Constitution

SOUTHERN AFRICAN SOCIETY FOR EDUCATION (SASE)

CONSTITUTION

as
amended at the AGM – The Ranch Hotel and Conference,

7 September 2001

1. NAME

The name of the society shall be: The Southern
African Society for Education (SASE) herein after to as the Society.

2. AIMS

The aims
of the society shall be the following:

2.1  The promotion of the scientific
study of Education;

2.2  The stimulation of scientific
research in the field of Education through the identification of problems and
issues confronting education in Southern Africa and the analysis of various
strategies and solutions to those problems through co-operation and
collaboration;

2.3  The establishment of scientific
publications in the field of Education;

2.4  The sharing of information, research
findings, theories an ideas for the advancement of education in each region;

2.5  The recognition of outstanding
achievement in the field of education and of special services rendered to the
Society

3.   MEMBERSHIP

3.1  Membership is open to the
following persons (regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference or
disability):

3.2  Persons in educational
institutions who are committed to the educational development in the region;

3.3  Persons whose involvement in
education justifies membership of the Society in the opinion of the Regional
Executive in the Region in which they apply;

3.4  Honorary members

3.5  Privileges of members: All
publications of the Society shall be available at special rates to members.
Non–members will be required to pay the full rates for any publications.

3.6  Selection of honorary members:

3.6.1
Honorary membership shall be conferred on a person who, in the opinion of the Executive,
has rendered outstanding service to the society.

3.6.2
An honorary member shall be exempted from membership fees, shall enjoy all the
privileges of ordinary members, and shall receive a certificate of honorary
membership at a General Meeting.

4 MEMBERSHIP FEES

4.1  Membership fees shall be payable
annually to the Regional Treasurer at a rate determined annually at a national
or regional General Meeting depending on the circumstances prevailing in a
particular Region. Regions retain the full membership fee.

4.2  The National treasurer shall make
provision for administrative and secretarial services by including a reasonable
sum in the registration fee for the annual conference of the Society. The
amount shall be sufficient to cover the expenses that will be incurred in
organising the next annual conference.

5 SASE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE

5.1 Composition of the executive

The Executive shall consist of the following:

5.1.1 A national chairperson/president elected for
a period of three years;

5.1.2 A national vice-chairperson/president elected
for a period of three years;

5.1.3 A national secretary-treasurer elected for a
period of three years;

5.1.4 An assistant secretary-treasurer, if needed,
elected for a period of three years

5.1.5 A Managing Editor elected for a period of
three years.

5.2 Arrangements committee

5.2.1
The national chairperson/president, vice-chairperson/president, and/or
Secretary/Treasurer shall ex-officio serve on the Arrangements requested to do
so by the host region.

5.2.2
The region hosting the conference shall elect an arrangements committee. The
regional organiser shall supervise the elections and/or appointments.

5.2.3
The Arrangements Committee shall have the power to take decisions in respect of
local arrangements for the national General Meeting and Conference.

5.2.4
The Arrangements Committee should preferably not exceed ten persons in number

5.3 The election of the Executive Committee

5.3.1
Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected at a national General Meeting from
among the members of the Society present at such a meeting and from among
members who may be absent, but who have made it known in writing that they are
willing to stand for election, the order of the election being that set out in 5.1.

5.3.2
The election of a regional co-ordinator shall also be taken as the decisions of the
region hosting the following national conference and General Meeting, and the
remaining members of the Arrangements Committee shall be chosen from the same
region as the vice-chairperson/president.

5.4 Procedures

5.4.1
The executive shall have the power to fill a vacancy by co-option. A person thus
co-opted shall remain in his/her post until the next national General Meeting.

5.4.2
A member who is absent from more than two consecutive meetings without apology shall
automatically lose his/her membership of the executive.

5.4.3
One half of the total membership shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the executive.

5.4.4
Decisions of the executive shall be made by simple majority, with the
chairperson/president having a casting vote in the event of a tie.

5.4.5
Every paid-up member shall have a vote at the national General Meeting and a vote at
Regional Meetings in his/her home Region, in respect of every matter on which a
vote is taken.

5.4.6
The chairperson/president shall have an ordinary vote and a casting vote, but
he/she may also rule that when there is a tie in a vote concerning a person the
decision may be taken by casting lots.

5.4.7
Voting shall be by show of hands unless a member requests a ballot, in which case the
vote shall be taken by ballot.

5.4.8
A member shall be regarded as elected if he/she obtains a simple majority of the votes
of the members present.

6. REGIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES

6.1  A Regional Organiser shall be
appointed by each region and such names presented at the national Annual
General Meeting.

6.2  The geographical boundaries of
the regions shall be determined by the SASE executive and approved at a
national Annual General Meeting.

6.3  The Regional Organiser shall call
a Regional General Meeting at which a Regional Executive shall be elected.

6.4  The Regional Executive shall
consist of the following members:

6.4.1
A Regional Chairperson/president;

6.4.2
A Regional vice-chairperson/president

6.4.3
A Regional Secretary-Treasurer;

6.4.4
A Regional assistant secretary-treasurer

6.4.5
The Regional Organiser

6.4.6
Two other members

6.5  The Regional Executive shall:

6.5.1
Collect membership fees and maintain a list of members;

6.5.2
Distribute copies of publications to paid-up members;

6.5.3
Organise such workshops, meetings, seminars as are requested by members of the Region;

6.5.4
Assist with travel and bookings of Regional members that wish to attend the national
Annual Conference;

6.5.5
Keep proper financial records and membership lists to be presented to the SASE
Executive when required, as well as at the Annual General Meeting.

7. FINANCIAL MATTERS

7.1 Method of fundraising:

The Society shall raise funds by way of membership
fees, collections, donations, sale of publications, applications to publication
funds and any other source approved by the Executive.

7.2 Control

7.2.1
All cheques and monies received shall be paid into a bank account and cheques shall
be drawn by the National Secretary-treasurer and/or by request of the national
chairperson/president or vice-chairperson/president.

7.2.2
The Secretary-treasurer shall keep account of all monetary transactions and his/her
books shall be audited annually by a competent person thus nominated by the
Executive.

7.2.3
The Secretary-treasurer shall make his/her books available to the person thus
nominated by the Executive.

7.2.4
The Secretary-treasurer shall give a written and audited financial report to the
national Annual General Meeting.

7.2.5
Should the Secretary-treasurer be incapacitated for any reason then the assistant
secretary-treasurer will have signing power to draw cheques as needed and to
manage the finances of the society.

7.3 Financial year

The financial year shall extend from one national
Annual General Meeting to the next.

8. MEETINGS

8.1  A national Annual General Meeting
and Conference shall be arranged by the Regional Executive of the Host Region
in consultation with the National Secretary-treasurer and/or Arrangements
Committee.

8.2  Regional meetings and conferences
shall be held in each Region whenever suitable.

8.3  Notice of the national Conference
and the Annual General Meeting shall be given at least months in advance.

9. ANNUAL REPORTS

The National Chairperson/president and the Regional
Chairpersons/presidents shall submit reports of their activities of the
previous year at the Annual General Meeting to host the annual Conference.

10. CONFERENCE

The conference shall be held annually in one of the
Regions on a rotational or invitational basis, decided at the national Annual
General Meeting, which will normally be held during conference. Regions are
free to extend invitations to the Annual General Meeting to host the annual
Conference.

Invitations from other organisations/associations
to hold joint conferences may also be accepted at the Annual General Meeting.

11. HONORARY AWARDS

The national Executive shall have the authority
make an honorary award to a person who has made an outstanding scientific
contribution to education.

12. AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

12.1
The constitution
may be amended at a legally constituted national General Meeting. The notice of
such amendment should reach the members at least fourteen days before such a
meeting. Amendments may be effected only when and if supported by two-thirds
majority of the members present and voting at the meeting.

The same procedure shall be followed
for rescinding or altering decisions passed at a previous General Meeting.