§ 1: Name and language of the Association

The name of the Association is the International Association for Cognitive Semiotics (abbreviated IACS).

The official language of the Association is English, for convenience of communication.

§ 2: Goals of the association

To promote research and higher education in the transdisciplinary field of cognitive semiotics, encouraging cooperation among researchers with background in semiotics, linguistics, and cognitive science, as well as other related fields

To facilitate contacts and cooperation among its members

To organize biannual conferences, by proxy of local organizing committees

To provide institutional support for the journal Cognitive Semiotics

§ 3: Membership

Anyone interested can become a member of IACS, irrespective of academic affiliation.

Membership follows from paying the conference fee for one of the biannual IACS conferences, which shall include a specified membership fee.

Membership is valid until the next IACS conference is held.

§ 4: The General Assembly

The General Assembly is constituted by all members of the Association and is the highest authority in the Association.

It is convened in association with the regular biannual conferences. Mandatory agenda items include:

Election of a chair for the meeting

Election of a keeper of the minutes

Election of two members to check the minutes

Election of two vote counters

The President’s report

The Treasurer’s report

Report of the board of the journal Cognitive Semiotics

Election of President

Election of five (5) board members

§5: The Governing Board

The Governing Board has responsibility for setting up and administering of the Association.

It consists of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Public-relations officer, one additional officer (all six elected at the General Assembly) + the former President or Vice-President and a representative of the organizing committee for the next IACS conference.

The President may be re-elected only once for an immediately subsequent second term, with each term consisting of the duration between two General Assemblies.

The posts Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Public-relations officer are decided on internally, in the first board meeting after the General Assembly.

If the President is forced to resign before the end of a term (e.g. due to illness), the vice-President will assume his/her post, until the next General Assembly.

The board shall meet at least once a year, and quorum is required for any binding decision.

Authorized to sign for the association as a legal entity are the President, the Treasurer or the Secretary.

§ 6: The Governing Board is charged with:

Engaging in and developing collaboration with other similar organizations.

Maintaining a website in order to promote the interests of the Association.

Reporting on activities and developments to the members of the Association, via the website and otherwise.

Deciding on and collecting the members’ fees to ensure the continuing activities of the Association.

Deciding on the location of the Association’s conferences, guiding and supporting the local organizers (see §8)

Engaging in any other activities that may support and promote the aims and interests of the Association

§ 7: Constitution

Proposals for amendments to any aspect of the constitution are to be sent to the Governing Board no later than three weeks before the General Assembly. Proposals will then be prepared by the Governing board for a vote at the meeting. The Governing Board must inform current members and all persons registered for the upcoming conference about incoming proposals (including any proposal from the Board) no later than two weeks before the General Assembly.

Amendments to the constitution are to be approved by a qualified majority (two-thirds) of the members present at the General Assembly.

If the organization of an actual physical members’ meeting is not feasible, voting may be performed electronically.

§ 8: Bi-annual conferences

The Governing Board will allocate the responsibility for the organization of the regular bi-annual conferences to a local organizing committee, provided that:

The bid for organizing an IACS conference, including information on facilities and dates, has been approved.

All members of the local committee are members of the Association

The chairperson of the local committee for the upcoming conference is one of the non-elected members of the Governing board.

There is close cooperation between the local committee and the Governing board, including consensus on important issues such as plenary speakers and manner of collecting the membership fees.

§ 9: Dissolution of the Organization

The Association may be dissolved at a General Assembly, with two thirds majority of the votes, or else if no General Assembly has convened in a continuous period of five years.

It will then be the duty of the Treasurer to hand over any financial assets to a cause that is consistent with the goals of the Association.

§ 10: Address the Organization

The official address of the association is identical with the address of the Treasurer.

[Signed by members of the Board of the Association]