QUATERNARY RESEARCH ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION

1. The name of the Association shall be the Quaternary Research Association.
   
2. Membership of the Association shall be open to all interested in furthering the objectives of the Association. The Association may elect Honorary Life Members in recognition of distinguished contributions to Quaternary Science.
   
3. The objective of the Association is the advancement of education and research into the Quaternary period. This shall be achieved through a programme of activities and by series of publications that are of benefit to the public. The aims of such activities shall be: (i) to enhance understanding of the nature of global environmental processes during the Quaternary period, and (ii) the dissemination of this information to the wider public. In furtherance of this objective, but not otherwise, the Association through its Executive Committee shall have the following powers: (a) To hold public meetings and exhibitions; (b) To publish pamphlets, leaflets, etc., (c) To do all such things as will further the objective. The Association shall also agree formal representation on the committees of appropriate scientific organisations, such as INQUA, ICSU and the Royal Society.
   
4. The association shall hold an Annual General Meeting, to which all registered members will be eligible to attend. The AGM shall be scheduled to coincide with the Annual Discussion Meeting held each January. Members of the Executive Committee of the Association (see below) shall be required to present the following at the AGM: (a) audits of the accounts and of the activities of the association in the preceding year; (b) a list of eligible contenders for office, to serve on the Executive Committee of the association for an agreed period, according to guidelines stipulated below; and (c) plans and proposals concerning future activities and governance of the Association. All proposals and decisions shall be subject to approval of the membership, and contested issues shall be resolved by vote of members attending the AGM.
   
5. The affairs of the Association shall be handled by an Executive Committee, which shall include the following officers: A President and Vice-President, each of whom may hold office for up to three years; a Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Publications Secretary, each of whom shall hold office for up to four years. The Executive Committee shall also include a Membership Officer, Meetings Officer, Awards Officer, Publicity Officer, Outreach Officer, Conservation Officer and one further ordinary member, each of whom may serve in this capacity for up to three years. The Executive Committee shall include two postgraduate members who may hold office for two years, a new representative being elected at the Annual Postgraduate Symposium in September each year. The Editor, Journal of Quaternary Science and Chair of the JAQR (or their nominees) shall be Ex Officio members of the Executive Committee for the duration of their respective terms of office. At least two new members of the Executive Committee shall be elected each year. Officers are eligible for election as ordinary members of the Executive Committee on completion of their term(s) of office. Ordinary members of the Executive Committee elected as officers may hold office for the period appropriate to the office. Ordinary members shall be eligible for re-election, but may not serve more than two consecutive three year terms.
   
6. New members of the Executive Committee shall be elected by postal ballot. Officers and ordinary-members shall be nominated by the Executive Committee, and the list of nominations shall be published in the June Circular. Members of the Association may make additional nominations up to the publication of the October Circular providing that each nomination is supported by at least two members of not less than one year's standing. Voting shall be on ballot papers published in the October Circular and the result of the ballot shall be announced at the Annual General Meeting.
   
7. The Executive Committee shall have power to co-opt to fill any vacancies which may arise in the Committee until the next Annual General Meeting of the Association.
   
8. The quorum for meetings of the Executive Committee is six members attending.
   
9. The President shall preside at all general and committee meetings at which he is present. In his absence, the Vice-President shall preside. If neither is present, the Secretary shall invite another member of the Executive Committee to preside.
   
10. The Secretary shall make all arrangements for the general organisation and conduct of meetings. The arrangements for particular meetings may be made the responsibility of a Local Secretary, who shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for this purpose. The Secretary shall arrange for the minutes of the proceedings or the Executive Committee Meetings, the Annual General Meeting and any specific General Meeting to be recorded, and these shall be entered regularly in the minute books. He/she shall keep records of other meetings, conduct the correspondence of the Association and report to the Executive Committee matters relating to the business of the Association.
    
11. The Treasurer shall receive and keep account of all the monies of the Association. He/she shall produce accounts whenever required by the Executive Committee, and shall also present the accounts for each financial year ending the 31st July, so that they may be audited and submitted to the Annual General Meeting of the Association. All monies received for the Association shall be paid into such bank as the Executive Committee shall appoint.
    
12. A Special General Meeting of the Association may be called at any time by the President, the Executive Committee, or any twelve registered members on application to the Secretary. Not less than thirty days' notice of the date and purpose of such a Special General Meeting shall be given to members, and no business shall be considered at such a meeting other than that for which it was convened.
    
13. The Association can only be dissolved through the following procedures. (1) A motion of dissolution of the Association, together with a full explanation of the reasons and letters of support from at least twelve registered members of the Association, should be submitted to the Secretary. (2) The Secretary of the Association shall convene a Special General Meeting of the Association to consider the motion. (3) If the SGM finds the case to merit the fuller consideration of the membership, a ballot (electronic and postal) will be arranged for a vote on the motion. A two-thirds majority of the voting members will be required to proceed to dissolution.
    
14. In the event of dissolution, the funds and other property of the Association, after the payment of all proper debts and liabilities, shall not be distributed among the members of the Association, but shall be given, paid, transferred or distributed to or among such other charitable institutions having similar objects to those of the Association as the Executive Committee with the approval of the Special General Meeting shall determine.
    
15. The first Annual Subscription shall be paid on joining the Association, but if a member joins in October, November or December the subscription shall cover the whole of the following calendar year. With this exception, all Annual Subscriptions shall become due on the 1st January for the subsequent year. Members whose subscriptions are in arrears are not liable to receive publications and may be excluded from meetings if attendance is restricted for any reason. Members whose subscriptions are more than one year in arrears may have their membership of the Association revoked by the Executive Committee, provided that a final reminder has been sent by the Treasurer at the end of the year for which no payment has been received.
    
16. The Annual Subscription shall be a sum determined at the Annual General Meeting.
    
17. Any member not in arrears with subscriptions may resign from the Association by giving notice in writing to the Membership Officer.
    
18. No alteration or addition to the Constitution of the Association shall be made except by a majority of votes of the members present at a General Meeting, and no alteration or addition to the Constitution shall be made which would cause the Association to cease to be a charity in law.
    
19. The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint Sub-Committees comprising at least two members of the Executive Committee. At meetings of the Sub-Committees more than half of the Sub-Committee membership is required to form a quorum. The Executive Committee shall have power to co-opt members to assist the Sub-Committees. The Sub-Committees shall be responsible to the Executive Committee and shall report to the Executive Committee at least once a year, normally at the January Executive Committee meeting.
    
20. The Executive Committee shall delegate authority to an Editorial Board to oversee the Journal of Quaternary Science. Nominations for Journal Editor shall be brought to the January meeting of the Executive Committee for formal ratification. The term of office of the Journal Editor shall normally be five years.