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CONSTITUTION OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR CHINESE STUDIES (As amended by the AACS Board at the 58th annual board meetings on October 7-9, 2016 at the Hampton Inn in Malibu, California and at the 60th annual board meetings on October 5-7, 2018 at the Holiday Inn Inner Harbor Baltimore, Maryland and approved by ballots from AACS Members.)
Article 1(Name). The organization shall be known as the American Association for Chinese Studies.
Article 2(Purpose). The purpose of the Association is to encourage the study of subjects related to China and Taiwan, especially in the educational institutions of this country; to advance such study and teaching through the exchange of information and scholarship across disciplinary lines; and to promote understanding and communication among scholars from all parts of the world. .
Article 3(Membership). Membership in the Association is open to anyone who participates in or is interested in Chinese Studies.
Article 4(Board of Directors). The Association shall have a Board of Directors consisting of up to thirty-nine members to be elected from among the members of the Association by the current Board of Directors at the Association’s Annual Conference. One-third of the membership of the Board of Directors shall be elected each year to serve for a three-year term of office. Members are eligible for re-election to additional terms only if they actively participate in the affairs of the Association. “Active participation” is defined as attending at least 2 of 3 Board meetings during a three-year term. The duties of the Board of Directors are to 1) govern the Association via the Association’s constitution; 2) elect the Officers; 3) approve the Association budgets for Executive Director, annual conference, and AJCS); 4) appoint the Editor of the Association’s journal; 5) oversee the Association budget and decide on appropriations/expenditures; and 6) appoint the AACS conference program chair and local arrangements chair. Nomination of new board members or those seeking an additional term must be presented to the Executive Director by the first Monday of September prior to the annual meeting. Nominations must be accompanied by the nominee’s CV. Those presenting a nomination must provide notice of any foreseeable, potential conflict of interest. Election of Board Members will take place at the annual board meeting by secret ballot. The Executive Director shall prepare ballots for the election.
Article 5(Officers). The Association shall have a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer and a Recording Secretary. The President and the Vice-President shall be nominated by the Board of Directors and elected by the due-paying members of the Association. They shall each serve a two-year term and shall not be eligible for immediate re-election to the same office. The duties of the President are to 1) preside at the annual meeting; 2) provide an annual report of the activities of the Association; 3) represent the Association in matters of official Association communications; 4) form taskforces necessary for the business of the Association; and 5) coordinate the activities of the Board of Directors in between annual meetings. The duties of the Vice-President are to 1) support the activities of the President; 2) serve in place of the President in case of illness or absence and/or 3) to complete the term of a President unable to complete her/his duties. The Treasurer is nominated by the Association President and must be approved by a majority vote by the Board of Directors at the annual meeting. The Treasurer serves a 5 year term and this may be renewed by majority vote of the Board of Directors. If the Treasurer is unable to complete a set term, the President will appoint an interim Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be the principal accounting and financial officer of the Association. The Treasurer shall have charge of and be responsible for: (1) maintaining adequate books of account for the Association; (2) managing all funds and securities of the Association, including, but not limited to, the receipt and disbursement thereof; (3) preparing and reporting the Association’s annual budget (which shall be approved by a majority vote of the Officers and Board); and (4) preparing and filing any papers required by law relating to the Association’s tax and non-profit status. The Treasurer shall perform all the duties incident to that office and such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the President or by the Board. The Recording Secretary shall be elected by the Board of Directors for a term of two years. Before nomination, the Executive Director of the Association shall, after soliciting and receiving recommendations from members, prepare a list of candidates for the next President and Vice-President, and Board of Directors. The duties of the Recording Secretary are to take and publish to the Board and membership the official minutes of the annual Board of Directors meeting.
Article 6(Executive Director). The Association shall have an Executive Director who manages its administrative affairs. The Board of Directors shall select the Executive Director for a term of five years, the Board of Directors may approve a modification of the term. The duties of the Executive Director include 1) managing membership submissions and renewals; 2) executing regular operational financial affairs of the Association; 3) maintaining Association email and contact lists; 4) maintaining the AACS website; 5) coordinating communications to the Association membership and Board of Directors; 6: editing the Newsletter; and 7) other duties as specified by the Board of Directors. He or she will have sole authority to hire staff to serve the Association. The Executive Director will submit an annual budget request to the AACS Board of Directors via the AACS President on the first Monday of September. By the last Monday of March, the Executive Director will provide the Editor of the American Journal of Chinese Studies with a complete list of Association members for updating circulation lists.
Retiring executive directors of the American Association for Chinese Studies shall, with their consent and that of the board of directors, be designated extraordinary members of the AACS board of directors with all the rights of regular board members, and are not counted toward the number of board members as specified in Article 4 of the constitution. Individuals so recognized must fulfill the requirements for regular attendance at board meetings that apply to board members as specified in Article 4.
Article 7(Major Activities). The major activities of the Association shall be: (1) To arrange annual conferences at centers in the United States to be determined by the Board of Directors; (2) To edit and issue the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE STUDIES and a NEWSLETTER for the promotion of scholarly endeavors; (3) To undertake to distribute from time to time materials useful to the members with the object of giving aid to their work; (4) To undertake other activities as may be decided on by the Board of Directors or upon the suggestion of the members and approved by the Board of Directors.
Article 8(Membership). Categories of membership shall be the following: Regular, Student and Life.
Article 9(Dissolution). In the event of the dissolution of the organization, the disposition of assets of the organization shall be determined by the Board.
Article 10(Amending the Constitution). Amendments to the constitution shall be proposed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors and ratified by a majority of the membership by secret ballot. The constitution was amended on December 5, 2021 by adding Part Two of Article 6.
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