“International Digital Epigraphy Association,” abbreviated “IDEA”

 

Article 1 – An association called the “International Digital Epigraphy Association,” abbreviated “IDEA,” is established.

 

Art. 2 – The association has its headquarters in Peccioli (in the province of Pisa), Via Boccioni number two, and can establish additional offices in other locations.

 

Art. 3 – The association has a democratic structure, is politically independent, and is established for an unlimited period of time.

 

Art. 4 – The association is not for profit. The association’s assets are made up of goods and real estate, donations, distributions and bequests, and possible reserve funds from budget surplus. The association’s revenue is made up of membership fees, possible extra contributions made by members, public and private grants and donations, profits derived from services rendered,  income from commercial and productive activities, and other sources compatible with the association’s goals.

 

The fiscal year begins on January 1 and ends on December 31. Direct or indirect distribution of revenue, surplus, funds, reserves, or capital during the life of the association is prohibited. In the case of its dissolution, any remaining funds must be allocated to associations or institutions with goals similar to those of the association.

 

Art. 5 – The goal of the association is the promotion of the use of advanced methodologies in the research, study, enhancement, and publication of “written monuments,” beginning with those of antiquity, in order to increase knowledge of them at multiple levels of expertise, from that of specialists to that of the occasional tourist.

 

In order to reach its statutory goals, the association promotes, organizes, and manages conventions, conferences, exhibits (including virtual exhibits), prizes, and training courses (including online courses); it conducts editorial activities; it promotes and supports the maintenance and efficiency of the portal created by the European project EAGLE (European network of Ancient Greek and Latin Epigraphy); it participates in and promotes the participation of its members in projects and initiatives, including in collaboration with third parties; it promotes initiatives in the interest of its members; it performs and encourages studies and research; it collects data and news of interest to the activity of its members; it carries out consultations in favor of its members; it more generally carries out all activities useful for the achievement of the goals that the association proposes.

 

Art. 6 – Any natural or legal person, public or private institute or entity, society, business, or association may become a member of IDEA. The executive council decides whether to accept or reject a membership request, and decisions are final.

 

Members are required to pay an annual membership fee to the association from the time they join. The fee will be fixed each year by the directorial committee.

The membership fee and additional contribution cannot be raised by more than 10% in a year. For the year 2016, the membership fee is 100 euro and the additional contribution for members

who are not natural persons is 400 euro.

 

Fees must be paid at the time of enrollment and by January 31 each year following.

 

Members may participate free of charge in the activities of the association. To cover the costs of particular initiatives organized and promoted by the association, additional self-financing fees may be asked of only the members involved in the initiatives, with no obligation to members who are not involved.

 

All members who join the association in the first twelve months after its founding will be honored with the title of founding member. This designation implies no difference with respect to other members in terms of rights and duties to the association.

 

Membership is lost if the member falls short of the necessary requirements, resigns, or fails to pay membership fees for sixth months after the first request for payment. Expulsion is deliberated by the directorial committee. The expelled member can appeal to the general assembly.

 

A member can withdraw from the association at any time with immediate effect by writing to the executive council. The resigning member is not entitled to a refund of membership fees paid or  to the cancellation of those owed for the year in progress.

 

Members must commit to observe the present charter, to collaborate with the association in working towards the realization of its institutional goals, and to provide news of their own activities when requested by the association’s representatives, with exceptions, however, for the essential need for privacy of each member. The association can use news from their members only for social purposes, and make such information public only with the consent of the interested parties.

 

Art. 7 – Any natural or legal person, public or private institute or entity, society, business, or association that, even without being a member, contributes economically to IDEA or, through actions, has given or can give support to the achievement of the association’s goals is a supporter of IDEA.

 

Supporters may benefit from the services offered by the association, with the conditions and in the manner decided by the directorial committee.

 

Supporters may participate in assemblies as observers. They are entitled to speak but not to vote and cannot be elected to any position in the association.

 

Art. 8 – The executive council may propose nominations of honorary members for the approval of the directorial committee. Any natural or legal person, public or private institute or entity, society, business, or association, even those who are not members, may be nominated for

 

honorary membership by virtue of their particular contribution to the achievement of the association’s goals.

 

Honorary members may participate in assemblies as observers. They are entitled to speak but not to vote and cannot be elected to any position in the association.

 

Art. 9 – The agencies of the association are the general assembly, the directorial committee, and the executive council.

 

The general assembly of members, summoned by the executive council no fewer than 20 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting, meets in a location to be announced in the summons, in the first half of every year, to discuss the budget, the balance sheet, and any other general topics designated as orders of business by the executive council or directorial committee or requested by at least one quarter of members.

 

The date, place, and orders of business of the assembly are communicated to members by the executive council through the means that the directorial committee deems appropriate.

 

All members in good standing with regard to the payment of membership fees are entitled to speak and vote at the assembly. Any member may represent one or more other members provided that they have written authorization.

 

For the legal establishment of the assembly and for the validity of its decisions, at least 50 percent of members must participate. If this number cannot be reached, the assembly is postponed to a time that is no less than two hours and no more than thirty days from the first summons. At the second summons, the assembly is valid no matter the number of members present and represented. The date of this session may be fixed in the same announcement as the first.

 

The assembly may also be held by teleconference with the same procedures described above as long as the free participation of all members is guaranteed.

 

The assembly issues decisions with a majority of the votes of the members present and those represented by proxy.

 

The assembly, at the beginning of each session, elects from among the members present the president of the assembly, the secretary of the assembly, and three scrutineers.

 

The secretary of the assembly writes minutes for the meeting. The minutes must be signed by the president of the assembly, the secretary, and the scrutineers.

 

Extraordinary assemblies can be called by the executive council, or by the request of no fewer than five members of the directorial committee or one tenth of members of the association.

 

Members gathered in either an ordinary or extraordinary assembly can modify the present charter.

 

The directorial committee is nominated by the assembly and is made up of a number of members to be determined by the same assembly.

 

The directorial committee serves for five years and its members can be reelected for a maximum of two terms.

 

In the case of the death or resignation of a member of the directorial committee before the end of his or her term, the directorial committee will appoint a substitute by cooptation. Directorial committee members elected in this way remain on the committee until the next assembly. If for any reason the number of committee members is reduced to two, the entire committee is considered lost and must be renewed. The appointment of a new member of the directorial committee is gratuitous.

 

The directorial committee meets as often as is necessary, including by teleconference or email, by the initiative of the executive council or by at least one quarter of the members of the directorial committee.

 

Decisions are made by the directorial committee with a majority of the votes of members present. In the case of a tie, the president’s vote prevails.

 

The directorial committee has the power to decide on initiatives to pursue and on criteria to follow for the achievement of the goals of the association and for its ordinary and extraordinary direction and administration. Once directives for the realization of statutory tasks have been agreed upon, the committee establishes procedures and responsibilities for carrying them out and oversees their execution; it decides how to invest the association’s assets; it sets the amount of the annual membership fees; it selects the association’s activities, initiatives, and collaborations with third parties; it approves plans for a tentative budget, expense sheet, and balance sheet to be presented to the general assembly; it decides upon and governs services rendered to members  and third parties.

 

The directorial committee nominates from among its members the president of the association, the vice-president, the director charged with the responsibilities of general secretary and treasurer, and up to three council members with specific responsibilities. These persons make up the executive council.

The executive council remains in office for the duration of the term of the directorial committee. The executive council meets as often as necessary, including by teleconference or email, when

summoned by the president or vice-president.

 

The executive council works for the attainment and realization of the association’s goals and performs ordinary and extraordinary directorial and administrative tasks. It nominates and suspends directors, officials, and employees and issues all provisions regarding personnel.

 

The decisions of the executive council are decided by a majority vote of the members present. In the case of a tie, the president’s vote prevails.

 

Art. 10 – The president is the representative of the association. The president, the vice-president, and the director can, separately, sign any administrative acts regarding the association, open and close bank accounts, and collect and carry out payments.

 

Art. 11 – Any conflicts arising between members relative to the association and its agencies will be discussed by the directorial committee, which will act according to a majority decision without procedural formalities, except for the right to appeal to any other authority.

 

Art. 12 – The dissolution of the association is decided by an extraordinary general assembly, which will nominate one or more liquidators and determine their powers.

 

Art. 13 – All that is not contained in the present charter is governed by provisions of law.