Rules of the Guild of Automation and Systems Technology

Table of Contents

Chapter I – Name, domicile, purpose and languages

Section 1 Name and domicile

The name of the association is Automaatio- ja systeemi tekniikan kilta ry (AS). The Swedish name Automations- och systemtekniks gille rf may also be used. Here, the association is referred to as ‘the Guild’. The domicile of the Guild is the city of Espoo.

Section 2 Purpose and forms of activity

The purpose of the Guild is to act as a link between students of Automation and Robotics, Information Technology, Digital Systems and Design and any adjacent degree programmes, study options and majors; to promote the students’ societal, social, intellectual and academic aspirations, and those related to their status in the University and society; and to foster skilled labour with a strong professional and teekkari identity.

To fulfil its purpose, the Guild may:

1. organise meetings, parties, field trips and outings
2. organise briefings and educational events related to studies, the University, and higher education policy and societal issues
3. handle the Guild’s communications and publish the newsletter
4. help new members to adjust to the University and its atmosphere and to cope with their studies
5. liaise with professional associations and businesses in the sector, and maintain contact with old members of the Guild
6. disseminate study-related materials to its members on a not-for-profit basis
7. liaise and collaborate with the Aalto University Student Union, Aalto University, and professional associations, businesses and other stakeholders in the sector
8. advance the Guild’s purpose in other related ways

Section 3 Funding of activities

To fund its activities, the Guild may organise get-togethers, raffles, jumble and bake sales, and entertainment and training events, engage in publishing activies related to its purpose, and receive donations and accept bequests through last wills and testaments. The Guild also collects membership fees.

Section 4 Languages

The Guild’s official language is Finnish.

Chapter II – Members and membership fees

Section 5 Members

The members of the Guild include full members, old members, associate members and honorary members. Any person who is interested in the Guild activities and has a right to study at the Aalto University can be admitted into the Guild as a full member.

A person who has been a full member in the past but does not currently meet the membership criteria for a full member set in these Rules, can be admitted as an old member.

A person who is interested in the activities of the Guild but does not meet the membership criteria for a full or an old member set in these Rules, can be admitted as an associate member.

A person who has distinguished themselves in the Guild activities or otherwise contributed significantly to the purpose of the Guild can be invited to accept honorary membership by three-fourths (3/4) of the votes cast in a Guild meeting.

The Board of the Guild (‘the Board’) puts forward nominations for honorary members. In addition, nominations for honorary memberships can be put forward by at least one tenth (1/10) of all full members of the Guild or at least thirty (30) full members of the Guild. The Guild can have no more than ten (10) honorary members at a time.

Section 6 Membership register

The Guild must keep a register of all its members. Each member’s full name, address and email address are entered in the register. The members are obligated to notify the Guild of any changes to the above information so that the changes can be entered in the register.

Section 7 Membership fees

Members are charged a membership fee each academic year. The membership period is from September to August. The annual general meeting of the Guild sets the amounts of the full and associate membership fees. The membership fees may vary between different membership classes. Honorary and old members are not subject to membership fees.

Section 8 Resignation from the Guild

A member may resign from the Guild by notifying the Board or the Chairperson of the Board of the resignation in writing, or by giving a notice thereof in a Guild meeting for entry in the minutes of the meeting. The resignation enters into force immediately. The personal information of the resigned member is removed from the membership register.

If a member fails to pay the membership fee within a month of the start of the membership period, the member is deemed to have resigned. The member will receive a notice thereof in the email address entered in the membership register. The personal information of the member is removed from the membership register.

Section 9 Expulsion from the Guild

In addition to the grounds for expulsion provided for in the Finnish Associations Act (503/1989), the Board may also expel

1. a full member whose study right at the Aalto University has ended and who does not, therefore, meet the membership criteria set for a full member
2. a member who has blatantly violated the Guild’s Rules or Code of Conduct. Before the Board takes the decision to expel a member, the member must be reserved the right to prepare a response, unless the ground for expulsion is failure to pay the membership fee.

A written decision must be sent to the expelled member to the email address entered in the membership register without a delay.

The expelled member has the right to appeal the Board’s decision by lodging an appeal in writing to a Guild meeting. The decision to expel a member in a Guild meeting requires the support of at least three-fourths (3/4) of the votes cast.

The expelled member must submit their appeal to the Board within thirty (30) days of being notified of the decision. The appeal must be processed in the following Guild meeting, but no later than within sixty (60) days of its date of submission.

Section 10 Disciplinary action

If a member has through their behaviour caused harm to the operations of the Guild or acted against the Guild’s Rules or operating principles, the Board may restrict the member’s participation in the Guild activities as a disciplinary action. Participation in the Guild meetings cannot, however, be restricted. The disciplinary model is specified in the Guild’s Code of Conduct.

Chapter III – Guild meetings

Section 11 Guild meetings

Guild meetings include the annual general meeting, the election meeting and extraordinary meetings.

Section 12 Annual general meeting

The duties of the annual general meeting convened in February or March each year include:

1. discussing and adopting the previous year’s annual report
2. adopting the annual accounts of the previous accounting period and deciding on discharging the Board and other parties liable to render accounts from liability for the accounts
3. deciding on the plan of activities for the current accounting period
4. setting the amount of full and associate membership fees for the following academic year
5. deciding on the budget for the current accounting period

Section 13 Election meetings

The duties of the election meeting convened one or more times each year in October or November include:

1. electing the chairperson of the Board and other Board members
2. handling the election of committees and officials
3. selecting two (2) operations inspectors and two (2) deputy operations inspectors

Section 14 Extraordinary meetings

An extraordinary meeting must be convened when the Guild meeting so decides or the Board considers necessary, or when at least one tenth (1/10) of the Guild’s voting members or at least thirty (30) voting members demand it in writing from the Board for the handling of a matter notified by them. The meeting must be held within thirty (30) days of notifying the Board of the demand.

Section 15 Rights in Guild meetings

All members of the Guild have the right to attend and the right to speak at Guild meetings. However, only full members have the right to vote at meetings. By a decision of the meeting, a non-member may be granted the right to attend, or the right to attend and speak at a meeting. A member cannot vote by proxy at a Guild meeting. The Board or a Guild meeting may decide that members can also participate in a meeting and exercise their full decision-making power via a remote connection or some other technical means during the meeting (remote participation).

Section 16 Decision-making

Unless otherwise provided for in these Rules, an absolute majority is required for taking a decision in a Guild meeting. In the case of a tie, the opinion of the Chairperson prevails. However, tied elections are settled by drawing lots. Elections follow the procedure laid down in the Guild’s election rules.

Section 17 Convocation

A notice of meeting will be sent to the members via email and published on the Guild’s website at least seven (7) days before the meeting. The notice must indicate the time, venue, possible requirement to register for the meeting in advance, and the matters to be discussed in the meeting. If it is possible to attend the meeting via data connection or by some other technical means, it must be stated in the notice. The notice must also state the requirements for attending by such means, the technical implementation of the connection, the procedure to be followed and the possible restrictions such attendance may impose on a member’s right to speak.

Section 18 Quorum

A meeting has a quorum when it has been convened in accordance with these Rules.

Section 19 Matters to be discussed

The meeting discusses the matters indicated in the notice of meeting. The meeting may also take up a matter declared urgent by the meeting by a five-sixths (5/6) vote. It must be stated in the notice of meeting if the meeting discusses the following matters: an amendment to the Rules; the Guild’s mode of election or election rules; election or dismissal of the Board, Board member or an inspections operator; adoption of the annual accounts and discharging from liability for the accounts; dissolution of the Guild; or another matter referred to in Section 23 of the Finnish Associations Act (503/1989).

Section 20 Dismissal of a person in position of trust

A Guild meeting may dismiss the Board, an individual Board member or an operations inspector before the end of the term. If a matter concerning a dismissal is discussed in a meeting, it must be stated in the notice of meeting. A decision concerning a dismissal of the Board or a Board member requires the support of at least three-fourths (3/4) of the votes cast. A decision concerning a dismissal of an operations inspector requires the support of more than half of the votes cast.

Chapter 4 – The Board

Section 21 The Board

The matters of Guild are handled by the Board, which is appointed for one calendar year at a time. The Board consists of the Chairperson and four to fifteen (4–15) Board members, including a treasurer and a secretary. Only full members of the Guild are eligible to stand as a candidate for election of the Chairperson of the Board. If a Deputy Chairperson has not been elected by an election meeting, the Board appoints the Deputy Chairperson from among its members. The Deputy Chairperson performs the duties of the Chairperson in their absence.

Section 22 Duties of the Board

The duties of the Board include:

1. managing the operations of the Guild
2. preparing the matters to be discussed at meetings and enforcing the decisions taken
3. managing the Guild’s finances and property
4. deciding on member admissions and putting forward nominations for honorary memberships to a Guild meeting
5. preparing proposals for the plan of activities, budget, annual report and annual accounts of the Guild
6. supervising the work of the committees and officials
7. convening Guild meetings as needed
8. representing the Guild
9. managing other Guild matters

Section 23 Meetings of the Board

A meeting of the Board has a quorum if the Board members have been notified of the meeting in a manner agreed by the Board and if more than half of the members of the Board are present in the meeting, including the Chairperson or the Deputy Chairperson. All decisions are taken by an absolute majority. In the case of a tie, the vote of the Chairperson prevails. Tied elections are settled by drawing lots.

Section 24 Signatories for the Guild

Both the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson of the Board have the right to sign the name of the Guild jointly with another member of the Board.

Chapter 5 — Officials and committees

Section 25 Appointment, term and participation in activities

The Board or a Guild meeting may appoint committees and officials to carry out special tasks. The term of office of the officials and committees must be determined upon appointment, and a committee chair must be appointed for each committee. The Board may appoint committee members and officials or dismiss them from office as needed.

Section 26 Dismissal of an official

The Board may dismiss officials or other persons in charge before the end of their term. An official or a person in charge may also resign by notifying the Board or the Chairperson thereof in writing.

Chapter 6 – Administration and finances

Section 27 Accounting period

The Guild’s accounting period is one calendar year.

Section 28 Operations inspectors

Operations inspectors monitor the Guild’s administration and management of finances. The Board must submit the annual report and the annual accounts with all the required documents to the operations inspectors no later than twenty-eight (28) days before the annual general meeting. The operations inspectors must provide the Board with a written report of the audit of the administration and accounts addressed to the annual general meeting no later than fourteen (14) days before the annual general meeting.

Chapter 7 – Special provisions

Section 29 Statutory guidelines

All areas of operation of the Guild not provided for in these Rules are specified in separate guidelines of the Guild. The guidelines are adopted by a Guild meeting. The decision on adopting or amending a guideline requires the support of at least two-thirds (2/3) the votes cast in a Guild meeting. Guidelines enter into force immediately after having been adopted by a Guild meeting.

Section 30 Amendments to the Rules

These Rules may be amended if a proposal for an amendment has been adopted by at least three-fourths (3/4) of the votes cast at two (2) consecutive Guild meetings held at least fourteen (14) days apart. The proposal for an amendment must be included in meeting agenda in the notice of meeting. A proposal for amendment may be put forward by the Board or by one tenth (1/10) of all full members of the Guild or by thirty (30) full members of the Guild and submitted in writing to the Board. A proposal put forward by members must be discussed in the Guild meeting following the submission of the proposal.

Section 31 Dissolution

The decision to dissolve the Guild must be taken at two (2) consecutive Guild meetings held at least thirty (30) days apart. In both meetings, the motion to dissolve the Guild must be supported by at least three-fourths (3/4) of the votes cast. If a matter of dissolving the Guild is decided on at a meeting, it must be stated in the notice of meeting. Upon dissolution, the final Guild meeting decides on the use of the remaining assets. The assets must primarily be handed over to the Aalto University Student Union for a purpose specified in Section 2. If this is not possible, the assets must be transferred to another registered association that promotes the Guild’s purpose.