ARTICLE 1 - Name and Headquarters

The Czech and Slovak Association of Language Centres in Higher Education, to be known as CASALC (the Czech and Slovak abbreviation being CASAJC), will operate within the territory of the Czech and Slovak Republics. The headquarters of the Association will be established at the home University of the Secretary of the Association.


ARTICLE 2 - Legal Standing

The Association shall be registered according to the provisions of the law on associations and has legal personality. The Association may be a member of foreign and international organizations. It is the full member of CERCLES - the European Confederation of Language Centres in Higher Education - for the Czech and Slovak Republics.


ARTICLE 3 - Aims

The main objectives of the Association shall be as follows:
* to support the work of teachers in language centres within Higher Education and to represent their interest at home, abroad and in international organizations
* to promote learning opportunities in languages for non-specialist learners and thus enable them to meet Europe's objectives for a plurilingual democracy
* to aim at harmonization and standardization of teaching programmes and evaluation
* to facilitate the exchange of information and professional experience between staff in Language Centres in different countries
* to represent the activities of members locally, nationally and internationally


ARTICLE 4 - Means

The Association shall employ the following means in pursuit of its aims:
* meetings and conferences
* voluntary and social activities for members
* cooperation with other national and international language teaching organisations and institutions
* cooperation with relevant authorities and institutions of higher education in order to resolve matters of concern to the language teaching community
* newsletters and other forms of networked information



ARTICLE 5 - Membership

The Association shall have four classes of members:

Institutional Members

Membership shall be granted to Language Centres and similar bodies teaching language for specific purposes in Higher education upon application by an appropriate responsible person.

Individual Members

Membership shall be granted to any adult citizen of the Czech or Slovak Republics or a foreign resident provided that he/she
* is a member of an institutional member
* has applied for membership in writing
* agrees with the statutes of CASALC

Supporting Members

Persons or organisations subscribing to CASALC's aims and wishing to provide material or moral support for the Association.

Honorary Members

Persons so invited by the Association on the basis of their reputation or their services to the Association.


ARTICLE 6 - Rights and Duties of Members

Institutional Members, when represented by a responsible person, shall have a single vote in the General Meeting of CERCLES. They shall be represented on the Executive and Co-ordinating Committee as determined by the Confederation's statutes.

Individual members shall belong to an institutional member. They shall have the right to:
* stand for office on the CERCLES Executive
* vote and be elected to office within CASALC
* submit motions concerning activities of the Association to the General Meeting
* take part in any activity of the Association
* be informed about all the activities of the Association
* ask for assistance from the Association

Individual members shall have the following duties:
* participation in the work of the Association, in their capacity as members or officers of the Association
* payment of fees

Supporting and Honorary Members:

Supporting and Honorary Members shall have the right to attend the General Meeting. They may not vote or hold office.


ARTICLE 7 - Cessation of Membership

Membership shall cease in the event of:
* voluntary resignation sent in writing
* the non-payment of fees
* dissolution of the Association
* death
* acts which infringe the general policy of the Association


ARTICLE 8 - Structure

The Association's authority shall be invested in the following:
1. The General meeting
2. The Executive Committee
3. The Supervisory Board

The Executive Committee and the Supervisory Board shall be elected in open ballot at the General Meeting and shall hold office for two years. They may co-opt new members to fill vacancies provided these do not exceed 50% of their membership.


ARTICLE 9 - The General Meeting

The General meeting
* is open to all members
* meets at least once every two years and is convened by the Executive Committee
* shall be quorate when attended by at least 25% of individual members
* shall receive reports from the officers and establishes the strategy of the Association
* elects members of the Executive Committee [Board] and Supervisory Board
* may amend the Statutes of the Association and dissolve the Association
* agrees the accounts and budget of the Association

Decisions of the GM will be minuted by the Secretary.


ARTICLE 10 - The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is elected by the General Meeting in an open ballot and by a simple majority.

The Executive shall:
* represent the Association and act on its behaf
* be responsible for the general management of the affairs of the Association
* meet at least twice a year, and its meetings will be minuted

The Executive Committee shall consist of seven officers:
* Chair
* Vice Chair
* Secretary
* Treasurer
* Three additional members drawn from the Supervisory Board of the Association

The Chair and Vice Chair shall be from each of the Republics represented in the Association.
Officers may be re-elected once only to the same office.


ARTICLE 11 - Supervisory Board

The Supervisory Board shall consist of the three additional members of the Executive Committee.

They shall meet at least once a year and be responsible for auditing the financial report of the Treasurer. The audit shall be signed by at least two members of the Supervisory Board.

Members may be re-elected once.


ARTICLE 12 - Assets

The Association may posses moveable and immoveable assets and funds. The funds shall be composed of:
* membership fees
* any donations, bequests, subsidies
* income from activities of the Association conducted in compliance with the law
* income from the assets of the Association and public generosity


ARTICLE 13 - Dissolution

In the event of the General Meeting deciding to dissove the Association, a committee shall be appointed to dispose of its assets.