CONSTITUTION OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR CHINESE STUDIES

About AACS<= /u>

The American Association for Chinese Studies (AACS), founded in 1959, is the only academ= ic society in America devoted exclusively to the general area of Chinese studi= es. The purpose of the Association is to:

1) Encourag= e the study of subjects related to China, especially in American educational institutions;

2) Advance = such study and teaching through the exchange of information and scholarship acro= ss disciplinary lines;

3) Promote understanding and communication between Western and Eastern scholars involv= ed in Chinese studies.

CONSTITUTION OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION F= OR CHINESE STUDIES<= span style=3D'font-size:16.0pt;color:blue'>

(As amen= ded by the AACS Board at the 46^th annual board meetings on October 23, 2004 at the Hospitality House in Williamsburg, Virginia, and approved by ballots from AACS Members.)

Article 1.The organization shall be known as the Ameri= can Association for Chinese Studies.

Article 2.The purpose of the Association is to encoura= ge the study of subjects related to China, especially in the educational institutions of this country; to advance such study and teaching through the exchange of information and scholarship acro= ss disciplinary lines; and to promote understanding and communication between Eastern Chinese and scholars involved in Chinese studies.

Article 3.Me= mbership in the Association is open to anyone who participates in or is interested in Chinese Studies.

Article 4.The Association shall have a Board of Directors consisting of up to thirty-nine members to be elected from among the members of the Association by the curr= ent Board of Directors at the Association’s Annual Conference. One-third of the membership of the Boar= d of Directors shall be elected each year to serve for a three-year term of office. Members are eligible = for re-election to additional terms only if they actively participate in= the affairs of the Association.

The Association shall have a President, a Vice-Preside= nt, and a Recording Secretary. The President and the Vice-President shall be nominated by the Board of Directo= rs and elected by the due-paying members of the Association. They shall each serve a two-year t= erm and shall not be eligible for immediate re-election to the same office.

The Recording Secretary shall be elected by the Board = of Directors for a term of two years. Before nomination, the Executive Director of the Association shall, after soliciting and receiving recommendations from members, prepare a list= of candidates for the next President, Vice-President, and members of the Board= of Directors. The list shall be = sent to the Board of Directors to decide, by secret ballot, = who shall be placed on the ballot.

Article 5.The Association shall have an Executive Dire= ctor who manages its administrative affairs including membership, financial affa= irs, editing the Newsletter, and oth= er duties as specified by the Board of Directors. He or she will have sole authority= to hire staff to serve the Association. The Board of Directors normally shall select the Executive Director = for a term of five years, although the exact terms of this office are open to n= egotiation between the Board with the Director and his or her institution.

Article 6.The major activities of the Association shall be: (1) To arrange annual conferences at centers in the United States to be determined= by the Board of Directors; (2) To edit and issue a JOURNAL OF CHINESE STUDIES and/or a NEWSLETTER for the promotion of scholarly endeavors; (3) To undert= ake to distribute from time to time materials useful to the members with the ob= ject of giving aid to their work; (4) To undertake other activities as may be decided on by the Board of Directors or upon the suggestion of the members = and approved by the Board of Directors.

Article 7.Categories of membership shall be the follow= ing: Regular, Student, Sustaining, and Life.

Article 8.In the event of the dissolution of the organization, the disposition of assets of the organization shall be determ= ined by the Board.

Article 9.Amendments to the constitution shall be prop= osed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors and ratified by a majority of = the membership.