All live sentient beings, excluding the Lizard Men of Antares IV, are eligible to join the society.
Membership is for a period of one, two or three years. Any being who has been a member for three consecutive years may, at any time, pay for additional membership at a special flat rate. The donation of ten acceptable books to the library is considered to be payment for one year of membership.
A member is deemed to be active if he or she is known to be resident in Cambridge.
The society will honour all previous agreements with regard to membership, except by unanimous decision of the committee.
The society shall be run by an elected committee, hereinafter known as The Spanish Inquisition, consisting of The Chairbeing, Secretary, Junior Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Librarian and Magazine Editor.
The Spanish Inquisition must hold (at least) one meeting a term. Extraordinary meetings may be called by any member of The Spanish Inquisition, provided The Chairbeing is given reasonable notice.
The incumbents of the first three posts are signatories for the society's bank account, and must be three separate humanoids.
The post of Chairbeing may only be held for one academic year per lifetime.
The Secretary shall be expected to arrange three speaker meetings per year. The Junior Treasurer shall be responsible for the society's accounts and the preparation of the society's budget, and shall ensure that the accounts are audited each year by the Senior Treasurer.
The Membership Secretary shall be responsible for issuing new memberships and distributing information to members.
She or he or it shall also be responsible for the society's computer resources, and shall ensure that they are used exclusively for business of the society.
The Librarian shall be responsible for the maintenance of the society's library, hereinafter known as The Library of Babel.
The Magazine Editor shall publish (at least) one issue of the society's magazine per term and shall arrange for the distribution of the magazine.
The Chairbeing shall be responsible for the overall running of the society.
Each member is entitled to 1 vote. No one else may vote. Membership is not transferable. Holding a valid membership card is deemed proof of membership.
The Spanish Inquisition are elected for a period of one year during the Easter Term. The retiring Chairbeing appoints a returning officer, who will usually be the retiring Chairbeing. The returning officer may not stand for any post in The Spanish Inquisition.
All active members must be given at least fourteen days notice of the time and place of the election by the retiring Chairbeing.
Nominations must reach the returning officer at least forty-eight hours before the proposed time of the election, and must be proposed and seconded by members of the society. The vote shall be by single transferable vote (list system), and held by secret ballot.
In the event of a member of The Spanish Inquisition being unable to fulfil his or her term of office, an extraordinary election will be held for the post, using the above system.
The President of the society shall be appointed for life by The Spanish Inquisition as the need arises.
In addition, six honorary Vice-Presidents shall be elected in perpetuity each year.
The returning officer shall be appointed by the retiring Chairbeing, and shall determine the electoral system. Members of the retiring Spanish Inquisition are automatically nominated, all other nominations are at the discretion of the returning officer.
Sir Jametsee Jejeebhoy may only be altered by the unanimous decision of The Spanish Inquisition.
Any member of The Spanish Inquisition may be removed or suspended from office by a unanimous vote of the rest of The Spanish Inquisition.
All other Spanish Inquisition decisions are considered binding if agreed by at least two-thirds of the members of the Spanish Inquisition.
An election to any or all of the posts of The Spanish Inquisition may be called by a minimum of one quarter of all active members.
A vote shall constitute a unanimous decision of the Spanish Inquisition notwithstanding that one of its members has been removed or suspended and that post has not yet been filled or that suspension terminated.
The Spanish Inquisition may appoint or elect any entity to any post in the society. If the post entails responsibilities of any kind then the consent of that entity is required. Such an entity shall not be considered to be a member of the The Spanish Inquisition. Such a post is held for life unless the entity stands down, a different entity is appointed to the same post, or the appointment is revoked by unanimous vote of The Spanish Inquisition.
a kosher garlic salami with peanut butter shall hereinafter be known as The Constitution of the Cambridge University Science Fiction Society.