ARTICLE I. NAME
This association shall be known as the International Studies Association (ISA).
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
1.
The Purpose of the Association is to serve the needs and enhance the
capacities of scholars, practitioners, and others without regard to
nationality--having a professional interest in expanding,
disseminating, and applying knowledge of interrelations among nations
and peoples.
2. To achieve these ends, the Association shall
actively pursue cooperative relationships with other appropriate
organizations around the world.
3. The Association is educational
and non-partisan. It will not support or oppose political parties or
candidates. It may take positions on issues only if they are
immediately and directly concerned with the purpose stated above and
only within the limits that must be observed to maintain tax exemption
under the revenue laws of the country in which the headquarters are
located.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
1. Any person
sharing the purposes of the Association and paying dues set by the
Governing Council may be a member. The Association is committed to
fostering independent, responsible scholarly inquiry by all of its
members.
2. Members shall be entitled to:
a. receive copies of the specified official publications of the Association;
b. attend, participate in, and vote in the Annual Meeting of members;
c. participate in mail ballots arranged by the Association;
d. participate in other activities sponsored by the Association.
3.
At the discretion of the Governing Council, ISA will approve joint
activity with cooperating organizations or institutions. Such approval
should be with scholarly and professional organizations who purposes
are similar to those of the ISA and where cooperation is likely to lead
to meaningful, reciprocal, and ongoing activities between the
respective organizations.
ARTICLE IV. COMPONENT UNITS
1.
Groups of members organized to promote purposes identified in Article
II, Section 1, may be recognized as component units of the Association
on such conditions as the Governing Council may fix. Regional
divisions, urban chapters, and sections organized to promote study and
research on specific problems are among the units that may be
recognized.
a. In addition to the regions in existence at the
time this amendment is adopted, other regional sub-units may be
established upon petition of fifty or more members to the Governing
Council via the Executive Director. The Governing Council will specify
that portion of the Association membership dues to be credited to the
regions.
b. Sections may be established upon petition of fifty or
more members to the Governing Council via the Executive Director. The
petition will include a statement of purpose, organization and
activities. Sections may establish dues. The Executive Office will
disburse funds to the activities of Sections. A section will be
automatically dissolved after five years unless it reapplies for
sectional status within the Association.
2. All component
units will present yearly reports to the Governing Council who will
then make them available to the membership of the Association.
ARTICLE V. THE GOVERNMENT
1.
The government of the Association shall consist of a President, three
Vice Presidents, a President-Elect, the immediate Past-President, three
Vice Presidents-Elect, a Treasurer, a Governing Council, an Executive
Committee, an Annual Meeting of Members, and members voting by mail
[electronic or postal] ballot.
2. The officers of the
Association shall be a President, three Vice Presidents, a
President-Elect, the immediate Past-President, the Treasurer, and the
Executive Director.
ARTICLE VI. THE GOVERNING COUNCIL
1. The Governing Council shall consist of the following:
a.
The President, three Vice Presidents, the immediate Past-President, the
Executive Director, the President-Elect, three Vice Presidents-Elect,
the Treasurer, the Chair(s) of the annual meeting program committee and
an Editor of each of the Association's journals;
b. The head of each component unit of ISA;
c.
Six at-large representatives elected by members resident outside the
recognized regions of the Association by processes to be determined by
the Governing Council.
All of the above shall have voting status.
2. In cases of disputed elections, the Governing Council shall be the judge of its own membership.
3.
The President shall convene at least one meeting of the Governing
Council in conjunction with each annual convention of the Association
and, with the approval of the Executive Committee, he/she may convene
extraordinary meetings. He/she shall convene an extraordinary meeting
if one-third or more of the members of the Governing Council request
it. Except for meetings called during the period of the annual
convention, members of the Governing Council shall be given at least
one week's notice of their time and place.
4. The Governing
Council may establish its own rules of procedure. In absence of
contrary decision by the Governing Council, Robert's Rules of Order
shall prevail.
5. The Governing Council shall:
a.
approve or modify the President's recommendations of four members of
the Executive Committee from its voting and ex-officio membership;
b.
elect the Editor of all journals of the Association on the joint
recommendation of the President and the Executive Committee; the
elections shall be for a term of not more than five years and an editor
cannot serve two consecutive terms;
c. decide questions
pertaining to the selection and the term of service of the editor of
any official publication in addition to all journals of the Association;
d. elect the Executive Director on the joint recommendation of the President and the Executive Committee;
e. recognize component units of the Association, and terminate such recognition;
f. adopt an annual budget, set dues, and authorize expenditures;
g. determine what compensation, if any, is to be paid to the Executive Director and other officers;
h. select the site of the Annual Convention or specifically delegate authority to do so;
i.
approve rules for the conduct of the Annual Meeting of Members, for the
holding of elections, and for the submission of proposed amendments and
resolutions to members;
j. adopt resolutions and undertake or approve activities designed to promote the purposes of the Association;
k. establish and terminate standing committees.
6.
The Governing Council, for adequate cause, may remove any officer of
the Association. In the case of the President, it shall act only on the
basis of a two-thirds recommendation of the members of the Executive
Committee. In the case of the editors of all journals of the
Association and the Executive Director, it shall act only on the basis
of a joint recommendation from the President and the Executive
Committee who together must comprise two-thirds of the Executive
Committee.
ARTICLE VII. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1.
The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the Vice
Presidents, the President-Elect, the immediate Past-President, the
Treasurer, the Executive Director and four members selected by the
Governing Council from its own membership, reflecting the diversity of
perspectives of the Association. Elected members representing the
Governing Council shall serve for one year and shall be eligible for
re-election.
2. The Executive Committee shall meet at the
call of the President. He/she is obliged to call a meeting upon the
request of one-third or more of the members of the committee.
3. The Executive Committee shall:
a. assist and advise the president as he/she requests;
b.
review, at the request of any two members of the Executive Committee,
the performance of duties of any officer of the Association, the
Editors of any of the Association's publications, appointed committee
Chairpersons, or the Executive Director for the purpose of determining
whether they should be asked to alter their performance or be
dismissed. Any Officer, Editor, Committee Chairperson, or the Executive
Director shall be given the opportunity to respond in person to any
allegations of inadequate performance, but shall not participate in the
final deliberation or vote on the disposition of the case. By agreement
of two-thirds of its members who are present, the Executive Committee
may request modification in performance, issue a reprimand, or issue a
citation or the appropriate recognition for outstanding performance of
duties to the individual(s) reviewed. By a two-thirds vote of those
eligible, the Executive Committee can recommend to the Governing
Council that any officer of the Association, Editor, Committee Chair or
the Executive Director be dismissed;
c. undertake assignments growing out of resolutions duly adopted by governing agencies of the Association.
ARTICLE VIII. THE PRESIDENT
1.
The President shall serve for a term of one year. He/she shall assume
office at the close of the convention in which the Annual Meeting of
Members takes place. He/she shall relinquish the position at the close
of the subsequent convention in which the Annual Meeting of Members
takes place.
2. The President shall:
a. convene and preside over meetings of the Executive Committee, the Governing Council, and the Annual Meeting of Members;
b. arrange for the preparation of an agenda for meetings of the Governing Council and for the Annual Meeting of Members;
c. recommend a budget to the Governing Council;
d. arrange to inform the Governing Council and the Annual Meeting of Members of the Association's financial condition;
e. oversee with the Treasurer the handling of the Association's funds;
f. oversee the work of the Executive Office;
g.
recommend jointly with the Executive Committee the election, or for
adequate cause the removal, of the Editor of all journals of the
Association and the Executive Director of the Association;
h. appoint the chair and members of the committee to nominate the Vice Presidents-Elect and the President-Elect;
i. propose programs and policies designed to advance the best interests of the Association.
ARTICLE IX. THE PRESIDENT-ELECT
1.
If more than one person is duly nominated for the office of
President-Elect, election shall be by mail [electronic or postal]
ballot of the members of the Association. Otherwise election shall be
by vote of the Annual Meeting of Members.
2. The President-Elect
shall automatically succeed to the Presidency at the close of the
Annual Meeting of Members next after his election.
3. If the
President should die, resign, or be unable to perform his/her duties,
the President-Elect, if available, shall become the president for the
remainder of the term.
4. Upon election as President-Elect, the
President-Elect shall appoint a program chairperson and members of the
standing and ad hoc committees for his/her term of office as President.
ARTICLE X. THE VICE PRESIDENTS
1.
Three Vice Presidents shall be elected for one-year terms coinciding
with the term of the president. If more than three persons are duly
nominated, election shall be by mail [electronic or postal] ballot.
Otherwise election shall be by vote of the Annual Meeting of Members.
Terms of office shall begin at the close of the Annual Meeting next
after the election.
2. One of the Vice Presidents shall be resident outside the recognized regions of the Association.
3. The Vice Presidents shall be members of the Executive Committee and the Governing Council.
4.
The responsibilities of the Vice Presidents shall include oversight and
coordination of committees, liaison with sections and regions,
interaction with other appropriate organizations, development of
inter-organizational cooperation, and strengthening connections with
government, foundations, and business. The President, in consultation
with the Vice Presidents, shall determine the specific responsibilities
of the Vice Presidents.
5. If the President should die,
resign, or be unable to perform his/her duties, and if the
President-Elect is unavailable to take over the duties of the office,
the immediate Past-President will convene the Executive Committee to
determine which Vice President should complete the term as President.
6.
Three Vice Presidents-Elect shall be elected at the same time and by
the same procedures as the President-Elect. If more than three persons
are being nominated to the office of Vice President-Elect, election
shall be by mail ballot. Otherwise elections shall be confirmed at the
annual meeting of members. Vice Presidents-Elect shall serve in that
capacity from the time that their election has been confirmed at the
Annual Meeting or the mail ballot, until the next annual meeting. At
the close of that meeting they shall automatically succeed to the
office of Vice President and serve in that capacity until the close of
the following Annual Meeting.
7. The Vice Presidents-Elect
shall be members of the Governing Council and alternate members of the
Executive Committee. Upon succeeding to the office of Vice President
they shall also serve as full members of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XI. THE TREASURER
1. The Treasurer shall be elected for a three-year term, with the possibility of re-election.
2.
If more than one person is duly nominated for the office of Treasurer,
election shall be by mail [electronic or postal] ballot of the members
of the Association. Otherwise election shall be by vote of the
appropriate Annual Meeting of Members.
3. If the Treasurer
should die, resign, or be unable to perform his/her duties, the
President will, with the consent of a majority of the Governing
Council, appoint an Acting Treasurer to serve until a new Treasurer is
elected.
4. The Treasurer shall:
a. oversee, with the President and the Executive Director, the handling of the Association's funds;
b. advise the President and Executive Director on recommending a budget to the Governing Council;
c.
review the annual report of the Executive Director to the Governing
Council and the Annual Meeting on the Association's financial condition;
d. propose programs and policies to enhance the financial condition of the Association;
e. serve as a member of the Governing Council and the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XII. THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE
1.
The Executive Office shall consist of an Executive Director and such
staff as he/she shall appoint under the budgetary authorization of the
Governing Council.
2. The Executive Office shall be
responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Association and shall
provide support for the governing agencies of the Association.
3.
The Executive Director shall be the chief administrative officer of the
Association. He/she shall be elected by the Governing Council for a
term of not more than five years on the joint recommendation of the
President and the Executive Committee. He/she shall be eligible for
reelection. If a vacancy occurs prior to the end of the anticipated
term, the President, after consulting with the Executive Committee, may
appoint an acting Executive Director to serve until the office is
filled.
4. The Executive Director shall:
a. have charge of the Executive Office;
b.
assist the President and other officers and agencies of the Association
in the performance of their duties, responding to the requests and
initiating his/her own proposals for their consideration;
c.
publish in an official publication of the Association the minutes of
the meetings of the Governing Council and of the Annual Meeting of
Members; propose an annual budget for consideration by the Finance
Committee; draft agendas for the meetings of the Governing Council, the
Executive Committee, and the Annual Meeting;
d. perform such other duties as the President or the Governing Council may direct.
ARTICLE XIII. THE ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS
1.
The Annual Meeting of Members shall be held at the Annual Convention.
All members shall be entitled to participate and to vote.
2. The Annual Meeting of Members shall have the authority to:
a. alter the agenda prepared for it;
b. receive and consider reports;
c. discuss any matter relevant to the purposes of the organization;
d.
adopt resolutions consistent with this constitution, provided that the
proposed text has been communicated to the Executive Director or the
President at least twenty-four hours in advance;
e. act upon constitutional amendments initiated in accordance with Article XV, Section 3;
f. receive nominations made by the Nominating Committee and by petition.
3.
Resolutions adopted by the Annual Meeting of Members shall stand as an
expression of the views of that body. They shall be considered by the
Governing Council and shall constitute formal actions of the
Association if they are also adopted by the Governing Council. If a
resolution adopted by the Annual Meeting of Members obtains the support
of at least one-third of those voting in the Governing Council but
fails for adoption, it shall be referred to the membership in a mail
ballot.
ARTICLE XIV. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
1.
Each President-elect shall select three members for the nominating
committee, each to serve for a period of three years (for a total of
nine members), after consulting with the Vice-Presidents-elect and
taking care that selections contribute to a committee with a variety of
perspectives from the organization. The President-elect shall select
a convener from the appointed members of the nominating committee for
its first meeting at which the committee will elect a chair.
2.
Candidates for President shall be chosen with due consideration both to
professional distinction and involvement in the International Studies
Association .
3. The nominating committee shall propose at least one candidate for each office to be filled by election of the Association.
4. The nominating committee shall begin its deliberations at the annual meeting of the International Studies Association.
5.
The nominating committee shall report its recommendations to the
Executive Committee not later than its autumn meeting. The nominations
shall be made known to the membership in the first newsletter following
that Executive Committee meeting.
6. Any petition for
alternative candidates with the documented support of 5 percent or more
of the ISA's membership (as of 1 October) that is received by 1
November will be given the same publicity within the organization as
accorded the slate of the nominating committee. An election by mail or
electronic means will be held between November 5 and December 5. If
the election is contested, the winning slate will prevail. If the
election is uncontested, there must be at least a 20 percent return for
the result to be valid. If the percentage return is lower than 15
percent, a second balloting will take place between December 10 and
January 15. If the unopposed slate is not elected in the first voting,
the nominating committee will reconvene and present a new slate to be
voted on between January 15 and February 15. If that election draws
less than 20 percent participation or the new slate is not elected, the
matter will be referred to the Governing Council. If, in a second
balloting, the original uncontested slate is not elected or there is
an insufficient level of participation, the matter will be referred to
the Governing Council.
7. If a new group of
officers-elect has not been chose by the date of the Annual Meeting,
the existing officers will continue in office for three months.
8.
When the President-elect has succeeded to the Presidency in accordance
with Article IX, Section 3, and is due to serve as president for more
than six months, the Nominating Committee may propose a new nominee up
to three months in advance of the annual meeting of members.
9.
In the event that a candidate becomes unavailable after the nominations
have been announced, the Nominating Committee may propose a new nominee
until January 15. Procedures for dealing with any vacancy occurring
after that date will be decided by the Governing Council.
ARTICLE XV. STANDING AND AD HOC COMMITTEES
1.
The work of the Association may be facilitated by the creation of
standing and ad hoc committees. Standing committees are created for
tasks that are anticipated to require continuous attention for an
indefinite period of time. Ad hoc committees are established for
assignments of a one-time or irregularly occurring nature, but that can
be completed within a year.
2. Standing committees are
established or terminated by a majority vote of the Governing Council
which shall specify their mission and membership size. Standing
committees are responsible to the Governing Council and should report
to it at least once a year. At the discretion of the Governing Council
these annual reports may be given to the Annual Meeting of Members
and/or submitted in writing for publication. On recommendation of the
President, the Governing Council designates the individuals to serve as
chair and members of a standing committee for terms of two years. The
chair of a standing committee may not serve consecutive terms.
3.
Ad hoc committees are appointed for a maximum period of one year by the
President who determines their mission and membership. Ad hoc
committees report to the President in the manner he/she specifies
except for the Nominating Committee which shall perform as stated in
Article XIII.
4. The President-elect shall appoint three members of the Finance Committee for two-year terms.
ARTICLE XVI. LEGAL AND FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
1.
The Association shall seek to maintain tax exemption under the terms of
the internal revenue legislation of the country in which the
Headquarters are located.
2. No officer or agency of the Association shall borrow money in the name of the Association.
ARTICLE XVII. AMENDMENTS
1. Amendments to this constitution may be proposed by the Governing Council or by the membership.
2.
Proposed amendments that are approved by a two-thirds vote of the
Governing Council shall be submitted to a mail ballot of the members of
the Association.
3. Any group of thirty-five or more members of
the Association may propose amendments by a signed petition submitted
to the Executive Director not less than sixty days prior to the annual
meeting of members. The Executive Director shall promptly announce such
proposals to the members. If the annual meeting of members endorses a
proposed amendment by a majority vote, it shall be considered by the
Governing Council, and if at least one-third of those voting in the
Governing Council approve, the amendment shall be submitted to the
members of the Association in a mail ballot.
4. Amendments supported by a majority of those voting in a mail ballot shall be declared adopted.
Last Revised: The ISA Constitution was formally amended by a vote of the members on March 30, 2009, amending the turnout provision in Article XIV for voting in uncontested leadership (President,
three Vice Presidents) elections from a minimum turnout of 20 percent
to a minimum turnout of 15 percent.
