Constitution of the
Ottoman and Near East Philatelic Society

Article I

The name of this organization shall be the OTTOMAN AND NEAR EAST PHILATELIC SOCIETY.

Article II

The purpose of this society shall be the promotion of the collecting and study of the postage stamps, revenue stamps, postal stationery, and postal history of the Republic of Turkey, the Ottoman Empire, and successor states.

Article III

Any person of good character, interested in the purpose of this society, may be elected a member by the Board of Directors.

The classes of membership shall be Honorary, Life, and Active.

Article IV

The elected Officers of the Society shall be the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary.

The Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting by a majority of those members present and voting, and shall serve a term of two years until the next Annual General Meeting in an even numbered year.

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and the Board of Directors. He shall, with the advice and approval of the Board, designate all appointees, all standing committees and such Special Committees as may be required and he shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. Upon instruction of the Board of Directors he shall execute on behalf of the Society all contracts and other legal papers. He shall exercise general supervision of all officers, committees, and business of the Society.

The Vice President shall, in the absence of the President, execute all duties of the president and act in his place.

The Treasurer shall receive and have change of all monies, property, and securities of the Society and shall deposit all funds to the account of the Society in a bank approved by the Board of Directors. He shall collect all dues and accounts of the Society and make periodic detailed reports of all receipts and disbursements to the President of the Society. He shall make an annual report and complete financial statement for the year to the Annual General Meeting, which shall be published in the journal of the society.

The Secretary shall keep a minute book of all meetings of the Society and the Board of Directors, in books belonging to the Society and provided for that purpose. He shall be the custodian of all records and correspondence. He shall submit to the Board of Directors all applications for membership and shall be responsible for all membership records.

Article V

The affairs of the Society shall be managed and controlled by the Board of Directors in accordance with this Constitution and subject to the adopted motions and resolutions by the membership at the meetings of the Society.

The Board of Directors shall consist of the Officers of the Society and the Editor of the Society Journal.

The Board of Directors shall have the power to temporarily fill, until the next annual election, all vacancies that may occur in its body by a majority vote of the Directors present at any meeting of the Board.

The Board of Directors may be convened in session by the President, or by any three members of the board, for the general transaction of business or special matters as may be specified in the call of the meeting. It may take votes on clearly stated matters by mail/phone/email/voice to the President and upon his certification shall be recorded by the Secretary.

The Board of Directors may by two-thirds vote replace any officer or appointee for inaction or other causes.

Three directors shall constitute a quorum for any Board meeting.

Article VI

Any member of the Society may be suspended for cause by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, for such periods as the Board may decide.

Any member of the Society may be expelled for cause by a four-fifths vote of the Board of Directors. Such action shall be taken only after thirty days notice in writing shall have been sent by registered mail to the member together with a copy of the charges which may be preferred by the Board of Directors or any member and a date set for a hearing by the Board at which the member may give his defense. Such hearing may be held at a meeting of the Board or by mail as provided in Article V.

Article VII

The fiscal year of the Society shall begin on January 1st.

The Annual General Meeting of the Society and election of officers shall be held at such time and place as shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Recommendations to the Board may be made by resolution of the previous Annual General Meeting of the Society.

Special meetings of the Society may be called by the Board of Directors by notice mailed to each voting member. The call for the meeting shall specify the purpose of the meeting and no other business may be transacted at such a meeting.

Article VIII

This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of the membership voting in person or by mail at the Annual General Meeting, providing that both the existing and the proposed Article to be amended is published in the Society journal and sent to each member at least thirty days prior to the meeting.