Constitution of the Fortran Specialist Group

(revised and adopted at the Group's AGM on 19 May, 2004)

1. The Group is called The British Computer Society Fortran Specialist Group.
2. The Group is formed by a number of people with a common interest in the Fortran language.
3. The Fortran Specialist Group is a part of the British Computer Society.
4. The Fortran Specialist Group consists of the officers listed in Section 3, individual fee paying members and corporate members.

1. To promote the use of Fortran.
2. To encourage research into Fortran.
3. To develop competence in Fortran.
4. To promote and support the Fortran standard.
5. To provide a forum for Fortran Specialists to talk to one another.
6. To represent the interests of Fortran Specialist Group members with other bodies.

1. The officers are Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as are required to perform specific tasks.
2. The Group shall appoint two of its number, who shall hold professional membership of the BCS, to attend meetings of the BCS Specialist Groups Assembly as the Group's representatives.
3. The Chairman and Treasurer of the Group must be a Fellow or Member of the BCS.
4. Other officers of the Group should normally be members of the BCS.
5. All officers of the Group must abide by the Code of Conduct relating to members of the BCS.
6. The officers shall be elected by the Annual General Meeting and shall serve from the end of the meeting at which they are elected until the end of the meeting at which they are replaced.

1. Each year the Group shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in May.
2. The Secretary shall send out to all members of the Group, at least 28 days before, notice of the date, time and place of the AGM, together with the agenda and nomination form for officers.
3. All members have the right to attend the AGM for which there shall be no charge.
4. The quorum is five members.
5. The agenda for the AGM shall include:
   1. The minutes of the previous AGM.
   2. The minutes of any EGM held since the previous AGM.
   3. The Chairman's Report.
   4. The Treasurer's Report and Statement of Accounts.
   5. Proposals for alterations to Rules.
   6. Proposals for alterations to Fees.
   7. Election of Officers.
6. The minutes of previous AGM and EGMs must be confirmed, after any amendments, by the meeting and signed by the Chairman.
7. Any member of the Group is entitled to nominate a person for any elected office. Such nominations may be proposed and seconded at the meeting if not previously received by the Secretary.
8. Every proposal at an AGM shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast by those present. Individual members of the Group each have a single vote. The accredited representative of each corporate and sustaining BCS member also has a single vote.

1. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be convened within five weeks of receipt by the Secretary of a requisition signed by seven members.
2. An EGM shall transact only such business as is specified in the resolutions or requisitions convening it.
3. Sections 4b, c, d and g apply also to an EGM.

1. The Treasurer shall keep proper Records of Account and shall present the accounts up to the last day of April each year to the AGM next following the end of the financial year to which the accounts relate.
2. The financial year of the Group shall commence on the first day of May each year
3. The funds of the Group shall be under the control of the Committee.
4. The annual subscription shall be such amounts as the Committee may from time to time decide.
5. The subscription shall become due on the First of May each year or on admission.
6. All membership fees and any surplus arising from the activities of the Group shall be managed in accordance with the financial guidelines agreed by the BCS.

1. The Group is governed by the rules of the BCS as these apply to Specialist Groups. Where it is considered that a rule of the Group is in conflict with a BCS rule governing Specialist Group activities, the BCS rule applies.
2. The Group may use the BCS name to enhance the reputation of their own activities but must not bring the BCS into disrepute.
3. No member of the Group may speak on behalf of the BCS without proper authority from the BCS.
4. In the event of the winding up or dissolution of the Group any surplus assets remaining after discharge of liabilities shall automatically rest in the BCS.

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