The Winter EPIC is now available at http://anumc.anu.edu.au/files/epic2009winter.pdf.

For optimal viewing (and to make the most of the exceptional landscape photographs, save it to your desktop and view in Adobe reader as a two page spread).

Happy reading!

Lauren Bartsch
Editor

The ANUMC will consider and vote on changes to its constitution at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, 28 October. The ANUMC Constitution governs how the ANUMC is run and reflects the will of the membership. I encourage all Club members to think about these changes (what they mean for you now and for the Club and its members in the future) and to attend the AGM and vote on these important issues. The current constitution can be viewed at http://anumc.anu.edu.au/about_the_club/club_structure.

There are currently two proposed amendments to the constitution (see below). Provided there is an AGM quorum of not less than 20 members or 20% of the membership, members will be asked to vote for or against each proposed amendment. A minimum three-quarters of eligible members present at the AGM must vote in favour of a proposed amendment to effect a change to the constitution.

Proposal 1. Vote yes/no to change the constitution to add a new clause (underlined) to Clause 6 (viii) regarding the election of Executive members:
A vacant position in the Executive may be filled either by:
a. a unanimous vote of the Executive
b. where the Executive is unable to reach a decision, a majority vote of a General Meeting of the Club
c. a unanimous vote of the Executive under Clause (viii) (a) takes effect seven days after the decision has been notified to the membership, unless a General Meeting has been petitioned for under Clause 9 (ii).

Proposal 2. Vote yes/no to amend Clause 6 (iii) of constitution regarding the mandatory student quota on the Executive (of seven people).
Clause 6 (iii) currently states "At least four (4) Executive members shall be full time or part time students at the Australian National University at the time of their election, with at least one (1) being an undergraduate and one (1) being a post-graduate."

If proposal 2 is carried, then members will be asked to decide on the specific student quota by voting yes/no on the following proposals:
a. At least two (2) Executive members shall be full time or part time students at the Australian National University at the time of their election;
b. At least three (3) Executive members shall be full time or part time students at the Australian National University at the time of their election;
c. At least four (4) Executive members shall be full time or part time students at the Australian National University at the time of their election;

The constitution will remain unchanged if a three quarters majority is not achieved for any of the specific proposals.

Any additional proposed changes to the Constitution should be forwarded to the Executive by 16 October to ensure adequate notice is given to all Club members. I encourage everyone to talk freely on these issues and if you have any queries please send an email to the Exec.

In addition I would like to remind all Club members that they are welcome to put forward any issues for discussion and attend monthly Committee meetings (currently 1st Tuesday of every month). To have an item added to the agenda, please contact the current Secretary, Alana Wilkes.

As the year is now half over, as from 1 September 2009 it will only cost $20 for students and $30 for non-students to join the club. Remember you still need to be an ANU student, or to join the SRA before you can join the ANUMC.

To reflect the increase in petrol costs and the fact that the current reimbursement rates were set around ten years ago, the recommended rates per kilometre have been revised. Click here for the new rates. These rates are used to calculate petrol reimbursements and participant costs for large trips where the club collects petrol money at the pretrip meeting (i.e. Huge Days Out, Bluies Extravaganza, Snow Huge Days Out and Cocktails on the Castle). Trip leaders are free to use these rates for other trips they run, or come to another arrangement acceptable to the drivers on their trip.

The SRA has now obtained an insurance policy covering off-campus activities. Trips are now fine to continue as normal. One condition of the insurance is that people taking part in club trips sign liability waivers. This year, this is required before every trip. The waiver form is now available on the club website for trip leaders to print out and get each trip participant to sign before the trip. While this is extra work, it does allow trips to keep running which is the main thing. Next year, we will work on a form so everyone can sign the form just once when they join or renew membership.