PANEL OF CEREMONIES AND HONORARY DEGREES

THE CONSTITUTION
( Draft )
1. NAME
The organization shall be called, Panel of Ceremonies and
Honorary Degrees. Its postal Address shall be: P O Box 5115,
Limbe, Malawi.
2.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Panel of Ceremonies and Honorary Degrees aims at

promoting
excellence in both academic work and service to
humanity within Malawi and beyond. It seeks to achieve its goal
through:
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.4
3.

Regular meetings for receiving dossiers and examining

correspondences related to academic excellence of
selected candidates and outstanding services to humanity.
Mutual agreement and decision on candidates whose
academic work and service to humanity is worth
recognizing.
Holding yearly graduation ceremonies to honor and award
honorary doctoral degrees to successful candidates.
Holding ceremonies from time to time to recognize
individuals whose services to humanity is outstanding.
Acting as roll models to the young general and to other
adults in society.
THE DOCUMENT
This document contains the Constitution of the Panel of
Ceremonies and Honorary Degrees herein referred to as
the Panel.

4. DEFINITIONS
The Panel shall mean the Panel of Ceremonies and
Honorary Degrees.
The Executive shall mean the Chairperson, his/her
Deputy, the Secretary, the Treasurer, Coordinator and one
other member.

Trustees shall mean the Chairperson, the Deputy

Chairperson, the Secretary, the Coordinator and the
Treasurer of the Panel who shall be authorized signatories
of all the Panels official documents.
Secretary shall mean the person or body responsible for
the administrative work of the Panel, including all
communication of the activities and publicity of the Panel.
Treasurer shall mean the person responsible for all
monetary transactions and keeping of financial books.
Coordinator shall mean the person responsible for all
ceremonies including Honorary Degrees.
5. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
5.1 The Executive Committee of the Association shall
consist of elected members from among the members
of the Panel who shall hold office for three years and
may be re-elected for another term of three years after
which they shall cease to hold executive powers of the
Panel. The Executive Committee shall meet quarterly
and whenever the need arises The Chairperson,
Secretary, Treasurer, Coordinator, and Deputy
Chairperson shall be Trustees of the Association..
5.2 If any member of the executive committee resigns or
he/she dies or is incapacitated, the Executive
Committee shall appoint someone to fill the vacancy
until the next general meeting of the Panel.
6. MEMBERSHIP
6.1 Membership of the Panel shall be open to Doctoral
degree holders and distinguished individuals whose
contribution to humanity has been recognized by a
reputable institution.
6.2 Members of the Panel shall join by invitation,
application to be approved by the Executive or through
recommendation by an already established member of
the Panel.
6.3 Any member shall be able to leave the Panel by giving
a three months notice.
6.4 Members shall meet in an annual general meeting once
every year.

7. GOAL
7.1 The Goal of the Panel is generally to encourage the
young generation as well as adults to excel in their
academic life and to unreservedly serve humanity. Also,
the goal is to implant a spirit of appreciation for
excellent work done by others.

OBJECTIVES
7.2 To recognize and bring to light individuals who have
excelled in their academic life and those who have made
distinguished contribution in service to humanity.
7.3 To mutually agree and make decisions on candidates
who are to be awarded honorary degrees.
7.4 To receive dossiers, recommendations and
correspondences from candidates wishing to be considered
for honorary degrees. Friends may also send
recommendations of certain individuals to the Panel for its
consideration.
7.5 To act as models of excellence to young people as well
as to adults.
8. DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE PANEL
The Panel shall have at heart all deserving people within Malawi
and beyond in order to recognize their academic achievement
and sterling service to humanity. The Panel shall hold a
graduation ceremony once every year and may hold other
ceremonies whenever necessary. From time to time, the Panel
shall advertise its activities in the media. The Panel shall raise
funds through investments, lectures/seminars, donations,
appeals and other means.
9. OFFICE BEARERS
Office bearers of the Panel who this constitution refers to as,
Executive Members shall be as follows:
Chairperson
Deputy Chairperson
Coordinator

 Secretary
Treasurer
One other member
10.

TRUSTEES

Trustees of the Panel shall be the Chairperson, the Deputy

Chairperson, the Coordinator, the Secretary and the Treasurer. In
their capacity as trustees, they shall hold powers of the Panel to
sign all official documents including Bank Accounts on behalf of
the Panel.
11.

THE CHAIRPERSON

The Panel shall elect among its members a Chairperson whose

term of office shall be three years and may be re-elected for
another term of three years after which he/she shall cease to be
a chairperson.
Duties of the Chairperson shall be as follows:
Preside over all meetings Executive Committee and all
general meetings of the Panel.
Represent the Panel at any meeting whose presence of the
Panel requires and shall on his/her capacity delegate his/ her
Deputy or any other member of the Executive Committee of
the Panel.
Convene meetings of the Panel in consultation with the
Secretary. He/she shall hold powers to conduct the business at
hand to its conclusion.
The Chairperson is one among equals. This also applies to any
member elected to hold any responsibility within the Panel.
12.

THE SECRTARY AND SECRETARIAT

The Panel shall elect among its members a Secretary whose term
of office shall be three years and may be re-elected for another
term of three years after which he/she shall cease to hold that
office.
Duties of the Secretary shall be as follows:
To prepare agenda together with the Chairperson and send
notices to members at three weeks notice for the Executive
meeting and at four weeks notice for Annual General
Meetings.

 To keep accurate records of all meetings and to circulate

reports and minutes of the meetings or information or action.
To ensure that meetings can commence after a quorum of
50%, both for the Executive and General Meetings, has been
reached.
To keep an accurate list of all names of members and details
of their addresses etc.
In the absence of the Secretary, any member may volunteer to
act as Secretary. By a Gentlemans agreement, the Secretary
and Secretariat of the Panel shall be the Institute of Media and
Management located at Ginnery Corner in Blantyre.
13.

THE TREASURER

The Treasurer of the Panel shall be elected from among the

members of the Panel and shall hold office for three years and
may be re-elected for another term of three years after which
he/she shall cease to be treasurer.
The Treasurer shall prepare a draft budget for presentation to
Executive Committee and annual General meetings of the
Panel.
The Treasurer shall receive, issue receipts and bank all monies
contributed or received as donations from well- wishers.
The Treasurer shall make disbursement there from in
accordance. The Treasurer shall make an accurate and full
accounting of the Panels financial affairs quarterly and
annually. The Treasurer shall prepare the annual financial
statement to the Panel through the Executive.
The Panel shall maintain a bank account with any banking
institution in the name of the Panel of Ceremonies and Honorary
Degrees, through which all monies shall be deposited and
withdrawn.
The Panel shall appoint a competent person to act as internal
Auditor.
14.

THE EMBLEM

The Panel shall bear its own Logo, official seal and stamp. These
instruments shall appear in official correspondence and
documents of the Panel.
15.

COOPERATION

The Panel shall have the liberty of cooperating with any institutions
of higher learning for validation of its awards or to jointly award
Honorary doctoral degrees to deserving candidates.
16.

DISPOSAL OF PROPERTY

In the event of the Panel being dissolved for whatever reason, all
the property that this panel might have acquired shall be in the
Trustees custody until when the Panel restarts.
17.

LIMITATIONS

This Panel is established solely for holding ceremonies and

awarding honorary doctoral degrees causa to deserving
candidates.
18.

AMENDMENT

This constitution contained herein many be amended from time

to time by two third majority of the general Meeting of the panel
provided that members shall be notified four weeks in advance
of the changes prior to the voting.
19.

DISSOLUTION OF THE PANEL

The Panel can be dissolved by two-thirds majority vote for the

following reasons:
In the event that members of the panel have unanimously
agreed to have the Panel dissolved since its mission is no
longer required in society.
For genuine reasons which members of the Panel perceive, for
example, if its activities are contrary to its mission.
When it is apparent that the Panel no longer exists and will
never rise again.