Constitution

PDF version of the constitution (30KB)

1. The Subject Group shall be called the "Astrophysical Chemistry Subject Group" of the Faraday Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The Group shall be deemed to be a Charitable Trust. Where the constitution refers to Council, this shall mean the Council of the Faraday Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

2. Aims. To promote the application of Chemistry to astrophysical problems by means including: organizing meetings and lectures; promoting relevant publications; encouraging governmental and academic support for astrophysical chemistry.

3. Membership.

(a) Any member of the Society shall, upon application to the Honorary Secretary, be entitled to have his or her name entered upon the Register of the Group and to become a member of the Group upon payment of the annual Group subscription, and to remain a member so long as he or she duly pays the annual Group subscription and is a member of the Society.

(b) Any member of the Royal Astronomical Society shall, upon application to the Honorary Secretary, be entitled to have his or her name entered upon the Register of the Group and to become a member of the Group upon payment of the annual Group subscription, and to remain a member so long as he or she duly pays the annual Group subscription and is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society.

(c) A non-member of the Royal Society of Chemistry or of the Royal Astronomical Society shall, upon application to the Honorary Secretary, be entitled to have his or her name entered upon the Register of the Group and to become a member of the Group, if, in the opinion of the Committee, their membership would further the objects of either or both societies and under such conditions and on payment of such additional subscription as the Royal Society of Chemistry may determine. Members in this category shall be entitled to attend Group meetings and participate in all the activities of the Group.

4. Committee.

(a) The activities of the group shall be conducted by a Committee, chosen from members of the Registry of the Group, to include the following three Officers: a Chairman, an Honorary Secretary and an Honorary Treasurer. In addition there will be up to nine ordinary members. Any Officer shall have the power to co-opt additional ordinary members. Such an appointment shall hold good until the next Annual General Meeting, at which time the appointment is subject to confirmation by Members.

(b) The maximum terms of Office for Committee members shall be:

Chairman 4 years
Honorary Secretary 5 years
Honorary Treasurer 5 years
Ordinary members 3 years

On completion of a term of office, which may be less than the maximum, a Member shall not be eligible to hold office in the same capacity until the lapse of one year. At least two of the Officers shall be members of the Royal Society of Chemistry or of the Royal Astronomical Society.

(c) Officers and Ordinary members of the Committee will be elected by Members of the Group, by assent or by a simple majority, if the position is contested, at Annual General Meetings of the Group.

(d) Upon the retirement of an Officer between Annual General Meetings, the Committee shall nominate the successor from among the Members of the Group, the appointment to hold good until the next Annual General Meeting, at which time the appointment is subject to confirmation by Members.

5. General Meetings.

(a) The Group shall meet once a year at a General Meeting for the purpose of discussing its business and to elect Officers and Ordinary members of the Committee and to fill vacancies in the Committee. Nominations for office should be sent to the Honorary Secretary in reasonable time before the Annual General Meeting. Members of the group shall be given at least one month’s notice of any Annual General Meeting.

(b) Any Member may request an Extraordinary General Meeting, which may be called either with the agreement of the Committee or at the request of at least 15 Members, on submission of the circumstances which lead to calling of such a Meeting.

6. Organisation of Scientific Meetings. International, national or regional meetings may be held to further the aims of the Group. Attendance at such meetings shall be open to both Members and non- Members of the Group. The Committee shall have the responsibility of organizing such meetings and for this purpose can appoint a sub-Committee whose Members need not be drawn from the Committee.

7. Amendments to the Constitution. Amendments to the constitution shall be proposed and seconded by members of the Group and sent to both the Honorary Secretary and Chairman prior to an Annual General Meeting. Amendments to, alterations of, and additions to the Constitution of the Subject Group, with the approval of the group at an Annual General Meeting, shall be submitted to the Council and shall not become operative, or of any effect, unless and until they have been allowed by the Council and notice of such allowance has been given to the Honorary Secretary of the Subject Group.

8. Accounts. The expenses of the Subject Group shall be defrayed out of the annual Group subscriptions of the Members of the Group and out of registration fees for scientific meetings organized by the Group. Council may, at its discretion, defray the whole or any part of expenses out of the general funds of the Division. The Honorary Treasurer shall submit accounts for acceptance at the Annual General Meeting.

9. Raising funds. The amount of the Group annual subscription payable by its Members shall be determined by the Committee and agreed by Council. Prior agreement must be obtained from Council if the Group seeks to obtain funding from any other source.

10. Publications. Proceedings of meetings or lectures may be published at the discretion of the Committee who will, in the first instance, offer them to the Publications and Information Board of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Neither the Subject Group, nor any committee thereof, shall, without the agreement of Council, cause to be published, or authorize or countenance the publication of any statement or other communication upon any matter or subject whatsoever, either in the name of the Society or in the name of the Subject Group, except that it relates to the routine business of the Subject Group.

11. Suspension and dissolution. The Council shall have the power to suspend or dissolve the Subject Group. All books, papers and other records of the suspended or dissolved Group shall be delivered to the General Secretary, and any unexpended balance of funds shall be delivered to the Honorary Treasurer of the Division.