1. Name and registered office of the association
The name of the association is UEF Kuopion ylioppilaskuoro ry and it is based in Kuopio.
2. Language of the association
The language of the association is Finnish. A member of the association has the right to use Finnish or English to state their case. The use of languages in certain situations is governed by these rules.
3. Neutrality
The association is politically and religiously neutral.
4. Purpose and quality of operation
The purpose of the association is to maintain the academic choir tradition in Kuopio.
In order to achieve its purpose, the association may:
- organise regular choir practises and training camps
- maintain a choir by the name of UEF Kuopion ylioppilaskuoro
- acquire repertoire suitable for use by the association
- organise concerts and other music events
- organise domestic and foreign concert and competition trips for its members
- organise leisure activities for its members
- cooperate with other similar music associations.
In order to support its activities, the association may:
- organise concerts and other music events and performances subject for a charge
- receive grants, donations and bequests
- own immovable and movable property necessary for its activities, and
- execute the collection of funds and lotteries after receiving the relevant authorisation.
5. Members
An individual or legal entity which accepts the rules, and the purpose of the association may be accepted as a member of the association.
The board of the association approves a person as a singing member after they have successfully completed the singing test and made an annual or lump-sum membership fee payment. The fee is decided by the association on a yearly basis.
A person or a legal entity wishing to support the activities of the association and who makes an annual or lump-sum membership fee payment decided by the association may be accepted as a supporting member.
An honorary member may be referred to as a person who has successfully promoted the activities of the association. The proposal to appoint an honorary member shall be made by the board or by three (3) members of the association by submitting their proposal in writing to the board. The proposal will be discussed at the next meeting of the association.
6. Resignation or dismissal of members
A member has the right to withdraw from the association by giving notice of their resignation on paper or via e-mail to the board or at a meeting of the association. This is to be recorded in the minutes.
The board may dismiss a member if they neglect their obligations to the association, for example by failing to pay their membership fee without prior notice, by acting in a way that harms the association or by acting otherwise inappropriately.
When a member resigns or is dismissed from the choir, they shall return the choir property lent to them, such as the choir T-shirt and the folder. The member may be charged the cost of purchasing replacement products in the case where the property of the association is unreturned, damaged or otherwise unusable.
7. Membership fee
Singing members are charged an annual or one-off membership fee. The amount of the membership fee is decided in a meeting of the association. The amount of the membership fee can be decided separately for the autumn and spring periods.
Supporting members make an annual supporting membership fee decided by the association. At the discretion of the association’s meeting, eligible individuals and eligible entities may have different membership fees.
An honorary member shall not be charged a membership fee.
8. The board
The affairs of the association are handled by the board, which includes the chairperson elected at the autumn meeting and 4–8 full members and 1–2 vice members.
The conductor of the choir has the right to attend and speak at the board meetings. The vice members have the right to attend and speak at the board meetings but not the right to vote unless a full member is unable to attend the meeting. A member of the association may be granted the right to attend and/or speak at the board meetings if the nature of the meeting so permits. If necessary, the board may grant the right to attend and speak to persons outside the association at request.
The term of office of the board shall be the calendar year.
The board shall elect a vice-chairperson from among its members and shall appoint a secretary, a treasurer and other necessary staff from among its members or from outside.
The board shall meet at the invitation of the chairperson or of the vice-chairperson in their absence when they consider it necessary or when at least half of the members of the board so request.
The invitation to a board meeting will be sent two (2) full days before the meeting in a manner prescribed by the board.
The board shall have a quorum when at least half of the board members, including the chairperson or the vice-chairperson, are present. Voting shall be conducted by simple majority unless otherwise provided for in the rules of the association. In the event of a tie, the chairperson’s vote shall be the deciding one, in the elections it shall be by lot.
9. The tasks of the board
The board shall have the following tasks:
I maintain a list of members
II manage the affairs and finances of the association in accordance with the rules of the association and the instructions of the meetings.
The duties of the board may be specified by the association’s working instructions, if
necessary.
10. Resignation of a member or chairperson of the board
A full member or vice member of the board may resign from the board during the term of office by notifying the board in writing. In such cases, the meeting of the association may elect a new member to replace them or choose not to supplement the board in the case where the board has a quorum.
A member or chairperson of the board may be dismissed if they have failed to fulfil the obligations which they have undertaken to perform in the board, if their conduct in or outside the association has significantly harmed the association, or if they have ceased to comply with the conditions of membership laid down in the law or the rules of the association. A full member may, together with reasons, propose dismissal from the board to a meeting of the association. At the meeting of the association, the dismissal decision shall be obtained by a majority of three quarters (3/4) of the votes cast.
If the chairperson resigns or is dismissed, a new chairperson must be elected at the association meeting.
11. Writing the name of the association
The name of the association will be written by the chairman and vice-chairman together or by either of them together with the treasurer or the secretary.
12. Financial year and audit
The financial year of the association is the calendar year.
The financial statements, together with the necessary documents and the board’s annual report, shall be submitted to the auditors no later than three weeks before the spring meeting of the association. The auditors must submit their written statements to the board no later than one week before the spring meeting of the association.
13. Committees
The meeting of the association or the board may appoint committees and functionaries to perform various tasks. In such cases, the term of office and jurisdiction of the committee and the functionaries shall be laid down.
A functionary who is not a member of the board shall not have the right to vote at board meetings.
14. Association meetings
The association holds two (2) regular meetings each year. The spring meeting will take place between January and May and the autumn meeting between September and December. The date of the meeting is specified by the board.
An additional meeting shall be held when the meeting of the association so decides or when the board considers it necessary or when at least one tenth (1/10) of the members of the association entitled to vote require it for a particular matter in writing to the board. The meeting shall be held within thirty (30) days of the date on which the request to hold it has been made to the board.
At the meetings of the association, each singing and honorary member has one vote. A member may, by proxy, authorise another member to represent themselves and exercise the right to vote on their behalf at a meeting of the association. Each member and a representative of a meeting may use no more than one proxy for voting from another member. The board may impose additional requirements for the transmission of a proxy to ensure its accuracy. These additional requirements shall be indicated in the notice of meeting.
Supporting members and the conductor of the choir have the right to attend and speak at the association meetings.
The decision of the association’s meeting will be taken by the opinion which has been supported by more than half of the votes cast. Voting shall be decided by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the vote of the chairperson of the meeting shall be the deciding one, in elections it shall be by lot.
The meeting of the association may be attended, when the board so decides, by means of a communication connection or other technical aid during the meeting. A member entitled to vote may use their vote by proxy, as stated in clause 3 of this section, when participating in a meeting of the association by these means.
Each member entitled to vote shall have as many votes as are persons to be elected, but only one vote per candidate. The candidates shall be elected in the order of the number of votes until all seats have been filled.
Every singing member of the association who has been nominated as a candidate at the meeting of the association can be a candidate in the election. The members entitled to vote in the elections are singing and honorary members.
If more than one (1) person is nominated as chairperson, the chairperson election shall be held in a closed ballot as defined in the clause 7 of this section.
If there are more persons nominated as board members than the board can have as full members, the elections of the members of the board shall be held in closed ballots as defined in clause 7 of this section. The vice members of the board are elected in the same manner as the full members of the board.
15. Convening of meetings of the association
The board shall convene meetings of the association at least seven (7) days before the meeting.
The notice of the meeting will be sent either by e-mail, to those who have communicated their e-mail address to the association, or otherwise in writing.
The notice of the meeting must be sent both in Finnish and in English. If the meeting can also be attended by means of a communication connection or other technical aid, this shall be indicated in the notice of the meeting.
16. Proper meetings
The spring meeting of the association will contain at least the following agenda:
- opening of the meeting
- the chairperson of the meeting, the secretary, the two scrutineers and, where appropriate, the two tellers shall be elected
- establishing the legality and quorum of the meeting
- approving of the rules of procedure of the meeting
- presentation of the financial statements, annual report and the opinion of the auditors
- deciding on the confirmation of the financial statements
- deciding on discharge to be given to the board and other responsible parties
- deciding on the level of membership fees for the following academic year
- discussing other matters mentioned in the notice of the meeting
- closing of the meeting
The autumn meeting of the association will contain at least the following agenda:
- opening of the meeting
- the chairperson of the meeting, the secretary, the two scrutineers and, where appropriate, the two tellers shall be elected
- establishing the legality and quorum of the meeting
- approving of the rules of procedure of the meeting
- presenting and confirming the plan of action for the following calendar year
- presenting and confirming the budget for the following calendar year
- electing the chairperson of the board
- electing other members of the board
- selecting one or two auditors and vice-auditor(s)
- discussing other matters mentioned in the notice of the meeting
- closing of the meeting
If a member of the association wishes to refer a matter to the proper meeting, they must inform the board in writing in such good time that it can be included in the notice of the meeting.
17. Amendment of the rules and dissolution of the association
The decision to amend the rules and to dissolve the association shall be taken by a majority of at least three quarters (3/4) of the votes cast at the meeting of the association. The notice of the meeting shall state that the rules have been amended or that the dissolution of the association shall be decided in the meeting.
In the event of the dissolution of the association, the assets of the association shall be used, in a manner determined by the meeting which decides to dissolve the association, to promote the purpose of the association. If the association is disbanded, its assets are used for the same purpose as mentioned earlier.
