Statutes

Preamble

We, students of the Institute of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, have decided to set up the SIMS (Student Association of the Institute of International Studies) to include all students and student life at the Institute.

 

1. Interests and goals

SIMS is an autonomous student association of the Institute of International Studies. Its main objective is to provide the appropriate socio-cultural background for students. The SIMS also provides communication with other student associations and groupings and participates in the organization of additional educational, cultural and social activities. Its task is also to solve potential students' problems and to facilitate better communication between the IMS management, the FSV leadership, the Faculty's academic staff and the other staff of the University and the students.

 

2. Electoral Code

Ordinary elections take place during the first month of the academic year. They are announced by the Chairman of the SIMS at least one week before they are being held. Any current IMS student may become a regular member of the SIMS if elected according to a valid electoral system. Students who, in the given academic year (that is, the year in which they want to work in the SIMS) intend to take a full-time study or internship abroad are not allowed to stand for the SIMS. Students planning to go out for one semester may be elected as regular members of the SIMS, but only as affiliates without voting rights during their study abroad stay.

Elections take place in the constituencies, which are as follows:

a) 1st year of the Bachelor's degree programme International Area Studies (IAS),

b) 2nd year of the Bachelor degree programme IAS,

c) 3rd and higher years of the Bachelor's degree programme IAS,

d) Bachelor's degree programme Czech-German Studies,

e)  IAS Master's degree programme specialization Balkan and Central European Studies,

f)  IAS Master's degree programme specialization European Studies,

g) IAS Master's degree programme specialization German and Austrian Studies,

h) IAS Master's degree programme specialization Russian and Eurasian Studies,

(i) IAS Master's degree programme specialization North American Studies,

j) sIAS Master's degree programme specialization West European Studies,

k) Master's degree programme German and Central European Studies.

Master's degree students under the old accreditation selected candidates and may be elected in the constituency of the IAS study programme specialization corresponding to their degree programme. Students in the Balkan, Eurasian and Central European courses can choose which newly created specialization they want to stand for and in which constituency they want to vote. However, it is still the rule that every student can only stand for one constituency, and at the same time, they have only one vote to support their candidate.

In the case the students of foreign language study programmes, foreign students and the students of the combined study are interested in standing for elections, a special constituency will be established for them. Students of doctoral studies may be granted honorary membership in accordance with the rules governing this membership in Chapter 4.

For the Bachelor's constituencies a, b, c, the voter´s and candidate´s affiliation to the particular constituency is determined by the year of  their entering into studies

The selection is done electronically by filling in the voting form. Each voter is required to enter the student number that is under his / her picture on the ISIC card. Each voter has only one vote.

The election e-mail address is managed by the Election Commission, which must be set up at least a week before the elections. The Commission has three members that any member of the SIMS may nominate. A member of the commission may be a former member of the SIMS, an honorary member of the SIMS or another IMS student, but never a candidate. The three-member committee must be approved by an absolute majority of all the SIMS members. The members of the commission are the only persons who have access to the e-mail address to which voices are sent during the elections. Their task is to check the vote and pass the election results to the Chairman of the SIMS. Members of the Election Commission shall retain confidentiality of any information they have learned in connection with the performance of their duties. After the elections, the commission deletes all votes and passes the access data to the election email to the newly selected SIMS.

In order for the elections to be valid, at least 15% of the eligible voters must vote in each constituency. In the case of insufficient voter turnout, new elections will be announced for the given constituency.

In each constituency, where the voter turnout is fulfilled, every candidate who has received more than 7% of the vote cast in their constituency is elected to the SIMS. The number of such candidates is not limited.

If only one candidate is elected in one election, another additional candidate will not be elected. The results of the elections are announced by the ending Chairman of the SIMS.

The mandate of a member is acquired at the time of elections and expires when the new members are elected, or in case of resignation or loss of eligibility. After the member's absence at three regular meetings in one polling period, the full members shall vote for withdrawing their mandate. For the withdrawal to be put into practice, most of the full members must vote in favour of it by secret ballot. In the event of resignation or termination of a SIMS's member mandate, that member may nominate an alternate for himself/herself or this alternate may be selected on the basis of the last elections. An alternate may refuse membership. If an alternate is nominated by a member whose mandate expires, it must be approved by a simple majority of the full members of the SIMS by secret ballot.

 

3. Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Treasurer

The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman are elected from the full members of the SIMS. The Chairman is the head of the SIMS and formally represents the association. He must be elected by secret ballot by an absolute majority of all full members. Voting takes place at the first regular SIMS meeting in the given academic year. The person shall become the Chairman of the SIMS by winning the elections and shall lose it by a signed resignation or loss of mandate. The Chairman is responsible for the continued functioning of the SIMS and oversees compliance with the statutes. The removal of the Chairman is possible by means of a two-thirds majority of all full members of the SIMS.

Upon their election, the Chairperson shall propose a Vice-Chairman, who shall be supported by an absolute majority of the full members of the SIMS in a public vote. In the event of a failed vote, the procedure is repeated until a proposed Vice-Chair has obtained the required number of votes.

Any full member, who was elected by the majority of the full members of the SIMS, can become the Treasurer of the SIMS. Their duty is to provide funding for the SIMS, which is entrusted to him by the previous Treasurer at the first regular meeting in the academic year. In addition, when elected the Treasurer undertakes to keep the accounts to the best of their knowledge and belief and in a transparent manner, so that other members or other persons may consult them.

 

4. Honorary Members

The Chairman of the SIMS may, at its own discretion, grant honorary membership in the SIMS to persons who have been particularly proactive in organizing student activities within the Institute. Honorary membership is awarded for a specific academic year, the Chairman may decide on a possible extension. Honorary members do not have the right to vote, their function is only observant and advisory.

 

5. Rules of Procedure

During the semester, the SIMS meets once a month at regular meetings. All regular meetings shall be convened, opened and closed by the Chairman, who shall be present at all times. In the event of a long absence of the Chairman, he or she shall be represented by the Vice-Chairman. The SIMS constitutes a quorum if at least half of the regular members are present at the meeting. Otherwise, the Chairman shall convene a substitute meeting at the earliest possible date. In special circumstances, the Chairman may convene another, extraordinary SIMS meeting.

The meetings are attended by the SIMS members and other persons, if desired. At the  meetings the SIMS activities are discussed, as well as the evaluation of recent activities and the decisions about future events, whose organization lies within the competence of the SIMS. If possible, decisions are made on a consensual basis, otherwise by voting, in which it is necessary to obtain an absolute vote majority of the present full members. Changing the SIMS Statutes is only possible with the two-thirds consent of all full members. There are minutes taken from each meeting, which are later published on the SIMS website.

In case of ambiguity, the Chairman decides on how to resolve the situation.

 

6. Duties of the SIMS members

Each member of the SIMS has their duties, or more precisely responsibility for specific activities, the allocation of which takes place at the first regular meeting in each academic year and is subsequently published on the SIMS website.

This text was approved on 28th May 2018 by members of the SIMS elected for the academic year 2018/2019.