(1) The Association shall be called the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MARITIME ECONOMISTS (hereafter referred to as "the Association")
INTERPRETATIONS (2) In this Constitution and in all Council Regulations: a. Words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine; b. "Maritime economics" shall include the study of all-economic activities and effects appearing in a maritime context.
AIM OF THE ASSOCIATION (3) The aim of the Association shall be to promote the development of maritime economics as a distinct discipline, to encourage rational and reasoned discussion within it and to facilitate the international exchange of ideas and research.
(4) In pursuit of this aim, the Association may:
a. Organise meetings and conferences at which various aspects of maritime economics may be discussed;
b. Promote and provide for its Members a Newsletter and promote access to a journal or journals, conferences and other activities deemed appropriate by Council;
c. Encourage and assist the education and training of maritime economists;
d. Encourage the growth of maritime economics in those regions where it has not previously been effective;
e. Promote research in all aspects of maritime economics; and
f. Take any other action to engage in or promote any activity that the Association considers desirable, in the interests of maritime economists, of the discipline as a whole or of the Association.
COUNCIL OF THE ASSOCIATION (5) The Council of the Association shall consist of the President, the Vice-Presidents (if any), the Treasurer, the Secretary, and 10 other Members of the Association. To be nominated for Council and to hold office a person must be a paid-up member of the Association.
(6) The Council may co-opt on to the Council up to three additional Members of the Association, for periods of up to two years, to achieve a regional, technical or other representation considered desirable by Council.
(7) The Chair of an Ordinary Meeting (Article 36) shall be made a member of Council if he/she is not already on Council. Article 10 (the maximum number of terms) does not apply.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL (8) The Council shall have power to administer, manage, direct and control the property and affairs of the Association; and to make Regulations for that purpose, which shall be binding on Members of the Association.
It may establish Committees, either from Members of the Council or Individual Members of the Association, and may delegate to such Committees any of the powers conferred on it by this Constitution. The Council shall itself regulate its meetings, procedures and proceedings and those of its Committees. The Council may establish quorums for such meetings. The Secretary shall, at the request of the President or any other three Members of the Council, convene a Meeting of the Council.
ELECTION OF THE COUNCIL (9) At the 1992 General Meeting and thereafter at intervals of two years, the Members of the Association shall elect the Members of the Council
(10) Members of the Council may not serve more than three consecutive terms of two years but may stand for re-election after a two-year break.
(11) The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by the membership. The President shall not serve more than two consecutive terms, of two years each. The Secretary and Treasurer may serve more than two consecutive terms, of two years each on the recommendation of a Nominating Committee constituted as set down in Article 13.
(12) The Members of the Council shall be elected by the Members of the Association. In the event of Members of the Council retiring or otherwise vacating their posts, their places shall be filled for the unexpired period of their term of office from among the defeated candidates in reverse order of elimination.
(13) The Past-President and Secretary of the Council shall form a Nominating Committee with three members of Council. The Nominating Committee will be responsible for nominating a slate of persons who agree to stand for the positions respectively of President, Treasurer and Secretary and Council (ten members). The nomination list shall be distributed to Members not less than ten weeks before the General Meeting. Other candidates for President, Treasurer, Secretary or membership of the Council may be nominated by any Member of the Association, provided the Secretary is advised in writing (including facsimile transmission or electronically), not less than six weeks before the General Meeting, under the signature of the Member, with the written agreement of the Candidate (including facsimile transmission or electronically), that he/she is willing to stand. Candidates may, if they so wish, nominate themselves.
(14) Members unable to attend the General Meeting will be able to vote by post, facsimile transmission or electronically to the Secretary in advance of the close of voting, using the appropriate voting form, which will be circulated with the notification of the General Meeting not less than four weeks before the Meeting.
(15) Ballots received prior to the General Meeting shall be counted and the results held confidential by appointed scrutineers until completion of the counting of all ballots at the General Meeting. Arrangements for voting shall be made at the meeting site such that voting is possible prior to and at the General Meeting. A voters list shall be maintained under the authority of the Secretary.
BIENNIAL REPORTS (16) At each General Meeting, the President shall present a Report in writing on the state of the Association, the Treasurer shall present a written statement of the Accounts and the Secretary shall present a written statement of the number of Members by class. Opportunity shall be provided to discuss these reports. The Reports shall subsequently be circulated with the Newsletter of the Association.
FINANCE (17) The income and property of the Association shall be solely applied towards the promotion of the aim of the Association, and no part of it shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by ways of dividends, bonus or otherwise by way of profits to Members of the Association.
(18) The Council shall cause proper books of account to be kept by the Treasurer. Once every year, the Treasurer shall provide a written statement of accounts to the Council and a suitably qualified person, approved by the Council, shall submit a letter to the Council giving an opinion that the statement of accounts present fairly the financial position and results of the Association.
NATIONAL AND REGIONAL BRANCHES (19) Upon request, the Council may establish National, Regional or Special Interest Branches of the Association in areas where there are, in its opinion, sufficient Members to ensure that local activities can be carried out satisfactorily.
(20) The President of the Branch shall automatically become a Vice-President of the Association and shall be entitled to attend Meetings of the Council and to vote.
(21) The Branches shall submit By-Laws for the conduct of their affairs for the approval of the Council. Should the activities of any Branch be, in the opinion of the Council, not conducted in the interests of the Association, or its membership fall to a level which is not viable, the Council may close down the Branch concerned.
HONOURARY VICE-PRESIDENTS (22) The Council may invite people eminent in maritime economics or related disciplines to accept office as Honourary Vice-Presidents when it wishes to honour them for their services to the profession. Honourary Vice-Presidents shall not be entitled to attend or vote at Meetings of the Council except by special invitation. The number of Honourary Vice-Presidents shall not exceed six at any one time.
MEMBERSHIP (23) There shall be four classes of Members: Individual Members; Corporate Members; Student Members; and Retired Members.
(24) Any person engaged in or interested in maritime economics may become an Individual Member of the Association, provided they are more than 21 years of age. Individual Members will be entitled to attend and vote at Meetings of the Association and to receive the Newsletter and other benefits as determined by the Council or Members, as appropriate.
(25) Any Organisation or Institution whose concerns include a substantial interest in maritime economics may become a Corporate Member of the Association, provided that the Organisation or Institution has been proposed by at least two Individual Members of the Association and that the Council of the Association has given its approval, which may be withheld without reason given. A Corporate Member may designate a representative to attend and vote on its behalf at Meetings of the Association (each Corporate Member having one vote).
A Corporate Member shall receive the Newsletter and other benefits as determined by Council. Membership of an Organisation having Corporate Member status shall not preclude any person from being an Individual, Student or a Retired Member.
(26) Any person in part- or full-time education or training relevant to maritime economics may become a Student Member of the Association, provided they are at least 16 years of age and have been proposed by an Individual Member of the Association, who shall certify that they are so engaged and indicate the expected duration of their studies (which shall not exceed five years). Student Members shall be entitled to attend Meetings of the Association and to vote, and to receive the Newsletter and other benefits as determined by Council.
(27) Any person who has been engaged or interested in maritime economics and is more than 60 years of age and not gainfully employed may become a Retired Member of the Association, provided that they have previously been an Individual Member, or have been proposed by an Individual Member of the Association, who shall certify that they meet the first two stipulations. Retired Members shall be entitled to attend Meetings of the Association and to vote, and to receive the Newsletter and other benefits as determined by Council.
SUBSCRIPTIONS (28) Annual subscriptions for Individual and Corporate Members shall be set, from time to time, by the Council. The Council shall establish a reduced scale of subscriptions for Student and Retired Members.
(29) Annual subscriptions shall be paid each year, by or on 31st March, in respect of the year ending on 31st December subsequent, at the rates determined by the Council.
(30) Any Member may, by notice in writing, facsimile transmission or electronically, resign their membership at any time, and shall take effect upon receipt by the Secretary.
(31) The Treasurer shall notify the Council of Members whose subscriptions are in arrears as of July 31 of the year. The Council may withhold from those Members whose subscriptions are in arrears, such privileges or membership as it sees fit. On 31st October each year, the Treasurer shall notify the Council of those Members whose subscriptions for the year are still unpaid and, unless the Council shall otherwise direct, they shall no longer be Members of the Association.
MEETINGS (32) The Meetings of the Association shall be: The General Meeting; Extraordinary General Meetings; Ordinary Meetings.
(33) There shall be a General Meeting of the Members, held at intervals of about 24 months, for the purpose of receiving the reports of the President, the Treasurer and the Secretary, of electing the Members of the Council of the Association for the ensuing biennium, of reviewing changes in subscription levels and the establishment of National, Regional or Special Interest Branches, and for any other business of which advance notice shall have been given to the Secretary.
(34) An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Council whenever it considers that the circumstances require such a Meeting. Such a Meeting shall also be convened by the Secretary upon the request of Members representing not less than 5% of the number of Members entitled to vote at General Meetings of the Association.
At least four months notice shall be given to Members of the place, time and purpose of an Extraordinary General Meeting. Any additions, amendments, alterations or deletions to the Constitution of the Association shall require the consent of not less than three-quarters of the votes of those voting at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose.
A copy of the proposed modification shall be sent to the Secretary not less than three months before the Extraordinary General Meeting at which it is to be discussed and the Secretary shall reproduce the text of the modification or any other Resolution to be considered by the Meeting, in the document convening the Meeting. The text of the modification or any other resolution should be made available to Members at least one month before the Extraordinary General Meeting
(35) Members unable to attend an Extraordinary General Meeting shall have the right to vote on any Resolution, by sending a proxy form to the Secretary. Such forms shall provide either that the Proxy's vote is cast in a particular manner or that the Proxy is given discretion on how to vote on the Member's behalf. Such forms shall be distributed by the Secretary with the notification of the Meeting.
(36) Ordinary Meetings, whose principal purpose shall be to present and discuss various aspects of maritime economics, by means of lectures, seminars, round tables or other types of conference, shall be convened by the Council at appropriate intervals.
Such Meetings shall be open to all classes of Members and may be held in collaboration with other bodies. They may be held before or after General or Extraordinary General Meetings, but shall be clearly distinct from them. The Council may invite non-Members to attend Ordinary Meetings, either as lecturers or participants, and establish the terms on which they may do so.
(37) The President shall take the Chair at General Meetings, Extraordinary General Meetings, Ordinary Meetings and Meetings of the Council unless he shall designate some other Member of the Council or, in exceptional circumstances, another Individual Member of the Association to serve as his Deputy. If the President is unable to designate a Deputy, the Meeting shall itself elect a presiding officer.
NEWSLETTER AND JOURNALS (38) The Association shall produce a Newsletter at regular intervals. The aim of the Newsletter shall be to keep Members informed of the general progress of maritime economics, to assist them in their contacts with other Members and to keep them informed about the affairs of the Association.
(39) The Editor of the Newsletter shall be appointed by the Council and be responsible to it. Material appearing in the Newsletter need not necessarily reflect the views of the Association or of its Members.
(40) The Association shall support one or more journals in ways to be determined by Council in consultation with Members.
LANGUAGE OF THE ASSOCIATION (41) The working language for meetings, proceedings and publications of the Association shall be English. The Council is empowered to waive this restriction in particular cases. However, Branches of the Association shall be free to adopt any language they may consider appropriate.
ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION (42) The foregoing Articles may only be amended, altered, supplemented or deleted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Articles 34 and 35 (Extraordinary General Meeting). Revisions of previous Constitution (“track changes”) To receive an MsWord document with highlighted changes to the original Constitution, please contact Trevor Heaver at tdheaver@shaw.ca. Mary Brooks and Trevor Heaver, on behalf of the Council.