Article 1: Name
The association shall be called the Syrian Studies Association.
Article 2: Objectives
The Syrians Studies Association is an international non-profit,
non-political association. It is an association of scholars
organized to encourage and promote scholarship, research and
understanding of Syria of all epochs and in all academic disciplines.
Article 3: Activities The Syrian Studies Association
shall hold an annual meeting, circulate a news letter to its
members, support the work of the MESA by proposing panels
dealing with Syria, and attempt to promote the publication
of scholarship on Syria. As the activities of the Syrian Studies
Association grow, separate committees shall be created for
on-going projects, or committees shall be created by the board
to discuss and pursue initiatives on an ad hoc basis. The
mission and work of committees must be reported to and approved
by the membership at the annual meeting.
Article 4: Membership
Individuals with a demonstrable scholarly interest in Syria
are eligible to be members of the Syrian Studies Association
upon condition of the submission of a written application
and payment of dues to the association's secretary-treasurer.
Article 5: Dues
Annual membership dues are to be paid to cover the running
expenses of the Syrian Studies Association and the costs of
the annual meeting, as well as the newsletter.
Article 6: Meetings
The time and venue of the annual meeting shall be decided
by majority vote at the previous year's meeting. The annual
meeting shall include a business meeting as well as a reception.
The annual meeting shall be held in conjunction with the MESA.
Article 7: Board of Directors
The board shall include the association's president, secretary-treasurer,
the past president and two other elected members.
Article 8: Officers
The Syrian Studies Association shall elect a president for
a two year term. The duties of the president include policy
initiation, coordination, management, fund-raising, all in
consultation with the board. The association shall elect a
secretary-treasurer for a two-year term. The duties of the
secretary-treasurer are to keep the membership rolls, collect
the membership dues and take minutes of the annual meeting.
Article 9: Elections
Election of officers and members of the board shall take place
through a postal ballot with deadline prior to the MESA meeting
in the year when elections are due. A quorum of at least one-third
of the membership must participate in the vote to be valid.
[The election results will be monitored by a member of the
association not running for office, elected for that purpose
at the annual meeting prior to the election. The election
results shall be formally announced at the annual meeting].
Article 10: Fiscal Year
The fiscal year shall run from January 1 of each year.
Article 11: Finances and Fund Raising
The Syrian Studies Association is to be incorporated in the
State of Pennsylvania under the IRS Code of 1954. Paragraph
501/c/3 with regard to non-profit organization and under Section
170/c/2 of the same code regarding tax-deductible donations.
The president and the board are to review and approve donations
and endeavor to raise money for the activities of the Association
in line with Article 2. [This article is still under investigation.]
Article 12: Publications
The Syrian Studies Association shall publish at least one
annual newsletter. The newsletter shall include the president's
report, the secretary-treasurer's report, reports of committees,
and the necessary forms for voting in an election year. The
association shall endeavor to promote the publication of scholarly
works on Syria.
Article 13: American Research Institute in Syria
[This item is pending to the report of the Steering Committee].
Article 14: Amendments
The constitution of the Syrian Studies Association may be
amended by a two-thirds vote of its membership following discussion
at the annual meeting. Proxy votes in writing are acceptable
in the amendment process.
