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Research Committees

Statutes

 

The Research Committee 55 on Social Indicators (hereafter RC55), formerly Working Group 6, was established in 2008 in accordance with Article 4 of the ISA Statutes. RC55 Statutes, based on the statutes of the previous Working Group 6, were first adopted in July 2010. Subsequent amendments were approved at the RC55 business meeting at the ISA World Congress 2023, Melbourne, June 29, 2023.

ARTICLE ONE: PURPOSES

RC55 is a Research Committee within the International Sociological Association, and fully subscribes to the principles and the spirit of the Association. The primary purpose of RC55 is to advance research and scholarly communication and to incentivize international scholars’ and students’ networking and exchange in the field of social indicators in broad sense.

ARTICLE TWO: ACTIVITIES

Scientific meetings of the Research Committee are held during World Congresses of the International Sociological Association, and at other times. The Research Committee is supposed to hold 1-2 mid-term conferences between World Congresses. The Research Committee may also participate in other activities related to social indicators research and other modes of exchange. The newsletter of the Research Committee – Social Indicator Matters (SIM) – is to be published at least biannually.

ARTICLE THREE: MEMBERSHIP

There are two categories of members: 1. Regular members are individuals in good standing according to ISA standards, 2. Affiliated members are individuals, who participate in the RC's activities but are not formal ISA members. Only members in good standing may be voting members and only members in good standing of the International Sociological Association may be officials of the Research Committee. Membership fees are set at business meetings held during ISA Congresses. Fees are payable to the ISA-Secretariat or to the RC55 Secretary.

ARTICLE FOUR: OFFICERS

The Research Committee will elect a President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer and Newsletter editor, plus 5 other members to serve on an Executive Board. The immediate Past President is ex-officio member of the Executive Board. All these officers serve a 4-year term.

The President of the Research Committee may not be re-elected and will become Past President. The Vice-President and the Secretary/Treasurer may be re-elected and can serve up to three consecutive terms of office. All other members of the Board may be re-elected and can serve up to five consecutive terms of office.

The President shall be a delegate to the Research Council and other relevant official ISA bodies, and designate an alternate to these bodies. President and Executive Board are jointly responsible for coordinating the program of the Research Committee at ISA Congresses.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall report the RC’s financial affairs to members at least at every World Congress.

ARTICLE FIVE: ELECTIONS

All officers are elected for a 4-year period, in the year of the World Congress.

The President will appoint a Nominations Committee to recommend candidates for various positions. All other regular and affiliated members of the Research Committee may submit nominations (including self-nominations) to the Nominations Committee. The Nominations Committee shall inform all regular and affiliated members on the electoral procedure at least fifteen weeks before the election day. Nominated candidates shall be regular members of RC55. They shall provide a brief curriculum vitae to the Nominations Committee and confirm their preparedness to accept the respective position on the Board in case they are elected and to remain a regular member in good standing of the ISA and of the RC for the duration of their mandate.

The Secretary shall prepare a ballot listing all nominated candidates along with the respective positions on the Executive Board. In case of several nominations for the same position, the nominated candidates shall be listed in alphabetical order. Pairs of candidates may also be nominated for the positions on the Board to function as Co-President, Co-Secretary/Treasurers, etc. The ballot shall be sent to all regular and affiliated members in good standing of RC55 by email at least eight weeks before the election day. Regular and affiliated members in good standing shall send their ballot electronically (by an online voting system or by email to the designated electoral officers). The candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast will be deemed elected to each office. An election shall be valid if more than one third of the membership votes.

In case that vacancies in the Executive Board arise between elections, the President in consultation with the remaining board members will fill the positions until the end of the term. In case of a vacancy in the office of the President, the members of the Executive Board shall select an interim President until the end of the uncompleted term, should it be necessary to fill the office. A President who is not carrying out her/his presidential responsibilities may be replaced by the Vice President for the remaining term of office.

ARTICLE SIX: BUSINESS MEETING

A Business Meeting Assembly is held at least every four years, preferably at the ISA World Congress. Announcement of the Business Meeting will be made to the members at least one month in advance, together with a tentative agenda of business. The meeting is chaired by the President or by the Vice-President. Decisions in a Business Meeting Assembly are taken by simple majority. The duties of the Assembly are:

  • To evaluate and approve the four-year-report.
  • To discharge the outgoing Board of its responsibilities, including the financial statement.
  • To discuss and carry motions on any other point that may arise.

A written petition of twenty members to the President within six months after a Business Meeting can institute a mail or an online/electronic ballot to the membership on any issue presented at the Business Meeting. The Executive Board, by majority, can also institute a mail ballot or an online/electronic ballot to the membership at any time.

ARTICLE SEVEN: RELATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

Relations with other organizations may be established by the President of the Research Committee in consent with the Executive Board as is deemed useful, or necessary in accordance with the aims and objectives of the Research Committee.

ARTICLE EIGHT: CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS TO STATUTES

Proposals for the revision of these Statutes may be submitted to the membership upon written petition of twenty members to the President, or a resolution of the Executive Board. Revision requires a participation in the vote of at least 50 percent of all RC55 members in good standing and an approval of at least two-thirds (66.6 percent) of the votes cast in an electronic ballot (by an online voting system or by email) or an in-person ballot.