Charter of the Association

art. 1

With the name of "ASSOCIAZIONE ASTROFILI TRENTINI" (Trento Amateur Astronomers Association) is constituted a nonprofit association operating within the Province of Trento.

art. 2

The Association has its seat in Trento at the Tridentine Museum of Natural Science, via Calepina 14. It can institute sections in the Province of Trento.

art. 3

To achieve its aims the Association intends:

1. to take care of the study and the divulgation of Astronomy at every level; to assist the members in their practical and theoretical activity; to stimulate the research, the education and the information at every level;
2. to assist everybody is interested by projecting, producting and making available material for exhibitions, didactical courses and expressly organized campaigns;
3. to finance researchers' exchange; to promote or attend astronomical meetings, conferences, seminars or debates;
4. to cooperate with every initiative and association that pursues the same aims;
5. in general, to carry out any other action which can be useful to achieve the social aims.

Can be Members of the Association those who, by declaring their acceptance of this Charter, send in an express application.

The enrollment can take place at the central seat of the Association or at any section. The new Members have to be presented by two duly enrolled Members. The ratification of the Members' enrollment is due to the Board of Governors. Besides, the Board of Governors has the right to deliberate the expulsion of the Members from the Association. This expulsion can be decreed for

1. moral unworthiness;
2. conduct contrasting the statutary aims;
3. activities which cause great damage to the Association.

Against such deliberation is allowed an appeal to the Arbitration Board, whose decision is inappellable.

The Association includes the following categories of Members:

- young members
- ordinary members
- contributing members
- meritorious members
- honorary members

The Members younger than 16 years can be part of a special categorie (with a cheap enrollment fee) without right to vote in the assemblies. The lowest yearly fees of every categorie are established by the Assembly. The Institutions, the Associations, the Foundations, the Administrations can enter the Association as contributing or meritorious Members.

The Board of Governors can call to enter the category "Honorary Members" those who did or do activities particularly important for the aims of the Association.

The Association intends to collect funds which will be used to achieve the statutary aims.

Besides the Members' fees, are proceeds of the Association the bequests and the donations, previous operating residues and every other income. The acceptance of donations is subordinated to the approval of the Board of Governors.

For special needs of the Association, can be asked integrative contributions, besides the enrollment fees. The deliberation, la amount and the application criteria of these contributions are proposed by the Board of Governors and must be approved by the Assembly.

The patrimony of the Association is constituted, apart from the enrollment fees, by every property which has received such destination from the Board of Governors.

Deliberative and consultative organs of the Association are:

1. the Assembly;
2. the Board of Governors;
3. the Chairman;
4. the Vice-Chairman;
5. the Secretary-general;
6. the Auditors' Committee;
7. the Arbitration Board.

The Assembly is composed by ordinary, contributing, meritorious and honorary Members who are up-to-date with the payment of the enrollment fee.

The Assembly is summoned in ordinary session once a year at least, not after April, to approve the budget, to elect or renew the Board of Governors, the Auditors and the Arbitrators and to discuss all the items proposed by the Board of Governors and put on the agenda.

The Assembly is summoned in extraordinary session whenever the Board of Governors thinks it opportune or one fifth of the Members asks it. The Assembly is presided by the Chairman of the Association or, as he is absent, by the Vice-Chairman, or, as they both are absent, by a designated among the people present.

The Chairman of the Assembly previously appoints an Assembly Secretary and two Scrutineers, chosen among the ordinary Members.

The Secretary and the Scrutineers will exercise the office of electoral commission, helped by the Chairman. The voting takes place, as a rule, by roll-call. When it is a matter of elections, if one Member asks it, there is a secret ballot. Of every session of the Assembly are drawn up the minutes, undersignes by the Chairman of the Assembly, the Secretary, the Assembly Secretary and the Scrutineers, if appointed.

The convocation has to be sent to the Members who are duly enrolled and up-to-date with the payment of the enrollment fee. The convocation is sent with a letter indicating agenda, place, date and hour of the Assembly, both in first and in second convocation.

The letter has to be sent at least twenty days before the meeting. If there is urgency, the notice period may be reduced to ten days.

The deliberations of the Assembly are taken by a majority of votes and with the presence of at least a half of the Members (written delegations included) in first convocation. In second convocation the deliberations are valid whatever the number of the people present.

To change the deed of partnership or this Charter, is necessary the presence of the absolute majority of the Members, in person or by delegation, and the favourable vote of three quarters of the people present.

The Members can have themselves represented by other Members. This representation must be conferred in writing. Every Member is not allowed the representation of more than two Members.

These matter are within the province of the ordinary Assembly:

1. to elect the Board of Governors;
2. to elect the Auditors, who will appoint their Chairman;
3. to elect the Arbitrators;
4. to determine the social contributions;
5. to determine the general directives of the Association;
6. to approve the budget. In this deliberation the Governors, the Auditors and the Secretary-general have not right to vote.

The Board of Governors puts into effect the deliberations of the Assembly; it has all the powers for the ordinary and extraordinary administration; it superintends the attivity of the Association; it enacts regulations; it arranges for everything is necessary to achieve the social aims; it prepares the yearly budget, relations on the activity and the yearly programme, which are submittes to the Assembly approval.

The Board of Governors can delegate part of its functions to the Chairman or to the Secretary-general.

the Board of Governors is composed by 5 (five) coucillors, elected by the Assembly among the Members. The Board of Governors is renewed every year and meets at least once a year, summoned by the Chairman or on request of at least three of its members. The meetings are valid if the majority of the components is present. If there is a parity the Chairman's vote prevails or, as he is absent, the Vice-Chairman's one.

If one of the Governors resigns, the first of non-elected persons enter the Board. If he doesn't accept the appointment, enters the next after him.

The Board of Governors elects, within itself, the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman, who are also Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the Association. The Chairman presides the Board meetings and those of the Assembly; he takes care of the observance of the Charter, directs the activity of the Association and carries out all the functions delegated by the Board of Governors. If the Chairman resigns, his powers are exercised by the Vice-Chairman. If the Chairman is absent or has any impediment, his powers are exercised by the Vice-Chairman until the end of the office; if this is impossible for him, there will be new elections. The Chairman remains in office for a year and is not re-elegible for more than three consecutive years.

The Secretary-general is appointed by the Board of Governors, which defines his functions and powers. He takes part in the Board meetings with consultive vote, if he is not already a Governors; however, he has to be chosen among the Members.

The Auditors' Committe is composed by three auditors elected among the Members. This organ has the control of the book-keeping management of the Association; this control has to turn out from yearly written minutes, on occasion of the budget approval, and undersigned by its components. The Auditors have to read their minutes to the Assembly.

All the litigations among Members or between Members and organs of the Association concerning the interpretation and the enforcement of this Charter, will be inappellably decided by an Arbitration Board, composed by three Arbitrators chosen among non-members.

Function of the Sections is to facilitate the achievement of the statutary aims, within the directives of the social organs. They are instituted by the Board of Governors, which establishes the limits of their province. Their administration is carried out by a Board: its appointment, composition and relation with the central organs are regulated by the Board of Governors with special regulations. The Board of Governors has authority to dissolve the Sections.

The financial year begins the first of January and ends the thirty-first of December. The first financial year will end on December 31, 1982.

The budget has to be deposites at the social seat at Members' disposal, at least 15 (fifteen) days before the Assembly. The Board of Governors submits the budget to the Assembly approval by the end of April.

To deliberate the dissolution of the Association and the devolution its patrimony, is necessary the favourable vote of at least three quarters of the Members, summoned in extraordinary Assembly at a month's notice.

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