Constitution

Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d’indexation

The names of the Society are the Indexing Society of Canada and the Société canadienne d’indexation (also referred to as ISC/SCI or SCI/ISC). Either name or both together, in either order, is an acceptable rendering of the name. Hereafter in this document, ISC/SCI is referred to as “the Society”.
The Society aspires to the working languages of the Society being English and French. Members may communicate within the Society in either of these languages.

Canadian bank: a bank, trust company, credit union or other firm or corporation conducting banking business in Canada

Executive Committee: the body of elected and appointed members governing the Society

Find an Indexer: public listing maintained on the ISC/SCI website of Society indexers by subjects, skills, materials and names

officer: a member of the Society who holds an elected or appointed office on the Executive Committee

simple majority vote: 50% + 1 of members present at a meeting in person or by proxy

the Society: Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d’indexation or ISC/SCI

The purpose of the Society is to continually progress toward our vision.
Our mission is to encourage the production of indexes, to promote the employment of indexers, to make available information about indexing techniques and best practices, to encourage the ongoing professional development of indexers and to facilitate communication between indexers.

Membership is open to any person, institution, corporation or business interested in the promotion of the Society’s objectives.
The annual membership fee of the Society is established by the Executive Committee subject to the approval of a simple majority of the members of the Society present at the Annual General Meeting. The annual membership fee is due on the anniversary of the date the member joined.
Payment of the annual membership fee entitles members to vote on all matters brought before the Society, to hold office, to receive its newsletter and to enjoy other membership benefits as established by the Society.
The annual membership fee includes a subscription to The Indexer.
A fee will be charged for a member’s listing on the Find an Indexer web page, the amount of which will be determined by the Executive Committee. Only those members whose membership fees and listing fees have been paid in full will be eligible to submit a listing for the Find an Indexer web page.

The Annual General Meeting is held on a date and at a place fixed by the Executive Committee. The Committee will notify each member of the date and place of the meeting, such notices to be sent out at least thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled meeting date.
The quorum for the Annual General Meeting is a minimum of 12 members and in addition shall be at least double the number of officers present plus one. If a quorum is present at the opening of a meeting but is lost during the meeting, the chairperson adjourns the meeting. In the absence of a quorum, no official meeting is held (i.e., no minutes are taken; no business is conducted), but members present may discuss issues informally.
Decisions taken at the Annual General Meeting will be by simple majority vote by members attending in person or by proxy.
Any member of the Society may vote by proxy by appointing in writing a proxy-holder, who must be another member, to attend and vote at the meeting in the manner and to the extent authorized by the
Regional groups may hold informal local meetings at times and locations of their choice. Decisions at these local meetings are not binding on the Society as a whole.

Rules of Order

The rules contained in the most recent edition of Bourinot’s Rules of Order govern all deliberations of the Society, provided they are not in conflict with the Constitution or any special rules of order the Society may adopt.

Executive Committee

The officers of the Society are the President (or Co-President), Vice President (or Co-President), Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Editor of the Bulletin, Website Administrator, Communications Director and four Regional Directors . These eleven officers, together with the immediate Past President, constitute the voting members of the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee may appoint other members to assist in the work of the Society. These individuals must be members of the Society in good standing and will have no voting privileges in meetings of the Executive Committee. The terms of office will be specified at appointment.
If a position on the Executive Committee becomes vacant, the other members of the Executive Committee may select a replacement. The replacement fills the position until the next election.
The Executive Committee has all the powers of the Society in the intervals between Annual General Meetings. It meets on the call of the President or at the request of any three members of the Executive Committee.

Elections

Elections for the Executive Committee are held every two years (odd-numbered years) at the Annual General Meeting. Prior to that meeting, a Nomination Committee gathers nominations for the elected positions and seeks candidates when necessary. Further nominations may be made at the Annual General Meeting. Candidates may be nominated by any member of the Society. If there is more than one candidate for a position, the office is filled by ballot; in such case, the candidate who receives the largest number of votes is elected.
Each successful candidate assumes office upon the adjournment of the Annual General Meeting at which the election is held. Elected executive positions are held for a term of two years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms, but exception may be made for subsequent terms in the same position if ratified by the membership.

Regional Groups

Regional groups may be established by the agreement of members within a given region, in coordination with the Executive Committee of the Society. Regional groups report to the Regional Director for their area.
Should a regional group choose to form an executive, it may be established in whatever manner is approved by the members of that regional group.

The banking business of the Society will be transacted at a Canadian bank designated by the Executive Committee.
The banking business of the Society will be transacted by an officer of the Society or other persons designated by the Executive Committee.
An annual profit/loss statement and balance sheet for the Society will be made available to members.

This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast at an Annual General Meeting, provided that the proposed amendment is given with the notice of that meeting. Members may vote on constitutional amendments either in person or by proxy.