ASRA Constitution

Article 1: NAME

The name of the organisation is: Australasian Sound Recordings Association. (ASRA)

 

Article 2: PURPOSES

A. The purposes of ASRA are:

1. To initiate and encourage activities that develop and improve the organisation, administration and contents of recorded sound collections, in the Australasian (ie the South West Pacific) region.
2. To strengthen the bonds of co-operation between individual collectors, sound archives and institutions which preserve documents of recorded sound.
3. To study all techniques relevant to the work of sound archives and other institutions which preserve documents of recorded sound and to disseminate the results of such studies.
4. To encourage, especially in the Australasian region, the exchange of sound recordings and of all information relating to sound recordings.
5. To encourage projects designed to promote the standard of sound archiving in the Australasian region.
6. To stimulate and further by every means the preparation and dissemination of inventories based on recorded sound collections in the Australasian region.

B. ASRA is a non-profit organisation.

The income and property of ASRA shall be applied solely towards its aims and objects, and no other portion shall be paid or transferred, either directly or indirectly to any member of ASRA except as a bona fide compensation for specific services rendered, or expenses incurred on behalf of ASRA, or in furtherance of the objectives of ASRA.

 

Article 3: MEMBERSHIP

There are two categories of membership:

1. Institutional
2. Individual

A. Application for Membership

Application for membership should be addressed to the Secretary of the Australasian Sound Recordings Association, who is authorized to accept or reject such applications and to determine the appropriate category of membership which may be granted in accordance with ARTICLE 3 of the Constitution.

B. Dues

1. Members dues shall be fixed at a General Meeting upon the proposal of the Committee.
2. The dues of all members shall be paid to the Treasurer.
3. The membership year shall be from April 1st to March 31st, and dues are payable on April 1st.
4. To secure voting privileges at any meeting, dues for the current membership year must be paid before that meeting.
5. If a member's dues remain unpaid for one calendar year, the membership may be considered terminated.
6. On the recommendation of the Committee (See Article 5) and by a majority of members' votes at a general meeting, honorary membership of ASRA may be awarded for meritorious service to the Association.

C. Members' Entitlements

1. Members shall be entitled to serve on committees, attend general meetings and make recommendations on ASRA business.
2. Members shall be entitled to receive the publications of ASRA under the conditions provided for their distribution.

 

Article 4: GENERAL MEETING

A. The General Meeting shall be composed of all members who are in attendance at annual meetings of ASRA.

B. The General Meeting shall be convened annually to receive and vote on the reports of the Committee and other business.

 

Article 5: THE COMMITTEE

A. There shall be twelve members of the Committee. Officers shall be President, three Vice-Chairmen, Editor, Secretary and Treasurer.

B. Nomination.

1. At least two months prior to the Annual General Meeting, the Committee shall circulate the membership requesting nominations for all Offices, including Editor of publications, the nominations to be duly signed by the proposer, seconder and nominee. In the event that no nomination(s) has (have) been received for any Office(s) the Committee shall itself seek a candidate(s) for that (those) Office(s), the nomination(s) to be duly signed by a proposer, seconder and the nominee. The Committee shall then prepare a slate of the nominations for each Office. This slate shall be distributed to the membership prior to the election. Postal votes shall be accepted.
2. All Officers are eligible for re-election.

C. Election

1. The Committee shall be elected by financial members at a General Meeting.
2. Voting shall be by secret ballot.
3. Officers shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast by financial members.
4. Provision shall be made for postal voting.

D. Terms of Office

Officers shall assume office at the end of the General Meeting in which the election is held and shall retire at the end of the General Meeting, two years following their election.

E. Duties

The Officers are to serve as voting members of the Committee. In addition, Officers will perform the following duties and other duties elsewhere stipulated in the Constitution:

1. President: to act as Chief Executive Officer of the Australasian Sound Recordings Association.
2. Vice Chairmen: to serve as general advisers on the Association's business and any of the three Vice-Chairmen nominated by the President, or on the decision of the Committee, to act as Executive Officer in the event of the President's inability to serve.
3. Secretary: to record the minutes of the meetings of ASRA, to attend to correspondence as directed by the President and to organise General Meetings in consultation with the Committee.
4. Treasurer: to keep an accurate record of income and expenditure and to prepare an annual statement.
5. Editor: to be responsible for the publication of a periodical of ASRA.
6. The Committee in the execution of its duties is empowered to co-opt the assistance of other members as desired. Such co-opted members shall not have voting rights at Committee meetings.

F. Meetings

1. Committee meetings shall be convened by the President at least once a year, the exact time and place to be determined by the President and Secretary.
2. Voting shall be by a majority of financial members present at a meeting.
3. The President or his deputy shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie.
4. The President and Secretary jointly shall be empowered to act in emergencies. Such action shall be
5. ubject to the earliest possible approval by the Committee.
6. Disbursements:
   • (i) Applications for any disbursements shall be made to the Treasurer who will report them to the Committee.
   • (ii) All cheques drawn on the account of ASRA shall be signed by
     (a) the Treasurer, and
     (b) the President or Secretary, or in their joint absences, a Vice-Chairman.
7. The Committee is empowered to fill any vacancies which arise on the Committee, the person so appointed to serve only for the unexpired term of the Office.
8. A quorum of 4 shall include the President or one Vice-Chairman, and one other officer.

 

Article 6: PUBLICATIONS

A. There shall be a periodical of the Association, the title and frequency of which is determined by the Committee.

B. Any other publications of ASRA require the prior approval of the Committee.

C. Conditions for distribution shall be determined by the Committee.

 

Article 7: COMMITTEES

The establishment and dissolution of working committees and study groups require the prior approval of the Committee.

 

Article 8: GENERAL MEETINGS

A. A General Meeting shall be convened by the Committee at least once every year, the exact time and place to be determined by the Committee.

B. Notices: Notices of General Meetings and an agenda of the business to be transacted shall be despatched to members by the Secretary not less than 14 days (except in emergencies) in advance of the meeting.

C. At the request of at least 50% of the membership the Committee must convene an extraordinary General Meeting. At such meetings no business may be transacted other than that for which the meetings have been called.

D. Representation: Member institutions may designate by name a person to attend the meeting and to cast that institution's vote.

 

Article 9: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by financial members at a general meeting provided a draft of the amendment is despatched to each member at least 14 days (except in emergencies) before the meeting.

 

Article 10: DISSOLUTION

A. The dissolution of ASRA may be pronounced only with the approval of a two thirds (2/3) majority of the votes cast by financial members in a postal vote.

B. If upon the winding up or dissolution of ASRA, there remains, after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed amongst members of ASRA, but shall be given or transferred to another, or more than one, association, institution or organisation with similar purposes to ASRA.

 

Article 11: GENDER

The use of the words signifying masculine gender in the foregoing Articles does not exclude words signifying the feminine gender.

 

Article 12: EFFECTIVE DATE

This Constitution is effective from 22 April 1990.