Constitution of the North American Taiwan Studies Association

Article 1. Name

• This organization shall be named the North American Taiwan Studies Association.

Article 2. Purpose

• The purpose of this organization shall be to promote Taiwan  studies and convene conferences regarding Taiwan studies.

Article 3. Member

• Section 1.This organization shall have  Regular Members and Sponsor Members. The following persons are eligible to apply to become  a Regular Member or Sponsor Member: Taiwanese researchers or students affiliating with  academic institutions in the North America, non-Taiwanese researchers or students engaging  in Taiwan studies, or any person who is interested in promoting Taiwan studies. All the  others are eligible to apply to become a Sponsor Member.
• Section 2. Application of membership shall be  recommended by at least one member and submitted to the Human Resource Committee. The  Human Resource Committee shall propose the application in the nearest Executive Board  meeting. Membership shall be activated upon the approval of the Executive Board and the  payment of membership fee.
• Section 3. The annual membership fee is $10  for Regular Members, and $20 for Sponsor Members. Membership fee shall be paid no later  than six months after the Convention. The Treasurer shall notify members of overdue  membership fee. Membership is deactivated if membership fee is not paid four months after  the overdue notification.
• Section 4. Regular Members have the right to  participate in the Convention, make proposal, participate in discussion, vote, and be  elected as the Officers. Regular Members who are not elected as the Officers or members of  the standing committees shall participate in at least one Standing Committee. Sponsor  Members have the right to participate in all activities conducted by this organization,  and receive newsletters of this organization.
• Section 5. The Secretary shall be notified of  the withdrawal of membership, and propose the withdrawal of membership in the nearest  Executive Board meeting.
• Section 6. Members of this organization shall  not be discriminated against by differences in ethnicity, religious belief, kinship,  gender, age, political belief, sexual preference, physical feature, or marital status.

Article 4. Officers

• Section 1. The Regular Members shall elect by  ballot a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer in the annual  Convention. The Executive Board Members shall elect by mail a General Manager.
• Section 2. The President chairs the Executive  Board meetings and the annual convention, and speaks on behalf of NATSC. The Vice  President assists the President manage organizational affairs.
• Section 3. The Secretary shall transcribe and  keep the record of the Convention, keep the documents and properties of this organization,  open the mailbox of this organization, produce the mailing list of members, transfer  letters to the Executive Board or Standing Committees, and mail to members the records of  the Executive Board meetings or Standing Committee meetings.
• Section 4. The Treasurer shall keep the bank  account of this organization, manage organization finance according to the decisions of  the Convention or the Executive Board, and issue receipt for all donations.
• Section 5. The General Manager shall, in  accordance with the decisions of the Executive Board, be responsible for all  administrative affairs in the location where the annual conference shall take place.
• Section 6. A member shall take no more than  one office in the organization, and serve no more than two consecutive terms in the same  position. A term of office is completed upon the election of new officer.

Article 5. Convention

• Section 1. This organization shall hold a  Convention each year. The Secretary shall notify the members one month before the  Convention.
• Section 2. The Convention shall elect three  members to compose the Audit Committee to examine the accounts of this organization, and  report the result to the Executive Board within two months.
• Section 3. The Convention shall be convened  with the presence of no less than a quarter of the Regular Members.

Article 6. The Executive Board

• Section 1. The Executive Board is composed of  three to nine Directors elected by the Convention, the Officers, and chairs of the  standing committees.
• Section 2. The Executive Board shall convene  the annual North America Taiwan Studies Conference, nominate and elect the General Manager  within six months after the establishment of the Board. When the Convention is in recess,  the Executive Board shall, in accordance with the Constitution of this organization and  decisions of the Convention, manage organization affairs, review budget request proposed  by the standing committees, and propose to the Convention related motions.
• Section 3. The Executive Board shall hold at  least one meeting in every two months. The President shall request a special Board meeting  whenever necessary. A Board meeting shall be convened upon the request of four Board  members.
• Section 4. The meeting of the Executive Board  shall be convened with the presence of no less than six Board members.

Article 7. The Standing Committees

• Section 1. This organization shall have a  Human Resource Committee, a Publication Committee, a Fundraising Committee and an  Electronic Information Committee. Members of all Committees shall be elected in the  Convention. The vacancy of Committee membership shall be filled by the general members by  mail vote.
• Section 2. The Human Resource Committee shall  have five to seven members. The Committeeshall collect information regarding researchers  engaging in Taiwan studies, and report the resultsto the Convention and Executive Board.
• Section 3. The Publication Committee shall  have five members. The Committee shall handle publication affairs regarding the papers  presented in the annual conference, and report the results to the Convention and Executive  Board.
• Section 4. The Funding Committee shall have  five members. The Committee shall campaign for the funding of this organization, and  report the results to the Convention and Executive Board.
• Section 5. The Electronic Information  Committee shall have five members. The Committee is responsible for maintaining and  managing NATSC's e-mail networks, homepage, internet connection, member e-mail address  updates, and other electronic services provided by NATSC.
• Section 6. Members in each Committee shall  elect the chair of the Committee. A member shall not chair more than one Committee.  Regular Members not belonging to a specific Committee shall participate in the discussion  and operation of the Committee, but not be allowed to vote regarding Committee decisions.
• Section 7.Each Committee shall consult the  members of this organization regarding their willingness and capacity to join the  Committees, and propose candidates of Committee members in re-election.

Article 8. Rules of Order

• In accordance with the requirements, Constitution, and  decisions of this organization, rules stipulated in the newest version of the Robert's  Rules of Order shall be used in this organization.

Article 9. Amendment of the Constitution

• This Constitution shall be amended by a resolution of no  less than two-thirds ofthe members present at a  Convention. All motions of amendment shall be submitted to the Secretary before the  convening of the Convention.