ASAEH CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I: Membership
Section 1)
The membership of the Association of South Asian Environmental Historians (ASAEH) shall consist of individuals interested in the objectives of studying, in a scholarly and refereed fashion, the environmental history of South Asia and the world. Membership categories are as follows: (1) Associate members, (2) Annual members, (3) Life members, and (4) all other categories of membership as may hereafter be established.

Section 2)
The membership of the ASAEH shall not be limited to residency or citizenship. The shipment of Association publications or books to membership located outside of normal South Asia parcel fees shall pay a higher fees to offset international shipping costs of publications.

ARTICLE II: Officers
Section 1)
The officers of the society shall consist of a President, a Vice-President of South Asia, an International Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, Executive Director (ex officio, with vote), and ten elected executive committee members (one of which is not elected and will serve as Web Manager).  The Web Manager serves without a vote. These officers have the authority to transact all such business as may be assigned to it under this constitution or by the Association.

Section 2)
The President shall preside at the annual business meetings of the association, shall appoint members of all committees except where otherwise provided for in this constitution, and shall be ex-officio a member of all committees, except when the committee or its chairman is appointed by the executive committee. The President shall have the ability to nominate up to two executive assistants from the membership to assist in fulfilling his/her mission for the Association. In case of the President's absence or inability to act, the Vice-President of South Asia shall discharge the duties of the President.

Section 3)
The Vice-President of South Asia shall have overall charge of arrangements for the Association’s annual meeting and program, for which purpose he/she shall also appoint a program committee. This group shall consist of interested officers and members. He/she shall also arrange joint programs with other national organizations in cooperation with the President and members of the executive committee. He/she shall act for the President in all other matters when the President is absent or unable to act.
The International Vice-President shall have overall charge of arrangements for the Association’s international public relations, and for helping complete the work of the program committee. He/she shall also arrange joint programs with other international organizations (e.g.ASEH and Fulbright) in cooperation with the President and members of the executive committee. Finally, he/she shall work closely with the Web Manager, in editing and content selection, to advance the mission of the Association.

Section 4)
The Secretary shall keep a record of the meetings of the executive committee and the Association’s business meetings, shall prepare basic communications composites for the membership, and shall assist the President in arranging these meetings and distributing materials for review.

Section 5)
The Treasurer shall receive all monies due or payable to the Association; shall pay all outstanding accounts when these have been approved by the President, and shall officially receive all monies given or bequeathed to the Association. Information concerning these and all other transactions shall be transmitted to the executive committee. He/she shall maintain all necessary bank accounts and records, and shall report annually to the membership concerning the receipts and disbursements for the preceding fiscal year.

Section 6)
The Secretary/Executive Director shall have charge of all editorial and production decisions subject to the approval of the ASAEH executive committee. The position may select an advisory committee to assist in making editorial decisions.
The Executive Director shall be appointed by the executive committee for a renewable four-year term and generally will oversee the administration of the Association. Responsibilities include helping to edit the journal; sending newsletter updates to the Web Manager; helping the Web Manager organize the archives of the Association; coordination with committees, including annual meeting program, local arrangements, awards, site selection, nominating, outreach, and development committees; fundraising; oversight of annual conference; and general correspondence. The Executive Director shall do and perform such other duties as this constitution provides or as may be assigned to that person by the President and/or the executive committee.

Section 7)
The only unelected officer on the executive committee (appointed by the President), the Web Manager, shall participate equally and jointly with elected officers in making collective decisions concerning the Association where provided for in this constitution or where otherwise necessary and proper. The Web Manager serves a two-year renewable appointment.

Section 8)
Any vacancy occurring in an office may be filled by vote of the executive committee until the next regular elections are held. The President may appoint a replacement for a new term or the remainder of an unexpired term.

Section 9)
All non-institutional members shall be eligible to vote and hold office.

ARTICLE III: Meetings
Section 1)
Stated meetings of the Association shall be held annually at such time and place in South Asia or elsewhere as the executive committee may determine most feasible. Normally, the annual meetings will be held the first Friday and Saturday of March. Special meetings may be called by the President or executive committee as the occasion may require, due notice thereof being given to all members by the Secretary.

Section 2)
As occasion demands, the Secretary, at the direction of the President, may submit matters for decisions to the executive committee by electronic mail (email) ballot. All such votes of the executive committee shall be placed on the record by the Secretary and shall be reported at the next meeting of the board.

Section 3)
At meetings of the executive committee, a quorum shall consist of the President OR one of the Vice Presidents and any other five executive committee members.

Section 4)
At stated and announced meetings of the Association, a quorum shall consist of one of the officers specified in Section 3 of this article, together with any three other executive committee members.

Section 5)
Electronic meetings of the executive committee may be held prior to the beginning of the stated meeting of the Association, or at such other time as may be determined by the President. Due notice of such meetings shall be given to all members of the executive committee.

Section 6)
Meetings of the Association of whatever kind, except for meetings of the executive committee, shall be open to the public unless otherwise ordered by a majority of the members present.

Section 7)
Elections and other matters requiring a decision by the entire membership may, at the discretion of the executive committee, be submitted to the membership by mail. The Secretary shall maintain a record of any substantive decisions that are reached in this manner.

ARTICLE IV: Elections and Resignations
Section 1)
The President and Vice-President of South Asia shall hold office for a term of two years, and may be re-elected. The Secretary and Treasurer shall hold office for two years, and may be re-elected. The other elected members of the executive committee shall serve staggered two-year terms. Elections are to be held in odd and even calendar years, at which time all officers with expiring terms and two/three (roughly half) of the members of the executive committee shall stand for election. No member of the executive committee (the Editor and President are exempt – they may serve three consecutive terms) may serve more than two consecutive terms in office.

Section 2)
The Editor shall be appointed for a term agreed upon by majority vote of the governing executive board of the ASAEH, and shall serve at the pleasure of the board and President. In the event that the Editor is unable to perform his/her duties, the President of ASAEH, in consultation with the executive board, shall make the necessary temporary arrangements for a replacement. Prior to the expiration of the Editor's term, a new Editor shall be selected by a joint search committee of the organization for approval as provided in this section.

Section 3)
One hundred and twenty days prior to the annual meetings, when Association elections shall normally take place, a Nominating Committee, elected by the membership, shall meet or shall communicate in some other fashion and shall select a slate of officers and elected members of the executive committee. The candidate for President shall normally be the standing Vice-President of South Asia. The Nominating Committee shall consist of four members to serve six years each, with two members being elected from the executive committee. The slate they select shall consist of one nominee for Vice-President of South Asia, the next President-elect, two/three nominees for other officers with expiring terms, the International Vice-President, and two nominees for each vacancy on the executive and Nominating Committee, and shall be communicated to the Secretary, who shall in turn communicate it to the membership by mail as provided in Article II, Section 4 of this constitution. Elections shall take place during the annual meetings, or by mail (or email) ballot prior to the meeting. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes are elected. All ballots shall have provisions for write-in nominees.

Section 4)
Elections may be held by mail ballot if circumstances warrant. A decision to do so may be made by the President and any four other members of the executive committee. This same group may make such other alterations in the election procedure as they deem necessary, except that an slate of nominees must be selected by the Nominating Committee, and the Secretary must provide notice of the election to the membership in the usual fashion. All terms of office shall begin and end the day after the stated and scheduled annual meeting election.

Section 5)
A discussion of the merits of the nominees for office may be held during the stated and scheduled annual meeting election procedure if the membership desires.

Section 6)
If no nominee for office receives a simple majority of the votes cast, voting shall continue until a decision is reached.

Section 7)
Terminations and resignations from office or from the Association shall be promptly reported to the Secretary. If an officer must be replaced before the conclusion of his/her term and the executive committee is not able to meet immediately, his/her successor may be selected by means of a mail election, email election, or presidential decree.

ARTICLE V: Dues
Section 1)
Annual dues shall be paid by all members in amounts to be set by the executive committee.

Section 2)
Dues for the ensuing year shall fall due on the first day of each January, and shall be in arrears if not paid within 120 days thereafter. Publications and Association mail-outs will be suspended until all arrears are satisfied.

Section 3)
No member in arrears for dues shall be permitted to vote or take part in the business of any meeting of the Association.

Section 4)
Life membership, exempting the possessor from any further payment of dues, may be obtained by paying a sum equal to fifteen times the amount of Annual member dues currently in force when payment is to be made. This sum may be paid in one payment or in four successive annual installments. No increase may be made in life membership dues until 120 days after the date on which an increased annual dues payment becomes due, but in no case will individuals paying annual installments on a life membership be assessed any portion of the higher rate. Past Presidents of the ASAEH are the only members afforded life membership by the Association and are exempt from annual dues.

ARTICLE VI: Additions and Amendments
Section 1)
Proposed additions and/or amendments to the constitution must be submitted to the Secretary in writing, signed by ten or more members, at least 120 days prior to a stated meeting. If approved by two thirds of those present and voting at that annual meeting, the Secretary by means of a mail or email ballot will then put the proposed additions/amendments to the membership. If approved by two thirds of the membership returning completed ballots to the Secretary, the amendment shall then take effect.