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Proceedings of the 18
th
International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Paris 2013
Appendix 2 : Amendments to Statutes and Bylaws, re gender neutrality
R. Neil Taylor
Secretary General
1
BACKGROUND
In a review of the governing constitution of the Society, the
Board considered that it was timely for the Statutes and Bylaws
to be revised with a view to making then gender neutral. The
Statutes contain the statement “The use of the masculine gender
in the Constitution does not imply the position described is
occupied by a male person”. Nevertheless, the Board felt that
modern practice used gender neutral language and that the
Statutes and Bylaws should be modified accordingly.
2
OUTCOME
The Statutes and Bylaws have been reviewed and the proposed
modifications follow this introduction. Changes are proposed in
the following:
Statutes: 3D, 4F, 6C, 8A, 8D, 8E, 8F, 9A, 9C, 9F, 10B,
10G, 12D
Bylaws: 4F.2, 5A.4, 8A.1, 8A.2, 8E.1, 9A.1, 9A.3, 9E.1,
10B.4, 10F.2, 12K.1, 13A.1, 14A.2, 14A.3, 14D.2
All the Statutes and Bylaws are given for completeness and
the proposed deletions and additions are shown in red cross-out
and red underlined text respectively.
3
REQUIRED ACTIONS
The proposed changes will be taken as a whole since making
some rather than all changes would defeat the object of the
exercise. Council will be asked to consider the changes and to
agree the proposed wording. The motion will be put to Council
that the changes are approved and a vote will be taken. The
changes include modification to the Statutes and therefore the
assent of at least three-quarters of those voting is required
(Statute 12I).
ISSMGE Statutes and Bylaws (English only)
CONTENTS
1 Name and Constitution
2 Aim
3 Languages
4 Membership
5 Finances
6 Regions
7 Officers
8 President
9 Vice-Presidents
10 The Secretariat
11 The Council
12 Council Meetings
13 The Board
14 International Conferences
15 Regional conferences, meetings and symposia
16 Committees
17 Register of members
18 Amendments to the constitution
19 Dissolution or liquidation
Referring Bylaws are indicated in brackets after each statute
item.
STATUTES
1 NAME AND CONSTITUTION
1A The name of the Society is: International Society for Soil
Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE). In
French: Société Internationale de Mécanique des Sols et de
la Géotechnique (SIMSG). It is hereinafter referred to as the
'International Society'.
1B The Constitution of the International Society comprises
Statutes accompanied by Bylaws and Resolutions of the
Council. (1B.1)
1C The Statutes and any interpretation thereof shall be
governed by the law of the country within which resides the
official headquarters of the International Society.
2 AIM
2A The aim of the International Society is the promotion of
international cooperation amongst engineers and scientists
for the advancement of knowledge in the field of
geotechnics and its engineering applications.
2B The International Society will promote its aim by holding
periodic International and Regional Conferences and
Symposia, through the work of Committees, by exchange of
information, by cooperation with other organisations whose
aims are complementary to those of the International
Society and by encouraging the formation of new Member
Societies.
3 LANGUAGES
3A The official 1anguages of the International Society are
English and French.
3B Statutes, Bylaws, and official Minutes of Council Meetings
shall be published in English and French.
3C Should a difference in meaning arise between the English
and French versions of the documents referred to in 3B the
valid version shall be that in which the written motion was
moved.
3D The official languages shall be used in the proceedings and
plenary technical sessions of
an the
International
Conference.
3E At Regional Conferences and International Symposia held
under the aegis of the International Society at least one of
the official languages shall be used. (3E.1)
4 MEMBERSHIP
4A The International Society is composed of Member Societies
accepted into membership. (4A.1)
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