Original Constitution

(as amended January 2008)

1. The Society shall be called The Australasian Society for Classical Studies.

2. The aim of the Society shall be the advancement of the study of ancient Greece and Rome and related fields.

3. Membership of the Society shall be open to all present and past members of university staffs in Australia and New Zealand who are or have been engaged in teaching or research in the languages, literature, history, thought and archaeology of the ancient world, and to other interested persons.

Honorary Life Membership may be awarded to those members who have served the Society over a long period of time and/or in a distinguished manner, or to those who have made a significant contribution to classical studies in Australia or New Zealand. Nominations for Honorary Life Membership are to be made by the President, in consultation with two long-standing members of the Society and with the agreement of a full meeting of the Executive Committee.

4. The annual subscription, which shall run from 1st January to 31st December, shall be fixed from time to time by General Meetings of the Society.

5. At least every two years a General Meeting of the Society shall be held at which the Executive Committee shall be elected to hold office until the next General Meeting. At least six months’ notice of a General Meeting shall be given.

Special meetings for a specific purpose consonant with the aim of the Society shall be called by the Secretary at any time at the request in writing of any five members of the Society. At least one month’s notice of such meetings shall be given.

6. The Officers of the Society shall be:−

(a) the President, who shall not hold office for more than three consecutive terms,
(b) the Vice-President(s), of whom there may be up to two,
(c) the Secretary,
(d) the Treasurer,
(e) the Editors of the journal,
(f) the Business Manager of the journal,
(g) the Website Manager,
(h) one Member from each university, and
(i) one Postgraduate Student Member.

Nominations for these positions shall be called for in writing at least one month in advance of a proposed General Meeting, the agreement of the person nominated also being indicated in writing, though nominations can also be made at a General Meeting.

The Officers shall be elected by a General Meeting of the Society and a term of office shall be not more than two years. These Officers shall constitute the Executive Committee, to which the General Meeting may delegate such powers as it shall from time to time determine.

Should any of the above offices fall vacant in the period between General Meetings of the Society, the Executive Committee may at its discretion co-opt a member to that office for the remainder of their term of office.

The Executive Committee shall co-opt a representative nominated by the Council of the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens.

7. The Society shall publish a journal which shall be called “Antichthon”. The publication of the journal shall be in the hands of two Editors advised by an Editorial Committee of five. The Editors and the Editorial Committee shall be elected by a General Meeting of the Society for the same period as the Executive Committee.

8. The quorum for a General Meeting of the Society shall be one fifth of the financial members at the time, or sixty financial members, whichever is the fewer.

The quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be four.

9. Alterations to the constitution (signed by the mover and seconder) shall be submitted in writing* to the Secretary at least four months before a General Meeting of the Society and communicated* to the members of the Society at least three months before the General Meeting concerned. A vote on the proposed alteration(s) shall be conducted either by a postal/electronic* vote of all the financial members of the Society or by a vote in person at a General Meeting or by a combination of both (provided that no member casts more than one vote on any proposed alteration). An alteration shall not be passed except by a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes actually cast, and provided that at least one-fifth of the financial members of the Society at the time cast a vote.

* Emailing shall be deemed to be an acceptable form of written and postal communication and voting for those members who have indicated to the Secretary their willingness to receive communications electronically.

10. In conformity with the provisions of the Federal Income Tax Assessment Acts concerning public educational institutions, all the funds of the Society shall be devoted solely to the fulfilment of the aims set out in this constitution. No member shall receive any financial benefits therefrom, and in the event of the Society’s ceasing its activities, any funds remaining after meeting its legal commitments shall be transferred to an institution with similar aims and objectives.

11. The Society shall open such society bank accounts as shall be approved by a General Meeting of the Society or the Executive Committee. The President, the Secretary and the Treasurer for the time being and such persons as are authorized by them from time to time (any two of them signing together) shall be authorized to operate these accounts. The Society’s accounts shall be regularly audited.