Statutes of the IMS

The International Musicological Society (hereafter “the IMS”) is a not-for-profit association constituted in conformity with articles 60 and onward of the Swiss Civil Code. Its duration is unlimited.

The purpose of the IMS is to further musicological research in its broadest sense among all peoples and to foster scholarly collaboration.

The IMS has its domicile in Basel, Switzerland.

1. Membership categories:
   • Regular membership
   • Emeritus membership
   • Student membership
   • Corporate membership (institutions, societies, and libraries)
   • Life membership
   • Honorary membership
2. Application for membership shall be made in writing to the Bureau. Members receive IMS publications free of charge and are entitled to attend the General Assembly.
3. The Directorium can introduce changes to the membership categories to be confirmed at the next General Assembly.
4. Members may resign from the IMS by communicating their decision to the Bureau in writing. In the event of serious violations by a member of the Statutes or the international rules of academic integrity and conduct, the Directorium can expel a member from the IMS. This decision requires unanimity. The excluded member can appeal to the General Assembly.

Persons who have made exceptional contributions to musicology may be awarded honorary membership by the Directorium. Honorary members shall have all rights and privileges of regular members but shall not pay membership fee.

The general scheme of membership fees shall be determined by the General Assembly acting on the recommendation of the Directorium. Details concerning the implementation are fixed in the Internal Regulations. Regular adjustments to the annual changes of the GDP list will be monitored by the Directorium. Members automatically cease to belong to the IMS if they fail to pay their subscription, provided that they have been reminded of the arrears at least three months before the date of their exclusion, and provided also that membership is automatically resumed when the arrears of subscription are paid.

At each General Assembly the Directorium will seek permission to increase the membership fees once during its five-year term if necessary. This increase must not exceed fifteen percent. The Directorium may propose a further increase at each General Assembly.

The Swiss Franc is the currency for all accounting procedures of the IMS.

The official language for purposes of administration including member communication is English. Scholarly activities of the IMS may be carried out in other languages.

The governing bodies of the IMS are the General Assembly, the Directorium, and the Bureau.

1. The General Assembly consists of all the IMS members. It exercises control over all activities of the IMS. The Directorium and Bureau are responsible to it.
2. Ordinary General Assemblies take place every five years at an International Congress of the IMS.
3. An Extraordinary General Assembly may be called by the President if requested by the Directorium or in writing by one third of the membership.
4. The location of a General Assembly is not limited to Switzerland.
5. The President chairs the General Assembly.
6. Should it prove impossible to call a General Assembly at a proposed date, the Directorium and Bureau will continue to officiate until the next General Assembly.

1. Decisions are taken and validated by simple majority of the members present, voting either by a show of hands, or, if the General Assembly requires, by a ballot. In the event of a tie the President has a casting vote.
2. The decisions of the General Assembly shall in all cases be final provided the meeting has been properly convened.
3. For the dissolution of the IMS a two-thirds majority of the members present is required.

1. Approval of the Statutes and any modifications
2. Approval of the report of the President
3. Approval of the report of the Secretary General
4. Approval of the financial five-year report upon the recommendation of the Auditors
5. Election of the Auditors
6. Decision on membership fees
7. Discussion and voting on proposals by the President, the Bureau, the Directorium, and the membership
8. Approval of the election of the Directorium
9. Decision and voting on the dissolution of the IMS

The Directorium is elected by the IMS members. Voting is secret and a simple majority of votes decides. The election is divided into two phases:

1. At least five months before the date of the General Assembly members of each country entitled to be represented in the Directorium will be sent the complete list of members from their country. Within six weeks they nominate twice the number of candidates that the country is entitled to elect. Each country with thirty enrolled members has the right to one seat in the Directorium; those with one hundred or more members have the right to two seats. Eligibility for nomination is determined by domicile, not nationality. Society members residing in eligible countries shall elect the nominees for their country by email or post, reaching the Secretary General within the aforementioned six weeks. On the basis of these nominations the names of the two, or respectively four, candidates who have obtained a majority of nominations are put on a shortlist. Further nominations are added by the Bureau and comprise
   • Secretary General;
   • twelve members proposed by the Directorium from countries not otherwise represented, of which six are to be elected by all IMS members.
2. Candidates not on the shortlist are ineligible, and any such name will be ignored at the election. Only IMS members who have paid their annual subscription will be allowed to vote. Each member has only one vote.

The President takes the chair at meetings of the Directorium. The Directorium assumes office at the end of the five-year congress after the General Assembly and meets at least twice between the five-year congresses. The last meeting is at the beginning of the next five-year congress. Its activities are governed by Internal Regulations. See also art. 7.1.3a of the Statutes. The Directorium consists of

1. the members elected from candidates proposed by the various countries;
2. six members elected from a list of twelve proposed by the Directorium from countries not otherwise represented;
3. the President;
4. the two Vice Presidents;
5. the Immediate Past President;
6. the President-Elect (in the year before the General Assembly);
7. the Secretary General;
8. the Treasurer (ex officio, without voting rights);
9. the Executive Officer (ex officio, without voting rights).

The term of office for Directorium members is five years. If a Directorium member dies or resigns while in office, the place is filled for the remainder of the term by the person who received the second highest number of votes at the last election. Directorium members with voting rights may not serve for more than two terms. The President shall hold office for no more than one five-year term as President and one additional five-year term as Immediate Past President. The Secretary General can be re-elected more than once but may not serve more than fifteen years in total. If the Secretary General resigns while in office, the Bureau proposes a new Secretary General ad interim for the rest of the quinquennial term, who has to be approved by the Directorium and elected by all IMS members by ballot vote. If a Vice President resigns while in office, the place is filled for the remainder of the term by the person who received the second highest number of votes at the last election of Vice Presidents. If a President resigns while in office, one of the Vice Presidents takes the position ad interim and a new President is elected in accordance with the rules given in art. 7.3.5 of the Statutes.

1. Decisions are taken by simple majority through voting by a show of hands unless the majority asks for a written or electronic ballot.
2. In case of a tie the President decides.
3. Seven members present constitute a quorum able to take decisions.

The Directorium

1. nominates up to three candidates for the President-Elect (see art. 7.3.5a of the Statutes);
2. elects the two Vice Presidents from Directorium members;
3. appoints the Treasurer upon the nomination of the Bureau;
4. appoints the Editor(s) of Acta Musicologica upon nomination of the Bureau;
5. approves the nomination of the Secretary General;
6. approves the Directorium nominees;
7. approves the Internal Regulations of the Directorium including Internal Regulations for the election of the President-Elect;
8. approves the guidelines for Committees, Regional Associations, and Study Groups;
9. acts on proposals submitted by the President on behalf of the Bureau;
10. votes on all matters that are not explicitly within the responsibility of other governing bodies according to the Statutes or to mandatory law;
11. may increase the annual membership fee once during the five-year term (see art. 5.2 of the Statutes);
12. determines the date and location of the next International Congress together with the Bureau and communicates this to all members at least seven months before the next General Assembly;
13. approves the Program Committee Chair(s) of the International Congress.

The Bureau meets at least once a year. The President has the authority to convene it at any time with at least thirty days’ notice. The date and place of meetings are fixed by the President in consultation with the Secretary General. At its first meeting the Bureau determines authorizations to sign. The Bureau consists of

1. the President;
2. the two Vice Presidents;
3. the President-Elect (in the year before the General Assembly);
4. the Immediate Past President;
5. the Secretary General;
6. the Treasurer (ex officio, without voting rights);
7. the Executive Officer (ex officio, without voting rights).

The term of office for Bureau members is five years. Bureau members with voting rights may not serve for more than two terms. The President shall hold office for no more than one five-year term as President and one additional five-year term as Immediate Past President. The Secretary General can be re-elected more than once but may not serve more than fifteen years in total.

The Bureau manages the current business of the IMS and

1. nominates the Secretary General (see art. 7.2.3e of the Statutes);
2. nominates the Treasurer (see art. 7.2.3c of the Statutes);
3. approves the annual financial report and budget;
4. nominates the Editor(s) of Acta Musicologica;
5. appoints the Editorial Board of Acta Musicologica in collaboration with the Editor(s);
6. appoints the Executive Officer;
7. determines the date and location of the next International Congress together with the Directorium;
8. decides on the place and date of international symposia taking place between five-year congresses;
9. nominates the Program Committee Chair(s) of the International Congress to be confirmed by the Directorium;
10. appoints the members of the Program Committee of the International Congress in consultation with the Program Committee Chair(s).

The President chairs meetings and decides the business to be transacted between meetings in consultation with the Secretary General. He delegates work to the other Bureau members as necessary. The President shall hold office for no more than one five-year term and one additional five-year term as Immediate Past President.

The Vice Presidents are elected in the first meeting of the newly elected Directorium in accordance with the Internal Regulations.

1. The Directorium nominates up to three candidates from IMS members for election. The three may include candidates proposed by any IMS member.
2. The President-Elect is elected by the whole membership one year before the beginning of the next presidential term.
3. The election procedure is defined by Internal Regulations, conducted by the Secretary General, and approved by the Directorium.
4. If the President-Elect is in his or her second term of office in the Directorium, he or she can serve a third term in the role of President.
5. If the President-Elect is elected from one of the two Vice Presidents, the two offices (Vice President and President-Elect) merge.
6. If the President-Elect is not a Directorium member, he or she will become an ex-officio member but will not be counted as part of the country’s quota.

The Secretary General

1. oversees the administration of the IMS;
2. assists the President in current business;
3. prepares the meetings of all three governing bodies together with the President;
4. sends out the minutes to the members of the governing bodies;
5. organizes elections;
6. must be an IMS member but will not be counted as part of a country’s quota;
7. may not serve more than fifteen years.

The Treasurer

1. must be a Swiss resident;
2. is appointed by the Directorium upon nomination by the Bureau for one five-year term;
3. administers the finances of the IMS;
4. attends all meetings of the governing bodies (the Bureau and the Directorium) ex officio in an advisory capacity;
5. presents the financial reports to the governing bodies;
6. can be re-appointed.

The Executive Officer

1. is a contracted officer;
2. works closely together with the President, Secretary General, and Treasurer in current administrative matters;
3. attends all meetings of the governing bodies (the Bureau, the Directorium, and the General Assembly) ex officio in an advisory capacity.

At the suggestion of the Bureau, the Directorium approves Committees with permanent or temporary tasks. They must include IMS members, but additional members may be recruited from other learned societies. Committees report to the Directorium. Each of these Committees shall establish its own scheme of work. Committees with permanent tasks give themselves Internal Regulations, of which the Directorium receives a copy. Committee Chairs must be IMS members.

IMS Members from a specific area can form a Regional Association to strengthen local networks. Regional Associations are approved by the Directorium, organize themselves, and meet at least every two years. After each meeting they report to the Bureau.

IMS Members sharing a common interest in a theme of international scope can form a Study Group. Study Groups are approved by the Directorium, organize themselves, and meet at least every two years. After each meeting they report to the Bureau.

Motions to propose modifications of the IMS Statutes can only be presented by the Bureau, the Directorium, or a group of at least ten percent of the members. Such motions must be communicated in writing to the President at least six months before the next General Assembly, and they must be brought to the notice of all IMS members at least three months before the same meeting. A two-thirds majority of those present at the meeting shall be necessary for the acceptance of such proposals of modification.

The IMS has two Auditors. They

1. do not have to be IMS members;
2. are elected by the General Assembly for one five-year term and may be re-elected;
3. check the accounts of the IMS every five years and report to the General Assembly.

The IMS has two official periodical publications:

1. Acta Musicologica is a peer-reviewed musicological periodical. Its main purpose is to further knowledge on all aspects of music. There shall be an Editor or Editors and an Editorial Board. The Editor(s) will be appointed by the Directorium and the Editorial Board by the Bureau in collaboration with the Editor(s).
2. The IMS Newsletter is an online publication in English.

The Directorium and the Bureau develop their own Internal Regulations of procedure for current business.

The funds of the IMS are comprised of annual subscriptions, subsidies, donations, legacies, and any other income.

The liability of the IMS for its obligations is strictly limited to its assets. Subject to the membership fee due by each member, the IMS members shall under no circumstances be made responsible and liable for commitments and obligations toward third parties undertaken by the IMS.

Dissolution of the IMS can only be demanded by the Directorium or at least half of the members. Motions to dissolve the IMS must be submitted in writing to the President at least six months before the next General Assembly and brought to the notice of all members at least three months before the same meeting. A two-thirds majority of all members with a written ballot shall be necessary to pass a resolution to dissolve the IMS. If the IMS is dissolved, its fixed and movable assets shall be handed over to another international institution nominated by the Directorium and approved by the General Assembly.

Jurisdiction is canton Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.

These Statutes were adapted by the IMS Directorium on November 4, 2021,
and approved by the 21st IMS General Assembly in Athens (GR) on August 25, 2022.