WORLD
RABBIT SCIENCE
ASSOCIATION
|
WORLD
RABBIT SCIENCE
ASSOCIATION |
Constitution
Article 1: NAME
The name of this organisation shall be "The World Rabbit Science Association".
Official acronym WRSA.
Article 2: HEADQUARTERS
The location of the Headquarters of the World Rabbit Science Association
shall be at the address of the General Secretary of the Association.
Article 3: OBJECTS
The objects of this association are:
1. To facilitate in all possible ways the exchange of knowledge and experience
among persons in all parts of the world who are contributing to the advancement
of the various branches of the rabbit industry by producing, breeding, marketing
techniques, teaching, research, investigation, experiments, demonstration.
2. To promote the extension of knowledge in the above field by the encouragement
of teaching, scientific research, practical experimentation, the collection and
publication of statistics, the study of the economics of the rabbit business,
the study of the problems of production and marketing, and in every other way
possible.
3. The dissemination of knowledge pertaining to all branches of the rabbit
industry.
4. The promotion of World Rabbit Congresses, inviting the cooperation of
the governments of countries and national organisations selected for these gatherings
in their organisation.
5. To cooperate with F.A.O. and national or international scientific, economic
or agricultural organisations in the development of many kinds of rabbit production
(i.e., meat, wool, fur and laboratory rabbits).
Article 4: MEMBERSHIP
1. Any person that is engaged in any activity connected with rabbit science
or production can become a WRSA member
by joining a local Branch of the Association (see
art. 5)
2. The Council shall have the power of appointing as Honorary Life Member
such persons as it considers to have made a noteworthy contribution to the work
of the Association or the rabbit industry in any of its branches.
3. The Secretary of each Branch shall be responsible for the enrolment
of each Member of his Branch.
Article 5: BRANCHES
1. A Branch shall consist of ten or more WRSA Members of the same nation.
Where there are less than ten Members, nations may combine to form a nation's
group providing that the total number of Members be ten or more.
2. The Secretary or Treasurer of each Branch shall be responsible for the
collection of the annual subscription from the Branch Members and the remittance
of the necessary amounts to the Treasurer of the WRSA as fixed by the Council.
3. Branches may levy their own subscription. The subscription of each individual
or affiliated Member to the World Rabbit Science Association is independent of
that subscription.
4. The Secretary of each Branch shall submit an annual report to the Secretary
of the WRSA
5. Branches shall not include in their Constitution and By-laws anything
not in full accord with the Constitution and By-laws of the World Rabbit Science
Association.
6. Branches shall not restrict their Members from acting as free and independent
Members of the World Rabbit Science Association nor withhold, forbid or restrict
their Members in regards to any privilege granted by the World Rabbit Science
Association to its Members.
Article 6: AFFILIATION
Association, Societies, Institutions, Clubs and other Organisations or
Business Firms connected with any activity of rabbit industry are entitled to
become affiliated by a payment of an annual Fee corresponding to not less that
20 times the individual fee fixed by the Council.
Article 7: SUBSCRIPTIONS
The annual subscriptions are payable on January 1st of each year to the
Treasurer or whom he may designate. In the case of failure to pay the subscription
before June 30th Membership in the Association shall be forfeited.
The Treasurer of each Branch shall be responsible for the remittance of
the necessary amounts corresponding to the number of Branch Members. Individual
Members shall remit the subscription themselves to the Treasurer.
Article 8: FINANCES
The finances of the Association shall be in control of the Treasurer subject
to the Executive Committee in case of proposed exceptional expenditure. A report
of work of the Association with a Balance Sheet shall be issued annually to all
Council members.
Article 9: COUNCIL
1. The affairs of the Association shall be managed by its Officers and
a Council composed of such members of the Association from each Branch represented
in the Association having ten or more members according to the following schedule:
10 to 25 Members - 1 Council Member
26 to 99 Members - 2 Council Members
100 or more Members - 3 Council Members
Council representation shall be based on the number of Members in good
standing on December 1st of the previous year. Representation of a
Branch shall be forfeited when the number of Members in good standing falls below
ten. Representation shall be restored when the paid-up membership returns to the
minimum of 10.
2. The term of office as a member of the Council shall be for 4 years.
The members of this Council for one Branch shall be elected by the members of
this Branch. Elections of the members of the Council shall take place during 2
months preceding the election of the officers. A majority vote of the members
of a Branch shall be required for election.
3. In all votes of the Council the requisite majorities specified in the
foregoing clauses shall be construed as of those voting. In the event of a voting
deadlock the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
4. The term of office of all Officers and Members of the Council shall
begin on the first of January of the year follewing that of the General Meeting
at which their appointment is confirmed.
Article 10: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE and OFFICERS
1. The term of office as President, Vice-Presidents, General Secretary
and Treasurer shall be 4 years. Officers are elected by vote of the Council representatives
at their regularly scheduled meeting held during the Congress. Only Council members
can be nominated for office. Written nominations for the office
must be received by the Secretary at least one day prior to the regular
meeting. In the event of none being received before the closing date, and in this
event only, nominations can be made during the regularly scheduled Council meeting
2. The Officers of the Association shall consist of a President, 3 Vice-presidents,
a General Secretary and a Treasurer and shall constitute an Executive Committee,
with power of act.
Article 11: PRESIDENT
1. The president shall be Chairman of the Council, of the Executive Committee
and of the General Meeting.
2. The President shall have the power, during regular Meetings, to appoint
members to unfilled vacancies on the Council by death, resignation, or ineligibility,
such term of office to extend until the next regular election.
Article 12: COMMITTEES
The Executive Committee of the Association is empowered to appoint Committees
for any purpose.
Article 13: SECTIONS
Sectional Secretaries or Treasurers may be appointed by the President,
as desirable, which officials shall be subjected to the direction of the General
Secretary or of the Treasurer.
Article 14: MEETINGS
1. General Meetings of the Association are called by the President. Regular
Meetings of the Council and of Members of the Association shall be held every
four years during the World Rabbit Congress, for the consideration of the Report
and Balance Sheet, election of Officers and General Business. Adequate notice
of such Meetings shall be given to members 6 months before the date of the Meeting.
2. If, in the opinion of the Officers of the Association, it is desirable
and necessary for a vote to be taken by any specific matter at any General or
Extraordinary Meeting of the Association, the number of votes each Branch may
give, shall be the same as the number of members on the Council for the Branch
3. An extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by the President only
if requested by two thirds of the Council Members.
4. The Constitution and By-laws may be amended at any time by a two thirds
vote of the Members of the Council provided that at least half the number of Branches
which have at least 10 Members are represented.
Article 15: WORLD RABBIT CONGRESS
1. World Rabbit Congress shall be held every four years at a minimum.
2. The Council shall be empowered to accept from any government or national
organisation an official invitation for the holding of a World Rabbit Congress.
3. The President or his designated representative shall be empowered to
approach countries with a view to obtaining an invitation for the succeeding Congress.
If more than one invitation is in prospect the Secretary shall canvass the Council
with a view to obtaining the order in which the countries shall be approached.
Negotiations will immediately be opened with the government or national organisation
of the country receiving the greatest number of votes. Should the response be
unfavourable, the other countries receiving the next number of votes are to be
approached by the President or his designated representative. Negotiations shall
be completed with one country before any other is approached.
4. In the event of no invitation being received and accepted prior to the
Meeting of the Council during a World Rabbit Congress, the Council shall vote
its preference for at least three countries in the order which these three countries
should be approached by the President or his designated representative. Negotiations
shall be completed with one country before any other is approached.
Article 16: WRSA PUBLICATIONS
Publications may be approved by the Executive Committee, which shall be
sent to all Members and Affiliated Members in good standing as published.
Article 17: DISPOSAL OF ASSETS
The income and property of the Association shall be applied solely towards
the carrying out and exercising of the Objects and Powers of the Association and
no part thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly to any Member
of the Association by way of dividend, discount, rebate or bonus.
1. If the Association ceases to exist as a separate body, then the assets
of the Association shall be applied to some purpose consistent with the objects
of the Association. At no time shall any part of the assets of the Association
be divided among its members.
BY-LAWS
Section
1 . Six members
of the Council representing at least four Branches shall constitute a quorum of
that body.
Section
2. Twenty-five
members of the Association shall constitute a quorum of the Association.
Section
3. On a request
signed by at least five members of the Council, the General Secretary shall communicate
to all members of the Council any matter of business and ask for their vote on
the question, either by mail or in Session.
Section
4. On any
postal vote of the Council the polls shall be considered closed at two calendar
months after the date of the original mailing.
Section
5- Membership
in the Association may be forfeited because of failure to act in full accord with
the objects of the Association as set forth in the constitution and will be permanent.
This decision shall be taken by the Council.
Section
6. Any proposed
amendment to the constitution or by-laws must be communicated to the General Secretary
of the Association in writing, three month prior to any general meeting.
Section
7. In all
votes where a definitive majority is specified in either constitution or by-laws,
such majority shall be construed as of those voting.
Section
8.
The number of votes for each Branch of the World Rabbit Science Association,
will be reduced, if annual subscription fees have not be remitted to the WRSA
Treasurer in previous years. This reduction will be the number of votes divided
by the "number of unpaid years + 1" . Fractions will be rounded up or
down as follows : 0.50 or more = 1 vote; 0.49 or less = 0 vote.
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Constitution
initially formulated in
Cuniculture
87A chemin de Lasserre
31450 CORRONSAC - France
e-mail
:
lebas@cuniculture.info