Constitution of the Hegel Society of America
Article I. Name
Article II. Purpose
Article III. Membership
Article IV. Officers
Article V. Elections
Article VI. Duties of Officers
Article VII. The Executive Council
Article VIII. Annual Meetings
Article IX. Parliamentary Authority
Article X. Proposed By-Laws
Article XI. Amendments
By-Laws
Article I. Name:
The name of this organization shall be the Hegel Society of America.
Article II. Purpose:
The purpose of the Hegel Society of America is to promote the study of the philosophy
of Hegel, its place within the history of thought, its relations to social, political,
and cultural movements since his time, and its relevance to contemporary issues
and fields of knowledge. In addition to the study of the thought and significance
of Hegel the Society has as its purpose the furtherance of original philosophical
thought which has its basis in the philosophy of Hegel or which treats issues in
the style, manner, or method of Hegel.
Article III. Membership:
The membership of the Society will originally consist of the participants in the
1968 Wofford Symposium on "Hegel and the Philosophy of Religion." Any person may
be admitted to membership by the Council, subject to confirmation by the Society
at the next meeting and shall continue a member so long as he pays dues as determined
in the by-laws.
Article IV. Officers:
There will be a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and four councilors.
This group shall be known as the Executive Council.
Article V. Elections:
Section 1: The president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer shall be
elected biennially on even years. No president shall fill two terms in succession.
Should vacancies occur, the Executive Council shall appoint replacements until the
next slated election.
Section 2: The councilor shall serve four year terms, two being elected
each even year except that four will be elected upon the adoption of this constitution
for one two year term.
Section 3: All officers will be elected by a simple majority of the society
present at the biennial business meeting. The president will appoint a nominating
committee at the opening session (before the reading of the first paper) of the
biennial meeting. The nominating committee shall nominate at least two persons for
each office, including councilors. Other nominations may be made from the floor.
Article VI. Duties of Officers:
Section 1: The president shall preside at all plenary sessions of the society
and at all meetings of the Executive Council. He shall have general charge of the
business of the society.
Section 2: The vice-president shall be vested with all the powers and
perform all the duties of the president in case of the absence or disability of
the president and may be assigned other duties by the Executive Council or by the
president.
Section 3: The secretary shall keep a list of members and a record of
proceedings of both plenary sessions and Executive Council meetings. Minutes of
the plenary sessions shall be distributed to the membership prior to the regular
meeting. Copies of the minutes of the Executive Council shall be made available
to members on demand. See also article eight.
Section 4: The treasurer shall receive donations and dues and disburse
the society's funds acting in behalf of the Executive Council. He shall keep a written
record of receipts and expenditures and make a report at the regular meetings.
Section 5: Councilors shall assist in the operations of the affairs of
the society in matters of program, policy and public relations.
Article VII. The Executive Council:
The Executive Council shall meet at such times and places as it may determine or
at special meetings called by the president. At all meetings, five members shall
constitute a quorum. The Executive Council may conduct its business by mail. It
shall run the business of the society between regular plenary sessions except that
it should not take action on amendments to the constitution. It shall arrange the
programs and accommodations for the meetings and discuss and plan such other activities
in accord with the purpose of the society as it sees fit. It shall authorize expenditures.
The Executive Council shall appoint persons to any vacancy that shall occur on the
Executive Council on a pro tem basis.
Article VIII. Annual Meetings:
The meeting of the society, consisting of a program and a business meeting, shall
be held at a time and place determined at the previous meeting, or by the council.
At least four weeks prior to the meeting the secretary shall send each member a
notice of it, including the program of the discussion meeting and an agenda of the
business meeting. Special meetings for discussion may be called by the Council.
Article IX. Parliamentary Authority:
The parliamentary authority for the conducting of all meetings of the society shall
be Robert's Rules of Order.
Article X. Proposed By-Laws:
By-laws may be proposed by the Executive Council or by petition of any ten members,
and shall be adopted by a majority vote of the members at a plenary meeting, or,
in case of a mail vote, by two-thirds of those replying within one month of the
inquiry's being sent out.
Article XI. Amendments:
Amendments may be acted upon at the annual business meeting if a quorum of the membership
is presented provided that the amendments have been presented in writing to the
members at the time of the announcement of the meeting. If a majority of members
in good standing is not present, or if ten members present so petition, amendments
can be adopted by a two-thirds majority of those replying to a mailed ballot within
a month.
By-Laws
By-Law 1: The annual dues shall be five dollars, normally to be
paid on March first, and covering the year following that date. Persons joining
after March first shall owe dues the next March first, except that persons paying
first dues within the three months prior to any March first shall not owe dues again
until the second March first following that one. Dues for students will be $3.00.
The rate of membership dues for two years shall be $9.00 and the rate for three
years shall be $12.00.
By-Law 2: The Editor of The Owl of Minerva, the official publication
of the Hegel Society of America, shall be elected by the Executive Council to serve
for a term of two years. In fulfilling the duties of this office, he shall be given
a free hand in all matters pertaining to the selection, editing, and arranging of
material to be published, excepting information regarding HSA itself, such as membership
policy, notices of meetings, and other announcements, the content and arrangement
of which shall be cleared with the President of the Society or someone duly empowered
by the HSA Constitution to authorize such policy or announcements.
By-Law 3: The collection and disbursement of funds in connection with
the financing of any activity sponsored in whole or in part by the Society shall
be handled by the Treasurer, and applications for grants to finance any activity
sponsored in whole or in part by the Society shall bear the signature of the President
(except where the Vice-president is acting in his place, as in the case of serious
illness) and the Treasurer.
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