Guild Constitution

Note: This is an unofficial translation of the Finnish version of the Guild Constitution (Kiltajärjestys), which serves as the official document.

The Guild Constitution of the Guild of Physics was approved at the Guild meeting on October 31, 2023.

The Rules of Fyysikkokilta ry

1 § General

Name and domicile

Fyysikkokilta ry, Fysikergillet in Swedish, Guild of Physics in English, is an association, the domicile of which is Espoo. The association is hereafter referred to as “the Guild”.

Official languages

The official language of the Guild is Finnish. The language of minutes and announcements is Finnish.

Purpose

The purpose of the Guild is

to unite students of the Engineering Physics, Mathematics, Systems Sciences and Quantum Technology study tracks of Aalto University;
to function as a link between its members and to promote their general and common interests, especially relating to studies and student life, both within the context of Aalto University and in professional or otherwise study-related communities and foundations;
to raise and maintain enthusiasm for professional, scientific and societal questions; and
to cultivate a healthy teekkari spirit.

Modes of operation

To fulfill its purpose the Guild may

organize meetings, seminars, study and discussion sessions, excursions, sports and cultural events, campaigns, sauna evenings, parties and other comparable events;
make initiatives and proposals as well as give statements;
engage in announcement and publishing activities;
partake and be influential in institutional bodies of Aalto University and its student union;
keep contact and collaborate with Aalto University, its student union, professional organizations in the field, alumni organizations, other student associations and groups of interest;
offer services and material relating to studies and student life both to its members and other students;
guide and assist its members, especially new students, as they familiarize themselves with Aalto University, studies and student life; and
strive to achieve its purpose by engaging in other similar practices.

Some events may be organized in a targeted manner, such as based on one’s study situation, perceived gender or age.

Supporting activities

To support its activities the Guild may organize entertaining events and raffles, practice publishing activities, do volunteer work, receive donations and wills, and collect membership fees. The Guild may own realty and movables. The Guild may invest its assets to secure its long-term functional capacity, but not to acquire financial gain or benefits to its participating members. Profit from invested assets is used to maintain the operation of the Guild, and to fulfill its purpose.

Notice board

The location of the notice board of the Guild is decided by the Guild Meeting.

2 § Board and financial affairs

Board

The Guild has a Board, “Raati”, elected for one calendar year at a time. The Board comprises a President and at least six but at most 12 other members.

The President of the Board must be an ordinary member of the Guild at the moment of appointment.

Accounts

The accounting period of the Guild is a calendar year. Two auditors and the first and second deputy auditors are chosen for the accounting period.

Signing

The name of the Guild may be signed by the President of the Board alone, or by two plenipotentiary Board members together. In addition the Board may grant Guild members and Guild officials a personal authority to sign the name of the Guild either alone or together with another.

3 § Members

Guild members

The members of the Guild comprise ordinary, orthogonal, supporting and honorary members. Guild members exercise their authority in Guild Meetings.

Eligibility for membership

Members must be natural persons, excluding supporting members, as which legal persons may be accepted. Ordinary members must be members of AYY, orthogonal members interested in the activities of the Guild, and supporting members willing to support the Guild. An honorary member must be particularly distinguished in activities of the Guild, or they must have otherwise significantly promoted the Guild’s efforts. An ordinary member may not be accepted as an honorary member.

Accepting members

The decision to accept Guild members is made by the Board, excluding accepting an honorary member, which is decided by the Guild Meeting with a five-sixths (5/6) majority of cast votes.

Member information

Guild members are obliged to without delay inform the Board about changes in their information required by the Guild. Required information comprises one’s full name, municipality of residence, email address and AYY membership status.

Membership fees

Guild members must pay a membership fee once every academic year of Aalto University. Honorary members do not pay membership fees. A Guild member may be considered resigned, if they have neglected to pay their overdue membership fee for two months. The membership fees of every member category are decided by the Guild Meeting.

4 § Expulsion, warning and participation ban

Expulsion

The Board may expel a Guild member, if they

do not meet the membership requirements,
have acted against the purpose, objectives or decisions of the Guild,
have acted disruptively or inappropriately within the context of the Guild, or
with their actions have caused damage to the Guild, its reputation or other Guild members.

Warning and participation ban

For the aforementioned offenses the Board may issue a Guild member with a warning or a ban of at most half a year on participating in activities of the Guild. A participation ban may apply to all other activities except Guild Meetings, and it is effective immediately.

Internal appeal

An expulsion, a warning or a participation ban may be brought to the Guild Meeting for resolution by the demand of the recipient of the punishment together with five other Guild members. The demand must be submitted in writing within four weeks after the Board has announced its decision. A demand may not be submitted, if the punished is not eligible for membership or has neglected to pay their membership fee.

Ties

If votes are divided equally when voting between an expulsion, considering someone resigned, a warning or a participation ban, the less severe option is settled as the decision.

5 § Guild Meetings

Convening

The Guild Meeting is convened by the Board by announcing it on the notice board of the Guild at least one week before the meeting. Convening meetings must also be announced via email and on the webpage of the Guild.

Quorum

The meeting has a quorum, if it is convened in accordance with the Rules.

Method of election

Single transferable vote is used as the method of election. The election system is determined in more detail in the Meeting Guideline.

Annual and election meeting

The annual meeting of the Guild is held on January 15th at the earliest and on March 15th at the latest.
The election meeting is held on October 15th at the earliest and on December 15th at the latest.

Discussed matters

The meeting discusses matters mentioned in the meeting invitation. The meeting may also take up a matter that the meeting declares urgent by a five-sixths (5/6) majority.

When discussing amendments to the Rules or Guidelines of the Guild, the method and system of election, electing or expelling the Board, its member or an auditor, the confirmation of financial statements and discharge of liability, accepting an honorary member, awarding a badge of merit, electing the alderman, dissolving the Guild or another matter mentioned in the Finnish Association Act 23 §, the matter must be mentioned in the meeting invitation.

The annual meeting discusses at least

presenting the financial statements, the annual report, the auditor report and the auditor statement;
the confirmation of financial statements;
granting discharge of liability to the account holders;
the plan of action and budget for the ongoing year; and
the amount and due date of the membership fee.

The election meeting discusses at least

the general division of duties between Board members, at least so that the financial and secretary affairs are covered;
electing the Board members by duty;
electing the auditors and first and second deputy auditors.

Right of vote, speech and presence

Only ordinary members have the right of vote in Guild Meetings.
All Guild members have the right of speech and presence.
The Guild Meeting may grant the right of speech and presence also to others than Guild members.

Right of initiative

At least one-tenth (1/10) of the ordinary members of the Guild or at least twenty ordinary members have the right to get a matter of their demand be taken up in the Guild Meeting.

Processing times

Whenever Guild members have the right to get a matter of their demand be taken up in the Guild Meeting, it must be discussed in the meeting without delay, at the latest six weeks after submitting a written demand.

The operation of the Guild abides by the Guild Constitution, which comprises the Rules and Guidelines of the Guild. These may be amended only if the meeting invitation mentions amending them.

Amending the Guild Rules and dissolving the Guild

In matters concerning amending the Rules and dissolving the Guild, for a decision to be made, the motion must be approved by a three-quarters (3/4) majority, unchanged in two Guild Meetings in a row, such that the meeting interval is at least two weeks in Rules matters and at least four weeks in dissolution matters, but at most three months.

Guidelines and amending them

Guidelines supplementing the Rules of the Guild may provide detailing regulations on the operation of the Board, Committees and their functions, and other matters considered important for the operation of the association.

In matters concerning amending and adding Guidelines, for a decision to be made, the motion must be approved in the Guild Meeting by a three-quarters (3/4) majority of cast votes.

Dissolution of the Guild

After the Guild dissolves or is disbanded, its assets are transferred to the Aalto University Student Union (AYY) for use in accordance with the purpose of the guild, or that being impossible, to support the activities of the student union.

On entry into force of Rule amendments and decision of dissolution

A rule amendment or decision of dissolution enters into force, when it has been entered into the Finnish Association Register.

On matters not determined by Rules

In matters not specifically determined in these Rules, the Finnish Association Act is followed.

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