ISOCM - Rules of the Society
1 § The name of the association is "The International Society for Orthodox Church Music – ISOCM" and its domicile is the town of Joensuu, under the aegis of School of Theology in the Philosophical Faculty at the University of Eastern Finland.
2 § The purpose of the Society is to foster the development and knowledge of church music traditions based on Byzantine and other Eastern Christian heritage, irrespective of the origin of the local Orthodox Church, and develop the same creatively for the needs of the Orthodox Churches in the future.
3 § The Society implements its purposes
1. by educating and informing all interested members and non-members by organizing conferences, workshops, meetings, lectures and other such activities for studying, reflecting on and discussing issues relating to Orthodox music.
2. by publishing works of interest both to members and a wider audience.
3. by circulating when appropriate an electronic newsletter about the activities of the Society and its members.
4. by hosting, moderating and participating in online channels of communication such as a website containing Orthodox music resources and links and internet discussion groups dedicated to Orthodox music.
4 § Any person who is a professional, a researcher, a choir director, a singer, a teacher, or a creative composer in the practical field of Orthodox Church music, and who promises through his/her activities to promote the goals of the Society, may be accepted by the Board of the Society as a member.
The Board of the Society accepts associate members. Associate membership is open for real people or legal entities. Associate members have no right to vote in the meetings of the Society.
The Society may in its meetings elect any person as an honorary member who has supported its activities in an outstanding way.
The Board of the Society may expel any member whose activities are in contradiction to the goals, purposes or rules of the Society.
A member of the Society has the right to resign from the Society by announcing this intention in writing to the Board or the chairperson. Such announcement may also be made at a meeting of the Society, to be marked in the minutes.
5 § Members and associate members pay to the Society a membership fee which is decided at the annual meeting of the Society.
The Society can receive donations and legacies.
6 § The business of the Society is taken care of and represented as lawful by the Board to which, at the annual meeting, a chairperson and four members are elected. The Board elects a vice-chairperson among its members. The Board also elects a secretary and a treasurer who may be chosen from outside the Board.
At the annual meeting the chairperson is elected for the term of four years. Other Board members are elected for the term of two years.
7 § The Board meets by request of the chairperson, or if he/she is indisposed, of the vice-chairperson. Three members present constitute a quorum. If vote is tied, the chairperson's vote is the deciding vote.
8 § The name of the Society is written by two of the following together: the chairperson, the vice-chairperson or the secretary.
9 § The balancing of the accounts of the Society is done according to the financial year starting from the first day of January until the last day of December (1.1.–31.12. each year). The accounts must be given one month before the annual meeting to the operations inspector who must give a written report to the Board at least two weeks before the annual meeting.
10 § The annual meeting of the Society is held during the period May–August. Other meetings are held when the Board or the annual meeting deems it necessary or when at least one tenth of the whole number of the members of the Society demands it in writing for a specific matter.
At the annual meeting, every member and honorary member has a vote. Associate members have a right to be present and to speak.
The meetings of the Society are convened by the Board at least three months before the day of the meeting by post or electronic mail and on the Society's internet website.
11 § In the annual meeting the following matters are to be dealt with:
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election of the chairperson, the secretary, two scrutinizers of the minutes of the meeting, and two people to count the votes, if necessary,
2. establishment of the legality of the meeting,
3. acceptance of the agenda for the meeting,
4. presentation of the annual report of the Society, the accounts, and the report of the accountants,
5. certification of the closing of the accounts and discharging the Board,
6. accepting the plan of action, revenue estimates and expenditure estimates (budget) for the present year, fixing the annual membership fee,
7. election of the chairperson of the Board every fourth year and of other Board members every second year,
8. election of an operations inspector and a substitute,
9. discussion of other matters submitted to the meeting at least three months before the day of meeting.
10. discussion of any matter submitted to the Board less than three months before the annual meeting, provided that there is unanimous decision to do so on the part of the annual meeting.
The annual meeting may not make any decision concerning the dissolution of the Society, changes in rules, nor the selling, buying or mortgaging of real estate, if it is not mentioned in the notice of the meeting.
12 § Any decision concerning changes in the rules of the Society, or its dissolution, may be taken at the annual meeting with the support of at least two thirds of the given votes. Changes in the rules or the dissolution of the Society must in that case be mentioned when the meeting is convened.
13 § If the Society is to be dissolved, its funds will be transferred to the School of Theology, University of Eastern Finland to be used for the benefit of international research in Orthodox church music.
14 § With regard to any other issues, the provisions of the law on associations in force in Finland are followed.