writing” means a printed or handwritten document, which must be signed in person.

3.11 “by email” refers to communication by electronic mail.

Membership

4.1 Ordinary members are those members who have paid a subscription fee and signed the registration document.

4.2 Ordinary membership is open to all, subject to the rules defined by YUSU.

4.3 Ordinary membership may be withdrawn from any member in the event that they have committed a flagrant and wilful breach of the society Constitution or Policy. The member must be notified in writing or by email at least six days in advance of the society meeting at which the decision will be taken. The member in question has the right to defend themselves in person at the meeting or issue a written statement to the Secretary of the society defending their actions. The matter must be discussed, and then a majority vote will decide whether the membership is to be retracted. Anyone losing their membership forfeits their subscription.

4.4 Honorary membership may be conferred upon anyone by means of a majority vote at a society meeting. It may also be withdrawn by majority vote at a society meeting, but the member in question should receive at least six days notice, by email, of the impending vote. Honorary members do not pay a subscription or sign the registration document. They may not serve as officers and have no voting rights at a society meeting.

Officers

5.1 The activities of the society have been divided into five distinct areas. Each area has a team of members associated with it, and each team consists of one or more officers and any other interested members.

5.2 All officers have a right of access to the Station and a right to an official society email address.

5.3 All officers have a responsibility to uphold the society Constitution and Policy and to carry out their duties as defined by the Constitution and Policy.

5.4 No member may hold more than one officership. After the A.G.M. however, vacant posts may be covered by assigning the responsibilities of the post to another officer. Otherwise, the responsibilities fall to the appropriate team leader.

5.4.1 A delegate to a post is defined as an officer who has been assigned the responsibilities of an otherwise unheld post.

5.4.2 A post to which a delegate has been assigned is defined as a delegated post.

5.4.3 The Station Director, Production Director, Technical Director and Computing Officer are exempt from delegations. These posts must be held by a dedicated officer, who in turn should not take on any other post's responsibilities.

5.4.4 An officer may only take on one delegated post in addition to his/her primary officership.

5.4.5 An officer can be delegated to a post by a simple majority vote at a station meeting. As he/she does not officially hold that officership, no notice is required, although the same opportunities for questions are to be made available. A show of hands vote is sufficient, although the officer must leave the room, and as always, a secret ballot may be requested by any present member.

5.4.6 Should another member (who does not hold an officership) wish to stand for the delegated post at a later date, a normal election should take place. The delegate to the post shall be required to relinquish the duties if the election decides in favour of the candidate, however if the election result is to reopen nominations, the delegate to the post shall continue their responsibilities.

5.4.7 Any delegated posts will be reset at the A.G.M. as with any normal officership.

5.5 In the event of an officer failing to carry out their duties in accordance with the society Constitution and Policy or abusing their powers, a society meeting may take a vote of noconfidence in them. The officer must be notified in writing or by email at least six days in advance of the meeting at which the vote is to take place. They have a right to defend themselves in person at the meeting, or to issue a written statement to the Secretary of the society defending their actions. The matter must be discussed, and a majority vote will decide whether the officership is to be retracted.

5.6 Officers must resign if they stand for election to Parliament or to an officership within YUSU.

5.7 Within each team, one officership is defined as the Team Leader.

5.8 Team Leaders have a right to their own key to the Station, in addition to their rights as officers of the society.

5.9 Team Leaders are responsible for carrying out the duties of any vacant officerships within their team.

5.10 Team Leaders are required to produce a written report to each society meeting describing the activities of their team.

5.11 In the event of a Team Leader’s post being vacant, the Director assumes their responsibilities.

5.12 The Director is responsible for the society as a whole and has the following duties:

to be the chair of the society.
to call and chair all meetings of the society in normal circumstances. See section 7 for details of meetings.
to coordinate and support the other officers of the society.
to act as an initial point of contact for general enquiries about the society and its activities, from both within the University and from the general public.
to ensure that the membership are kept informed of and encouraged to participate in all the society’s activities.
to ensure that the Constitution and Policy are in accordance with the constitution of YUSU, the ordinances and regulations of the University of York and English law.
to hold a key to the cash box and to be a signatory of any bank accounts held by the society.
to control access to all computers within the station.

5.13 The Administration team are responsible for the maintenance of the societies records, both secretarial and financial, and other general administrative matters.

5.13.1 The Studio Manager is responsible for the smooth running of the station and has the following duties:

to be the Team Leader for the Administration team
to deputise for the Director
to ensure the upkeep of any rooms occupied by the society and to maintain a pleasant working environment, liaising with University administration where necessary
to maintain the studio and control room's smooth running by ensuring that they are tidy and organised, and by monitoring the working order of equipment used for programme making
to assist in the maintenance of the vision and audio paths by solving simple problems to the best of his/her abilities, and referring any more serious problems to the Technical Director
to coordinate usage of the Station and ensure fair distribution of time between producers and programmes

5.13.2 The Secretary has the following duties:

to ensure that all official correspondence is dealt with appropriately, and brought to the attention of other officers and/or a society meeting, as appropriate.
to ensure that records of the societies membership are kept uptodate.
to ensure that complete and accurate minutes of all society meetings are kept.
to ensure that the Team Leaders reports, and reports from any other officers, are collated and presented at society meetings.
To be a signatory on the society’s bank account

5.13.3 The Social Secretary has the following duties:

to encourage members of the society to socialise together
to promote friendship and understanding between members of the society
to organise social events for members of the society to facilitate the above

5.13.4 The Treasurer has the following duties:

to keep detailed and accurate records of the society’s financial status.
To manage the general station maintenance budget
to compile, in consultation with the other officers and the society in general, a budget proposal, when requested to do so by YUSU.
to manage the society’s finances efficiently, including the payment of bills and collection of debt.
to ensure that all equipment is appropriately insured.
to be a signatory of any bank accounts held by the society.
to hold a key to the cash box.

5.14 The Technical team are responsible for the technical operations of the society and the maintenance of the society’s equipment. To liaise with other officers of the society with respect to technical matters.

5.14.1 The Technical Director has the following duties:

to be Team Leader for the Technical team.
To manage the technical budget
to supervise and direct the technical operations of the society.
to ensure all equipment owned by the society is adequately maintained.
to advise the society on technical equipment purchases.
to advise the society on technical matters.
to ensure that all equipment owned by the society is safe to use.
To maintain an up to date audit of all society equipment, assets and risk assessments

5.15 The Computing team are responsible for all computer and network equipment of the society, their operation, and maintenance.

5.15.1 The Computing Officer has the following duties:

to be Team Leader for the Computing team.
to manage the computing budget
to be responsible for the operations and maintenance of all generalpurpose computing equipment owned by the society.
to be responsible for the society’s compliance with the regulations laid down by the University of York Computing Service department.
to advise the society on purchases of computing equipment.
to keep adequate backups of data and software owned by the society.
to liaise with the Technical Director in matters concerning broadcastcritical computing equipment.
to ensure the security of all networkconnected computer equipment.
to control access to all computers within the station.

5.16 The Production team are responsible for all inhouse productions and any rebroadcasting of thirdparty material.

5.16.1 The Production Director has the following duties:

to be Team Leader for the Production Team.
To manage the production team budget
To encourage production of a wide range of high quality programming
to exercise editorial control over all broadcast output, whether inhouse or thirdparty.
to coordinate and support producers of all YSTV Productions
to liaise with all other campus societies who are interested in television coverage of their activities.
To coordinate and collate YSTV’s entries for the National Student Television

Association awards.

5.16.2 The Scheduling Manager has the following duties:

to organise the scheduling of YSTV and thirdparty programming.
to ensure that, within reason, requests for programmes from the public are catered for.
to liaise with the Business team to ensure that contractual obligations for the screening of advertising are met, and to ensure that the schedules receive publicity.

5.17 The Commercial team are responsible for YSTV’s public image, and for raising money for the society through commercial activities.

5.17.1 The Commercial Director has the following duties:

to be the Team Leader for the Commercial team.
To manage the commercial team budget
to coordinate the raising of money for the society through advertising, sponsorship and other commercial activities.
to ensure that contracts entered into with commercial organisations are “watertight” and in the interests of the society.
to coordinate the promotion of YSTV and its activities to students and the general public.

5.17.2 The Advertising Manager has the following duties:

to obtain advertising (both from within the University and outside) and programme sponsorship for the society
to ensure that all contracts entered into with advertisers and sponsors are met.
to organise the production of advertising materials (graphics, etc.) as required.

5.17.3 The Public Relations Manager has the following duties:

to ensure that YSTV, both as a society and as a television station, is wellpromoted within the student body and the general public.
to deal with the press and media (both campus and commercial).
to assist programme producers with the publicising of their programmes.

Rules and regulations

6.1 The society shall conduct its affairs in accordance with the constitution of YUSU, the ordinances and regulations of the University of York and English law. It is the Director’s responsibility to uphold this (see 5.13).

6.2 Further to the above, the society shall conduct its affairs without discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, religion, disability or any other basis.

6.3 All members of the society are required to comply with the society’s policy on health and safety matters when making use of the society’s facilities.

6.4 The society shall be guided by the Independent Television Commission’s Codes of Practice for Advertising and Journalism, the Advertising Standards Authority’s Code of Practice and by the NUS/NUJ Guidelines for student journalists.

6.5 No member of the society shall be liable for any loss, damage or misfortune which may happen to be incurred by the Society during any society business. However, this does not affect their liability for the consequences of any wilful misconduct or negligent act on their part.

6.6 A decision may be taken by a society meeting (or, in an emergency, by a team leader) to withdraw the use of any society facilities from a member if it is decided that the Constitution has been or would have been breached. Any action taken by a team leader under this provision must be reported to and ratified by a subsequent society meeting.

6.7 Keys to the station may be allocated to members other than team leaders at the discretion of the station meeting.

Meetings

7.1 Society meetings (sometimes referred to as Station Meetings) shall be held weekly during the termtime of the University of York.

7.2 All officers are required to attend station meetings, or present a verbal or written apology to an officer who will be attending, giving reasons for their absence.

7.3 If an officer does not attend, and fails to provide an apology, for three consecutive society meetings, a vote of noconfidence may be taken in them, in accordance with the rules laid down in section 5.5.

7.4 The membership shall be informed in writing or by email of the time, date and location of society meetings at least once per term, and should be informed of any subsequent changes.

7.5 Quorum for a society meeting shall be one quarter of the number of serving officers at the time of the meeting and not less than 10% of the total membership.

7.6 The meeting shall ordinarily be chaired by the Director. In his or her absence, the person present who is highest in the following list shall chair the meeting:

Studio Manager
Production Director
Commercial Director
Technical Director
Treasurer
Computing Officer
Advertising Manager
Public Relations Manager
Scheduling Manager
Social Secretary
Secretary

7.7 The chair of the meeting may be required to defer the chair to the next available person on the above list if they are deemed to be unfit to chair the meeting or have a perceived conflict of interest in the matter under discussion. The decision to defer the chair shall be taken by a simple majority vote.

7.8 All binding decisions regarding the society (except where explicitly described elsewhere in the constitution) shall be passed by a simple majority vote of quoracy except the chair of the meeting. Proxy and postal votes are not permitted. Members may abstain, in which case their vote does not count towards either side. In the event of an even split, the chair of the meeting shall have the casting vote. After the vote, the chair should announce that the motion has been carried or defeated.

7.9 Votes should ordinarily be taken by show of hands, but any member of the society present at the meeting may request a secret ballot. In this case, the ballot should be counted by the Studio Manager, or in their absence, by an officer nominated by the chair. They should pass the result to the chair to be announced. The voting figures should also be announced.

7.10 The Secretary should circulate copies of the minutes of all previous meetings that await ratification. A vote should be taken at the end of the society meeting to confirm that the minutes are a true and accurate record of the events of those meetings.

7.11 The agenda for society meetings should take the following format:

Apologies for absence
Elections for vacant posts
Business
Any other business
Questions to officers
Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting
Vote of approval of the minutes of the last meeting

Business is all of the items noted for discussion by the chair before the start of the meeting.

7.12 The society shall hold an AGM once per academic year, during the Summer term of the University of York. Ten days notice should be given in writing or by email to all members of the Society. The AGM has the full powers of a society meeting. At the AGM, all of the officerships come up for election. The officers shall serve from the end of the AGM until the end of the following AGM, subject to their resignation or being deprived of their officership by a vote of noconfidence at a society meeting.

7.13 The society meeting may create (by majority vote) a working party to address specific matters. This must report to the society meeting on request.

Elections

8.1 Elections may take place at any society meeting

8.2 The membership shall be notified in writing or by email at least 7 days in advance of the election. The details of the vacant post(s) shall be included in the notification.

8.3 The returning officer shall be the chair of the society meeting, as described above. They are entitled to vote in the elections.

8.4 Members wishing to stand for election should be nominated in writing by two members of the society. The person nominated must be present at the election for the nomination to be valid, and must publicly accept the nomination at the meeting. In the event that a nominated candidate fails to attend, the election will be postponed.

8.5 All candidates shall be invited to give a speech, which is not to exceed five minutes. During each speech and the subsequent questions, other candidates for the same officership shall be excluded from the room. Candidates should be invited to give speeches in alphabetical order by surname. When all of the candidates have given their speech, the candidates shall return to answer questions put to them all jointly. The order of answering shall be determined by the chair.

8.6 Voting in all elections shall be by secret ballot, according to the Alternative Transferable Voting system, with the addition of an option to reopen nominations. However, if there is only one candidate standing for an officership, a vote of confidence may be taken by show of hands, with the candidate excluded from the room. The candidate shall be elected if they receive more votes in favour than against.

8.7 Only members of the society present at the meeting are eligible to vote.

8.8 The returning officer may release the voting figures with the consent of all the candidates, or by request of twothirds of the membership present at the meeting.

8.9 Any candidate who is elected to an officership shall be deemed to have resigned at the end of the meeting from any other officership that they may hold in the society. Their new officership commences from the end of the meeting.

The Constitution

9.1 The society Constitution outlines the aims, objectives, rules, regulations and procedures of the society as an association. It does not cover the specific rules, regulations and procedures required in the daytoday use of the society’s facilities and equipment.

9.2 The Constitution may be amended by a twothirds majority vote (abstentions should be deducted from the number of those eligible to vote) of all members present at a society meeting. Notice of a constitutional amendment shall be given at the previous society meeting, and the membership shall be notified of the proposed amendment at least six days before the vote, in writing or by email.

9.3 It is the Secretary’s responsibility to ensure that whenever the Constitution is amended, the outofdate copies are destroyed or marked as invalid, and that a new edition is published.

9.4 The society Constitution should be on display prominently within the station, and also made available in electronic form on the society’s web site.

9.5 The Secretary should also ensure that YUSU hold an uptodate copy of the society Constitution.

The Policy

10.1 The society Policy sets out the rules, regulations and procedures governing the daytoday use of the society’s facilities and equipment. It covers matters such as equipment loans, production guidelines, charges for commercial services, safety, security, purchasing and other such matters.

10.2 Amendments to the policy should be discussed at a society meeting and may be voted on by a simple majority vote of those members present at the meeting.

10.3 It is the Secretary’s responsibility to ensure that whenever the Policy is amended, the outofdate copies are destroyed or marked as invalid, and that a new edition is published.

10.4 The society Policy should be on display prominently within the station, and also made available in electronic form on the society’s web site.

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Contents

Introduction

Aims and objectives

Terms and definitions

Membership

Officers

Rules and regulations

Meetings

Elections

The Constitution

The Policy

Navigation

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Teams

Training

Productions

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 This is the YSTV constitution as dated 9th June 2008. It is also available both in the documents directory on the server, and the old website at [http://old.ystv.co.uk/about/constitution.pdf http://old.ystv.co.uk/about/constitution.pdf].
 ==Introduction==
-York Student Television is a student society of the University of York. Its purpose and main rules are found in its Constitution. This document outlines the day-to-day operating procedure of the society, and should be read within the context of both YSTV’s constitutuion and that of York University Student Union.
+York Student Television (often referred to as YSTV) is a student society based at the
+University of York, and provides a television service to the staff and students of the University. This document sets out the details of how the society is organised and administered. It may be helpful to read this constitution in conjunction with the current society Policy (see section 10) and with the constitution of York University Student Union.
+==Aims and objectives==
+The society aims to provide a television service to the University of York campus, and involve its members in all aspects of the operations of this service. As a part of this, the society seeks to produce original programme content of interest and relevance to the society’s membership and to the student body at large.
+==Terms and definitions==
+.1 YSTV is an abbreviation of York Student Television.
-==Non-Committee Posts==
+.2 YUSU is an abbreviation of York University Student Union.
-The following posts are available in the society in addition to the committee:
-===Deputy Technical Director===
+.3 AGM is an abbreviation of Annual General Meeting.
-* A member of the technical team.
-* Responsible for working with the Technical Director to ensure that the studio and other production facilities are available for use when required by programmes.
-* Responsible for working with the Technical Director to ensure that equipment is kept in a safe and working condition.
-===Deputy Computing Officer===
+.4 The terms “YSTV” and “the society” refers to the society membership as a whole.
-* A member of the computing team.
-* Responsible for assisting the Computing Officer in his/her responsibilities, as directed by the Computing Officer.
-===Web Designer===
+.5 “The Station” refers to the rooms occupied by YSTV that are used for the production of television programmes.
-* A member of the computing team.
-* Responsible for working with the Computing Officer to design and maintain a user-friendly website that is universally accessible.
-===Network Engineer===
+.6 “Facilities” refers to all of the rooms and equipment owned or occupied by YSTV.
-* A member of the technical team.
-* Responsible for the maintenance and up-keep of the audio-visual distribution network.
-* Will ensure that network monitors are serviced and functioning.
-===Training and Documentation Manager===
+.7 “The Studio” is the room within the Station used for the set of television programmes.
-* A member of the technical team, although close liaison with the production team is advisable.
-* Will be responsible for the production of training literature appropriate to equipment owned by and actions carried out by the station.
-* Will ensure that members new to a technique are trained to the same basic level, as specified in the training literature.
-* Will ensure literature is kept up to date as equipment revisions are made.
-* Will provide members with the opportunity to become familiar with the principles of the station as supervised by an officer or member with the required level of competence.
-===Assistant Production Director===
+.8 “The Control Room” is the room within the Station which holds the electronic and computer equipment used in the production of programmes.
-* A member of the production team.
-* Responsible for assisting the Production Director in his/her responsibilities, as directed by the Production Director.
-===Head of Presentation===
+.9 “The Workshop” (colloquially referred to as the “Techie Room”) is the room within the Station used for the construction and maintenance of equipment.
-* A member of the production team, although liaison with the technical team is advisable.
-* Is responsible for ensuring a coherent and consistent brand identity for the station. This includes but is not limited to overseeing the production of idents and trailers, and working with the commercial team to ensure consistency between on-screen and printed branding.
-* Is responsible for monitoring the quality of all output, and advising producers on ways to improve the appearance and technical quality of their programmes.
-* Will work closely with the Production Director to nurture producers and productions, encouraging the development of high quality output.
-* Will work closely with the training manager to equip producers and other members with the skills necessary to maintain high standards of output.
-* To aid the Production Director in assessing and reviewing YSTV’s programming to continually strive to produce programmes of a high quality aimed appropriately at our audience.
-* To assist the Production Director in preparing YSTV’s entries for the National Student Television Association awards.
-==YSTV Productions and Producers==
+.10 “in writing” means a printed or handwritten document, which must be signed in person.
-===Definitions===
-In this document, the following definitions are used:
-* Any piece of video is referred to as a work. This includes anything produced by YSTV, shown on YSTV or being considered for showing on YSTV.
-* An idea for a potential future work is a concept.
-* A YSTV Production is a work or concept which has been ratified by YSTV (see 3.2)
-* A programme is a concept and any instances of that concept which have been produced. For example, YSTV Week is a programme, as is Woodstock.
-* An episode is a specific instance of a programme. For example, YSTV Week – Summer Week 3, 2006 is an episode of YSTV Week.
-* A producer is a person who takes overall control of producing a work.
-* A YSTV Producer is an individual who produces and has accepted responsibility for one or more YSTV Productions by signing a YSTV Production Agreement.
-* An Executive Producer oversees and takes responsibility for a YSTV Production in the case that the day-to-day control of the Production is being taken by a non-YSTV producer.
-===YSTV Productions===
+.11 “by email” refers to communication by electronic mail.
-A work or concept can be ratified and become a YSTV Production by one of 2 methods;
-* Any work/concept may be ratified by a vote of a station meeting.
-* Pre-recorded (i.e. non-live) programmes may be ratified by the Production Director. For any production to be ratified, there must be a single individual or a pair of individuals who accept overall responsibility for it.
-* For a work/concept which is to be broadcast live to be ratified (be it a regular programme or a one-off) it must have a named producer or 2 named producers. On ratification, the producer(s) become a YSTV Producer(s) if they are not already. They must then sign a copy of the YSTV Production Agreement before any broadcast is made.
-* A pre-recorded programme may be produced by someone who is not a YSTV Producer, however in this case the programme must also have an Executive Producer. The Executive Producer must be either the Production Director or another YSTV Producer, and they may have as much or as little involvement in making the programme as suits everyone involved. However they must be the one to accept overall responsibility by ensuring they have watched the programme before it is broadcast and signing a Production Agreement.
-A ratified YSTV Production is afforded the following facilities:
+==Membership==
-* Use of the station facilities including the studio and control room and the technical equipment.
+.1 Ordinary members are those members who have paid a subscription fee and signed the registration document.
-* Advertising to members via the use of the website’s signup system and the weekly station email (where the Director is given appopriate information and notice).
-* Support from the Production Director and other officers as defined in their respective roles.
-===YSTV Producers===
+.2 Ordinary membership is open to all, subject to the rules defined by YUSU.
-In addition to the non-committee posts listed in section 2, the YSTV officership shall also include YSTV Producers. On becoming a YSTV Producer, a member accepts the following responsibilities:
-* The same responsibilities as any officer, including being expected to attend station meetings or submit apologies.
-* An overall responsibility for the Production they are in charge of, making sure it is of a high standard and does not break the rules of YSTV’s or YUSU’s constitution, or any applicable laws (e.g. copyright).
-* They must mark all programmes as a YSTV Production, usually by the inclusion of the YSTV copyright slide at the end of each programme.
-It is expected that YSTV Producers will make efforts to liaise with the Production Director and the Head of Presentation as appropriate to develop their skills and produce high quality output, and with the Technical team to ensure that the facilities they need/request are feasible and available. In return can expect to receive help and advice from these officers in making and improving their Poductions.
-===Expiration of Productions===
+.3 Ordinary membership may be withdrawn from any member in the event that they have committed a flagrant and wilful breach of the society Constitution or Policy. The member must be notified in writing or by email at least six days in advance of the society meeting at which the decision will be taken. The member in question has the right to defend themselves in person at the meeting or issue a written statement to the Secretary of the society defending their actions. The matter must be discussed, and then a majority vote will decide whether the membership is to be retracted. Anyone losing their membership forfeits their subscription.
-A YSTV Production ceases to be recognised as current (and therefore the producer ceases to be a YSTV Producer) if no new programmes are made within one term of the University of York.
-Should the same individual or someone different wish to restart production at a later date, the concept must be re-ratified via the same procedures as for a new work or concept.
+.4 Honorary membership may be conferred upon anyone by means of a majority vote at a society meeting. It may also be withdrawn by majority vote at a society meeting, but the member in question should receive at least six days notice, by email, of the impending vote. Honorary members do not pay a subscription or sign the registration document. They may not serve as officers and have no voting rights at a society meeting.
-==Transfer of Responsibility==
+==Officers==
-Should a producer wish to stand down and/or end a Production, they should inform the Production Director or a station meeting. However, should a Producer wish to hand over control of a YSTV Production to a different person, the change must be ratified by a station meeting. The new producer then takes on the responsibility for the Production, including being required to sign a new Production Agreement. At this point the new producer becomes a YSTV Producer, and the old producer ceases to be a YSTV Producer, unless they also produce a different Production.
+.1 The activities of the society have been divided into five distinct areas. Each area has a team of members associated with it, and each team consists of one or more officers and any other interested members.
-===Shared Responsibility===
+.2 All officers have a right of access to the Station and a right to an official society email address.
-A particular Production may have one or two nominated Producers. In the case of two producers, they share responsibility equally, and must both sign the Production Agreement. They are both considered officers of the society.
-Any Production may also have one or two Assistant Producers. These members do not take on the overall responsibility for the show in terms of copyright and so on, but are expected to assist the main Producer(s) in making the programmes, and are encouraged to attend station meetings. They are not considered officers of the society unless they are the YSTV roducer for another YSTV roduction, or are elected to a different post.
+.3 All officers have a responsibility to uphold the society Constitution and Policy and to carry out their duties as defined by the Constitution and Policy.
-==Equipment for OBs (Outside Broadcasts)==
+.4 No member may hold more than one officership. After the A.G.M. however, vacant posts may be covered by assigning the responsibilities of the post to another officer.
-===OBs on Campus===
+Otherwise, the responsibilities fall to the appropriate team leader.
-Any person taking Equipment from the station for YSTV business is responsible for returning and connecting the equipment to its original state. This includes re-charging batteries and logging all tape used in Tapelog.
-If the equipment is being taken out for more than 6 hours it must be signed out on the equipment signing out sheets. Be considerate of other shows and check what their needs may be.
+.4.1 A delegate to a post is defined as an officer who has been assigned the responsibilities of an otherwise unheld post.
-===OBs off Campus===
+.4.2 A post to which a delegate has been assigned is defined as a delegated post.
-Before taking any equipment off campus an officer must be notified, and arrangements made to have the equipment insured for use off campus.
-==Equipment Loans==
+.4.3 The Station Director, Production Director, Technical Director and Computing Officer are exempt from delegations. These posts must be held by a dedicated officer, who in turn should not take on any other post's responsibilities.
-===Equipment Borrowing===
-If any equipment is removed by any member of YSTV, it must be signed out on an equipment borrowing form and witnessed by another member of YSTV. When is returned, the form must be signed by a member of YSTV to state that the equipment has been returned in the same condition as when it was lent out. The member who has borrowed the equipment is responsible for the equipment and also for returning and connecting it to its original state.
-===Borrowing of Technical Equipment===
+.4.4 An officer may only take on one delegated post in addition to his/her primary officership.
-Technical test equipment may not be borrowed from YSTV for non-YSTV purposes without the consent of the Technical Director. The above procedures listed under Equipment Borrowing must also be followed.
-===Borrowing by non-members===
+.4.5 An officer can be delegated to a post by a simple majority vote at a station meeting. As he/she does not officially hold that officership, no notice is required, although the same opportunities for questions are to be made available. A show of hands vote is sufficient, although the officer must leave the room, and as always, a secret ballot may be requested by any present member.
-YUSU societies may borrow equipment providing that full responsibility is taken for its safe and timely return (normally within 24Hrs), and it is signed out by a YSTV officer.
-===Charges===
-Any member making use of YSTV equipment for non-YSTV purposes should be charged according to fees laid down by the station meeting. Usually this is £10 per item per day, although each case may be individually considered by a station meeting if it is deemed necessary.
-==Station keys==
+.4.6 Should another member (who does not hold an officership) wish to stand for the delegated post at a later date, a normal election should take place. The delegate to the post shall be required to relinquish the duties if the election decides in favour of the candidate, however if the election result is to reopen nominations, the delegate to the post shall continue their responsibilities.
-===The Key List===
-The key list is a list of YSTV members who are allowed to withdraw a key to the Station which is held by Goodricke Porters. Anyone not on the key list will not be allowed to borrow this key. On borrowing the key, the member must sign the porters' key form and their university card must be left with the porters as a deposit. The member is then responsible for looking after the key and returning it. Key holders should also be on this list.
-===Additions to the key list===
+.4.7 Any delegated posts will be reset at the A.G.M. as with any normal officership.
-Any member may be added to the key list by either the Director or Studio Manager. The Director is responsible for maintaining the list, one copy of which should be kept with the porters, and another in the station.
-===Removal from the key list===
+.5 In the event of an officer failing to carry out their duties in accordance with the society Constitution and Policy or abusing their powers, a society meeting may take a vote of noconfidence in them. The officer must be notified in writing or by email at least six days in advance of the meeting at which the vote is to take place. They have a right to defend themselves in person at the meeting, or to issue a written statement to the Secretary of the society defending their actions. The matter must be discussed, and a majority vote will decide whether the officership is to be retracted.
-The Director or Studio Manager may remove any member from the key list for reasons including, but not limited to, breaking rules laid down in YSTV's constitution or policy. If a key holder is removed, their own key must also be returned to the station.
-===Key Holder Deposit===
+.6 Officers must resign if they stand for election to Parliament or to an officership within YUSU.
-Each key holder must pay a £5 deposit which is refundable upon return of the key.
-==Purchases==
+.7 Within each team, one officership is defined as the Team Leader.
-===Purchases under £20===
-All Purchases up to and including the value of £20 must be authorised by at least ONE member of the Committee.
-===Purchases between £20 and £50===
+.8 Team Leaders have a right to their own key to the Station, in addition to their rights as officers of the society.
-All Purchases with a value between £20 and £50 must be authorised by at least TWO members of the Committee.
-===Purchases above £50===
+.9 Team Leaders are responsible for carrying out the duties of any vacant  officerships within their team.
-All Purchases above and including the value of £50 must be brought to a Station Meeting.
-==The Station==
+.10 Team Leaders are required to produce a written report to each society meeting describing the activities of their team.
-===Access to the Station===
-The Station must not be entered by any student without the presence of a member whose name is on the keylist.
-===Tidiness after Programmes===
+.11 In the event of a Team Leader’s post being vacant, the Director assumes their responsibilities.
-The producer of a programme is responsible for the tidiness of the station at the end of that programme.
-===Food and Drink===
+.12 The Director is responsible for the society as a whole and has the following duties:
-Any person choosing to eat or drink in the station becomes fully responsible for any damage caused to any equipment as a result. See section 8.7 for regulations regarding alcohol.
+* to be the chair of the society.
+* to call and chair all meetings of the society in normal circumstances. See section 7 for details of meetings.
+* to coordinate and support the other officers of the society.
+* to act as an initial point of contact for general enquiries about the society and its activities, from both within the University and from the general public.
+* to ensure that the membership are kept informed of and encouraged to participate in all the society’s activities.
+* to ensure that the Constitution and Policy are in accordance with the constitution of YUSU, the ordinances and regulations of the University of York and English law.
+* to hold a key to the cash box and to be a signatory of any bank accounts held by the society.
+* to control access to all computers within the station.
-===Withdrawal of Equipment===
+.13 The Administration team are responsible for the maintenance of the societies records, both secretarial and financial, and other general administrative matters.
-The Technical Director may withdraw any item of YSTV's equipment from use for technical maintenance or repair.
-===Litter===
+.13.1 The Studio Manager is responsible for the smooth running of the station and has the following duties:
-All members are responsible for placing their rubbish into the bins provided. The Studio Manager is responsible for ensuring that the litter bins within YSTV are emptied, however all members are strongly encouraged to help with this.
+* to be the Team Leader for the Administration team
+* to deputise for the Director
+* to ensure the upkeep of any rooms occupied by the society and to maintain a pleasant working environment, liaising with University administration where necessary
+* to maintain the studio and control room's smooth running by ensuring that they are tidy and organised, and by monitoring the working order of equipment used for programme making
+* to assist in the maintenance of the vision and audio paths by solving simple problems to the best of his/her abilities, and referring any more serious problems to the Technical Director
+* to coordinate usage of the Station and ensure fair distribution of time between producers and programmes
-===Insurance===
+.13.2 The Secretary has the following duties:
-The Studio Manager is responsible for ensuring that all items owned by YSTV are insured and for maintaining a list of this equipment.
+* to ensure that all official correspondence is dealt with appropriately, and brought to the attention of other officers and/or a society meeting, as appropriate.
+* to ensure that records of the societies membership are kept uptodate.
+* to ensure that complete and accurate minutes of all society meetings are kept.
+* to ensure that the Team Leaders reports, and reports from any other officers, are collated and presented at society meetings.
+* To be a signatory on the society’s bank account
-===Use of Station===
+.13.3 The Social Secretary has the following duties:
-. Upon entrance to the station, it is the responsibility of the member who has signed out the keys to ensure that all persons within the station abide by the Policy defined here for the use of YSTV.
+* to encourage members of the society to socialise together
+* to promote friendship and understanding between members of the society
+* to organise social events for members of the society to facilitate the above
-. Only those persons associated with the activities of the television service are permitted to make use of the station.
+.13.4 The Treasurer has the following duties:
+* to keep detailed and accurate records of the society’s financial status.
+* To manage the general station maintenance budget
+* to compile, in consultation with the other officers and the society in general, a budget proposal, when requested to do so by YUSU.
+* to manage the society’s finances efficiently, including the payment of bills and collection of debt.
+* to ensure that all equipment is appropriately insured.
+* to be a signatory of any bank accounts held by the society.
+* to hold a key to the cash box.
-. No fewer than two people can occupy the station if work is to be carried out on the internals of any mains-powered equipment.
+.14 The Technical team are responsible for the technical operations of the society and the maintenance of the society’s equipment. To liaise with other officers of the society with respect to technical matters.
-. Any member overriding scheduler control becomes responsible for all output until scheduler is re-enabled.
+.14.1 The Technical Director has the following duties:
+* to be Team Leader for the Technical team.
+* To manage the technical budget
+* to supervise and direct the technical operations of the society.
+* to ensure all equipment owned by the society is adequately maintained.
+* to advise the society on technical equipment purchases.
+* to advise the society on technical matters.
+* to ensure that all equipment owned by the society is safe to use.
+* To maintain an up to date audit of all society equipment, assets and risk assessments
-. No modification is to be made to the structure of rooms and no University owned furniture is to be removed without the prior consent of Goodricke Bursar.
+.15 The Computing team are responsible for all computer and network equipment of the society, their operation, and maintenance.
-. No smoking is permitted within the Station.
+.15.1 The Computing Officer has the following duties:
-. The consumption of alcoholic drink within the station is forbidden. However a reasonable (any amount below 2 units) amount of alcohol may be consumed within the studio in front of a camera for the purposes of broadcast.
+* to be Team Leader for the Computing team.
+* to manage the computing budget
+* to be responsible for the operations and maintenance of all generalpurpose computing equipment owned by the society.
+* to be responsible for the society’s compliance with the regulations laid down by the University of York Computing Service department.
+* to advise the society on purchases of computing equipment.
+* to keep adequate backups of data and software owned by the society.
+* to liaise with the Technical Director in matters concerning broadcastcritical computing equipment.
+* to ensure the security of all networkconnected computer equipment.
+* to control access to all computers within the station.
-. Anyone in a state of intoxication must be excluded from the station by the member who has signed out the keys and is therefore responsible at the time.
+.16 The Production team are responsible for all inhouse productions and any rebroadcasting of thirdparty material.
-. On no account is the Station to be used for the purpose of sleeping.
+.16.1 The Production Director has the following duties:
+* to be Team Leader for the Production Team.
+* To manage the production team budget
+* To encourage production of a wide range of high quality programming
+* to exercise editorial control over all broadcast output, whether inhouse or thirdparty.
+* to coordinate  and support producers of all YSTV Productions
+* to liaise with all other campus societies who are interested in television coverage of their activities.
+* To coordinate and collate YSTV’s entries for the National Student Television
+Association awards.
-. Upon leaving the station, main power must be switched off, the window must be closed and all doors locked.
+.16.2 The Scheduling Manager has the following duties:
+* to organise the scheduling of YSTV and thirdparty programming.
+* to ensure that, within reason, requests for programmes from the public are catered for.
+* to liaise with the Business team to ensure that contractual obligations for the screening of advertising are met, and to ensure that the schedules receive publicity.
-==External Telephone Calls==
+.17 The Commercial team are responsible for YSTV’s public image, and for raising money for the society through commercial activities.
-External telephone calls from the station may be made by any member for station business only. The exception to this is if 2 team leaders or the Director feel it necessary to bar a member from using this line, in which case they may do so.
+.17.1 The Commercial Director has the following duties:
+* to be the Team Leader for the Commercial team.
+* To manage the commercial team budget
+* to coordinate the raising of money for the society through advertising, sponsorship and other commercial activities.
+* to ensure that contracts entered into with commercial organisations are “watertight” and in the interests of the society.
+* to coordinate the promotion of YSTV and its activities to students and the general public.
+.17.2 The Advertising Manager has the following duties:
+* to obtain advertising (both from within the University and outside) and programme sponsorship for the society
+* to ensure that all contracts entered into with advertisers and sponsors are met.
+* to organise the production of advertising materials (graphics, etc.) as required.
+.17.3 The Public Relations Manager has the following duties:
+* to ensure that YSTV, both as a society and as a television station, is wellpromoted within the student body and the general public.
+* to deal with the press and media (both campus and commercial).
+* to assist programme producers with the publicising of their programmes.
+==Rules and regulations==
+.1 The society shall conduct its affairs in accordance with the constitution of YUSU, the ordinances and regulations of the University of York and English law. It is the Director’s responsibility to uphold this (see 5.13).
+.2 Further to the above, the society shall conduct its affairs without discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, religion, disability or any other basis.
+.3 All members of the society are required to comply with the society’s policy on health and safety matters when making use of the society’s facilities.
+.4 The society shall be guided by the Independent Television Commission’s Codes of
+Practice for Advertising and Journalism, the Advertising Standards Authority’s Code of Practice and by the NUS/NUJ Guidelines for student journalists.
+.5 No member of the society shall be liable for any loss, damage or misfortune which may happen to be incurred by the Society during any society business. However, this does not affect their liability for the consequences of any wilful misconduct or negligent act on their part.
+.6 A decision may be taken by a society meeting (or, in an emergency, by a team leader) to withdraw the use of any society facilities from a member if it is decided that the Constitution has been or would have been breached. Any action taken by a team leader under this provision must be reported to and ratified by a subsequent society meeting.
+.7 Keys to the station may be allocated to members other than team leaders at the discretion of the station meeting.
+==Meetings==
+.1 Society meetings (sometimes referred to as Station Meetings) shall be held weekly during the termtime of the University of York.
+.2 All officers are required to attend station meetings, or present a verbal or written apology to an officer who will be attending, giving reasons for their absence.
+.3 If an officer does not attend, and fails to provide an apology, for three consecutive society meetings, a vote of noconfidence may be taken in them, in accordance with the rules laid down in section 5.5.
+.4 The membership shall be informed in writing or by email of the time, date and location of society meetings at least once per term, and should be informed of any subsequent changes.
+.5 Quorum for a society meeting shall be one quarter of the number of serving officers at the time of the meeting and not less than 10% of the total membership.
+.6 The meeting shall ordinarily be chaired by the Director. In his or her absence, the person present who is highest in the following list shall chair the meeting:
+* Studio Manager
+* Production Director
+* Commercial Director
+* Technical Director
+* Treasurer
+* Computing Officer
+* Advertising Manager
+* Public Relations Manager
+* Scheduling Manager
+* Social Secretary
+* Secretary
+.7 The chair of the meeting may be required to defer the chair to the next available person on the above list if they are deemed to be unfit to chair the meeting or have a perceived conflict of interest in the matter under discussion. The decision to defer the chair shall be taken by a simple majority vote.
+.8 All binding decisions regarding the society (except where explicitly described elsewhere in the constitution) shall be passed by a simple majority vote of quoracy except the chair of the meeting. Proxy and postal votes are not permitted. Members may abstain, in which case their vote does not count towards either side. In the event of an even split, the chair of the meeting shall have the casting vote. After the vote, the chair should announce that the motion has been carried or defeated.
+.9 Votes should ordinarily be taken by show of hands, but any member of the society present at the meeting may request a secret ballot. In this case, the ballot should be counted by the Studio Manager, or in their absence, by an officer nominated by the chair. They should pass the result to the chair to be announced. The voting figures should also be announced.
+.10 The Secretary should circulate copies of the minutes of all previous meetings that await ratification. A vote should be taken at the end of the society meeting to confirm that the minutes are a true and accurate record of the events of those meetings.
+.11 The agenda for society meetings should take the following format:
+* Apologies for absence
+* Elections for vacant posts
+* Business
+* Any other business
+* Questions to officers
+* Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting
+* Vote of approval of the minutes of the last meeting
+Business is all of the items noted for discussion by the chair before the start of the meeting.
+.12 The society shall hold an AGM once per academic year, during the Summer term of the University of York. Ten days notice should be given in writing or by email to all members of the Society. The AGM has the full powers of a society meeting. At the AGM, all of the officerships come up for election. The officers shall serve from the end of the AGM until the end of the following AGM, subject to their resignation or being deprived of their officership by a vote of noconfidence at a society meeting.
+.13 The society meeting may create (by majority vote) a working party to address specific matters. This must report to the society meeting on request.
+==Elections==
+.1 Elections may take place at any society meeting
+.2 The membership shall be notified in writing or by email at least 7 days in advance of the election. The details of the vacant post(s) shall be included in the notification.
+.3 The returning officer shall be the chair of the society meeting, as described above. They are entitled to vote in the elections.
+.4 Members wishing to stand for election should be nominated in writing by two members of the society. The person nominated must be present at the election for the nomination to be valid, and must publicly accept the nomination at the meeting. In the event that a nominated candidate fails to attend, the election will be postponed.
+.5 All candidates shall be invited to give a speech, which is not to exceed five minutes.
+During each speech and the subsequent questions, other candidates for the same officership shall be excluded from the room. Candidates should be invited to give speeches in alphabetical order by surname. When all of the candidates have given their speech, the candidates shall return to answer questions put to them all jointly. The order of answering shall be determined by the chair.
+.6 Voting in all elections shall be by secret ballot, according to the Alternative Transferable Voting system, with the addition of an option to reopen nominations.
+However, if there is only one candidate standing for an officership, a vote of confidence may be taken by show of hands, with the candidate excluded from the room. The candidate shall be elected if they receive more votes in favour than against.
+.7 Only members of the society present at the meeting are eligible to vote.
+.8 The returning officer may release the voting figures with the consent of all the candidates, or by request of twothirds of the membership present at the meeting.
+.9 Any candidate who is elected to an officership shall be deemed to have resigned at the end of the meeting from any other officership that they may hold in the society. Their new officership commences from the end of the meeting.
+==The Constitution==
+.1 The society Constitution outlines the aims, objectives, rules, regulations and procedures of the society as an association. It does not cover the specific rules, regulations and procedures required in the daytoday use of the society’s facilities and equipment.
+.2 The Constitution may be amended by a twothirds majority vote (abstentions should be deducted from the number of those eligible to vote) of all members present at a society meeting. Notice of a constitutional amendment shall be given at the previous society meeting, and the membership shall be notified of the proposed amendment at least six days before the vote, in writing or by email.
+.3 It is the Secretary’s responsibility to ensure that whenever the Constitution is amended, the outofdate copies are destroyed or marked as invalid, and that a new edition is published.
+.4 The society Constitution should be on display prominently within the station, and also made available in electronic form on the society’s web site.
+.5 The Secretary should also ensure that YUSU hold an uptodate copy of the society Constitution.
+==The Policy==
+.1 The society Policy sets out the rules, regulations and procedures governing the daytoday use of the society’s facilities and equipment. It covers matters such as equipment loans, production guidelines, charges for commercial services, safety, security, purchasing and other such matters.
+.2 Amendments to the policy should be discussed at a society meeting and may be voted on by a simple majority vote of those members present at the meeting.
+.3 It is the Secretary’s responsibility to ensure that whenever the Policy is amended, the outofdate copies are destroyed or marked as invalid, and that a new edition is published.
+.4 The society Policy should be on display prominently within the station, and also made available in electronic form on the society’s web site.

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YSTV Constitution: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:25, 24 November 2010

Introduction

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