STATUTE

Amended December 15, 2020

ARTICLE 1 – NAME AND CONSTITUTION

The name of the society is INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL GEOTECHNOLOGY, and it is hereinafter referred to as ISEG. It is a non-profit organization.

The official website of ISEG is: https://www.iseg.info

ARTICLE 2 – ISEG GOALS

  • To promote the exchange of information on advances in science, technology and policy aspects of environmental geotechnology and associated disciplines pertinent to sustainable infrastructure development globally.
  • To foster scientific collaboration and cooperation among researchers, policy makers and organizations in various countries.
  • To serve as a forum for discussions and debates relevant to the identification and analysis of geoenvironmental issues that impact upon development in various regions of the world.

ARTICLE 3 – MEMBERSHIP

ISEG comprises individual members as well as organizational members. Membership applications can be made through completion and submission of forms to the global or regional secretariat.

ARTICLE 4 – LANGUAGE

The official language of ISEG is English. However, translation of documents and speeches to other languages could be made if warranted.

ARTICLE 5 – FINANCES

ISEG is supported financially through membership fees, subscriptions to publications, sale of publications, corporate donations and conference surcharges. Officers of the organization do not receive salaries. Expenses of the organization must be authorized by the president or the financial secretary in consultation with the president.

ARTICLE 6 – ORGANIZATION

  1. The functional organizational units of the ISEG and support for the ISEG are the:
  • General Membership
  • Council
  • Executive Committee
  • Office of the President
  1. The general membership shall convene in a plenary session, called a General Meeting, at least once every two years, usually at an official conference. At such time, the entire membership will receive an overview of the status of the ISEG that may include reports on upcoming conferences and workshops, publications, membership growth, elections, and activities and decisions taken at the most recent Council meeting or by the Executive Committee or staff, and the inauguration of the next President of the ISEG.

ARTICLE 7 – COUNCIL

  1. The Council is the highest body of the ISEG. It establishes policies for implementation by the Executive Committee, monitors the performance and endorses the modifications or additions to the Statute.
  2. The widest possible international representation shall be sought in the composition of the Council, taking into account geographical balance, professional activities, and age and gender distribution.
  3. The Council shall consist of no more than sixty (60) members elected from among the eligible Full members of ISEG. Each will be elected to a term of six (6) years and be eligible for re-election. The Council shall continue to function within its duties unless the number of members falls below 20 members. Any member elected to the Council for less than six (6) years will also count toward the total of 60 members.
  4. The Council may defer decisions on agenda items to a later date by directing that electronic voting be used to ensure full participation and discussions by all the council members. The president may solicit council’s approvals on issues of importance to the ISEG by electronic votes.
  5. Duties and responsibilities of elected Council members of the ISEG include, but are not limited to, the required participation in at least two (2) official Council meetings at conferences or workshops during each six-year term, unless a significant reason for absence is communicated to the President in advance of the meeting. Three failures to participate in official Council meetings and/or votes held between Council meetings may be grounds for early termination of council membership.

ARTICLE 8 – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

  1. The Executive Committee governs and represents the ISEG in all matters and makes decisions on behalf of and to the benefit of the ISEG, according to the Statute and prior decisions of the Council.
  2. The Executive Committee consists of the Honorary Patron, Honorary President, President, 9 Vice-Presidents, the General Secretary, and the Treasury Secretary.

ARTICLE 9 – VICE-PRESIDENT TERM/ROLE

The Vice-President can be appointed by the President or elected by the ISEG Council. The term of the Vice-President shall be six (6) years, and he/she may be eligible for re-election. The Vice-President’s role is to promote ISEG in his/her region towards the fulfillment of its established goals.

In event of resignation or impediment, the President can appoint a Temporary Vice-President to finish the term.

ARTICLE 10 – PRESIDENT TERM/ROLE

The President is responsible for the leadership of the ISEG in cooperation with ISEG regional Vice-Presidents and Secretariat. The President may delegate activities and tasks on global leadership of ISEG to any of the members of the Council, especially the Vice-Presidents and the Secretary-General. In the event of an impediment, such as death or sickness, the council shall designate a temporary President by two-thirds majority vote of the council for the remainder of the Presidents’ term. The President will serve a six (6) year renewable term.

ARTICLE 11 – GENERAL/TREASURY SECRETARY

The General and Treasury Secretaries shall be appointed by the President or by election at a council meeting. The Secretary General and Treasury Secretary will work in the same region as the President to promote operational efficiency. The General Secretary’s role is to assist the president in conducting the administrative business of the ISEG, and to report on administrative matters, especially on membership levels, during Board meetings. The Treasury Secretary is responsible for the financial management of the ISEG in cooperation with the president. He is responsible for the fulfillment of the obligations imposed by the laws of the country where ISEG is currently established, and operates its secretariat.

ARTICLE 12 – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

An executive committee meeting will be held at any of the International Symposia, and Regional Conferences. These meetings will be chaired by the President, or, in his absence, by any of the Vice-Presidents nominated by him.

ARTICLE 13 – OFFICIAL CONFERENCES

  1. The official conferences are the most important events of the ISEG. They shall be held every three years, hosted by an organization chosen and approved by the Council based on proposals received from potential hosting organizations.
  2. Proposals for hosting an official conference shall be submitted to the Executive Committee at least two (2) years before the conference or when a call is put forth by the Council or Executive Committee. An announcement of the intent to pursue hosting a conference and then a final proposal will be made at a Council meeting. The final proposal shall contain such details as the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, duration, potential costs and subsequent appropriate registration fee, availability of reasonable accommodations and any financial support from the organization, among other details required by the Council.
  3. All competitive proposals for a conference must be presented and voted at the same Council meeting. Before a vote can be taken, the presenters must declare that they know and will respect the current available organizational and financial rules for carrying out a conference. Conference site selection may be done by electronic vote if materials are provided to all Council members and a sufficient amount of time is available for members to ask questions.
  4. Once selected, the host organization will form a Local Organizing Committee, and then propose an International Scientific or Advisory Committee composed of leading researchers in the field as well as keynote speakers, all in sufficient time for an Executive Committee review. The Executive Committee has the decisive vote on the proposed members of the International Scientific or Advisory Committee and keynote speakers. The Executive Committee will suggest alternative or additional members for the Committee, if needed. It will propose alternative speakers to best represent the membership of ISEG. In both instances, the purpose is to represent ISEG geographically, through areas of expertise and to assure both experienced and younger members of all genders are represented on the Committee and among the highlighted speakers.

ARTICLE 14 – OFFICIAL WORKSHOPS OR SYMPOSIUMS

The official workshops or symposiums are important events of the ISEG. They shall be held every year on mandate or demand, hosted by an organization chosen and approved by the Council based on proposals received from potential hosting organizations.

ARTICLE 15 – FINANCE

  1. The Society shall be funded by membership dues and other lawful means such as donations.
  2. Any surplus shall be used solely in accordance with the provisions of Article 2.

ARTICLE 16 –RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

Members of all classes shall have the following rights and privileges:

  • To participate in the general meeting of the Society, and vote if such matters are brought to the general meeting;
  • To receive discounts at conferences, workshops, symposiums, seminars and short courses organized by ISEG members in the name of the ISEG, if offered;
  • To receive any other benefits as may be decided by the Council.

ARTICLE 17 – AMENDMENTS

Amendments may be proposed by any member of the ISEG, directed in advance to the General Secretary, to be discussed, analyzed and voted in the Administrative Board meetings.

ARTICLE 18 – DISSOLUTION OR LIQUIDATION

The dissolution or liquidation of the ISEG can be performed only by the majority votes of the members. In the event of liquidation, the existing assets would be distributed only to non-profit environmental organizations.