Constitution of the Asian Social Simulation Association (ASSA)

I. Name and purposes

Section 1: Name

The English name of the organization shall be the Asian Social Simulation Association, hereinafter referred to as “ASSA”—the official acronym of the organization.

Section 2: Purposes

The association shall be an academic and non-profit organization. The goal of ASSA is to promote and advance the field of social simulation within the Asian region and more widely. ASSA aims to facilitate communication, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts interested in social simulation across Asia and other regions.
Specifically, the purposes of ASSA shall be:

To foster the advancement of social simulation research and its application to advance social understanding in Asian regions and more widely.
To promote the professional development of its members by fostering cooperation among its members and maintaining a central point of reference and deliberation.
To promote the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and scientific development in complex system science, social simulation methods, and related sciences among students, researchers, and practitioners in the social science field by organizing international conferences and workshops on a regular basis.
To provide an efficient channel and platform between its members and other researchers through which mutual understanding and cooperation can be enhanced.
To promote the education of social simulation methods and their applications at all levels across Asian researchers and beyond. ASSA organizes training workshops for young researchers and develops social simulation courses across institutions in Asian regions.
II. Membership of the Association

ASSA membership shall be open to scholars, practitioners, and students who agree with the association’s objectives and pay membership fees appropriate for their membership category. The ASSA membership is open to not only Asian researchers who are affiliated with Asian institutions but also researchers from other regions, especially Oceanian researchers, researchers with an Asian background, and researchers with research interests in Asia.

Section 1: Categories of Membership

ASSA shall have the following categories of membership:

Regular Members: Individuals actively engaged in research, development, or practice related to social simulation within the Asian region.
Honorary Members: Individuals with extraordinary achievements in the social simulation field, recognized and invited by the association.

Section 2: Membership Application

Interested individuals may apply for membership by submitting a completed application form through the official ASSA website or designated channels.

Section 3: Rights and Responsibilities of Members

Rights: Members of ASSA shall enjoy the following rights:
Participation in ASSA conferences, workshops, and other events with discounted registration fee.
Eligible for ASSA awards and grants.
Access to ASSA's online resources, publications, and newsletters.
Vote in ASSA elections and referendums. However, honorary members are not required to pay membership fees and do not have the right to vote. They shall serve as advisors in the election.
Opportunities to be elected and serve on ASSA management team and contribute to association initiatives and activities.
Rights: Members of ASSA shall enjoy the following rights:
Abide by the ethical standards and principles of ASSA.
Uphold the reputation and objectives of the association.
Promptly pay membership dues.
Contribute positively to the community by sharing knowledge and promoting collaboration.

Section 4: Membership Dues

Dues Structure: The association management team shall determine the structure and amount of membership dues for each category of membership. Dues may be revised as needed.
Payment: Members are required to pay their annual membership dues by the designated due date to maintain their active status.

Section 5: Termination of Membership

Resignation: Members may voluntarily resign from ASSA by submitting a written resignation to the secretariat.
Suspension or Termination: Membership may be suspended or terminated by the association for reasons such as violation of ethical standards or failure to pay membership dues for more than six months. Members have the right to appeal such decisions.

Section 6: Membership Meetings

ASSA shall hold regular membership meetings to provide updates, facilitate discussion, and encourage networking among members. Meetings may take place in person, virtually, or through other appropriate means.

III. The Management Team

The affairs of the association shall be managed by the management team, composed of officers and other management members, which shall be elected by the members of the association.

  1. The officers of the association shall be:
    The President, who shall be the chair of the management team
    Vice presidents, who shall work together with the President and be responsible for assignments.
    The Secretary, who shall be responsible for organising the meetings and recording the deliberations and decisions of the management team.
    The Treasurer, who shall be responsible for the financial affairs of the association.
  2. There shall be a maximum of 15 members of the management team, including its officers.
  3. The officers and the other members of the management team shall be elected to serve terms of one to two years. Elections shall thus be organized at least every two years during a Conference of the association or other occasion.
  4. Candidates as officers have to mention explicitly the position they apply for before an election. Candidates can also be nominated by a member with the endorsement of more than three members. Officers are elected directly by the members of the association. The other candidates who obtain the most votes are elected to serve on the management team. Their precise role will be decided during the first meeting of the new management team.
  5. There is no restriction concerning the number of terms a management team member can apply for.
  6. The management team may vote to co-opt new members to the management team for a duration specified by the management team but not exceeding the period to the next election.
  7. The past president of the association automatically serves in the management team for a duration of two years after retiring from the presidential position.
IV. Membership Dues

The management team shall set the levels of membership fees for various categories. All information shall be published online on the website of the association. Students shall pay a discount on membership dues.

V. Section Organization

Members of the Association will be encouraged to form specialized sections and groups according to their particular interests.

VI. By-laws

ASSA by-laws will be formulated by the management team consistent with this constitution and approved by a majority vote of those present at a meeting of the membership of the association. By-laws may be used to specify officers, management team, and their associated responsibilities, establish membership categories and associated dues, and create specialised sections.

VII Amendment

This constitution shall be reviewed and amended only by majority approval of the association’s membership.
Approved by the ASSA Annual General Meeting on August 28, 2023.

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