DEAN - Disability Education Association NSW/ACT Inc.

4 Membership Criteria

4.1 Membership of the Association shall be open to any person who:

1. is employed in the University or TAFE education sectors, or is an NDCO, in NSW or ACT whose position focuses in part or in full on the provision of educational access services for people with a disability; and
2. pays the membership fee prescribed at each Annual General Meeting

4.2 The Council shall have the right to determine that membership shall be open to a person who does not meet the criteria in clause 4.1(1).

4.3 Membership shall expire on 31st December. 

4.4 The Executive shall have the right to determine an individual's eligibility for membership under clause 4.1. Only the full executive shall have the right to determine that an individual's application for membership is rejected. The Executive shall advise the applicant the basis for rejecting the application for membership.

5. Cessation of Membership

5.1 A person ceases to be a member of the association if the person:

1. dies, or
2. resigns membership, or
3. is expelled from the association. or
4. lapses their membership as a result of non-payment of a membership fee, after the expiration of three months from the payment falling due, or
5. ceases to be employed in a position outlined in clause 4.1(1).

6. Membership Entitlements Not Transferable

A right, privilege or obligation, which a person has by reason of being a member of the association:

1. is not capable of being transferred or transmitted to another person, and
2. terminates on cessation of the person's membership.

7. Resignation of membership

A member may resign by giving written notice of 2 weeks to the Secretary of the Association.

8. Register of members

8.1 The public officer of the association shall establish and maintain a register of members of the association specifying the name and address of each person who is a member of the association together with the date on which the person became a member.

8.2 The register of members must be kept at the principal place of administration of the association and must be open for inspection, free of charge, by any member of the association at any reasonable hour.

9. Fees and Subscription

9.1 A member of the association shall pay to the Association an annual fee as set out by the Council and endorsed by the Association's members at the Annual General Meeting.

9.2 The annual fee set by Council shall apply for the next calendar year.

9.3 Members who join in December shall not be required to pay a further annual fee for the following calendar year.

9.4 The executive may determine that a membership fee is not required for an individual on the grounds of hardship or in order to encourage the membership of an individual.

10. Members' Liabilities

The liability of a member of the association to contribute towards the payment of the debts and liabilities of the association or the costs, charges and expenses of the winding up of the association is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid by the member in respect of membership fee of the association as required by Rule 9.

11. Disciplining of Members 

11.1 Where the Executive is of the opinion that a member of the Association

1. has persistently refused or neglected to comply with a provision or provisions of these rules, or
2. has persistently and wilfully acted in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the association.

the Executive may, by resolution,

1. expel the member from the association or
2. suspend the member from membership of the association for a specified time.

11.2 The Executive may not decide to expel or suspend a member unless the Executive has:

1. served notice on the member that the executive will be discussing their proposed expulsion or suspension at an executive meeting,
2. provided details of the complaint in this notice and
3. allowed the member the option of either attending the executive meeting to respond to the proposed expulsion or suspension or to provide a written response within 10 working days of receipt of the notice and prior to the executive meeting.

11.3 If the executive expels or suspends a member, the secretary must, within 7 days after the action is taken, provide written notice to the member of the action taken, of the reasons given by the Executive for having taken that action and of the member's right of appeal. Notice of intention to appeal shall be made within 10 working days of this written notice.

11.4 A resolution confirmed by the executive under rule 11.3 does not take effect

1. until the expiration of the period within which the member is entitled to appeal against the resolution where the member does not exercise the right of appeal within that period; or
2. where within that period the member exercises the right of appeal, unless and until the Association confirms the resolution pursuant to rule 12.

12. Right of Appeal of Disciplined Member

12.1 Where a member appeals against the decision by the Executive to suspend or expel them, the appeal shall be heard at the next meeting of the Council. At this meeting the council shall;

1. give to the member the opportunity to make personal representations
2. give due consideration to any written representation submitted to the Council by the member at or prior to the meeting; and
3. resolution determine whether to confirm or to revoke the resolution

12.2 The members present shall vote by secret ballot on the question of whether the resolution should be confirmed or revoked, using a method determined by the Chairperson which accommodates the needs of members with a disability.