THE HUNGARIAN REGIONAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION

Constitution

1. General

 

1.1. The name of the Association is The Hungarian Regional Science Association: (hereinafter the HRSA or the Association)

1.2. The Headquarters of the Association are at 7621, Pecs, Papnovelde u. 22, c/o the Regional Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Science.

1.3. The Association is a legal entity and functions as a self-governing institution.

2. The Objectives of the Association

2.1. The objectives of the Association are

• to provide a professional forum for those involved in regional science- to disseminate as widely as possible the product and results of both international and domestic regional science
• to disseminate as widely as possible the product and results of both international and domestic regional science
• to affiliate with international associations in order to disseminate domestic scientific results through them,
• to develop contacts with the decision-makers of regional policy and with its practitioners in order to make known such scientific results as effectively as possible,
• to support all those institutions of research and higher education and all other organisations where regional science is cultivated at present or will be so in the future
• to support all those who cultivate regional science with applications, scholarships and other initiatives in order to make their scientific results better known,
• to assist in the organisation of conferences and meetings and with the publication of books and other materials in order to make known the product and results of regional science as widely and as effectively as possible.

3. The Membership of the Association

3.1. The Members of the Association are:

The Founding Members and, subsequently, additional professionals involved in regional science together with individuals, whether Hungarian or foreign, who are interested in regional science, provided that they accept the constitution of the Association, express their wish by formally applying for membership, observe the rules of the Association and pay the applicable membership fee.

3.2. The Founding Members of the Association are those members of the Regional Science Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Science who, on the 21st of February 2002, agreed to found the Association and who were present at the Inaugural Meeting of the Association

3.3. Distinguished figures in public, scientific and professional life to whom membership is offered by the Governing Council of the Association may also be admitted as members, or, should they so express their wish, provided also that they formally apply for membership, observe the rules of the Association and pay the applicable membership fee. All members of the Association have equal rights and equal obligations.

3.4. Any individual or legal entity may become a patron of the Association, provided that he supports the objectives of the Association and assists in achieving them..

3.5. Individuals from the rank of senior professionals in regional science may also be admitted as honorary members.

3.6. The Assembly of the Association shall, on the initiative of the Governing Council, decide on matters regarding membership of the Association and the admission of patrons and honorary members

3.7. Membership ceases:

• upon the death of the individual,
• upon the resignation of the member from the Association (which should be notified in writing by the member to the Governing Council of the Association)
• upon cancellation of membership, (which shall occur should a member, being in default of payment of the membership fee, and being called upon to pay the fee within 60 days, fail to do so),
• upon the summary termination of membership (which shall occur should a member seriously and intentionally breach the rules of the Association.

3.8. Membership as patron ceases upon notification in writing by the patron to the Governing Council of the Association, upon the death of the individual or, in the case of a legal entity, when that entity itself ceases to exist with no legal successor.

3.9. Honorary membership ceases upon the death of the honorary member, upon his resignation from honorary membership or upon its cancellation by the Assembly.

3.10. Appeals
A member may appeal against the decision to cancel or summarily terminate membership to the Governing Council of the Assembly within 15 days, and the submission of an appeal stays the execution of the summary termination of membership. Should the decision of the Assembly be considered unlawful, any member has the right to apply to a court of law accordingly.

3.11. Members’ Rights:

• to participate in the Assembly of the Association and in any other programmes, to express opinions and to vote,
• to elect any member to the Governing Council of the Assembly or to the Audit Committee, or to be elected himself,
• to submit any suggestion or proposal to the Assembly and its Governing Council,
• to make use of any and all facilities and services provided by the Association

3.12. A patron or the representative of a legal entity acting as patron and, in addition, an honorary member may participate in the Assembly and may offer advice and express opinions. Any individual appointed by a legal entity having the status of patron may visit the Association and participate in its activities.

3.13. Members’ Obligations:

• upon election to any office within the Association, to carry out the duties of that office to the best of his ability,
• to pay the membership fee,
• to observe the rules and regulations of the Association,
• to develop and disseminate knowledge of Regional Science, and
• to play an active role in achieving the aims of the Association.

4. The Organisation of the Association

4.1. The Assembly

4.1.1. The supreme organ of the Association is the Assembly. The Assembly is the body comprising all members and has the power to make decisions on any issue which concerns the Association.

4.1.2. The exclusive rights of the Assembly include :

• the drafting of the Constitution, its acceptance and any subsequent amendment to it,
• the election or recall of the President of the Association, the Chairman of the Audit Committee, the members of the Governing Council of the Association and of the Audit Committee:
• the awarding of honorary membership and the acceptance of patron members,
• the acceptance of the Annual Budget,
• the acceptance of the report of the Governing Council of the Association and of the Audit Committee,
• the final decision in the event of an appeal by any member against the cancellation or summary termination of his membership,
• the decision to dissolve the Association, to amalgamate with another Association or to dispose of the assets of the Association,
• decisions in respect of membership fees.

4.1.3. The Assembly may hold both Ordinary and Extraordinary Meetings:

a.) the Ordinary Meeting shall be held once per year,

b.) an Extraordinary Meeting may be called at the request of a minimum of 10% of the membership of the Association (who notify their reasons), or at the discretion of the Governing Council of the Association,

c.) an Extraordinary Meeting shall also be called in the event of a Court decision to this effect.

4.1.4. The time, venue and agenda of any meeting of the Assembly shall be notified to all members by post at least 15 days prior to the date of the meeting .

4.1.5. The Assembly has power to take decisions if there is present a quorum consisting of a minimum of 50% plus one of all members of the Association with voting rights. In the absence of such a quorum the meeting should be reconvened with the same agenda within a period of 30 days. The reconvened Assembly, regardless of the number of members present, has the power to take any decision, provided that the members have been so notified in the invitation to the meeting.

4.1.6. In an Assembly members shall take decisions by open ballot, although where decisions relate to matters concerning individuals, the ballot shall be secret. All decisions shall be made on the basis of simple majority voting (i.e. 50% +1 valid votes)

4.1.7. Minutes of the meeting of the Assembly shall be taken and these should be signed by the President of the Association, the minute-recorder and by two further members appointed for the purpose of confirmation

4.2. The Governing Council of the Association

4.2.1. The Governing Council of the Association (hereinafter referred to as the Governing Council) is the administrative, representative and executive body of the Association..

4.2.2. The Governing Council consists of five Members.

4.2.3. These shall be the President of the Association and a further four members who are elected by the Assembly for a period of three years. The members of the Governing Council may be re-elected for a maximum of one further term of five years. (Should an individual have served as a member of the Governing Council for a period of more than two-and-a-half years, this period shall be considered as a full term in respect of eligibility for re-election).

4.2.4. The Governing Council is responsible for dealing with and organising the activities of the Association between Assemblies and for taking all such decisions which are not the exclusive responsibility of the full Assembly.

4.2.5. The Governing Council shall meet whenever necessary, but at least twice per year, and such meetings shall be called by the President who shall specify the time, venue and agenda for the meeting. The Governing Council is empowered to take decisions should the President and a further two members of the Council be present.

4.2.6. The Governing Council makes its decisions by open ballot and on the basis of a simple majority. In such cases where the votes cast for and against a motion are equal, the President has the casting vote.

4.2.7. The responsibilities of the Governing Council:

a.) to make preparations for meetings of the Assembly and to prepare the annual working programme,

b.) to present the annual budget to the Assembly,

c.) to handle the financial affairs of the Association on the basis of the budget as approved by the Assembly and to organise the activities of the Association,

d.) to make proposals to the Assembly regarding the amount of the membership fee,

e.) to define duties and responsibilities for the forthcoming period,

f.) to define the terms and conditions under which non-members may participate in the organised programmes and utilise the services provided by the Association,

g) to decide upon the admission to membership of scholars, to propose the admission to membership of patrons and honorary members and to decide upon the cancellation of membership or its summary termination,

h.) to determine its own agenda,

i.) to report to the Assembly in respect of work completed,

j) to co-opt a alternate member to the Council or of the Audit Committee in the event of the resignation of any of their members.

4.3. The President of the Association

4.3.1. The Association is represented by the President in his own right, and the President, together with one other member of the Governing Council appointed for the purpose, are empowered to operate the bank account of the Association under their joint signatures. If the President is prevented from fulfilling his duties, he may confer his representation rights – in accordance with the rules of the Governing Council – to one other member of the Governing Council

4.3.2. The President has a duty to convene the meetings of the Assembly and of the Governing Council and to assume the responsibility for directing the activity of the Association in the intervals between meetings of the Assembly or of the Governing Council and to ensure that the decisions of the Assembly and of the Governing Council are carried out.

4.3.3. In the event of a vacancy on the Governing Council or on the Audit Committee, the President shall co-opt one of the alternate members already elected for the purpose.

4.4. The Audit Committee

4.4.1. The Audit Committee (hereinafter the Committee) elected by the Assembly shall, at regular intervals, check the management of the finances and assets of the Association and report thereon to the Assembly

4.4.2. The Committee consists of three members and itself decides upon its method of operation. Meetings of the Committee are convened by the President, and, to enable decisions to be taken, the presence of all members is required to constitute the necessary quorum. Decisions are taken by simple majority voting

4.4.3. The terms and conditions for election and re-election are as for elections to the Governing Council..

4.5. Alternate Members of the Governing Council and of the Audit Committee

4.5.1. The Assembly shall elect one alternate member in respect of each of the Governing Council and the Audit Committee to serve for the elected term of these bodies. Should the term of office of any member of the Governing Council or of the Audit Committee cease due to death, resignation from his elected office or from membership of the Association itself, or due to the cancellation or summary termination of his membership, the President shall ask the appropriate alternate member to serve on either the Governing Council or Audit Committee for the remainder of the elected term.

4.5.2. The rules and conditions for election and re-election for alternate members are as those applying to the originally elected members.

4.6. Sections

4.6.1. Members of the Association may establish regional or other specialised sections of the Association with the consent of the Governing Council.

5. The Assets of the Association

5.1. The assets of the Association comprise membership fees, funds contributed by patrons and others, income resulting from applications and other donations.

5.2. The Association operates in accordance with the financial and asset-management regulations applying to non-profit organisations and on the basis of an annual financial plan

5.3. The expenses of the Association comprise its operating costs, programme costs, honoraria and other expenses.

6. Final Provisions

In respect of all issues not specifically referred to in this Constitution, the Civil Code, the 1989 Act II on the Right of Public Assembly and all other relevant legislation currently in force should be observed. .

Budapest , February the 21 st, 2002

The Constitution of the Hungarian Regional Science Association was approved unanimously by the decision of the Assembly on the 21st of February 2002.

Dr. Horváth Gyula
President – HRSA

In Confirmation: