1. Name, Type, and Seat
1.1 The association is named Académie du Midi – Institute for Philosophy, or, in short: Académie du Midi.
1.2 The Académie du Midi is an unincorporated association and thus a membership-based organization. An unincorporated association in Ireland does not ordinarily have legal personality and so cannot enter into legal relations in its own right. An association is created by the oral or written agreement of its members. Its governing instrument, usually termed its constitution or rules, is normally interpreted according to contract law. ( See: http://www.usig.org/countryinfo/ireland.asp#Type )
1.3 The association’s seat is Cork, Ireland.
2. Purposes
2.1 The purpose of the association is the advancement of research in the humanities, mainly in philosophy and cognate disciplines, with a specific focus on East-West comparative studies. In particular, the association conducts and supports academic activities and research projects in these fields. The association’s activities mainly consist (but are not limited to) in the organization and support of international and interdisciplinary lectures, workshops, and conferences, and in the publication of academic works.
3. Non-Profit
3.1 The association is not profit-oriented.
4. Membership
4.1 Natural and legal persons can become members of the association.
4.2 Members cooperate towards the realization of the purposes of the association.
4.3 Natural and legal persons can become sponsors of the association.
4.4 Sponsors of the association contribute an increased annual membership fee, as outlined in 8.1 below.
4.5 Membership is acquired by an application in writing. The application has to be accepted by the majority of the members of the managing board.
4.6. Membership ends with death or the termination of a legal person, voluntary termination of membership, or exclusion. Voluntary termination of membership has to be declared in writing to the managing board and becomes effective at the end of the calendar year. Notice has to be given at least three months before the end of the calendar year in order to become effective at the end of the calendar year.
4.7. A member can be excluded from the association by a majority vote of the managing board on reasons of
a) violation of the rules of the association
b) harming the reputation of the association or one of its organs.
The exclusion can be annulled by vote of the membership assembly if at least three quarters of present members vote for its annulment.
4.8 With the termination of membership all rights towards the assets of the association cease to exist.
5. Organs of the Association
5.1. The membership assembly is open to all members. A member can choose to be represented by any person of his/her choice. In this case he/she has to nominate his/her representative in writing to the managerial board.
5.2 A membership assembly can be held at the occasion of any activity of the association at the location of this activity. A membership assembly shall normally be held at least once in a period of four years.
5.3 A membership assembly is called by the managerial board. At least four weeks of notice have to be given. A membership assembly is officially called once, after a decision by the managerial board, written invitations including an agenda have been sent to all members. The membership assembly can decide, on the basis of a majority of at least three quarters of present members, to accept additional items on the agenda.
5.4 On the basis of a majority of at least three quarters of present members, the membership assembly can assume specific tasks. The membership assembly has the following rights and duties:
a) hearing reports on the activities and the assets of the association
b) discharging the managerial board
c) electing of the managerial board
d) determination of membership fees
e) amending the rules of the association
f) dissolution of the association
5.5 The membership assembly is entitled to come to binding decisions irrespective of the number of present members.
5.6 The membership assembly decides on issues based on a simple majority of votes. For amendments of its statues or its dissolution, a majority of two thirds of the votes of present members is required. All amendments can be revoked by written declarations to this effect by a simple majority of by all members.
5.7. The president of the managerial boards presides over the membership assembly, or, in case of his/her absence, (one of) the vice president(s). If neither president nor vice presidents are present, the membership assembly elects someone to preside over the assembly.
5.8 Minutes of the membership assembly have to be taken. The minutes will be signed by the president and the secretary of the association. The minutes are made accessible to all members on request.
6. Managerial Board
6.1 The managerial board is responsible for all activities of the association which are not assigned to any other organ of the association by its rules.
6.2 The managerial board of the association consists of
a) the president
b) one or two vice presidents
c) the executive director
d) the secretary
The president and the executive director can be the same person.
The extended managerial board includes the assessors.
6.3 The managerial board can on its own decision or on the decision of the membership assembly be extended to include up to seven assessors. The assessors’ role is to be consultants for the managerial board and to take care of specific tasks assigned to them by either the managerial board (in the narrower sense) or the membership assembly.
6.4 Legally and otherwise the association is represented by the president and/or the executive director.
6.5 The managerial board is being elected by the membership assembly for the duration of four years. After the expiration of its term, the managerial board remains in office until a new managerial board has been elected.
6.6 The managerial board assigns to the executive director the task of executing the associations’ daily affairs. The managerial board supervises the execution of these affairs.
7. Executive Director
7.1 The executive director is elected by the membership assembly as a member of the managerial board.
7.2 The executive director executes the association’s affairs and manages its finances in accordance with the law and the rules of the associations.
8. Finances
8.1 The membership fee is suggested by the managerial board and decided on by the membership assembly. Normally the annual membership fee of sponsoring members is four times the amount of the regular membership fee.
8.2 No person shall receive any disproportional payments or payments for services not in accordance with the purposes of the association.
8.3 Financial payments to the association become assets of the association. No specific requirements shall be attached to financial payments to the association.
9. External Grants
9.1 The managerial board can accept financial grants for conducting academic research or activities as long as these are in accordance with the purposes and rules of the association.
10. Dissolution of the association
10.1 In the case of the associations’ dissolution or the termination of its present purposes the membership assembly will decide on the disposition of its assets.