SWIPPA Swiss Positive Psychology Association

Transcription

1 SWIPPA Swiss Positive Psychology Association Articles of Incorporation 1. Name, location Art. 1 Under the name SWIPPA (Swiss Positive Psychology Association), an association pursuant to Art. 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code is meant. Art. 2 The association is headquartered in Zurich. 2. Purpose Art. 3 The association SWIPPA represents the interests of its members. It has the objective to promote cooperation between the members and various existing institutions and associations in the field of positive psychology within Switzerland (i.e. universities, associations) and abroad (e.g., International Positive Psychology Association, IPPA; European Network for Positive Psychology ENPP). In particular, the SWIPPA takes over the following tasks. Art. 3.1 Promoting research and evidence-based application of positive psychology in Switzerland; Art. 3.2 Establishing and fostering cooperation between different areas within positive psychology, especially building a network of researchers at different Swiss universities and abroad, as well as exchange between research and application; Art. 3.3 Establishing a program of further education directed at people active in research and in application as well as in the long run establishing a postgraduate-level education program that meets the criteria of the Federation of Swiss Psychologists (FSP) and higher education and research institutions; Art 3.4 Establishing a network for multidisciplinary research on topics of positive psychology by including neighboring disciplines;

2 Art. 3.5 Facilitating and promoting the exchange of knowledge regarding recent research and results in the area of positive psychology between members; while paying special attention to the different language regions in Switzerland. SWIPPA actively seeks to spread and publish findings in positive psychology by publications, conferences, courses, and comparable activities; Art. 3.6 Promoting the transfer of knowledge to the public by offering further education courses for laypersons as well as pursuing media relations; Art. 3.7 Establishing platforms with information on positive psychology that serves the interests of the public, but also the exchange between members; Art 3.8 In the long run, it is aspired to actively support research activities by funding single projects as well as awarding prices (e.g. for junior researchers). In addition, the awarding of prices is intended; such as student awards (for outstanding theses), mid term career awards (for advanced researchers), and a life time award (honoring life time achievement). 3. Membership Art. 4 The association consists of full, associate and student members, as well as honorary members. All members are obligated to pay a yearly membership fee, which is determined by the executive board. All full and student SWIPPA members commit themselves to the rules of professional conduct, as they are specified by the Swiss Federation of Psychologists (FSP); a FSP membership is however not a condition to become a SWIPPA member. Art. 4.1 People from the following groups can be accepted as full members: Psychologists of Swiss nationality or working or living in Switzerland who hold a degree in psychology (as a major) issued by an institution of higher education (university or university of applied science) which is higher than a Bachelor degree; i.e. Master, Lizentiat, Diplom, Magister, or Ph.D.).

3 Art. 4.2 People from the following groups can be accepted as associate members: People who do not have a higher education degree in psychology but who are of Swiss nationality or work or live in Switzerland and whose professional activity is related to positive psychology (e.g., educators, social workers, or people who perform consulting tasks). Art. 4.4 People who have rendered outstanding services to positive psychology or the SWIPPA society can be appointed honorary members. The executive board decides about the award of the honorary membership. Honorary members are except from the membership fee. All members can nominate candidates for honorary membership (full, extraordinary/associate, student). Art. 4.5 Applications for membership need to be handed in in written form to the executive board or submitted on the website. Applicants need to indicate whether they fulfill the criteria for membership (e.g. full and extraordinary/associated members indicate their academic degree and student members indicate their university major). Certificates (i.e. certificates or confirmation of the university) need to be attached to the application. The executive board verifies whether applicants meet the requirements for membership and decides about their admission (by majority decision; in case of a tie of votes the president makes a decision). Art If an application conforms to the requirements, the executive board decides about admission. Art If an application does not conform to the requirements, the executive board declines admission. Art. 4.6 Membership expires due to the following reasons: Art By withdrawal. This has to be declared to the executive board in written form before the end of the respective calendar year and takes hold at the end of the fiscal year.

4 Art By expulsion by the executive board if payment obligations are not met despite repeated (at least 3 times) reminders. Art By expulsion from the SWIPPA. Expulsion is carried out without declaration of reasons (e.g. violation of standards in scientific work) during the general assembly in secret voting on request of the executive board and requires simple majority of votes. The executive board then acknowledges the expulsion and confirms it in written form without declaration of reasons. Art By death. 4. Institutions Art. 5 The institutions of the SWIPPA are: a) the general assembly b) the executive board c) Commissions of the general assembly and the executive board General assembly Art. 6. All members of the SWIPPA are entitled to participate in the general assembly. Only full members have the right to vote and to elect. Art. 7 The ordinary general assembly is convened once a year in written form by the executive board in order to deal with the general annual business. The ordinary general assembly has to be called a month in advance. Members receive the agenda at least two weeks before the assembly. The executive board can call the extraordinary general assembly if the situation requires this, or if at least 1/5 of the full members demand this. It will be announced at least two weeks in advance with the agenda.

5 Art. 8 The president of the executive board leads the general assembly. In case of absence, she/he will be represented by the vice president. Art. 9 The general assembly is responsible for: Art. 9.1 Amendments to the articles of incorporation; Art. 9.2 The election of the president, the student representatives, and the members of the executive board; Art. 9.3 The election of honorary members; Art. 9.4 The final decision about controversial member admissions according to Art or 4.4.2, respectively; Art. 9.5 The expulsion of members according to Art ; Art. 9.6 The approval of the annual report; Art. 9.7 Assigning duties to the executive board; Art. 9.8 Approval of the budget and the calculation;

6 Art. 9.9 The decision about awards and allocation of grants; Art The annulment of the SWIPPA. Art. 10 The general assembly only makes decisions about topics that are on the agenda. The request for a topic for the agenda needs to be sent to the executive board three weeks ahead of the general assembly. Full members are eligible to send in such requests. If an associated member requests an item for the agenda, he or she needs support from at least one full member. Art. 11 The general assembly has a quorum irrespective of the number of full members present at the assembly. A simple majority is required for an ordinary resolution. There are two exceptions: votes on amendments to the articles of incorporation and those on the annulment of SWIPPA, for which a two-thirds majority is required. Art. 12 All votes are open as long as two thirds of the present full members do not demand a secret vote via ballot paper. Executive board Art 13 The executive board is the executive body of SWIPPA. It consists of full members only plus a student representative as observer without the right to vote. The general assembly elects a president (an employment at a university is a requirement) and 4 to 6 additional members of the executive board (at least half of those need to have an employment at a university). Members of the executive board are elected for two years and can be re-elected for a maximum of two legislative periods (for the same function). The executive board decides about the assignment of the tasks of its members (especially with respect to the vicepresidency and the treasurer). Art. 14 Areas of responsibility of the executive board: Art Representing SWIPPA toward third parties. Especially, with respect to media requests and requests for national and international cooperations;

7 Art The organization and calling for the general assembly; Art The competency to take all actions, which are in line with the purpose clause of SWIPPA as well as the execution of decisions of the general assembly; Art The financial management (preparation of the budget, accounting, proposal for determining member fees and determining member fees); Art The preparation of a proposal for an action plan for SWIPPA (especially with respect to further education programs and transfer of knowledge with the public); Art Putting together commissions (open to members and others), defining their aims, and agreeing upon their annulment; Art The examination of membership applications and the final decision upon acceptance, if there are no objections (in accordance to Art and 4.6.2); Art The expulsion of members in accordance to Art and proposing the expulsion of members to the general assembly in accordance to Art ; Art Deciding the vice-president, secretary, and treasurer; Art Decisions in all areas that are not covered by the general assembly. Art.15 The executive board organizes meetings and meets according to its needs; the president calls meetings. The executive board has a quorum if at least half of its members are present. Decisions are based on simple majorities; each member has one vote. In case there is equality of votes, the presidents vote is the deciding factor. A resolution by circular is possible if all members answer and no member asks for a meeting.

8 Term of office Art. 17 The term of office of all members of the executive board and of the commission is two years in each case. Re-elections are possible. Finances Art. 18 The funds of the association are its only liability. A personal accountability for the liability of the association is excluded. Revenues of SWIPPA are from: Art Membership fees; Art Subventions, all types of donations, and contributions by third parties; Art Revenues based on services. Signature authorization Art. 19 SWIPPA is liable toward third parties by signature of the president and one additional member of the executive board. Annulment Art. 20 In case of annulment of the SWIPPA the general assembly decides on the use of the property and the filing of the archive in accordance with the purpose of the association, as it is defined in Art. 3. Interpretation Art. 21 The interpretation of the articles of incorporation is the competency of the general assembly. Announcements Art. 22 The announcements are carried out by written notice to the members.

9 Amendment to the articles of incorporation Art. 23 Requests for amendment to the articles of incorporation may be made by the executive board, as well as by 25% of the full members. Members' requests should be addressed to the executive board. Amendments to the articles of incorporation require a two-thirds majority of the valid votes cast at a general meeting. 5. Finances Revenue Art. 24 The revenues of the SWIPPA consist of: Art Membership fees; Art The contributions by third parties; Art Income from publications and services. Liability Art. 25 The SWIPPA is liable only to the funds of the association. Fiscal year Article 26 The fiscal year of the SWIPPA is the calendar year. The articles of incorporation are described in the rules of order from June 16, 2014 (Adopted by the assembly of delegates)