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Chapter Policy

Structure of AUUG Chapters

Chapters will be regionally based.   The Management Committee will
facilitate the creation of chapters in all major regions.

The aim of chapters is to provide better services direct to the
membership and to foster communication between members.  AUUG has the
potential to provide local technical peer groups where members can
share information and experiences.

To do this it is intended to provide support for chapters to undertake 
activities for the benefit of members in their region.  Events like:
	regional summer conference
	regular technical seminars and meetings
	organising local seminars for visiting national speakers
	local newsletters
	technical libraries
	access to electronic networks (AARNet, USENET ...)

It is expected that chapters will, as a minimum, provide for quarterly
technical meetings of members.

Not all activties will be appropriate to all chapters, so decisions
about what actitivies are appropriate for a particular chapter will be
left to the members of that chapter.

The main thrust of chapters will be regional, however the Management
Committee will always consider proposals for actitivies conducted
outside regional chapters.  For example, the organisers of a technical
conference or meeting may not wish to work through a local chapter.  In
these cases the Management Committee can make resources available
directly to the group of members who are running that actitivy.

As with any volunteer organisation, AUUG relies heavily on members
willing to donate their time and expertise.  While the Management
Committee can provide some level of support, chapters will only be
successful if there are local members willing to actively participate.


Rationale

The chapter general rules have been formulated using the following objectives:

- let chapters work within the existing Constitution. 

- allow a chapter committee to have as many members as it wants.  This 
  is a way of getting people involved in Chapter operations.  But also
  allow a chapter committee to be as small as 2 people (Chairman and
  Secretary/Treasurer, the minimum required by the Constitution).

- allow members to chose which chapter they wish to belong to.  
  If they don't want to belong to any chapters then their money gets 
  used generically to support member actitivies.

Management Committee is the body charged in the Constitution with
managing AUUG's affairs.  This includes oversight of the financial
affairs of AUUG and ensuring that actitives and undertakings enterred
into in AUUG Inc.'s name are consistent with aims and objectives of
AUUG and the current policies of the Management Committee.  So it is
necessary for the Management Committee to be kept informed about the
actitivies of Chapters.

Chapters are not formal bodies in their own right.  They enjoy the
protection of AUUG's constitution through the Management Committee.
Chapters can only enter into contracts and commitments with the consent
of the Management Committee.  Any such contract and commitments are
enterred into on behalf of the Management Committee and the Management
Committee remains responsible.

The general rules provide a mechanism for the Management Committee to ensure
that it is kept informed about the actitivies of chapters so that it
can meet its obligations as mandated by the Constitution.  The
Management Committee may, from time to time, change the general rules.


Commitments from the AUUG Management Committee 

The Management Committee will set aside a proportion of the annual
subscription fees for Chapter activities:

	Twenty (20) percent of each members annual subscription fees
	will be available to be used as a direct chapter contribution.
	Such money can be delegated to a chapter nominated by each
	member, for use by the chapter as defined in the general
	chapter rules and subject to other policies as determined from
	time to time by the Management Committee.

	In addition, at least twenty (20) percent of each annual
	subscription fee will be used by the Management Committee to
	foster Chapter activities.  Such money will be used in support
	of Chapter activities in a manner determined by the Management
	Committee.

Institutional members may have one (1) individual participate in chapter 
activtities as a full chapter members (i.e. with full voting rights), AND
for no fee, two (2) nominated individuals eligible to participate in 
chapter activities, AND other individuals upon payment of a fee equal 
to forty (40) percent of an individual membership fee for each individual.
The fee will be treated as the chapter components of an individuals fee
and will be used in the manner described in this policy.  Only the first 
individual nominated by an Institutional member will be eligible to vote 
in chapter elections or nominate for chapter committees.  (See chapter 
general rules)

If an AUUG member indicates their preference to join a chapter then the
Management Committee will make the direct chapter contribution
available to the indicated chapter.

If a member does not indicate their preference for a chapter then the
direct chapter contribution will be used to support Chapter activities
in a manner determined by the Management Committee.

The Management Committee recognises the special needs of members who
reside outside the cities which host the national winter conference
(Sydney and Melbourne).  These members do not have the same opportunity
to attend AUUG's premier event as other members.  The Management
Committee will use its discretionary Chapter funds (20% as above) and
other AUUG funds to provide greater financial support for chapters
outside Sydney and Melbourne.

The Management Committee will coordinate national speakers on subjects
of interest who will be available to speak at chapter meetings.

The Secretary will provide to each chapter a complete list of chapter
members.

The Management Committee will convene an annual meeting of all
Chapters.  This meeting will be called the Chapter Council Meeting.  The
Chapter Council will make recommendations to the Management Committee
regarding the running of chapters and the use of chapter funds.

This Meeting will be an opportunity 
	- for Chapters to provide input into the operation of AUUG.
	- for Chapters to meet and exchange information.  
	- for the Management Committee to review the operation of
	  the Chapters.

The Management Committee will refund reasonable costs associated with
the attendance at the Meeting of one delegate from each chapter.

All resolutions of the Council will be put to the Management
Committee.

Access will be provided to AUUG resources (like the Secretariat) as
required but will require prior approval from the Management
Committee.

There may be groups of members who wish to organise chapters which do
not directly fit the model proposed by this policy.  For example,
chapters which organise limited or specialised activities, do not
necessarily have chapter membership, or do not wish to receive regular
funding from AUUG but who still wish to enjoy the protection and
support of the AUUG Management Committee.  Such chapters may be formed
with the agreement of the Management Committee and under such
conditions as determined by the Management Committee on a case by case
basis.  It is expected that some, but probably not all, of the chapter
general rules would apply to such chapters.   Funds would be made
available upon application and at the discretion of the Management
Committee.