Consitution of the International Society for the Study of Early Medieval England
1. Name and Sponsorship. The name of the organization is to be the International Society for the Study of Early Medieval England. The organization is to be sponsored by the Belgian and Canadian governments through the Royal Academy in Belgium and the University of Toronto in Canada, and by the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.
2. Purpose. The purpose of the ISSEME is to provide all scholars interested in the languages, literatures, arts, history, and material culture of Anglo-Saxon England with support in their research and to facilitate an exchange of ideas and materials within and between the disciplines. This organization is exclusively for literary and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
As enshrined in this Constitution, the purpose of the International Society for the Study of Early Medieval England is to provide all scholars interested in the languages, literatures, arts, history, and material culture of Anglo-Saxon England with support in their research and to facilitate an exchange of ideas and materials within and among the disciplines. This work must take place in environments free from prejudice, racism, inequity or harassment, or related unethical behavior, and ISSEME affirms its ongoing commitment to helping fashion an academic culture that fosters professional courtesy, respect, equity, diversity, tolerance and inclusion for all of its members, and for all people working in our related disciplines.
3. Relationship with Other Bodies. The Society shall maintain a working relationship with Anglo-Saxon England, the Medieval Academy of America, the Old English Division of the Modern Language Association of America, and any other such groups as may wish to assist the Society in its endeavours.
4. Membership. Membership is open to all persons interested in any aspect of Anglo-Saxon culture. Application for Membership shall be made to the Executive Director, and the annual subscription shall be paid on or before July 1 of the Membership year. The Executive Committee shall determine annually the amount of the subscription, and shall have the power to appoint honorary as Members scholars whose work relates to Anglo-Saxon studies. For Members who have retired from their institutional appointments, provided that they have been Members for two years, the current subscription shall be reduced by one-half. All Members in good standing shall have the right to cast a vote in open meetings, elections or other activities of the Society when a vote is being called.
5. Officers. There shall be a President, First Vice-President, and a Second Vice-President, elected by the current Officers and Advisory Board. The President and First Vice-President shall serve for a two-year term to extend from January 1 of the year following a biennial meeting to December 31 of the year of the next biennial meeting. The Second Vice-President shall serve for a four-year term, with the possibility of being reappointed at the end of that term. There shall be an Executive Director appointed by the current Officers and Advisory Board for a term of six years, with the possibility of being reappointed at the end of that term. The terms are to be co-extensive with the dates of the elected officers. The President shall be responsible for arranging the biennial meeting, and shall also preside at all Business Meetings of the Society.
The First Vice-President shall be responsible for arranging the next but one biennial meeting and shall succeed to the Presidency. The Second Vice-President shall act as Secretary for all Business Meetings and shall serve in the capacity of a Deputy Executive Director. The Second Vice-President shall not succeed to the First Vice-Presidency.
The Executive Director shall perform all necessary duties in the ordinary running of the Society, including those usually associated with the Secretary Treasurer of an organization. The Executive Director shall make an annual report to the Executive Committee and the Advisory Board. This report shall cover all matters of Membership and finance and shall be open for inspection to any Member upon request. No part of the net income or assets of the ISAS shall ever inure to the benefit of any Officer, Director or Member thereof or to the benefit of any private person. However, any Officer or Director may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of duties for the Society.
6. Advisory Board. There shall be an Advisory Board consisting of twelve members, each to serve a four-year term, in addition to the President, the two Vice-Presidents, and the Executive Director. Three positions on the Advisory Board shall be reserved for editors of Anglo-Saxon England, The Old English Newsletter, and The Dictionary of Old English. The remaining nine positions shall be filled by vote of the membership. For each vacancy, the Executive Committee and Advisory Board shall nominate two candidates, taking into consideration the need for balanced demographic, disciplinary and geographical representation on the Board. Additional candidates for each position may be nominated by petition from at least ten members of ISAS, individually or in a group. All candidates must be members of ISAS, and a member who serves on the Advisory Board will be eligible for nomination for election again after an interval of four years after the end of his or her term.
The Advisory Board shall serve as a screening committee for papers to be delivered at the biennial conferences.
Members elected to the Advisory Board are expected to fulfill the duties of a board member. Advisory Board members may be removed from the board at the discretion of the Executive Committee for non-performance of duties.
7. Executive Committee. There shall be an Executive Committee, which shall consist of the President, the two Vice-Presidents, the Executive Director and the senior members of the Advisory Board (those whose terms expire in any given calendar year).
The Executive Committee shall conduct all business of the Society, and shall serve as a Nominating Committee.
At each biennial meeting there shall be a meeting of the Executive Committee with other members of the Advisory Board. This meeting shall be open to all interested Members of the Society as observers.
8. Meetings. An international meeting of the Society shall be held every two years. The conference shall include papers and a general Business Meeting. A Member who wishes to propose an item for the next Business Meeting shall send his or her request to the Executive Director in writing at least one month before the meeting. The Executive Director shall draw up the agenda for the Business Meeting in consultation with the Executive Committee. A vote of at least two-thirds of the Membership present at a Business Meeting shall be required to invalidate a decision of the Executive Committee.
9. Constitution and Amendments. This Constitution shall be considered ratified and in effect after consideration by the Membership at the first meeting and by the approval of a simple majority of those present at that time. A Member who wishes to present an amendment to the Constitution at a Business Meeting shall send a typewritten copy of the proposed amendment to the Executive Director at least one month before the meeting. An amendment so proposed shall be voted on at the meeting. An amendment proposed at any other time shall be voted on by mail or electronic ballot, if the Executive Committee so decides. A simple majority of those Members in good standing at a meeting or a simple majority of returned ballots shall be decisive, providing that the majority numbers at least a quarter of the total Membership of the Society.
10. Dissolution. If for some reason the ISSEME is dissolved, the existing assets remaining after payment, or provision for payment, of all debts and liabilities, shall be distributed to The Medieval Academy of America which has established its tax-exempt status under section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. As a contingent beneficiary, said assets shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for literary and educational purposes and which has established tax-exempt status under section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
11. Additional Provisions. The ISSEME shall distribute its income for each tax year at such time and in such manner as not to become subject to the tax on undistributed income imposed by section 4942 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws.
The ISSEME shall not engage in any act of self-dealing as defined in section 4941(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws. The ISAS shall not retain any excess business holdings as defined in section 4943(C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws.
The ISSEME shall not make any investments in such manner as to subject it to tax under section 4944 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws.
The ISSEME shall not make any taxable expenditures as defined in section 4945(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws.
Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).