International Systemic Functional Linguistics Association

CONSTITUTION (as ammended, July 2007)

Objectives

ISFLA is a non-profit/not-for-profit organization whose objectives are:

  1. To promote scholarship and research in Systemic Functional linguistic theory and related fields.
  2. To disseminate the results of research in Systemic Functional linguistic theory through publications including NETWORK, as well as journals, books, or any other means.
  3. To organize an annual international Congress around Systemic Functional linguistic theory and related fields, where as far as possible the Congress venue rotates, ensuring that members in different regions of the world have access to the Congress.
  4. To support projects aimed at creating courses, programs, summer schools and any other appropriate teaching activities which extend knowledge of Systemic Functional linguistic theory.
  5. To support local Systemic Functional linguistic theory meetings/conferences/workshops and other initiatives as these are organized locally from country to country.
  6. To establish collaborative agreements and working relations with any other professional body or group with related interests.
  7. To establish and maintain archives in Systemic Functional linguistics and related linguistic traditions.

Membership in the Association

Membership will be open to any interested person. No international membership fee will be set. Instead, local groups in the different countries or regions involved will determine local fees and/or manage their fund-raising in ways appropriate to their particular contexts. Where it becomes necessary for the International Association to seek funds for any purposes, local groups may be approached. The association will maintain regional bank accounts.

Annual General Meeting of the Association

There will be an AGM held at the annual international Congress each year. A quorum will be 20 members of the Association. At the meeting the President, the Secretaries, and the Treasurers will give an annual report to the members of the Association, and the reports will be published on the ISFLA website. A motion made at the AGM will be considered passed if a positive vote is recorded by two thirds of the members present. A mail ballot can be requested by 10% of the Association's members. Mail ballots will be considered passed if two-thirds majority of those voting approve.

Structure of the Association

The Association will be run by a Committee consisting of the Executive and elected committee members. The Executive and the elected Committee members are the office bearers of the Association.

The Executive will consist of the following officers:

  • Chair
  • Deputy Chair
  • Membership Secretary
  • Recording/Correspondence Secretary
  • Regional Treasurers

The elected Committee will consist of nine members of the Association elected from different regions of the world. The Committee will be empowered to co-opt up to three additional members as needed for special projects. In the case of a vacancy after the election, the Committee may appoint a member until the next election.

Ex-officio members of the Committee (non-office bearers, non-voting) will be the immediate past ISFLA Chair, the immediate past Congress Chair, the present Congress chair, the upcoming Congress Chair, and the Editors of NETWORK.

Duties of the Committee: To coordinate the activities of the Association. This includes setting the venue of the up-coming international Congresses, administering the assets of the Association, and convening the AGM at the annual Congress.

Terms of Committee members: The Executive and elected Committee members will be elected for three years.

Sub-Committees: The Committee may set up permanent and Ad Hoc sub-committees as needed. It will be open to the Executive on the advice of the Committee or the AGM to create any sub-committees needed. For special projects it will be open to sub-committees to co-opt additional members from outside the existing committee structure.

Committee meetings: The Committee will meet annually prior to the AGM. In addition, the Committeewill maintaincontact during the year dealing with any issues and/or emergencies that arise.

Nominations for new Committee members: Elections will be held every three years. At that time, nominations must be made in writing with the signatures of two members and the written consent of the nominee. The nomination must be delivered to the Executive before the annual AGM of the election year. If there are insufficient nominations, then nominations may be made at the AGM of the election year from the floor. If there is more than one nomination for any office, a ballot will be prepared by the Executive.

Modification of the Constitution or Dissolution

Any proposal to modify or dissolve the Constitution can come from a Committee member or ordinary members. The proposal will be voted on at the AGM and accepted if at least two thirds of those present vote for the change.