Statutes of the Society for Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish Studies

Version of the statutes dated 3 June 2011

§ 1 Name

The name of the Society is “Gesellschaft für Turkologie, Osmanistik und Türkeiforschung” (Society for Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish Studies)

§ 2 Purpose

(1) The Society exclusively and directly pursues non-profit-making purposes as specified in the section of the German Fiscal Code entitled Tax-privileged purposes. The Society is politically neutral.

(2) The purpose of the Society is the promotion of research in the fields of Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish studies. In order to pursue this aim the society has committed itself to the following tasks in particular:

a) Holding scientific events and conducting research projects

b)   Specialist integration, enhancement of communication and information across fields of work, research projects, projects, conferences, publications etc.

c) Strengthening of the institutional presence of research and academic teaching in the fields of Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish studies

d) PR work.

(3) The Society does not aim to make a profit; it does not primarily pursue its own financial goals. The Society’s funds may only be used for statutory purposes. The members do not receive any financial benefits from the Society’s funds.

(4) No person may benefit from disbursements which do not support the purpose of the Society or from disproportionately high compensation.

(5) In the event of dissolution of the Society or the cessation of tax-privileged purposes, the assets of the Society shall be transferred to the Near East special subject collection at the Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Halle (Halle University and State Library) that undertakes to make use of them exclusively and directly for non-profit making purposes for the promotion of Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish studies.

§ 3 Societal year

The societal year is the calendar year.

§ 4 Members

(1) Persons who have completed an university degree course and are primarily involved in research using source language materials in the field of Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish studies may become members of the Society. Exceptions to this ruling shall be decided upon by the meeting of members.

(2) There shall be regular and corresponding members. The meeting of members may decide to award honorary membership to particularly deserving persons.

(3) Persons domiciled permanently outside the EU can be full members or apply for the status of corresponding members. Corresponding members have no active and passive voting rights and pay half the membership subscription.

(4) Regular members have active and passive voting rights. The members pay the annual subscription that is due on 1 January. The amount of the subscription is set by the meeting of members. Members without employment pay half the subscription. Changes in status must be notified promptly to the managing committee.

(5) Institutions involved with Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish studies may join the Society of Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish studies as corporate members. Corporate members have no voting rights.

§ 5 Admission, resignation, exclusion

(1) Admission is granted on the basis of a written application under acknowledgement of the statutes. The managing committee decides on admissions. The managing committee can require recommendation by two members of the Society of Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish studies. A negative decision must be notified to the applicant in writing stating the reasons. The applicant can appeal in writing to the managing committee against a negative decision within three weeks following receipt. The next meeting of members will decide on the appeal. On admission the member receives a membership certificate and a copy of the statutes. Admission is deemed to have taken place as soon as the subscription is paid.

(2) Membership expires – upon death of the member – upon exclusion – upon submission             of written notice of termination – upon deletion.

(3) Exclusion can take place if the conduct of the member cannot be reconciled with the purposes and tasks of the Society or the member has seriously infringed the interests of the Society. The managing committee decides on exclusion by simple majority after granting a hearing to the member affected; the hearing can also take place in writing. The exclusion decision must be notified to the member in writing stating the reasons. The member can appeal in writing to the managing committee against the exclusion within three weeks following receipt. The next meeting of members will decide on the appeal. The membership rights are suspended pending the decision on the appeal.

(4) Termination is only possible subject to a notice period of three months to the end of a calendar year.

(5) Deletion takes place if over a period of two years a member fails to pay his subscription despite being requested to do so.

§ 6 Bodies of the Society

(1) The bodies of the society are:

1. the meeting of members

2. the managing committee

3. the arbitration committee.

(2)  Committees can be set up for special matters upon the request of and by the managing committee or meeting of members by simple majority.

§ 7 Elections and terms of office

(1) Only those members may be elected to office who have attained their majority and are in full possession of their civil rights.

(2) All offices are of an honorary nature. Paid employees cannot be appointed to office.

(3) Holders of office are elected by simple majority at an ordinary meeting of members. Candidate proposals can also be submitted in writing. If none of the candidates receives the absolute majority of votes cast then the candidate shall be deemed elected who gains the most votes in a second round of voting. The elections shall be carried out by secret ballot.

(4) The period in office in all offices is three years. If it is not possible to schedule a date for new elections until after the expiry of the regular period in office then the period in office is automatically extended until the date of the elections. For an office that becomes vacant during the period in office a substitute election is held for the remainder of the period in office either at the next meeting of members or, if this is not expected to be held for more than six months, through written electoral procedures.

§ 8 Meeting of members

(1) The ordinary meeting of members is held once annually. The managing committee is responsible for planning and preparing this.

(2) The managing committee sends out an invitation in writing or by e-mail at least six weeks prior to the planned date of the meeting to all members enclosing a provisional agenda. Motions for the agenda must be received by the managing committee at the latest two weeks prior to the meeting of members. Motions received later can only be considered if the meeting of members permits them as urgent matters.

(3) The meeting of members is chaired by the president or by one of the deputies. Should these be unable to attend then the meeting of members elects a chair. The meeting of members passes decisions by simple majority with the exception of cases pursuant to paragraphs 16 and 17.

(4)  Minutes are kept of the resolutions of the meeting. These must be signed by the keeper of the minutes and the chair.

(5) At the request of at least 20 percent of the members an extraordinary meeting of members must be convened within two months. The invitations to this must be sent out at least one month prior to the meeting specifying the agenda. The managing committee can also call an extraordinary meeting of members in urgent cases.

(6) Each regular member has a vote at the meeting of members. Each properly convened meeting of members is quorate. A member who is unable to attend the meeting of members in person can issue a written proxy to a regular member attending the meeting to propose motions and vote on behalf of the proxy giver. A member represented as a proxy is considered present for the purposes of paragraph 17 (3).

§ 9 Tasks of the meeting of members

The meeting of members in particular determines the principles and working programme of the Society. It is responsible for the election of the management committee and other holders of office, for the discharge of the management committee and for setting the amount of the subscriptions. It appoints an auditor and receives its report.

§ 10 Managing committee

(1) The managing committee consists of up to eight members. At least the following offices must be distributed among these members:

– President

– Up to two deputy presidents

– Treasurer

(2) The above-mentioned office holders constitute the board in accordance with section 26 of the German Civil Code. The Society can be represented in and outside of court by one of these board members alone. In special cases the meeting of members can vote by simple majority to deviate from this rule.

(3) The managing committee makes decisions by a simple majority of votes at meetings or by written circulation procedure or e-mail. In the event of equal votes the vote of the president shall be decisive.

(4) The managing committee reports to the meeting of members once a year on its activities.

§ 11 Tasks of the managing committee

The managing committee manages the business of the Society. It is responsible for making decisions on all matters of the Society that are not reserved for the meeting of members.

§ 12 Arbitration committee

(1) The arbitration committee consists of at least three members. It is elected by the meeting of members.

(2) The arbitration committee supports the managing committee in carrying out management, especially in fundamental issues that cannot be postponed. These tasks of the arbitration committee especially also include its function as board of arbitration, taking a stand with controversial membership applications and approving the establishment of committees at short notice. The arbitration committee takes decisions with a simple majority of votes. Members of the arbitration committee who are directly and personally affected by a case do not take part in the consulting and voting procedure for this case. Members of the managing committee cannot simultaneously be members of the arbitration committee.

§ 13 Auditor

At least one member reviews the accounts of the treasurer as auditor. The election and period in office are equivalent to those of the managing committee.

§ 14 Working committees

In order to deal with special tasks the managing committee or meeting of members can propose the establishment of working committees with members elected by the meeting of members. These can also include persons who are not members of the Society. The working committees elect one of their number as spokesperson; the latter must be a regular member of the Society.

§ 15 Cooperation with other bodies

(1) For the performance of its activities the Society aims to establish contact and cooperate with other bodies that are active in the field of research in Turkic, Ottoman and Turkish studies, including those outside the German speaking area. Close cooperation is aspired in particular with the Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft (German Oriental Society).

(2) By resolution of the meeting of members the Society can also itself become a corporate member of such associations.

§ 16 Amendment to statutes

Amendments to the statutes are decided by the meeting of members with a majority of two thirds of the votes cast. However, they cannot be placed on the agenda as urgent matters in accordance with section 8, paragraph 2, clause 3.

§ 17 Dissolution

(1) A motion for dissolution of the Society must be submitted in writing to the managing committee. It must bear the signatures of at least ten percent of all regular members.

(2) The managing board must convene an extraordinary meeting of members within two months and simultaneously put forward the motion for a written vote.

(3)  Dissolution is deemed to be resolved if at least three quarters of the members present approve it or the number of members remaining in the Society falls below seven.

§ 18 Place of jurisdiction

The place of fulfilment and exclusive place of jurisdiction is the domicile of the Society.

§ 19 Entry of the Society and non-profit status

(1) The domicile of the Society is Bamberg. The Society aspires to gain entry to the register of associations of Bamberg local court. It will then add the postfix “e.V.” (meaning “enrolled association”) to its name.

(2)  The Society aspires to gain recognition as a non-profit organisation.

(3) The managing committee is empowered to carry out amendments to the statutes arising at the request of the competent authorities in the course of the approval procedure independently as long as these do not affect the purpose of the Society.