Constitution 1957–2016

Original version accepted at the Inaugural Meeting on 27 February 1957, revised at meetings on 10 May 1958, 20 January 1960, 27 October 1965, 8 November 1967, 4 March 1970, 25 November 1970, 5 March 1975, 17 March 1976, 16 March 1977, 24 September 1977, 21 March 1979, 12 March 1980, 10 March 1983, 18 March 1998, 7th May 2003, EGM 15 December 2003/Min.2004/1/5i, ii. December 2006/Min.2/4/5/6/8, AGM 14th December 2013.

1. Name: The name of the Association shall be ‘The Palaeontological Association’.
2. Nature of the Association: The Palaeontological Association is a Charity registered in England, Charity Number 276369. Its Governing Instrument is the Constitution adopted on 27 February 1957, amended on subsequent occasions as recorded in the Council Minutes. Trustees (Council Members) are elected by vote of the Membership at the Annual General Meeting. The contact address of the Association is that of The Executive Officer.
3. Aims: The aim of the Association is to promote research in Palaeontology and its allied sciences by (a) holding public meetings for the reading of original papers and the delivery of lectures, (b) demonstration and publication, and (c) by such other means as the Council may determine.
4. Membership: Ordinary, Student, Retired and Honorary members shall be considered full members of the Association and eligible to take part in the government of the Association, but Institutional Members shall not be eligible to take part in the government of the Association.
5. Subscriptions: The annual subscriptions for individuals shall be determined by the members in General Meeting. The annual subscriptions for institutions shall be determined by Council.
6. The business of the Association shall be undertaken by a Council and by committees of the Council. The Council shall consist of a maximum of twenty members. The Officers shall consist of a President, and, at least, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, a Secretary, an editor-in-Chief and such other Officers as the Council may from time to time determine. At any meetings of the Council six members shall form a quorum which shall always include the President, or a Vice-President or the Secretary. The committees of the Council may co-opt members of the Association as non-voting committee members. Committees of Council shall be open to all members of Council.
7. Periods of service for Officers shall be flexible but should normally not exceed two years for President and Vice-Presidents, and five years for Secretary, Editors, and Treasurer. Total consecutive service as an Officer (excluding service as President) should normally not exceed ten years. Other members of the Council shall be elected for a period of three years. All members of Council are Trustees of the Association in accordance with charity law.
8. Elections shall be held annually to fill vacancies on Council. The results of elections shall be announced at the Annual General Meeting. If nominations exceed vacancies a ballot shall be conducted at the meeting and provision shall be made for a postal ballot for members unable to attend the meeting. Nominations should be received by the Secretary not later than the Wednesday of the first full week in October preceding the Annual General Meeting.
9. The Annual General Meeting shall be held within 12 months of the end of the Association year. Other meetings shall be held as determined by Council.
10. The annual report and accounts of the Association shall be made up to 31st December in each year and shall be examined in accordance with the requirements of the relevant Charity Acts. Examined accounts and the annual report shall be submitted to the Annual General Meeting.
11. No member is entitled to any distinct or separate share in the property or effects of the Association, and in the event of a dissolution of the Association such property or effects shall be disposed of by gift to one or more other charitable Societies or Associations which have for their objects the furtherance of palaeontology or its allied sciences, as shall be decided by a vote of a meeting called for the purpose.
12. No alteration of these rules shall be made except by a majority vote at a meeting of the Association held after one month notice of the proposed alterations has been given by the Secretary to the Ordinary, Student and Retired Members.
13. Council may, as resources allow, employ the services of one or more paid officers, to be known as Executive Officers, to carry out a proportion of the tasks involved in the running of the Association. Paid officers will normally attend meetings of Council but shall not be entitled to vote and will not be Trustees. The appointments of all paid officers will be reviewed on an annual basis.