THE ASSOCIATION OF PRACTICAL THEOLOGY IN
OCEANIA
CONSTITUTION
I.
Purpose of the Association
The purpose of the
Association of Practical Theology in Oceania (APTO) is the study of
and critical reflection on practical theological thought and action
in the Oceania region. Alert to the variety of historical and
cultural contexts in Oceania APTO seeks to promote interregional,
intercultural and ecumenical dialogue and understanding. To this
end the association seeks to support people to attend its annual
conference with a desire to have as many Oceania regions and
cultures as possible represented at its
conferences.
II. Membership and
Guests
A. There is only one
category of APTO membership. Active status is normally maintained
through regular attendance at APTO conferences and by payment of
membership fees. Due regard will be given to the reality of the
geographical distances and financial disparities within the Oceania
region.
B. Guests are welcome
to attend official APTO conferences at the invitation of the
Executive Committee, upon recommendation of an APTO member. Guests
may participate fully in the conference with the exception of
voting (and meet one, or more of the following criteria; shall be
determined by the availability of accommodations, capacity of the
facilities, and practical feasibility.
III. Eligibility for
Membership
Those eligible for
APTO membership should be:
A. Persons who
subscribe to the purposes of APTO as stated in its
Constitution
and meet one, or more
of the following criteria;
B. Persons who are
researchers, scholars and/or practitioners in the field of
practical theology and its related disciplines.
C. Persons with
scholarly interest in practical theology and its related
disciplines demonstrated by publications and/or other scholarly
accomplishments.
D. Persons with a
research degree in practical theology or its related
disciplines.
IV. Membership Rules and
Procedures
A. Voting members
present at each APTO business meeting shall constitute the
Membership Committee.
The Membership
Committee shall accept members on the basis of the membership
criteria
B. Members may
nominate one or more persons for APTO membership by letters of
nomination, supported and signed by two members, and forwarded to
the current President of APTO. The President shall refer them to
the Membership Committee for review and final decision according to
majority vote.
C. Letters of
nomination summarize the academic and other contributions to
practical theology of the nominee. Letters of nomination include a
brief curriculum vitae of the nominee and contact
information.
E. Financial
assessments of members are due at the time of APTO’s regularly
scheduled conferences, whether or not members are able to attend a
particular conference.
V.
Executive Committee and Election of Offices
A. The APTO Executive
Committee shall consist of President, Vice-President, Secretary,
Treasurer and other persons as determined by election at
general/business meetings held at the time of APTO
Conferences.
B. The members of the
Executive Committee are elected by the membership at the AGM. Their
term of office commences immediately upon election and runs through
until elections at the following AGM.
C. No member shall
serve more than two consecutive terms in the same
office.
D. Officers shall be
elected by a majority of the members of the Association attending
the AGM.
E. The Executive
Committee has responsibility for the affairs of APTO between
AGMs.
F. The President
chairs Executive Committee meetings and the AGM
G. The
Executive Committee is to be elected before new members are
nominated for membership of the association.
VI. Finances and Membership
Fees
A. Financial
assessments shall be determined by a majority vote of the members
attending the AGM, upon recommendation of the Executive
Committee.
B. The Treasurer
shall create orderly procedures for receiving, dispersing, and
transferring funds from meeting to meeting and country to country,
and for insuring that accounts are properly reviewed with a
financial report distributed to the membership at each AGM and
posted or emailed to active members not present at the
AGM
C. The APTO Executive
seeks ways of providing financial assistance to members who would
be impeded attending conferences due to geographical and financial
restraints. Applications for such assistance should be made to the
President and will be decided by the Executive Committee. The
Executive Committee may seek funding for this purpose from academic
institutions, agencies or other sources of
finance.
VII. Theme, Schedule and Place of Official
Meetings
A. Official
conferences of APTO will be held annually at a time of maximum
convenience for its members. Attention will be given to the desire
to hold conferences across the regions of
Oceania.
B. The theme, place
and schedule of official conferences shall be discussed at each
APTO AGM. The Executive Committee has responsibility for final
decisions on the program, place, time, cost, and other practical
arrangements for conferences.
C. It is the
responsibility of the Executive Committee to make recommendations
as to the time and place of official APTO conferences. The place of
conferences should be chosen with consideration given to
international distribution and accessibility of
sites.
Nominations of places
for future conferences should be forwarded to the President of APTO
in a timely manner.
IIX. Working Language of
APTO
English shall be the
working language of APTO.
IX. Amendment of
Constitution
This Constitution and
its By-Laws may be amended by two-thirds of members attending
stated APTO business meetings.
Proposed amendments
are to be discussed at the AGM of the year they are
proposed.
B. The proposed
amendment is to be and posted or emailed to active members not
present at the AGM.
C. The proposed
amendments put to the vote at the AGM of the following year and
passed by two-thirds of members attending that
meeting.
X
Dissolution of APTO
Dissolution of APTO
can only occur by a vote of the active membership and passed by a
two-thirds majority. A vote for dissolution can only occur if
all active members have been given an opportunity to vote. A vote
for dissolution may or may not occur in the context of an AGM. All
money and assets belonging to APTO are to be distributed by the
Treasurer in equal value to all active members of APTO at the time
of at the time of dissolution
As approved at the
APTO AGM 24th June 2010 | 