Our Constitution
DEFINITIONS
The University of British Columbia shall be hereafter referred to as “UBC”.
The Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia Vancouver shall be hereafter referred to as “the AMS”.
The Clubs and Societies Committee of the AMS shall hereafter be referred to as “CSC”.
The Bylaws of the AMS provide a structure for governing the day-to-day operations in a manner consistent with the Constitution. They’re separate from the constitution because they deal with facts of life that are more likely to change. These Bylaws shall hereafter be referred to as “AMS Bylaws” and are distinct from “Co-op Bylaws”.
ARTICLES
ARTICLE 1: NAME
THE NAME OF THIS ORGANIZATION SHALL BE:
“The AMS Bicycle Co-op”, hereafter referred to as “the Co-op”.
ARTICLE 2: PURPOSE
2.1 The primary purpose of the Co-op is to encourage more people to use bicycles as their primary mode of transportation for commuting to UBC, and as a mode of transport in UBC’s greater community. Bicycling as transportation has many benefits such as physical fitness, low cost, lower environmental impact, and versatility when compared with alternatives such as driving cars or taking public transit. A greater cycling mode-share would be beneficial to the individual cyclists and to the community as a whole.
2.2 The secondary purpose of the Co-op is to educate and inform; to endeavour to make bicycles a lasting resource that are not used as a disposable commodity. This reduces waste, enhances cyclists’ appreciation for their bicycle, and promotes self-empowerment.
2.3 In order to meet these goals, the Co-op will:
a) Provide education and programming around realizing benefits outlined in Article 2.1.
b) Provide affordable bicycle repair services, instruction on bike maintenance, bike building building, and provide refurbished bicycles to the UBC community.
c) Provide members and the community with access to information and resources.
d) Through social events and outreach, bring together diverse cyclists to share experience, insights and opinions about transportation.
e) Actively strive to reduce barriers for those who are typically under-represented in the cycling community (including but not limited to: women, queer, transgender, non-binary, people of colour). To this end the Co-op will provide a positive and inclusive space, provide a voice, and provide resources and programming where needed.
ARTICLE 3: DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES
3.1 The Co-op will organize and manage volunteer programming which provides a combination of education/instruction, and produces recycled or repurposed bicycles, art, or similar positive product without expectation of financial remuneration.
3.2 The Co-op will maintain a retail operation called the “Bike Kitchen” to sell new and used bicycles, bicycle components, provide professional repair, along with providing space and instruction for customers to repair their own bikes. Profits from the Bike Kitchen that exceed operating costs will be used to fund other Co-op activities.
3.3 To enable the Co-op to operate in a sustainable and professional fashion, paid staff will manage its programs and paid staff will run the Bike Kitchen. Staff will be managed internally by a manager, and the managers shall maintain accountability to the membership, as represented regularly by an Executive Committee (detailed in Article 6). Hereafter, they shall be known as the “Kitchen Manager” and “Programs Manager”
3.4 The Co-op will be financially self-sustaining, through membership dues, university funding, grants, and income from the operations of the Bike Kitchen (income from bike repairs, sales, donations).
3.5 The Co-op will operate on a mixed volunteer basis and use volunteerism as a tool for training members in a collaborative manner.
3.6 The Co-op will maintain workshop space suitable for repairing and assembling bicycles. This workshop may include the Bike Kitchen work space, and has the capacity to be used after normal operating hours.
3.7 The Co-op will make active introspection efforts to ensure that a positive space is upheld and that no persons are excluded from Co-op activities due to race, gender, age or sexual orientation.
ARTICLE 4: CATEGORY
The AMS Bicycle Co-op is a Recreational, Political/Social Action, and Community Service club.
ARTICLE 5: MEMBERSHIP
THE MEMBERSHIP OF THIS ORGANIZATION SHALL COMPRISE OF:
5.1 Regular Members shall be those members who are Active Members of the AMS as defined in the AMS Bylaws 2 and who pay a Co-op membership fee.
5.2 Associate Members shall be those members who are not Regular Members but who pay a membership fee. They can be UBC alumni, research fellows, faculty members, staff, non-UBC students, or others willing to be involved in Club activities.
5.3 Honorary Members shall be members who do not pay a membership fee. Honorary Members shall be appointed by resolution of the Executive Committee on the basis of extraordinary and longstanding commitment to the Co-op. Honorary Membership recognizes the contributions of Executive Officers, volunteers, employees, and supporters who have gone far beyond their expected duties in service to the Co-op. Honorary members are appointed for life. A recognition presentation should be made at the earliest convenient General Meeting.
5.4 Associate Members and Honorary Members shall not be permitted to vote, hold executive office or sign Co-op petitions. Honorary Members who simultaneously hold a Regular Membership are treated as Regular Members for the purpose of determining privileges and responsibilities.
5.5 A minimum of two-thirds (2/3) of the Co-op’s membership shall be Regular Members.
5.6 The number of Associate Members and Honorary Members shall not be more than one-third (1/3) of the Co-op’s membership.
5.7 Regular and Associate memberships are valid for a period of one calendar year from the date of registration.
5.8 Regular Members shall pay an annual non-refundable membership fee of a minimum of one dollar ($1) as approved by resolution of a General Meeting with quorum, at the time of registration. Associate membership fees shall be at least fifty percent (50%) more than Regular membership fees.
5.9 Changes in membership fees shall not become binding on established members until their memberships have expired.
5.10 Each member of the Co-op must sign an AMS General Member waiver form and a Co-op Member waiver form. Forms must be signed by a member when renewing a membership.
ARTICLE 6: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
6.1 The Co-op shall have an Executive Committee (hereafter referred to as “the board”) comprising of the following Executive Officers elected annually by the Regular Members:
a. President,
b. Treasurer,
c. Vice-President
The board additionally may have up to twelve (12) Board Members at Large who may be a mix of Regular, Honorary and Associate members.
6.2 Executive responsibilities include being in compliance with any duties specified by the AMS, and being accountable to the AMS for these duties, in addition to those outlined in Co-op Bylaw 4, “Executive Duties”.
6.3 Only living, Active Members of the Alma Mater Society shall be eligible to hold an officer's role.
6.4 The board will oversee and participate in the running of programs of the Co-op. They will collaborate with and supplement the work of the organizational staff.
6.5 Board Members at Large must fulfill a role that upholds Article 2 of this constitution. The portfolio of each board member must be defined and approved by a majority of the executive, and may not directly contradict or undermine the obligations of the Programs or Bike Kitchen staff to fulfill Article 2.
6.6 Additional Board Members at Large may be added by a resolution of the board. Officers may be step down and at an interim general meeting.
6.7 The Treasurer and either one other member of the board or the Programs Manager must be registered with the AMS as club treasurer.
6.8 Board members may not be employees of the AMS Bike Co-op or the Bike Kitchen. Should they become employed by either body, their standing as a board member will cease. They may be re-appointed should their employment end in good standing.
ARTICLE 7: FUNDS
7.1. The Co-op must have an AMS club account.
7.2. All financial transactions shall be made explicit through the AMS account; all financial dealings shall be done through the AMS Administration Office.
7.3. If any unauthorized accounts are discovered (i.e. outside bank accounts), the Club will be subject to de-constitution at the discretion of the Clubs and Societies Committee. These controls are necessary for the protection of the Club against a dishonest signing officer, or for protection against the loss of the Club’s monetary transaction records.
7.5. All revenues earned by a Club, including membership fees, must be deposited and kept in the AMS club bank account.
7.6. Funding will be secured as specified in Article 3.4
7.8 The sole signing officer of this organization shall be the Treasurer.
ARTICLE 8: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
8.1 All amendments to the Constitution must be passed by two-thirds (2/3) majority at a General Meeting where the quorum is fulfilled.
8.2 An amendment may be proposed by resolution at a meeting of the board. The minutes of the meeting must be signed by those attending and be presented at the General Meeting where the amendment is to be passed.
8.3 An amendment may be proposed at a General Meeting if it is presented by a signed petition representing ten percent (10%) of the non-board Regular Members. The petition must contain the exact, complete Constitution which is to be passed.
8.4 All amendments to the Constitution shall be announced at a meeting of the board and to the general membership no less than fourteen (14) days before the General Meeting where the amendment is to be passed. The announcement must contain the exact, complete Constitution which is to be passed.
8.5 In the event proposed Constitutional changes are deemed by the board to jeopardise the continued well being of the Co-op, amendments must be approved by an absolute two-thirds (2/3) majority of Regular Members.
8.5 All changes to the Club’s purpose must be submitted to the CSC for approval.
8.6 A change to the numbering of the AMS or Co-op Bylaws affects this constitution, but does not warrant a formal amendment. Provided the meaning and intent of the Bylaw remains intact (as determined by the board), this document may be updated, and the general membership shall be informed about the changes to this document. In the event the meaning and intent are not determined to remain intact, this constitution must be formally amended at the next General Meeting.
ARTICLE 9: QUORUM
9.1 Unless otherwise stated, the quorum for all general meetings shall be 10 percent (10%) of the Regular membership of the Club excluding the members of the board or twenty (20) Regular members, whichever is less.
ARTICLE 10: GENERAL MEETINGS
10.1 The Co-op shall have at least one General Meeting during each term of the school year. There shall be one (1) Annual General Meeting (AGM) during the first two (2) weeks of March, and one (1) Fall General Meeting (Fall GM) during the first two weeks of November.
10.2 General Meetings must have a chair presiding over the meeting, as outlined in the Co-op Bylaws 1
10.3 A General Meeting shall be called at the request of the Executive Committee or upon receipt of a petition representing the Club’s Quorum. The General Meeting must be at least fourteen (14) days after the initial receipt of the petition.
10.4 Notice of a General Meeting shall be posted in an obvious place at least fourteen (14) days before the meeting is to take place. All General Meetings shall take place at a reasonable time and in a reasonable location.
10.5 The meeting Chair shall post the Agenda for the General Meeting at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.
10.6 Minutes of the meetings must be kept in case of a dispute, and shall be the accepted record of proceedings.
10.7 Only Regular Members may vote in General Meetings.
10.8 No binding decisions shall be made without quorum.
ARTICLE 11: ELECTIONS
11.1 The election of Executive Officers shall take place during the AGM, and may also be performed at the Fall GM, or a by-election.
11.2 Voting shall take place through secret ballot as outlined in the Co-op Bylaws 2.
11.3 Nominations shall be accepted at least one (1) week before the election. They will be submitted to the President, who must provide them (eligible or not) for the attendees of the election to know. If the President is running for an Officer position, another Regular Member of the board shall be designated by the board to accept nominations.
11.4 The individual facilitating elections must accept nominations from the floor, provided the individual is eligible for a position, and consents to the nomination.
11.5 If an Executive Officer resigns their position or otherwise ceases to hold office, the remaining board may appoint a Regular Member on the board to take the place of the former Officer. They shall call a by-election if no other board members are Regular Members.
11.6 The new Executive Committee shall assume office on the first day of following the Club’s general election.
