AWAU - Bye-Laws

 

(Adopted by the Vice-Chancellors on 2nd August, 2012, meeting at the University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana)

Bye-Law 1
ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP

  1. To be eligible for membership under Article IV of the Constitution of the Association of West Africa Universities (AWAU), a university or institution of higher education
    1. shall have university status in a West African country, and at least award a Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent,
    2. shall have produced at least one batch of graduates at the level of a Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent, and
    3. shall satisfy the Executive Committee that it has a complement of staff, students and facilities, including a working library, adequate for the conduct of university-level work.
  2. a. A university or institution of higher education that desires to be admitted to membership of the Association shall submit an application to the Executive Committee at least one month before the next General Assembly is convened.
    b. The application shall state that the applicant intends to adhere to the aims and objectives of the Association of West Africa Universities and that the applicant meets the requirements in this Bye-Law.
    c. The Executive Committee may admit a new member by a simple majority vote, subject to ratification at the next General Assembly, by a simple majority of members present and voting.
  3. The following specific information concerning the applicant University or institution of higher education shall accompany the application for membership:
    1. the name and location;
    2. the general background information;
    3. the officers of the administration;
    4. the Governing Body, its constitution and functions;
    5. the admission requirements;
    6. the names of colleges, faculties, institutes, centres, departments, schools and affiliated schools;
    7. the requirement for degrees and diplomas;
    8. the degrees and diplomas awarded;
    9. the numbers of academic staff and their distribution;
    10. the library or libraries and their holdings;
    11. the student enrolment, numbers and nationalities;
    12. the fees and other charges;
    13. the principal source of financing;
    14. the student service facilities;
    15. the co-operation with other universities; and
    16. the special features or characteristics, if any.

Bye-Law 2
EXCEPTIONAL ADMISSIONS TO MEMBERSHIP

  1. Associate Members have the same rights, privileges and duties of members, except that an Associate Member may not vote or be a member of the Executive Committee.
  2. If and when an Associate Member fulfils the requirements for regular membership, it may be admitted to full membership by the Executive Committee, subject to ratification by the next General Assembly, by a simple majority of members present and voting if the Association has received advice in writing of the attainment of the status from the Associate Member, through the Secretariat.

Bye-Law 3
DECENTRALISATION

  1. The countries in the West African sub-region referred to in Clause 2 of the Preamble to the Constitution are set out in the Annex to these Bye-Laws.
  2. The Executive Committee shall work with national organisations of members to promote the best interest of the Association.
  3. The Executive Committee shall encourage the formation of national organisations of members but the form, functions and other matters concerned with these national bodies shall be determined by the members of the national bodies and the Association shall not incur any financial obligations for the national body except as specifically agreed.

Bye-Law 4
VOTE FOR SUSPENSION OF MEMBERS

  1. Suspension of the rights of members of the Association under clause 4 of  Article VI of the Constitution shall be by the Executive Committee by a simple majority of members present and voting subject to ratification by the General Assembly.
  2. Failure on the part of a member to fulfil its obligations in respect of subscription payments shall not impose on the Executive Committee a
    compulsory duty to suspend the member nor shall the failure result in automatic loss or suspension of the membership of the defaulting member in the Association.
  3. The Executive Committee may by a two-thirds majority vote of members of the Board present and voting expel a member from the Association under Section 2 of article V of the Constitution for persistent failure to fulfil its obligations, particularly with respect to the payment of subscriptions and the expulsion shall be subject to ratification by the General Assembly.

 

Bye-Law 5
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

  1. The level of annual subscription to be paid by a member shall be formulated in such a way that no member or Associate Member shall make a fixed annual contribution of less than one thousand US dollars (US$1,000).
  2. The level of contribution and subscription shall be based on the number of full-time or full-time equivalent degree candidates duly registered in the institution. Except that Associate members admitted under article IV(c) of the Constitution shall be assessed at the rate fixed for Associate Members.
  3. The following rates of annual subscription shall be levied and may be changed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Executive Committee:
    1. Universities or institutions of higher education with over 2,000 students - US$2,000
    2. Universities or institutions of higher education with less than 2,000 students - US$1,500
    3. Associate members - US$1,000

 

Bye-Law 6
NOMINATION OF CHAIRMAN, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, VICE-CHAIRMEN AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

  1. Two months before a General Assembly at which the Executive Council will be renewed, the Secretary-General shall request the relevant national bodies to submit names of individuals to occupy the positions of Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, as provided for in Article IX, Sections 1 and 2.
  2. In selecting the individuals to occupy the positions of Chairman and Vice Chairmen, the constituencies shall determine their own procedures.
  3. The out-going Executive Committee shall nominate for the position of Deputy Chairman one person from a country other than those already represented on the Committee.
  4. In nominating a person for the position of Deputy Chairman, the Executive Committee shall take into account gender balance in the the Committee.
  5. The Secretary-General shall present the names submitted as in (1) above to the General Assembly for ratification.

Bye-Law 7
ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, VICE-CHAIRMEN AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

  1. The first Chairman of the Association shall be elected from among the Executive Heads of institutions present at the Inaugural Meeting of the Association.
  2. Subsequently, the Chairmanship shall be by rotation among the Chairmen of National Associations arranged alphabetically by name of country continuing from the country of origin of the first Chairman.
  3. Once a person has been elected to the Executive Committee, that person continues to be a member of the Committee even if the person ceases to be the head of the institution of membership, so long as the person remains a member of that institution.

Bye-Law 8
VACANCIES ON EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Where a member of the Executive Committee dies, resigns or where a vacancy occurs for any other reason, that member shall be replaced (to complete the tenure)  with a member from the same constituency of the member at the next ordinary or extra-ordinary session of the Committee.

Bye-Law 9
DUTIES OF COMMITTEES

  1. In constituting committees or working groups for specific assignments, the Executive Committee shall specify the terms of reference of each committee or working group.
  2. The Committees or Working Groups constituted by the Executive Committee shall submit a full and complete account of their activities at each ordinary session of the Executive Committee and more often if requested to do so by the Chairman.

Bye-Law 10
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  1. Ordinary sessions of the Executive Committee shall generally be held at the end of May or beginning of June each year.
  2. The Chairman shall communicate the particulars of an extraordinary meeting and shall at the same time enquire if a member has any objections to the meeting, even if the Chairman cannot attend personally.
  3. If two-thirds of the members indicate their assent within the stipulated time, the Chairman shall assume consent and proceed with the meeting.
  4. The invitation issued by the Chairman inviting members to an extraordinary session of the Executive Committee, shall state the date, the place and the purpose of the meeting.

Bye-Law 11
CHAIRMAN
The Chairman shall preside at meetings of the Executive Committee and the General Assembly when present and, in general, shall perform the duties incidental to the Office of the Chairman as well as other duties that may be assigned to the Chairman by the Executive Committee or the General Assembly.

Bye-Law 12
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMEN
In the absence of the Chairman or in the event that the Chairman is unable or refuses to act, the Deputy Chairman, and in the latter’s absence one of the Vice-Chairmen, shall perform the duties of the Chairman and shall have the same powers and be subject to the same restrictions.

Bye Law 13
SECRETARY-GENERAL

  1. The Secretary-General shall direct and oversee the general administrative operations of the Secretariat as set out in Article X of the Constitution and is directly responsible to the Executive Committee.
  2. The Secretary-General of the Association shall be the Secretary of the Executive Committee and the Chief Executive Officer of the Association.
  3. The Secretary-General shall:
    1. keep and preserve the minutes of meetings of the Executive Committee;
    2. ensure that notices are given in accordance with this Bye-law and the Constitution of the Association;
    3. be the custodian of the records of the Association;
    4. keep a record of the post office and e-mail addresses of each member; and
    5. in general, perform the duties incidental to the office of the Secretary-General as well as the duties assigned to the Secretary-General by the Executive Committee.

Bye-Law 14
STATUS

  1. The Association of West Africa Universities shall not conduct its affairs or be operated for profit, and no part of the net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of a founder, director, officer or other individual connected with the organisation, but this shall not prevent the payment of reasonable compensation for services rendered to or for the Association to effect any of its purposes.
  2. The Association shall not participate in or intervene in any political campaign including the publishing or distribution of statements on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate for public office, and the Association shall not directly carry on propaganda or otherwise attempt to influence legislation.

Bye-Law 15
AMENDMENTS

  1. Amendments to these Bye-Laws, which are complementary to the Constitution of the Association, but do not alter it, may be adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Committee at any ordinary or extraordinary session and shall come into force immediately.
  2. The amendments shall be submitted to the next General Assembly for approval in accordance with Article XII (Section 3) of the Constitution
  3. These Bye-Laws may also be amended by two-thirds majority vote of the Members of the Association present and voting at a meeting of the General Assembly, if the total number of votes cast in favour of the amendment is equal to at least a simple majority of the entire membership of the Association.