The International Organization for
Septuagint and Cognate Studies

Bylaws for IOSCS

1. NAME OF ORGANIZATION: The name of the organization is "The International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies" (also known by its acronym IOSCS).

2. PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION: IOSCS is a nonprofit, learned society formed to promote international research in and study of the Septuagint and related texts. By the term Septuagint is meant the ancient translations of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, including both the translation of the Pentateuch and that of the other books of the "Alexandrian Canon." By the term cognate studies is meant the study of the ancient translations made from the Septuagint ("daughter versions") and the so-called apocryphal and pseudepigraphical literature circulating around the turn of the era.

3. MEMBERSHIP: Membership shall be available to any individual or institution upon payment of the annual membership dues. Institutional membership carries no voting privileges at meetings of the organization.

4. MEMBERSHIP DUES: Except for honorary members, all members shall be assessed annual membership dues, which shall be set by the membership upon the recommendation of the executive committee. There shall be no distinction in dues between individual and institutional membership.

5. ANNUAL MEETINGS: The members of the organization shall be convened annually by notification of the secretary at least two months in advance of the meeting. The annual meeting shall be convened by the president or his/her delegate and conducted, unless otherwise indicated in these bylaws, according to Robert's Rules of Order.

6. QUORUM: The quorum for the annual meeting shall be fifteen (15) paid-up members.

7. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Should a member have a conflict of interest on any motion presented to the meeting, he/she shall declare such conflict and shall not take part in its discussion or in the vote on the motion.

8. OFFICERS OF IOSCS: The officers of the organization shall be the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, editor(s), and the immediate past president.

9. ELECTION AND TERMS OF OFFICERS: A slate of officers shall be presented to the annual meeting, and election shall be by majority vote of members present. Other nominations may be made at the meeting by a mover and seconder, in which case such an election shall be by ballot. Terms of office shall normally be for three years, and reelection to office shall be an option. The nomination slate, which shall include not only the officers but also membership in standing committees in accordance with articles 18-20, shall be presented by the executive committee.

10. PRESIDENT: The president shall preside at meetings of the membership, as well as at meetings of the executive committee. Should the president be unable to preside for any reason, the vice-president shall preside; should both the president and the vice-president be unable to preside, a former president of the organization shall preside. The president shall be an ex officio member of all standing and ad hoc committees and shall be deemed the chief executive officer of the organization.

11. VICE-PRESIDENT: The duties of the vice-president shall be to substitute for the president when necessary and to serve as assigned by the executive committee.

12. SECRETARY: The secretary shall record the transactions of the organization at its meetings, keep its records, and undertake the correspondence for the organization.

13. TREASURER: The treasurer shall collect the membership dues for the organization, maintain a bank account for its moneys, discharge all payments incumbent on it, keep a record of all income and disbursements, present all necessary records for an auditor, and distribute an audited financial statement to the annual meeting. He/she shall also convene the finance committee (see article 19).

14. EDITOR(S): Editor(s) for publications of the organization may be appointed by the membership upon recommendation of the executive committee.

15. HONORARY PRESIDENTS: The organization may elect honorary presidents as honorary members, who shall thereupon have full rights of membership, but shall not be subject to membership dues assessment. Only in exceptional cases shall such election extend beyond those who have served as president of the organization.

16. VACANCIES: Should an officer of the organization resign or for some reason be unable to function, the executive committee may appoint a substitute who shall serve in such office until the next meeting of the membership, at which time an election for the remainder of such a term shall be held.

17. STANDING COMMITTEES: There shall be three standing committees: executive committee, finance committee, and administrative committee.

18. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: The executive committee shall carry on the business of the organization with full powers of implementation between meetings of the membership. It shall report its actions at the following annual meeting of the membership for homologation. All the officers of the organization (as listed in article 8) shall be members of the executive committee under the convenership of the president. Other members shall be the honorary president(s) and members at large; the term of office for members at large shall be three years, renewable for subsequent term(s). Decisions for action may be made by electronic poll, by post, or at a meeting. Majority approval shall be binding.

19. FINANCE COMMITTEE: A finance committee under the convenership of the treasurer and consisting of the treasurer, the president, and at least two other members of the organization shall inter alia review the audited annual financial statement prior to presentation to the annual meeting.

20. ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE: An administrative committee to advise the president on administrative matters shall consist of the president, the secretary, the treasurer, and one other member of the organization, who shall serve as convener of the committee. This committee shall be formed and meet upon the call of the convener.

21. AD HOC COMMITTEES: The executive committee or the membership may appoint ad hoc committees for specific purposes, but such committees shall not continue beyond the next meeting of the organization unless they be reappointed for another year. All ad hoc committees must report to the next annual meeting.

22. DISSOLUTION: Should the organization cease to exist, its funds shall be transferred to an entity legally entitled as a nonprofit organization, approved by IOSCS.

23. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS: Amendments to the bylaws may be made by notice of motion presented to the membership at least two months in advance of the next annual meeting. Such notices of motion shall be supported by the executive committee or by at least three members and transmitted to the organization through the executive committee, which shall transfer such notice of motion without change or comment to the membership with the notice of meeting. Approval by three-quarters of the membership present at such a meeting shall be required for any such change in the bylaws.