Statutes of the Danish Association for Research on the Caucasus

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Name

The name of the association is the Danish Association for Research on the Caucasus

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Place of legal residence

The association is legally situated in Copenhagen

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Purpose

The purpose of the association is to provide an inter-disciplinary forum for coordinating and strengthening research activities for individuals and institutions working on the Caucasus area. This includes:

1. to promote the study of the study of the Caucasus region's history, language, culture, as well as contemporary issues of politics security, economy and geography.

2. to work for a formal integration of the the research field within Danish and international research institutions.

3. within its area of interest to increase contact and exchange between different disciplines and between academic research and the users of research results: public officials, media and humanitarian and international organizations.

4. to strengthen its members's integration and presence in the international research community.

5. to ease members' access to information, literature, personal and institutional contacts, publishing and finance.

6. to support Caucasian educational and research institutions and to channel research results back to the Caucasian societies

The association will seek to implement this through the construction and maintenance of an interactive homepage on Internet, as well as through meetings, conferences, study groups, publications, academic exchange programs, study tours etc.

The association can not express common political standpoints and assumes an analytical approach to the issues of academic and political dispute in and about the Caucasus.

The association is a non-government organization.

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Membership

The association accepts individual members. The board may turn requests for membership down, and it may exclude members who are working against the purposes of the association or damage its interests. All rejections and exclusions must be confirmed by the general assembly.

Communication between members take place primarily through electronic mail and the homepage of the association. The aim is that all members have access to send and receive eletronic mail.

The association can be a member of international associations whose purpose comply with the association's statutes and field of activity.

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The Board

The general assembly elects a board of 5-8 members as well as three substitutes. The board appoints a chairman from among the board members, as well as a treasurer and secretary.

All board members are up for elections every second year. Who shall be up for elections in the first term is decided by drawing the lot. When a board member leaves the board, one of the substitutes will be elected through drawing lots, and take over the level of seniority of the former board member.

The secretary serves as the executive director of the association.

The board decides its own business procedures, and may delegate responsibilities at its own discretion.

When votes are equal the vote of the chairman counts twice.

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The General Assembly

The general assembly is the highest authority of the association.

A general assembly is held at least once every year, in the middle of March. The assembly shall be publicly announced, and all members shall receive a written invitation at least three weeks before the assembly is scheduled.

The general assembly makes decisions through simple majority vote and it can make decisions regardless of the number of participants to the assembly.

Attached to the announcement of the meeting must be the agenda of the the general assembly, which shall include the following points:

1. Election of chairman of the assembly and referee
2. Approval of agenda
3. The board's account
4. Approval of the accounts of last fiscal year
5. Approval of the budget of the present fiscal year
6. Election of auditor and deputy auditor
7. Received proposals
8. Election of board
9. Misc

Proposals which are to be reviewed by the general assembly must be received by the board no later than 10 days before the general assembly.

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Extraordinary General Assembly

The extraordinary general assembly can be called, when the board finds it appropriate, or when 1/3 of the members are bringing forth a written request including an agenda. The board shall summon all members in writing at least three weeks before the assembly.

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Finance

The associations may be financed through membership fees, public finance, income in connection with informational, educational and other service activites, as well as through foundation funding. The fiscal year follows the calendric year. All association applications shall include an overhead of five percent, or in compliance with donor's regulations.

The board will determine a membership fee, which shall be approved by the general assembly.

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Decentralized project management

Members who whish to make use of the association as the framework of a project, presents a project proposal for the board, which evaluate this relative to the purpose and academic standards of the association. Upon approval of the project the board may delegate financial and practical responsibilities to the project initiator.

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Electronic communication, publishing etc

As a forum for coordination, collection, production and accumulation of knowledge and information on the Caucasus area, the association will base its work primarily on those possibilities offered via Internet. The board shall open a homepage and appoint a person who is responsible for its development and maintenance.

The board can refuse placing a document at the web site of the association or making links to it, if it is perceived to be incompatible with the purpose or academic standard of the association. Reasons for denials must be given in writing.

Communication of the association will primarily take place via Internet, and attempts shall be made to ensure that all members are in possession of an email address which shal be made accessible at the homepage of the association.

The board may create an editorial commission, responsible for electronic and other publications.

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Change of statutes

The statutes of the association may be changed by 2/3 of the members present at the general assembly.

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Termination

Decisions to terminate the association can be made at two consecutive general assemblies with at least four weeks between. When the association is terminated its assets shall be spent on purposes, which in the oppinion of the last general assembly comply with with the purposes of the association.

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Adopted at the founding general assembly

Copenhagen, 15 February 1997

Minor changes adopted at the general assembly 2005.