Constitution

as amended and supplemented by General Meetings

up to and including 2009

 

1.         Name

 

1.1      The name of the Association shall be “The Classical Association of South Africa”, hereinafter referred to as “the Association”.

 

1.2      The Association may also be known by its acronym: CASA.

 

1.3      Body Corporate

 

            The Association shall:

• exist in its own right, separately from its members

• continue to exist even when its membership changes and there are different office bearers

• be able to own property and other possessions

• be able to sue and be sued in its own name

 

2.         Aim

 

            The Association aims at and from time to time considers the best means of:

 

• promoting the scientific study, knowledge and appreciation of the Classics in South Africa; and

• creating and cherishing professional association and friendship among lovers of  the Classics in South Africa.

 

3.         Income and property

 

3.1      The Association keeps account of everything it owns.

 

3.2      Members or office bearers of the Association do not have rights over any property belonging to the Association.

 

3.3      The Association may not pay members or office-bearers any money or property other than in reasonable payment for work done by a member or for reasonable expenses incurred by a member on behalf of the Association.

 

4.         Membership

 

4.1                   Membership of the Association is open to all persons who are interested in Graeco-Roman civilization and share the aims of the Association on payment of a subscription fee.

 

4.2                   The Association shall consist of:

 

• full members, who may vote at general meetings and are eligible to serve as office-bearers;

• associate members, who may not vote at general meetings;

• student members, who must be registered at a university and who may not vote at general meetings;

• honorary members who may be elected from time to time by the Execu-tive Committee by virtue of their academic status and their goodwill toward Classical studies; Honorary Members may not vote at General Meetings. Such persons are mentioned in 6. and 7. below.

 

4.3      In the case of the first two categories membership depends on the subscription   the member wishes to pay.

 

4.4      Membership of the Association automatically includes membership of a Regional Branch.

 

4.5      Only Full Members may serve on the Executive Committee, but Associate Members may be co-opted in particular circumstances.

 

4.6      Full members receive free of charge the volumes of Acta Classica and Akroterion bearing the respective dates of the years for which they have paid their subscription.

 

4.7      Associate and Student members receive free of charge the volumes of Akroterion bearing the respective dates of the years for which they have paid their subscription.

 

4.8      Membership of the Association lapses when the subscription fee is not paid by the due date.

 

4.9      Membership of the Association is valid for the financial year of the Association from 1 July to 30 June of the subsequent year.

 

5.                     Membership Fees

 

5.1      Membership fees applicable to Full Members, Associate Members and Student Members shall be fixed at the Biennial Conference of the Association for the    subsequent two-year period.

 

5.2      Existing Life Members retain their membership of the Association.

 

5.3      Members studying abroad for at least one year will be exempted from subscription on request to the Treasurer of the Association.

 

5.4      From the total membership fee, the Regional Branch receives fifteen per cent (15%) of the dues received from the members of the branch concerned, with the          following provisos:

 

• Fees of those who are not members of a Regional Branch remain in the Treasury of the Association;

• Only such regions in which Regional Branches are in active existence and which comply with the requirements of article 5.4 (c) will have any claim to such a share of membership fees;

• A report of the activities of Regional Branches together with a financial statement shall be sent annually to both the Secretary and the Treasurer;

• There shall be a minimum grant of R15.00 per branch, with the proviso that the Regional Branches may approach the Executive Committee for additional grants if necessary;

• Grants to Regional Branches will be made only on an annual basis, and all claims are to be submitted to the Treasurer before 30 June of the following year; after that date no retrospective claims will be considered;

• For purposes of grants to Regional Branches, the territorial division of members shall be retained, and, in the absence of any other clearly-defined boundaries, the grant shall be paid to the branch nearest to the town or city in which the member is resident.

 

5.5      Membership fees may be invested in a savings account at a bank or building society on behalf of the Association.

 

5.6      Funds accruing from the payment of membership fees may be used in payment of the publication costs of Acta Classica and Akroterion.

 

6.         Patron

 

            The Association may after due consideration and on recommendation to or by the Executive Committee elect a Patron.

 

7.         Presidents

 

On       On the recommendation of the Executive Committee the Association from time to time may elect:

 

• As honorary presidents such persons as have distinguished themselves by service to the Classics of South Africa. Such an elective meeting is a closed one, and proposed honorary presidents are not members of that meeting. Honorary presidents are not members of the Executive Committee.

• As honorary vice-presidents such persons as are eligible by virtue of their status, knowledge of, and goodwill towards the Classics. Honorary Vice-presidents are not members of the Executive Committee.

 

8.         International Affiliation

 

            The Association is affiliated with the International Federation of Classical Associations (FIEC).

 

9.         Organisation

 

            The Association is organised on a regional and local as well as on a national basis, and regional and local branches shall have a free hand in organising their activities.

 

10.      Executive Committee

 

10.1    The General Meeting at a Conference every two years elects by majority vote the Executive Committee who will act as office-bearers to manage the Association. The Executive Committee shall consist of: a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, a secretary, a treasurer and three (3) elected additional members representing sub-committees for research, fund-raising and publicity, and the taskforce for Latin tuition.

 

10.2    Written nominations for office-bearers are to be submitted to the Chairperson or Secretary of the Association by 8:30 on the second day of the Conference. All nominations shall state the name of the candidate, the position for which the candidate is nominated, the name of the nominator, the name of the seconder, as well as the signatures of all three members involved. No nominations will be accepted from the floor during the General Meeting.

 

10.3    Members of the Executive Committee are not liable for loss incurred by any person as a result of an act or omission in good faith while the members of the committee are acting on behalf of the Association.

 

11.       Powers of the Association

 

11.1    The Executive Committee has the power to raise and disburse funds on behalf of the Association.

 

11.2    The Association decides the powers and functions of its office bearers by majority vote at quorate meetings.

 

11.3    The Association empowers the Executive Committee to implement decisions taken by majority vote at quorate meetings

 

11.4      The financial transactions of the Association shall be conducted by means of a banking account

 

11.5    The financial year of the  Association ends on 30 June each year.

 

 

12.      Meetings

 

12.1    The Association meets at least once every two years, normally in the first week of July, when universities are on vacation.

 

12.2    Minutes of meetings are taken by the Secretary and must be approved by a subsequent, quorate General Meeting of the Association, and are always available for members to consult. Electronic copies of the minutes shall be circulated to all members with email addresses and hard copies shall be available to members attending the subsequent General Meeting.

 

12.3    A report by the Treasurer of the Association must be tabled at the General Meeting of the Association.

 

12.4    Reports by the Editors of Acta Classica and Akroterion must be tabled at the General Meeting of the Association.

 

13.      Language Medium

 

The Association accepts the principle of multilingualism.

 

14.      Quorum

 

            Ten full members shall form a quorum for the General Meeting.

 

15.      Constitutional Changes

 

15.1    Half plus one of bona fide members attending the Conference shall be present at meetings (the quorum)

15.2    A majority of the quorum must vote in favour of proposed Constitutional changes before such changes come into force.

15.3    Notice of such proposed changes must be given at the Opening of the Conference, but will be tabled for discussion and voting only at the General Meeting in order to allow members adequate opportunity also to consult together.

 

16.      Notice of Meetings

 

            Notice of 21 days for ordinary General Meetings, 10 days for special General Meetings, shall be given.

 

17.      Publications

 

17.1    Acta Classica

 

• Acta Classica is the official journal of the Classical Association of South Africa and the Association is also responsible for its publication.

• The Editorial Board, consisting of the Editor, Secretary, Treasurer and two additional members, shall be appointed at the General Meeting of the Association for the volumes which are to appear during the following two calendar years. Nominations for these positions shall be dealt with in the same manner as for office-bearers of the Executive Committee (10.2 above). The Editorial Board shall nominate an Editorial Advisory Board consisting of internationally recognised classicists.

• Specific issues of Acta Classica may, after deliberation by the Editorial Board of Acta Classica, and confirmation by the Executive Committee, be dedicated to persons of merit. The following guidelines are laid down:

• Dedication will take place on or after retirement with the knowledge and assent of the dedicatee; it is, however, stressed that posthumous dedication is not ruled out.

 

The following criteria are to be considered:

• an active role in the activities of the Association;

• prolonged service to Classics, e.g. in training young classicists;

• academic achievement with regard to research and publications.

Nominations may be made by the Executive Committee, the Editorial Board or a member of the Association. All nominations are first to be submitted for consideration to the Editorial Board and then referred to the Executive Committee for confirmation.

 

17.2    Acta Classica Supplementa

 

• The aim of the series, which will appear at irregular intervals, is to promote research in the field of Classics in Southern Africa by facilitating the publication of monographs, editions, commentaries and collections of articles that are the result of original academic research.

• The Editorial Board of Acta Classica shall undertake the administration of the Supplementa according to its guidelines.

• A Guest Editor may be appointed by the Executive Committee at the request of the Editor.

• The financial cost to the Association and Acta Classica will be limited to the incidental secretarial expenses.

 

17.3    Akroterion

 

The journal Akroterion is sent to all enrolled members of the Classical Association of South Africa and the Association annually subsidises the journal in accordance with the decision of the General Meeting of the Association. Akroterion is published by the Department of Ancient Studies at the University of Stellenbosch.

 

18.      Awards for Excellence in Education and Research

 

• The Association will make biennial awards to an individual or individuals for exceptional service in the field of

• teaching and research in the Classics in South Africa.

• The Executive Committee of the Association makes these awards according to guidelines stipulated from time to time by the Association at its General Meetings.

 

19.      Dissolution / Winding-up of the Association

 

19.1    The Association may be closed down if at least two-thirds of the current members are in favour of doing so at a meeting of the Association, provided that due notice of such a meeting is given to all members.

 

19.2    If the Association is closed down, or if the publication of Acta Classica is discontinued, all property belonging to both organizations will be donated to an Association devoted to the furtherance of Classical studies.