Articles of Association

1. Name: The title of the Association shall be the International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures (IASIL).

2. Objects: Subject always to Article 18, the purposes of the Association shall be to encourage study and research in Irish and Irish-Diaspora literatures and related fields of study. The Association shall concern itself with the holding of conferences at regular intervals; with periodical publication of papers and bulletins, relating particularly to the study and teaching of and research in, Irish literatures and culture; with travel and exchange facilities for scholars who wish to study and teach Irish literatures and culture; and with the collection of information about the nature and location of source materials.

3. Affiliation:

a) The Association shall seek affiliation with organisations with similar aims, and shall invite such

organisations to seek affiliation with the Association.

b) The basis of any affiliation shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

4. Application for Membership: Application for membership shall be received by the Treasurer, who shall forward membership information to the Secretary for the purpose of maintaining a membership database and active addresses for communication.  Membership may be denied at the sole discretion of the Executive Committee.

5. Membership: Membership of the Association shall be divided into the following categories:

a) Ordinary, i.e. for individuals.

b) Corporate, i.e., for institutions, libraries, publishing houses, societies.

c) Such other categories (e.g., membership for students and the unsalaried, couple membership, membership of the Association for members of affiliated organisations) as the Executive Committee may from time to time determine.

6. Subscriptions:

a) The annual subscription shall be such as may be determined from time to time by the Executive Committee in respect of each category of member.

b) The Executive Committee shall have power to allow reduced subscriptions following an Ordinary Member’s retirement from professional duties, for members who are unemployed, for undergraduate students and for graduates engaged in full time work for a higher degree. Other reductions shall have to be approved by the Annual General Meeting.

c) Subscriptions shall be due on 1 March each year and the Executive Committee may, without further notice and after due warning, terminate the membership of any member who is more than 10 months in arrears with her/his subscription.

7. Officers, and Executive Committee:

a) The Officers of the Association shall be the Chairperson, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. They shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting in each third year, and shall hold office for a period of three years. At the same Annual General Meeting, the members shall also elect, for a period of three years, five Vice-Chairpersons, who may be called upon to assist and deputise for, the Chairperson, when and where necessary. The Vice-Chairpersons shall represent five geographical areas: Europe (excluding Ireland), Ireland, Japan, North America, Other Countries.

b) The executive business of the Association shall be dispatched by the Executive Committee consisting of the Chairperson, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the 5 Vice-Chairpersons, and 3 representatives for each of the 5 geographical areas mentioned in Article 7 (a), and a postgraduate representative who shall be a non-voting member. The Executive Committee membership and Officers shall be elected for a period of 3 years at the Annual General Meeting. In addition, the Returning Officer responsible for organising the subsequent election shall be a member of the Executive Committee.

c) The Executive Committee may fill any casual vacancies among the Officers and the Committee, but any Officer or member of the Executive Committee so appointed shall hold office only until the next following Annual General Meeting, and shall then be eligible for re-election.

d) In support of their work on behalf of the Association, IASIL will pay accommodation costs for the three officers at the annual conference, assisting with travel as deemed economically feasible.  Registration fees for the conference will be waived for the three officers.

e) In order to carry out the duties of the Association, the Executive may enlist paid assistance with the agreement of the Executive Committee.  Such paid assistance may include: helping maintain a presence on the worldwide web (such as a Webmaster), or via other developing technology; helping maintain the records associated with the work of the Treasurer and Secretary.

8. Sub-Committees: The Executive Committee may, from time to time, appoint such Sub-Committees as they may deem expedient and depute to them such of the Executive Committee’s powers and duties as they think appropriate. All Sub-Committees shall report their proceedings to the Executive Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Executive Committee.

9. Treasurer and Auditors: It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep proper and sufficient accounts and s/he shall produce to each Annual General Meeting accounts for the year ended on the previous 31 May which shall undergo a professional audit. Copies of the duly audited account shall be distributed at each Annual General Meeting.

10. Annual General Meeting: An Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in each year and no more than 15 months shall elapse between one Annual General Meeting and another. At the Annual General Meeting the following business shall be conducted:      ‘

a) The presentation, and, if accepted, the passing of the accounts for the previous financial year ended 31 May which shall first have been audited.

b) The election of the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-Chairpersons, and other members of the

Executive Committee as specified in Article 7 above, every third year.

d) Such other business as shall have been communicated to the Secretary.

11. Extraordinary General Meetings: An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Executive Committee at any time and shall be convened within 21 days on the written request of one-fifth of the members entitled to vote. Such a request must state the purpose for which the meeting is required.

12. Secretary: The Secretary shall, at least one month before any General Meeting, send to every Member recorded in the Association’s listserv, a notice of the meeting, stating the time and place where it will be held.  The Secretary will have the same information posted to the Association website for easy access.

13. Business at General Meetings: The business at a General Meeting shall be limited to that provided for in these Articles.

14. Elections: Elections of Officers and members of the Executive Committee (as specified in Article 7.) shall be by postal vote or via secure technology as it emerges, with said vote to be organised by the Returning Officer. The Executive Committee shall have power to make such regulations as they shall think expedient for the conduct of voting.

15. Chairperson: The Chairperson of the Association shall preside at all meetings of the Committee and at all General Meetings of the Association and in the case of equality of votes s/he shall have a second casting vote. If s/he shall not be present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for the meeting, or s/he has signified her/his inability to be present at the meeting, the members present shall choose one of their number to be Chairperson of the meeting in her/his place.

16. Amendments: Subject always to Article 18 these Articles may be amended, repealed, altered or added to, by a majority vote at a General Meeting, of which not less than one month’s notice containing the proposed amendment has been given.

17. Dissolution: If the Executive Committee decides at any time that it is advisable to dissolve the Association it shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting, and if their decision shall at such an Extraordinary General Meeting be confirmed by a simple majority, the Committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by or in the name of the Association provided that any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall, subject to Article 18., be applied towards such objects as the Executive Committee may determine.

18. Charitable Intent: Notwithstanding anything hereinafter contained, it is hereby declared that the Association is established for charitable purposes only, and that under no circumstances shall any funds or assets of the Association be applied towards non-charitable purposes.