On this page you can find more info on how our association really works. This is only a brief explanation. If you’d like to know more, you can aways send us an email at bestuur@duivelsei.nl. Alternatively, you can read the Articles of Association and House Rules, both of which are available in English, as these also contain all the information below.
As you probably already know, we are a student based board game association. This means we have the same internal structure as any other student association. Below you can read what this entails.
In general we have 1 to 2 game nights every week that fall on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday varying week to week. Once a month we also organise a gameday on a Saturday. All of these activities are organised by the board. You can read down below what else the board does.
Articles of Association
The foundation of our association is formed by the Articles of Association. These are the ground rules of the association. These statutes have to be established in the presence of a notary. This means they don’t change very often.
Many things are formally established within these Articles, like the associations name, who can become a member, when a membership has to be ended, how the GMA’s (general member assemblies) work, but also how to change the Articles of Association themselves.
House Rules
Our House Rules and regulations serve as rules in cases that the law and the statutes don’t cover. While it is not a requirement, most associations do have one, as do we. There are different rules in the rules and regulations, or R&R (Dutch: Huishoudelijk Reglement, or HR) than written in the statutes. The rules within the statutes are meant to be more permanent than those within the R&R. The R&R is not allowed to contradict the statutes. It can also be changed by general vote on any GMA without the presence of a notary. Two thirds of the votes present are required to change the R&R at a GMA.
GMA (General Member Assembly)
At a General Member Assembly or GMA the board presents an agenda with discussion points. Members can supply opinions and comments to these points. This agenda has to be presented at least a week before any GMA.
The Board
At the head of the association is the board. They control and guide the association and make sure everything works according to the rules and expectations. They are legally responsible as a collective entity.
How is a board formed?
The current board, or h.t. (for hoc tempore) creates the Formaatcie. At the half-year GMA, members can vote on the makeup of this commission. If approved, this commission will form the new board.
The first step is the Board Interest Night, or BIB (Dutch: Bestuursintresseborrel). On this night people interested in becoming part of the board next year can ask their questions to current and past board members, who answer based on their experiences. This way, everyone’s questions about being board can be answered. Attending the BIB is not a requirement for becoming part of the board and in return, attending is not signing up to be on the board next year. It is simply an opportunity to ask questions.
After the BIB, everyone interested in becoming a board member can send up an application form to the Formaatcie. On this form are questions such as: ‘Which function would you like to fill?’ ‘Do you have any previous experience within commissions?’. This is followed by an interview. All the information on these forms and said within the interview is of course confidential.
After these interviews the Formaatcie will decide in their meetings what they think an ideal board formation would be. This is the Candidate Board, or KB (Dutch: Kandidaatsbestuur). This is followed by phone calls to all applicants. The applicants selected for the board will get to know the makeup of the KB. After a week the current board and the senate will be informed as well. They have a week to protest the KB. After another week, the KB will be announced to the rest of the association.
This is then followed up by the election GMA, where members can vote on any suggested board formations. If the KB is voted in, they become the Futurum Temporum, aka the f.t. or future board. From this point forward they are allowed to join in on board meetings. If the KB is rejected by the GMA, then the Formaatcie will have to form a new KB, who will be voted on during a new election GMA.
After the summer, during which the f.t. will have been trained on their new positions, there will be the Switch GMA. During this GMA the old board will be switched out for the new one, which is purely ceremonial. After this switch the f.t becomes the h.t. and the cycle starts again half a year later.
The Senate
The function of the Senate is mostly not defined in the House Rules. The following is a description of the usual tasks of the Senate, which may change every year depending on the composition of that year’s Senate.
The Senate is an advisory body. The Senate consists of individual members, which means that advice often differs between them, although the Senate does also discuss issues among themselves before issuing a joint advice. Besides giving advice, the Senate can offer assistance in various ways to those who need it.
This applies to both the Board and members, this is explained in more detail below. Furthermore, it is customary for the Senate to be informed by the Formaatcie about the composition of the candidate Board, a week before this is communicated to the rest of the association. During this week, the Senate provides feedback and asks questions about the composition.
Last but not least, it is important to mention that the Senate has no position of power. For example, the Senate is not able to impose sanctions or issue warnings to members: only the Board and the GMA can do that. The Senate is only an advisory body.
Every member of the Senate must sign a privacy statement. This means they have access to sensitive information and are obliged to maintain its confidentiality. They are therefore also obliged to maintain anonymity unless otherwise indicated.
Function towards the Board:
The original and primary function of the Senate is to support the Board of Duivelsei. This proceeds in the following ways:
– The Senate is sent weekly Board meeting minutes. There, the Senate provides feedbackand advice. The Senate always has access to the uncensored minutes of all Board meetings
(paragraph 11.2, HR).
– The Board and the Senate usually meet several times a year to discuss ongoing issues (depending on topicality).
– The Senate helps with issues when the Board needs it. For example, the Senate can share insights on how situations have been handled in the past and provide their advice based on that.
– When a Board member experiences a difficult situation (e.g. complaints about another Board member) and needs help or advice.
Function for members:
The Senate is also there for members. Members can go to the Senate for matters typically related to the functioning of the board or the association. Concrete examples are:
– When a member (anonymously) wants to raise a problem to (or opposed to) the Board.
– When a member has a conversation with another party (Board, committee member, other member, etc.) and feels the need to have a third party there.
– When a member wants to know how situations were handled in the past and/or wants advice on their situation (examples: How were problems between members solved in the past? Who was on a previous Board? Is the method of communication in this email acceptable?).
– When a member has questions about how the association operates (examples: How do I interpret the Articles of Association and/or the House Rules? How to call a GMA).
How is the Senate formed?
The Senate must consist of a minimum of two and a maximum of five members. The only requirements are that they must be members of Duivelsei and not be part of the Board. A member may be part of both the Senate, the Kasco, the Formaatcie and other committees.
Every year, the Senate forms during the summer break. Members are informed via email of the position and the opportunity to apply. The Senate currently still holding the position (‘the old Senate’) proposes the new Senate based on the applications. This proposal will be considered at the September Switch GMA. If the proposal is rejected, the old Senate must make a new proposal at a subsequent GMA until the association agrees to a proposed composition. The old Senate will remain active in their positions until a new Senate has joined.
Any member of Duivelsei can apply for the Senate. When composing the new Senate, the old Senate looks at the experience, qualities and motivation of the applicants. Board experience (at Duivelsei or elsewhere) is a must, but this can be deviated from. Many other
qualities are also involved in this process. Concrete examples are: topicality, committee experience, legal knowledge, work experience and (social) activity at the association.
After consenting, the Senate can start working immediately. Shortly after the Switch GMA it is customary for the Senate and the Board to discuss their collaboration for the coming year.