Constitution

Article 1 – Name :

The name of the organization shall be “Ambedkar King Study Circle”.

Article II – Aim :

The goal of the Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC) is to promote an egalitarian society by challenging caste, class, race, gender and religious oppression and standing with the oppressed in their struggle for freedom.

Article III – Means and Methods to achieve the Aim :

“Educate, Organize and Agitate” is our strategy to achieve our aim.

Nurturing our intellectual capacity by regular reading and debates.

Organizing and participating in hall meetings, protests and demonstrations to sensitize and educate the people in the United States on class, race, caste, gender and religious oppression taking place across the globe in general, and among South Asians in particular.

Article IV – Membership :

Membership:

  1. Any person who satisfies the below shall be eligible for membership.
    1. above the age of 17 years,
    2. a resident of the United States of America,
    3. agrees to abide by this constitution,
    4. and is willing to pay the applicable membership dues
  2. Membership Fee: Membership fee is annual. Period is July – June.  All dues should be paid by Aug 31 for the year to come.
    1. $120 / year
    2. $20 / year for a student who is NOT receiving salary/stipend.
    3. $60 / year for a non-earning member whose spouse is working.
  3. Exceptions will be approved by the executive.
  4. Membership fee is not refundable in case of a member’s resignation.

Membership Meeting:

  1. EC should convene a monthly membership meeting(MMM) on the penultimate Thursday of each month.
  2. Any change of date should be informed to all the members over email and a new date should be communicated before a week(inclusive of meeting date). Eg: To move a meeting to Tuesday should be informed by the previous Wednesday.
  3. Special members meeting will be convened on a need basis with 12 hours notice.

Suspending Member:

  1. Any member who opposes Ambedkar King Study Circle’s core principles or engages in anti-organizational activities is subject to disciplinary action.
  2. To initiate an inquiry, a written complaint should be filed against such a member by any member.
  3. Following a discussion, these members may be suspended.
  4. The Executive Committee (EC) will have the authority to make the final decision regarding suspension.
  5. The suspension period will range from a minimum of 1 month to a maximum of 2 months.
  6. Membership is not refundable in case of suspension.

Expelling Member:

  1. Extreme cases of anti-organizational activities may result in expulsion.
  2. To initiate an inquiry, a written complaint should be filed against such a member by any member.
  3. A member undergoing an expulsion inquiry cannot resign and must undergo the inquiry process.
  4. The Executive Committee (EC) holds the authority to make the final decision on expulsion.
  5. Expelled members can reapply for membership only after a waiting period of 6 months.
  6. Membership is not refundable in case of expulsion.

Article V – Bodies :

Executive Committee (EC):

  1. Any member who satisfies the below condition can apply to the existing EC to be elected to the EC.
    1. consistently attends book readings and discussion,
    2. participates in AKSC-organized programs,
    3. contributes to AKSC-related tasks, and
    4. who is neither an office bearer nor an executive member in any other organization.
  2. Every Year GB will elect the executive committee (EC) and EC is valid till next GB. The previous EC will propose a new EC and the new EC should collectively secure 50% of members in AGB.
  3. There is no size limit for EC and no term limit for EC members.
  4. EC should meet at least once in a week to plan, execute and track the tasks.
  5. New EC member who is NOT elected in GB can be added to EC by two-third approval in EC which has to be ratified in members monthly meeting with-in 2 months.
  6. Executive member removal: An EC member can be removed by 2/3 YES vote of the total EC. Absence in such EC meetings will be deemed as abstention hence NOT YES vote.

Secretary:

  1. Any EC member is eligible to be elected as a secretary.
  2. Secretary will be elected by the EC on the sideline of the AGB.
  3. The Secretary is responsible for the functioning of the EC.
  4. The Secretary has the right to convene the executive.
  5. Term of the secretary is one year and typically GB to GB.
  6. Outgoing Secretary can’t be elected again for the next 3 years.
  7. Secretary Removal: Applied same as an EC member removal.

Article VI – Annual General Body :

  1. The Annual General Body (AGB) shall convene once a year between August and October.
  2. The EC is responsible for forming the AGB committee. The AGB committee is tasked with drafting the annual report, which includes a summary of tasks undertaken in previous years and outlines future tasks.
  3. AGB discussions are open to both members and invitees, but only members have voting rights on agenda items.

Article VII – Board of Directors :

  1. Any full member of AKSC for 6 years is eligible to be elected as a Board of Director.
  2. Board of Director will be elected by the EC for every 2 years.
  3. Size of Board of Director is 3 and NO term limit.
  4. Any increase in size should be approved in the AGB.