ASLE UKI Constitution
Article I.
NAME
Section 1.01 The name of this organisation is the Association for the Study of
Literature and Environment, United Kingdom and Ireland (hereafter ASLE UKI), an
affiliate of ASLE (the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment). ASLE UK
was established on 25th September 1999 at Bretton Hall. It was renamed ASLE UKI in
2010.
Article II.
PURPOSE
Section 2.01 The purpose of ASLE UKI is to encourage scholarship, criticism and
appreciation of environmental literature and of the relationship between literature and
environment, in the UK and Ireland. Consistent with this purpose, the activities of ASLE
UKI will include, but will not be limited to, the following:
(a) Scheduling and holding an ASLE UKI conference every two years.
(b) Encouragement and/or organisation of lectures, discussions, panels, academic
panels, literary readings and other fora, sponsored by ASLE UKI or by other
scholarly organizations that allow ASLE UKI participation in programming.
(c) Development of research networks.
(d) Publication of Green Letters, the official ASLE UKI journal.
(e) The creation and maintenance of a website (currently available at
www.asle.org.uk).
Article III.
MEMBERSHIP
Section 3.01 The members of ASLE UKI will be those with a scholarly, pedagogical or
creative interest in the relationship between literature and environment, including
academics, students, teachers, and writers, who seek to promote the understanding,
teaching, creation and appreciation of literature from environmental perspectives in
British and Irish contexts.
Section 3.02 Membership in ASLE UKI is open to all persons who subscribe to the
purpose set forth in this constitution and who pay the annual dues. ASLE UKI shall not
discriminate in any way against members or potential members on the basis of race,
gender, religion, age, nationality, ethnic origin, physical disability, or sexual orientation.
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Section 3.03 ASLE UKI will maintain a membership directory containing the name,
address and email address of each member. ASLE UKI will also maintain such books and
records as may be required by law and are consistent with the purpose of the
Association. The membership directory may be made available to outside parties for
purposes consistent with the ASLE UKI mission, with the consent of the Chair.
Section 3.04 Membership in ASLE UKI will cease when a member fails to pay annual
dues or submits a written resignation to the Chair. Termination of membership shall be
recorded in the membership roster. All rights and privileges of a member will cease
upon termination of membership.
Section 3.05 Changes in membership dues must be recommended by a majority of the
Executive Committee and approved by the AGM.
Section 3.06 Membership dues fund the operations and activities of ASLE UKI,
including but not limited to administrative services, governance, planning, meetings,
special projects, and publications.
Article IV.
RIGHTS & PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP
Section 4.01 Each member will have voting rights in all matters submitted to the
general membership, including election of Chair, Deputy Chair, and Executive
Committee members.
Section 4.02 Each member will be eligible for nomination, election, or appointment to
all offices in ASLE UKI.
Section 4.03 ASLE UKI members will receive Green Letters and other publications
(print or electronic) from time to time as the Executive Committee may designate.
Section 4.04 ASLE UKI members are eligible, upon acceptance by conference and
symposia organisers, to present papers at ASLE UKI conferences and symposia.
Section 4.05 Any member may submit to the Nominating Committee nominations for
the elective offices of ASLE UKI, provided that the nominee is a member of ASLE UKI
and indicates a willingness to serve. Such nominees will be included in a ballot sent to
the general membership.
Article V.
OFFICERS
Section 5.01 The officers of ASLE UKI are: Chair, Deputy Chair, Immediate Past Chair,
Secretary, Treasurer, two at-large members of the Executive Committee, two
Postgraduate Officers, the Editor of Green Letters and the Web Editor.
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(a) The Executive Committee consists of the Executive Officers (Chair, Deputy Chair,
Immediate Past Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, two at-large Executive Committee
members, and two Postgraduate Officers) and Appointed Officers (usually the
Editor of Green Letters and Web Editor). All have voting privileges.
(b) The elected officer positions are: Chair, Deputy Chair, two at-large members of
the Executive Committee, and two Postgraduate Officers.
(c) The appointed officer positions may include: Editor of Green Letters and Web
Editor.
(d) The appointed non-officer positions may include the biennial conference director
and others deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.
Section 5.02 Officers of ASLE UKI will receive no compensation for their service.
Section 5.03 ASLE UKI aims to reflect and represent the interests and membership of
the UK and Ireland in its election of officers.
Article VI.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 6.01 The Chair will preside at meetings of the ASLE UKI Executive Committee
and the general membership, and will represent ASLE UKI and its purposes to other
organisations and the general public. The Chair will supervise the operations of ASLE
UKI in a judicious and diligent manner.
Section 6.02 The Chair will report to the general membership at least annually on the
state of the Association. This report will appear in a document sent (electronically or in
print) to all members.
(a) The Chair will be responsible for scheduling and arranging all ASLE UKI
meetings. In filling this and any other Association responsibility, the Chair may
call upon other officers, members of the Executive Committee, and such ad hoc
committees as the Chair may wish to appoint, for assistance.
(b) The Chair, upon approval by majority vote of the Executive Committee, is
responsible for appointing non-elected officers.
(c) Based on the Treasurer-prepared annual budget for Executive Committee
approval, the Chair may authorise disbursements from the treasury.
(d) The Chair may delegate such authority as needed for a limited time to persons in
charge of special projects.
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Section 6.03 The Deputy Chair will assist the Chair and will ordinarily act as Chair pro
tem whenever the Chair is absent, has resigned, or is otherwise unable to perform the
duties of that office. The Deputy Chair is also the Chair-elect and will automatically
become Chair when the Chair’s term expires. The Deputy Chair chairs the Nominating
Committee.
Section 6.04 The Secretary will record the minutes of all meetings of the general
membership and the ASLE UKI officers, preserve records of the actions of the
Association, maintain the membership directory, including a current email directory of
members. The Secretary will report on these matters to the AGM. The Secretary will
count ballots in ASLE UKI elections. The Secretary will serve as the “institutional
memory” of ASLE UKI.
Section 6.05 The Treasurer will maintain all financial records of Chair-authorised
treasury transactions and disbursements, and membership dues and receipts. The
Treasurer is authorised to maintain bank accounts in the name of ASLE UKI. After close
consultation with the Executive Committee regarding the programme and financial
priorities of the up-coming fiscal year, the Treasurer will prepare the annual budget and
propose it for the scrutiny and passage by vote of the Executive Committee. The
Treasurer will report annually to the AGM and the Executive Committee on the state of
membership and finances.
Section 6.06 The Editor of Green Letters will serve as chair of his or her editorial board,
which will oversee the production and distribution of the publication. The Editor will
provide an annual report on that publication to the Executive Committee.
Section 6.07 The Web Editor will oversee the maintenance of the ASLE UKI website,
ensuring that ASLE UKI is appropriately represented on the web and hence in the public
domain.
Section 6.08 The Postgraduate Officers will represent the interests of postgraduate
members. They will report to postgraduate members at least annually on the state of
the Association in relation to postgraduate interests and activities. They will be
responsible for the organisation of the biennial postgraduate conference.
Section 6.09 The two elected members-at-large of the Executive Committee will
represent the general membership of ASLE UKI in a judicious manner, and may
undertake the coordination of such forward-looking special projects or tasks that the
Executive Committee may deem appropriate for and in accordance with the aims of
ASLE UKI.
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Section 6.10 The Executive Committee is the primary policy-making body of ASLE UKI.
It will review programming, procedures, and policies of the Association regularly and
revise them as needed to meet the Association's purposes most effectively. The
Committee will meet at least once every calendar year, at the call of the Chair. The
purpose of this meeting will be for business transaction, budgeting, planning,
programme review, etc.; appointed officers and others may be invited to assist the
Executive Committee during these deliberations. Between formal meetings, the
Executive Committee members may be consulted by mail, email, or telephone as
necessary. Decisions of the Executive Committee will be determined by majority vote of
those voting (whether in meeting or by correspondence), providing there is a quorum of
four members.
Article VII.
COMMITTEES
Section 7.01 The Nominating Committee will consist of the Chair, Deputy Chair and
Secretary. The Nominating Committee will receive nominations for each office of the
Association for which an election will be held in that calendar year, and for determining
each candidate's willingness to serve.
Section 7.02 The Advisory Board will consist of scholars of international standing in
the field, nominated and invited by the Executive Committee. The role of the Advisory
Board is to offer expert advice as and when requested by the Executive Committee.
Section 7.03 Ad hoc and special project committees, task forces, etc., can be established
by the Executive Committee as needed.
Article VIII.
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 8.01 Election of Executive Committee members will be conducted biennially,
usually at the AGM in the year of the ASLE UKI conference. The exceptions are the Chair,
assumed by the Deputy Chair as Chair-elect, and the Postgraduate Officers, elections for
which will be conducted annually.
Section 8.02 The Nominating Committee will provide a slate of nominees for each
position to be filled in the next election. Email and print communications will invite
nominations from the general membership in the spring of the year of election. A
candidate may be nominated by any ASLE UKI member (including her or himself),
provided the candidate indicates a willingness to serve. The Nominating Committee will
present its election slate to the Executive Committee before the slate is offered to the
general membership for voting. The Executive Committee may nominate additional
candidates.
Section 8.03 In case of a tie vote, the vote of the incumbent Executive Committee will
break the tie.
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Article IX.
TERMS OF OFFICE
Section 9.01 Elective terms of office begin in September of the year of election, usually
at the AGM.
Section 9.02 The Chair will serve a term of four years.
Section 9.03 The Immediate Past Chair will serve on the Executive Committee for two
years after the end of his or her term.
Section 9.04 The Deputy Chair will be elected halfway through the Chair’s four-year
term. The Deputy Chair will automatically succeed to Chair when the Chair’s term
expires.
Section 9.05 The Secretary, Treasurer, and two at-large members of the Executive
Committee will each serve terms of two years. If willing, the Secretary and Treasurer
may be reappointed for subsequent terms by the Chair, upon majority approval of the
Executive Committee.
Section 9.06 The Postgraduate Officers will each serve a term of one year.
Section 9.07 Terms of office for appointed officers will be decided by the Executive
Committee.
Article X.
REMOVAL OR RESIGNATION FROM OFFICE
Section 10.01 If an officer of the Association fails to carry out the duties of office, or
carries them out in a way clearly detrimental to the interests of the Association, a
written request to remove that individual from office may be placed before the
Executive Committee by any ASLE UKI member. If a member of the Executive
Committee presents this request as an official motion and if the motion is seconded,
then a bill of particulars must be presented, in writing, to the officer in question by the
Executive Committee member who sponsored the motion to remove. The officer will
then be given reasonable time to read and consider the bill of particulars and prepare
copies of a written response. The Executive Committee will then consider the bill of
particulars and hear the officer's response. At the conclusion of the hearing, the
Committee, excluding the officer in question, will vote on the motion. At least two-thirds
of the full membership of the Executive Committee must vote in the affirmative for the
motion to be accepted. If the motion does pass, the officer in question will at that point
be removed from office and will surrender to the Executive Committee all documents
related to that office during her or his tenure. If the officer removed is the Chair, the
Deputy Chair will assume the duties of the office. For any other elected officer of the
Association, the Chair will appoint a replacement to serve until the next election by the
general membership. For appointed officers, the Chair, upon the approval of a majority
vote of the Executive Committee, will appoint a replacement.
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Section 10.02 If the Chair resigns before the completion of her or his term, the Deputy
Chair will assume the duties of the office and appoint a Deputy Chair until the next
election by the general membership. If the Deputy Chair or an Executive Committee
member resigns before the completion of her or his term, the Chair will appoint a
replacement to serve until the next election by the general membership. If the Editor of
Green Letters or the Website Editor resigns before that individual's term is completed,
the Chair, upon the approval of a majority vote of the Executive Committee, will appoint
a replacement.
Article XI.
ASLE UKI MEETINGS
Section 11.01 A general membership meeting of ASLE UKI will be held annually, usually
at the ASLE UKI conference. The majority of the general members present can vote on
items presented by the Executive Committee, so long as the votes are not in conflict
with procedures established elsewhere in the constitution.
Article XII.
AMENDMENTS
Section 12.01 This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the
full membership of the Executive Committee.
Section 12.02 Any amendments to the constitution thus approved will be reported to
the general membership in a timely fashion.
Article XIII.
DISSOLUTION
Section 13.01 ASLE UKI may be dissolved upon recommendation of a two-thirds vote of
the Executive Committee and approval by ballot of two-thirds of the Association's
members who vote on the question of dissolution. At least one month must be allowed
for return of all ballots.
Section 13.02 The Chair, Deputy Chair and Secretary shall form the Dissolution
Committee and carry out all tasks necessary to concluding the business of the
Association, including, but not limited to, placement of ASLE UKI records and papers in
a professionally maintained archive; notification to the general membership of the
Association's dissolution; and finalising the remaining publication schedule of Green
Letters.
Section 13.03 In the event of dissolution, all assets remaining after liabilities have been
met shall be distributed to a recognised charity with environmental interests.
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