Bylaws
In 2007, at the ISGS Conference in Chicago the by-laws were amended at the third assembly of the ISGS (see 7.2, 8.12)
ARTICLE 1: NAME
The adherents of these statutes hereby found a society whose name is: International Society for Gesture Studies (ISGS).
ARTICLE 2: PURPOSE
This corporation is organized exclusively for scientific and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding section of any future United States Internal Revenue law.
No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, any of its members, trustees, officers or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the exempt purposes. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
Upon the winding up and dissolution of the corporation, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the corporation, the remaining assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
ARTICLE 3: ADDRESS
The official address of the ISGS is Dept. of Communication Studies, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, Austin, Texas 78712-0115.
ARTICLE 4: GOALS
The goals of the ISGS are as follows:
to promote gesture studies on a global level
to enforce international cooperation with and between all areas of gesture studies
to cooperate with national societies for gesture studies
to invite and support the institutionalization of gesture studies as an academic field at universities, research and teaching institutions on all levels
to organize regular general conferences (every two or three years)
to organize or support summer schools and specialized meetings in all areas of gesture studies
to support the international journal “Gesture”.
ARTICLE 5: AFFILIATIONS
The ISGS may decide to be affiliated with other international associations which support the study of gestures within their cultural context, especially the International Association for Semiotic Studies IASS-AIS.
ARTICLE 6: MEMBERSHIP
All persons interested in gestures may join the ISGS as individual members.
National associations for gesture studies as well as research centers and teaching institutions interested in gestures may join the ISGS as collective members.
The annual dues payable by individual and collective members are set by the General Assembly of the ISGS on the basis of a proposal by the Executive board.
The Treasurer ensures that payments can be made at every general conference and, if possible, also at summer schools and specialized meetings.
All those individuals and collectives who have paid their dues are considered members of the ISGS. Members who do not pay their dues for more than two consecutive years can lose their membership status, based on a decision by the Executive board.
ARTICLE 7: FINANCIAL RESOURCES
The financial resources of the ISGS consist of the following:
annual dues paid by individual and collective members
extraordinary dues that can be set in order to finance specific projects
grants and money gifts
inheritances and donations
If its financial situation allows it, ISGS establishes a fund to support and encourage student participation in its biannual conferences. The exact conditions (based on socio-economic and/or scientific criteria) for distributing these awards will be decided by a specific committee selected by the President and approved by the executive committee.
ARTICLE 8: THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The General Assembly takes place every two or three years, not earlier than six weeks after a formal invitation sent to all members of the ISGS.
The General Assembly is made up of the members of the ISGS who are physically present. The quorum is set by the Executive Board
The General Assembly is headed by the president of the ISGS. In the case of his/her absence, another member of the Executive Board can be co-opted by the Executive Board as head of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly usually meets at each of the general congresses of the ISGS. The agenda and related documents (lists of standing for vote etc.) are made available to all members at the beginning of the congress.
Collective members who which to vote as such at the General Assembly are entitled to a single vote, as are the individual members.
A vote can be placed only by those individual members and official representatives of collective members who are present at the General Assembly.
No Board member may vote upon a matter coming before that body in which he or she has a direct financial interest. Immediately upon becoming aware that such a conflict may exist, a Board member must disclose the existence of the potential conflict to the remaining Board members, withdraw from further deliberation on the issue, and refrain from voting on the matter. Any such disclosure and withdrawal shall be fully documented in the organization minutes.
When necessary, amendments of the by-laws can be proposed by the executive committee to be voted on by all registered ISGS members via Internet
ARTICLE 9: SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE OF ISGS CONFERENCES
The local organizers of ISGS conventions form a scientific committee to serve as advisors and peer-reviewers of proposals and abstracts submitted for the convention. All members of the Executive Board are members of the Scientific Committee.
ARTICLE 10: THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board is the executive organ of the ISGS. Its achievements in the realization of the goals of the ISGS are evaluated at the end of its term of office by the General Assembly.
In particular, the Executive Board must focus on the global development of gesture studies and on the cooperation of all areas of gesture research.
The Executive Board consists of the ISGS President, a Vice-President, the immediate Past President, the Secretary General, the Treasurer, the Public Relations Manager, and the Editor-in-Chief of the journal “Gesture”.
The officers of the Executive Board are elected by the members during the General Assembly for a period of up to three years.
Self- and other-nomination to become members of the Executive Board are solicited prior to the ISGS conference, in which the term of the Executive Board ends. At the General Assembly of ISGS conferences, members vote for each post in the Executive Board. When there is only one candidate for a post, the candidate will be elected if there are more yes-votes than no-votes. When there are multiple candidates for a post, the candidate with the most votes will be elected. If nobody is elected to a post in the General Assembly, there will be an online vote by ISGS members at a later date.
For any person, the number of terms served on the Executive Board is limited to three. This does not apply to the Editor-in-chief of “Gesture”.
Meetings of the Executive Board are called together and headed by the ISGS President. Between General Assemblies they take place as often as necessary. Upon written request of at least three of its officers a meeting of the Executive Board must be called together by the ISGS President.
No Board member may vote upon a matter coming before that body in which he or she has a direct financial interest. Immediately upon becoming aware that such a conflict may exist, a Board member must disclose the existence of the potential conflict to the remaining Board members, withdraw from further deliberation on the issue, and refrain from voting on the matter. Any such disclosure and withdrawal shall be fully documented in the organization minutes.
ARTICLE 11: HONORARY MEMBERS
Persons who have made an extraordinary contribution to gesture studies through their scientific work, their organizational achievements or their financial support can be appointed Honorary Members of the ISGS.
The number of living Honorary Members of the ISGS should not exceed 7.
ARTICLE 12: FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of ISGS begins October 1 and ends September 30.
ARTICLE 13: AMENDMENTS
These statutes can be put into force or altered only with a two-thirds majority of the votes at a General Assembly.
ARTICLE 14: DISSOLUTION
The ISGS can only be dissolved with a two-thirds majority of the votes at a General Assembly. In this case, the General Assembly will appoint one or more liquidators and any surplus will be dispersed in accordance with American law and law within the State of Texas governing nonprofit corporations.