Association of Hungarian Geophysicists

Articles of Constitution


(Approved in 1990, with amendments in 1993)



1. §. Name and address of Association

(1)

Name of the Association: Magyar Geofizikusok Egyesülete (MGE)
In English: Association of Hungarian Geophysicists
In German: Ungarische Geophysikalische Gesellschaft
In French: Association des Géophysicistes Hongrois
In Russian: Obshestvo Vengerskich Geofizikov

(2) Place of residence of the Association: Budapest
(3) Seal of the Association: The globe with the Eötvös torsion balance in
the middle, encircled by the name and year of foundation of the
Association.
(4) The Association is an independent corporate body.


2. §. Objectives of the Association


(1) The Association of Hungarian Geophysicists embraces experts
engaged in various areas of geophysics and related sciences.
(2) The Association provides opportunities for the members to exchange
and describe their know–how, experience and achievements and also
undertakes promotion of the professional interests of its members.
(3) The Association cooperates with other Hungarian, foreign and
international technical–scientific associations, federations and
organizations.
(4) The Association helps solving the professional tasks of institutions
engaged in or associated with the field of geophysics.


3. §. Activities of the Association


(1) In the spirit of the traditions of Hungarian geophysics, in order to raise
the scientific and technical standard, and also with the purpose of
applying scientific achievements in practice:
a) it stages presentations, seminars, conferences, symposia and
discussions;
b) it issues a scientific journal;
c) it organizes contests to solve technical and scientific problems;
d) elaborate expert opinions and accepts commissions.
(2) Monitors and assists the training and vocational training of experts and
maintains close contacts with the university departments.
(3) It devotes special attention to the integration of young specialists into
the Association and profession.
(4) Keeps contacts with international and national scientific associations.
The Association may be the member of international organizations.


(5) For the purpose of recognizing performance within the profession and
in the Association, it founds and presents awards (the regulations on
presenting awards are given as an enclosure to this Articles) and
establishes foundations.


4. §. Members of the Association


(1) The Association may have regular, corporate and honorary members.
(2) The regular member of the Association may be a Hungarian or foreign
citizen, who supports the objectives of the Association and reports the
intention to become a member to the Council, after obtaining
recommendation from two Association members.
(3) A corporate member may be any institution and company asking for
admission.
(4) The honorary member of the Association may be a Hungarian or
foreign citizen, who has made outstanding achievements in geophysics
or in its related scientific fields or in supporting the Association’s
objectives.


5. §. Admission of members


(1) The admission of members is approved by the Council on the basis of
the admission statement supported by the recommenders’ signatures.
(2) A honorary member is elected by the Council.
(3) Council decides on the admission of corporate member.


6. §. The members’ rights


(1) Members of the Association may participate in the presentations,
conferences, discussions, etc. staged by the Association and with a
voting right in the General Meetings, and may be elected to any post.
(2) Under mandate from the Association, they may participate in
international conferences, foreign study tours, etc.
(3) A corporate member may request the Association to hold
presentations, synopsis and discussions at this company or institution,
for the vocational training of the employees there and also for
contributing to tackling the scientific problems this company or
institution has.
(4) If a resolution eventually breaching the law is made, the member may
appeal against this in Court, within 30 days.
(5) The members of the Association may be members of any other
domestic or foreign (international) professional organizations as well.


7. §. Duties of members


(1) The members of the Association are obliged to observe the Articles of
Constitution and the norms of Code of Ethics.
(2) They pay annual dues (every quarter–year or one amount for a full
year) the extent of which is determined by the General Meeting.
(3) A member may report his intention to resign to the Secretariat, with
previous notice.
(4) On the basis of an agreement, the corporate member supports the
Association financially (corporate membership fee) and also in other
ways.


8. §. Discharging from the Association and removal from the register of
members


(1) The Council has the right to discharge, on the basis of the opinion
submitted by the Commission set up by the Council, any person who
has been effectively sentenced on the grounds of committing an
offense against the Criminal Code or a person who has seriously
breached the Articles of Constitution of the Association.
(2) By the resolution of the Council, a person will be removed from the
register of members, if it does not pay the accrued dues, even when
repeatedly called upon to do so.


9. §. The governing bodies of the Association


(1) General Meeting
(2) Council


10. §. The General Meeting


(1) The supreme body of the Association is the General Meeting consisting
of the Association members.
(2) The General Meeting is convened once per annum, in the early part of
the year (until middle of April) the latest. The Meeting is called by the
Council and the arrangements are controlled by the by–laws of the
Association.
(3) The functions of the General Meeting are:
a) receives a report from the Council on the annual operations and
financial situation of the Association;
b) determines the most important tasks for the Association;
c) discusses the annual budget of the Association and decides on
the foundations on their amounts;
d) discusses and approves the Association’s Articles of
Constitution and its amendments as and when necessary;
e) may set up regional chapters and sections;
f) determines the annual dues;
g) elects the following leading officers of the Association:
– the first Vice–President (the President for the coming
year) annually;
– the Secretary every three years
elects the Chairman and members of the Supervisory Board
(every three years), the Efitor–in–Chief of the journal Magyar
Geofizika and the Advisory Boards for the foundations (every
three years) and fills in posts eventually becoming vacant.
(The by–laws of the Association determine how election is to be
carried out).
(4) The President of the Association is obliged to convene an extraordinary
General Meeting on the basis of a request submitted by 10% of the
members – supported by their signatures – within one month from
receiving such a request.
(5) The General Meeting may recall the officials elected by it.
(6) The members eligible for voting and present at the General Meeting
make decisions on the basis of a simple majority of votes. In personal
matters, secret ballot is to be organized.


11. §. The Council


(1) Between two General Meetings, the matters of the Association are
handled by the Council, the members of which are:
– the President and the two Vice–Presidents (the President for the
coming year and the President of the last year);
– the Secretary/
– the Editor–in–Chief of the Association’s journal;
– one representative from each (Chairman or Secretary) of
sections and regional chapters.
(2) The term of the Council is three years, except for the President and the
two Vice–Presidents (see 12. §.).
(3) The Council meets at least once every three months, and makes a
decision by a simple majority of votes in every case. In personal
matters, secret voting is carried out. To make a resolution, it is
necessary for at least two thirds of the members to be present.
(4) Invited to the meetings are:
(a) the Chairman of the Supervisory Board;
(b) the representative of the relevant committee depending on the
subject to be discussed;
(c) and all the persons invited by the Council.
(5) The Council handles all important matters of the Association; with the
main functions being the following:
a) organizing the Association’s activities and controlling its
business management;
b) determining the by–laws of the Association;
(c) electing the heads of standing and temporary committees;
(d) approving admissions, discharging and removal from the register
of members;
(e) initiating the establishing of awards and foundations;
(f) granting awards;
(g) determining the persons who have remitting rights.
(6) Of the members of the Association, the Council elects persons
responsible for regular activities (large–scale events, foreign trips,
business matters, etc.).
(7) If the President finds this necessary, he may convene a Council
meeting any time, but at the written request of 25% of the Council
members, he is obliged to call the meeting within 14 days.
(8) Between two Council meetings the President makes the occasional
urgent decisions, with the help of the Vice–Presidents and the
Secretary.


12. §. President and Vice–Presidents of the Association


(1) The President is the single entity to represent the Association with
various organizations and institutions and also in international
relations.
(2) The President monitors the execution of General Meeting and Council
resolutions, presides over the meetings, remits and undersigns, and his
vote decides in the case of a tie–vote.
(3) The President’s term is one year (as of date of General Meeting) and
this post is automatically filled bv the first Vice–President elected by the
General Meeting in the previous year.
(4) Without a need for election, in the one year subsequent to the
President’s term, the Past President plays the role of the second Vice–
President.
(5) Once the Past President comes to the end of his term, he may be
reelected to be a leading official not earlier than two years.
(6) The President may be substituted by the Vice–Presidents.


13. §. The Secretary of the Association


(1) He makes sure that the Articles of the Constitution and the by–laws are
observed and that the resolutions made by the Association are
implemented.
(2) Between two Council Meetings, he continuously handles the matters of
the Association and manages the Secretariat.
(3) In the scope of authority determined by the Council, he represents the
Association.
(4) The Secretary of the Association is elected by the General Meeting for
a period of three years and for not more than two terms.


14. §. Editor–in–Chief


(1) Supervises the editing of the Association’s journal on the basis of the
considerations identified by the Editorial Board and the Council.
(2) He is responsible for the professional substance of the journal.
(3) He reports to the Council about his work.
(4) He is elected for a period of three years by the General Meeting.


15. §. Supervisory Board


(1) The Supervisory Board monitors the operations of the Association to
see that they comply with the Articles of Constitution, with special
regard to the use of funds in a way identified by statutory regulations. It
does not have rights to take immediate measures.
(2) The Chairman and the two members of the Supervisory Board are
elected by the General Meeting for a period of three years. It is
responsible for the Board’s operations directly and exclusively to the
General Meeting.
(3) The Chairman is eligible to participate in Council meetings, with an
advisory right. Concerning the approval of the annual budget and of the
closing balance sheet, the General Meeting may only make a decision
on the basis of the Supervisory Board’s opinion and recommendations.


16. §. Sections, standing and temporary committees


(1) In various fields of the Association, sections, standing and temporary
committees are set up.
(2) The officials and management members of the sections are elected by
the members of the section for a period of three years.
(3) The Chairmen and Secretaries of the committees not stipulated
separately by the Articles of Constitution are elected by the Council,
and the members are approved by the Council on the basis of proposal
from the chairmen of the committees. The term of standing committees
is three years.
(4) Within the framework of the Association, international professional
organizations may set up special departments, the scenario of
operations of which shall be derived from the Articles of Constitution of
the Association and from that of the relevant organization.


17. §. Regional Chapters


(1) In scientific and industrial centers, provided that this is justified by the
number of employees in the industry or scientific branch associated
with the purposes of the Association, the Association establishes
regional chapters.
(2) The Chairman and Secretary of the regional chapters as well as the
management are elected by members of the regional chapters for a
period of three years.
(3) The operations of the regional chapters are regulated by the by–laws.


18. §. By–laws


The by–laws approved by the Council regulate the detailed scope of
responsibilities, order of operations and work methods for the bodies and the
Secretariat of the Association.


19. §. Secretariat


(1) The Secretariat of the Association performs its activities according to
the by–laws.
(2) The Secretary of the Association is responsible for the activities of the
Secretariat.


20. §. Business management of the Association


(1) The Association has independent assets.
(2) The Association conducts business management according to the
regulations applicable to social organizations.
(3) The members of the Association pay dues.
(4) The Association may launch ventures (professional events, vocational
training, contract work). The resulting profits are added to its assets.
(5) The Association conducts business management on the basis of an
annual financial plan, in accordance with the applicable statutory
regulations.
(6) The Association is answerable for its debts by its own assets.


21. §. Closures


(1) According to the regulations of the Act on Associations, the legal
supervision over the activities of the Association is exercised by the
Prosecution.
(2) Concerning the activities of the Association, the issue not regulated by
the Articles of Constitution will fall within the scope of 57. to 60. §. of
the Civil Code and those of Act II of 1989 on the right of association.
(3) The Association of Hungarian Geophysicists founded in 1954 was
registered under No. 410 in the year 1989 by the Municipal Court of
Budapest.
(4) This Articles of Constitution has been approved by the General Meeting
held on 6 April 1990 and so it enters into force.

This Articles of Constitution has been approved by the General Meeting
held on 2 April 1993 and so it enters into force.
(The amendments and updating are approved by the annual General
Meeting.)