Constitution of the
Aldous-Huxley-Gesellschaft / Aldous Huxley Society (registered society)

§1 Name and Seat of the Society

 

(1) The Society bears the name "Aldous-Huxley-Gesellschaft / Aldous Huxley Society" (registered society).
(2) The seat of the Society is Münster (Westphalia).

§2 Purpose of the Society

 

(1) The purpose of the Society is to promote academic study of the works of Aldous Huxley, particularly editions, commentaries and interpretations. The Society, furthermore, aims at making a wider public acquainted with the thought and writings of the author.

(2) The Society supports a research institute entitled Centre for Aldous Huxley Studies at the English Department at the University of Münster, Münster. The relations between the Centre for Aldous Huxley Studies and the Aldous Huxley Society are settled by a cooperation agreement.

(3) The Society undertakes to

  1. organize academic meetings,
  2. support academic work of its members within the scope of its authority and possibilities,
  3. cooperate with other societies devoted to the academic study of the works of Aldous Huxley,
  4. send delegates to international conferences.

(4) The Society acts without self-interest. It is primarily a non-profit-making organization. Any surpluses are to be used strictly in conformity with the statutes of the Society.

§3 Membership, membership fees

 

(1) Natural and legal persons can become members of the Society. The Society has regular and supporting members.

(2) Application for admission to the Society must be in written form. The decision with regard to the admission of new members rests with the Executive Committee.

(3) The annual membership fees are fixed by the Members' Meeting at the suggestion of the Executive Committee.

(4) Membership terminates on

  1. written notice of withdrawal as from the end of the business year. The said notice must reach the Executive Committee at least three months before the termination of the business year,
  2. decease of the member,
  3. expulsion,
  4. (re: legal persons) loss of legal status.

(5) Expulsion may only occur on important grounds. The decision rests with the Executive Committee after hearing the person concerned. The excluded person can lodge an objection to the decision of the Executive Commitee within four weeks after notification. The decision then rests with the Members' Meeting.

(6) On termination of membership, former members have no financial claims against the Society or its assets. 

§4 Funds of the Society

 

(1) The Society depends for the pursuance of its aims on

  1. membership fees,
  2. money donations,
  3. donations in kind,
  4. other contributions.

(2) The funds of the Society must be used solely for the purposes as defined by these by-laws. Members are not allowed to receive contributions from the funds of the Society. No person must be favoured through expenses alien to the purpose of the Society. Any remuneration must be within reason and is permissible only if the expenses have occurred for the benefit of the Society.

§5 Organs of the Society

 

Organs of the Society are:

  1. Executive Committee,
  2. Board of Curators,
  3. Members' Meeting.

§6 Executive Committee

 

(1) The Executive Committee consists of three members:

  1. Chairman,
  2. Vice Chairman,
  3. Treasurer.

(2) As a consultant member of the Executive Committee, Mrs. Laura Huxley is appointed Honorary President.

(3) The term of office of the Executive Committee is three years. The Members' Meeting elects all members of the Executive Committee by secret ballot. Written nominations can be submitted to the Committee in office by any single member up to one week previous to the meeting. Re-election of a member of the Committee is permissible.

(4) The initial Committee is elected by the Founders' Meeting.

§7 Tasks of the Executive Committee

 

(1) The Executive Committee is responsible for all matters of the Society, unless they are assigned to the Members' Meeting by these by-laws. In particular it decides, in accordance with the purpose of the Society, on the use of the supportive means, money donations and donations in kind, as well as on the use of other donations. The Committee is responsible for assuring that the means of the Society are used exclusively for purposes in accordance with these by-laws.

(2) The Executive Committee takes its decisions by majority vote.

(3) In accordance with § 26 BGB (German Civil Code), the Society is represented by the Executive Committee acting by consent of its three members. Each member of the Committee has individual representative authority up to a business value of DM 500,00.

(4) The Executive Committee invites to meetings of the Board of Curators and to Members' Meetings, which it also conducts.

§8 Board of Curators

 

(1) The Board of Curators consists of

  1. a member to be appointed by the Dean of the Faculty of Philology at the University of Münster, Münster,
  2. Huxley scholars of international acclaim,
  3. the Director of the Centre for Aldous Huxley Studies,
  4. the Executive Committee.

(2) The members of the Board of Curators according to (1), 2 are elected by the Members' Meeting by means of a majority vote for a period of three years. Re-election is permissible.

(3) The Board of Curators advises the Executive Committee on the performance of its tasks as well as on all matters of importance to the Society.

§9 Members' Meeting

 

(1) The Executive Committee will, as a rule, convene an annual General Meeting.

(2) The Executive Committee can, if necessary, convene an extraordinary Members' Meeting. It is under the obligation to do so if at least one third of the total number of members make a written request for such a meeting and state their reasons for doing so.

(3) Written invitations to the Members' Meeting are to be sent at least three weeks before the meeting, stating the place, time and agenda of the meeting. The Executive Committee draws up the agenda, taking account of all requests to hand by the time when invitations are due for dispatch.

(4) The Members' Meeting passes its resolutions by means of a simple majority vote of the members present. Members may delegate their vote to other members by written power of attorney. A single member may not represent more than one other member.

(5) A Members' Meeting, duly convened, constitutes a quorum regardless of the number of members present at the meeting.

(6) Decisions of the Members' Meeting have to be minuted. The minutes have to be countersigned by the Executive Committee and issued to the members.

§10 Tasks of the Members' Meeting

 

(1) The Members' Meeting receives the Executive Committee's report on the overall situation of the Society, the annual statement of accounts and the result of the audit.

(2) The functions of the Members' Meeting particularly include:

  1. resolution on these by-laws,
  2. election of the Executive Committee,
  3. approval of the actitivies of the Executive Committee,
  4. election of the members of the Board of Curators,
  5. decision as to whether the expulsion of a member who has lodged an objection to his expulsion shall be effected,
  6. decision to dissolve the Society.

§11 Dissolution of the Society or forfeiture of tax privileges

 

In the event of a dissolution of the Society or a forfeiture of tax privileges the remaining assets go to the University of Münster. They are to be used directly and exclusively in the public interest.

§12 Amendments to the statutes of the Society

 

Amendments to these by-laws require the consent of two thirds of the votes represented at the Members' Meeting.

§13 Business year

 

The business year is the calendar year.

§14 Coming into effect of these by-laws

 

The above by-laws were established by the Founders' Meeting on 25 June 1998. The Society, in accordance with these by-laws, was entered in the official Register of Associations at the Amtsgericht of Münster under the number of VR 3996 on 28 September 1998. A request has been lodged for recognition as a non-profit-making organization and has been provisionally granted by the Finance Authorities, Münster.