JOMG Rules of Association 2025

Rules agreed at the AGM on 13th March 2025.

Jesus Old Members’ Group

Rules of Association

  1. The purpose of the Jesus Old Members’ Group is:
    1. to renew, create and foster friendships through a programme of social
      activities;
    2. to renew and foster links with Jesus College Oxford.
  2. Membership is offered to all Members of Jesus College Oxford who were
    admitted to the college at least 40 years ago, and to partners of deceased members of the Group, and
    is also available to all Old Members of the College who support the Group’s purpose.
  3. There is no membership fee.
  4. Written communication between the Group and its members is normally by email.
  5. The Group accepts the principle of Freedom of Speech and has adopted its own Code of Practice (see Schedule 1). It may, after due consideration, withdraw membership from anyone who intentionally or recklessly breaches that Code.
  6. The Group must hold an Annual General Meeting, of which at least 14 days written notice must be given; this may be a virtual meeting. At least 3 months advance notice must be given of the expected date of the Meeting.
  7. At each Annual General Meeting:
    1. the accounts for the preceding financial
      year must be presented for approval;
    2. a report must be presented on the Group’s activities since the last annual meeting;
    3. the members must elect a Committee, comprising 2 officers (Secretary and Treasurer) and up to 4 further members, to manage the Group until the next Annual General Meeting.
  8. Nominations for membership of the Committee must be received by the Secretary at least 42 days before the expected date of the Annual General Meeting. If 2 or more members are nominated for the position of Secretary or Treasurer respectively, or 5 or more members are nominated for the other 4 positions on the Committee, a ballot must be held for the relevant position(s).If a ballot is to be held, votes may be cast by email or post but must be received by the Secretary not less than 48 hours before the time of the meeting.
  9. The Committee:
    1. may appoint its own Chair from amongst its members;
    2. must appoint an Events Co-ordinator;
    3. must appoint another member (whether or not currently a member of the Committee) to fill any office which becomes vacant during the year;
    4. may co-opt members to the Committee subject to the total number of officers, elected and co-opted Committee members not exceeding 8;
    5. is empowered to operate a bank account;
    6. must endeavour to provide a programme of social events, to which members and their families are invited, and may appoint ad hoc convenors to organise these events.
  10. In the event of a winding up of the Group the closing balance in the accounts must be donated to the Jesus College Annual Fund to support awards to students.
  11. A proposal for a change to these rules may be made by any member of the Group or by the Committee but must be submitted to the Secretary at least 63 days before the expected date of the Annual General Meeting. If the proposal is by a member of the Group it must be supported by at least 4 other members and may be accompanied by a statement of support for the proposal; the Committee may issue its own statement on the proposal. The Committee may decide to call an Extraordinary General Meeting, of which at least 14 days written notice must be given, to
    consider the proposal.     A ballot will be held and votes may be cast by email or post, but must be received by the Secretary not less than 48 hours before the time of the meeting.
  12. These rules were approved by the AGM on 13th March 2025 and came into effect on that date, superseding and replacing any previous version.

Code of Practice agreed at the EGM on 4th July 2020.

Jesus Old Members’ Group

Schedule I to the Rules of the Association

Code of Practice for the protection of Freedom of Speech

All members of the Jesus Old Members Group must conduct themselves in relation to meetings and other events so as to ensure that freedom of speech within the law is secured for members, guests and visiting speakers. The only limits on that freedom are as set out in this Code of Practice which is adopted under Rule of Association 5 and is based on the Jesus College Code of Practice.

    1. Before booking or publicising any Jesus Old Members Group event, the organiser must
      have regard to this Code and any other code for the protection of freedom of speech for the venue(s) of the event and must comply with para. 4.
    2. If the nature of a proposed event, the identity of the speaker or speakers, or some other factor gives rise at any time to concern on the part of the organiser or any other member, the organiser or member should bring the event promptly to the attention of the Events Co-ordinator. (If the position of the Events Co-ordinator is vacant, the Secretary performs the functions of
      that post for this purpose.)
    3. Organisers and other members must report an event as in para. 2 if, but
      only if, they consider that:

      1. the event may give rise to actions or statements that would be unlawful either criminally or civilly. Such actions or statements would include those amounting to discrimination, harassment and victimisation, incitement to crime, sedition and the stirring up of public disorder;
      2. a proposed speaker is a member of, or is likely to use the event to encourage support for, a proscribed organisation in terms of the UK law on terrorism;
      3. the event will involve, or is likely to involve, extremist views being expressed which might draw people into terrorism or that are shared by terrorist groups;
      4. the event is likely to pose a risk to the health and safety of those attending, or a risk to public safety generally.

      Procedure

    4. For an event to be publicised as a Jesus Old Members Group event, the organiser must
      inform the Events Co-ordinator of:

      1. the name of the organiser;
      2. the time and date and location of the proposed event;
      3. the name of any expected speaker;
      4. an overview of the event and the topics that will be covered;
      5. whether the event will be open to guests of members and/or to other members of the College and their guests;
      6. whether the event will be open to members of other Colleges or the public.
    5. The Events Co-ordinator, will confirm or otherwise whether the event can proceed as a Jesus Old Members GroupL event, and remind the organiser of the need to comply with this Code and all requirements of the venue(s) of the event.
    6. An organiser or member who subsequently has a concern as in para. 2 about a publicised event must inform the Events Co-ordinator of that concern, setting out in writing the basis of the concern. The Events Co-ordinator will consult with the proposed venue and other persons as appropriate, and bring the matter to the Jesus Old Members Group Committee for decision. The Events Co-ordinator may give evidence to the Committee, but may not take part in its deliberations.

      Decision

    7. The Committee, on being notified of a concern under para.6 must, after considering all the evidence available to it, including the views of the organiser (and of the member, if the complaint was initiated by a member) decide:
      1. whether the concern is justified in terms of the matters set out in para.3; and
      2. if so, what action to take consistent with this Code, the Rules of Association and principles of natural justice.
    8. The action taken by the Committee may include requiring the organiser to postpone or relocate the event or comply with reasonable conditions. The cost of meeting the requirements, and the responsibility for fulfilling them, rest with the organiser.

The Committee must notify all members of action taken under para. 7 in respect of a previously publicised event, and the reason for it.

Appeal

    1. There is no right of appeal against a decision of the Committee.

Effective Date

    1. This Code was approved by the AGM on 13th March 2025 and came into effect
      on that date, superseding and replacing any previous version.