DRAFT CONSTITUTION
uzeclub@yo.co.zw, uzeclub@yahoo.com,
http://uzeclub.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/University-of-Zimbabwe-E-Club/
ARTICLE ONE
SECTION 1
NAME
The name of the Club shall be the University of Zimbabwe Young Entrepreneurs Club or E-Club.
The Club may be used to refer to the members, the activities, and or its representative(s).
SECTION TWO
PURPOSE
The major purpose of the Club shall be the creation, nurturing, networking, and mentoring of student entrepreneurs through the creation of a conducive platform for young people business skills development. This shall be achieved through the following activities and projects among other things –:
• Conducting of seminars where successful entrepreneurs, success coaches, motivational speakers etc will be imparting entrepreneurial knowledge to Club members.
• Conducting of entrepreneurship discussion forums.
• Holding annual Business Plan Competitions.
• Publishing an E-Club magazine/news letter.
• Holding Business Incubation Camps and Retreats.
• Etc.
ARTICLE TWO
SECTION ONE
MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the E-Club shall be open to all current UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE students and other identified interested persons.
SECTION TWO
MEMBERSHIP TYPES
There shall be at least two membership types namely the student members and none student members or E-Club stakeholders. To this end there shall be two kinds of E-Club leadership structures i.e. -:
1. The Executive Committee – whose duty would be the executive running of the Club’s activities and programmes accountable to the Skills Development Unit and made up of UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE current students. This shall be chaired by the E-Club president.
2. The Advisory Board – shall act as the advisory council made up of some members of the E-Club Executive Committee (as stipulated in Article Two; Section Three), the Club Advisor, and identified members of the corporate world (business community), Civil Society, Academics, and government officials/departments. The major function of this committee shall be facilitating viable partnerships between the club/university and the outside world, giving strategic advice to the Executive Committee, helping in conducting E-Club activities, helping in identifying and courting of sponsors, adjudicating Business plan competitions or identifying appropriate adjudicators, etc etc as permissible in terms of University regulations. This committee shall not have any power over E-Club activities other than given to it by the Executive Committee in consultation with the Skills Development Unit of the UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE.
SECTION THREE
OFFICERS
The E-Club shall have the following officers who make up the Executive Committee.
NB – Any other committees and/or appointments may be created or made for the purpose of achieving a specific goal and will be subject to approval by the Club Advisor, Executive Committee and University Skills Development Unit.
E-Club Patron –
The duties shall be guided but not limited to the provisions of the LSC Club Advisors’ guidelines.
President –
• Shall chair all Executive Committee meetings.
• Shall be responsible ensuring the general execution of duties by all other Committee Members.
• Shall represent the E-Club in all outside meetings.
• Shall be a signatory in all Financial Transactions.
• Shall write annual reports for/to all stakeholders
• Shall be responsible for international correspondences.
• Shall be responsible for designing the E-Club strategic plan
• Shall oversee the establishment of the Zimbabwe Entrepreneurs Institute and Consultancy Organization.
• Shall sit in the Executive Board.
Vice –President –
• shall take all official presidential functions in the absence of the President.
• Shall act as the major link between E-Club and government departments.
• Shall oversee the establishment of the Young Entrepreneurs Grant/Loans Fund for projects funding.
• Shall sit in the Executive Board.
• Shall be the de facto chair of other committees created by the Executive Committee
Secretary Marketing and Corporate Affairs
• Shall be responsible for all corporate affairs.
• Shall be responsible for identifying and liaising with sponsors
• Shall maintain correspondence with the corporate world.
• Shall oversee the establishment of the E-Club Magazine/News Latter
• Shall facilitate partnerships with other Clubs which share our vision e.g. Shape Zimbabwe, SIFE etc
• Shall oversee all publicity issues
• Shall sit in the Executive Board and Committee
Secretary Membership –
• Shall be responsible for membership renewals and recruitments.
• Shall keep membership profiles and database.
• Shall write Membership annual reports
• Shall sit in the Executive Committee
Organizing Secretary
• Will be responsible for the organization of all club activities.
• Shall be responsible for designing the E-Club members training manual.
• Shall be responsible of ensuring quality programmes
• Shall book venues for club meetings
• Shall make sure invited guests come for meetings.
• Shall sit in the Executive Committee
Secretary Legal Affairs
• Shall act as the Club’s legal officer.
• Shall handle all disputes and conflicts that require some interpretation of the constitution or the law.
• Shall preside over the disciplinary committee
• Shall ensure the protection of members’ projects, innovations and inventions against internal or external intellectual fraud/theft.
• Shall ensure viable partnerships with copywriting and patenting organizations.
Secretary Information Communication and Technology
• Shall ensure the capture and safe keep of all club events and activities.
• Shall be responsible for taking minutes in all meetings.
• Shall be responsible for developing and maintaining a vibrant E-Club website.
• Shall insure information dissemination to and or among all E-Club members.
• Shall be responsible for all Club ICT equipment and material.
• Shall design the Club brochures, Business Cards, Membership Cards etc
• Shall assist all members in ICT related issues.
Secretary Treasury and Finance
• Shall oversee all Club monetary transactions and be a signatory thereof.
• Shall help in all fundraising activities and initiatives.
• Shall help in the setting up of Young Entrepreneurs Projects Grants Facility and or partnerships.
• Shall design and present annual and quarterly E-Club budgets
• Shall write annual financial reports.
• Shall help in liaising for sponsorship.
• Shall sit in the Executive Board.
Executive Committee Members (×2)
• Shall help in the organization of all club activities.
• Shall represent any Secretary in their absence.
• Shall take over Secretaries duties in the event of their leaving college before elections
• Shall act as Club Ambassadors.
• Will take up any other responsibilities as may be required to do so.
SECTION THREE
ELECTIONS
Elections shall be held on the first month of every academic year or any other date decided by the Executive Committee and communicated to the General Membership within reasonable time.
Elections shall be held through the secret ballot system.
All E-Club UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE students members are eligible for election into any office.
All elected officers shall be subject to approval by the Club Advisor and Skills Development Unit.
ARTICLE THREE
IMPEACHMENT
Any Club member may file for the deposition of any Executive Committee member on any reasonable grounds.
The aggrieved member will file a formal written petition to the Executive Committee and a formal hearing will be conducted the following meeting after the accused has been given the chance to respond to the accusations.
The Disciplinary Committee presided over by the Secretary Legal Affairs shall hear all such issues and its decision shall be communicated to the General Membership.
The communicated decision shall be put to the vote by the General Membership and a simple majority will be the deciding factor.
Accused persons can challenge impeachment through the Club Advisor, Skills Development Unit, or Executive Board but the General Membership’s decision will not be overruled.
Reasonable grounds in terms of disciplinary hearing and or impeachment shall include but not limited to -:
• deliberate public misrepresentation of the Club.
• Financial fraud or theft against the E-Club.
• Unethical behavior in or during conducting E-Club business.
• Absenteeism exceeding three meetings without prior notice and reasonable grounds
• Using the E-Club’s name for personal business without prior notice and approval by the responsible committee.
• Any other behavior that may be deemed a sufficient threat to the interests of the E-Club by the Executive Committee and communicated to the General Membership.
ARTICLE FOUR
VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE
A vote of no confidence may be passed by the General Membership against the whole Executive Committee should their actions and conduct of Club business be deemed tangential to the interest of E-Club members and in conflict with the rules and regulations of the Club, the Country and or the UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE.
A super majority vote will be required for a successful vote of no confidence and the decision shall be irrevocable.
An interim Committee will be set and elections will be decided upon.
SECTION TWO
CLUB DESOLUTION
In the event that the E-Club decides or is forced to stop activities and operations, all financial and material resources shall, after full payment of all dues and debts, be either given back to the original sponsors or providers thereof or distributed to other UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE clubs that have synonymous goals with the E-Club.
ARTICLE FIVE
AMENDMENTS
The amendment of the constitution may be suggested (in written form) by any E-Club member, submitted to the Secretary Legal Affairs and communicated to the General Membership.
The amendment suggestion shall be put to vote by the General Membership and shall be passed by a simple majority.
All amendments shall be submitted to the Club Advisor for approval and the Skills Development Unit for ratification.
Signed by Signature Date
Club Advisor …………………… ……………………..
Secretary Legal Affairs ………………………. ……………………
Club President ……………………… …………………….
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Proposed Activities of the University of Zimbabwe E-Club
PROPOSED OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE UZ E-CLUB
Background
The importance of entrepreneurship as a viable alternative to economic development is unmistakable especially with the proliferation of Small and Medium Enterprises all around the world. Research in the E.U. and the U.S. in the past few years has confirmed that the future of the world’s economy might lie in SME as an alternative to the growing discontent with Transnational Corporations. Frequent global financial and economic problems as well as environmental challenges associated with TNCs are challenging the efficacy of this developmental route in favor of SME. It is also recognized that all TNCs were a product of some form of entrepreneurial venture although such teaching has not received enough attention until recently. Thus both the E.U. and U.S. are currently in the process of drafting their comprehensive entrepreneur education advocacy and support policies that are meant to encourage, and support the birth and growth of entrepreneurial ventures. What is surprising is that we Third World countries who need development the most seem to be lagging behind in terms of supporting entrepreneurial activities especially among young people particularly at universities and colleges. The inevitable result is that the most brilliant of our young people find themselves in a shrinking local and international job market and the best they can hope for is to be underemployed in more developed countries in the region and abroad. This trend is not encouraging and it is partially behind this background that the formation of this club is motivated.
The establishment of the Young Entrepreneurs Club and other Entrepreneurship oriented organizations targeting young people is expected to foster the participation of young people in business. Zimbabwe unlike most western countries is a gerentocratic society that sees young people as indulgent, unorganized and lacking in financial discipline hence parents and investors do not take young people’s business attempts seriously. This Club will seek to rectify this stereotyping in two ways i.e. equipping young people with entrepreneurship and business knowledge as well as changing the negative perception of society about young through successful ventures and entrepreneurial success stories.
Another very important area and issue that this club will try to mitigate is the creation of a working relationship between the private sector/business community and universities (in this case through the club) that can help technology transfer and business partnerships through venture capital or any other kind of partnerships. This is mainly expected to benefit SME by giving them a chance to engage young innovative minds in designing, implementing or transferring of modern technology that will make business competitively viable in the global village.
However the most important motivation behind the establishment of this club is the realization that a good number of students tend to have promising projects in their minds especially during college days that seem to die a natural death on graduation day. Thus the club shall strive to create an enabling environment for the realization of these dreams, visions, and goals during and after college years. Research seems to show that the major drawbacks on the entrepreneurial journey are fear of failure, lack of appropriate business knowledge and lack of start up capital. Thus the E-Club will strive to create a conducive environment for risk taking, capital support and business consultancy aimed to make students and young people’s entrepreneurial flight a successful one. This is a place where failure is not a disgrace but a learning experience, where the downhearted are given new hope while the discouraged are given encouragement. It is a place of dreams, aspirations and visions. It is a chamber of business incubation.
The major objectives and strategies of the UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE Young Entrepreneurs Club shall include but not be limited to the following - :
• Break young people especially students from the mentality of employeeship into the mentality of entrepreneurship/business culture.
• Cultivation of a culture of innovativeness, creativity and invention as engines of entrepreneurship.
• Encourage positive thinking and establish it a backbone of most success stories.
• Nurture and groom young leaders through mentorship, training and apprenticeship.
• Expand young people’s horizons and expose them to the world of wealthy, success, technology, and all kinds of possibilities.
• Offer consultancy for young people’s business endeavors, opportunities, start up strategies, capital options, marketing, management skills etc.
• Gender resocialisation towards the creation of industrious, innovative, assertive, creative and business minded young women.
• Exploring and forging working partnerships, relationships and formal skills and technology exchange programmes with other such minded clubs and organizations around the world.
• Act as agents of corporate world universities research partnerships and technology transfer.
• Partner with other stakeholders for a nationwide capacity building agenda targeting young vulnerable and disadvantaged people.
• Establish a grants scheme and management consultancy for winning projects that have business eligibility.
• Host and maintain a vibrant web site, e-discussion forum, online news latter, and social network dedicated to the purposes of the Club.
• Establish and publish a Magazine meant to address the business needs of young people.
• Advocacy for education curriculum that include entrepreneurial skills development.
• Host T.V. and radio shows meant to champion the cause of the Club.
• Forge relationships with relevant government departments to facilitate the involvement and contribution of young people in national development agenda.
• Holding of annual Business Plan Competitions whose winners shall be helped to acquire start up capital through partnerships, Venture Capital, grants etc
STRATEGY
The focus of our strategy shall be on assigning roles and expecting people to deliver within stipulated time.
Members are expected to realize that their benefit from club activities is sorely based on their level of participation hence the need to take a proactive role.
While every attempt shall be made to ensure that every member gets maximum benefit through various programmes and activities such as coaching clinics, seminars and competitions, the ultimate gain depends on the individual member’s willingness and preparedness to pursue the advice and teachings into meaningful actions.
It is our sincere hope and prayer that we will be able to acquire as much academic, government and corporate support that we so need for the realization of our dream.
Club President – Tafadzwa
Background
The importance of entrepreneurship as a viable alternative to economic development is unmistakable especially with the proliferation of Small and Medium Enterprises all around the world. Research in the E.U. and the U.S. in the past few years has confirmed that the future of the world’s economy might lie in SME as an alternative to the growing discontent with Transnational Corporations. Frequent global financial and economic problems as well as environmental challenges associated with TNCs are challenging the efficacy of this developmental route in favor of SME. It is also recognized that all TNCs were a product of some form of entrepreneurial venture although such teaching has not received enough attention until recently. Thus both the E.U. and U.S. are currently in the process of drafting their comprehensive entrepreneur education advocacy and support policies that are meant to encourage, and support the birth and growth of entrepreneurial ventures. What is surprising is that we Third World countries who need development the most seem to be lagging behind in terms of supporting entrepreneurial activities especially among young people particularly at universities and colleges. The inevitable result is that the most brilliant of our young people find themselves in a shrinking local and international job market and the best they can hope for is to be underemployed in more developed countries in the region and abroad. This trend is not encouraging and it is partially behind this background that the formation of this club is motivated.
The establishment of the Young Entrepreneurs Club and other Entrepreneurship oriented organizations targeting young people is expected to foster the participation of young people in business. Zimbabwe unlike most western countries is a gerentocratic society that sees young people as indulgent, unorganized and lacking in financial discipline hence parents and investors do not take young people’s business attempts seriously. This Club will seek to rectify this stereotyping in two ways i.e. equipping young people with entrepreneurship and business knowledge as well as changing the negative perception of society about young through successful ventures and entrepreneurial success stories.
Another very important area and issue that this club will try to mitigate is the creation of a working relationship between the private sector/business community and universities (in this case through the club) that can help technology transfer and business partnerships through venture capital or any other kind of partnerships. This is mainly expected to benefit SME by giving them a chance to engage young innovative minds in designing, implementing or transferring of modern technology that will make business competitively viable in the global village.
However the most important motivation behind the establishment of this club is the realization that a good number of students tend to have promising projects in their minds especially during college days that seem to die a natural death on graduation day. Thus the club shall strive to create an enabling environment for the realization of these dreams, visions, and goals during and after college years. Research seems to show that the major drawbacks on the entrepreneurial journey are fear of failure, lack of appropriate business knowledge and lack of start up capital. Thus the E-Club will strive to create a conducive environment for risk taking, capital support and business consultancy aimed to make students and young people’s entrepreneurial flight a successful one. This is a place where failure is not a disgrace but a learning experience, where the downhearted are given new hope while the discouraged are given encouragement. It is a place of dreams, aspirations and visions. It is a chamber of business incubation.
The major objectives and strategies of the UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE Young Entrepreneurs Club shall include but not be limited to the following - :
• Break young people especially students from the mentality of employeeship into the mentality of entrepreneurship/business culture.
• Cultivation of a culture of innovativeness, creativity and invention as engines of entrepreneurship.
• Encourage positive thinking and establish it a backbone of most success stories.
• Nurture and groom young leaders through mentorship, training and apprenticeship.
• Expand young people’s horizons and expose them to the world of wealthy, success, technology, and all kinds of possibilities.
• Offer consultancy for young people’s business endeavors, opportunities, start up strategies, capital options, marketing, management skills etc.
• Gender resocialisation towards the creation of industrious, innovative, assertive, creative and business minded young women.
• Exploring and forging working partnerships, relationships and formal skills and technology exchange programmes with other such minded clubs and organizations around the world.
• Act as agents of corporate world universities research partnerships and technology transfer.
• Partner with other stakeholders for a nationwide capacity building agenda targeting young vulnerable and disadvantaged people.
• Establish a grants scheme and management consultancy for winning projects that have business eligibility.
• Host and maintain a vibrant web site, e-discussion forum, online news latter, and social network dedicated to the purposes of the Club.
• Establish and publish a Magazine meant to address the business needs of young people.
• Advocacy for education curriculum that include entrepreneurial skills development.
• Host T.V. and radio shows meant to champion the cause of the Club.
• Forge relationships with relevant government departments to facilitate the involvement and contribution of young people in national development agenda.
• Holding of annual Business Plan Competitions whose winners shall be helped to acquire start up capital through partnerships, Venture Capital, grants etc
STRATEGY
The focus of our strategy shall be on assigning roles and expecting people to deliver within stipulated time.
Members are expected to realize that their benefit from club activities is sorely based on their level of participation hence the need to take a proactive role.
While every attempt shall be made to ensure that every member gets maximum benefit through various programmes and activities such as coaching clinics, seminars and competitions, the ultimate gain depends on the individual member’s willingness and preparedness to pursue the advice and teachings into meaningful actions.
It is our sincere hope and prayer that we will be able to acquire as much academic, government and corporate support that we so need for the realization of our dream.
Club President – Tafadzwa
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