ACAMIS Constitution and By-Laws
ACAMIS Constitution
ARTICLE I - NAME AND DESCRIPTION
SECTION A: NAME OF ASSOCIATION
The name of this association shall be Association of China and Mongolia International Schools hereinafter referred to as ACAMIS.
SECTION B: DESCRIPTION
ACAMIS believes that membership should be extended to those schools it can best serve and that, in return, can contribute to the ACAMIS community.
ACAMIS international schools include preschools, elementary schools and secondary schools of international character and are further defined as those that:
- are located in China, HK SAR, Macau SAR, Province of Taiwan and Mongolia;
- are governed by their own school board or other competent educational authority and led by an appropriately qualified school Director, Head, Superintendent, etc. who oversees the day to day operations of the school;
- are accredited by a legal and appropriate international accrediting body acceptable to and approved by the ACAMIS Board of Directors;
- are not foreign sections of host country state schools or affiliated with universities;
- employ a teaching faculty of several nationalities;
- admit students from multiple nationalities and regions;
- offer external examinations such as AP, IB, SAT, ACT, A-levels, etc, which prepare graduates for universities beyond the school’s host country;
- teach a curriculum not offered by the school’s host country;
- use English as a language of instruction.
These membership criteria are further elaborated in the Membership Standards.
ARTICLE II – PURPOSES
The purposes of ACAMIS are to:
- broaden the learning opportunities for students of all ACAMIS member schools in a total program of education, especially in sports competitions and arts and culture;
- advance the professional development of staff of member schools;
- facilitate communication and cooperative action among member schools;
- promote understanding and international friendship through the activities of member schools;
- cooperate with other organisations and individuals pursuing similar purposes as ACAMIS.
ARTICLE III – STATEMENT OF ORGANISATIONAL CHARACTER
ACAMIS as an organisation shall be exclusively educational in character. It shall not be operated for profit. No part of the net earnings of ACAMIS shall inure to the benefit of any member or individual, nor shall any of such earnings or assets of ACAMIS be used other than for the purposes of ACAMIS as per Article II.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
SECTION A:
International schools located in China and Mongolia may become full members with voting privileges at one of two levels: Comprehensive Membership or Professional Development Membership, through written application and fulfillment of membership requirements, and by majority vote of the ACAMIS Board of Directors.
Provisional status at either of the above levels without voting privileges may be granted to schools that have applied for and been granted approval to enter an inspection or accreditation process considered acceptable by the ACAMIS Board and fulfill all other requirements for ACAMIS membership.
The ACAMIS Board may also grant Associate status without voting privileges to sponsors and other organisations interested in supporting the purposes of ACAMIS.
SECTION B: TERM OF MEMBERSHIP
The term of membership shall be annual from August 1 through July 31. Members admitted prior to January 1 will be required to pay full membership dues. Memberships activated after January 1 will be required to pay 1/2 annual membership dues in their first year of membership and full fees thereafter.
SECTION C: TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall cease because of voluntary resignation or may otherwise cease due to failure to pay membership fees by November 1 (unless other arrangements are made with the Board of Directors), non-representation at an AGM for two consecutive years, or failure to comply with the Constitution and By-Laws, as determined by a simple majority vote of the ACAMIS Board of Directors.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
SECTION A: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The ACAMIS Board of Directors shall consist of seven Directors from member schools. Board members shall come from nominations by the Heads of ACAMIS schools, be selected by the ACAMIS Board of Directors and endorsed by majority vote of the membership at the ACAMIS Annual General Meeting (AGM). Two additional Directors may be appointed by the Board to fill special needs. The Board members will decide which Board members will serve in the capacity of President, Vice President, Treasurer, and other roles.
SECTION B: REPRESENTATIVES
The Board of Directors of ACAMIS must be current Heads of ACAMIS Member schools. A Head of School is one who oversees the day-to-day academic operations of an entire school.
SECTION C: TERM
The Directors endorsed by the membership or appointed by the Board will serve a three-year term.
In the event of a mid-year Board vacancy, the Board may appoint a new Director from the membership to serve until the next AGM at which time the appointee may stand for election to a 3-year term.
The term of office shall commence on the date of the AGM. In the event of major economic, political, social, climatic or other events which prevent the AGM to be held as scheduled, the terms of all officers shall be extended until ACAMIS is again able to meet.
In the event of the Board President's resignation, the Vice-President will assume responsibility of the President until the next Board meeting wherein a vote will be held by the Board to determine a President.
ARTICLE VI – BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES
The ACAMIS Board is responsible for determining the strategic direction of the organisation, ensuring proper fiscal responsibility and accountability, and appointing the Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for staffing and overseeing the functions of the Executive Office.
ARTICLE VII - NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
A Nomination Committee of one or more ACAMIS Heads shall be formed by the Board at least six weeks prior to the AGM. When vacancies on the Board of Directors occur, the Nominating Committee shall seek nominations from the Heads of all full membership schools and those nominations shall be presented to the Board.
The Board will select and invite Heads from the list of nominees presented to fill the vacancies.
The appointment of new Directors shall be presented for endorsement by majority vote of the membership at the ACAMIS Annual General Meeting (AGM).
ARTICLE VIII - LIABILITIES OF MEMBER SCHOOL
No member school of ACAMIS shall have any obligations in respect to any liabilities incurred by ACAMIS.
ARTICLE IX- DISSOLUTION OR LIQUIDATION
No part of net income, revenue, and grants of ACAMIS shall inure to the benefit of any member or officer of the ACAMIS Board, or any private individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered in connection with one or more of its purposes with proper accounting through the Executive Office) and no Board member or officer or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any part of the assets of ACAMIS on its dissolution or liquidation. In the event of such dissolution or liquidation, the assets of ACAMIS, after payment of debts and obligations, shall be transferred to an organisation for charitable and educational uses and purposes similar to those of ACAMIS and as decided upon by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS OF ARTICLES AND BY-LAWS
These Articles and By-laws may be amended or altered by a simple majority vote of the Heads of ACAMIS schools or their delegates present and voting at the AGM, provided however that Article III may not be amended in such a manner as to impair or alter the non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian character of ACAMIS.
Suggestions for amendments may be proposed to the Board for their consideration.
ACAMIS By-Laws
I. Address
The business address of ACAMIS shall be the address of one of its Hong Kong schools.
II. Meetings
a. An annual general meeting (AGM) of ACAMIS members shall be held one time each year. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the Board of Directors provided they give Member schools fifteen (15) days’ notice in writing. All meetings shall be conducted according to the Robert’s Rules of Order. In case of extraordinary circumstances, the Board of Directors may approve electronic voting.
b. Attendance at the ACAMIS AGM by the school Head or a designated representative is a requirement of membership. Non-representation at ACAMIS AGMs for two consecutive years may lead to suspension of the school’s membership.
III. Quorum
a. A quorum for the Board of Directors will consist of five of the Directors
b. At ACAMIS Annual General Meetings, all member schools are expected to be represented by the Head or a designated representative. Business will be conducted by a simple majority of members present and voting. Each member school shall have one vote, which shall be delivered by the Head of School or the designated representative. No individual may cast more than one vote.
IV. Annual fees
a. Annual dues and other fees for each of the two school membership levels, Comprehensive or Professional Development level, are set by the Board of Directors and made known to the member schools at the ACAMIS Annual General Meeting and are available for public viewing through membership information on the ACAMIS website.
b. Payment of the annual ACAMIS Membership fees is due by November 1st each year. Schools with memberships activated after January 1 will be required to pay 1/2 the annual membership fee for the remainder of that academic year.
c. The Board reserves the right to withdraw membership of a school that fails to pay its dues following two reminders after the designated payment date.