general assembly
The General Assembly (GA)
The GA is composed by all members’ Fellows plus one representative of the junior Fellows for each higher education program organized by the Centre.
The junior Fellow representatives are elected by the majority of the members’ junior Fellows and retain the position as indicated in the Centre regulations.
Associate members’ representatives can participate in the GA, with right to vote (article 5), and shall represent no more than half of the university member representatives. If the number of the associate member representatives exceeds the latter limit, then, associate member representatives, for admission to the GA, will elect by simple majority a number of them consistent with the above-mentioned limit. The latter representatives will retain the position and will be elected as indicated in the Regulations of the Centre.
Each GA component holds the entitlement for one vote.
The GA has the exclusive power of:
- modifying the Statute and the internal regulations;
- ratifying the admission of new academic members, after the approval of the Executive Committee;
- ratifying the admission of new non-academic institutions, after the approval of the Executive Committee;
- approving the annual activity program;
- setting the annual membership fees;
- approving the financial budget and final reports;
- closing the Centre.
The Director (see below) shall call a GA meeting at least once a year, and under request of a component of the Executive Committee or of at least 1/3 of the GA. The annual GA meeting is held within six months after the end of the financial year. The announcement, together with the location, date and time, shall be notified to the members at least 30 calendar days prior to the meeting, with a tentative agenda. Every GA member can request that additional items are included in the agenda, by communication to the Director no later than 3 calendar days prior to the meeting date; the inclusion is at the Director’s discretion.
Unless otherwise provided by this Statute, ordinary GA meetings do not need a quorum and all decisions are taken by simple majority, by the present or represented GA members. As a rule, all ballots are public. Every attending member can ask the Director that a particular decision be taken by secret ballot.
Decisions regarding changes in the Statute shall be taken only under the approval of 2/3 of the GA present or represented members, including all Italian members. Decisions regarding the dissolution of the Centre require a majority of 4/5 of the present or represented members. By default all ballots regarding these matters are secret; public ballots can be used only if all participants unanimously agree.
Under special circumstances, the Director may grant permission to participate in the GA via teleconferencing if:
- the Director can verify the identity and the legitimacy of the teleconferencing participating GA members and can verify results of votes;
- all participants can be identified, be able to follow and participate in real time to the discussion and participate to the votes regarding items in the agenda;
- the transcribing member is able to follow the GA events to be transcribed.
If the above requirements are fulfilled, the GA is considered to be held where the Director and the Secretary are located. Director and Secretary are in charge of the minutes writing of the GA works and of their signing.
The Director may authorise to make decisions, that is to vote, by e-mail only if a return receipt is provided.
During a GA meeting, members can act by mandate from another absent member; only one mandate per member is allowed.
GA minutes will be drawn up and submitted to all members within thirty days following the meeting. Notwithstanding the communication of the minutes, the members can exercise their right of inspection.
The minutes are considered accepted by the GA members if, within 21 calendar days from receipt, no member has objected by letter, fax, e-mail or any other form of electronic communication to the Director.