SOUTHERN AFRICAN SOCIETY FOR NEAR EASTERN STUDIES (SASNES)

(formerly ‘South African Society for Semitics’)

CONSTITUTION
  1. NAME

The name of the organisation shall be “The Southern African Society for Near Eastern Studies”, hereafter abbreviated to SASNES. The Afrikaans name shall be “Die Suider-Afrikaanse Vereniging vir Nabye Oosterse Studie”, hereafter abbreviated to SAVNOS.

  1. AIMS

The aims of SASNES are to promote the study of and the research on the Near East (including North Africa) in the spheres of language, literature, culture, religion, history and archaeology, by way of:

2.1       academic contact

2.2       research co-ordination and information

2.3       congresses and workshops

2.4       publications, a periodical and a newsletter

2.5       any other means which the executive might consider appropriate.

  1. MEMBERSHIP

3.1       Anyone, irrespective of sex, religion or race, who on the grounds of academic activity or any other scientific activity, shows an interest in the Near East and who complies with the minimum entry qualifications as indicated in 3.2 may become a member of SASNES.

3.2       The minimum qualification for membership is a Baccalaureus degree in Near Eastern Studies or related discipline (e.g. BA in Fine Arts), or an equivalent qualification. Persons not meeting these qualifications can be accepted as members of the society by the executive on merit.

3.3       Application for membership must be submitted in writing to the committee and shall be subject to its approval.

3.4       Membership fees may be periodically revised by the committee in consultation with the general meeting and are payable annually. Emeritus members still pay membership fees.

3.5       A member who fails to pay his membership subscription for three years shall have his membership automatically terminated after being informed by the secretary.

3.6       A member may terminate his membership of his own accord or the committee may terminate his membership without providing reasons, if they are convinced that the said member is obstructing the aims of the society.

3.7       The committee shall keep a list of all members and their addresses, as well as their fields of research.

  1. COMMITTEE

4.1       The committee shall be elected by the general meeting for a term of office for three years (with the exception of the editor of the journal who will be an ex officio member of the committee) on the understanding that committee members may not be elected for a third unbroken term to the same office.

4.2       The committee shall consist of:

  • A chairperson
  • A vice-chairperson

4.2.3    A secretary

4.2.4    A treasurer

4.2.5    Two additional members

4.2.6    The editor of the journal (ex officio)

4.3       The committee shall carry out the resolutions of the general meeting and see to the dissemination of the newsletter.

4.4       The committee shall appoint the editor of the journal, and in consultation with him the other editorial members of the journal, for a period of three years.

4.5       The committee must submit for approval, to each annual general meeting, a general report on its and the society’s activities, as well as an audited statement of the finances of SASNES.

4.6       Vacancies which might occur on the committee before the expiry of its term of office, will be filled by the committee exercising its power of co-option.  A co-opted member shall, at the election of the committee, be regarded as eligible, as if he had served a full term in the relevant position.

4.7       The committee shall meet at such time and place as may be decided.

4.8       Three members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

  1. GENERAL MEETING

5.1       The general meeting shall take place during the congress.

5.2       Those members of SASNES present shall constitute a quorum.

5.3       The right to vote shall be restricted to fully paid-up members.  The right to vote may be transferred from one member to another in writing.

5.4       A general meeting is empowered to elect a new committee every three years, evaluate and discuss the activities and the audited financial statement submitted by the committee and take decisions regarding the next congress.

5.5       The secretary will be responsible for taking minutes at the general meeting, and for their dissemination.

  1. CONGRESS

6.1       The society will annually hold a congress, preferably in rotation at a different institution, which will appoint a congress secretary to work in conjunction with the executive to make the necessary arrangements. The executive can co-opt members to form an organising committee.

6.2       The congress may take the form of lectures and/or workshops.

6.3       The programme of a congress will be arranged by the committee at least two months before the congress, on the basis of those speakers who have indicated that they will present papers and whose participation has been approved by the organising committee.

6.4       Summaries of the lectures to be delivered at the congress, must be received by the organising committee at least one month before the congress.

6.5       Completed (press-ready) manuscripts, in order to be selected for publication in the journal, may be sent to the committee not later than one month after the congress.

6.6       Selected congress lectures will be published as soon as possible after the congress in an edition of the journal.

  1. JOURNAL

7.1       The society shall publish its own journal which shall preferably appear twice a year.

7.2       The editor shall be appointed by the committee and in collaboration with him the other members of the editorial board, with the understanding that the editorial staff shall be representative of the Southern African Universities and academics.

  1. LANGUAGE MEDIUM

8.1       Members may make use of whichever medium they prefer. Correspondence will be sent out in both official languages.

8.2       Minutes and reports will be drawn up both in English and Afrikaans.

  1. CONTACT AND AFFILIATION

SASNES aims to have contact and affiliation with national and international academic associations.

  1. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

10.1     Amendments to the constitution may only be effected by a two-thirds majority of members present at a general meeting.

10.2     Notice of proposed amendments to the constitution must be received by the committee at least two months before a general meeting in order that they may be circulated to all members of SASNES.

  1. LEGAL INCORPORATION AND LIABILITY

11.1     The committee of SASNES is charged with the opening of a bank account and the administration thereof, for the collection and expenditure of funds to achieve the aims and fulfil the functions of the society, and to maintain orderly accounts of all income and expenditure.

11.2     The corporate liability of members of SASNES shall be limited to arrear membership subscriptions.

11.3     Should SASNES be dissolved, its assets will be divided amongst all members whose membership fees are fully paid.