Constitution of the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment-Taiwan

First Chapter  General Provisions
First Article:  This association shall be called the “Association for the Study of Literature and Environment-Taiwan” (ASLE-Taiwan; hereafter referred to as this association)
Second Article:  This association is legally established as a non-profit social organization with the purpose of encouraging local and foreign academic research in literature, culture and environment.
Third Article:  This association takes the entire administrative area of the nation as its organizational area.
Fourth Article:  The site of this association is established at the location of the supervisory agency; the establishment of any branch organization(s) must be processed for approval by the supervisory agency.
*The general regulations of the aforementioned branch organization(s) are to be drawn up by the directors board and submitted to the supervisory agency for approval before enactment.
*When this association’s site and the address of any branch organization(s) are established or changed, they should be reported to the supervisory agency for approval and processing.
Fifth Article :  The mission of this association is as follows:
(1) To promote academic research in literature, culture and environment, to hold relevant symposia and to publish [an academic journal//academic journals and books];
(2) To promote the education of literature, culture and environment;
(3) To advance the international exchange of research and activities in literature, culture and environment;
(4) To advance interdisciplinary research in literature and ecology along with environmental protection;
(5) To promote other related academic activities.
Sixth Article:  The supervisory agency of this association is the Ministry of the Interior.
The operations supervisory agency of this association’s goals is the Council of Cultural Affairs (CCA), Executive Yuan; the operations goals of this association shall accept the direction and management of the operations supervisory agency.

Second Chapter  Membership

Seventh Article:  The qualifications of application for membership in this association are as follows:

  1. Individual membership: Anyone who endorses of the aims of this association, who is twenty years of age or older, who is introduced by two or more members, who is approved upon investigation by the directors board of this association and who pays the membership fees is eligible to be a member of this association.
  2. Organizational membership: Any business organization or group which endorses the aims of this association, which fills out the Membership Application Form, which is approved upon investigation by the directors board of this association and which pays the membership fees is eligible to be an organizational member of this association. The organization should select one person to be its representative in order to exercise its membership rights.
  3. Sponsoring membership: An organization or person that sponsors the work of this association and that is approved by the directors board is eligible to be a sponsoring member.
  4. Honorary membership: Anyone who has made an outstanding contribution to literature and environment research and is approved by the directors board is eligible to be an honorary member.

Eighth Article:  Members (member representatives) have the right to vote, the right to elect, the right to be elected and the right to recall. Each member (member representative) has only one vote. Sponsoring members and honorary members do not have the foregoing rights.
Ninth Article:  Members have the obligation to observe the constitution of this association, abide by its resolutions, pay membership fees and serve in the posts as appointed by this association. Members who do not pay the membership fees are ineligible to enjoy the rights of membership. Those who do not pay their membership fees two years consecutively will be considered to have withdrawn their membership.
Tenth Article:  When members (member representatives) violate laws and regulations, the association constitution or do not comply with resolutions of the members general assembly, then following a resolution of the directors board, they may be given a warning or the disciplinary action of a suspension of rights. Those who gravely harm the organization’s interests can be expelled from membership by a resolution of the members (member representatives) general assembly.
Eleventh Article:  Members who meet one of the two conditions below will be expelled from the association:

  1. Those who forfeit membership qualifications;
  2. Those who are expelled following a resolution of the members general assembly.

Twelfth Article:  Members can clearly explicate their reason(s) in written form for announcing their withdrawal from this association.

Third Chapter  Organization and Organizational Powers

Thirteenth Article:  This association takes the members general assembly as its highest authority.
When the membership exceeds more than three hundred members, a system of proportional representation shall be established to elect member representatives, then a member representatives general assembly shall be convened to exercise the powers of the general assembly. A member representative holds office for a two year term; their number and manner of election shall be drawn up by the directors board and be submitted to the supervisory agency for approval and processing before enactment.
Fourteenth Article:  The powers of the members general assembly are as follows:

  1. To set and amend the constitution;
  2. To elect and recall members of the directors board and supervisors board;
  3. To determine entrance fees, annual fees, operational costs, the amount of to be contributed for a sponsoring membership and the procedure to become a sponsoring member;
  4. To determine yearly work plans, reports and budget, and final accounts;
  5. To determine the disciplinary action of expulsion against a member (member representative);
  6. To determine the disposition of property;
  7. To determine the disbanding of this association;
  8. To determine other important matters related to the provisions of members’ rights and obligations.

The scope of the important matters of the preceding eight items is to be set by the supervisors board.
Fifteenth Article:  This association shall install eleven people as directors and three people as supervisors; they shall be elected from among the association members and shall be separated into the directors board and the supervisors board. When conducting the preceding items mentioned for the election of the directors and the supervisors, based upon the tally of the votes cast, three alternate directors shall be selected at the same time and one alternate supervisor. If vacancies arise on either board, they shall be filled following the order of the election respectively. The current directors board shall provide a list of names of candidates for the next directors board and the next supervisors board for reference.
Directors and supervisors can utilize election by correspondence, but cannot continuously do so. After the directors board approves the election by correspondence, they must submit the results to the supervisory agency for approval and processing before enactment.
Sixteenth Article:  The powers of the directors board are as follows:

  1. To validate the qualifications of members (member representatives);
  2. To elect and to recall the board president;
  3. To approve the resignation of a director or the board president;
  4. To hire and to discharge staff members;
  5. To propose yearly work plans, reports and budget, and final accounts;
  6. To execute any other business that should be enacted.

Seventeenth Article:  The directors board shall install one person as board president who is elected by the directors from among the board members. The board president is in overall charge of directing meetings internally and of representing this association externally, and acts as the president of the members general assembly and the directors board. When the board president is unable to fulfill the duties of office due to circumstances, the president should designate a director as his/her representative; if the president has not designated or is unable to designate a representative, the directors shall elect a representative from among their members to act for the president. When the office of board president is vacant, it shall be filled within one month by election.
Eighteenth Article:  The powers of the supervisors board are as follows:

  1. To supervise the execution of the work of the directors board;
  2. To validate the annual final accounts;
  3. To elect and to recall the executive supervisor;
  4. To approve the resignation of a supervisor or the executive supervisor;
  5. To execute any other business that should be enacted.

Nineteenth Article:  The supervisors board shall install a person as a chair who shall concurrently hold the post of executive supervisor; the executive supervisor shall oversee the regular meetings. When the board chair is unable to fulfill the duties of office due to circumstances, the chair shall designate a director as his/her representative; if the chair has not designated or is unable to designate a representative, the supervisors shall nominate a representative from among their members to act for the chair. When the office of board chair is vacant, it shall be filled within one month by election.
Twentieth Article:  Directors and supervisors are all positions without salary; a term lasts two years, and those who are re-elected can renew their term of office. The board president’s term of office is limited to only one time of renewal. The term of office of the directors, the board president, the supervisors and the board chair is reckoned starting from the day the first directors board meeting of the current session is convened.
Twenty-first Article: If the directors or supervisors meet one of the following conditions listed below, they shall vacate their post:

  1. They forfeit their member (member representative) qualifications;
  2. They resign for some reason and the resignation is approved by the directors board or the supervisors board;
  3. They are recalled or withdraw;
  4. The duration of the time they are under the disciplinary action of suspension of rights exceeds more than one half of their term of office.

Twenty-second Article:  This association shall install one person as secretary general who shall following the board president’s orders handle the routine affairs of this association. A certain number of additional staff members shall be hired or discharged based upon the board president’s nomination and the approval of the directors board; the supervisory agency shall be informed accordingly as a matter of reference.
The preceding mentioned staff members shall not hold concurrently positions as a director or supervisor. The responsibilities and the distribution of work assignments shall be drawn up by the directors board.
Twenty–third Article:  This association shall set up various committees, small groups and other internal work units; the general regulations of these groups after being approved by the directors board can then be implemented; when there are any changes, they likewise need the approval of the directors board.
Twenty-fourth Article:  This association shall through the directors board engage a certain number of reputed directors and advisors; their term of office will be the same as the term of office of the current directors and supervisors. Sponsoring members and honorary members following the approval of the directors board can be engaged as honorary directors; their term of office is the same as the term of office of the current directors and supervisors.

Fourth Chapter  Meetings

Twenty-fifth Article:  The members general assembly meetings are divided into two types: regular meetings and incidental meetings. The meetings are convened by the board president; when incidental meetings are convened aside from an emergency situation, there should be written notification fifteen days before the meeting. The regular general assembly meeting is convened once a year. Incidental meetings are convened when the directors board recognizes the need for such, or when more than one fifth of the members (member representatives) make such a request, or when the supervisors board requests the convening of a meeting by formal correspondence. After members have registered according to the rules of this association, the incidental meeting can be convened when more than one tenth of the members (member representatives) make the request.
Twenty-sixth Article:  When members (member representatives) are unable personally to appear at the general assembly, they can by letter authorize another member (member representative) to be their proxy; any one member (member representative) is limited to being proxy for only one other member.
Twenty-seventh Article:  A resolution of the members (member representatives) general assembly requires that more than one half of the members (member representatives) are present and that a majority of those present are in favor in order to pass. However in case of adopting or revising the constitution, expulsion of a member (member representative), recalling a director or supervisor, disposition of property, disbanding of the association, or any other important items concerning the rights and obligations of the members, more than two thirds of those present must agree in order for it to pass. After members have registered according to the rules of this association, a revision of the constitution requires that more than three quarters of those present are in favor or that more than two thirds of the entire membership as based upon written communication are in favor in order for it to pass. Disbanding this association requires the approval of more than two thirds of the entire membership at any time in order to do so.
Twenty-eighth Article:  The directors board shall convene a meeting every six months; the supervisors board shall convene a meeting every six months. As required incidental meetings shall be convened. Except for incidental meetings when the aforementioned meetings are convened, there shall be written notification seven days prior to the meeting. A meeting resolution requires that more than one half of the directors or supervisors are present and that a majority of those present are in favor in order for it to pass.
Twenty-ninth Article:  Directors shall attend the directors meetings; supervisors shall attend supervisors meetings; they cannot delegate a proxy to attend in their place. If a director or supervisor is absent from two consecutive directors meetings or two consecutive supervisors meetings without reason, that person will be deemed to have resigned from his/her post.
Fifth Chapter  Funds and Accounting

Thirtieth Article:  The sources of the funds of this association are as follows:

  1. Entrance fees: An individual member entrance fee is NT$500.00; a student member entrance fee is free of charge. A group member entrance fee is NT$5,000.00. Entrance fees are to be paid at the time the member joins the association.
  2. Annual membership fees: An individual membership fee is NT$1,500.00 per year; a group membership fee is NT$10,000.00 per year; a student membership fee is NT$500.00 per year.
  3. Operation fees.
  4. Member donations.
  5. Commission income.
  6. Funds and interest.
  7. Other income.

Thirty-first Article:  The fiscal year for this association corresponds to the calendar year, starting January 1st and ending December 31st.
Thirty-second Article:  In the two months before the start of the fiscal year, the directors board shall compile an annual work plan, budget table, and employee remuneration table, which being approved by the members general assembly (if the members general assembly is not able to be convened within time, then the directors board and the supervisors board can in a joint meeting approve them), shall be reported to the supervisory agency for approval and processing before the start of the fiscal year. Moreover within the two months after the end of the fiscal year, the directors board shall compile an annual work report, the final financial statement table, cash accounts table, assets balance table, property catalogue and funds income and expenditure table, which the supervisors board after validating shall create an audit submission to be returned to the directors board; the directors board upon approving it shall report it to the supervisory agency before the end of October for approval and processing (if the members general assembly is not able to be convened within time, it shall first be reported to the supervisory agency).
Thirty-third Article:  After this association is disbanded, the remaining property belongs to the local self-governing organizations or to the organizations designated by the supervisory agency.

Sixth Chapter  Supplementary Provisions

Thirty-fourth Article:  Matters not yet stipulated by this constitution shall all be handled according to the relevant laws and regulations.

Thirty-fifth Article: This constitution upon being passed by the members (member representatives) in the general assembly shall be reported to the supervisory agency for approval and processing before enactment; when there are revisions, they shall be treated in the same manner.
Thirty-sixth Article:  This constitution was passed March 3, 2009 by this association in the first members general assembly during its first session.

The Ministry of the Interior was notified month day, year and a letter with document number XXXXXXXX indicated approval and was provided for future reference.