Ordinance XVI - Association of Postgraduate Students

1. There shall be an Association of Postgraduate Students, entitled the Keele Postgraduate Association (hereinafter called the K.P.A.) for the promotion of the general interests of postgraduate students and to afford a recognized channel of communication between postgraduate students and the University authorities.

2. Members of the K.P.A. shall be those full-time students required to pay the annual subscription under the regulations of the University together with other registered postgraduate students in categories to be set out in the Regulation in 3 below.

3. Regulations shall be prepared by the K.P.A. for the furtherance of the objects of the K.P.A., which regulations shall be of effect and binding on all members of the K.P.A. immediately upon receiving the approval of the Senate and Council. The Senate and Council shall state which regulations may be altered or abrogated by the K.P.A. acting independently and which may only be altered or abrogated upon receiving the approval of the Senate and Council. The regulations shall provide inter alia for general meetings of the K.P.A., for the election of officers, and for the appointment of all necessary committees.

4. No person shall be elected to sabbatical office or hold paid elected office for more than two years in total.

5. Election to the major K.P.A. offices (Chair and Treasurer and other members of the K.P.A. Committee) shall be conducted by secret ballot, the procedure and arrangements to be approved by an Officer of the University.

6. There shall be an annual subscription to be approved by the Finance Committee of the University on the recommendation of the K.P.A.

7. The accounts of the K.P.A. shall at the end of each financial year be audited by a public accountant in the active practice of his profession and a copy of the accounts, with a signed report by the auditor, shall be given to the Vice-Chancellor and approved by the Finance Committee of the University.

8. The Chair of the K.P.A. or nominee of the K.P.A. Committee, subject to a maximum of three consecutive annual terms, shall be an ex officio member of the Council (Statutes, section 20.1 (4)) and of the Senate (Statutes, section 22.1 (j)).

9. In order to comply with the Education Act 1994, the K.P.A. Constitution shall include the following:

      a) Members of the K.P.A. shall be all Postgraduate students of the University except those who exercise the right to opt out of membership.

      b) Election to the Committee shall be conducted by secret ballot, the procedure and arrangements to be approved by an officer of the university.

      c) No person shall be elected to sabbatical office or hold paid elected office for more than two years in total.

      d) The K.P.A. will publish annually a list of external organisations to which it is affiliated, with details of fees, donations and subscriptions. The list will be reviewed annually by the K.P.A. General Committee and approved at a General Meeting.