Dear AUSC Members,

As you may be aware, Notice of the Adelaide University Soccer Club (AUSC) Annual General Meeting has now been circulated. The AGM will be held at Graduates Clubhouse on Monday 16 September 2019 commencing at 7:00pm.

Membership

We encourage those of you who intend to join us at the AGM and may be unsure of the status of your membership to confirm that status ahead of the AGM by contacting AUSC Operations Manager, Julio Angulo-Cubias by email at soccer@theblacks.com.au. To avoid any confusion or delay to the commencement of the AGM, Club volunteers will be present at the Eastern and Western doors of the Clubhouse with an up-to-date list of members for the purposes of permitting entry to the AGM.

Under the AUSC Constitution:

  • All members of the Adelaide University Sports Association (AUSA) shall be eligible for membership of the AUSC.
  • All current financial members of the AUSC will have a right to vote at the AGM.

Annual General Meeting

The AUSC Constitution:

  • Provides that the business of an Annual General Meeting shall be to receive and consider the Annual Report and audited Financial Statement, to elect office bearers, to appoint an auditor and to transact any other business of which notice under this Constitution shall have been given.
  • Provides further that, any person who has rendered outstanding service to the Club may be invited to accept Honorary Life Membership at an Annual General Meeting. The candidate shall be recommended by the Executive Committee which shall place those recommendations to the Club at an Annual General Meeting at which a two-thirds majority of those present and voting shall be required before the invitation is offered.
  • Allows for the following Office Bearers:
    • President
    • Deputy Presidents – not more than three (3).
    • Chairperson
    • Honorary Secretary
    • Honorary Treasurer
    • Committee Members – not more than seven of whom a majority shall be students of The University of Adelaide.

The AUSC Committee has received notice of any other business that a member or members seek to be transacted at the AGM outside of proposed nominations for Honorary Life Membership of the AUSC. These are:

  • Kosta Jaric
  • Laura Johns

If a member or members wish seek to have any other business transacted at the AGM, or wish to nominate a person or persons for Honorary Life Membership, we ask that this be communicated in writing to AUSC Operations Manager, Julio Angulo-Cubias by email at soccer@theblacks.com.au by no later than 5pm on Monday 07 September 2019 ACST.

Separately, nominations for Office Bearers are now open and can be made by completing the online nomination form or by sending your nomination to AUSC Operations Manager, Julio Angulo-Cubias by email at soccer@theblacks.om.au. If the latter, please refer to the online nomination form for the information that is required in support of your nomination.

Please note that it is expected that a number of the current AUSC Committee will be seeking re-election, with others choosing to step aside, hence creating opportunities for other Club members to become involved and contribute at Committee level.

We encourage those of you with time, energy, skill-sets that you believe may assist at Committee level (eg. finance, legal, board experience, marketing, sports administration) and the interests of the AUSC as a whole to nominate for a position on the Committee. For reasons outlined below, we expect that coming months will present opportunities for those on the Committee to deliver positive change and to build a solid foundation for our great Club moving forward.

Recent efforts

The AUSC financial statements for 2018 will be presented at the AGM and do not make good reading. This is not lost on the current Committee. It is recognised that enquiries need to be made regarding certain aspects of Club expenditure in the past, and that changes need to be made.

Without attributing blame to others, or ignoring its responsibilities, the current Committee seeks the patience and understanding of Club members given the unprecedented turnover of Committee members and significant growth and diversification of the Club over recent years.

In anticipation of the 2018 financial statements, and having heard the concerned voices of its members over recent times, the current Committee has recently engaged with the AUSA and an independent facilitator to review various aspects of the Club’s governance framework and operations. That review has, amongst other things, revealed that there is a need for our various playing groups to work together to create alignment, efficiencies and an improved culture across our Club. It is in this context that the Committee:

  • Has recently resolved to adopt a raft of AUSA policies and procedures to improve Club operations.
  • Is encouraging those of you with appropriate skill-sets and a “One Club” mindset to nominate for a position on the ensuing Committee at the upcoming AGM.
  • Has asked a number of its current members to nominate for re-election to ensure that:
    • the positive momentum created through the recent review is not lost;
    • important knowledge can be maintained and drawn upon at Committee level; and
    • enquiries regarding the past financial management and other aspects of Club operations continue.
  • Has developed a new operational structure that would involve:
    • the creation of various sub-committees (eg. Finance, Facilities, Soccer Performance, Sponsorship and Social); and
    • a member or members of each playing group working together on these sub-committees to create the alignment, efficiencies and improved culture referred to above.
  • Intends to present this work to the ensuing Committee.
  • Expects the ensuing Committee to work together to present a Strategic Plan and propose long due changes to the Club Constitution to its members in 2020.

We hope that the above demonstrates that the current Committee has not been sitting on its hands, but rather spending considerable time and effort in protecting and advancing the interests of the Club and its members as a whole.

Now is the time to work together, and move forward as “One Club”.

If you have any questions regarding the above, or any other matters relating to the Club and its operations ahead of the AGM, please contact Club President, David Storey or AUSC Operations Manager, Julio Angulo-Cubias to discuss.

Failing this, we look forward to seeing you at the AGM.

Yours sincerely,

The AUSC Committee