ESC Rules

EGYPT STUDY CIRCLE - RULES

1. NAME AND OBJECTS. The name of the Society shall be the EGYPT STUDY CIRCLE (hereafter referred to as 'The Circle'). Its objects shall be: the promotion, study and interest in all aspects of Egyptian philately, the production of a journal called The Quarterly Circular and the maintenance of a library and "new issues" collection.

2. MEMBERSHIP shall comprise Honorary Life and ordinary members. Each member shall receive a copy of the Rules.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS shall be elected by members on the proposition of the Committee in recognition of their service to the philately of Egypt in general or to The Circle in particular. They shall be entitled to all the privileges of The Circle but shall be exempt from all subscriptions.

ORDINARY MEMBERS shall be proposed by two members. The decision for election will be made by the Committee. The elected member shall pay on election the subscription at that time in force. 3. THE HONORARY OFFICERS of The Circle shall be the President, the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Editor and the Librarian. The Circle COMMITTEE shall consist of the Honorary Officers and two other members. Other members may be added ex officio to the Committee as occasionally deemed necessary.

Overseas Agents, appointed by the Committee as considered necessary from time to time, shall be classed as ex officio members of the Committee. The role of the Agent/s shall be to facilitate speedy communication between Circle Officers and his/her area, to co-ordinate local Circle activities in his/her area, to collect annual Circle subscriptions from local members and to forward them to the Treasurer. The President, whilst having the right to attend and participate in all Committee meetings and all meetings of Sub Committees referred to in Rule 7, shall not have the right of presiding other than at the Annual General Meeting for the purpose of accepting nominations for Chairman. The Committee, members of which shall serve for a term of three (3) years, will be elected by the members at an Annual General Meeting of The Circle. Members will be eligible for re-election to the same office for a further term of three years. The Committee shall be responsible for conducting the business of The Circle under the guidance of the Chairman or his Deputy. Casual vacancies occurring among Honorary Officers of The Circle may be filled by the Committee until the next Annual General Meeting.

4. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION shall be payable in advance on January 1 each year at a rate set at the previous year's Annual General Meeting. Members joining after August 1 will pay a lesser amount of subscription as decided by the Committee for the balance of the year in which they joined. If normal annual payment is not made by April 1, the Treasurer or (where there is a local Agent) the Agent will advise the member in writing that unless payment is received within 30 days membership will be terminated. No further notice will be given of termination, but membership may thereafter be restored, at the Committee's discretion, on payment in full of all outstanding subscriptions plus an administration fee of Ł5.00. Where The Circle has appointed Agents, members should pay subscriptions to the Agent. To avoid confusion and duplication of effort, those members in Agent areas who prefer to subscribe direct to the Treasurer or by some other means (ie, via a third party) must so advise their local Agent, who will provide a receipt only on notice from the Treasurer that the subscription has been received. RESIGNATION OF MEMBERSHIP shall be made in writing to the Secretary. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP. The Committee shall have the power to terminate membership for any act committed which the Committee consider to be against the best interests of The Circle.

5. THE WHOLE OF THE ASSETS OF THE EGYPT STUDY CIRCLE shall be vested in The Committee, who shall be empowered to negotiate and sign agreements on behalf of The Circle. The Committee shall have the power to dispose of the whole of the assets of The Egypt Study Circle in the event of The Circle's ceasing to exist.

6. THE QUORUM at meetings of the Committee shall be four (4).

The Committee shall meet as and when necessary. The Chairman or at least three (3) agreed members of the Committee can request a meeting of the Committee on giving 14 days' notice. Written records shall be made of all Committee meetings.

7. SUB-COMMITTEES. The Committee shall have the power to set up sub-committees, to determine their terms of reference, and to co-opt a member or members to such sub-committee as and when required. The relevant sub-committee shall formulate rules for the operation of the library, postal auction, or for other purposes which may be deemed necessary, such rules to be binding on all members.

8. An ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of The Circle shall be held each year at such time and place as the Committee may arrange, at least one calendar month's notice having been given, the business of which shall include:
a) the presentation of the Annual Reports and accounts, which will be published in the next available QC;
b) the election of Officers of The Circle;
c) the election of the Committee, nominations for membership to be in the hands of the Secretary at least 21 days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting;
d) the election of an AUDITOR. No member of the Committee may be appointed as Auditor.

9. MEETINGS of The Circle shall be held at such times and at such places as the Committee may arrange. Members may introduce visitors at these meetings.

10. CHAIRMAN'S VOTE. At all Circle, Committee or Sub-Committee meetings the Chairman shall be entitled to a vote and shall have a second or casting vote.

11. STUDY TOPICS. Various areas of specific interest have been selected from time to time for in-depth research by The Circle, and study leaders/co-ordinators have been appointed to maintain lists of earliest and latest dates etc, and to report on the various studies. To guard against confusion in maintaining records and reconciling present entries with those of previous leaders/co-ordinators, and to ensure that a suitably accurate record of the study passes down to future generations, no date may be submitted for entry into the Study Circle Record without accompanying visual evidence, ie, a photocopy, photograph or computer scan. The relevant confirmed date will then be published in the QC accompanied where necessary by the study leader's comments. (Note: Information submitted without illustrative support may be incorporated as a footnote at the study leader/co-ordinator's discretion).

12. NO NEW RULES or alterations to existing rules shall be made except at an Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting of The Circle convened by the Committee for that purpose. At least one calendar month's written notice shall be given to each member, specifying the proposed alteration(s).