Constitution
MATHEMATICS EDUCATION RESEARCH GROUP OF AUSTRALASIA INCORPORATED
Approved 10 July 1995, Amended 10 July 1997, July 2003, July 2006
This constitution should be read in conjunction with the MERGA By-laws (amended July, 2006)
ARTICLE ONE: NAME
The name of the association shall be "The Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia Incorporated", hereafter called "the Association". The Association shall be incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act, 1984, of New South Wales and any subsequent amendments thereto.
ARTICLE TWO: AIMS
The aim of the Association shall be to promote quality mathematics education at all levels, particularly in Australasia, through:
- promoting quality research in mathematics education;
- disseminating information on recent mathematics education research and teaching developments;
- seeking to influence decision makers at all levels to take into account research findings in mathematics education;
- providing means for members to communicate with each other on matters concerning mathematics education; and
- maintaining liaison with other organisations with interests in mathematics education or educational research.
ARTICLE THREE: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Types of Membership
Regular membership shall be open to individuals:
- who share the aims of the Association as stated in Article 2;
- who complete an application form and pay membership dues in advance; and
- who are approved by the Executive Committee of the Association.
Section 2: Rights of Members
Regular members shall have all the rights normally provided to members of professional associations, unless otherwise stated in this constitution or such Association By-laws as may operate from time to time. These rights include the right to vote, hold office, receive and contribute to publications and participate in conferences, subject to normal regulations.
Section 3: Membership Dues
Annual dues shall be established by the Executive Committee subject to ratification at an annual business meeting. A membership year shall be from January 1 to December 31 of each year. Additional fees for attending conferences and/or receiving publications and/or joining special interest groups may be required subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.
Section 4: Termination of Membership
A member who wishes to resign shall give written notice to the Secretary. A member shall be considered resigned if dues are more than four months in arrears, provided that a reminder notice has been sent at least one month before such action is taken by the Executive Committee to the last mailing address given by the member. The Executive Committee may suspend or expel any member for cause provided that notice of such proposed action and its reasons be given to the member one month before the action is taken. Such a member, with a nominee, shall have the right to appear before a hearing arranged by the Executive Committee. The decision of the hearing shall be communicated to the members.
Section 5: Members’ liabilities
The members of the Association shall have no liability to contribute towards the payment of debts and liabilities of the Association or the costs, charges and expenses of the winding up of the Association except to the amount of any unpaid membership fees.
Section 6: Internal Disputes
Disputes between members of the Association in their capacity as members, and disputes between members and the Association, which cannot be resolved by a mutually agreed procedure shall be referred to a community justice centre for mediation in accordance with the Community Justice Centres Act, 1983, of New South Wales.
ARTICLE FOUR: ORGANISATION
Section 1: Executive Committee
A. Membership
The Executive Committee shall consist of eight officers: President, Vice President for Research, Vice-President for Development, Vice-President for Publications, Vice-President for Conferences, Vice-President for Communications, Secretary, and Treasurer. The officers shall be elected from the ranks of regular members in the manner specified by Article 5 Section 1 of this constitution.
B. Duties
The Executive Committee shall be the policy making body of the Association whose duties shall be delineated in the By-laws of the Association.
C. Tenure
The term of office for each member of the Executive Committee shall be two years with officers being elected at the annual business meeting. No person may serve more than seven consecutive years on the Executive Committee.
D. Vacating Office
Should the President vacate office prior to the expiration of the full term of office, the Executive Committee shall elect an Acting President from among the Vice-Presidents. Should any other member of the Executive Committee vacate office prior to the expiration of the full term of office, the Executive Committee may co-opt a regular member of the Association to that position. In both cases, the person appointed shall hold office until the next general business meeting where an election will be held to the position for a full term.
Section 2: President
The President shall preside over the meetings of the Executive Committee and the annual business meeting, shall hold non-voting ex-officio membership on all standing committees, shall call special meetings of the Executive Committee when necessary, and shall provide leadership for the attainment of the purposes of the Association as set up in Article 2.
Section 3: Vice-President for Research
The Vice-President for Research shall attend to matters related to research in mathematics education and shall compile an accurate record of all the activities of the office.
Section 4: Vice-President for Development
The Vice-President for Teaching shall attend to matters related to political and curriculum developments in mathematics education, professional development for both teachers and researchers, capacity building of the association and its members, and shall compile an accurate record of all the activities of the office.
Section 5: Vice-President for Publications
The Vice-President for Publications shall preside over the standing committee for publications, present nominations for the membership of the said committee to the Executive Committee, provide leadership for attainment and maintenance of high level of quality and efficiency in the Association publications, maintain Association archives, and keep an accurate record of all the activities of the office.
Section 6: Vice-President for Conferences
The Vice-President for Conferences shall present nominations for the membership of the special committees for conferences to the Executive Committee, provide leadership and direction for drawing guidelines for the planning, funding and conduct of conferences, manage conference awards and subsidies, communicate to members contact details for Special Interest Groups, and keep an accurate record of all the activities of the office.
Section 7: Vice-President for Communications
The Vice-President for Communication shall maintain a register of members of the Association specifying the name, and addresses of each member, seek means for recruiting new members, supervise the production of an annual membership directory, mange newsletters and other forms of communication with members, and keep an accurate record of all the activities of the office.
Section 8: Secretary
The Secretary shall maintain minutes of business meetings of the Executive Committee and the annual business meeting, assist the officers with official correspondence, seek means for publicising the aims and activities of the Association, and coordinate nominations for the Executive Committee offices.
Section 9: Treasurer
The Treasurer shall collect dues and subscriptions, transact financial business upon direction from the Executive Committee, and maintain accurate financial records. The Treasurer shall also have custody of the common seal of the Association, copies of all documents to which it has been affixed, and certificates of title to all property owned by the Association.
Section 10: Public Officer
The Executive Committee shall ensure that a resident of New South Wales who is 18 years of age or older be appointed as the Association’s Public Officer to carry out the duties specified in the Associations Incorporation Act, 1984, of New South Wales and subsequent amendments thereto. The appointment shall be made in the manner specified in Article 5 Section 5 of this constitution.
Section 11: Custody and Inspection of Books
The records, books and other documents relating to the Association shall be kept in the custody of the respective officers as described in Sections 3 to 9 of this Article. They shall be open to inspection by any member of the Association at any reasonable time at their normal place of custody or, provided notice of which records, books or other documents are to be inspected has been given to the respective officer at least twenty one days in advance, at an annual conference.
Section 12: Committees and Groups
There shall be four types of committees of the Association:
- Standing Committees of the Executive Committee. These shall include a standing committee for publications chaired by the Vice-President for Publications.
- Special Committees. These shall include conference committees, directly responsible to the Vice-President for Conferences.
- Special Interest Groups responsible to the Vice-President for Conferences.
- Ad-Hoc Working Parties.
The organisation and duties of the four types of committees are as specified in the By-laws of the Association.
ARTICLE FIVE: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1: Executive Committee
Nominations for officers of the Executive Committee shall be forwarded to the Secretary prior to the commencement of the annual business meeting. Election for the officers of the Executive Committee shall be carried out by a simple majority of the annual business meeting votes.
Section 2: Committees and Groups
Nominations for the publications and conferences committees shall be forwarded to the respective vice-presidents, who shall present the nominations with appropriate recommendations to the Executive Committee. The election of members of the committee shall be carried by a simple majority vote in an Executive Committee meeting or as determined by the By-laws of the Association. All other nominations and elections for other standing or special committees or ad-hoc working parties shall be carried out according to the By-laws of the Association. No member of any committee shall hold the same office for more than six consecutive years.
Section 3: Commencement of Office
The term of office for members of the Executive Committee shall commence from the beginning of the calendar year following the annual conference.
Section 4: Termination of Membership from Committees
Members of any committee may resign from their position by giving written notice to the Secretary. Members of any committee shall be considered resigned if they cease to be members of the Association. Committee members may be suspended, expelled or otherwise sanctioned upon the recommendation of a simple majority of the Executive Committee meeting or according to the By-laws of the Association.
Section 5: Public Officer
The Public Officer shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for such term of office as the Executive Committee decides. The Executive Committee may remove the Public Officer at any time without cause. Should the position of Public Officer become vacant for any reason, the Executive Committee shall appoint a new Public Officer within 14 days.
ARTICLE SIX: MEETINGS
Section 1: Conferences and Business Meetings
The Association shall hold one general conference per year, at such a time and place as the Executive Committee may direct on the advice of the Vice-President for Conferences. There shall be a general business meeting of members in conjunction with the annual conference. Notice of the conference and the general business meeting shall be sent to all members of the Association at least 21 days before the first day of the conference. Apart from proposals for constitutional amendments as specified in Article 8, no notice of motions to be considered at the general business meeting need be given. A special business meeting shall be called during the conference by the President at will or on the receipt of a request signed by at least twenty percent of the regular members attending the conference—such a meeting must be held before the termination of the current or next annual conference.
Section 2: Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall meet at least once between any two conferences. Executive Committee meetings shall be called by the President or two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee. Some business may be conducted by mail or telecommunication according to the By-laws of the Association.
Section 3: Conduct of Meetings
The President or Acting President shall take the chair at meetings of the Executive Committee and the annual business meeting. If the President or Acting President is absent, a chair for the meeting shall be elected from the Vice-Presidents present by the Executive Committee. Apart from voting on proposals for constitutional amendments as specified in Article 8, all votes must be delivered personally. Quorum for the executive meeting shall be four officers and quorum for the annual business meeting shall be those present. In all other aspects, all meetings shall be conducted according to the By-laws of the Association.
Section 4: Standing and Other Committees
All committees of the Association shall meet at least once a year. Some business may be conducted by mail or telecommunication according to the By-laws of the Association. Quorum of committee meetings shall be half of the members. Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Executive Committee or in the By-laws of the Association.
ARTICLE SEVEN: FINANCES
Section 1: Income
The funds of the Association shall be derived from membership fees and such other sources as are approved from time to time by the Association. No part of the revenue or income of the Association shall be used to the benefit of any member or officer, provided, however, that this shall not prevent payment of reasonable compensation for services actually rendered to or for the Association in effecting its aims.
Section 2: Collection and Disbursement of Monies
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of all monies due to the Association and for payment of such monies owed by the Association as are authorised by the Executive Committee. All disbursements of monies of the Association shall be in the form of bank cheques bearing at least two signatures of members appointed for that purpose by the Executive Committee.
Section 3: Annual Statement
An audit of the financial transactions of the Association shall be made by an auditor appointed annually by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall present a financial statement based on the auditor’s report to the annual general business meeting for the approval of members.
Section 4: Insurance
The Association shall effect and maintain such insurance as is required under the Associations Incorporation Act, 1984, of New South Wales.
Section 5: Common Seal
The common seal of the Association shall only be affixed to a document with the approval of the Executive Committee. The stamping of the common seal shall be witnessed by the signatures of two members of the Executive Committee.
Section 6: Indemnification
All officers of the Association shall be indemnified by the Association for all losses and expenses incurred by them in or about the discharge of their respective duties except such as happen through their own wilful act or default. No officer of the Association shall be liable for acts, receipts, neglect or default of any other member or officer or for joining in any receipt or act for the sake of conformity or for any loss or expense happening to the Association unless the same happens through their own wilful act or default.
ARTICLE EIGHT: AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended by the following procedure.
- Amendments may be proposed by any two regular members or by the Executive Committee.
- Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Secretary not less than sixty days prior to the start of the annual conference.
- A notice shall be sent to all regular members not less than twenty one days prior to the start of the annual conference stating that a constitutional amendment will be considered at the annual business meeting, giving the text of the proposed amendment, and indicating how members who are not able to attend the business meeting in person may vote by proxy.
- An amendment is passed if approved by not less than three-quarters of the votes cast in person or by proxy at the annual business meeting.
ARTICLE NINE: DISSOLUTION
The Association shall be considered as dissolved at a time when the membership drops below five persons or on the mutual agreement of two-thirds of the existing members of the Association. Upon dissolution of this Association, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the Association, the remaining assets shall be distributed to other educational associations that share similar purposes to this Association, nominated by the last existing Executive Committee.
ARTICLE TEN: ADOPTION
This constitution shall become effective upon the approval by no less than three-quarters of the annual business meeting at the eighteenth annual conference of the Association in Darwin, July 1995, and the subsequent approval of the New South Wales Department of Consumer Affairs. At that time, all members of the previously unincorporated Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia shall become members of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia Incorporated without loss of privileges, and the members of the Executive Committee of the previously unincorporated Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia shall become members of the Executive Committee of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia Incorporated under the same terms and conditions as if they had been elected to their respective offices by an annual general meeting of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia Incorporated. Subsequently, the offices of the Executive Committee shall first become vacant as follows:
- 1996 President, Vice President for Conferences, Vice President for Membership
- 1997 Secretary, Treasurer
- 1998 Vice President for Publications, Vice President for Research
and thereafter as provided under Article 4 Section 1C.