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STGC | AAO

CONSTITUTION

Constitution of St. George’s College Alumni Association | Ontario Chapter

1. Definitions

In this Constitution, unless otherwise required:

  • The Association: Refers to the St. George’s College Alumni Association of Ontario.
  • St. George’s: Refers to St. George’s College, Winchester Park, Kingston, Jamaica.
  • Committee: Refers to the Managing Committee of the Association, as constituted from time to time.

Aims and Objectives

2. The aims and objectives of the Association are:

i. To foster fellowship among all past students of St. George’s and their families residing primarily in Ontario, Canada.
ii. To take an active interest in and assist, where possible, in the continued success of St. George’s and the purposes for which the school was founded.
iii. To cooperate, when desirable, with the St. George’s College Old Boys’ Association in Kingston, Jamaica, in achieving their aims and objectives.
iv. To actively engage as an Association in the affairs of our country, Canada, and the Province of Ontario, particularly as these may affect our members and their families.

Membership

3. Membership in the Association shall be open to:

i. All past students of St. George’s and their families.
ii. Other individuals who are admitted as members by the Committee.

Application for Membership and Subscription

4. (a) Applications for membership shall be made in writing on prescribed forms addressed to the Secretary. Applications will be granted upon election by the Committee. Three adverse votes from the Committee shall exclude an applicant from election. No application from a candidate so rejected shall be considered by the Committee during the remainder of the current year of the Association.

(b) Applicants for Membership may, with the consent of the President and the Secretary, be accorded the privileges of the Association pending consideration of their application.

5. Subscriptions payable shall be determined by the Committee and shall be payable in advance.

6. Any member whose subscription is in arrears for four months or under any other liability to the Association for a similar period will be reviewed annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). At that time, the rights and privileges of membership will be evaluated, and if terminated, the member will be notified in writing, and their name shall be removed from the list of members.

7. A member whose name has been removed from the list of members shall be eligible for re-election upon payment of all arrears or other financial liabilities under such terms and conditions as the Committee may deem appropriate.

8. The Committee shall have the power to grant a suspension of subscriptions for various periods based on a written application made by or on behalf of any member for justifiable reasons, including absence from Ontario, loss of employment, or illness.

9. The Committee will also have the discretion to waive, in whole or in part, the obligation of any arrears of subscription or other indebtedness to the Association.

Officers

10. The Officers of the Association shall include:

  • President
  • 1st Vice-President / President-Elect
  • Immediate Past-President
  • Three Regional Vice Presidents
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Sports Director
  • Social Director
  • Communications Director
  • Liaison Director
  • Membership Director
  • Two Religious Directors
  • Four Directors at Large

Managing Committee

11. The affairs of the Association shall be controlled and managed by a Managing Committee, which shall consist of the Officers of the Association. Subject to the provisions above, all decisions and actions of the Managing Committee shall be reported at the General Meeting.

12. All Officers shall be elected bi-annually at the Annual General Meeting and are eligible for re-election, with the exception of the President.

13. The Committee may co-opt any member of the Association for general purposes or for any special period or occasion as deemed necessary, with co-optation not extending beyond the succeeding Annual General Meeting.

14. The Committee shall meet at least once every two calendar months and may meet on other occasions at the request of the President, the Secretary, or any three Committee members. The President shall act as Chairman at all Committee meetings; in the absence of the President, the 1st Vice-President / President-Elect shall preside. Should both be absent, the Secretary shall call the meeting to order, and members present shall elect a chairman.

15. Six members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. Each member elected at the Annual General Meeting shall have one original vote, which shall be by show of hands. Any member may request that voting on specific motions be taken by ballot. The Chairman shall have both an original and casting vote.

16. The Committee has the power to declare vacant the seat of any member who absents themselves from three consecutive meetings without leave granted by the Committee.

Duties of Officers

17. The President shall act as Chairman at all General Meetings and Committee meetings. They may make decisions on urgent matters arising between meetings, with notification to the Committee at its next meeting.

18. In the President’s absence from Ontario or unavailability for any reason, their duties and powers shall be exercised by the 1st Vice-President / President-Elect.

19. The Regional Vice Presidents (3)—East, Central, and West—are responsible for maintaining visibility and interest in the aims and objectives of the Association among existing and prospective members and will actively solicit new memberships.

20. The Treasurer shall safeguard and manage the financial assets of the Association, collect subscriptions, and furnish statements on Revenue and Expenditure as required. They will prepare and present a General Report on the state of the Association’s finances prior to the AGM. The Treasurer shall not retain more than five hundred dollars in cash at any time, with excess amounts deposited in the bank. Withdrawals will require signatures from the President or the 1st Vice-President / President-Elect, plus the Secretary or Treasurer.

21. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all proceedings and maintain custody of all non-financial records. They shall attend to all necessary matters related to the Association, including correspondence, and act in the best interests of the Association as directed by the Committee.

22. The Sports Director shall organize sufficient annual sporting events to promote the physical well-being of the Association and its members. They may form a Sports Committee and co-opt members as needed.

23. The Social Director shall ensure an adequate number of social events each year for members to engage socially, furthering the aims of the Association. They may form a Social Committee and co-opt members as needed.

24. The Communications Director shall publicize the activities of the Association to raise general awareness among the public, other alumni associations, and members. They may form a Public Relations Committee and co-opt members as needed.

25. The Liaison Director shall maintain regular communication with St. George’s College, the St. George’s College Old Boys’ Association in Kingston, Jamaica, and other chapters and alumni associations to keep all parties informed of each other’s plans, programs, and activities. They may form a Liaison Committee and co-opt members as needed.

26. The Membership Director shall maintain visibility and interest in the aims and objectives of the Association, actively seek out, recruit, and welcome members, particularly focusing on younger alumni. They will participate in events as possible.

27. The Religious Directors (2) shall maintain contact with families and friends of the Association to foster a spirit of care and compassion by sharing in moments of joy and grief.

28. The Directors at Large (4) shall perform assigned duties, ensuring visibility, interest, and member involvement in the Association’s activities and fundraising efforts.

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

29. An Annual General Meeting shall be held in March each year or as soon after as feasible, but no later than fifteen months since the last AGM.

30. The Secretary shall ensure that members receive a minimum of fourteen days’ notice for the AGM and any additional general meetings, which will be termed Extraordinary General Meetings.

31. In addition to the Annual General Meeting, the Committee may call any number of Extraordinary General Meetings upon giving fourteen days’ notice.

32. No business shall be transacted at any Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting unless a quorum is present. A quorum shall consist of twenty members of the Association, present in person.

33. Upon written request by fifteen members of the Association, the Committee shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting within one month to address the matters outlined in the request.

34. It is hereby declared that the supreme authority of the Association resides with the body of the General Meeting, whether held annually or via extraordinary request.

Amendments
AGM November 3, 2024 (Name Change)
AGM March 30, 2003
AGM March 28, 2004
AGM March 1998 (post-retreat)
AGM March 12, 2006
AGM March 14, 2010
Directors at Large, March 25, 2012 (Religious Directors)