South African Business Schools Association (SABSA)
Constitution
1.
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Name
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The name of the association hereby constituted is the South African Business Schools Association (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”). |
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The shortened name of the Association is SABSA. |
2.
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Legal Personal
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| The Association will: |
| 2.1 |
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exist in its own right, separately from the members and with limited liability; |
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continue to exist even when the membership changes; |
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be able to own property and other possessions; and |
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be able to sue and be sued in its own name. |
3.
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The Registered Office
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| The Association’s registered office will be situated at the office of the serving President. |
4.
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Objectives
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| 4.1 |
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The objectives of the Association are to: |
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promote the collective interests of its members; |
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provide a forum through which the needs, views and concerns of its members can be expressed; |
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provide a forum through which the needs, views and concerns of its members can be expressed; |
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promote co-operation with other associations having similar objectives; |
| 4.1.5 |
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serve as a forum for the discussion of relevant education legislation; |
| 4.1.6 |
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assist in the development of teaching methodology; |
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assist in the development of research in the areas of business and management; |
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organize academic conferences; |
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assist in the development of those business schools in earlier stages of development; |
| 4.1.10 |
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contribute towards developing an appropriate quality assessment system for business education in South Africa; |
5. Powers of the Association
5.1 Subject to this Constitution and any applicable legislation, the Association:
5.1.1 must only pursue activities that are aimed at fulfilling the Association's objectives, as recorded in this Constitution;
5.1.2 must assume the power and authority needed to achieve its objectives;
5.1.3 may amalgamate with other entities having objects that are similar to the objectives of the Association;
5.1.4 where appropriate may nominate or elect persons to represent the Association’s interests; and
5.1.5 must only undertake activities that are lawful.
6. Membership
6.1 Membership shall be restricted to South African Graduate Schools of Business (hereinafter referred to as “School” or “Schools”).
6.2 There shall be two categories of membership: ordinary membership and associate membership.
6.3 Each member, irrespective of its category, shall be entitled to nominate the dean / director ("director") and an alternate
representative.
6.4 A School may apply for ordinary membership if it is accredited to offer the Masters of Business ("MBA") degree or the Masters of
Business Leadership ("MBL") degree by the Council for Higher Education ("CHE").
6.5 The Schools, set out in Annexure A to this Constitution shall constitute the founding members of the Association.
6.6 A School may apply for associate membership if it has conditional accreditation by the CHE to offer the MBA degree or is in the
process of applying for such accreditation.
6.7 Applications for membership may be considered at any meeting of the Association.
6.8 Any member may terminate its membership by delivering written notification of resignation to the Honorary Secretary, or on a School
losing accreditation, or if at least 90% of the total number of voting members of the Association vote in favour of a resolution to
terminate a member’s membership.
7. Rights of Members
7.1 The rights of members shall be as follows:
7.1.1 the director or alternate shall be entitled to one vote at all meetings of the Association.
7.1.2 representatives of associate members shall have speaking rights but no voting rights; and
7.1.3 at any meeting of the Association or its Management Committee the Chairperson of the meeting shall have a deliberative vote
and a casting vote in the event of an equality of votes.
8. The Management Committee and Office Bearers
8.1 The Association shall have three Office Bearers.
8.2 The Association shall elect a President, two Vice-Presidents and an Honorary Secretary, who may comprise Office Bearers.
8.3 The Office Bearers shall serve for a period of two years and shall constitute the Association’s Management Committee.
8.4 The President may call Management Committee meetings whenever required and shall call a meeting when requested by two members
of the Management Committee.
8.5 The President presides at all Management Committee meetings, but if he or she is unable to attend, the meeting shall elect a person
to chair the meeting.
8.6 Resolutions of the Management Committee are passed by a majority of its members.
8.7 When the President deems it to be appropriate, he or she may lay any proposal before all the Management Committee members by
means of a circular for them to inform him or her of their opinions concerning the proposal. If at least one half of the members of the
Management Committee expresses itself in favour of the proposal made in the circular before the return date, the proposal shall be
deemed to be a resolution of the Management Committee.
8.8 The Honorary Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Association and of the Management Committee.
8.9 In the event of a vacancy arising, the Association may appoint a person to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term of office.
9. Duties of the Management Committee
9.1 The Management Committee shall:
9.1.1 administer the affairs of the Association;
9.1.2 represent the Association publicly;
9.1.3 be accountable to the Association and report on its activities at the Association’s meetings;
9.1.4 execute resolutions taken at the Association’s meetings;
9.1.5 receive funds and make payments on behalf of the Association;
9.1.6 maintain an appropriate bank account at a registered commercial bank. All monies received shall be paid into this account and
all payments shall be authorized by such members of the Management Committee as may be so empowered from time to time
by the Association and solely in accordance with authorising resolutions passed by the Association; and
9.1.7 cause proper books of account to be kept of the Association’s revenue, expenditure and financial position, which shall be audited
at the end of each financial year.
10. Powers of the Management Committee
10.1 The Management Committee has all the powers of a natural person, including the power to:
10.1.1 to raise charges and collect money for any services rendered, e.g. for lectures, seminars, publications and research projects
undertaken and to remunerate officials or any other person or institution that renders a service to the Association;
10.1.2 to delegate any of its powers, provided that the Management Committeeshall not thereby be divested of any powers so
delegated;
10.1.3 to co-opt persons to the Management Committee in an advisory capacity;
10.1.4 to take any steps which comply with and are beneficial to the objects of the Association;
10.1.5 adopt, ratify and confirm any agreements entered into by the Association, prior to the adoption of this Constitution;
10.1.6 enter into agreements for the benefit of the Association and in pursuance of the Association's objectives;
10.1.7 collect, receive or solicit any contribution, donation, gift, bequest or payment of any nature on behalf of the Association in
relation to its objectives or for its operation;
10.1.8 donate to any person, organization or company for purposes consistent with the achievement of the objects of the Association;
10.1.9 purchase or acquire or sell stock-in-trade, plant, machinery, land, buildings, agencies, listed shares, debentures and every kind or
description of movable and immovable property only with the approval of all of the members;
10.1.10 open and operate banking accounts for the benefit of the Association;
10.1.11 invest the funds of the Association and funds received for the relief effort in an attorneys trust fund or with registered financial
institutions listed in section 1 of the Financial Institutions (Investments of Funds) Act, 1984. The Association may also invest in
securities listed on a licensed stock exchange as set out in the Stock Exchange Control Act, 1985;
10.1.12 sell any investment of the Association and re-invest the proceeds;
10.1.13 establish or register other legal entities, as may be deemed necessary to promote the aims and objectives of the Association, and
insofar as the Office Bearers may deem appropriate and to transfer funds and assets, and to delegate functions, to any such
other legal entity/ies only with the permission of all of the members;
10.1.14 establish separate parts of the Association, for administrative, financial, or programme reasons, and to keep separate books and
records, and account for each part;
10.1.15 act as principals, agents contractors or guarantors, only with the approval of all of the members of the Association;
10.1.16 appoint attorneys, accountants and such other professional consultants and advisers as may be deemed necessary and appropriate
from time to time;
10.1.17 develop policy with regard to the manner in which the Association is required to implement its aims and objectives;
10.1.18 has the right to make regulations for proper management, including procedure for application, approval and termination of
membership; and
10.1.19 generally do all such things ancillary to the powers listed above in this sub clause as may be necessary and conducive to the
achievement of the principal aims and objectives of the Association; and
10.1.20 to determine rules and procedures for its meetings.
11. Meetings of the Association
11.1 The President may in his or her discretion convene meetings of the Association at any time, but shall convene at least one meeting of
the Association within four months of the end of the financial year.
11.2 The President shall call a meeting of the Association if the Management Committee so directs or if requested by at least half of the
ordinary members of the Association.
11.3 At least 21 days’ notice (by written or electronic means) of the time and place of a meeting and the agenda shall be given to all
categories of members.
11.4 Five ordinary members shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the Association. Should a quorum not be present, the meeting shall be
adjourned for 21 days, on notice to all members, and the ordinary members present at the adjourned meeting shall constitute the
quorum.
11.5 The President, or in his or her absence a Vice- President or, in the absence of both, a member appointed by the meeting, shall act as
Chairperson.
11.6 Voting shall be by show of hands unless at least five members present demand a vote by ballot.
11.7 Resolutions of a general meeting are passed by a majority of the ordinary members of the Association attending the general meeting.
11.8 When the President deems it to be appropriate, he or she may lay any proposal before all members by means of a circular and
determine a return date not being less than fourteen days after the date of the dispatch by mail (including electronic means) of the
circular for them to inform him or her of their opinions concerning the proposal. If at least one half of the members of the members
expresses itself in favour of the proposal made in the circular before the return date, the proposal shall be deemed to be a resolution
of the Association.
11.9 The Association’s resolutions shall bind all members of the Association.
12. Finances of the Association
12.1 The financial year of the Association shall commence on 1 January and shall terminate on 31 December of each year.
12.2 The financial liability of a member is limited to the unpaid portion of its membership fees for any given financial year.
12.3 The Association shall appoint honorary auditors.
13. Income and property
13.1 The Association's income and property shall not be distributed to the members or Office Bearers, except as reasonable compensation
for services rendered.
13.2 Members and Office Bearers have no rights in the property or other assets of the Association solely by virtue of their being members
or office bearers.
14. Dissolution of the Association
14.1 The Association shall exist until 90% of all its members resolve that it be dissolved.
14.2 A proposal to dissolve the Association must be notified to all members at least six months before such resolution is tabled for decision.
14.3 In the event of dissolution the Association’s assets, if any, shall be transferred to another non-profit organisation having some of the
objectives of the Association.
15. Amendment of The Constitution
15.1 The constitution can be amended by resolution.
15.2 The resolution has to be agreed upon and passed by not less than a two-third majority of the total number of voting members of the
Association.
Annexure A
Members of the Association
The following Graduate Schools of Business are the members of the Association:
Ordinary Members:
1. Gordon Institute of Business Science - University of Pretoria
2. Graduate School of Business - University of Cape Town
3. Graduate School of Business & Leadership - University of KwaZulu-Natal
4. Graduate School of Business and Government Leadership - North West University
5. Henley Business School
6. Management College of Southern Africa - MANCOSA
7. Milpark Business School
8. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Business School
9. Potchefstroom Business School -North West University
10. Regenesys Business School
11. Regent Business School
12. Rhodes Business School - Rhodes University
13. UFS Business School - University of the Free State
14. Turfloop Graduate School of Leadership - University of Limpopo
15. TUT Business School - Tshwane University of Technology
16. UNISA Graduate School of Business Leadership - UNISA GSBL
17. University of Stellenbosch Business School
18. Witwatersrand Graduate School of Business – University of the Witwatersrand
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