Constitution

Constitution of the British Association for Modernist Studies

Title

The title of the association will be the British Association for Modernist Studies (BAMS).

Aims of the Society

The object of the Association (BAMS) is to advance education and knowledge by promoting the study of modernism. To pursue this aim the Association may:

  1. Collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting the aims of the Association and exchange such information with other bodies having similar aims whether in this country or overseas.
  2. Organise and support such conferences, seminars, workshops and other such meetings that agree with the aims of the Association.
  3. Write and print or otherwise reproduce and circulate, free of charge or otherwise, such papers, books, periodicals, pamphlets, digital documents, or other such documents that further the aims of the organisation.

Membership

Membership of the Association shall be open to all interested in the aims of the Association.

Subscription

The amount of any subscription to the Association will be proposed by the Membership Secretary and Treasurer in consultation with the Executive Steering Committee.

Officers

The Association shall have a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Membership Secretary, a Web/IT Officer, an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer, a Vice-Chair, and a Chair.  Other officers may be added later if necessary. The offices of Secretary, Vice-Chair and Chair shall be held for one year, the Vice-Chair proceeding to the office of Chair, and serving a further year ex oficio as Past Chair. All other offices shall be held for three years, unless an officer wishes to be nominated as Vice-Chair.

A member wishing to be Vice-Chair will usually have at least a year’s experience on the Committee.  Approval by the Executive Steering Committee of appointment to Vice-Chair will trigger a three-year term.  A Past Chair may only stand for re-election if they will have served no more than seven years in total on the committee at the end of their second term.

Executive Steering Committee

This will consist of the officers, plus 3 ordinary elected members.  In addition there will be 4 postgraduate representatives, with 2 appointed in each year, and an Advisory Committee representing different disciplinary interests, the latter co-opted by the Steering Committee.  Postgraduate representatives must be registered doctoral students not normally in their first year of study, and will normally be elected for two years. The election of all Committee members and postgraduate members shall be organised by the officers by a fair and transparent method. Officers shall be eligible for re-election at the conclusion of their term of office (for a maximum of two consecutive periods).

Information about the election will be communicated to members at least 1 month prior to the election. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt not more than four additional members.

Quorum

  1. In the Executive Committee, a quorum consists of at least 50% of elected members, including at least one of the officers.
  2. In an Annual General Meeting or Other General Meeting quorum consists of 10% of subscribed members.

General Meetings

An Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held at such time as the Committee shall determine.  Other General Meetings may be called at other times, with at least a month’s notice given to all members by the Executive Committee. All members of the Association shall have the right to vote at such meetings.

Amendment

The General Meeting of the Association may amend the constitution by a majority of two-thirds of the voting members, providing the meeting is quorate and that notice of the amendment proposed has been given to all members not less than one month before the General Meeting.

Dissolution

The Association may be dissolved by the agreement of not less than three-quarters of those present at a General Meeting specially summoned for this purpose, of which at least a month’s notice must have been given to all members.