constitution

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NAME

The name of this association shall be the International Society for the Advancement of Writing Research and shall be abbreviated ISAWR.

MISSION STATEMENT

The International Society for the Advancement of Writing Research (ISAWR) is an international scholarly organization devoted to the development of interdisciplinary research into the many dimensions of writing and learning of writing of people of all ages, languages, and other characteristics.  The Society aims to foster research in all regions of the world and support communication among researchers of all regions and disciplines.

In pursuit of these ends it will sponsor regular conferences, create channels of communication to foster collaboration among researchers in various regions, advocate for funding and other support for research from both regional and international agencies, provide opportunities for mentoring and improvement in methods of research, promote the use of research knowledge in educational and other settings, and stimulate interest in research on writing world-wide.

PURPOSE

ISAWR is an international professional, non-profit organization whose purposes are to:

• advance research on writing, from all disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives and using any and all empirical methods;

• sponsor regular conferences;

• create channels of communication among researchers in all regions and of all empirical research perspectives;
• advocate for recognition and funding of writing research from regional and international agencies;
• provide opportunities for advancing skills of researchers and would-be researchers;
• promote the use of research-based findings in developing educational practices and policies;
• stimulate interest in research on writing in all regions;
• cooperate in appropriate ways with other groups having similar concerns.

Neither the name of the organization nor membership or office holding in it shall be used for personal benefit.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership in ISAWR is open to individuals from all over the world engage in research in writing or who are interested in supporting such research. ISAWR charges no membership fees, and treats all members equally. Any registrant to the WRAB 2008 or 2011 conferences is already enrolled as a member of ISAWR, and any registrant at future ISAWR conferences will have an opportunity to enroll as a member when registering for the conference. Anyone who has not registered for an ISAWR conference can apply for membership by writing to the Corresponding Secretary of the organization.

MEETINGS

The General Assembly of the ISAWR shall hold general meetings during each of its periodic congresses, to conduct the business of the association and to elect the chair and members of the Steering Committee. Other meetings may be called at the discretion of the Steering Committee. A quorum shall consist of all members in good standing of the association present at the meeting.

OFFICERS

The elected members of the Steering Committee shall consist of a Chair, a Vice Chair, a Past Chair, and four additional members. The Steering Committee shall include representatives from at least four continents. To ensure adequate regional representation, the Steering Committee can appoint additional members for the typical elected term from candidates for the Committee who did not receive sufficient votes.

All elected members of the Steering Committee will have voting rights.

A Corresponding Secretary-Treasurer will be appointed by the Steering Committee and will be a non-voting ex officio member of the Steering Committee.

The term of office for the Vice Chair and other regular members of the Steering Committee will begin at the close of the periodic meetings at which elections occur. The Chair and Past Chair will succeed to office on the basis of prior election.

Elections will occur at least every three years at the meeting of the General Assembly or by alternate procedure to be determined by the General Assembly.

The Chair, members of the Steering Committee, and the Corresponding Secretary-Treasurer shall be members in good standing of ISAWR and shall perform duties as prescribed below.

The Chair shall

• call and preside over periodic virtual (synchronous and asynchronous) meetings of the steering committee and correspond with the steering committee members on all items of business pertaining to the organization;
• preside over the meetings of the general assembly;
• prepare matters for consideration of the steering committee and the general assembly;
• propose and administer a budget for the organization;
• communicate with members of the organization as a whole;
• at the expiration of the term of office succeed to the position of Past Chair.

The Vice Chair shall

• serve as a member of the steering committee;
• in the absence of the chair shall preside over meetings of the Steering Committee and/or General Assembly;
• at the expiration of the term of office succeed to the office of Chair.

The Past Chair shall

• serve as a member of the steering committee.

The Steering Committee shall

• approve the budget of the organization;
• issue calls for conference bids;
• review, evaluate and select among site bids for the next conference;
• serve as the scientific committee of the conference in collaboration with the chosen local site committee;
• create committees to carry out any approved function of the organization and appoint members such committees;
• approve of all other activities carried out in the organization name.

Decisions will be by majority vote of the Steering Committee, with the Chair determining the outcome in the event of ties.

The Corresponding Secretary Treasurer will

• take minutes of all meetings of the general assembly and the steering committee;
• correspond with members on issues of membership and pro forma matters;
• hold and be responsible for organization funds under the direction of the Chair and oversight of the steering committee;
• be responsible for maintaining and updating the organization’s website.

CONFERENCES

General Conferences shall be held at least every three years.

Congress sites shall be determined by the Steering Committee through a proposal process. The Steering Committee will issue a call for site bids, containing specifications for proposals to be submitted to the Committee, with a deadline of no less than six months for preparations of proposals. Proposals may be submitted by any member in good standing in accordance with the proposal specifications.  Proposals will then be evaluated by the Steering Committee and a site and date selected for the proposed conference. Decision will be made by a majority of the Steering Committee, no later than two months after the deadline of proposal submissions.

The site for the conference following the upcoming one should be determined prior to the upcoming conference, so that announcement and planning for the next can occur at the current conference.

Each conference will have a $20,000 fellowship from a revolving fund (for as long as that fund is replenished) to support international participants from regions of economic need. Fees and other income from the conference should be adjusted to provide replenishment of those funds after each conference, to be forwarded to the organizers of the next conference

Further, fees and other income from the conference should be adjusted to provide additional revenues of at least $5000 to be returned to the Steering Committee through the Secretary Treasurer to be used for operating expenses for the organization in between conferences.

OTHER EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Other events and activities are to be determined by decision of the Steering Committee.

APPROVAL AND AMENDMENTS

Amendments to this constitution must first be approved by two-thirds of the members of the Steering Committee or submitted to the Chair in a petition signed by at least ten percent of the members in good standing. Any such proposed amendment shall then be distributed to the membership by email at least 30 days before it is to be voted on either by e-ballot or by general meeting of the organization at the general conference. To become effective, the proposed amendment must be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, whether cast in person or by mail.