Management and functioning
WUJA is run by an Executive Committee composed of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Jesuit Counsellor. This Committee is in charge of the tasks related to the organization management, inspiration and representation. The Executive Committee is also responsible for the communication within the movement.
Composition of the Executive Committee (2022-2026)
Major lines for the action and the management of WUJA are set by a Council, composed of the Executive Committee and fourteen representatives of the nine geographical areas of the organization.
Composition of the Council (2022-2026)
The Council and the Executive Committee are appointed by a General Assembly which comes together every four years and is made up one representative per country that counts one or several associations affiliated to WUJA.
Statutes
Executive committee (2022-2026)
Institutions of origin:
College Sarrià San Ignacio (Barcelona)
Esade Business School (Barcelona)
Occupation:
Executive managing director
Institution of origin:
St Xaviers College (Kolkata, India)
Occupation:
Industrialist
Institution of origin:
Colegio Sant Ignasi
Occupation:
General manager
Institution of origin:
John Carroll University (Cleveland, USA)
Occupation:
Consultant
Institution of origin:
/
Occupation:
Vice President for Mission and Identity at Brophy College Prep
Council (2022-2026)
Jean-Baptiste Ndundu Nsituvila
Regional representative (Africa)
Kinshasa (DR Congo)
Skype: jbndundu61
Institution of origin:
Collège Kubama (Kinsanto, DR Congo)
Occupation:
Government service
Fabian Nuyudzenjo-Lankar
Regional representative (Africa)
Yaounde (Cameroon)
Skype: –
Institution of origin:
Collège Libermann (Douala, Cameroon)
Occupation:
Pedagogic Inspector for Philosophy
Institution of origin:
Polytechnic ATMI – Michael College
Occupation:
Businessman
Eve Borg Bonello
Regional representative (Europe)
St. Julian’s (Malta)
Skype: live:.cid.59f711892d63a67b
Institution of origin:
St. Aloysius College Sixth Form
Occupation:
Member of Maltese Parliament
Sebastian Schindler
Regional representative (Europe)
Vienna (Austria)
sebastian.schindler[at]allplan.at
Skype: –
Institution of origin:
Kalksburger Kolleg (Vienna, Austria)
Occupation:
Engineer
Luis Gabriel Calderon Sanchez
Regional representative (Latin America)
Mexico (Mexico)
Skype: qcalderon4
Institution of origin:
–
Occupation:
Engineer
Silvio Piza
Regional representative (Latin America)
São Paulo (Brazil)
Skype: silvio.toledo.piza
Institution of origin:
Colegio Sao Luis (São Paulo, Brazil)
Occupation:
Finance consultant
Institution of origin:
Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour (Baabda-Lebanon)
Occupation:
Community Manager
Nicole Mlakar
Regional representative (North America)
Cleveland, OH (USA)
Skype: –
Institutions of origin:
Walsh Jesuit High School (Cuyahoga Falls, USA)
John Carroll University (Cleveland, USA)
Occupation:
Human Resource Manager and Accounting Manager
Andrew Horsley
Regional representative (Oceania)
Sydney (Australia)
Skype: –
Institution of origin:
Saint Ignatius’ College (Riverview, Australia)
Occupation:
Management consultant
Institutions of origin:
Saint Xavier School (Ranchi, India)
Saint Xavier College (Ranchi, India)
Occupation:
(occupation)
Pradeep Kumar Madhavan
Regional representative (South Asia)
Thiruvananthapuram (India)
Skype: –
Institution of origin:
Loyola School (Trivandrum)
Occupation:
Management Systems Consultant,
Auditor & International trainer
Invitees
Update in progress
Statutes
Adopted in Rome on 28 January 2001, modified by the General Assembly on 16 September 2016, 27 June 2017 and 13 July 2022.
Between the undersigned […] a non-profit making society is set up governed by these statutes and by the 21 April 1924 Luxembourg act on non-profit-making societies and foundations.
I. NAME, REGISTERED OFFICE, EMBLEM
Article 1: Name
The society is called the “World Union of Jesuit Alumni and Alumnae”. It is hereafter called the “World Union”.
Article 2: Registered office
To comply with the law, the registered office of the World Union is in the City of Brussels or Rome. Souhld it be necessary for the future to change the registered office to another city, the decision shall be taken by the Council.
Article 3: Emblem
The emblem of the World Union and of all its member organisations comprises the coat of arms of Loyola.
II. DURATION AND OBJECT
Article 4: Duration
The World Union is set up for unlimited duration.
Article 5: Object
The World Union is an international society with spiritual, cultural and social purposes. It can carry out its activity in every country. Its officers and Council can meet either in its registered office or in any other place in the world. The World Union’s objectives are the following:
- To preserve and develop bonds of friendship, communication and solidarity among Jesuit alumni/ae throughout the world.
- To encourage Jesuit alumni/ae to co-operate actively with the Society of Jesus in its various missions, particularly in education, spiritual life, community service and social justice.
- To help Jesuit alumni/ae to stand by the education which they were given, based on Christian humanism and Ignatian spirit, above all so that they play their part, through their personal life and their social action, in the building of a world where persons can fulfil themselves with complete dignity; for this, to encourage them to address their minds to all issues of spiritual and moral life leading to personal and collective commitment.
- To offer Jesuit alumni/ae the opportunity of continuing formation to help them to integrate their Ignatian obligations into their personal and professional lives.
The World Union will achieve these objectives partly by its own means, partly by supporting the initiatives of the local associations.
III. MEMBERS
Article 6: Access to membership
Full membership of the World Union is open to all associations of former students of educational institutions of the Society of Jesus or of Ignatian inspiration that accept these statutes. This membership can be obtained either directly or through national groupings, federations or confederations.
Individual membership of t]he World Union is available to alumni/ae of the above educational institutions.
Article 7: Loss of membership
A member association can withdraw from the World Union by written notice to the Secretary. In addition, the General Assembly can, by a two-thirds vote, exclude an association whose activity is incompatible with these statutes. The Council may suspend an association whilst awaiting the final decision of the General Assembly.
On its side, the Society of Jesus can cease to recognise an association which no longer retains the Jesuit character.
IV. ORGANISATION
Article 8: The Congress
- The Congress consists in reflective works lasting at least four days on a theme and according to a programme which are approved by the Council. It is open to every former student of an educational institution of the Society of Jesus or of Ignatian inspiration.
- The Congress normally meets every four years. The President may, however, ask the Council to extend or reduce this period by up to three years.
- The meeting place of a congress is chosen by the General Assembly in accordance with a rotation among world areas in the following order: Africa, Latin America, North America, Europe/Middle East, East Asia/Oceania, South Asia.
- The practical organization of the Congress is carried out by the association and/or federation of the place that has been chosen, under the control of the Executive Committee of the World Union.
- The president of the World Union announces and opens the Congress.
- Out of proposals emanating from working groups, the Congress passes resolutions aiming at guiding the World Union’s action.
Article 9: The General Assembly
- Composition
The World Union’s General Assembly is made of representatives of the full members, i.e. the member associations. These representatives are national delegates or the presidents of national federations or of continental confederations. Only these representatives have the right to participate and vote.
- Periodicity and place of meetings
The General Assembly normally meets on the occasion of the Congress. In addition, it meets when the Council or a fifth of member associations asks for it; the Council then decides when and where it will be held.
- Convening
The President convenes the General Assembly and sets its agenda which must include any proposition coming from at least a twentieth of full members. The notice, comprising the agenda, is addressed to all member associations. In case of necessity or urgency, the General Assembly may be convened virtually and may meet using a videoconference platform allowing for full interactivity. The necessity and urgency shall be determined by the Council through the issuance of a regulation that shall additionally regulate all the formalities for holding its virtual meetings.
- Prerogatives
The General Assembly:
- Elects the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer and the regional members of the Council, each for a mandate lasting until the following General Assembly. The last elected President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall not be eligible for offering their candidature for the same post for a third consecutive term of office;
- Approves the President’s report and the Treasurer’s financial report;
- Determines the level of the annual dues which cannot exceed 1000 euros per association;
- Chooses, within the limits set up in paragraph 3 of article 8, the meeting place of the following congress;
- Decides on the exclusion of an association whose behaviour has been inconsistent with the statutes;
- Modifies the statutes;
- Decides on the dissolution of the World Union.
Points a) to d) are subject to simple majority vote, e) to g) to a two-thirds majority vote. Besides, any modification of the statutes concerning the object of the World Union requires a majority of three-quarters.
- Votes
The right to vote in the General Assembly belongs to full members, which are local associations,. These associations exercise their voting rights through national groupings, federations or confederations, which they delegate for doing so. Each national grouping, federation or confederation has a number of votes related to the number of associations it, according to the following scale:
| Number of associations represented | Number of Votes |
| from 1 to 5 associations | one vote |
| from 6 to 10 associations | two votes |
| from 11 to 15 associations | three votes |
| from 16 to 20 associations | four votes |
| from 21 to 40 associations | five votes |
| Above 40 associations | Six votes |
Article 10: The President and the Vice-President
The President inspires and leads the Union on the basis of the objectives set up in these statutes and of the resolutions voted by the Congress. He represents the World Union. He appoints, on a proposal from the Secretary or from any member of the Council, permanent representatives of the World Union to international organisations to which it belongs. He is assisted by the Vice-President, who replaces him in case of temporary disability. In case of permanent disability or resignation or death, the Council elects a new president who remains in office until the following General Assembly. In the same cases and for the same mandate, the Council elects a new Vice-President.
Article 11: The Secretary
The Secretary conducts the ordinary business of the Union. He keeps the list of member-associations and maintains contact with them. He drafts the minutes of the Executive Committee, Council and General Assembly meetings and maintains the archives of the Union. In co-operation with the Treasurer, he ensures that membership dues are collected. He helps the President to convene the General Assembly and to ensure that it is well run. He is responsible for disseminating the resolutions of the Congress. In the case of resignation, permanent disability or death, the Council elects a new secretary who carries out his duties until the following General Assembly.
Article 12: The Treasurer and Finance
The Treasurer is responsible to the Council for the Union’s assets. He manages its bank account, receives its financial resources, in particular annual dues, and makes the payments which fall on it. He keeps the accounts. Each calendar year, he submits to the Council the accounts of the last year and the budget of the following year. In case of resignation, permanent disability or death, the Council elects a new treasurer who remains in office until the following General Assembly.
Article 13: The Council
- Composition
The Council of the World Union is made of eighteen members:
* four ex officio: the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer;
* fourteen elected by the General Assembly on the basis of two each for Africa, Latin America, North America, Europe and South Asia and of one each for the Middle East, East Asia, South East Asia and Oceania. In the case of resignation, permanent disability or death of an elected member, the Council appoints a new member from the same region who remains in post until the following General Assembly.
- Functioning
The Council meets at the time of each congress and at least once in the interval between congresses. Its annual decisions are made using written communication. It is convened and chaired by the President and takes its decision by simple majority. The President has a casting vote in the case of equal division of the votes. In case of necessity or urgency, the Council may be convened virtually and may meet using a videoconference platform allowing for full interactivity. The necessity and urgency shall be determined by the Council through the issuance of a regulation that shall additionally regulate all the formalities for holding its virtual meetings.
- Attributions
The Council decides on the major action lines of the World Union such as are proposed by the President. It approves the budget and the accounts. If necessary, it elects persons responsible for carrying out on a provisional basis the duties of President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer. Should the necessity arise, the Council is empowered to recruit a person or persons, paid or volunteer, to manage specific projects, including management of the day-to-day functions of the World Union, under specific terms of reference agreed by the Council prior to the recruitment of the person or persons. This person, or these persons, would report to the Council, which would retain responsibility for the projects, through the Executive Committee. It approves donations made to the World Union. In general, it has management and administrative powers, with due regards to prerogatives given to the General Assembly by article 9§4.
Article 14: The Executive Committee
The Executive Committee comprises the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Executive Committee is responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the World Union. It is convened and chaired by the President and takes its decisions by simple majority. The President has a casting vote in the case of equal division of the votes.
Article 15: The Jesuit Counsellor
The World Union is assisted by a Jesuit priest who is appointed by the Superior General of the Society of Jesus and who acts as his delegate. He takes part, without voting right, in meetings of the Executive Committee, of the Council and of the General Assembly of the World Union and remains in close touch with the President and the Secretary. His role is to assure the relationship between the Union and the Society of Jesus in order to make known to Jesuit alumni/ae the Society’s priorities and to the Society the concerns of the Jesuit alumni/ae.
V. MODIFICATION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE STATUTES
Article 16: Modification of the statutes
Every member association and every member of the Council may propose modifications of the statutes. Proposals of modification must be sent to the Secretary at least 3 months before the following General Assembly. They are listed in the agenda of the General Assembly which decides on them by a two-thirds vote, three-quarters if it concerns the object of the World Union.
Article 17: Procedure for the implementation of the statutes
The Council approves, to the extent that may be required, the regulations for the implementation of the present statutes.
Article 18: Interpretation of the statutes
Problems in interpreting the provisions of the statutes are resolved by the Secretary, who proposes a solution to the Executive Committee which determines how the problem will be resolved in immediacy, including, if necessary, through a modification of these provisions to be submitted to the following General Assembly.
All terms of male gender used by these statutes to express qualifications (alumnus, President, etc.…) are to be considered as having an equal female value. The statutes are written in French, English and Spanish which are the three working languages of the World Union.
For the Council:
Alain DENEEF, President
Regulation for implementing the statutes
Adopted in Paris on 20 April 2002, modified by the Council on 18 September 2016.
Article 1: Convening of the General Assembly
The President of the World Union invites full voting members to the General Assembly provided for in Article 9 of the statutes eight months in advance in the WUJA Newsletter, on the website or by mail and asks them to put forward proposals for the agenda. These proposals must be received not less than three months in advance.
Article 2: Determination of voting rights in the General Assembly
- The president of each federation or confederation, or his/her delegate, who intends to take part in the General Assembly, declares this intention to the Secretary of the World Union. This declaration must reach the Secretary two months in advance and must indicate the number, names and addresses of associations represented.
- Associations of countries without a federation that wish to be represented at the General Assembly choose a national delegate or give a proxy to their confederation president or the president of another federation. The national delegate or the president then declares this intention to the Secretary of the World Union. This declaration must reach the Secretary two months in advance and must indicate the number, names and addresses of associations represented.
- On the basis of these declarations and of the information he has himself on the existing associations, the Secretary of the World Union determines, in conformity with the relevant provisions of the statutes, the voting rights of each federation or confederation president or national delegate taking part in the General Assembly and informs them of his decision.
- At the opening of the General Assembly, the President and the Secretary, acting together, have the authority to accept further representatives. They shall determine their voting rights.
Article 3: Candidacies for World Union offices
Candidacies for the posts of officers of the World Union (president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer) and of regional members of the Council must be received in writing by the Secretary of the World Union three months in advance. They must be accompanied by the written support of the association to which the candidate belongs. Candidates for election to the Council must belong to the area which they intend to represent.
Article 4: Candidacies for the organisation of the following World Union Congress
A federation or an association belonging to the area in which, according to the statutes, the following congress is to take place, and wishing to organise this congress, shall send its candidacy to the Secretary of the World Union to be received at least six months before the General Assembly that will make the decision. The letter of candidacy must include the town chosen, the association(s) or federation that will take responsibility, a letter of support from the Jesuit Provincial responsible for the area and a brief outline of the organisation.
If no candidacy is received by the prescribed time, the Council will take over the responsibility for choosing an area and a location to organise the next scheduled congress. In its choice, the Council will consider the possibilities offered by the different areas of the rotation list established by the statutes. The President will notify the situation to the General Assembly. As soon as the Council has made its decision, it will be made public on the website and in the WUJA Newsletter. Candidacies for the hosting of the next World Union Congress will only be eligible for election if the totality of any outstanding dues including those of the year in which the General Assembly is held for the country to which they belong have been received by the Treasurer.
Article 5: Voting procedures in the General Assembly
- At the beginning of the General Assembly, the Secretary shall announce the names of representatives having the right to vote and the number of votes that they have.
- The General Assembly shall choose two scrutineers who will supervise the voting operations.
- For decisions taken relating to Article 9 § 4 a, d, e and g of the statutes, voting shall normally be by secret ballot. For decisions taken relating to Article 9 § 4 b, c and f of the statutes, voting shall normally be by open vote (show of hands).
For the Council:
Alain DENEEF, President
Carlos María GIANICOLO, Secretary
