AAW France - Internal Rules


1 - Statement of principles of AAW
This shall be used to present the association to potential members, the media, and the general public. The general assembly is responsible for approving and modifying the statement, or for establishing the procedure to do so.

2 - Decision-making
a. Decision-making bodies

• The general assembly makes major decisions concerning modifications of the statutes, internal rules, or general orientations of the association.

• The board makes day-to-day decisions, including financial decisions within the limit of available funds.

• Voting members make decisions regarding participation in actions, demonstrations or campaigns in the association's name and the establishment and maintaining of relationships with other groups. These decisions are normally made during meetings of the association. However, they may be made or approved by the board between meetings if necessary.

b. Decision-making procedures
(i) The consensus method will be used as much as possible to make decisions at general assemblies or other meetings. Urgent decisions may be taken through other means, at the board's discretion.
(ii) In the event that a decision cannot be reached by consensus, any member may request a vote. A quorum is required for all voting procedures (see 3a). Voting will be made by a simple majority (half + 1). In the case of a hung vote, the President (or Acting President) shall cast the deciding vote. Voting shall take place by a raising of hands, unless a secret ballot is requested by any one voting member. Proxy voting shall be allowed within the limit of 1 proxy for any one voting member present. Clear written proof of the proxy power shall be required.

3 - General Assemblies
a. Quorum
i) A quorum of one half of active members is required (including vote proxies) to hold a general assembly (ordinary or extraordinary).
ii) In the absence of a quorum, the President shall convene an extraordinary general assembly to be held after two week's notification. Decision-making power will reside in the simple majority of those present, including proxies.
b. Decision-making procedures (see rule 2b.)
c) Agenda
The agenda shall be prepared in advance by the board and announced with the convening message. However, any active member may request items to be added to the agenda.

4 - Board
The board shall be chosen at each annual ordinary general assembly, according to the decision-making procedures defined above. The board acts as a steering committee and conducts the day-to-day management of the association. The duties of the officers are as follows:
- President and vice-President: day-to-day management, moderating meetings and events, convening general assemblies, ensuring that the statutes and internal rules are respected. May delegate powers to other active members.
- Secretary: Maintaining, in relation with the Treasurer, the list of members. Drafting minutes of general assemblies. In charge of the documents of the association.
- Treasurer: Collecting membership dues, managing the association's accounts and day-to-day financial affairs. May delegate treasury activities to other active members for particular fundraising events.

The board shall meet at the discretion of any board member.

The President and Treasurer shall have power to operate the association's bank account. The President may delegate this power to other members of the board.

The President may appoint acting officers in the event of resignation of one or more officers. In the event of the resignation of the President, the vice-President shall become acting president. In the event of the resignation of both President and vice-President, an extraordinary assembly shall be organized to elect a new board to serve until the next ordinary general assembly.

5- Membership

General members are those who support the Association's stated principles and have paid their annual dues.

Voting members include general members who have participated in at least one meeting in the three months prior to a vote.

List-serve members are those who send and receive posts on the AAW list-serve.

6- Membership Dues
Membership dues shall be 25 euros per annum, normally payable in June. The amount of dues may be modified by a general assembly, upon a recommendation by the Treasurer.

7- Communication
All members shall be included in the general list-serve. Voting members shall normally be included also in the administrative list-serve.

8-List-serve rules
List-serve participation is open to paying members and nonpaying participants who agree to and uphold the following rules:

- No maligning of an individual list-serve participant or the Association or use of personal invective will be tolerated.
- Posts to the main list-serve will normally be limited to articles, essays, discussions related to topics that fall under the association's stated principles.
- Posts of an administrative nature should be directed to: aawfrance@gmail.com
- Personal emails should be sent to only the concerned person.
- Personal correspondence placed on the list-serve in violation of a person's privacy will not be tolerated.
- First violation of any of the above rules will result in a warning published on the list serve; second violation will result in the person being removed from the list-serve.
- If anyone feels he/she has been dealt with unfairly, that person may write to: aawfrance@gmail.com