1. Name

The name of the Association shall be the ‘Gothic Association of New Zealand and Australia’ (GANZA) (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Association’).

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2. Status

(a) GANZA is a non-profit Association.

 

(b) The Association is not formed and does not exist for the purpose of carrying on any business that has for its object the acquisition of gain by the Association or its individual members.

 

(c) The income and assets of the Association shall be applied solely for investment and for the promotion of the objects for which it is established.

 

(d) No part of the income or assets of the Association shall be paid, directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, donation or otherwise, to any of its members.

 

3. Objects

 

The objects of the Association shall be:

1. To disseminate knowledge of international Gothic scholarship.

2. To bring together members ‒ whether academics, professionals or students  ‒ who have an interest in Gothic culture, for the purpose of discussion and advancement of academic research.

3. To support and foster interdisciplinary and international links within the Gothic scholarly community.

4. To organise events for its members ‒ such as conferences and symposia‒ aimed at achieving the objects above.

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4. Powers of the Association.

 

The President, in consultation with members of the Advisory Board, shall have all such powers as are necessary for the proper attainment of the objects set out in clause 3 above and shall, in particular, have the following express powers:

 

(a) to facilitate the exchange of ideas and act as a clearing house for ideas, priorities and problems in the field of Gothic scholarship and cultural studies, with a particular emphasis on Australasian relations;

 

(b) to establish and publish a newsletter for the benefit of its members and/or interested persons;

 

(c) to acquire any movable or immovable property ‒ such as external funding ‒for the Association calculated to benefit the Association and to advance its objects and to maintain, improve and alter any of the Association’s property;

 

(d) to make changes and amendments in the constitution, if such an act should be identified as beneficial to the Association and its ability to achieve the objects as outlined in clause 3.

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5. Executive Committee

The executive positions for the association, identified as the President (in primis) and the Advisory Board, will be administered according to the following regulations:

(a) The position of President ‒in the first instance, the founding member of the Association ‒ will be held by a member for as long as they wish and until they decide to step down. In that case, a call for nominations will be sent out to all members and election of a new President will take place, with the Advisory Board as voting members.

(b) The position of president entails a life-long membership to the Association, even in the eventuality of the President resigning his or her position. Once a president resigns their position, they will be granted a place on the Advisory Board of the Association. 

(c) Members of the Advisory Board will be approached initially by the President and invited to join. Upon acceptance, members will be allowed to stay on the Advisory Board for as long as they wish and hold life-long membership to the Association. This can change if the President and the rest of the Board have reason to believe that an Advisory member’s actions go against the spirit, intentions and objects of the Association. In that case, that specific member of the Advisory Board will be asked to leave the group by the President.

 

(d) The President and Advisory Board will hold regular meetings to discuss matters relevant to the Association; meetings will be held either in virtual form, or in person, depending on the circumstances.

 

6. Qualification for membership.

 

The persons eligible for the membership of the Association shall be as follows:

 

Any person who has attained the age of (18) years shall be eligible for membership as an ordinary member of the Association subject to such conditions that the President and Advisory Board may impose.

 

7. Rights of members.

 

(a) Membership of the Association does not and shall not give any member of any class a right to any of the moneys, property or assets of the Association but only confers upon such members the privilege of membership.

 

(b) A member whose application for membership has been accepted shall be bound by the constitution, rules and by-laws of the Association, and of any branch or section thereof, which are then in force, or which subsequently may be altered or amended and in force at any future time. No person shall be absolved from the effect and application of the constitution, rules and by-laws by reason of the fact that he may not have received a copy thereof.

 

(c) Membership to the Association is free; this, however, is subject to change and may be amended in accordance with the Association’s regulations. A change in membership terms will be applied by the President, in consultancy with the Advisory Board, if such a change is deemed as beneficial to the Association and its ability to achieve its objects as stated in clause 3.