Our Constitution


The Archaeological Society of Jamaica

Constitution

  1. NAME
    1. The Society shall be called “The Archaeological Society of Jamaica” (ASJ)

  2. OBJECTIVES

      3. The Society has been formed with the following objectives:

    1. To locate, study and preserve Jamaican archaeological and historic sites and material.
    2. To promote interest in and appreciation of Jamaica’s archaeology
    3. To co-ordinate fieldwork, organise field trips, lectures and conferences.
    4. To publish the Society’s newsletter “Archaeology Jamaica” and other academic publications and proceedings.
    5. To promote publications of articles relating to Jamaica’s archaeological heritage.
    6. To facilitate integration between members.
    7. To exchange information with Universities, Museums and other institutions and persons in Jamaica and Overseas having an interest to archaeology.

  3. MEMBERSHIP

      4. The Society shall have six types of membership as follows:

    1. Honorary Members: to be elected at an Annual General Meeting.
    2. Local: open to Jamaicans and non-Jamaicans living in the island.
    3. Associate: open to individuals overseas
    4. Student: open to full-time students in Jamaica.
    5. Local Institutional: open to institutions based in the island.
    6. Overseas Institutional: open to institutions based overseas.

    The membership is accepted upon completion of the ASJ Membership Application form and the necessary payments. The Archaeological Society of Jamaica reserves the right to refuse and terminate membership as it deems appropriate.

  4. OFFICERS

      5. The Officers of the Society shall be:

    1. a President
    2. a Vice President
    3. a Secretary
    4. a Treasurer

    Each officer shall be proposed seconded and elected by ballot at each annual general meeting. They shall hold office until the next annual general meeting. They shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election PROVIDED THAT a member may not be elected as President for more than three consecutive years.

  5. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
    1. The affairs of the Society shall be managed by an Executive Committee, which shall consist of not less than five nor more than nine individuals.
    2. Three members shall form a quorum.
    3. The Executive Committee shall consist of:
      • The President - ex officio
      • The Vice President – ex officio
      • The Secretary – ex officio
      • The Treasurer – ex officio
      • The Immediate Past President
      • Not more than four elected members to be proposed and seconded and elected by ballot at each annual general meeting.
      • A Student Representative may also be elected.
    4. A retiring member of the Executive Committee may be re-elected.
    5. The Executive Committee shall have the control of the finances of the Society and all such administrative powers as may be necessary for properly carrying out of the objects of the Society in accordance with the Constitution PROVIDED THAT The Executive Committee shall have no power to borrow money for the purpose of the Society.
    6. The Executive Committee shall maintain and operate a bank account in the name of the Society at such bank an in such manner as the Executive Committee may from time to time determine.
    7. 7). The Executive Committee is empowered to make, repeal and amend such by-laws (not being inconsistent with the Constitution) as they may from time to time consider necessary for the well being of the Society which by-laws shall have effect until otherwise determined by the Executive Committee or a general meeting.

  6. CASUAL VACANIES
    1. Any casual vacancy on the Executive Committee shall be filled up by the Executive Committee and any member so appointed shall retire at the next annual general meeting but shall eligible as a candidate for re-election.
    2. In the event of the death, absence or incapacity of any Officer the Executive Committee shall have power to fill the vacancy in the same manner as is specified above except that where the President is unable to act for any reason the Vice President shall act in his place until the President can resume his duties or until the next Annual General Meeting whichever is earlier.

  7. SUB-COMMITTEES
    1. The Executive Committee may appoint such number of subcommittees as may be required from time to time. Each sub-committee shall consist of at least one member of the Executive Committee in addition to the President (who shall be an ex-officio member of each sub-committee) and such other ordinary members of the Society as may be co-opted.
    2. Each sub-committee shall act for such period as may be determined by the Executive Committee but in any event all sub-committees shall be dissolved immediately before each Annual General Meeting.

  8. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
    1. Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held each year on such date and at such time and place as shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
    2. Any member desirous of moving any resolution at the Annual General Meeting shall give notice thereof in writing to the secretary not less than four weeks before the date of such meeting.
    3. At each Annual General Meeting:
      1. Twelve (12) members in good standing shall form a quorum.
      2. A Report shall be presented by the Executive Committee on the activities of the Society during the preceding year.
      3. The Accounts of the society and the Treasurer’s Report shall be presented and considered.
      4. Officers and other members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for the ensuing year.

  9. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

      10. The Executive Committee may call an extraordinary general meeting when any question of urgent importance shall arise and shall be bound to do so on receiving a requisition signed by four members of the Society.

  10. NOTICE OF MEETINGS

      11. At fourteen (14) days notice in writing, telephone or fax shall be given of each Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting specifying the day, hour and place of the meeting and shall be sent to every member by post or any electronic media to his or her address as notified to the Secretary.

  11. GENERAL MEETINGS
    1. At all general meetings the President and in his absence the Vice President or a member selected by the meeting shall take the chair.
    2. Each member present entitled to vote shall have one vote upon every motion and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have the second or casting vote.

  12. MEMBERSHIP FEES
    1. The annual subscription shall be determined from time to time by the Executive Committee.
    2. All annual subscriptions shall be payable in advance not later than March 31st in each year on which day the financial year shall commence.
    3. No member whose subscription is in arrears may vote at a general meeting.

  13. HONORARY MEMBERS
    1. On the recommendation of the Executive Committee honorary members may be elected at any general meeting of the Society. A two-thirds majority of members present shall be necessary for such election.
    2. Honorary members may be elected for life or for such other period as the general meeting may determine and they shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership without payment of any membership fees except that they shall not be entitled to vote at meetings or serve as officers of the Executive Committee.

  14. LOCAL CHAPTERS
    1. Local Chapters of the Society may be established when a minimum of ten members of the Society make an application to the Executive Committee for the establishment of such a Chapter.
    2. On the receipt of such an application the Executive Committee shall decide whether to establish a Chapter based on the merits of the application.
    3. If the application is accepted the Executive Committee shall make the necessary arrangements with the applicants to form a Chapter of the Society of the action so taken at the first general meeting of the Society following the formation of the new Chapter.
    4. Such a chapter once formed may plan its own activities in keeping with objectives of the Society as expressed in the society’s constitution.

  15. ADDRESSES OF MEMBERS

      16. Every member shall from time to time communicate to the Secretary his or her address. All notices sent by prepaid post to such address shall be deemed to have been duly delivered.

  16. SECRETARY

      17. The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the Society and shall have custody of the membership records and all documents belonging to the Society. The Secretary shall keep full and correct minutes of all proceedings and meetings.

  17. TREASURER
    1. The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of the Society make up the annual financial statements of the Society and present along with his Report to the Annual General Meeting.
    2. The financial year of the Society shall end on the last day of March in each year at which day the accounts of the Society shall be balanced.

  18. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
    1. A member may resign at any time by giving notice in writing to the Secretary.
    2. The Executive Committee shall have the power to terminate the membership of any person for failure to observe the objectives of the Society as expressed in the Constitution Provided that no such termination shall be effective unless the member concerned has been first given an opportunity to submit a statement in writing and to be heard thereon.

  19. AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION
    1. The Constitution of the Society may only be amended by a two-thirds majority of the members present at a General Meeting.
    2. At least four weeks’ notice of the Intention of any member to propose any addition or amendment shall be given to the Secretary, who shall send details of the same to every member to his or her address in the Society’s records along with notice of the general meeting called to consider the same.

Revised: December 4, 2003


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