Aberdeen University Computing Society Constitution

2024-25 Academic Year


1. Name and Definitions

The name of the Society shall be: Computing Society

2. Aims, Beliefs and Objectives

2.1 The aims of the Society shall be:

  • To provide, support and promote the activities and events for members to improve their computing and technical skills.
  • To establish a professional network between the society members, BCS (British Computing Society) member groups and relevant third parties to provide AUCS members more opportunities for professional growth.
  • To help members prepare for further employment and understanding of IT industry with relevant workshops, guest speakers and networking events.
  • To bring together members of related courses to socialise and cooperate with each other.

2.2 Whilst the Society will promote the aims, beliefs and objectives outlined in 2.1., no individual student or staff member will be the focus of direct campaigning as per university guidelines on harassment.

2.3 Each society must abide by the University of Aberdeen’s regulations regarding the Data Protection Act 1998.

3. Membership

Ordinary Members of the Society: All full-time and part-time student members and associate members of the Aberdeen University Students’ Association shall be eligible for full membership of the Society, provided they have expressed their agreement with the aims and objectives of the Society.

At all times, University of Aberdeen students should make up a minimum of 51% of the Full Society membership.

Full membership of the Society grants the right to:

  • attend all meetings and participate in the activities of the Society, subject only to the constraints arising from resources
  • vote for officers and stand for election to office within that Society
  • vote on all questions of policy within the Society.

Associate Members of the Society: Associate Membership implies the right:

  • To participate in activities and to attend but not vote at all meetings.

Honorary Membership of the Society:

  • Honorary Membership shall be elected annually by the Society’s Committees.

Termination of membership of the Society:

  • The Society Committee members, or the Executive Committee, may discontinue any membership of any Society. Any member who feels that they have been unjustly excluded shall have a right of appeal to the Societies’ Union Committee and shall additionally have recourse to the Association’s or University’s complaints procedure.

3.1 Membership of the Society shall be open to all, providing they are all full members of the Association. Unless they have exercised their rights to opt out of membership to the Students’ Association.

3.2 Ordinary membership of the Society shall be restricted to matriculated students of the University of Aberdeen.

3.3 Honorary membership of the Society is not currently granted to anybody.

3.4 Honorary members may be co-opted to the Committee of the Society but are restricted from voting. Honorary members shall not constitute more than one-third of the total membership of the Society at any one time.

3.5 Associate membership is open to members of University of Aberdeen staff, ordinary members of the Robert Gordon’s University Student Association and the Aberdeen College (NESCol) Students’ Association.

4. Officers and Committee

i. Only current Members of the Society shall be eligible for office in that Society.

ii. Committee members must comply with and have signed a copy of the Society’s Constitution.

iii. The officers and Committee shall be elected at the AGM of the Society and at bye-elections. They shall then take up office at the start of the first semester of the subsequent academic year. In the event of a vacancy arising in any Committee of a Society, an extraordinary general meeting of the Society may elect another person to fill the vacancy. If no member is elected, then the Committee may co-opt a member.

iv. The officers of the Society shall comprise:

  • President
  • Secretary
  • Treasurers
  • Vice-Presidents

v. And such other officers as are deemed necessary by the Society.

vi. All High-Risk Societies must also have a Safety Officer as one of their officers.

vii. The composition of the Committee shall also be stated in full, to all members of the Society and a record kept by the Societies’ Union Chair.

viii. At least five working days’ notice shall be given to members for all general meetings of a Society.

ix. A general meeting may remove any Committee member, including any officer, provided that 2/3 of participant members vote in favour, and that the matter is submitted as business to the meeting, which appears on the agenda of the meeting and the notices advertising the meeting.

x. Upon election, each executive member of the Committee shall register their name, and any contact details required, with the Societies’ Union within the timeframe agreed annually by the Societies’ Union.

xi. A handover meeting shall take place within a month after the AGM. Following the handover, the newly elected Committee shall take over responsibility.

xii. Each Committee member shall notify, in writing, the Societies’ Union Chair of any change of contact details whilst in office.

4.1.1 Roles and Responsibilities of Society Officers

i. To be responsible for ensuring that their Society complies with the Constitution, Bye-laws, Health & Safety Policy, Financial Regulations and Societies papers.

ii. To be responsible for ensuring that the Society shall only hold accounts with the Association, and that the Society and its members comply with financial procedures and rules made by the Association from time to time.

iii. To ensure that the membership registration procedures defined are properly complied with.

iv. To ensure that the members are kept up-to-date.

v. To inform the Association of contact details of all Society Committee members.

vi. At least two (2) Committee members are expected to attend the General Meetings of the Association.

4.2 Annual General Meeting

There shall be an AGM held in the second semester of each year at which reports from the President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be presented. Notice of the meeting shall be posted in advance of the AGM and the agenda shall be produced five working days before the AGM. The quorum shall be 15% of the ordinary members. Minutes shall be taken of the AGM together with a record of the names and matriculation card numbers of those attending. These shall be submitted to the Societies’ Union Chair at a timeline agreed by the Societies’ Union Committee, annually.

4.2.1 The minimum number of members of the Society Committee shall be five ordinary members.

4.2.2 The Administrative Affairs of the Society shall be conducted or delegated to members of the Society Committee.

4.2.3 The office bearers of the Society shall be the President, Secretary, Treasurer and any other position as shall from time to time be deemed necessary at the Society Annual General Meeting (AGM). All of whom shall be elected at the Societies AGM.

4.3 Extraordinary General Meeting

i. Extraordinary general meetings can be called to discuss a particular question and may be called by: a) A simple majority vote of the Committee. b) The quorum shall be 15% of ordinary members.

ii. The Secretary shall publish notice of the meeting with the agenda within two (2) working days of the receipt of a request for such a meeting. The meetings shall be held five working days from the day of publication. The quorum shall be as for the AGM.

4.4 Amendment to the Constitution

i. Amendments to the Constitution must have the approval of two-thirds (2/3) of the ordinary members of the Society present at the AGM or at a special general meeting of the Society convened for this purpose.

ii. Notice of the proposed constitutional changes must be published in the agenda and cannot be brought up under the item 'any other business.

iii. Any amendment to the Constitution is subject to the final approval of the Societies’ Union Committee.

5. The Annual General Meeting

5.1.1 The Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held once every academic year, not less than 9 months after the previous one.

5.1.2 Society Annual General Meetings shall be open to all ordinary members of the Society.

5.2 Only those ordinary members of the society are entitled to vote.

5.2.1 Notice of the AGM shall be given to all Society Members and advertised to all students at least fourteen days before the meeting.

5.2.2 The business of the AGM shall include the election of the Society Office bearers and the presentation of the annual financial accounts of the Society.

5.2.3 The committee shall keep proper records of the receipts and payments of the Society and shall submit the minutes of the AGM to the Societies Union and thereafter forward a copy of the accounts to the Societies Union, which shall have the power at any time to appoint two of its members to audit the books of the Society, subject to a week’s notice.

6. Finance

6.1 Funding belonging to the Society shall only be used in furtherance of the aims, beliefs and objectives as defined in clause 2.1 of this constitution. Also, as long as it does not contravene the S.A. constitution, schedules, bye-laws or the law of the Land.

6.2 The Treasurer shall be responsible for the proper accounting of the funds in accordance with Students’ Association regulations.

6.3 Appointed AUSA staff shall be signatories on all financial transactions

6.4 In the event of the Society ceasing to exist, all remaining funds shall revert to the Students’ Association.

6.5 In the event of suspected financial malpractice, the Societies Union has the right to suspend the activities of the Society. Whilst undertaking an investigation to ascertain the facts, during this time the Societies Union will take control of the running of the Society affairs. In the event of this happening, the office-bearers of the Society will be deemed to have resigned and the Societies Union will be empowered to appoint any persons it sees fit to these posts, pending an emergency AGM is called to elect new officers.

7. Amendments to the Society Constitution

7.1 If a Society wishes to write their own constitution, prior approval and advice must be seeked from the Societies Union Chair. Newly devised constitution must seek approval from the Societies Union Committee.

7.2 This Constitution shall not be alterable except by a motion duly made. Notice of such a motion shall be given at least fourteen days before a General Meeting of the Society. The motion shall not be declared carried unless the number of voting members present is at least two-fifths of the total number of members of the Society. All alterations to the Constitution shall be subject to the approval of the Societies Union Committee.

8. Relations with the Association

8.1 As a recognised Students Association society, the Society shall at all times abide by the Constitution and Bye-laws of the Association.

8.2 The Society shall also abide by all regulations issued by the Societies Union Committee.

9. Affiliations with outside Organisations

9.1 The Society may affiliate to an outside organisation(s), providing the affiliation is approved by two-thirds of the voting delegates at a general meeting.

9.2 The Society must also seek approval from Societies Union.

9.3 The Society may only affiliate to an outside organisation(s) whose beliefs and activities are in strict conformity to the principle outlined in sub-clause 2.1.

9.4 The Society may not affiliate to any organisation that perpetrates or advocates any kind of violence or criminal activity whatsoever.

9.5 No affiliation to any outside organisation must be allowed to compromise the autonomy of the Society.


AUCS is currently affiliated with Code First: Girls.


Terms of Access of this Website

The use of this website is subject to terms and conditions.

  • The content of the pages of this website is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice.
  • Neither us (AUCS) or Aberdeen University Student's Association (AUSA) provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  • Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements.
  • This website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us, unless otherwise stated. This material includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions.
  • From time to time this website may also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).

Although there should be no need to restrict access to this website, access is provided on an as-is basis and can be withdrawn at any time.

No cookies are stored on your computer by us. GitHub (our hosting provider) may store cookies and log interactions for analytical purposes of which we have no control over.

Return Home?