Constitution

Adopted by the inaugral meeting 12 December 1999
Ammendments made at 1st AGM 03 December 2000

1. Name

1.1 International Association for Languages & Intercultural Communication (IALIC)

2. Aims

2.1 The Association will provide support to scholars in their academic life within the field of Languages and Intercultural Communication, and will promote Languages and Intercultural Communication as an academic field.

2.2 The Association will seek to bring together international scholars and practitioners from a broad range of disciplinary backgrounds, among which, anthropology, sociolinguistics, psychology, literary studies, management and organisation studies, as well as linguists and applied linguists. In so doing, it will seek to:

2.2.1 create the conditions for a new body of intellectual enquiry which intersects consciously and reflectively with other disciplines;

2.2.2 represent the living reality of experiences of increased mobility and intercultural communication, as well as addressing the professional concerns brought about by the relocation of the research and the teaching of living languages;

2.2.3 promote in theory and practice greater intercultural understanding and, thereby, address the causes and the consequences of cultural barriers and racial intolerance;

3. Activities

3.1 The focus of the Association’s activities will be an annual conference and the publication of its proceedings, the publication of a journal, and the publication of an annual newsletter.

3.2 The Association will exploit opportunities to co-operate with other bodies where interests are mutually served.

3.3 These activities may be supported and promoted by activities and events organised at local and regional level, and approved by the Committee of the Association.

4. Membership

4.1 Membership is open to any individual or institution with a research, a teaching and/or a professional interest in promoting the aims of the Association at any level.

4.2 The Association declares its intention to work towards a mixed and inclusive membership.

4.3 All members shall pay an annual subscription, normally due by January 31st. Membership will run from 1st January until 31st December. Members will be able to submit a single application for membership for up to three years; in this case the annual subscription for the first year will apply to each year applied for, and must be paid in full at the time of application. Rates of individual and institutional subscription and membership benefits shall be decided by the Committee of the Association and ratified by the Annual General Meeting.

4.4 Membership will lapse if the subscription is unpaid at its due date.

5. Operations

5.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Association will be held at the annual conference. Its purpose will be to ensure the proper functioning of the Association in accordance with its constitution, to approve its financial operations, and to elect officers to the Committee.

5.2 The business of the Association will be conducted by a Committee consisting of:

An Executive Committee:

Chair of the Association (who also represents the Association)

Communications Officer (who also edits the Newsletter and is responsible for publicity, administers the Association’s web site and mailbase)

Treasurer (who administers membership and finances)

Officers:

Representative

Education Officer (responsible for postgraduate matters and wider educational aspects)

Two Additional Representatives

Journal Representative (who liaises with the Journal Committee)

Conference Organiser from the conference’s home institution

5.3 The Committee is quorate if four members, one of whom is a member of the Executive, are present.

5.4 The Committee will meet at least once per year.

5.5 The Officers and Committee members are elected by the Annual General Meeting, and serve for three years, renewable for a further one to three years. They must wait for two years before they can stand for re-election beyond this term.

5.6 The Committee will have the authority to co-opt up to two further members on an annual basis.

5.7 The Committee is authorised to spend the Association’s funds to further the aims of the Association, and will present accounts at the Annual General Meeting. Items of expenditure must be approved by the Treasurer and one other member of the Executive Committee.

5.8 It is the role of the Committee to support initiatives at the grassroots, and to encourage an active membership.

5.9 In view of the necessity of reflecting upon and addressing the considerable difficulties in intercultural communication, the Committee will be required to submit a report to the Annual General Meeting which, in the manner of social accounts, reflects the experiential dimensions of the work of the Association.

5.10 Sub-committees to address issues of conference management, academic politics, journal development, or aspects of teaching and learning (etc.) may be formed. They will report to the Committee of the Association.

6. Location

6.1 Leeds Metropolitan University will act as the home for the annual conference and the Association’s secretariat until such time as the Association or Leeds Metropolitan University seek an alternative venue.

7. Disbanding

7.1 In the event of the Association disbanding, any remaining funds in its possession will be donated to any organisation selected by the Committee which works to further aims compatible with those of the Association.