1. Name and Legal Status

1.1 The name of the Network shall be the “World Interdisciplinary Network for Institutional Research”, hereafter referred to as “the Network” or “WINIR”.

1.2 The Network shall be constituted as a legal entity in a suitable country designated by the Council of the Network.

2. Purposes and Functions

2.1 The Network is a non-profit, research and educational association of social scientists and other interested scholars, devoted to the international promotion and development of research into the nature, function, evolution, and impact of social institutions and organizations.

2.2 The Network may organize conferences, seminars, information networks, research groups, and publications for its purposes.

2.3 The Network welcomes contributions from all disciplines and perspectives that can enhance our understanding of the nature, function, evolution and impact of social institutions or organizations.

2.4 The Network is devoted to scientific research. Although it shall promote policy development, it shall not adopt any political policy or ideology.

3. Main Language

3.1 The main and official language of the Network shall be English.

4. Membership and Membership Fees

4.1 Membership of the Network shall be open to any person willing to abide by the Constitution and Rules, and shall be valid upon receipt of the Membership Fee, or upon election as Honorary President or Honorary Life Member.

4.2 The membership fees and rules governing them shall be determined by the Council, or by resolution at Membership Meetings (see Clauses 10.2 and 10.3), or by recorded ballot of the entire membership.

4.3 A member may resign by written notification to the Secretary. There shall be no reimbursement of donations or membership fees in the case of resignation.

4.4 Every member has the rights as provided herein and the additional rights to know the names and addresses of all other current members of the Network and to inspect its accounts.

5. Membership Meetings

5.1 The membership of the Network oversees and monitors its activities and organization, and may express its view by majority vote at a quorate Membership Meeting and by recorded ballots of the membership as a whole.

5.2 All Membership Meetings may be held either in person, or by suitable electronic means agreed by the Council or by the previous Membership Meeting by which all participants may communicate with all the other participants.

5.3 A Membership Meeting may be called by a majority at a preceding and quorate Membership Meeting, or by a majority of the Council of the Network, or by at least 25 per cent of the membership expressing their wish to the Secretary in writing.

5.4 Another Membership Meeting must be held within three years of the preceding Membership Meeting.

5.5 The precise time and place of all Membership Meetings shall be designated by the Council.

5.6 The date, time and venue of any Membership Meeting will be communicated in writing by the Council to all members at least 3 months in advance.

5.7 The quorum at a Membership Meeting shall be 20.

6. Officers and Other Members of the Council

6.1 The Council of WINIR (hereafter referred to as the “Council”) is responsible for the general welfare of the Network, its finances, the processing of membership applications, the maintenance of the membership lists, and the production and auditing of accounts.

6.2 The Council shall consist of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Officer and four other elected members. The President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Officer shall be referred to as “Officers” of the Network.

6.3 All Officers are required, and other elected (but not co-opted) members of the Council are invited, to become directors of the legally incorporated organization (see Clause 1.2 above), on the condition that they resign their directorships when they are no longer members of the Council.

6.4 All members of the Council must be paid-up members of the Network.

6.5 The Council shall appoint auditors and present a written financial and administrative report to each Membership Meeting.

6.6 Meetings of the Council may be held in person, or by suitable electronic means agreed by the Council by which all participants may communicate with all the other participants.

6.7 The quorum for meetings of the Council shall be four.

6.8 The President, or his or her replacement chairing a Council meeting, shall have a casting vote only.

6.9 The Council may co-opt up to 2 additional members with the right to vote at Council meetings. The period of co-option must be specified, with a maximum of 2 years, and with no more than 2 Co-opted Members serving at any given time.

6.10 The Council may direct the appointment of Sub-Committees to deal with the finances, elections, administrations, research activities, publications and other activities of the Network as deemed necessary. Each Sub-Committee shall report to, and be under the direction of the Council.

7. Elections to the Council

7.1 With the exception of co-opted members (whose service is limited by their specified period of co-option), the entire Council shall be elected at least once in each four consecutive calendar years by recorded ballot of the entire membership.

7.2 The Council or Council shall announce a due date for nominations, a circulation date by which the ballot shall be circulated, a ballot closure time and date by which ballots are to be returned, and an inauguration date by which the elected Council members are to be inaugurated on the Council. The circulation date and the day of ballot closure shall be respectively 14 days and 28 days after the due date for nominations. The inauguration date shall be within 120 days of the due date for nominations.

7.3 Candidates for elections to the Council must be paid-members of the Network. They are requested to become directors of the legally incorporated organization (see Clause 1.2 above) and they must agree to resign this directorships when they are no longer members of the Council.

7.4 A candidate may be nominated for more than one position, but may be elected to no more than one. The position to which he or she may be elected shall be determined by processing the elections in the following order: President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Officer, other elected Council members.

7.5 In the case of a contested election for an Officer position on the Council, the approval voting system shall apply. Members will be asked to indicate whether they approve for each candidate for each position. Members may indicate approval for any number of candidates, for any position. In regard to each Officer position, the candidate with the highest number of approvals will be elected.

7.6 In the case of five or more candidates for the four non-Officer positions on the Council, a weighted voting system will apply. Members will be asked to vote for up to four candidates, by indicating their first (1), second (2) third (3) and fourth (4) preferences. Members may not express the same preference for more than one candidate and must vote in order of preference. Not all four preferences need to be used. After the ballot closes, first-preference votes will be given a weight of 1.6, second-preference votes a weight of 1.2, third-preference votes a weight of 0.8, and fourth-preference votes a weight of 0.4. The four candidates with the highest aggregate weighted votes will be elected.

7.7 In the event of unfilled vacancies on the Council, or of vacancies caused by resignation, or for any other reason, then the Council may call a by-election if desired.

7.7.1 In the case of a contested by-election for a vacant Officer position, Clause 7.5 shall apply.

7.7.2 In the case of a contested by-election for N vacant non-Officer positions on the Council, where N is one or greater, members will be asked to vote for up to N candidates, without expressing any order of preference. Not all N votes need to be used. After the ballot closes, the number of votes allocated to each candidate will be calculated. The votes shall count equally and not be weighted. The N candidates with the highest aggregate votes will be elected.

8. Honorary Presidents and Honorary Life Members

8.1 Honorary Presidents may be appointed by the Council or by a quorate Membership Meeting. In each case the appointment must be approved by at least two-thirds of those voting.

8.2 All Honorary Presidents are elected as members for life. An Honorary President is not required to pay any further membership fees and his or her membership terminates only in the cases of death or resignation.

9. Finances and Assets

9.1 The funds of the Network shall be managed by the Treasurer, under the direction of the Council, and regularly monitored by the Council.

9.2 The accounts of the Network shall be open to the inspection of all members and shall be submitted to each Membership Meeting.

9.3 The assets of this Network shall be permanently dedicated to its purposes specified in Section 2 above. In the case of the dissolution of the Network, the remaining assets shall be donated to national or international organisations or award-giving bodies, dedicated to similar purposes, and in particular to the development and promotion of institutional research.

10. Statements and Resolutions

10.1 Members may not make any written or verbal statement in the name of the Network except by the approval of a duly constituted meeting of the Council or Membership.

10.2 A resolution or statement may be introduced at a quorate Membership Meeting by the Council, or by a petition signed by at least four members of the Network. In the case of a petition, at least two of the signatories must be present at the Meeting. Amendments may be voted upon if accepted by the chair and proposed and seconded at the meeting.

10.3 If adopted by a majority of those present and voting at the Membership Meeting, the Secretary shall publish a copy of the proposed (amended) resolution and it shall be circulated to all members together with a ballot within 14 days of the Membership Meeting. This ballot should be returned to the Secretary. On the twenty-eight day after the Membership Meeting the vote shall be closed. The amendment shall be incorporated upon the receipt of two-thirds or more of returned and non-abstaining ballots in its favor.

11. Constitutional Amendments

11.1 A constitutional amendment may be introduced at a quorate Membership Meeting by the Council, or by a petition signed by least four members of the Network. In the case of a petition, at least two of the signatories must be present at the Meeting. There may be no amendment to a proposed constitutional amendment.

11.2 If adopted by two-thirds or more of those present and voting at a quorate Membership Meeting, the Secretary shall publish a copy of the constitutional amendment and it shall be (electronically) circulated to all members together with a (electronic) ballot within 14 days of the Membership Meeting. This ballot should be returned (electronically) to the Secretary. On the twenty-eighth day after the Membership Meeting the vote shall be closed. The amendment shall be incorporated if it receives more than 55 per cent of returned and non-abstaining ballots in its favor.