1. Name, purpose and core principle

1.1The name of the organisation is Oxford Postgraduate Society, referred to in this Constitution as the Society.

1.2The Society exists to create and support events, activities, opportunities and communities that benefit its members and the wider student community.

1.3The Society aims to:

1. create varied and worthwhile events and activities;
2. remain non-ideological so that its events, activities and communities remain open to everyone;
3. maintain a predominantly non-alcohol-focused programme of events and activities;
4. enable members to meet, participate and contribute;
5. provide clear routes through which members can take responsibility;
6. recognise useful service, competence, reliability and trustworthy conduct; and
7. maintain spaces in which members, organisers and post-holders are treated safely and appropriately.

1.4The Society takes a non-ideological stance.

1.5To maximise inclusivity, all events, activities, communications and causes arranged, promoted or supported by the Society must be non-ideological in nature.

1.6Except for an endorsement expressly permitted under section 10, the Society must not promote, oppose, campaign for or organise around any political, religious, social or other ideological position.

1.7Ideologically driven activities can exclude or demonise particular groups, shut down communication and encourage conflict. By avoiding ideological themes and agendas, the Society remains open and inclusive to the full diversity of its community and provides fertile ground for the open exchange of ideas.

1.8This principle applies to the Society's official programme, communications and supported causes, subject only to the limited endorsements permitted under section 10. Members remain welcome regardless of their personal beliefs, subject to the Society's conduct requirements.

1.9The Society may refuse, stop or withdraw support from any event, activity, communication or cause that does not comply with this principle.

1.10The Society's programme of events and activities must be predominantly non-alcohol-focused.

1.11The majority of events on each Oxford term card must not involve alcohol.

1.12Alcohol may be available at some events, but drinking must not be their principal purpose or focus. Occasional pub or similar social events are permitted provided that the term card as a whole remains predominantly non-alcohol-focused.

2. Definitions

2.1In this Constitution:

1. Member means a person admitted to membership under the Society's published membership arrangements.
2. Oxford term means Michaelmas Term, Hilary Term or Trinity Term.
3. Post-holder means a person appointed to a volunteer post under this Constitution.
4. Senior Member means the person holding final authority under section 11.
5. Contribution Policy means the published policy governing contribution records, scoring, qualification and termly assessment.
6. Authorised administrator means a person authorised by the Society to administer an event, activity, group, platform or other Society space.

3. Membership and participation

3.1Membership is administered under the Society's published membership arrangements.

3.2Members may propose, organise or support suitable events, activities and projects that comply with the non-ideological principle in section 1.

3.3Contribution opportunities must remain genuinely accessible to newcomers as well as established members.

3.4No post-holder may obstruct a suitable proposal for the purpose of protecting their own position, limiting another member's contribution or controlling access to future responsibility.

3.5A member who reasonably believes that a contribution opportunity is being obstructed may refer the proposal directly to the Senior Member.

3.6Members must comply with this Constitution, the Society's rules and policies, and reasonable directions given by an authorised administrator.

3.7The Society may refuse admission, suspend or terminate membership, impose conditions on continued membership, or determine whether a former member may be readmitted where reasonably necessary to protect people, enforce Society rules, preserve eligibility requirements or meet operational needs.

3.8A person affected by a decision under section 3.7 may request review under section 13. The decision remains effective while the review is considered.

4. Meritocratic governance

4.1Responsibility is allocated according to demonstrated positive contribution, competence, reliability, judgement and trustworthy conduct.

4.2The route to greater responsibility is the completion of useful work that benefits the Society, its members or the wider student community.

4.3Contribution, qualification and appointment are separate stages:

1. completed work is recorded and assessed;
2. members who satisfy the published requirements become qualified for relevant posts; and
3. qualified members may be considered for appointment.

4.4Qualification creates eligibility for a post. It does not create an entitlement to appointment or renewal.

5. Contribution records and termly assessment

5.1The Society will maintain a contribution record for members who undertake work for or through the Society in compliance with the non-ideological principle in section 1.

5.2Completed work may be recorded as a supporting, substantial or leading contribution in accordance with the Contribution Policy.

5.3Attendance, uncompleted promises, popularity, social visibility and the mere possession of a title do not constitute contribution.

5.4Contributions are assessed at the end of each Oxford term according to:

1. the responsibility undertaken;
2. the work completed;
3. the benefit delivered to the Society, its members or the wider student community;
4. the quality of execution; and
5. the contributor's reliability.

5.5The scoring system must be designed so that any attempt to game it requires the delivery of genuine benefits to the Society, its members or the wider student community.

5.6If a route emerges for increasing a score without producing such benefits, the scoring rules must be adjusted to remove that route.

5.7Contribution scores record positive work only. Misconduct, dishonesty, financial irresponsibility, unsafe behaviour or serious unreliability are considered separately and may prevent qualification or appointment regardless of score.

6. Qualification and publication

6.1The Contribution Policy will establish published qualification thresholds for Society posts.

6.2The President is a senior post and requires sustained qualification and relevant experience across more than one Oxford term.

6.3The Contribution Policy may identify additional posts that require sustained qualification or role-specific experience.

6.4The Society may publish the names and scores of qualifying members with their consent.

6.5A member does not lose their qualification or eligibility by declining publication.

6.6Non-qualifying results remain private to the member and those responsible for administering the contribution system.

6.7Published scores are evidence of contribution and qualification. They do not form, and must not be presented or used as, a competitive ranking.

7. Appointments

7.1Qualified members may express interest in an available post.

7.2The Senior Member alone appoints post-holders.

7.3In making an appointment, the Senior Member considers:

1. the member's contribution record and qualification;
2. competence and relevant experience;
3. reliability and availability;
4. judgement, conduct and trustworthiness;
5. suitability for the responsibilities of the post; and
6. the current needs of the Society.

7.4An appointment lasts for one Oxford term.

7.5A post-holder may be reappointed for further terms following reassessment at the end of each term.

7.6Appointment and renewal are never automatic.

7.7A post-holder may resign by notifying the Society.

8. Volunteer posts and responsibilities

8.1The Society's volunteer posts are:

1. the President;
2. the Media and Communications Coordinator; and
3. as many Events Coordinators as current activity reasonably requires.

8.2The Senior Member may create an additional functional post where genuine continuing work requires it. The responsibilities and qualification requirements of that post must be published before an appointment is made.

8.3The President is responsible for leading the development and delivery of the Society's term card.

8.4The President's responsibilities include:

1. developing a varied and deliverable programme of events and activities;
2. coordinating the preparation and delivery of the term card;
3. supporting Events Coordinators and other contributing members;
4. identifying gaps, clashes and practical risks within the programme;
5. ensuring that the term card remains predominantly non-alcohol-focused; and
6. reporting progress and material problems to the Senior Member.

8.5The Media and Communications Coordinator is responsible for producing and coordinating:

1. social media graphics;
2. promotional videos and other media;
3. event publicity; and
4. communications with members relating to events and activities.

8.6Events Coordinators are responsible for developing and delivering events and activities, including appropriate planning, liaison, promotion, participant communication and on-the-day delivery.

8.7Post-holders manage work within their defined responsibilities and must comply with the non-ideological principle in section 1, approved policies, budgets, safeguarding requirements and reasonable directions from the Senior Member.

9. Vacancies, temporary cover and removal

9.1Nobody automatically succeeds to another post.

9.2Where duties require temporary cover, the Society may assign those duties without conferring any title, status, access, contribution credit, appointment priority or succession right.

9.3An appointment into a vacancy is made under section 7.

9.4The Senior Member may suspend or remove a post-holder for:

1. inactivity or failure to carry out the responsibilities of the post;
2. repeated unreliability;
3. misconduct or unsafe behaviour;
4. dishonesty or financial irresponsibility;
5. loss of eligibility;
6. failure to follow applicable Society rules or reasonable directions; or
7. operational necessity.

9.5Removal of a post-holder provides no title, status, access, contribution credit, appointment priority, succession right or other advantage to a complainant, rival, investigator, decision-maker or temporary replacement.

9.6Any subsequent appointment is assessed independently using the ordinary qualification and appointment requirements.

10. External-role eligibility and endorsements

10.1A person is ineligible to hold a Society post while they hold an officer, committee, representative, disciplinary or equivalent role in:

1. a student union; or
2. the Oxford Union.

10.2This restriction applies to formal, appointed, acting and equivalent role-holders.

10.3A post-holder's Society appointment ends immediately if they accept or hold such an external role.

10.4An ineligible person may remain a member, attend Society activities and organise suitable events, subject to the same rules and suitability requirements as other members.

10.5The Society may endorse a candidate standing for a position in a student union.

10.6An endorsement made on behalf of the Society requires the approval of the Senior Member.

10.7The Senior Member or President may endorse a candidate in a personal capacity. A personal endorsement must be identified as personal and must not be presented as an endorsement by the Society unless approved under section 10.6.

10.8An endorsement permitted under this section may be announced through the Society's mailing list, website and social media. Any announcement of a personal endorsement must identify it as personal.

10.9An endorsement under this section is a limited exception to the non-ideological principle in section 1. It does not constitute endorsement by the Society of the candidate's wider political or ideological positions.

11. Operational authority

11.1Post-holders manage work within the responsibilities assigned to them by this Constitution and any published role description.

11.2The Senior Member retains final authority over:

1. appointments, suspensions and removals;
2. the interpretation and amendment of this Constitution;
3. Society policies and role descriptions;
4. finances, expenditure, assets and contracts;
5. membership admission, suspension, termination and readmission, and membership records, personal data, accounts and systems;
6. safeguarding and serious disciplinary decisions;
7. reviews and appeals; and
8. any matter not assigned to a post-holder.

11.3The Senior Member may delegate operational tasks or defined decision-making authority without transferring final authority. Appointment or removal of post-holders, amendment of this Constitution and final decisions on serious discipline, reviews or appeals cannot be delegated.

11.4A delegation may be limited, amended or withdrawn at any time.

12. Safeguarding and immediate action

12.1The Society applies zero tolerance to harassment, threats, intimidation, abusive or unpleasant conduct, repeated rule-breaking and abuse directed at members, organisers or post-holders.

12.2No member, organiser or post-holder is required to tolerate such conduct as a condition of participating in the Society.

12.3An authorised administrator may take immediate action where they reasonably consider it necessary to protect a person, event, activity, group, platform or other Society space.

12.4Action may include:

1. issuing a direction or warning;
2. removing content;
3. removing a person from an online group or platform;
4. refusing or removing access to an event or activity;
5. suspending involvement in an event, activity or project;
6. referring a post-holder for suspension or removal under section 9; and
7. imposing an immediate access restriction pending any further action by the Society.

12.5Misconduct may result in removal or restriction without prior warning.

12.6Protective action does not wait for a University, college, police or other external process. The Society makes its own decisions about access to its events, activities, groups and platforms.

12.7Action taken under this section remains effective unless and until it is modified or withdrawn through review or by the Society.

13. Review of restrictions

13.1A person affected by a removal or restriction may ask the Society to review the decision.

13.2A review request should identify the decision, explain why it should be changed and provide any supporting evidence. No particular academic or legal format is required.

13.3The restriction remains in force while the review is considered.

13.4The Society may confirm, modify or withdraw the restriction after considering the request and any information reasonably available to it.

13.5A review must not be determined finally by the authorised administrator whose decision is under review.

13.6The Society may decline to reconsider substantially the same material repeatedly unless relevant new evidence or circumstances are provided.

14. Contribution Policy and constitutional authority

14.1The Society will publish a Contribution Policy containing:

1. scoring criteria;
2. qualification thresholds;
3. evidence requirements;
4. termly assessment procedures;
5. publication arrangements; and
6. any role-specific qualification requirements.

14.2The Society, its post-holders, members, funds and activities are subject to applicable law.

14.3Where provisions conflict, applicable law prevails, followed by this Constitution, then Society policies, rules and role descriptions, and then operational directions and delegations.

14.4The Contribution Policy and all other Society policies, rules and role descriptions must remain consistent with this Constitution.

14.5Scoring criteria may be reviewed and improved without amending this Constitution, including where experience reveals a route to credit that does not produce genuine benefit.

14.6The Senior Member may amend this Constitution and approve or amend Society policies.

14.7Constitutional and policy changes take effect when approved under section 14.6 and published by the Society, unless a later effective date is stated.

14.8This Constitution takes effect when approved by the Senior Member and published by the Society.