the critical thinking constitution

THE CONSTITUTION OF

           CRITICAL THINKING ASSOCIATION (CTA)

OF 2010

CHAPTER I

PRELIMINARY

Article 1

Short Title and Commencement

This Constitution may be cited as the Constitution of the CRITICAL THINKING ASSOCIATION This Constitution shall come into operation on the date of approval by the Student affairs committee (SAC) of UDOM.

Article 2

       Interpretation

In this Constitution the following words and expressions shall have the following meanings whenever they are used;

“ASSOCIATION” means CRITICAL THINKING ASSOCIATION

“MEMBERS” means members of the association as provided for and categorized under this constitution

CRITICAL THINKING means disciplined intellectual criticism that combines research, knowledge of historical context and balanced judgment.

UDOM means THE UNIVERSITY OF DODOMA.

MATRON means matron of the association.

PATRON means patron of the association.

Article 3

Preamble

A large percentage of today’s African people are less civilized. Corruption, extreme poverty, diseases, robbery and civil wars in many African countries make literate and illiterate, young and old, men and women all over the world believe is what meant by Africa.

Many African countries particularly in Tanzania are enriched with natural resources and good climatic condition but still their people are dying of poverty!!

Many foreign countries particularly European countries provides grants, loans and various kinds of assistances but still Africans but still Africans are diseased day after day!!

Many of our educated young people who we believe can reveal our pains are running away by shifting their professionals to those developed nations in search of better pay!!

Many of these young people who didn’t get a chance of going abroad are with us physically but their minds, their actions and brain is drained towards foreign culture!!

What is wrong with Africa?  Why is it a dark continent? Where did we made a mistake so that we can rectify and rebuild our humble and innocent Africa?

Are political movements the reason for our downfall?

                                  Or

Is it our education system which is much foreign based?

                                  Or

Are those foreign aids which we receive with numerous strings attached?

                                  Or

Is it because Africans have accepted the defeat as a reality and stopped to move forward?

Upon answering all these questions, came the idea of collecting opinions, views, and suggestions from the intellectual university students of Tanzania east Africa and all other African universities. The idea strongly supported by establishment of the so called CRITICAL THINKING ASSOCIATION.

CHAPTER II

NAME, STATUS, HEAD OFFICE, AREA OF OPERATION

Article 4

Name of the Association

The name of this Association shall be The Critical Thinking Association (hereinafter referred to as the “Association”)

Article 5

Status of the Association

    a)  The Critical Thinking Association shall acquire separate legal personality from its members, it shall have perpetual succession and shall have power to sue and be sued in its own name.

     b) The critical thinking association will not be used as a tool for political popularity, winning elections and material benefits, the association will always keep its operations basing on not whom they know but what they know.

Article 6

The Office of Association

The Head Office of Association will be at The University of Dodoma and all correspondence should be made to the following address:-

THE CRITICAL THINKING ASSOCIATION

P.O BOX 259.

DODOMA.

TANZANIA

Phone No: 0712001954/0759283880.

Email: thinkingcritical11@yahoo.com

Article 7

The Area of Operation

The Association will cover both University of Dodoma and other universities within Africa and this Association is open to any committed student in need of participating in building a better African society.

CHAPTER III

VISION, MISSION, PURPOSE

Article 8

Vision

The vision of an Association is to prepare a brand new generation of African people who NEITHER accept things because they exist, NOR reject things because they have no interest with them.

Article 9

Mission

To provide conducive environment for the University community to think, reflect and act independently by building up their intellectual capacities and knowledge base about Africa and African poverty.

Article 10

Primary Purpose

To prepare competent people who are future oriented, broad minded, active, cooperative and well committed in safe guiding the identity and integrity of their nation by critically thinking before judging and fairly judging before acting .

Article 11

Secondary Purposes

1. To act as a room for The university community to share their views and opinions about various social, political, cultural and economic issues facing African society, Tanzania in particular and the world in general.

2. To work with the Government institutions and other stakeholders in the promotion of community development and social welfare. 

3. To promote friendship, mutual understanding and co-operation between the Association and university management.

4. To produce publication in the promotion of these aims and to provide material for the interest of the public.

CHAPTER IV

MEMBERSHIP

Article 12

Membership

Membership of the Association shall be open to all University Students. The Association shall have the following categories of members;

·        Founding members,

      A member who involved in initiating the Association.

·        Ordinary member,

             A member who joins the Association after being established

·        Associate member,

            A member outside The University of Dodoma who joins the Association after being established.

Article 13

Qualification for Membership

(a)A bonafide University Student wherever in Africa.

(b)He/she has contributed entrance fee as well as any subscription amount required.

(c)    Should be mentally fit.

Article 14

Membership Selection and Procedure

a)       Member will be allowed to  access our constitution whenever he/she want

b)      Member will be required to inform the association on his/her full address and any other information.

(c)          Membership will be allowed for one who agrees and ready to abide by provisions of this Constitution.

(d)         A new member will be required to fill registration form provided by the Association

Article 15

Rights of Member

(a)To raise any opinion for the good of the Association.

                        (b)To contribute according to his /her ability in all discussions.

(c)    To be registered as the member of the association.

(d)   To go through out the meeting report

(e)    To question any deeds that seems to go against goals of the Association.

(f)     To attend all titled meeting and participate fully during the session.

(g)    The members shall have the rights to vote in the general meetings of the Association.

(h)    To request and obtain information in connection with the activities of the Association

(i)      To receive documents and other information that may be distributed by the Association provided that he or she pays such fees that may be fixed for such publications.

(j)     To have access to such facilities as shall have been acquired by the Association.

Article 16

Obligations of Members

Obligation of members includes:

a)      To protect and implement the goal of the Constitution

b)      To report any sabotage condition against goal.

c)      Full commitment to the needs of fair and equitable justice

     d) Observe the sense of correctness, honesty, fidelity, credibility and responsibility.

Article 17

Termination of Membership

The termination of membership can be due to:

a)      The registration termination of Association from the University of Dodoma administration or Government registers’ authority.

b)      Death or insanity of a member

c)      Free resignation

d)      Failure of member to participate fully in  meetings without information

e)      Misbehavior of a member that might affect the success and truthful running of the Association and The Association reasonably believes that his/her conduct has been prejudicial to the interests of the association.

f)        If he/she is no longer a bonafide University student by discontinuity or graduation.

CHAPTER V

ADMINISTRACTIVE STRUCTURE AND OFFICE BEARERS

Article 18

Executive Body

(i) The Permanent Executive Body of the Association shall be:

a)      Chairperson

b)      General  secretary

c)      The Treasurer

(ii) The role and function of the Executive Body shall be:

a)      To carry out day to day activities of the Association.

b)      To supervise all activities of the sub-committees of the Association

c)      To discuss and recommend application of associate members

d)      To prepare the meeting report of the Association.

e)      To appoint various leaders for various committee.

f)        To review the plan and settle if necessary

g)      To over view the ongoing activities and make correction if necessary

h)      To monitor and evaluate success and weakness of the target objectives

Article 19

Duration of Leaders

Leaders will remain in power for period of one academic year and when the next election takes place, the outgoing leaders may also be re-elected for another term.

Article 20

The Board of directors

The board of directors of the Association shall be:

a)      Director of planning and finance.

b)      Assistant director of planning and finance.

c)      Director of public relations.

      d) Assistant director of public relation.

      e)Director of research, information and statistics.

     f) Assistant director of research, information and statistics.

Article 21

a) The Board of Directors

There shall be a Board of Directors as stated in article 20 of this constitution.

 The Board of Directors:

a) shall be elected by the General Meeting to hold Office for one academic year but subject to being re-elected at the expiry of the term.

b) shall be registered members of the Association.

c) shall meet from time to time when need arises to deliberate on matters falling        within their competence.

d) shall ensure that whatever is discussed at their meetings is recorded in a book kept for the purpose.

NOTE:

Notwithstanding the content of Article 21 above, a director may loose his directorship upon:-

a)      Death,

b)      Resignation,

c)      Removal by the appointing authority,

d)      Being discontinued from school or by graduating.

                                   b)   Matron/patron   

          a)   The association shall have a matron/ patron whom leaders must request his/her presence and he/she will be in charge of advising on various matters concerning the association.

         b) The matron/patron must be officially employed at a recognized university in Tanzania

CHAPTER VI

MEETING

Article 22

Meetings

The Organization will hold meeting as scheduled below:

a)      The Executive Body shall meet when any need arises.

b)      The Board of Directors will meet when need arises.

c)      There may be held an emergence meeting when any need arises.

Article 23

General Meetings

This will involve all members’ of the Association and will meet weekly unless stated otherwise.

Meeting responsibilities, functions or powers includes:

a)      To receive debate and approve various issues presented on the table.

b)      To approve any change of the Constitution.

c)      To make amendment of the Constitution

d)      To evaluate the whole implemented plan and comment on it.

e)      To elect leaders in various post

f)        To debate any other idea raised by members under the authority of the Chairperson.

CHAPTER VII

SOURCES AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Article 24

Sources of Funds

The Association sources of finances shall consist of but not limited to:

a)      Fund raising at different occasions and different level including member’s subscription and entrance fees.

b)      The fund from donor, support from government and other agencies

c)      Contribution from any Tanzanian who is in good position economically and has got a good will towards the need of modern society

d)      Donations or gifts

e)      Income from economic activities carried out by the Association.

f)        Loans from individuals or financial institutions

g)      Any other lawful source

Article 25

Bank account

The Association shall have a bank account with the bank as shall be determined by the Executive Body. The signatories of the Association bank account shall be the Chairperson, General Secretary and the Treasurer.

Article 26

Financial management

All Association leaders have the right to inspect the books of account of the Association with the intention of knowing the financial position of the Association.

The auditor (appointed by the Association leaders) will examine all books containing accounting records and report and in the report he/she must say whether he /she agrees or not that the account gives a true and fair view. The report will be presented to the members at the end of each academic year.

The Association has to appoint three members to be the signatories in operating transaction in a bank.

CHAPTER VIII

       AMENDMENTS, DISSOLUTION

   Article 27

   Amendments

The leaders and the other members according to the need of time will revise and amend the Constitution and any amendment shall be approved by at least two third of all members of the Association present in the meeting.

The above Constitution was duly ratified by an overwhelming majority of founder members present on the …………..Day of …………2010

Article 28

Dissolution

The Association may be dissolved by a resolution passed to that effect by two thirds vote of all members at an Extraordinary General meeting called specifically for that purpose.

CHAPTER IX

MISCELLANEOUS

Article 29

Miscellaneous

a)      If anything which is needed to be carried out by the Association there is no provision covering it in this constitution, the General Meeting may provide how such thing should be carried out that immediately the General Meeting shall amend the Constitution accordingly to cover such events.

b)      The Executive Body may subject to approval of the General Meeting establish such committees, offices, directorates as it deems fit for the proper management of the Association.