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THE ASIA-PACIFIC SOCIETY FOR
COMPUTERS IN EDUCATION:
CONSTITUTION
(Adopted: 21 January 2004)
(Amended: 8 December 2004)
(Amended: 12 July 2007)
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1. |
NAME |
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The name of the Society is “The Asia-Pacific Society
for Computers in Education.” The acronym "APSCE” shall be used to refer to
the Society. |
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2. |
OBJECTIVES |
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The objectives of APSCE are: |
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(a) |
To promote the conduct and dissemination of research
employing the use of computing technologies in education within the Asia-Pacific
region and internationally; |
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(b) |
To encourage and support the academic activities
of researchers in member countries and to nurture a vibrant research community of
younger as well as more experienced researchers; |
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(c) |
To enhance international awareness of research
conducted by researchers in member countries; |
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(d) |
To obtain greater representation of active researchers
from the Asia-Pacific region in committees of related leading academic and professional
organizations and the editorial boards of reputable journals; |
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(e) |
To organize and hold the International Conference
on Computers in Education (ICCE) conference series in member countries; |
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(f) |
To engage in other appropriate academic and professional
activities including but not limited to the setting up of Special Interest Groups
(SIGs) and the publication of a Society newsletter and a Society journal. |
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3. |
MEMBER COUNTRIES |
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Member countries include all nations and regions
within the Asia-Pacific. Where the situation warrants, the President, may at his
or her discretion direct that a Special Administrative Region be treated as a separate
member country. |
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4. |
OFFICE |
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4.1 |
APSCE shall be registered in Taiwan and be governed
by its laws and regulations. |
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4.2 |
The headquarters-cum-secretariat of APSCE shall
be:
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c/o Dr Chan Tak-Wai |
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Center for Science and Technology of Learning |
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National Central University |
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300 Chung-Da Road, Chung-Li |
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Taiwan |
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4.3 |
The affairs of the Society’s Office shall be managed
by an Administrative Secretary appointed by Dr Chan Tak-Wai and with the approval
of the President of the Society. The Administrative Secretary shall be responsible
for maintaining the Society’s member database, website (including online application
for Society membership), and legal records. He or she shall also liaise with the
Treasurer on all matters related to the Society’s finances and the electronic payment
system for the collection of annual membership dues. The Administrative Secretary
may be paid an allowance for his or her work, provided that the Society’s finances
are sufficient for this purpose. The amount of the allowance will be determined
by the President and approved by the Executive Committee from time to time. |
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4.4 |
All Society expenses must be for bona fide Society
purposes that serve the Society's interests. All payments must be approved by the
President, or his appointed designee, and the Treasurer. The Administrative Secretary
shall keep a record of the approvals (usually sent by email) as supporting documentation
for payments made. |
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4.5 |
For accounting purposes, the financial year of
the Society shall begin on 1st
January and end on 31st December.
The Society’s accounts will be subject to an annual audit. |
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5. |
MEMBERS |
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5.1 |
(a) Any person of good standing who works
in a field related to computers in education and
subscribes to the objectives of APSCE may
apply to be a Member of the Society.
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(b)
Any person who has been a Non-voting Member for the last three consecutive years
may apply to be a Voting
Member of the Society. |
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(c)
Any research center/laboratory that works in a field related to computers in education
and subscribes to the
objectives of APSCE may apply to be a Group Member. The
Annual dues of a Group Member shall be
equivalent to that of three individual members. The maximum
benefits that can accrue to a Group Member shall
not exceed that which would accrue to five individual
members. |
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(d)
Any primary or secondary school teacher who subscribes to the objectives of APSCE
may apply to be a
Teacher Member. A Teacher Member is entitled to the benefits
of a Non-voting Member except that Teacher
Members will not receive the Society journal. Such members
pay only half of the Society¹s annual dues. |
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5.2 |
Applicants who satisfy the requirements in para.
5.1 will be considered for Society membership by the Membership Subcommittee. Annual
dues shall be payable upon successful application, subject to the provisions of
para. 5.3. The amount of annual dues shall be determined by the Executive Committee
from time to time. |
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5.3 |
Membership
of the Society shall be on a calendar basis, from 1st
January to 31st December. A new
Member whose membership application is approved between
1st January and 30th
June will pay annual dues covering the entire 12-month period. A new Member whose
membership application is approved between 1st
July and 31st December
will pay 50% of the annual dues to cover the period to
31st December. |
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5.4 |
Voting
Members shall be entitled to vote for Executive
Committee representatives of the Society. |
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5.5 |
The
Executive Committee may suspend or expel a Member for cause after serving written
notice to the Member stating the reasons therefor and after providing an opportunity
within three months for the Member to be heard (electronically) on the matter. Suspension
or expulsion will be carried on the basis of a majority vote (cast votes) of the
EC. |
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5.6 |
Any
Member may resign by giving notice to the President of the Society. |
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5.7 |
A Member
who fails to pay annual dues later than four months from the due date shall be considered
to have resigned from the Society. |
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5.8 |
A Member
who resigns or is expelled from the Society shall not be entitled to any refund
of annual dues, whether in whole or in part. |
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5.9 |
Membership
in the Society is not transferable and not assignable. |
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6. |
STUDENT MEMBERS |
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6.1 |
Any person who is registered as an undergraduate
or graduate student in an institution of higher learning, who has an interest in
computers in education, and who subscribes to the objectives of APSCE may apply
to be a Student Member of the Society. Proof of student status will be required. |
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6.2 |
Applicants who satisfy the requirements in para.
6.1 will be considered for student membership by the Membership Subcommittee. Annual
dues shall be payable upon successful application, subject to the provisions of
para. 6.3. Student Members shall be entitled to reduced annual dues determined by
the Executive Committee from time to time. |
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6.3 |
Student
Membership of the Society shall be on a calendar basis, from
1st January to 31st
December. A new Student Member whose membership application is approved between
1st January and
30th June will pay annual dues covering the entire 12-month
period. A new Student Member whose membership application is approved between 1st July and
31st December will pay 50% of the annual dues to cover
the period to 31st December. |
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6.4 |
A Student Member is not entitled to vote on all
matters related to the Society and to its Officers. |
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6.5 |
A Student
Member who fails to pay annual dues later than four months from the due date shall
be considered to have resigned from the Society. |
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6.6 |
The
Executive Committee may suspend or expel a Student Member for cause after serving
written notice to the Student Member stating the reasons therefor and after providing
an opportunity within three months for the Student Member to be heard (electronically)
on the matter. Suspension or expulsion will be carried on the basis of a majority
vote (cast votes) of the EC. |
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6.7 |
A Student
Member who resigns or is expelled from the Society shall not be entitled to any
refund of annual dues, whether in whole or in part. |
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6.8 |
Student
membership in the Society is not transferable and not assignable. |
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7. |
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE |
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7.1 |
The management of APSCE shall be vested in the
Executive Committee (EC) which will exercise general supervision over the affairs
of the Society in conformance with the Society’s Constitution and all legal requirements
in the country of registration. |
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7.2 |
The EC shall consist of the President of the Society,
the President-elect, the Past President, and up to 28 other EC Members. Members
of the EC must be Members of APSCE. |
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7.3 |
An EC Member's term will be four (4) years. The
President's term will be two (2)
years. The term of the President-elect and the Past President will also be for two (2)
years. All terms will follow the calendar year, commencing on 1st January
and terminating on 31st December two or four years later, as the case
may be. |
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7.4 |
Every
EC Member is required to participate in at least two out of four ICCE conferences
in any four-year window period. |
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7.5 |
A President-elect
shall be elected from members of the EC, by members of the EC, for a two-year term.
The President-elect shall
automatically become President on the expiration of his or her term of office and
shall serve in that capacity for two years. The President shall automatically become
the Past President of the Society upon completion of his or her two-year term as
President. |
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7.6 |
The President-elect shall perform the duties of
the President if he or she is unable to act. |
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7.7 |
By virtue of para. 7.2, the President, President-elect,
and Past President, shall automatically retain their EC membership for two years
in respect of each office. |
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7.8 |
Up to 28 other EC Members may be nominated and
elected by the Members of APSCE. To be eligible, a candidate (i) must have participated
in at least two out of the four most recent ICCE conferences, (ii) must be a person
of good standing and have worked in the area of computers in education for at least
five years, (iii) must indicate a willingness to stand for election, and (iv) must
demonstrate a commitment to serving the Society and advancing its interests and
objectives. |
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7.9 |
Each member country, as defined in Section 3 of
this Constitution, may have at most three (3) EC Members. EC Members shall be nominated
and elected for a specified member country or region. The member country or region
will be the place where the EC Member resides and carries out his or her professional
work. Hence, each EC Member shall be affiliated with only one member country or
region. |
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7.10 |
In order to enhance its international presence,
APSCE may have up to five (5) EC Members from non-member countries or regions. Such
persons must also satisfy the eligibility requirements of para. 7.8. A non-member
country or region can be represented by at most one (1) EC Member. |
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7.11 |
Where the number of filled EC positions is less
than 28, the President may co-opt up to three (3) additional persons who can make
a valuable contribution to or meet a particular need of the Society. Such
persons must satisfy conditions (i), (ii), and (iv) of para. 7.8. Such appointments
shall not be subject to the cap of three (3) referred to in para. 7.9. However,
they are subject to the cap of one (1) referred to in para. 7.10. |
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7.12 |
An EC Member may resign from the EC by giving
notice to the President. An EC Member may be removed from the EC by a two-thirds
majority vote (cast votes) of the EC. |
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7.13 |
If the President needs to resign, he or she can
do so by giving written notice to the President-elect. The President-elect will
then take over as President, and the term of the new President will be decided by
the EC. |
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7.14 |
Vacancies in the EC may be filled at the time
of the next annual election of EC Members. |
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8. |
ELECTIONS |
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8.1 |
Following para. 7.5, the President-elect shall
be elected from members of the EC, by members of the EC, for a two-year term. The
President-elect's election will take place every two years, before he or she becomes
the President. The election shall be held during the months of November/December
in the year preceding that in which the appointment becomes effective. |
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8.2 |
An EC Member who nominates a fellow-EC Member
for the position of Presidentelect must furnish a vita of the candidate to the
Elections Subcommittee. The candidate must indicate to the Elections Subcommittee,
in writing, acceptance of the nomination and a willingness to stand for election.
The candidate shall also provide a position statement stating his or her vision
and goals for the Society, if elected. All these materials will either be circulated
or mounted on a web page for all EC Members to access. A nomination requires at
least one other EC Member to second it. Each EC Member may only second one nomination. |
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8.3 |
The Elections Subcommittee, in consultation with
the President, shall decide on the number of EC Members to be elected every year
to serve four-year terms. The terms of EC Members can be extended beyond four years
by the President, if necessary, to enable the completion of executive duties. |
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8.4 |
Any APSCE Member can nominate up to two (2) voting/non-voting Members for election to
the EC by all voting Members,
subject to the requirements stipulated in para 7.8. |
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8.5 |
A Member who nominates a fellow-Member for election
to the EC must furnish a vita of the candidate to the Elections Subcommittee that
demonstrates compliance with eligibility criterion (ii) in para. 7.8, amongst others.
The candidate must indicate to the Elections Subcommittee, in writing, acceptance
of the nomination and a willingness to stand for election. The candidate shall also
provide a statement demonstrating a commitment to serving the Society and to advancing
its interests and objectives, if elected. All these materials will either be circulated
or mounted on a web page for all Members to access. A nomination requires another
APSCE Member to second the nomination. Any APSCE member can second up to two (2)
nominations. |
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8.6 |
All EC election nominees will be vetted by the
Society’s Elections Subcommittee. Only candidates approved by the Elections Subcommittee
will stand for election. The Elections Subcommittee Chair shall ensure that the
proposed nominee list for the EC election complies with the requirements of para.
7.9. |
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9. |
OFFICERS |
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9.1 |
The
Officers of the Society shall be the President, the President-elect, the Past President,
and the Treasurer. All Officers of the Society must be from Asia-Pacific member
countries or regions. |
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9.2 |
The President shall, in general, provide leadership,
supervise, and control the business and affairs of the Society. He or she shall
chair all meetings of the Members (if any) and of the EC. He or she may sign any
contracts that the EC has authorized to be executed. He or she shall perform duties
as may be prescribed by the EC. He or she may also assign duties to other EC Members. |
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9.3 |
The President-elect shall assist the President
in all aspects of the execution of his or her duties. |
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9.4 |
The Past President shall provide advice and assistance
to the President to facilitate a smooth handover of office and Society management. |
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9.5 |
The Treasurer shall be responsible for controlling
all matters related to the Society’s finances, budget, and preparation and auditing
of accounts. He or she will also be responsible for the management of APSCE’s bank
account and all revenues and payments. He or she will also work with the Administrative
Secretary to handle the proper collection and banking of Member and Student Member
annual dues. At each Executive Committee meeting held during ICCE conferences, the
Treasurer shall report on the revenues and expenses in respect of the past year
and the financial standing of the Society at the time. He or she shall also present
an operating budget for the forthcoming year. The Treasurer shall be appointed by the President from amongst
the EC Members. |
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9.6 |
An EC Member may petition the President or the
President-elect to request the suspension or removal of an Officer of the Society
from office if the Member can show cause for the requested action. The Officer complained
against will be given up to two (2) months to respond to any allegation of irregularity
or impropriety. If the person who receives the petition resolves that there is a
valid allegation, he or she will arrange for such petition to be voted on by the
EC. Suspension or expulsion will be carried on the basis of a three-quarters majority
vote (cast votes) of the EC. |
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10. |
OTHER COMMITTEES |
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10.1 |
The Society will have subcommittees responsible
for (i) Membership, (ii) Elections, (iii) Conference, (iv) Newsletter, (v) Outreach
& Publicity, (vi) Journal, and (vii) Student Programs. Subcommittee members
must be EC Members. Every EC Member is expected to participate actively in at least
one subcommittee. |
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10.2 |
The Membership Subcommittee will be responsible
for screening all applicants for admission to APSCE as Member or Student Member.
Decisions within the Membership Subcommittee shall be carried by majority vote. |
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10.3 |
The Elections Subcommittee will be responsible
for proposing a suitable slate of candidates for the annual EC election and for
managing the election process in conformance with the Constitution. The Elections
Subcommittee will also be responsible for organizing the bi-annual election for
the office of President-elect. |
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10.4 |
The Conference Subcommittee will be responsible,
together with the President, for soliciting suitable candidates to host the annual
ICCE Conference, managing the Call for Conference Hosting process, evaluating hosting
proposals, and putting forward recommendations to the EC for future conferences.
Members of the Subcommittee shall comprise persons who have served as ICCE Conference
Chair or Program Co- Chair in the past to facilitate continuation of ICCE best practices
and culture. The Subcommittee should endeavor to have a host in hand for the next
two conferences at any given time. |
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10.5 |
The Newsletter Subcommittee will be responsible
for the preparation of the Society’s quarterly electronic newsletter. |
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10.6 |
The Outreach & Publicity Subcommittee will
be responsible for publicizing the Society and its activities and fostering collaborations
and liaisons with external kindred organizations and societies. |
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10.7 |
The Journal Subcommittee will be responsible for
all matters related to the setting up of an APSCE journal, liaising with publishers,
and managing the launch of the journal. This subcommittee will be dissolved upon
successful launch of the journal and will be replaced by a Publications Subcommittee. |
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10.8 |
The Student Programs Subcommittee will be responsible
for all programs and activities to nurture student interest and develop student
talent in all areas related to computers in education. In particular, the Subcommittee
will be responsible for overseeing the organization of the PhD Consortium at each
ICCE conference. |
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10.9 |
The President shall propose the composition of
the Society’s subcommittees, including subcommittee Chairs, and seek the EC’s approval
for the proposal. The number of persons in each subcommittee shall be determined
by the President. Subcommittee Chairs shall report directly to the President in
respect of functions for which they are responsible. |
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10.10 |
The President, may at his or her discretion, constitute
a new subcommittee, comprising EC Members, to be responsible for other matters requiring
urgent attention and action, as may arise from time to time. If a subcommittee so
formed is an ad hoc subcommittee, it may be dissolved by the President at
his or her discretion, when its objectives have been fulfilled. |
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11. |
CONDUCT OF SOCIETY BUSINESS |
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11.1 |
As EC Members are distributed geographically,
the business of the EC shall be carried out predominantly through email. Any decisions
required of the EC will be handled electronically and carried by a majority vote
(votes cast). EC Members shall be given at least 7 days to respond. The President
shall maintain a record of decisions made by the EC. |
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11.2 |
An annual EC Member meeting shall be held during
each ICCE Conference. The meeting will be chaired by the President. Proposals for
items to be discussed by EC Members should be sent to the President for consideration
at least 28 days before the scheduled meeting. Any decisions that have to be made
at the EC meeting will be carried by majority vote. The President shall cause minutes
of the EC meeting to be recorded and kept. |
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11.3 |
As Members and Student Members are also widely
distributed geographically, any general Society business (excluding EC meetings
held at ICCE conferences) involving members shall be carried out through email.
Members and Student Members may raise any Society-related issue on an official basis
by email to the President. The President shall, in consultation with other Officers
of the Society, if necessary, provide a response to such issues within 28 days. |
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12. |
ICCE CONFERENCES |
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12.1 |
All
ICCE conferences shall be held in an Asia-Pacific country or region. |
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12.2 |
The
President of APSCE will be the Conference Chair of each ICCE conference. |
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12.3 |
The Conference Subcommittee together with the
President and President-elect will decide on the Program Co-Chairs of ICCE. Three
Program Co-Chairs will be appointed: one from the Asia-Pacific region, one from
the hosting country, and one from a Western country. In exceptional circumstances,
the President may, at his or her discretion, vary this requirement. |
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12.4 |
The Program Co-Chairs will select the conference
Program Committee members. In general, about one third should be from Asia-Pacific
countries. |
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12.5 |
The Program Co-Chairs shall be responsible for
all matters related to the academic program of the conference. The Program Co-Chairs
together with the President and President-elect shall have collective responsibility
for ensuring the academic and professional quality of the ICCE conference. |
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12.6 |
The Organizing Chair of the conference will be
from the hosting country. This person will usually be the person championing the
bid for the conference. |
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12.7 |
The Editors of the Conference Proceedings shall
be the (three) Program Co-Chairs plus the (one) Organizing Chair. |
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12.8 |
In the performance of their tasks and responsibilities,
the Program Co-Chairs and the Organizing Chair are to be guided by the ICCE Conference Handbook. In case of any doubt or conflict arising, the President, as Conference
Chair, will either arbitrate or make the final decision. |
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12.9 |
On the conclusion of an ICCE, the conference hosting
institution is required to furnish a formal report to the EC, including a financial
report, within two (2) months of the end of the conference. |
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12.10 |
To help subsidize the running expenses of APSCE
and to sponsor graduate student participation in future ICCE conferences, the hosting
institution is required to offer 30% of any surplus finance accruing from the running
of the ICCE conference to APSCE. |
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12.11 |
APSCE Members shall be offered a discount of at
least 15% on ICCE conference registration fees. Student Members shall be offered
a discount of at least 30%. |
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13. |
ADVISORY BOARD |
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The President, in consultation with the EC, may
invite distinguished scholars in the field who can advise the Society on matters
related to its growth and internationalization to join the APSCE Advisory Board.
These scholars may include previous international Program Co-Chairs, distinguished
scholars who have been keynote or invited speakers of previous ICCE conferences,
previous Presidents of APSCE, and retired EC members who are senior researchers
in the field. |
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14. |
CORPORATE/ORGANIZATION AFFILIATIONS |
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Heads of corporations and other organizations
(eg. book and journal publishers, education software publishing companies) seeking
to establish a long-term affiliation with APSCE may solicit such an affiliation
in writing to the President. The President, in consultation with the EC, shall decide
whether to approve the affiliation. The
Annual dues of an affiliated corporation/organization shall be equivalent to that
of five individual members. Corporate/organization affiliates are entitled to receive
two subscriptions of the Society¹s journal. Representatives of the corporation/organization
are eligible to receive a ICCE registration fee discount, subject to a limit of
five persons. |
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15. |
EFFECTIVE DATE |
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This Constitution of APSCE, when adopted by the
EC, shall have retroactive effect from 1 January 2004, the official commencement
date of the Society. |
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16. |
AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION |
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Any Member may propose to the EC to amend, adopt,
or repeal any clause of this constitution. Upon a two-thirds majority vote (votes
cast) by the EC in favor of such a proposal, the proposal shall be placed on the
agenda of the next EC meeting and be considered by the EC at that meeting. |
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17. |
TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS |
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17.1 |
EC
Members of the Asia-Pacific Chapter (APC) of AACE as at
31st December 2003 will automatically become APSCE EC Members
as of 1st January 2004. |
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17.2 |
Current EC Members who were elected under the
regime of the APC of AACE will continue to serve their six-year term to completion. |
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17.3 |
Adoption of this Constitution by the EC shall
be tied to a parallel vote that the predecessor society, the Asia-Pacific Chapter
(APC) of AACE, be dissolved, effective on 31st
December 2003. |
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17.4 |
As the award for hosting ICCE 2004 was made prior
to the framing of this Constitution, the Organizers of the 2004 conference are strongly
encouraged to adhere to the clauses of Section 12 of this Constitution relating
to ICCE Conferences. However, where adherence gives rise to significant difficulties,
the President may, at his discretion, waive or relax certain requirements. |
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