Standing Conference of Centres of Latin American Studies

Constitution

The Standing Conference of Centres of Latin American Studies (the ‘Standing Conference’) was established in 1966 to coordinate the development of Latin American studies in the UK, including the establishment of the Journal of Latin American Studies in 1969.

Mission
The purpose of the Standing Conference is to provide a forum for departments and programmes of Latin American studies to communicate and collaborate on issues of strategic importance to the field, such as student numbers, library collections, staff appointments, visitors, topical events, and academic developments in the region.

The Standing Conference also provides input to government policy-makers on issues such as Research Council funding strategies.

Membership
The membership of the Standing Conference is open to Directors (or equivalent) of significant Latin American and Caribbean teaching and/or research programmes in UK universities. These include, but are not necessarily limited to, the original Parry centres of Latin American studies (at the Universities of Cambridge, Liverpool, London and Oxford) set up in the 1960s, as well as those established thereafter (Essex, Warwick, Portsmouth, Swansea, Manchester, Newcastle, and the centres for Brazilian studies at Oxford and King’s College London).

The President of the Society for Latin American Studies and the President of the Society for Caribbean Studies are also members. The Standing Conference may approve additional membership from time to time.

The term of office of individual members coincides with that of their role as Director or President. Membership of the Standing Conference is automatically conferred upon an incoming director, department head or president of existing member universities or societies. Changes to post-holders should be notified to the Secretary & Treasurer.

Representation
The Standing Conference is represented on the Society for Latin American Studies (SLAS), the UK Council of Area Studies Associations (UKCASA) and is recognised by HEFCE and the British Academy as a Learned Society.

Office-holders
As well as ordinary members, the Standing Conference has two office-holders: the Chair and the Secretary & Treasurer. The Chair is responsible for convening meetings and acting on behalf of the Standing Conference. The Secretary & Treasurer issues agendas and minutes for meetings and maintains the accounts.

The role of the Chair is held by the Director of the Institute for the Study of the Americas, or his or her nominee if the Director is not a Latin Americanist. The Secretary & Treasurer is the senior administrator of the Institute for the Study of the Americas. The terms of service of both Chair and Secretary & Treasurer are ongoing.

The Institute for the Study of the Americas is charged by HEFCE to play a national role in providing this service to the UK Latin Americanist community.

Meetings
Meetings are held twice a year, in May and November, and minutes are kept of the discussion. Members are notified of forthcoming meetings at the May meeting each year, as well as by means of a written agenda distributed one week before the meeting.

Five members of the Standing Conference constitutes a quorum for decision-making purposes. All members are eligible to vote.

Finance
Income and expenditure is monitored by the Secretary & Treasurer, who provides a detailed financial report to members at each meeting. All expenditure is authorised by the Chair of the Standing Conference and ratified by the membership by means of the financial reports.

The Standing Conference does not charge a regular membership fee, but may from time to time request contributions from its members. It may also administer grants on behalf of its members and the Latin Americanist community as a whole. It is supported by the Institute for the Study of the Americas with in-kind resources such as meeting venues, catering and administrative support.

Amendments to the Constitution
Amendments to the Constitution of the Standing Conference may be proposed prior to a meeting and agreed upon at a quorate meeting at which the Chair and Secretary & Treasurer are present.


Approved by the Standing Conference on 27 November 2006