INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICAL UNION

    STATUTES

    1998

     

    I. Objective of the Union

    1. The objectives of the International Mathematical Union, hereinafter designated as the Union, are:

        (a) To promote international cooperation in mathematics;
        (b) To support and assist the International Congress of Mathematicians and other international scientific meetings or conferences;
        (c) To encourage and support other international mathematical activities considered likely to contribute to the development of mathematical science in any of its aspects, pure, applied, or educational.

    2. In the pursuit of its objectives the Union is explicitly, but not exclusively, empowered:

        (a) To adhere to the International Council for Science;
        (b) To organize international mathematical meetings and conferences;
        (c) To engage in or support the publication and distribution of scientific material in the field of mathematics, provided that any expenses thereby incurred shall be treated as items of special expenditure under article 19 below;
        (d) To engage in mathematical activities of an international character or to advise and assist other international organizations engaging in such activities, provided that any expenses thereby incurred shall be treated as items of special expenditure under article 19 below;
        (e) To promote and facilitate the international exchange of mathematicians and students of mathematics for scientific purposes;
        (f) To publish and distribute information concerning the organization and the activities of the Union.

      3. II. Membership

    3. A country adheres to the Union through an Adhering Organization, which may be its principal academy, a mathematical society, its research council or some other institution or association of institutions, or an appropriate agency of its government. The adhering countries are designated hereinafter as the members of the Union.

    4. The term "country" is to be understood as including diplomatic protectorates and any territory in which independent scientific activity in mathematics has been developed, and in general shall be construed as to secure the broadest and most effective participation of mathematicians in the scientific work of the Union.

    5. In each case, the Adhering Organization shall form a Committee for Mathematics and its adherence to the Union shall not become effective until the composition of the Committee has been reported to and recognized by the members of the Union. The Committee shall act as adviser to the Adhering Organization in matters concerning the Union. The Adhering Organization may, if it wishes, delegate some of its power to the Committee for Mathematics. The Committee for Mathematics shall communicate to the Secretary of the Union the name of its Chairman or Secretary.

    6. When an application is made for membership in the Union, the Executive Committee shall examine the application and shall make a recommendation thereon to the members of the Union by correspondence or at a meeting of the General Assembly. The members shall accept or reject the application in the light of this recommendation and of any other considerations before them either by correspondence or at a meeting of the General Assembly. The adherence of a country is in one of the five groups I-V with corresponding voting powers and contributions as set out in articles 8 and 14 below. A country may change its classification with the approval of the members of the Union upon recommendation of the Executive Committee.

      7. III. Affiliation

    7. For the purpose of facilitating jointly sponsored activities and jointly pursuing the objectives of the IMU, multi-national mathematical societies and professional societies can be affiliated with the Union.

    8. The members of the Union shall elect the affiliate members by Postal Ballots or at meetings of the General Assembly upon recommendation of the EC. The affiliation may be terminated by the same procedure.

    9. Affiliate members have the right to participate in the General Assembly but shall have no voting rights.

    10. Such affiliate members have the right to submit proposals for joint activities to the General Assembly and to the President and Secretary for consideration of the Executive Committee.

    11. The Executive Committee, with the support of the Adhering Organizations and National Committees, shall look for ways to keep close relations with the affiliated organizations and to enhance mathematical activities in their regions and fields of interest. They shall receive the Bulletin of the IMU and be kept informed of all activities relevant to them.

      12. IV. Administration

    12. The authority of the Union derives from the members and is exercised either by correspondence or at a meeting of the General Assembly. The Union is administered by the Executive Committee which, in accordance with these Statutes and subject to the direction and review of the members, shall conduct the business of the Union.

    13. The General Assembly of the Union consists of delegates appointed by the Adhering Organizations, together with the members of the Executive Committee. For each General Assembly, each Adhering Organization shall appoint and certify to the Secretary of the Union a delegation, which shall have the number of votes corresponding to the Group in which it adheres, as follows:

      GroupIIIIIIIVV
      Number of Votes12345

      provided that the number of delegates shall not exceed the corresponding number of votes. Any Adhering Organization which desires to ensure its full quota of representatives at meetings of the General Assembly by the appointment of alternates for its regularly named delegates may do so, provided that no such alternate shall be permitted to participate in the work of the General Assembly until he has been duly certified to the Secretary of the Union as assuming the powers and duties of the delegate he has been designated to replace. No person shall be a member of the delegation of more than one country.

    14. Voting by the General Assembly shall be by delegations, provided that each delegation shall be free to cast the votes to which it is entitled either as a unit or divided in such a manner as it may determine. The members of the Executive Committee shall have no votes as such in the General Assembly. Any Adhering Organization not represented at a meeting of the General Assembly may forward its votes by registered mail to the Secretary of the union; and such votes shall be valid, if received before the ballot has been taken and the votes counted, and if the original question has not been modified by substantial amendments. Voting by correspondence shall be in such a way that each member of the Union casts its votes as a unit, counted as many times as the group indicates. The majority of votes cast shall be decisive unless specific provision to the contrary is contained in these Statutes.

    15. The General Assembly may establish By-Laws on any matters not covered by these Statutes.

    16. The Officers of the Union are a President, two Vice-Presidents and a Secretary, all elected by the General Assembly by written ballot. The President and the Vice-Presidents shall hold office for a term of four years, shall assume office on the first day of the calendar year following that in which they have been elected and shall not be eligible for immediate re-election to the same office. The Secretary shall hold office for a term of four years, shall assume office on the first day of the calendar year following that in which he has been elected and shall be available for immediate re-election. In the event of death, incapacity or resignation of the President, the Executive Committee shall choose one of the Vice-Presidents to carry on the functions of the President until a new President has been elected by the members of the Union for the unexpired term. In the case of any other office being vacated, the Executive Committee shall be empowered to fill the vacancy until the members of the Union shall have elected a successor for the unexpired term. These elections may be made at a meeting of the General Assembly or by postal ballot.

    17. The Executive Committee of the Union consists of nine voting members, namely: the four Officers of the Union as designated in article 11, together with five members at large, elected by the General Assembly for terms of four years each, commencing on the first day of the calendar year following the year of their election. In addition, the retiring President shall be an ex-officio member without vote, for a period of four years. In the case of a vacancy among the members at large, the procedure shall be the same as provided in the last sentence of article 11.

    18. The General Assembly shall normally meet once in 4 years, at a place and date determined by the members either at a meeting of the General Assembly or by postal ballot and arranged so far as possible to coincide with the International Congress of Mathematicians. Special meetings of the General Assembly shall be held upon the call of the Executive Committee at such times and such places as the Committee may designate. At the request of a majority of the total number of votes assigned to the members, the Executive Committee shall within six months call a special meeting of the General Assembly.

      19. V. Finance

    19. Each Adhering Organization shall pay an annual subscription in accordance with the Group in which it adheres, as follows:

      GroupIIIIIIIVV
      Number of Unit Contributions124710

    20. The Unit Contribution shall be determined by the General Assembly.

    21. The Union may accept gifts, legacies and subventions, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, and shall maintain a roll of benefactors on which shall be inscribed annually the names of those individuals or institutions that have contributed.

    22. The Secretary of the Union shall act also as its Treasurer, unless the Executive Committee appoints one of its members at large for that purpose.

    23. The legal domicile of the Union shall be located at the offices of the Secretary.

    24. The financing of special projects of the Union shall be kept distinct from general expenditure, and an Adhering Organization shall be pledged only for the annual subscription in respect of general expenditure.

    25. The Adhering Organizations shall be responsible for the payment of their respective annual contributions in accordance with the Groups in which they adhere. Subscriptions are due and payable on the first day of the calendar year to which they apply.

    26. Any Adhering Organization which is in arrears with its contributions for two years shall be warned and shall be deprived of its voting rights. Any Adhering Organization which is in arrears for four years shall cease to be an adherent of the Union. In any case, before taking action, the Executive Committee shall submit the question to the members of the Union by correspondence or at a meeting of the General Assembly who under special circumstances may waive these provisions by a two-thirds majority of the total number of votes assigned to the members.

    27. Any Adhering Organization which shall withdraw from the Union or shall cease for any reason to be an adherent thereof shall forfeit claims upon the funds of the Union.

    28. In the event of the dissolution of the Union, the settlement of its indebtedness shall be chargeable to general expenditure; and any surplus remaining after such settlement shall be disposed of by the General Assembly on recommendation of the Executive Committee, in such manner as may then be deemed most likely to aid the development of mathematical science.

      29. VI. Statutes

    29. Changes in the Statutes may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by any of the Adhering Organizations. Notice of changes so proposed shall reach the Secretary of the Union at least four months before the meeting of the General Assembly at which action is to be taken. No change shall be made in the Statutes except at a meeting of the General Assembly and with the approval of the two-thirds majority of the total number of votes assigned to the members.

      30. VII. Duration of the Union

    30. The Union shall not be dissolved except at a meeting of the General Assembly, and with the approval of a two-thirds majority of the total number of votes assigned to the members.

      31. VIII. Authoritative Texts

    31. The English, French and Russian texts of the Statutes shall be considered as equally authoritative.

      32.  

      BY - LAWS

      I. Administration

    32. The General Assembly shall meet as provided in the Statutes. Notice of special meetings shall be dispatched to the Adhering Organizations at least six months in advance.

    33. The Executive Committee, the Adhering Organizations, and the Commissions of the Union may propose business to be transacted at meetings of the General Assembly. Such proposals shall reach the Secretary at least four months before the meeting at which they are to be considered.

    34. The agenda for a meeting of the General Assembly shall be dispatched by the Executive Committee to the Adhering Organizations at least three months before the meeting at which they are to be considered. A question which has not been put upon the agenda may be discussed, but shall not be put to the vote unless a proposal to that effect be approved by a majority of the total number of votes assigned to the members.

    35. The President with the approval of the Executive Committee may invite any person to participate in a meeting of the General Assembly for purposes of consultation upon specific items on the agenda, but such an invited participant shall have no vote.

    36. The General Assembly shall

      1. Admit or reject organizations in the manner laid down in the Statutes;
      2. Elect the Officers of the Union and the Members at large of the Executive Committee;
      3. Establish the Commissions of the Union, determine their terms of reference and elect their Chairmen; and elect also representatives of the Union on Joint Commissions formed in cooperation with other international organizations;
      4. Examine and establish the regular budget and propose the projects which shall be financed independently of general expenditure, in accordance with the Statutes of the Union;
      5. Receive and consider reports from the Executive Committee and from Commissions of the Union;
      6. Determine the calendar of its ordinary meetings;
      7. Prescribe rules under which the Executive Committee may initiate and conduct postal ballots among the members of the Union during periods between meetings of the General Assembly;
      8. Prescribe rules for the representation of the Union on the International Council for Science;
      9. Take such other actions as are necessary in the exercise of its authority under the Statutes and these By-Laws.

    37. The Executive Committee shall present an annual report on its activities and those of the Union to each Adhering Organization and shall also report on its activities and those of the Union at each ordinary meeting of the General Assembly. The report to the General Assembly shall be dispatched by the Secretary to the Adhering Organizations at least two months before the meeting at which it is to be received.

    38. The Executive Committee shall meet on the call of the President. The quorum for the transaction of its business shall consist of five voting members. The Executive Committee may conduct its business by postal ballot.

      39. II. President and Vice-President

    39. The President is Chairman of the General Assembly and of the Executive Committee. In his absence his place shall be taken by one of the Vice-Presidents. He is an ex-officio member of all Commissions of the Union. In specific cases he may delegate this responsibility to some other member of the Executive Committee.

      40. III. Secretary

    40. The Secretary is responsible for conducting the ordinary business of the Union and for keeping its records; and he shall act as Treasurer subject to the proviso of Statute 17. At least once every four years the members of the Union shall obtain from the Executive Committee an audit of the accounts.

      41. IV. Commissions of the Union

    41. The Commissions of the Union which may from time to time be established by the members of the Union by postal ballot or at a meeting of the General Assembly, may coopt additional members, and shall generally have full freedom in arranging their own internal structure and work within the framework of the Statutes and By-Laws of the Union. If special funds are provided for their use, they may make their own financial arrangements, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.

    42. The Chairman of each Commission, or in the case of Joint Commissions one representative designated for that purpose, shall forward records of all meetings of the Commission to the Secretary and shall report on the activities of the Commission to the General Assembly. The reports of Commissions to the General Assembly shall reach the Secretary at least three months before the meeting at which they will be received and shall be dispatched by him to the Adhering Organizations at least two months before that meeting.

      43. V. Finance

    43. The Executive Committee shall prepare financial reports and budget estimates for the consideration of the General Assembly at each of its ordinary meetings, covering in its reports the period between the immediately preceding ordinary meeting and the meeting at which they are to be received, and covering in its estimates the period between the meeting at which they are received and the next following ordinary meeting. These reports and estimates shall be dispatched by registered mail to the Adhering Organizations at least three months before the meeting at which they are to be received, or by registered air mail at least six weeks before that meeting

      44. VI. Authoritative Texts

    44. The English, French and Russian texts of the By-Laws shall be considered as equally authoritative.