STUDENT GROUPS TERMS OF REFERENCE

Section 1 – Establishment

Background

The MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY (may be referred to as Macquarie Musical Society, and/or MacMS) is affiliated with the university in accordance with the Student Group Management Procedure.

Purpose

The purpose of MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY is to produce and promote works of musical theatre on campus. This includes, but is not limited to, musicals, cabarets and concerts. The Society is open to all with a genuine interest in musical theatre.

To provide an enjoyable and non-discriminatory atmosphere around the Shows and social events put on by the Club.

Section 2 – Membership

Membership of MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY:

MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY must comprise of at least 80% (eighty) student members who are currently enrolled in an award program of study at Macquarie University. If the proportion of student members falls below 80% (eighty), the Student Group will cease to exist.

MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY must have a minimum of 30 (thirty) members to exist. If after a Membership is terminated and there would be less than 30 (thirty) Student Group members, the MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY will cease to exist.

There are two categories of membership;

Student Membership for those currently enrolled in a Macquarie University Award program of study; and

Non-Student Membership for persons not enrolled at the University (including former students of the University).

Membership of MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY is open to any individual over the age of 18 (eighteen) who has a genuine interest in the group.

All applications for membership of the group must be reviewed within a meeting held by the management committee.

All Members must pay a Membership fee with the exception of the Lifetime Member as defined in Section 2.m. This Membership fee will be determined by the Management Committee.

Membership of the MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY is not transferable.

Membership of the MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY ceases if the member:

provides a written notice of resignation to the Management Committee;
dies;
is suspended or expelled from the University;
has their membership terminated by the Management Committee;
fails to pay any membership fees charged by the Student Group within 6 (six) weeks of the due date of payment.

In the event of termination, the Management Committee must issue a written notice of termination in writing to the member allowing 14 business days for the member to appeal the decision as per the appeal schedule at the end of this document.

After considering any appeal submissions from the member, the Executive Committee must respond in writing within 14 business days of the decision providing the reasons for the decision.

The Executive Committee must communicate any terminations to Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging and the Dean of Students Governance Officer within 14 business days.

If a member is removed for failure to pay membership fees, the individual may be readmitted once the amount owing is paid.

At the close of the Management Committee’s term, a Lifetime Member may be selected through a process of nomination and discussion within the Management Committee, and an Absolute Majority vote. A Lifetime Member is not required to pay for Membership, but will be required to provide information in each consecutive year following their induction if they wish to remain an active Member. The Management Committee will determine whether Lifetime Membership will be granted based on criteria including:

consistent and credible length of involvement with Macquarie Musical Society;
commendable participation throughout the current year;
admirable contribution in various areas of Macquarie Musical Society; and
upholding the purpose of Macquarie Musical Society.

Section 3 – Management

Eligibility Criteria for Executive Members

All individuals nominating as Executive Members must;

be a currently enrolled Macquarie University student enrolled in an Award program of study;
have Satisfactory Academic standing;
not be part of the Executive Member of another Student Group at the University;
provide a written statement via email confirming their nomination for a specific Management Committee position at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the election.
be over the age of eighteen (18).

The Management of MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY is vested in the members of the Executive Committee who will comprise the following:

President;
Secretary;
Treasurer.
Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

Executive members are appointed to their position for twelve (12) months from the confirmation of these terms of reference for the year once elected members begin provisionally acting from each Annual General Meeting (AGM) onwards.

The duration of office for executive members will be as follows:

a one (1) year term concluding at the next AGM.

Executive positions become vacant upon:

the date of the next AGM;
an executive member’s resignation, which must be given to the Management Committee in writing with a notice period of four (4) weeks; or
the member being removed from office in accordance with this procedure; or
a member not providing formal notice of non-attendance at three (3) or more Management Committee meetings (except in extenuating circumstances as communicated to the other executive members).

Section 4 – Roles and Responsibilities

Executive Roles

The role of the President is;

To Chair Management Committee meetings;
To Chair general meetings;
To Chair Annual General meeting/s;
To retain oversight over Student Group functions;
To maintain Student Group compliance with the Terms of Reference;
To provide leadership to the Student Group;
To liaise on behalf of the Student Group with the University and other parties as required;
To provide a written annual report at the AGM;
To coordinate Student Group activities within the period of their appointment;
To assume responsibility for the induction of members of the Student Group; and
To provide an adequate and appropriate handover, including all documentation and materials to the next president.

The role of the Secretary is;

To prepare and distribute the agenda including;

the date, time, location of the meeting; and
items for discussion.

To take accurate minutes for all meetings including;

a list of those present, and any apologies;
a record of declarations of conflicts of interest;
a list of matters discussed;
agreements and actions;
to log recommended resolutions and actions associated; and
to upload these minutes to the online shared storage location.

To upload and distribute all reports submitted by executive members (e.g., treasurer's report and president’s reports);
To maintain an action log;
To ensure current terms of reference is available on the central online storage space;
To provide a minimum of fourteen (14) days notice of meetings to student group members ;
To be the key point of contact for student group communication;
To establish and maintain an accurate register of group members and recording:

the name, address,
phone number and
email address of each member;
changes of membership including new members, terminations and resignations etc.

To assist with the induction of members of the Student Group; and
To provide an adequate and appropriate handover, including all documentation and materials to the next secretary.

The role of the Treasurer is;

To engage in financial planning, budgeting, monitoring and reporting for the student group;
To facilitate the creation of a budget in collaboration with other Management Committee members;
To maintain accurate and up to date financial records;
To action required payments at the direction of the Executive Committee;
To provide a written annual financial report at the AGM which outlines all financial activity within the last twelve (12) months and the current financial status of the Student Group;
To assist with the induction of new members; and
To provide an adequate and appropriate handover, including all documentation and materials to the next treasurer.

The role of the Diversity and Inclusion Officer is to:

promote and uphold principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion within all activities and operations of the Student Group;

advocate for the inclusion and fair treatment of students from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to culture, gender, sexuality, ability, and socioeconomic status;

develop and implement initiatives, campaigns, or events that foster an inclusive student group environment;

provide guidance to the Executive Committee on inclusive practices and language, and to identify opportunities for greater accessibility and representation;

monitor group practices and activities to ensure alignment with relevant university policies and equity frameworks;

assist with the induction of new members, ensuring that diversity and inclusion values are communicated and upheld;

prepare and deliver an annual Diversity and Inclusion Report at the AGM, outlining:

actions taken;

outcomes achieved;

areas for improvement;

training received by the Executive members

prepare and provide an adequate and appropriate handover, including all documentation and materials, to the next Diversity and Inclusion Officer; and

ensure the Executive Committee complete their mandatory training requirements within three months of the commencement of their term.

Additional members may be appointed to the Management Committee but will not form part of the executive and have any associated authorities. These roles are:

Vice-President;
Social Co-Ordinator;
Publicity Officer;
Technical & Safety Officer;
Properties Officer;
General Officer;
Junior General Officer; and
Up to three General Management Committee Members

The President, Secretary and Treasurer must provide their signature on these Terms of Reference once they have been presented and endorsed by their student group.

Management Committee Roles:

Roles designated as Management Committee positions are as follows:

Vice-President;
Social Co-Ordinator;
Publicity Officer;
Technical & Safety Officer;
Properties Officer;
General Officer;
Junior General Officer; and
Up to three General Management Committee Members

The role of the Vice-President is;

To assist the President in their duties
To fill the position of President in their absence;
To assist the other Elected Office Bearers at the discretion of the Executive;
To oversee the processing of show rights, licensing, and materials through the appropriate companies; and
To provide an adequate and appropriate handover, including all documentation and materials to the next Vice-President.

The role of the Social Coordinator is;

To be responsible for organising all of the Social Events of the Club;
To contribute to the coordination of events including;

i. Orientation event;

ii. End of Year event in replacement or collaboration with Final Production at the discretion of the Management Committee;

iii. Rehearsals, meetings, and performances; and

iv. Submitting event requests within the timeframes requested by the University.

To provide an adequate and appropriate handover, including all documentation and materials to the next Social Coordinator.

The role of the Publicity Officer is;

To be responsible for all communications pertaining to the publicity and promotion of Club events;
To run the social media accounts of the Club, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube;
To manage per-semester budget outside of show budgets of $1000 or otherwise determined by Management Committee to cover promotional materials including, but not limited to:

i. General Club information (ie brochures, packages, cards)

ii. Non-show related events (ie social events, GMs)

iii. Imaging items (ie badges, stamps, banners)

iv. Show based promotions (ie discount offers, flyers, posters);

To be responsible for the maintenance of the overall official image of the Club in collaboration with the Management Committee;
To maintain the Club logo, and keep consistency and quality of all Club imaging;
To liaise with production teams for unified designs within the season
To assist with promotional material design if required;
To orchestrate the distribution of promotional materials;
To be aware of the University promotional restrictions and branding guidelines and maintain a positive relationship with printing networks; and
To provide an adequate and appropriate handover, including all documentation and materials to the next Publicity Officer.

The role of the Technical & Safety Officer is;

To approve a Technical Director for each Show, ensuring that they are of adequate standard to manage technical elements and crew, and act as an advisor if necessary, overseeing technical arrangements;
To absorb the role of Technical Director in the event one cannot be appointed;
To fill the role of Workplace Health and Safety advisor of the Club, liaising with Student Engagement;
To provide the Management Committee with an insight into the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations and Standards of theatre operation and Club events outside the theatre, and ensuring all Management Committee have a safety induction before the academic year commences;
To attend a minimum of rehearsals for the appointed Show at the Management Committee’s discretion;
To be responsible for maintaining and organising all technical assets of the Club; and
To provide an adequate and appropriate handover, including all documentation and materials to the next Technical and Safety Officer

The role of the Properties Officer is;

To be responsible for maintaining and organising all non-technical and non-financial assets of the Club;
To advise production teams on set, costume and props elements as required;
To oversee loaning and return of assets to entities outside of the Club;
To liaise with production teams to ensure responsible and sustainable use of Club assets;
To ensure that theatre maintenance and issues of cleanliness are resolved following the proper procedures outlined by Student Engagement in a timely and safe manner;
To provide an adequate and appropriate handover, including all documentation and materials to the next Properties Officer.

The role of the General Officer is;

To distribute tasks and coordinate activities of the General Management Committee members;
To assist the other Elected Office Bearers at the discretion of the Executive;
In collaboration with the Management Committee, to archive pertinent club materials; and
To provide an adequate and appropriate handover, including all documentation and materials to the next General Officer

The role of the Junior General Officer is;

To be in their first twelve months as a Member of the Club; and
To assist the other Executives.

The role of General Management Committee Members is;

To be open to any member of Macquarie Musical Society
To assist the other Executives at the discretion of the Executive.

Section 5 – Elections

The election of Executive Committee members will occur at the AGM, where members of the Student Group will appoint executive members.

A ballot must be held for the election of the Executive Committee at the AGM as per the process outlined in the Student Group Terms of Reference. All valid student group members may cast a vote in elections.

Members will be appointed by ordinary resolution: which is a resolution carried by a simple majority of those present and eligible to vote at the AGM.

Individuals elected as President, Secretary, or Treasurer may serve up to a maximum of two (2) terms equivalent to two (2) years in office.

The Management Committee may fill casual vacancies within the roles of President, Secretary, or Treasurer in an interim capacity in its membership as they arise over the course of the next twelve (12) months via majority vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting until the next AGM pending the Dean of Students Governance Officer approval.

The Management Committee may fill casual vacancies in an interim capacity in its membership as they arise over the course of the next twelve (12) months via majority vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting until the next AGM pending the Dean of Students Governance Officer approval.

The Management Committee must notify the Dean of Students Governance Officer should any elections arise to fill casual vacancies outside of the standard term of office and provide updated information regarding newly appointed executive members.

Section 6 - Casual Vacancies

An Executive Committee member automatically ceases to be an Executive Committee member if they:

lack legal capacity, that is they are incapable, whether mentally or physically, of managing their own affairs;
are absent from three (3) or more meetings of the Management Committee without prior permission or a valid reason acceptable to the other members of the Management Committee;
are not currently enrolled in units of study at Macquarie University;
fail to maintain Satisfactory Academic standing;
accept another executive role with another affiliated student group;
resign from the Executive Committee by notice in writing to the Secretary to be provided to other members; or
have been disqualified from being involved in management of a student organisation by the University;
have been found responsible for academic or behavioural misconduct.

The Executive Committee must call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) within 14 (fourteen) days of the vacancy to elect a new Executive member to fill the casual vacancy.

A ballot must be held at the EGM for the election of the position to fill the casual vacancy. The ballot is to be conducted in such a manner as the remaining members of the Executive Committee may direct. The ballot outcome must be recorded in the minutes of the EGM by the Secretary. All members present at the EGM are entitled to cast a vote to elect a person to fill the casual vacancy regardless of their position.

A Management Committee member appointed to a casual vacancy will hold that position until the next AGM pending the Dean of Students Governance Officer’s confirmation of eligibility.

As soon as an Executive member fails to meet the eligibility criteria for an Executive Committee position, the Executive Committee may temporarily suspend the member. The Management Committee must notify the Dean of Students Governance Officer as soon as possible.

If an executive is no longer eligible, they must be notified as soon as possible and an extraordinary general meeting to hold an election must be held within 14 (fourteen) days.

The Dean of Students Governance Officer will undertake regular checks to ensure all executive members meet eligibility requirements. Where executive members do not meet eligibility requirements a notice will be given, and an extraordinary meeting must be held within 14 (fourteen) days of notification).

Section 7 – Membership Fees

The Executive Committee may determine that annual membership fees are payable under both categories of membership.

Membership fees must be:

approved by the office of Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging; and
reviewed annually by the executive committee.

All membership fees collected immediately become property of the University with caretaker responsibilities undertaken by Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging upon collection. All monies must be paid directly into Student Group bank accounts.

The fee for Macquarie Musical Society membership is $5.00 AUD.

Section 8 – Meetings

Conduct at Meetings

All members present at meetings must adhere to the conduct requirements outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.

Notice of Meetings

Written notice of meetings must be provided to each member.

Notice will be sent by email to the nominated email address of the member with 14 days' notice.
The Executive Committee may also provide a secondary notice via social media channels to members.

Meeting modes

A Management Committee or General Meeting may be called or held using any technology consented to by a majority of the Management Committee members.

Hybrid meetings which take place both in person and online are an acceptable modality.
Consent to modality must not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or withdrawn.
Consent is determined by majority preference.

Annual General Meetings

The Executive Committee must call an AGM of all members once each calendar year to be held within 12 (twelve) months.

The Executive Committee must provide at least 14 (fourteen) days written notice of an AGM including;

Time;
Date;
Location/mode;
Agenda;
Nominees for executive positions;
President’s report;
Treasurer’s report; and
Any associated documentation.

The quorum of an AGM is twenty members.

Any decision at an AGM requires the presence of a quorum.

If a quorum is not present within fifteen (15) minutes after the appointed time for a meeting the meeting will be dissolved.

The Executive Committee must reschedule the AGM for a date as soon as practicable thereafter, within fourteen (14) days of the original date.

The required quorum for the second resumption of the AGM will be at least two members of the Executive Committee and at least 10% of general members in attendance.

Extraordinary General Meetings

The Executive Committee can call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) within 14 (fourteen) days:

if requested by the University;
if a member of the Executive Committee considers a meeting necessary; or
if the Executive Committee receives a written request from a current general member.

The Executive Committee must provide at least 14 (fourteen) days written notice of an EGM including;

Time;
Date;
Location/mode;
Agenda;
Nominees for executive positions;
President’s report;
Treasurer’s report; and
Any associated documentation.

The quorum of an EGM is twenty members.

Any decision at an EGM requires the presence of a quorum.

If a quorum is not present within fifteen (15) minutes after the appointed time for a meeting the meeting will be dissolved.

If an EGM fails to fill a casual vacancy on the Management Committee because the meeting is dissolved, Executive Committee members may nominate a member of the Student Group to fill the vacancy until the next EGM.

General Meetings

All members are entitled to attend meetings and vote on agenda items.

General Meetings shall be chaired by the President. In their absence, an alternative Chair must be selected from the Executive Committee members to chair the meeting.

The quorum of a General Meeting is twenty members.

Any decision at a General Meeting requires the presence of a quorum.

If a quorum is not present within fifteen (15) minutes after the appointed time for a meeting the meeting will be dissolved and all business for that meeting shall be held over until the next meeting.

The Executive Committee must schedule another meeting within fourteen (14) days of the adjourned meeting, providing at least seven (7) days’ notice to all Student Group members including;

Time;
Date;
Location/mode;
Agenda;
Nominees for executive positions;
Presidents report;
Treasurers report; and
Any associated documentation.

Decisions at Meetings

Decisions are made at a quorate meeting when the majority of the members present are in favour of a decision.

Items presented at meetings are to be determined by a simple majority vote as cast by the members present at the meeting.

A majority is determined by a show of hands. Once counted, a declaration by the Chair is conclusive evidence of the result. The Secretary will record the numbers of votes in meeting minutes.

All members present at the meeting are entitled to one (1) vote on each item. The Chair does not have a second or deciding vote.

Schedule of Meetings

The Management Committee must meet on at least 8 occasions during an academic year.

General meetings must be held on at least 2 occasions during the academic year.

Section 9 – Financial Reporting

MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY finances must be held within the approved University finance system.

The group must nominate two Authorised Representatives to become bank signatories and be responsible for the management of group funds (the Treasurer and one other executive member).

If one of the group signatories becomes ineligible, a new Authorised Representative must be determined and a new form must be submitted to Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging with the new member details.

MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY must establish a central online storage repository (e.g., OneDrive) which must be shared with Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging and the Dean of Student Governance Officer which includes:

full tax invoices for all purchases made;
copies of receipts for any payment or receipt of cash (scanned digital copies of receipts are acceptable); and
up to date financial statements.

Other group members have the right to request access to these documents with written permission from the executive members.

Financial records must include:

The date;
A description of the transaction;
Details of the payer/payee;
Amount;
Invoice or transaction number;
For payments it should be noted the date of the transaction, and the date it was stored; and
Any additional notes on the transaction.

The Treasurer must keep a register of all assets held and acquired at the beginning of the reporting period and by the end of the reporting period.

The Treasurer in collaboration with the Management Committee must submit an annual financial report 12 months after the date of affiliation to Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging and provide all members with a copy of or access to that report.

Annual financial reports must include:

Grants or funding received from the University;
Grants of funding from other sources;
Sponsorships or donations;
Revenue received from events; and
Any other revenue received.

The Treasurer, in collaboration with the Management Committee must provide a statement of expenditure for the reporting period which may include:

catering, noting that the student group must not use funding to provide catering for executive meetings;
event and venue hire fees;
publicity, including postage, social media and any other expenses;
publications including advertisements;
travel, which must be in accordance with the Travel Policy and Procedure (groups must seek guidance on the use of funds for travel from Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging and the Dean of Students Governance Officer; and
any other expenditure.

Budgeting and Asset Management:

Financial Management of the group:

The Treasurer, in collaboration with other Management Committee members must devise an annual budget projecting income, expenditure and any asset acquisition for the 12-month period following the AGM.
The Treasurer must maintain an accurate asset register to be reviewed quarterly outlining;

asset acquisition of assets;
management of assets;
storage of assets; and
disposal of assets.

Section 10 –Dispute resolution

If groups have concerns related to members of their Executive or Management Committees, they can report possible breaches of their terms or reference or the Student Code of Conduct to Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging as appropriate for guidance.

Where formal mediation and dispute resolution is required, members are required to follow the University Policy and Procedure on lodging a formal complaint.

Section 11 – Dissolution

If at any time the majority of members at any meeting decide to dissolve MACQUARIE MUSICAL SOCIETY, the Executive Committee will remain in office and be responsible for the orderly conclusion of group affairs.

After making provision for all outstanding liabilities of the group, the Executive Committee must relinquish the remaining assets and funds to the University via coordination with Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging and where required, the Dean of Students Governance Officer within 14 (fourteen) days of the dissolution.

A final report relating to the group must be sent to the University (Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging and the Dean of Students Governance Officer) containing;

a. current assets register;

b. location of all assets (must be stored on campus);

c. financial report to end date;

d. treasurers report to end date;

e. presidents report to end date; and

f. a copy of the minutes indicating dissolution of the group by vote.

Section 12 – Appeal Rules

A decision of the Executive Committee to:

Auspend or expel a member of the group; or
Withhold or not grant membership of the group to an applicant, may be appealed by the person affected to the University (Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging and the Dean of Student Governance Officer) in accordance with this procedure.

An appeal may be made on one or more of the following grounds:

the decision to withhold membership, suspend or expel a person was not the correct or preferable decision in the circumstances (having regard to any applicable University policies or procedures);
the person affected was not given a reasonable opportunity before the decision was made to present their case as to what the decision should be;
that the persons making the decision were biased against the person affected;
the decision was dishonest or for an improper purpose;
there was no evidence to justify the making of the decision.

The person affected has fourteen (14) days from the date of final notice from the Executive Committee of the decision, to make an appeal:If a member has been removed by the Management Committee, they may appeal directly to the Management Committee.

If a member has been removed by the Dean of Students Governance Officer the member may appeal to the Dean of Students Governance Officer with Student Engagement, Inclusion and Belonging Managers as an escalation point.
If members are not satisfied with the outcome of their appeal, they may lodge a complaint via the formal university complaints procedure.

Suspension and Exclusion

A decision to suspend or expel a member has no effect until:

the expiration of that fourteen (14) day period if no appeal is made; or
a final decision on the appeal is made.

The person affected must be given the opportunity to:

provide any relevant written material to the University;

The University or Executive Committee may after receiving the appeal may make any decision it thinks appropriate in the circumstances including any decision:

confirming the appeal; or
varying that decision; or
setting aside that decision; or
refer to the complaints process outlined above.

The Student Group and the person affected are bound by the decision of the University.

Section 13 – Amendments

Amendments to the Terms of Reference:

Any provision of the Terms of Reference may be amended provided that:

the members must be given 14 (fourteen) days’ notice of the meeting at which the proposed amendments are to be moved, together with the text of the proposed amendments;
no amendment may be made to the Student Group’s purposes can be made without the prior written approval of the University; and
any resolution to amend the Terms of Reference is passed by a two thirds majority of the votes cast at a general meeting.

A copy of any resolution amending the Terms of Reference must be sent to the University within twenty-eight (28) days of it being passed detailing all changes made.

Any Member of the Student Group may propose an amendment to the Terms of Reference if;

the proposed amendment is in the Best Interest of the Student Group;
the proposed amendment is emailed to the Secretary of the Student Group at least 14 days prior to a General Meeting/Extraordinary General Meeting/Annual General Meeting

Executive & Witness Signatures:

Name: Hudson Lear

Student ID: 48231363

Signature: