Complement to the

Constitution of The Society of Dix-Neuviémistes

Relationship to the Constitution

This document, which derives from the former Constitution of the Society of Dix-Neuviémistes, provides further information relating to the Constitution of the Society of Dix-Neuviémistes.

Name of the Society

The name of the Society, which shall be based in the UK or Ireland, is The Society of Dix-Neuviémistes, called in this document ‘the Society’. This means the society of those studying French and Francophone nineteenth-century culture.

Objects of the Society

The object of the Society shall be to advance education for the public benefit, specifically in relation to nineteenth-century French history and culture, primarily among scholars based in the UK or the Republic of Ireland. This outcome shall be achieved in particular by:

1 providing a forum for the promotion and dissemination of research in nineteenth-century French and Francophone studies;

2 encouraging interdisciplinary and comparative approaches to the long nineteenth century  in France and Francophone countries, embracing linguistic, literary, artistic, historical, cultural, philosophical and pedagogical perspectives;

3 fostering nineteenth-century French and Francophone studies in the postgraduate and postdoctoral community, and supporting postgraduates and early career researchers working in the field;

4 encouraging and supporting the research of the academic community of nineteenth-century French and Francophone scholars at different career stages, particularly early-career scholars;

5 organising an annual conference, and working with a publisher on the content of an international, fully-refereed journal, Dix-Neuf;

6 liaising  with related societies in France, the UK, the USA and elsewhere.

Membership of the Society

1 Membership is conditional on payment of the annual subscription, which falls due on 1st January each year. The amount of the subscription shall be determined as appropriate by the Executive Committee and communicated to current members by 1st November of each calendar year. A special subscription rate shall be offered to postgraduate and retired members, members not in full-time employment and members from low-income countries and newly emerging economies.

2 Each member of the Society shall have voting rights at the Annual General Meeting of the Society. None of the rights of any member of the Society may be transferred to any other person.

3 The Society may on the proposal of the Executive Committee admit to Honorary Membership individuals who render outstanding services to the Society or its aims. Honorary Members shall be full voting members of the Society.

4 Membership records shall be kept for three years by the Membership Secretary.

Termination of Membership

1 A member ceases to be a member of the Society if:

a) the member resigns from membership by giving notice in writing to the Society;

b) the member’s subscription remains unpaid six months after it is due and the Executive Committee resolves to end that person’s membership after having sent at least two reminders;

c) the Executive Committee deems, on the basis of convincing evidence from more than one source, that a member’s conduct is detrimental to the aims of the Society and resolves to end that person’s membership. Such a decision should be made at a routine or extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee, and minuted carefully. For further detail on this point, see provision 9(4) of the Constitution.

2 However, in exceptional circumstances the Executive Committee may make a resolution allowing anyone no longer eligible for membership to remain a member on such terms as it thinks fit.

5. Meetings

1 The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall have authority to determine any matters concerning the activity of the Society.

2 Special Meetings of the Society, which shall have the authority of Annual General Meetings, may be called by the President, either on the President’s own authority or on receipt of a written request signed by at least ten members of the Society or one tenth of the membership, whichever is greater. For further detail on this point, see provision 10(5) of the Constitution.

3 Notice of the Annual General Meeting or of any Special Meeting of the Society shall normally be given to the members at least twenty-one days before the date of any such meeting, and definitely fourteen clear days, before the date of any such meeting. For further detail on this point, see provision 11 of the Constitution.

4 Minutes of all meetings and proceedings shall be kept indefinitely, in electronic files shared by current members of the Executive Committee. The minutes of the previous AGM shall be circulated to all members ahead of the AGM. The minutes of the Executive Committee meetings shall made available for inspection on request by any member of the Society.

Quorum

1 No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present.

2 A quorum is 10 members entitled to vote upon the business to be conducted at the meeting; or one tenth of the total membership at the time, whichever is the greater.

3 If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting; or if during a meeting a quorum ceases to be present, the meeting shall be adjourned.

4 The trustees (i.e. at least three of the elected executive officers) must re-convene the meeting and must give at least seven clear days’ notice of the re-convened meeting, stating the date time and place of the meeting.

5 If no quorum is present at the re-convened meeting within fifteen minutes of the time specified for the start of the meeting the members present at that time shall constitute the quorum for that meeting.

Accounts

1 Proper accounts shall be kept, and an annual statement of the accounts shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting. The accounts shall show all amounts received and spent by the Society, all sales and purchases by the Society, and the assets and liabilities of the Society.

2 The account books shall give a true and fair view of the state of the Society’s affairs and explain its transactions.

3 The accounts of the Society shall be independently inspected and audited on an annual basis.

4 The accounts shall be made available for inspection by all members of the Society.

For further detail, see provision 27 of the constitution.

Use of funds

1 The Society shall be a non-profit making organisation. All income, property or funds of the Society shall be used in the protection and promotion of the Society’s aims.

2 The Society may make reasonable and proper payment for any services rendered to the Society, or for any purchases necessary to promote the Society’s aims.

3 The Society may make reasonable and proper remuneration of incidental expenses incurred in the service of the Society’s objects or the management of the Society, to any elected or appointed officer of the Society.

4 The Society delegates to the President and Treasurer the authority to make such payments as are included within 2 and 3, and to manage the Society’s finances.

Executive Committee

1 The Executive Committee shall be responsible to the members of the Society for the management of its affairs and for the implementation and promotion of the Society’s aims. It shall report as appropriate to all members annually at the time of the Annual General Meeting, and to any member who requests copies of the latest annual reports by contacting the Secretary.

2 The Executive Committee shall meet at least twice yearly. Meetings shall be called by the President, on his or her authority or on receipt of a written request signed by at least four Executive Committee members.

3 The Executive Committee shall propose General Editors and the Editorial Board members for the Society’s scholarly journal, Dix-Neuf, to the journal’s publisher.

4 The Executive Committee shall appoint up to two Communications Officers to manage the Society’s communications, for example via the web site, discussion lists and social media presence. These appointments shall be for a period of three years in the first instance.

5 The Executive Committee shall appoint a Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher representative to advise on appropriate support for the ECR community.

6 The position of Vice President shall be occupied for an interim period before they take up the post of President.

Membership of the Executive Committee

1 The following Elected Officers of the Society shall form the Executive Committee of the Society and will become its trustees (for detail about the role and responsibilities of trustees, see provisions 17–30 of the Constitution):

a) a President;
b) (when applicable) a Vice President;
c) a Secretary;
d) a Treasurer;
e) a Membership Secretary;
f) a Conference Officer;

2 The General Editors of the Society’s scholarly journal and the appointed officers (the Communications Officer(s) and the Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher Representative) shall, ex officio, sit on the Executive Committee.

3 The Executive Committee may co-opt not more than two additional members. Co-opted members shall serve for a period of up to one year, ending at the ensuing Annual General Meeting.

4 The Executive Committee may, at its discretion, extend invitations to other learned Societies or groups to appoint a representative who shall serve either as a member by affiliation of the Executive Committee, or as a corresponding member of the Executive Committee. Such appointments shall be for a period not exceeding three years, with the possibility of re-appointment.

Elections

1 Elections for Officers of the Society shall be by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations, to be supported by a proposer and a seconder, shall be solicited by the Secretary at least twenty-one days in advance of the Annual General Meeting, to be in the Secretary’s hands not less than three days before the start of the meeting.

2 All elected Officers of the Society shall serve for three years in the first instance, with the possibility of re-election for a period not exceeding three years.

Amendments to the Constitution

1 Proposals to amend the Constitution shall be notified to members of the Society not less than twenty-one days before an Annual General Meeting. Proposals may be presented by the Executive Committee or by a motion lodged with the Secretary at least four weeks prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting and signed by at least ten members of the Society.

2 A motion to amend the Constitution shall be approved if supported by at least two thirds of the votes cast at the Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting.

For further detail, see provision 7 of the Constitution.

Dissolution of the Society

1 Any proposal to dissolve the Society shall be notified to members of the Society not less than four weeks before an Annual General Meeting. Proposals may be presented by the Executive Committee or by a motion lodged with the Secretary at least eight weeks prior to the date of an Annual General Meeting and signed by at least twenty members of the Society.

2 A motion to dissolve the Society shall be approved if supported by at least two thirds of the votes cast in a postal ballot of the members of the Society. In the event of members deciding to dissolve the Society, a Residual Executive of five members shall be elected to oversee the conclusion of outstanding business.

3 If the Society is dissolved, and there remains any property after all debts and liabilities have been met, the property must be given or transferred to some other institution having similar aims to those of the Society.

For further detail, see provision 6 of the Constitution.