Constitution and Rules

NB: The LAGB committee has proposed a number of revisions to the constitution. The current version of the constitution is as set out below. The proposed revised version of the constitution is available (in pdf form) here. Members will be asked to vote on the revisions at the AGM of the 2008 LAGB meeting, held at the University of Essex on 11th September.

1. Name

The Association shall be called "The Linguistics Association of Great Britain" and is hereafter referred to as "The Association".

2. Address

The Association's address shall be that of its Secretary for the time being.

3. Objects

The objects of the Association shall be to promote the study of linguistics; to provide for its members a forum for discussion and facilities for co-operation in the furtherance of their interest in linguistics; to publish or have published the Journal of Linguistics and British Linguistic Newsletter or other periodical(s) of linguistic interest; and, insofar as the Committee shall deem it practicable and desirable, to act in support of individual linguists.

4. Membership

(a) Any person with an interest in linguistics or related disciplines is eligible for membership. The Membership Secretary is empowered to admit new members to the Association, upon their submission of an application for membership. The Membership Secretary will advise new members of their privileges and obligations, in particular of any arrangement concerning the Journal of Linguistics, of meetings-circulars, and of subscriptions. Membership privileges will only be extended to members in good financial standing with the Association: new members must pay their subscription before receiving the Journal. The Membership Secretary is not empowered to refuse any person membership of the Association, but may recommend to the committee that a particular person be refused membership and the Committee may endorse that decision. Appeals against refusal of membership may be made to the Association, for consideration at the Business Session of the Annual General Meeting. Appeals should be directed to the Secretary at least two weeks before the meeting.

(b) Memberships are to lapse automatically if a member owes the association more than one year's subscription. Lapsing of membership does not cancel any debt to the Association.

5. Organisation

(a) The Association year shall be from Annual General Meeting to Annual General Meeting.

(b) The governing body of the Association shall be the Business Session of the Annual General Meeting of members, which shall be the first General Meeting of the calendar year.

(c) The Business Session of the Annual General Meeting shall elect sufficient officers to constitute the committee, which shall consist of a President, a Secretary, and Assistant Secretary, a Treasurer, a Membership Secretary, an Editor of British Linguistic Newsletter and any other officer that the meeting may deem fit. Nominations for Committee positions are to be requested in the first circular before the appropriate meeting, and are to be announced in the second circular for that meeting. Nominations, signed by two members, who may or may not themselves be office bearers in the Association, must be submitted to the Secretary in writing, with the agreement of the nominee; nominations should be submitted with the same deadline as abstracts for the meeting. In the event that no nominations are received from members by the deadline for nominations, the Committee of the Association is required to submit its own nominations and notify the whole Association of these in the second circular. Votes may be cast either in person at a business meeting of the Association or by post before the meeting by members not attending. Votes cast in either of these methods will be counted together at the meeting. The Committee shall manage the Association's affairs and shall have the power to co-opt up to three other members at its discretion, provided that they are nominated for election at the Business Session of the next Annual General Meeting. Officers shall serve for terms of three years and shall generally take up office at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting whose Business Meeting elected them, except that any officer elected because of failure to complete a term of office shall serve out that term. One-third of the officers shall be elected each year. No officer shall serve more than two consecutive whole terms in that office.

(d) If any officer shall vacate office between Annual general Meetings, the remaining officers shall have power to appoint another member of the Association to the vacant office for the period until the Business Session of the Annual General Meeting, when an election for the office shall be held.

(e) The quorum at Committee Meetings shall be a number greater than half the number of Committee members.

(f) In the absence of the President from a Committee Meeting the members present shall elect from among themselves an acting President for the occasion.

(g) If at a Committee Meeting there shall be an equality of votes, the President or acting President may exercise a second (casting) vote.

(h) The Committee shall arrange at least one General Meeting of the Association each year.

(i) On the written requisition of not less than twenty-five members, the Secretary, provided the requisition shall have been submitted to him or her at least three months before the next scheduled General Meeting, shall call a Special Business Session to take place in the course of the next Ordinary or Annual General Meeting; such a Special Business Session shall deal only with the business for which it is called. That business shall be clearly stated in the requisition, which shall state also the terms of any Motion which the Requisitioners propose to put to the Special Business Session.

(j) At Business Sessions of all ordinary and Annual General Meeting, and at Special Business Sessions, twenty-five shall constitute a quorum; if at such a Session quorum shall not be present, the Session shall be adjourned until the next General Meeting; and at any such adjourned Session the members present shall constitute a quorum.

(k) At Business Sessions the President , if present, shall preside; but in the President's absence a member of the committee shall be elected acting President by the Meeting for the Session.

(l) For all General Meetings the Committee shall arrange a programme in keeping with the Association's objects.

(m) The business of the Business Session of the Annual General Meeting shall be as follows:

1. The reception of the Officers' reports and of the audited Accounts for the preceding calendar year which shall be available at the General Meeting before the Business Session.
2. The election of Officers.
3. The appointment of an Auditor for the forthcoming Association year.
4. The discussion of any motion submitted to the Secretary in writing in advance of the meeting.
5. The transaction of any such other business as the Committee may have arranged, or as the Session shall resolve.
6. The determination of the membership fee for the following year.

(n) Voting shall be by show of hands except in the matter of elections to office, where the Committee shall arrange a secret ballot; in the event of an equality of votes the President may exercise a casting vote; the President's decision on the result of any vote shall be final.

6. Finance

(a) The financial year shall be the calendar year, i.e. from 1st January to 31st December.

(b) The Association's funds shall be collected, held and disbursed by the Treasurer, who shall keep accounts to be audited by a member (not being an officer) appointed for the purpose at the Business Session of the Annual General Meeting.

(c) The Auditor shall conduct an audit at the end of the financial year, and also at such other times as the Committee may request, and may also conduct interim audits at his own discretion.

(d) The membership subscription shall be:

i. For class A membership (i.e. membership with the Journal), the subscription for Class B membership plus the price to members of the Association of the Journal of Linguistics.
ii. For Class B membership (i.e. Membership without the Journal of Linguistics), an amount for each year determined by the Business Session of the Annual General Meeting of the previous year.

7. Termination of Membership

(a) Persons shall cease to be Members if:

i. they shall submit to the Secretary their resignation in writing; or
ii. they owe the Association more than one year's subscription.

(b) in either case, membership may be resumed at any time provided that the subscription for the calendar year then current and all outstanding debts to the Association be paid.

8. Guests

Guests (non-members of the LAGB) are to be allowed to attend non-business sessions of General Meetings, on payment of any such additional fee as may have been determined.

9. Journal of Linguistics

The Association shall fulfil its obligations to the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press according to the Memorandum of Agreement dated 6th July 1964 or any such subsequent revised agreement.

10. Amendment of rules

These rules may be amended at the Business Session of any General Meeting provided that written notice of the proposal shall have been given in the second circular for the Meeting.