The UKABS Constitution

The Constitution of UKABS
(as amended at the AGM 2nd July 2020)

1. NAME The name of the Association shall be the United Kingdom Association for Buddhist Studies (UKABS).

2. OBJECT The object of the Association shall be to promote the academic study of Buddhism through the national and international collaboration of all scholars whose research has a bearing on the subject. The means whereby the object is pursued may include the arrangement of conferences, symposia and colloquia, the development and maintenance of an Internet Web Site, the publication of an occasional newsletter, and such other activities as the Association shall from time to time determine.

3. MEMBERSHIP Membership of the Association shall be open to individuals who are interested in furthering the work of the Association and who have paid the annual subscription as laid down from time to time by a General Meeting. The Committee shall have the right to approve or reject applications for membership.
The Association may by a two-thirds majority, for good and sufficient reason, terminate the membership of any individual PROVIDED THAT the individual member concerned shall have the right to be heard before a final decision is made.

4. GENERAL MEETING The governing body of the Association is the General Meeting of members. A General Meeting shall be convened at least once annually. Not less than 28 days notice of a General Meeting shall be given in writing to all members. The proceedings of a General Meeting shall not be invalidated by the non-receipt by one or more members of notification. Ten members shall constitute a quorum.

5. SUBSCRIPTIONS All members shall pay an annual subscription determined by the General Meeting, save that a General Meeting shall have the power in exceptional cases to confer Honorary Membership of the Association.

6. OFFICERS A President, who shall be elected for four years and shall be eligible for one further consecutive term of 3 years. The President will act as the chair of the Committee. A Secretary, who shall serve for three years and shall be eligible for re-election for one further consecutive term. A Treasurer who shall serve for three years and shall be eligible for re-election for one further consecutive term. The Treasurer shall present annually to a General Meeting an audited statement of the accounts of the Association.

7. COMMITTEE The general conduct of the affairs of the Association shall be in the hands of a committee consisting of:
• i) the officers,
• ii) two other members elected at a General Meeting for a term of three years and who shall be eligible for re-election for one further consecutive term,
• iii) the editor of the Association’s journal, who shall be eligible for re-election without limit to the number of terms,
• iv) one or two members co-opted by the committee to serve for a term of three years. Thereafter, their co-option may be extended for a further two years, and they may at any time stand for election to the committee.
• v) a postgraduate representative co-opted by the committee to serve for a term of two years.
• vi) an IT officer may be appointed and will be co-opted by the committee. The position will be annually renewable at the discretion of the committee but without limit to term.
• vii) a scholar from an E.U. country may be co-opted by the committee for a term of three years. Thereafter, their co-option may be extended for further terms of three years but without limit to the number of terms.
The notification of any General Meeting shall include intimation of any vacancies among the officers or members of the Committee occurring through expiry of their term of office, and shall call for nominations of members to fill those vacancies.
Nominations, which shall be in writing, signed by two members of the Association and accompanied by the assent of the members proposed, shall be in the hands of the Secretary before the General Meeting at which the vacancy falls to be considered. In the event of there being more valid nominations than places to be filled, a ballot shall be held of members present at the meeting. Where there are more than two candidates for any post, the voting shall be by the system of the Single transferable vote (STV). In the event of a casual vacancy, the Committee shall be empowered, at their discretion, to co-opt a member to hold office until the next General Meeting.

8. THE ASSOCIATION’S JOURNAL The Association’s journal is Buddhist Studies Review, which has an Editorial Board consisting of:
• i) a General Editor, as chairman, who shall be elected for a period of four years, and shall be eligible for re-election without limit to the number of terms (to be appointed by the same mechanism as Committee members, as outlined in 7).
• ii) Up to two Assistant Editors may be coopted by the UKABS Committee, to assist the General Editor.
• iii) a Review Editor, who shall be elected for a period of three years, and shall be eligible for re-election for one further consecutive term in this role (to be appointed by the same mechanism as Committee members, as outlined in 7), and may be eligible for election as General Editor.
• iv) around ten others, to be co-opted by the UKABS committee, to serve for three years, with the possibility of being co-opted for another three years.
In addition, the journal will have an Editorial Advisory Board of around ten people, to be co-opted by the Editorial committee for periods of four years, that may be repeated without limit.

9. AMENDMENTS Amendments to this Constitution shall require a majority of not less than two-thirds of those present and voting at a General Meeting, not less than 28 days notice of the amendment having been given in writing to all members.

10. DISSOLUTION If the Committee by a simple majority decide at any time that on the ground of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association, it shall call a meeting of all the members of the Association who have the power to vote, of which meeting not less than 21 days’ notice (stating the terms of the Resolution to be proposed thereat) shall be given. If such decision shall be confirmed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at the meeting, the Committee shall have power to dispose of any assets held by or on behalf of the Association. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be distributed in accordance with English law.