Constitution of the Lithic Studies Society
1 Name
The name of the society will be the LITHIC STUDIES
SOCIETY.
2 Objects
The objects of the society shall be the advancement of
knowledge of, and education and research in, lithic
studies. Lithic study is defined as all aspects of the
extraction, manufacture, distribution and use of lithic
artifacts, particularly the knapped or polished stone
artifacts of prehistoric man. In furtherance of these
objects the society shall: hold meetings, seminars and
conferences; publish and disseminate information and
act in other ways that further these objects.
3 Annual Journal Lithics
The Society should produce an annual Journal Lithics,
to be issued once per year, which should include
contributions on any lithic related matters and any
other matters thought to be of interest.
4 Membership
Membership of the society shall be open to all
individuals and institutions interested in the objects
of the society, subject to election by the Executive
Committee and the payment of an annual subscription.
Two individuals at the same address may join as joint
members.
5 Executive Committee
An executive committee shall undertake the management
of the affairs of the society. This committee shall
comprise six (6) officers and ten (10) ordinary
committee members.
6 Officers
The officers of the society shall comprise a Chair, a
Vice-Chair, a Treasurer, a Secretary, the Editor of
Lithics and a Webmaster. The executive committee may
co-opt assistants to help any officer. Officers shall
be elected at the annual general meeting and serve for
a maximum of five (5) years and may stand again for
election provided that there has been a four (4) year
gap between finishing their term and standing for
re-election. Officers may stand for election as
ordinary members after finishing their term of
office.
7 Ordinary Committee Members
The ten (10) ordinary members of the Executive
Committee shall be elected at the annual general
meeting. Individuals may serve as ordinary committee
members for three years and may stand again for
election.
8 Elections
Any member of the society may stand for election to the
Executive Committee as an Officer or Ordinary Committee
Member provided that his or her annual subscription has
been paid and that that they have been members for at
least a full year. The Executive Committee shall be
elected annually at the annual general meeting. The
Executive Committee shall nominate officers and
Ordinary Committee Members and the list of nominations
shall be sent to all members of the society at least
thirty (30) days before the annual general meeting.
Members of the society may make additional nominations
provided that they are received by the Secretary thirty
(30) days before the annual general meeting, are
supported by three (3) members each of at least a full
year's membership and that the agreement of the nominee
has been received by the Secretary thirty (30) days
before the annual general meeting.
9 Co-option
The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt
to fill any vacancies that may arise in the Committee
until the following annual general meeting. The
Executive Committee may also invite other individuals
from within or from outside the society to attend
committee meetings for specific reasons but these
individuals shall have no voting rights and will be
excluded from any confidential matters at such
meetings.
10 Executive Committee
Meetings
The Executive Committee shall meet as and when
necessary, but not less than two (2) times per year.
The Secretary shall give committee members at least
twenty-one (21) days' notification of the time and
place of the meetings. At any meeting four (4)
committee members of whom one must be the Chair or
Vice-Chair, shall form a quorum. The Chair or
Vice-Chair shall have the casting vote.
11 Other Meetings
The society shall hold a minimum of four (4) meetings a
year of which one shall be the annual general meeting,
held in October each year. All members of the society
shall receive thirty (30) days' notification of the
time and place of meetings.
12 Procedure
The Chair or Vice-Chair shall preside at all meetings.
If neither is present the Secretary shall invite
another Executive Committee member to preside.
13 Chair's Duties
The Chair shall be the presiding Officer of the
society. The Chair shall co-ordinate the activities of
the society and actively seek to ensure the furtherance
of the society's objects.
14 Vice-Chair Duties
The Vice-Chair shall deputise for the Chair when
necessary. In addition the Vice-Chair shall have
special responsibility for overseeing any literature,
publications or material issued in the society's name,
and for maintaining an archive of the society's
literature. In this regard the Vice-Chair will
automatically act as Chair of the Editorial
Sub-Committee.
15 Secretary's Duties
The Secretary shall make arrangements for the general
organisation and conduct of meetings. The Secretary
shall issue all notification of meetings and draw up
agendas and programmes as necessary. The Secretary or
other member of the Executive Committee member
designated by the Secretary shall take the minutes of
the proceedings of the annual general meetings and
shall enter them in the minute books. The Secretary
shall cause all records of other meetings to be kept
and shall report to the Executive Committee matters
relating to the business of the society.
16 Treasurer's Duties
The Treasurer shall receive and keep account of all
monies of the society. The Treasurer shall produce
accounts whenever required by the Executive Committee,
and shall also present a statement of the society's
finance to the annual general meeting. All monies
received for the society shall be paid into a bank
appointed by the Executive Committee to hold its
accounts. The Treasurer shall be empowered by the
Executive Committee to sign cheques and or issue other
payment instructions in his/her cognisance on behalf of
the society. In addition it shall be the Treasurer's
responsibility to produce lists of names and addresses
of all society members as and when required by the
Executive Committee.
17 Editor's Duties
The Editor's duties are to seek contributions for
Lithics, to edit and be responsible for publication and
distribution of Lithics to paid-up members.
18 Sub-committees
Sub-committees shall be appointed to undertake specific
aims of the society as and when appropriate. The title,
terms of reference, composition and duration of
sub-committees shall be the responsibility of the
Executive Committee.
19 Special General Meetings
A special general meeting may be called at any time by
the Chair (or Vice-Chair if the Chair is unavailable),
the Executive Committee or any six (6) members of the
society on application to the Secretary. Not less than
thirty (30) days' notice of the date and purpose of a
special general meeting shall be given to members, and
no business shall be considered at such meeting other
than that for which it was convened.
20 Dissolution
The society shall not be dissolved except at a special
general meeting called for this purpose. The motion of
dissolution must be passed by a majority of two-thirds
of the members of the society present.
21 Subscriptions
The administrative year of the society shall run from
1st October to the following 30th September. The first
Annual Subscription shall be paid on joining the
society but if a member joins in August or September,
the subscription shall cover the whole of the following
administrative year. With this exception, all Annual
Subscriptions shall become due on 1st October. Members
whose subscriptions are in arrears are not eligible to
receive material from the society and may be excluded
from meetings if attendance is restricted for any
reason. Members whose subscriptions are more than one
year in arrears may be removed from the Society by the
Executive Committee provided that the Treasurer has
sent a final reminder at the end of the year. Members
are responsible for keeping the society informed of
changes of address. The amount of the Annual
Subscription shall be re-assessed annually by the
Executive Committee, and any changes recommended shall
be placed before the society's members at the annual
general meeting by the Treasurer.
22 Monies
Monies derived from subscriptions, donations or other
sources shall be used (a) for the administrative and
organisational costs of the society and (b) for
financing publications and other activities sponsored
by the society.
23 Constitution
No alteration or addition to the Constitution of the
Society shall be made except by a majority of the
members of the society present at an annual or special
general meeting.
Constitution originally drafted October 1979; revised
and issued January 1980.
Alan Saville
Treasurer
Constitution revised 27th March 1995
following Annual General Meeting of 1st
December 1993.
J Lewis
Hon.Sec
Constitution revised 23rd October 2002 at
the Annual General Meeting
Ian Herbertson
Treasurer