Subsection rules and responsibilities

IBM Club Warwick is proud of its subsections, which extend the range of activities which the Club can offer into areas of particular interest to our members. IBM Club Warwick does not wish to impose unnecessary bureaucracy upon its own operations or the operation of its subsections. Nevertheless, there are certain formal requirements necessary to ensure smooth running and proper auditability of the Club activities and expenditure. The rules and responsibilities outlined below have been designed to meet these requirements while minimising the load placed upon subsection committee members.

Setting up and running a new IBM Club Subsection

If you have an interest which is not currently served by IBM Club Warwick and the existing subsections, and you think there are others who share that interest and the pursuit of the interest falls within the Objectives of the IBM Club, then you should consider forming a new subsection. The following steps indicate how you could go about this.

1. Do a little research first, and find out what IBM Club is all about by visiting the UK Club Web site (only available on the intranet) and the IBM Club Warwick intranet site (also an external site)
2. Create a proposal for presentation to the IBM Club Warwick Committee that demonstrates that the subsection will be viable for at least one year. This proposal will outline the activities of the subsection, and show how it will conform to the rules and responsibilities of a subsection. The IBM Club Warwick Committee will also be happy to help with putting this proposal together.
3. The subsection will ideally have at least 20 members to start with, although proposals with less initial support will be considered.
4. Of the founder members, at least three should be prepared to form a committee. The roles of Treasurer and Secretary must be filled.
5. At this point, submit your proposal to the IBM Club Warwick Secretary (see the list of committee members).

Good Luck!

Subsection Management

1. The subsection must have a committee comprising at least three members, including officer positions of Treasurer and Secretary. It is recommended that a Chairman also be appointed.
2. Committee members must be elected on an annual basis at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of subsection members. This AGM must be advertised to subsection members, must be minuted, and a copy of the minutes made available to the IBM Club Warwick Secretary.
3. The subsection Secretary must keep the IBM Club Warwick Secretary informed of any changes to the subsection committee.
4. The subsection Treasurer must keep auditable accounts that clearly show the income and outgoings of the subsection, and that demonstrate that the relevant financial guidelines listed below are being adhered to. The subsection Treasurer must present the accounts and all associated records to the IBM Club Warwick Treasurer as required by the IBM Club Warwick Treasurer.

1. The subsection must be open to new members at any reasonable time. If a certain level of skill is required to participate in subsection activities, the subsection should occasionally cater for novices that wish to acquire the necessary skills.
2. The subsection should have a membership subscription of at least £5 per year to show a level of commitment by the members. In exceptional circumstances this requirement may be waived by the IBM Club Warwick committee at its discretion.
3. The subsection may organise such activities as it wishes, providing the activities are in line with the Objectives of the IBM Club and of the subsection, are not on the prohibited activities list, and comply with the financial guidelines listed below.
4. The subsection activities should be open to subsection members. IBM Club members who are not subsection members may also be allowed to participate in subsection activities at the discretion of the subsection committee.
5. People who are not IBM Club members may participate in subsection activities at the discretion of the subsection committee, but must not benefit from any IBM Club subsidy.

1. The subsection may request a subsidy from IBM Club Warwick to subsidise its activites. Such funds will be granted annually by the IBM Club Warwick committee at its discretion.
2. Subsection funds must be kept in a bank account in the name of the subsection operated with at least two signatures required to withdraw funds. The signatories must be members of the subsection.
3. Over the course of a year, the outgoings of a subsection will be met by the IBM Club Warwick subsidy, by members' subscriptions, and by other member payments. The proportion of these outgoings met by the IBM Club Warwick subsidy must not exceed 50%.
4. Over the course of a year, the total subsidy per subsection member should not exceed £75.
5. People who are not IBM Club members must not benefit from any IBM Club subsidy. If people who are not IBM Club members participate in subsection activities, as described above, then the accounts must clearly demonstrate how any subsidy was applied.
6. Due to constraints placed on IBM Club Warwick by the IBM Club National Committee, subsections are requested to manage their accounts such that subsection bank account balances are kept to a minimum at the end of the calendar year.
7. The subsection Treasurer is requested to ensure that receipts are obtained for all purchases. If VAT is payable then VAT receipts should be obtained.

1. The Treasurer and Secretary of the subsection are responsible for ensuring due diligence in running the subsection in accordance with these rules and responsibilities.
2. All funds and assets of the subsection, whether originating from IBM Club Warwick subsidy or from elsewhere, are assets of IBM Club Warwick. The IBM Club Warwick Treasurer may request the return of part or all of these assets to IBM Club Warwick at any time.
3. All funds and assets of the subsection, being assets of IBM Club Warwick, are IBM assets and subject to the rules regarding misuse of IBM assets.
4. The IBM Club Warwick committee may choose to wind up the subsection at its discretion, and request return of the assets to IBM Club Warwick. The IBM Club Warwick committee will in such a circumstances determine how any outstanding commitments of the subsection are to be honoured.

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