The bylaws of Vaka - association of democratic students.

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I. Name and purpose

 

Article 1 Vaka

The association is called Vaka - association of democratic. Its registered office and forum is in Reykjavík.

 

Article 2 Purpose 

The purpose of the association is:

1.  To protect the interests of the students of the University of Iceland in all respects.

2. To promote good cooperation between the senior management of the University of Iceland and the Student Council.

3. To provide students with a platform to get to know each other across all fields and strengthen their relationships with fellow students.

 

Article 3 Members

1. All students at the University of Iceland, who support the fundamental viewpoint and purpose of the association, have the right to become members.

2. They can also become members who actively participate in the company's work, despite not falling under point a.

3. The board of Vaku makes a decision each time on the admission of members cf. point b.

 

II.  The board of directors

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Article 4 Authority of the board

The company's board of directors is elected by the general meeting, cf. Article 21

 

Article 5 The structure of the board

1. At the first meeting of the board after the general meeting, it divides tasks other than those decided by the general meeting.

2. The board consists of a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, publishing manager, entertainment manager, marketing representative, international representative, oddviti  and co-directors, cf. Articles 6 - 12 If the board is not fully formed at the end of the general meeting, the elected members of the board must appoint vacant positions.

 

Article 6 Chairman

1. The chairman's role is to convene board meetings and manage them.  The chairman must also hold a board meeting if the majority of the board members so request, cf. Article 13

2. The chairman makes sure that all board members fulfill their duties as such.

3. The chairman supervises the company's activities and that its laws and bylaws are followed in all areas.

4. The chairman is responsible for all published material of the company.
    

Article 7 Deputy Chairman

1. The vice-chairman is the chairperson's deputy in his absence.

2. The vice-chairman is also in charge of the publication of the company's laws and any changes deemed necessary.

3. The vice-chairman gives a speech to Vaka's members, cf. III. chapter, and takes care of its renewal.

 

Article 8 Secretary

1. The secretary keeps the minutes of the board's meetings and meetings organised by the company.

2. The secretary shall also keep all published material of the company in custody.

 

Article 9 Cashier

1. The treasurer takes care of the company's finances and must submit audited accounts for the past year to the general meeting.

2. The treasurer otherwise collects funds for the company and ensures that the company has income in some form during the year

 

Article 10 Publication Manager

1. The publishing manager is in charge of all Vaka's publishing.

2. The publishing manager shall ensure that a special election newsletter is always published that presents Vaka's policy and list of candidates in the University and Student Council elections.

3. The publishing manager shall also take care of Vaka's website.

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Article 11 entertainment manager

The entertainment director shall be in charge of all entertainment organised by Vaka.

 

Article 12 Marketing representative

1. The marketing representative is responsible for ensuring that the published material does not conflict with Vaka's values and viewpoints.

2. The marketing representative is responsible for Vaka's image on broadcast media, such as social media.

 

Article 13 Co-directors

1. The co-managers must share tasks in consultation with the board, cf. Article 5. Four of them shall be elected by the general meeting, while two shall be appointed by the board as newcomers when the new school year begins.

2. Vaka's board has the authority to increase the number of co-director positions that are elected at the general meeting, but not appointed by the board, to 6, and the election for additional positions must take place at the general meeting.

 

Article 14 Spokesperson

1. Vaka's spokesperson is elected by the general meeting.

2. The spokesperson oversees the association's case work vis-a-vis the Student Council.

3. The spokesperson is Vaka's liaison with the Student Council.

 

Article 15 International representative

1. An international representative takes care of Vaka's relations with foreign students at the University of Iceland.

2. The international representative is responsible for the translation of Vaka's published material into English.

 

Article 16 Board meetings

1. The board makes decisions about holding board meetings and how board meetings and other meetings on its behalf should be called, but this must always be done in the most confidential manner.

2. The majority of board members can demand a board meeting, and the chairman shall then be obliged to call the board to a meeting within three days.

3. For a board meeting to be considered a quorum, the majority of the board must be present. However, a resolution is considered approved if the majority of the board unanimously approves it. The strength of the votes determines the outcome, but a proposal falls on a tie. Electronic voting is valid and it must be carried out in the way decided by the board.

 

Article 17 Committees

The company's board, or general meeting, can appoint committees to work on certain issues. Committees work under the responsibility of the board, and it makes detailed decisions about their work.

 

Article 18 The company's affairs

The company's affairs are dealt with by the general meeting, consultation meetings, the board and committees appointed by the board or the general meeting.

 

Article 19 Distrust

1. If a motion of no confidence is received against a board member, it must be taken up at an additional general meeting, cf. 30. art.

2. If that proposal is approved by ¾ of the voting members at the meeting, the board member must resign immediately.

 

III. Membership

 

Article 20 About membership

The vice-chairman of Vaka holds a record of all members, cf. Article 7.

 

Article 21 Voting rights

1. Those who meet the following conditions have the right to vote at the Vaka's meetings.

2. To be registered in Vaka's membership list.

3. Studying at the University of Iceland at the time of the meeting or being a member of the Student Council or its committees.

4. Membership must be in place at least three days before each general meeting.

 

Article 22 Registration

No one can be registered on Vaka's membership list unless he meets the following conditions:

1. A letter of intent has been sent to the vice-chairman of Vaka.

2. Active participation in Vaku's work.

3. Be a registered student at the University of Iceland or hold a confidential position for Vaka cf. however, Article 3 of the law.

4. If there is any doubt about the registration, Vaka's board has the authority to decide the validity of the membership.

 

Article 23 Denunciation

A registered member can get unregistered from Vaka's membership directory with a declaration of intent to that effect to Vaka's vice-chairman.

 

IV. Activities and meetings 

 

Article 24 General meeting

1. The general meeting shall be held between February 15 and April 15 each year.

2. The board of directors shall convene a general meeting in a secure manner with at least one week's notice.

3.  In the notice of the meeting, candidates for the board of directors and proposals for legislative changes must be advertised.

4. The chairman presides over the general meeting or appoints someone else to do so in his place.

5. When the general meeting is called, the number of members must be available and the electoral committee must be composed of at least two persons.

6. If necessary, the board can call to an additional general meeting.

 

Article 25 Agenda of the general meeting

At the general meeting, the following matters shall be considered:

1)  Legal changes

2) Election of Vaka's board of directors

1. Chairman

2. Deputy Chairman

3. Secretary

4. Cashier

5. Publication manager

6. Entertainment manager

7. International representative

8. Marketing representative

9. Four co-directors

3) Election of Vaka's representative within the Student Council of the University of Iceland

1. Spokesperson

2. Chairman of the Student Council

3. Vice-Chairman of the Student Council

4. Interest and loan fund representative

4) Election of two auditors

5) The board's report on the company's work in the past year

6) Audited accounts of the company for the past year

7) Other issues

A vacancy shall be advertised at the end of the general meeting and an election shall take place when a candidate is received.

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Article 26 Legal changes

1. Bylaws will only be changed at a general meeting or an extraordinary general meeting.

2. Proposals for changes to the bylaws must be submitted to the vice-chairman no less than three days before the scheduled meeting. If a proposal for changes to the bylaws is received, they must be distributed in writing at the meeting together with the current bylaw.

3. A vote of 2/3 of the attendees is required to approve changes to the bylaw.

 

Article 27 Candidacy

Candidates for the board of directors, the position of auditor and for offices within the Student Council must be submitted to the election committee of the general meeting no less than three days before the convened general meeting.

 

Article 28 Voting rights and eligibility

Only members registered in Vaka's membership register have the right to vote at the company's general meeting, cf. Article 19. Registered members who are students at the University of Iceland are eligible.

The electoral committee of the general meeting has the power to decide on voting rights.

 

Article 29 Absentee voting

1. By-election voting shall be held after the candidate deadline expires, but no less than 24 hours before the announced general meeting.

2. Voting shall take place on the university campus on specially prepared ballots.

3. Anonymity shall be maintained.

 

Article 30 Conduct of elections

1. For a candidate to be considered elected to office, he must not receive less than half of the votes cast at the general meeting.

2. Each voter shall cast a maximum of five votes for the office of co-directors, and each vote shall have equal weight. The six candidates who receive the most votes shall be considered elected if they have received half of the votes cast.

3. If more than two candidacies are received for positions other than co-directors, they shall be elected after a priority election, see Article 29.

 

Article 31 Conduct of Priority Elections

If more than two candidacies are received for positions other than the co-directors, they shall be elected by a priority election. Voters choose one candidate as their first choice. They can, however, choose more as alternates and number them in order according to their support. The winner of the election is the candidate who receives the majority of first-choice votes. If no candidate receives a majority as first choice, the candidate receiving the most votes as first choice is eliminated and his votes are distributed based on the alternate votes of the electors, i.e. who they chose as second choice. If no candidate has received a majority of votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is again excluded and his/her alternate votes are distributed among those that his/her voters placed in the next choice, etc.

 

Article 32 Extraordinary general meeting

1. The extraordinary general meeting has the highest authority in the affairs of the company between general meetings.

2. Vaka's board of directors can call an additional general meeting if it deems it necessary.

3. The provisions of this section on the general meeting apply to extraordinary general meetings, with the exception that the board decides its subject and date. The agenda and existing issues must be announced in the meeting notice.

4. If a person who has been elected to office on behalf of the company, cf. 2) and 3) of Article 23, resigns or wishes to retire, the board of Vaka is obliged to convene an extraordinary general meeting as soon as possible, where the relevant position is re-elected.

 

Article 33 Consultation meeting

1. The consultation meeting of the board and student council members of Vaka sets a policy in all matters concerning the student council and its elections. The student council members, board members and committee representatives of Vaka sit at the consultation meeting.

2. However, consultation meetings shall be open to all registered members of Vaka, unless the board of Vaka decides otherwise.

 

Article 34 Duties of a consultation meeting

1. Vaka's spokesperson or the chairman of Vaka can call a consultation meeting.

2. Before the end of November, a consultation meeting will decide how Vaka's election work will be carried out.

3. Vocational lists of Vaka to the Student Council must be submitted to a consultation meeting and approved, cf. Article 36

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Article 35 Demand for a consultation meeting

1. A quarter of those who have the right to vote at a consultation meeting can demand a consultation meeting.

2. Also, 100 general university students who support Vaka can demand a consultation meeting, in which case they gain the right to propose. This demand must be addressed to Vaka's board, and the board is obliged to call a meeting no less than a week after the demand is made.

 

V. Election Commission

 

Article 36 Appointment of the Election Commission

1. The chairman and spokesperson are responsible for the election work of the association.

2. The chairman and spokesperson jointly nominate the election committee and then submit the proposal to a consultation meeting for confirmation.

 

Article 37 Mandate of the Election Commission

The election committee works under the responsibility of the board and takes care of the day-to-day operations of the company's election campaign for the elections to the Student Council, the University Council and the University Assembly.

 

Article 38 Work of the Election Commission

The election board makes a proposal for Vaka's candidate lists submitted in the name of Vaka no later than three weeks before election day.

 

VI. Various provisions

Article 39 Value

This bylaw takes effect immediately.

 

Thus approved at Vaka's additional general meeting on October 20, 2021

Reykjavik, Iceland