International Women’s Club of Moscow
Constitution and Standing Rules
Moscow, 5. Feb. 2010 1
Article 1
Name
The name of the organization is the International Women’s Club of Moscow, hereafter referred to
as “the IWC” or “the Club.”
Article 2
Purpose
The purpose of the Club is to promote friendship and to further cultural activities among women of
all nationalities residing in Moscow and to raise funds to be donated to charitable activities.
Article 3
Language
The working language of the Club is English.
Article 4
Membership
Any expat who resides in Moscow is eligible for membership in the Club. Russian passport holders
will be accepted up to 5% of the total members of the Club in a first come first served basis; a
waiting list shall be held for others. An expat is admitted to membership upon completion of the
application form and payment of the full annual membership fee (if applicable) for the current Club
year. A member’s rights include the right to attend all Club General Meetings (GM), to obtain the
Monthly Bulletin by e-mail, the Newsletter (NL) in hard copy and e-mail and to participate in
Interest Groups (IG), subject to availability of space. The annual membership fee may be waived
as set forth in the Standing Rules.
No Club member may accept payment for her services provided to the Club, nor shall any
club member use her membership for commercial purposes of any kind. Nor may any nonmembers make use of the membership (e.g., the MD) for commercial purposes of any kind.
Violations of this rule shall be referred immediately to the Steering Committee and may result in
forfeiture of membership as provided in Article 10.
Article 5
Steering Committee
A. OFFICERS AND GROUPS: The Steering Committee is responsible for running the affairs of
the Club. Each Steering Committee Officer and Group leader has the right to cast a vote when
present at a regularly scheduled Steering Committee Meeting (SCM). Men cannot become
Steering Committee Member. The Steering Committee consists of the following female officers
and groups, each of which shall have the right at Steering Committee meetings to cast the number
of votes as follows:
- Three Co-Presidents - (Recording) Secretary
- General Officer - Public Relations Chair
- Treasury Chair - Fundraising Chair
- Newsletter Editor - Newcomers Chair
- GM Coordinator - Membership Chair
- IWC Charities Chair - Winter Bazaar Chair
- Interest Groups Chair - Webmaster
- Ball Chair
The (recording) secretary can only vote, if she is not paid for her services.
For detailed positions, see job descriptions which shall be an integral part of the Constitution International Women’s Club of Moscow
Constitution and Standing Rules
There shall be three Co-Presidents all of whom shall be either an ambassador or an ambassador’s
spouse. Any of the Steering Committee groups, except the Club officers, may have more than one
member, consisting of a leader and an assistant(s), as requested by the group, recommended by
the Nominating Committee, and approved by the Steering Committee. Every Officer casts one
vote; at any time, a group present at a Steering Committee meeting, shall have one vote. For
details see the “Jobs and Votes” Amendment, which shall be an integral part of the Constitution.
B. STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS: The Steering Committee consists of IWC women only
who are in good standing and are willing to commit their services to the leadership of the Club.
B.1 Selection - Candidates for the Steering Committee positions shall be presented by a five-member Nominating Committee consisting of three Steering Committee members
(one who shall be a Co-President) and two other IWC members who are not members of the current Steering
Committee. Announcements will be made at the February and March general meetings and
notices published in the February Bulletin and March edition of the IWC Newsletter as well as on
the internet Website of the Club, inviting members of the Club to submit nominations to the
Nominating Committee of the Steering Committee. The Nominating Committee shall present a
recommended candidate for each Steering Committee officer and group position at the May
meeting of the Steering Committee. These recommendations shall include a candidate for leader
and if applicable an assistant. At the May meeting, the Steering Committee shall vote on the
candidates presented by the Nominating Committee and shall select a Nominating Committee to
serve for the next Club year. Voting for each Steering Committee position shall be by written
ballot.
B.2 Vacancies - All vacancies on the Steering Committee occurring during the year shall be filled
in the following manner. Any Steering Committee member who is vacating her position shall, as
soon as possible, notify the Officers and the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee
shall notify the Steering Committee of such vacancy as soon as possible and then recommend to
the Steering Committee one or more candidates for the vacancy. The Steering Committee shall
vote by written ballot for approval of the candidate; however, a vote may not be taken by the
Steering Committee for approval of any vacancy without a one-week notice of such vacancy. At
her discretion, the Co-Presidents may appoint an interim Steering Committee member until the
Nominating Committee recommends a candidate. Vacancies on the Nominating Committee shall
be recommended and approved by the Steering Committee.
In the event the vacancy is one of the Co-Presidents, one of the two other Co-Presidents (or in
their absence the General Officer) shall serve as interim President until the SC elects (a) new CoPresident(s).
B.3 Term - Each Steering Committee position shall be for a one-year term. A Steering Committee
member (except the officers) may serve in the same position for no more than three consecutive
years. A member may serve as Co-President or as General Officer for no more than two
consecutive years.
A member shall not serve on the Steering Committee in any capacity, whether voting or nonvoting, for more than five consecutive years. A Steering Committee member who has filled a
position for part of the Club year shall be considered to have occupied the position for the full year
if her appointment was made prior to the February Steering Committee meeting.
C. STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND VOTING: The Steering Committee shall hold monthly
meetings, except during the months of July and August. “Votes may only be cast by Steering
Committee members. Voting may take place, when the quorum of Steering Committee Members
requested for the issue is reached (see separate Amendment) at a regularly called Steering Committee
meeting. Business should start without delay at the scheduled time. Upon the official starting time, the
Co-s are free to proceed immediately with general business of the day (e.g. reports, debates,
deliberations), even before a quorum has been attained.”
In the absence of a voting leader, the group’s assistant may vote. A vote in favor of a motion by a
simple majority of the members present and eligible to vote shall be binding. Voting shall be by a
show of hands provided that upon the request of a member of the Steering Committee, a vote may
be by written ballot. As provided in B.1 above, and as provided in Article 9, all Steering Committee
positions and amendments to the Constitution shall be by written ballot. Ballots for Steering
Committee members will provide a space for candidates names nominated from the floor to be
written in.
Article 6
Standing Rules
In order to facilitate the smooth running of the Club and to establish a code of conduct, the
Steering Committee shall from time to time adopt and publish Standing Rules. Standing Rules may
be amended by a majority vote of the Steering Committee. Standing Rules are binding on all
members of the Club.
Article 7
General Meetings
The Club holds general meetings, open to all members, once a month, except during the months of
July and August. Proof of membership, in a form that may be determined by the Steering
Committee, will be required for admission. Meetings of interest groups are held as determined by
the respective interest group leaders, and attendance may be restricted to members of the interest
group. Newcomers meetings are held periodically as determined by the Newcomers Committee.
Because of space limitations, attendance shall be regulated by the Newcomers Committee.
Article 8
Interest Groups
Interest groups are formed each Club year according to member interest and subject to availability
of group leaders. All Interest Group leaders must be member of IWC. A leader may not accept
payment for leading the group. A leader may only charge group members nominal fees to cover
expenses connected with renting a meeting site, entrance fees, materials etc. An Interest Group
can decide to invite a teacher, guide or instructor and pay a fee for their service. Only those
interest groups instructed by a Russian passport holder, who is not a member of the Club, may
be run on a paid basis. Fees shall be established by the group leader, subject to the approval of
the Interest Group Coordinator. If an Interest Group loses a leader the group has to find a new
leader within one month. If group members cannot find a new leader, the group will be removed of
the Interest Groups List. When a group is removed, nominal fees and service fees already
paid by the members for upcoming meetings have to be reimbursed by the leader.
These Russian interest group instructors may attend the Club’s general meetings as guests.
No other paid interest group instructors shall be authorized by the Club.
Article 9
Amendments to Constitution
Amendments to the Constitution shall be adopted by the Steering Committee. Any member of the
IWC (whether or not a member of the Steering Committee) wishing to amend the Constitution may
propose an amendment to the Steering Committee. Notice of a proposed amendment to the
Constitution shall be given to the members of the Steering Committee at least two weeks prior to
the meeting at which the amendment will be voted on. An amendment to the Constitution shall be
adopted by an absolute majority (4/5) of the voting membership of the Steering Committee. The
voting shall be by written ballot.
Article 10
Termination of Membership
Any member who terminates her membership voluntarily shall NOT be entitled to a refund of dues
paid for the year in which she resigns.
Membership may be terminated for violation of this Constitution or Standing Rules by a majority
vote of the Steering Committee. In such case, the member shall receive a letter from the Co-s of
the IWC describing the reasons for the Steering Committee’s decision. The member shall have
the right, within 15 days of receiving notice of termination of her membership, to appeal the
decision to a meeting of the officers of the IWC. A vote of the officers to affirm the Steering
Committee decision shall not be appealed further. The member whose membership has been
terminated shall receive a refund of her annual membership dues for that year.
Article 11
Dissolution
In the event of the dissolution of the Club, any assets remaining after the payment of debts
shall be donated to a non-profit organization designated by the Steering Committee. In the
event of the dissolution of the Club’s charities group, the group funds shall revert to the
Club’s general funds.
IWC STANDING RULES
These are the Standing Rules of the International Women’s Club of Moscow (IWC), adopted and
published in accordance with Article 6 of the IWC Constitution.
Club Year
The Club year begins September 1 and ends August 31.
Membership
Each member must register or renew her membership once each Club year in order to maintain
her membership, receive the monthly bulletins, the newsletters and participate in interest groups.
Part year memberships are available as of February 1st of each Club year for Newcomers;
renewers still pay the full year membership fee.
New members may join the Club at any General Meeting or Newcomers Meeting.
A membership takes effect upon payment of full membership dues (as established by the Steering
Committee) for the then current Club year.
Heads of the diplomatic missions and their wives and other VIP’s may pay the annual dues on a
voluntary basis.
The Steering Committee may, at its discretion, approve honorary memberships.
Membership information (names, telephone numbers, etc.) is confidential and must not be supplied
to anyone who is not an IWC member nor used by any IWC member for commercial purposes.
Proof of membership is the official Club name badge and must be worn to Club events. A new
name badge will be issued each year. Lost badge holders can be replaced for a nominal fee.
Steering Committee
Each Steering Committee member agrees to assume the specific responsibilities for her position
as outlined in the position descriptions, which are approved each year by the Steering Committee
and attached to these Standing Rules for information. Additionally, each Steering Committee officer
and group leader is required to attend monthly Steering Committee meetings as provided in the
Constitution, attend one Newcomers Meeting during the Club year and serve as a “greeter” for one
general meeting during the Club year. Each Steering Committee member shall also be supportive
of the Club’s fundraising activities, charitable activities, and other Club events. Every Steering
Committee group leader should request an assistant to assume any of the above stated Steering
Committee responsibilities.
A Steering Committee member who does not perform her responsibilities may be removed from
her position by an absolute majority vote (4/5) of the Steering Committee. A Steering Committee
member may also be removed from her position for repeated unkind behavior to other members,
or for violation of the IWC Constitution or these Standing Rules.
When the new Steering Committee is selected for the upcoming Club year, the officers shall
coordinate a “Handover Meeting” to welcome the new members of the Steering Committee,
distribute the IWC Constitution and Rules, distribute position descriptions to the new members, and
announce the date and time of the first Steering Committee meeting.
Steering Committee Meetings shall be held the first Thursday of each month except July and
August unless otherwise decided by the Steering Committee. Every Committee member shall be
notified each month of the time and place of the monthly Steering Committee meeting.
Steering Committee members must attend the monthly Steering Committee Meetings; more than
three unexcused absences within six months may result in the Steering Committee’s request for
removal of a Steering Committee member. A Steering Committee member may designate her
assistant to attend the meeting in her absence and vote on any matters in the Steering Committee
meeting. Committee members should not have personal conversations during the meeting, should
not come late or leave the meeting early and should not make or receive cellular telephone calls
during the meeting except in the case of an emergency.
The Co-Presidents of the Club shall preside over all Steering Committee meetings. The Co-Presidents may
designate any Steering Committee member to assist them or to conduct a meeting on their behalf
in an emergency situation, or when the meeting is being conducted to specifically address one
matter.
All Steering Committee meetings will be conducted following the Roberts Rules of Order.
Financial and personnel matters made by the Steering Committee shall remain confidential.
Each meeting shall follow an Agenda that shall include the approval of minutes from the last
meeting, the treasurer’s report, and any items of Club business. Any additional committee reports
or discussion items to be included on the Agenda must be submitted to the Co-Presidents at least
two days prior to the meeting unless accepted by the SC at the meeting.
Monthly Bulletin
The monthly Bulletin is sent to all members by e-mail in the first week of each month, except
January, July and August and published on the website.
Newsletter
The Club newsletter is published 4 times per year and is first available for pick-up at the General
Meeting held that month. It is also sent by e-mail to all members. The content of the Newsletter is
also published on the webpage, with exception of the personal data (phone numbers and e-mail
address) of members.
Any newsletter not otherwise delivered or picked up at a general meeting will be left at the IWC
Office after the General Meeting and is available for pick-up upon arrangement with the GM
Coordination group leader.
Monthly Bulletin and Newsletter announcements include information concerning IWC events, trips,
interest groups and Steering Committee messages, as well as non-IWC events to which IWC
members are invited.
Any IWC member may contribute items of general interest to IWC members (for example, events
sponsored by international schools or embassies). Such items are published without Club
responsibility and are subject to editing and space considerations. Advertising for local businesses
can be accepted for publication in the newsletter, upon payment in advance, in order to help
finance the printing of the Newsletter. At the discretion of the newsletter editor, members’ personal
notices will be accepted for a nominal fee.
Club Office
The Club office is provided by Glav UpDK and is located at the UpDK Sports Complex, Olaf Palme
Ulitsa 5, Corpus 2, ground floor. The nearest intersection is Olaf Palme and Mosfilmovskaya Ulitsa.
The Office shall be used for newsletter distribution and administrative needs. Any other use of the
office must have Steering Committee approval.
Club Events
General meetings are held once a month from September through June. The September meeting
is General Registration, the December meeting is the Winter Bazaar, and the February meeting is
second sign up for activities. General meetings are not held in July and August. All IWC members
may attend general meetings and may bring out-of-town guests. A non-member resident in
Moscow may attend general meetings by paying a guest fee of 200 RUR,
A bulletin board is available for members to post items of general interest to the membership.
Newcomers Coffee Mornings are held twice a month except August, September and December.
New and prospective members are welcome to attend Newcomers Coffees. Anyone interested in
attending a Newcomers Coffee is welcome without preregistration. Members of the Steering
Committee will be available at each Coffee to explain Club activities.
Other general events (lectures, cultural events, charity events, dinners, etc.) may be scheduled
periodically and are open to all IWC members, sometimes, due to space limitations, on a firstcome, first-served basis. No event may be organized or promoted as an IWC general event
without prior approval of the Steering Committee.
The Steering Committee may prohibit or restrict the promotion of non-club items or materials.
Children are not permitted at IWC functions unless invited for a specific event.
IWC trips are organized and based upon member interest and are open to all IWC members. Trips
will be made available on a “first come, first served” basis. An IWC trip may also, if so organized,
be open to members’ families. The Club is not responsible for any last minute difficulties, charges
or delays on Club trips. Any penalties charged by airlines, hotels, etc., for changes or cancellations
must be paid by the individual Club member making such change or cancellation. All travel
expenses must be paid in full before departure. No trip may be promoted as an IWC trip without
prior approval of the Steering Committee.
Newcomers to Moscow
The Club’s Newcomers Committee is available to help newcomers become oriented to Moscow.
The Committee provides a Welcome Folder for all newcomers upon registration that includes Club
information and information about Moscow. The Committee is also available at Club meetings and
by e-mail to answer inquiries from Newcomers.
Interest Groups
Interest groups are open to all members. If size is limited, a waiting list must be maintained and
new group members accepted only from the waiting list.
It is the responsibility of the member to contact the leader of those interest groups she is interested
in joining. If a member leaves an interest group, she shall notify her group leader as soon as
possible.
An interest group leader may require members to inform her in advance of absences and may ask
a member to give up her place in the group after three unexcused absences.
Groups are not obligated to accommodate guests and the group leader must be consulted in
advance.
Nominal fees may be charged by groups to cover the costs of materials, entrance fees, fees paid
to non-member specialist teachers and other experts, rental of premises and similar costs. Any
group member who does not pay the fees assessed by the group will be asked to leave the group.
New groups may be started in consultation with the interest group coordinator.
An interest group may meet during the summer; these groups will be announced in the June
newsletter.
All Interest groups must have a group leader; all leaders must be a member of IWC.
IWC Charities
IWC Charities shall meet on a regular basis in support of its charitable activities in Russia. IWC
Charities is responsible for screening all projects receiving its assistance and for monitoring all
funding services and in kind donations it distributes. Funds raised from the annual Winter Bazaar
event will be used to support approved IWC Charities projects. The IWC Charities shall propose
projects to be funded by the proceeds from the upcoming Embassy Dinner and Ball. The Steering
Committee shall approve these proposed projects. After the event, the Steering Committee shall
finalize its approval of the proposed projects, noting any recommended updates from the Charities
group and authorize distribution of the funds. The Charities group will submit each year, at least
one candidate, for the positions of Charities Chair and Co-Chair to the IWC Nominating
Committee.
Fundraising Events
Special Events group shall meet on a regular basis in support of the Club’s fundraising activities
except the Winter Bazaar. The group is responsible for determining the fundraising projects for the
Club year, scheduling the events, and coordinating the collection of funds with the Treasury group.
Financial
Any expense in excess of 20,000 RUR incurred by a Steering Committee member on behalf of the
Club must be approved in advance by the Steering Committee and will only be reimbursed by the
Treasurer upon presentation of the appropriate receipts.
The Club treasurer or her assistant(s) shall attend every general meeting to collect funds or provide
other financial assistance, if appropriate.
The Steering Committee shall provide for an annual audit of the Club’s finances including the IWC
Charities’ funds. The auditor shall not be a member of the Steering Committee. Such financial
audit shall be presented to the Club officers, the Treasury group and the liaison officer and shall
remain confidential.
General Courtesy
Members should notify group leaders if they are unable to attend any Club event for which they
had previously registered.
Telephone calls regarding Club business shall be confined to the hours between 8:00 a.m. and
9:00 p.m. unless appropriate in the circumstances.
Members shall be considerate of other members’ customs, culture and beliefs. Violations of this
rule may be brought to the attention of the Steering Committee and may result in forfeiture of
membership.