Constitution

 

1. Name:

The Irish Society for the Study of Children's Literature (abbreviated as ISSCL).

 

2. Objects:

The object of the Society shall be the advancement of the academic study of children's literature in Ireland. In furtherance of the said object but not otherwise the Society may: (i) collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting the said object and exchange such information with other bodies having similar objects whether in Ireland or internationally; (ii) cause to be written and printed or otherwise reproduced and circulated, gratuitously or otherwise, such papers, books, periodicals, pamphlets, or other documents as shall further the said objects; (iii) raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscriptions and otherwise provided that the society shall not undertake permanent trading activities in raising funds for the said objects; (iv) do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the attainment of the said objects. The Society is non-political.

 

3. Membership:

Membership of the Society shall be open to all persons, of any nationality, interested in the aims of the Society. There shall be three categories of members: regular members; student members; honorary members. Honorary membership may be conferred by the Annual General Meeting. Students engaged in research and living on grants or on reduced means may join as student members.

 

4. Officers:

The Society shall have the following officers: a President; a Vice-President; a Secretary; and a Treasurer. The officers will normally be elected for two years and are eligible for re-election, except that the President shall not normally be eligible for re-election on more than two successive occasions.

 

5. Executive Committee:

The Executive Committee consists of the officers, the immediate past President, and two other elected members. No member of the Committee shall be under the age of eighteen years. The election of Committee members shall take place at the Annual General Meeting. The President shall be required to call a meeting of the Executive Committee at the request of any two elected members. A meeting shall be quorate when at least three members of the Committee are present. The Executive Committee shall have power to create and wind up sub-committees as required, and to co-opt up to three further members to the Committee as required.

 

The Executive Committee shall have the following duties:

i. To organise activities according to the objects of the Society defined in Clause 2.

ii. To ensure that the finances of the Society are in good order and are used only in the pursuit of the objects defined in Clause 2.

iii. To respond to the wishes of the members as expressed in General Meetings.

iv. To provide reports and accounts for the members and submit them to the Annual General Meeting.

 

6. Annual General Meeting of the Society:

The Society shall hold an Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting shall have the following duties:

i. To receive a report on the work of the Society in the preceding year.

ii. To receive audited accounts for the preceding year.

iii. To announce the results of elections where appropriate.

iv. To consider any matter referred to them by the Committee.

v. To consider any motion submitted by any member in writing to the Secretary before the meeting.

 

The Governing Body of the Society will be a General Meeting of members in good standing.

Papers summoning the Annual General Meeting will be posted to reach members at least twenty-eight days before the meeting is due to take place; when possible the Annual General Meeting will be combined with a conference of the Society.

Other General Meetings may be called at other times, with not less than one month's written notice to all members, by the Executive Committee or by the President at the request of not less than 20% of the members.

 

7. Elections:

Elections shall be conducted according to the procedures outlined in the election schedule adopted at the Annual General Meeting of: 10 May 2003.

 

8. Society Year:

The Society's year will be the calendar year, January to December.

 

9. Subscriptions:

The amount of the annual subscriptions to the Society is determined by the General Meeting of the Society. An existing member who fails to pay the appropriate subscription will be deemed to have resigned and will lose the rights of membership after a period of time to be determined by the Committee.

Other than in the case of non-payment of subscription, no member will lose membership, and no applicant will be denied admission, other than by a decision of the Committee. In such cases there will be a right of appeal to a General Meeting.

 

10. Amendments to the Constitution:

The General Meeting of the Society may amend the Constitution by a majority of two-thirds of the members present and voting, provided that a quorum of seven members be present, and that written notice of the amendment proposed has been given to all members not less than two months before the General Meeting.

 

11. Dissolution:

The Society may be dissolved by the agreement of not less than three-quarters of those members present at a General Meeting specially summoned for this purpose, as provided in Clause 6 above. Any funds existing at the time of dissolution shall not become the property of any member or members but shall be devoted to furthering the aim defined in Clause 2.