THE CONSTITUTION OF THE AUSTRALASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THEATRE, DRAMA AND PERFORMANCE STUDIES

[incorporating amendments up to and including those passed at the General Meeting of  19 July 1997; the amendment to the Association's name at the General Meeting of 4 July 2003; and the amendment to the structure of Standing Committee ('Executive') at the General Meeting of 1 July 2004.] 

NAME

1.   The name of the Association shall be "The Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies", herein-after called the Association.  

OBJECTIVES

2.   The objectives of the Association shall be to promote the study of drama in any performing medium by any means, including 

     (a)  The provision of a forum for the exchange of information on research and study in drama and for the exchange of ideas on the nature of the discipline (drama studies)  and the methods of teaching and organisation

that are appropriate to it, 

     (b)  the protection of the interests of drama studies by voicing those interests wherever such activity seems appropriate, 

     (c)  the encouragement of the relationship with, and interchange of ideas with, members of the theatrical profession, 

     (d)  the encouragement of the relationship with, and interchange of ideas with, members of related disciplines, 

     (e)  the encouragement and promotion of dramatic performances and the writing of plays.

MEMBERSHIP

3.   Membership of the Association shall be open, on payment of the annual subscription as determined by the Association in general meeting, to staff members and post-graduate students of Australasian tertiary institutions

engaged in teaching and/or research in drama studies and to Directors of associated theatres and to members of the theatrical profession.  Membership fees shall be due on the first day of September annually. 

4.   The Standing Committee of the Association shall have authority to admit other suitable individuals on payment of the annual subscription.

CONFERENCE

5.   Conferences shall be held from time to time as determined by the Standing Committee.  In an emergency the Standing Committee shall have the power to cancel a conference.  

GENERAL MEETING

6.   A General Meeting of the Association shall be held in the course of each conference. 

7.   The distribution of invitations to members to attend a conference shall be deemed sufficient notice of such a General Meeting. 

8.   The quorum for a General Meeting shall be twenty-five (25) people. 

9.   At each General Meeting the Association shall determine a venue for the next conference and shall elect from among its members the office-bearers who shall hold office until the election of office-bearers at the next conference. 

10.  The control of the business and affairs of the Association shall be vested in the General Meeting of the Association. 

11.  The general business of the Association between conferences shall be entrusted to a Standing Committee answerable to the Association.

12.  The Standing Committee shall consist of 

President (responsible for marketing, communications, membership, overseeing prize judges)

Vice-President (responsible for research and publications, including the Research Register)

Secretary (research register)

Treasurer

Executive Member, responsible for linkages (CHAUTSI, AusStage, LERN, Drama Australia etc)

An ADS representative(s)

Postgraduate representative

Immediate past President

Current conference convenor

Next conference convenor

1 Executive Member at large responsible for Regional Matters

1 Executive Member at large

13.  The Standing Committee shall have the power to co-opt further members of the Association to the Standing Committee as required, and shall also appoint a financial member of ADSA as Assistant Treasurer. The Assistant Treasurer may be, but is not necessarily, a member of the executive, but must be consulted by the Treasurer concerning all items of proposed expenditure of ADSA funds, shall countersign cheques, and before each conference shall conduct an independent examination of the society's accounts and shall be called upon at the AGM to confirm the accuracy of the Treasurer's annual financial statement. 

14.  The Standing Committee, independently or at the petition of any ten members, shall be entitled to call an Extraordinary General Meeting.  Notice of such a meeting shall be mailed to all members of the Association at least twenty-eight (28) days before the date of the meeting, using electronic mail or any other appropriate form of notification.

MONEYS

15.  In conformity with the provisions of the Federal Income Tax Assessment Acts concerning charitable, religious and public educational institutions, all the funds of the Association shall be devoted solely to the fulfilment of the aims set out in this constitution.  No member shall receive any financial benefits therefrom, and in the event of the Association ceasing its activities, any funds remaining after meeting its legal commitments shall be transferred to an institution with similar aims and objectives.

16.  The Association shall open Society Accounts with approved banks.  The Standing Committee shall designate signatories who shall be authorised to operate these accounts.

OFFICE

17.  The office of the Association shall be at the institution of which the Secretary of the Standing Committee is a member.

AFFILIATED ORGANISATIONS

18.  On the recommendation of the Standing Committee, a society or association serving a specialist group sharing some of the interests of the Association may be accepted by a General Meeting as an affiliated organisation.

19.  Such affiliated organisations may be invited to appoint an observer to attend the meetings of the Standing Committee.

20.  A limited number of members of such affiliated organisations may be allowed to attend a conference of the Association, the number being decided by the Standing Committee or the General Meeting.

ALTERATION, AMENDMENT OR REPEAL OF THE CONSTITUTION

21.  This Constitution shall not be altered, amended or repealed unless:

     (a)  Notice of the proposed alteration, amendment or repeal (signed by the mover and the seconder, who shall be financial members of the Association) shall be received by the Secretary at least sixty (60) clear days prior to the date of the General Meeting at which it is proposed to move such alteration, amendment or repeal, in which case notice of such proposed alteration, amendment or repeal shall be given in writing to all members by the Secretary at least twenty-eight (28) clear days prior to the date of the General Meeting, using electronic mail or any other appropriate form of notification;

   and

       (b)  such alteration, amendment or repeal is approved by not less than two-thirds of the financial members of the Association present and voting at such General Meeting.