SGT Policies - Society of Glass Technology

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SGT Rules <<click to download>>

(a) To advance the study of glass technology, which term, used in expressing the objects of the Society, shall cover all aspects of the history, art, science, manufacture, after-treatment and use of glass of any and every kind.

(b) To hold meetings for the presentation and discussion of papers and the delivery of lectures, and to arrange conferences and exhibitions for the advancement of glass technology.

(c) To collect, edit and publish papers, books, reports, and any other information of service to those interested in the subject of glass technology.

(d) To form and maintain a library of papers, books, reports, electronic resources and any other publications having a bearing directly or indirectly on glass technology.

(e) To advance the foregoing objects, but not for other purposes by promoting the association of persons interested in glass technology and collaborating with other organisations in the pursuit of these objects.

The Society shall consist of Honorary Fellows, Fellows Emeritus, Fellows, Members and Corporate Members.

The government and control of the Society and its affairs shall be vested in a Council constituted and elected as hereinafter provided.

Every Honorary Officer shall be a Member, or the nominated representative of a Corporate Member or a Fellow or an Honorary Fellow or Fellow Emeritus.

(a) A Corporate Member is a firm, company, association or institution interested in the objects of the Society which shall have been duly elected as hereinafter provided.

(b) Every firm, company, association or institution applying for Corporate Membership shall apply in writing, and the application shall be signed on behalf of the company, association or institution and, shall be in such form and with such particulars as the Council may from time to time determine.

The Society encourages all persons, businesses and groups who have an interest in glass in all its forms to become members. Application can be made via the website, e-mail or post to the Society office.

All Members of the Society agree to be bound by its rules and regulations, to represent and further the objects of the Society and conduct themselves in a manner appropriate to the circumstances when representing the Society in any way

All applicants for membership will be required to signify that they have read, understood and agree to abide by the Society’s Rules. On payment of the appropriate fee applicants will be registered as members of the Society.

When a Member or Corporate Member has joined the Society the Honorary Secretary shall request them to remit to the Honorary Treasurer the first subscription (if not already paid). The election shall become void if within three months of the notification of the election the first subscription shall not have been paid.

(a) A Fellow is a person who by reason of having rendered special service in promoting the objects of the Society shall have been elected to Fellowship by the Council on the recommendation of a Board of Fellows constituted and acting in the manner hereinafter provided.

(b) Every person who makes application for Fellowship shall, on a form obtainable from the Honorary Secretary, furnish evidence of being a Member or nominated representative of a Corporate Member, for at least the last five years and shall quote the names of three persons, either Members or Fellows, but preferably the latter, who have expressed in writing their consent to act as referees: provided that, where that applicant is resident overseas, the Council may on special recommendation from the Board remit wholly or in part the requirement relating to furnishing the names of referees. Further, every applicant shall provide satisfactory evidence of fulfilling the three following general requirements:

EITHER made an outstanding contribution or contributions in some branch of glass technology as defined in Rule 3(a). (The contributions may take the form of published work, inventions or improvements in processes, tools, apparatus or machinery applicable to the glass industry or of the creation and execution of original designs in glass)

OR attained a position of responsibility in service, coupled with positive and adequate service on the Council, or on one or more of the Society’s Committees or on the Committees of other bodies at home or abroad, pursuing interests similar to those of the Society

Such position of responsibility shall normally be one which involves the planning and direction of the work of other qualified staff, whether exercised in general managerial functions or in the more specialised functions of production, of design, of investigation or of technical control; and the applicant shall furnish such evidence as the Board may require of the character and scope of their work and of the activities of the firm, association or institution by which they are employed.

(ii) of being engaged in service, either in the glass industry or in a closely allied industry or in an art, scientific or technical institution associated with the art, science or technology of glass for a period of at least the last seven years.

(iii) of being a graduate of a British University or of possessing such other academic or professional qualifications as may be acceptable to the Board in lieu thereof.

(c) The Board may recommend to the Council for admission by invitation to the Fellowship the name of any person, whether, Member or non-member, and whether or not they could fulfil any or all of the requirements of Rule 12(b), whose distinction and attainments are such and whose services to the Society have been such as to merit special recognition; provided that not more that twelve persons in any period of three consecutive years may be so admitted.

Every proposal for admission to Fellowship under this rule shall be made in writing addressed to the Recorder, hereinafter defined, by three Fellows, one of whom shall serve as sponsor in supplying a full statement of the qualifications of the proposed recipient of the Fellowship, and a statement of distinction, attainments or services which merit special recognition; the sponsor and supporting Fellows shall be required independently to express in writing their reasons for making or supporting the proposal.

(d) A Fellow of the Institute of Materials wishing to join the Society will, after a review of credentials supplied, be recommended by the Board of Fellows to Council for admission to Fellowship under Rule 12 (d).

(a) An Honorary Fellow is a person who, because of reasons of conspicuous service rendered by them to the Society or who, by reasons of noteworthy or distinguished contributions to one or more of the branches of knowledge which comprise glass technology as defined in Rule 3(a), shall have been elected to Honorary Fellowship by the Council in the manner hereinafter provided.

(b) Every proposal for admission to Honorary Fellowship shall be made in writing addressed to the Recorder by three Fellows, one of whom shall serve a sponsor in supplying a full statement of the career and qualifications of the proposed recipient of the Honorary Fellowship, and of the conspicuous service rendered by them to the Society or of their noteworthy and distinguished contributions to one or more of the branches of knowledge which comprise glass technology as defined in Rule 3(a); and the sponsor and supporting Fellows shall be required independently to express in writing their reasons for making or supporting the proposal.

The awardee of Fellow Emeritus is a person who subsequent to their election to the Fellowship has rendered to the Society exceptional service. The Board of Fellows may nominate to Council one candidate in each calendar year for election to Fellow Emeritus.

The tangible form of Fellow Emeritus will be a Certificate recording the election.

The proposal for nomination may be made by any Fellow of the Society, other than the candidate, and should be supported by a statement of the service rendered and seconded by at least one other Fellow. The Board will discuss such proposals and determine which candidates, if any, should be nominated to Council. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting at the meeting of the Board, plus any proxies received, is required to approve the nomination.

The nomination to Council shall be made by the Chairman of the Board at the next meeting of Council. If Council approves, the Fellow Emeritus shall be notified of the decision by the Hon. Secretary, and will be invited to receive the Certificate of Fellow Emeritus from the President or their representative at a suitable occasion.

Following election to Fellow Emeritus, the Fellow Emeritus shall be exempt from the additional annual subscription applicable to Fellows.

Each and every application for admission to the Fellowship under Rule 12(b) shall be remitted in writing to the Board on the appropriate application form. The Board shall give consideration to each such application and shall, if satisfied that all the requirements of Rule 12(b) are fulfilled, recommended to Council that the applicant under Rule 12(b) be admitted to the Fellowship. The Board shall only make such recommendation if at least two-thirds of its members approve the application, either by voting in person at a meeting of the Board, or by sending to the Recorder a completed form of Proxy. A brief statement of the qualifications of the applicant shall be circulated to Council in advance of the next Council meeting, at which meeting Council shall accept the Board’s recommendation if approved by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting. When a Fellow has been so elected, the Honorary Secretary shall inform them and if the applicant was not a Member at the time of election shall request them to remit their first subscription as a Fellow.

Each and every recommendation of the Board for admission to the Fellowship under Rule 12(c) shall be sent by the Recorder to the President and the Honorary Secretary, and subject to the approval of these Officers, the recommendation shall be made to Council that the candidate shall be invited to accept election to the Fellowship under Rule 12(c). The Board shall only make such recommendation if at least two-thirds of its members approve the proposal, either by voting in person at a meeting of the Board, or by sending to the Recorder a completed form of proxy. Council shall consider the Board’s recommendation at its next meeting, and shall accept the recommendation if approved by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting.

After approval, the Honorary Secretary shall send an invitation to the candidate proposed, requesting them to reply in writing stating whether or not they desire to accept the invitation to become a Fellow, and informing them that in the event of their acceptance they will if not already a Member be required to remit the first subscription as a Fellow. On receipt of acceptance by the candidate the election shall be regarded as completed and shall be reported at the next meeting of Council.

Each and every recommendation of the Board for admission to the Honorary Fellowship under Rule 13(b) shall be sent by the Recorder to the President and Honorary Secretary, and subject to the approval of these Officers the recommendation shall be made to Council that the candidate be invited to accept election to the Honorary Fellowship under Rule 13(b). The Board shall only make such recommendation if at least two-thirds of its members approve the proposal, either by voting in person at a meeting of the Board, or by electronic means or by sending to the Recorder a completed form of proxy. Council shall consider the Board’s recommendation at its next meeting, and shall accept the recommendation if approved by not less than two-thirds of the members present in person or by electronic means and voting.

After approval an invitation shall be sent to the candidate proposed, who shall be requested to reply in writing stating whether or not they desire to accept the invitation to become an Honorary Fellow. On receipt of acceptance by the candidate the election shall be regarded as completed and shall be reported to the next meeting of Council.

The Council shall consist of the President, President-Designate when appropriate, five Past Presidents, being those most recently retired from the office of President and who are willing to serve, up to six Vice-Presidents, the Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer and up to fifteen Councillors, together with, as ex officio members, the Chairman of the Board of Fellows, and such Presidents of Overseas Sections and Chairmen of Executive Committees of Local Sections and of Technical Committees as are not already members of the Council. No person shall serve on Council unless they are a Fellow or Member of the Society. All Past Presidents not members of the Council shall be entitled to receive all Council papers as though they were members of Council.

There shall be a Presidency Committee whose purpose shall be the recommendation to the Council of the name of a President and, when appropriate, a President-Designate. The Presidency Committee shall consist of the President, all those Past-Presidents who are for the time being members of the Council, and the Honorary Secretary. The Honorary Secretary shall by post or electronic means invite all members of the Presidency Committee to recommend in writing the name or names of Members thought suitable and likely to be willing to serve as President. If more than one nomination is received a postal or an electronic ballot shall be made of Members of the Presidency Committee in sufficient time for an approach to be made to the person nominated for their reply to be received at least fourteen days before the last Council meeting of the calendar year. If by this Council meeting no recommended Member is found to be willing to serve as President similar steps as above shall immediately be taken to ascertain a recommended Member willing to serve. When so found their name shall be submitted in writing to all members of the Council so that the Council’s nomination can be issued to all Members and Fellows not later than one calendar month before each Annual General Meeting.

The nomination of the President and when appropriate, the President-Designate shall be made by the Council after considering the recommendation of the Presidency Committee as indicated above. The nomination of the Society's other Officers, namely, the Vice-Presidents, the Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, shall be made by the Council.

The Officers nominated for election or re-election shall be proposed on behalf of the Council at the Annual General Meeting, first the President, then the President-Designate and separately and subsequently such other Officers as may be due for election. Approval of the Council’s nominations shall require a vote in favour, by a show of hands, of at least two-thirds of the Members and Fellows present and voting. The President, immediately after their election or re-election, shall preside over all subsequent elections of Officers and Councillors.

The order of seniority of Vice-Presidents shall be based first on period of service as a Vice-President and then on period of Membership of the Society.

Not later than the last day of September in every year, the Council shall issue to Members and Fellows a list of the Councillors due to retire under the operation of Rule 28 together with a copy of the Rule relating to nominations, and an invitation to Members and Fellows to make nominations to fill the forthcoming vacancies. Each nomination shall require the signatures of not fewer than five Members and/or Fellows, shall be accompanied by a concise statement of the qualifications of the person proposed and of their willingness to serve if elected, and shall be delivered to the Honorary Secretary not later than a date to be fixed by the Council. No Member or Fellow shall sign nomination proposals on behalf of more than two persons, and any infringement of this Rule shall render invalid the nominations so made.

The Council shall have power following receipt of such nominations to add other names as may be necessary to ensure adequate representation of the Society’s interests.

The Council shall, not later than one calendar month before each Annual General Meeting, issue a final list of persons nominated to fill vacancies among the Officers and Councillors, together with, in the case of nominations of Councillors, the names of their proposers and a concise statement of their qualifications for membership of the Council. In the event of the subsequent withdrawal prior to the Annual General Meeting of any nomination or nominations such as to make the remaining nominations fewer that the number of impending vacancies, the Council shall have power to submit to the Annual General Meeting alternative nominations sufficient to make the nominations equal in number to the impending vacancies. For the purpose of subsequent election of Councillors such nominations by the Council shall be described as emergency nominations as compared with the normal nominations previously circulated to Members through the post.

If necessary the Councillors shall be elected by ballot. For this purpose ballot papers shall be issued to all Members and Fellows simultaneously with the final list of nominations. The ballot papers shall be returnable in a sealed envelope to the Society’s auditors not later than a date to be fixed by the Council, and the auditors shall subsequently deliver to the President a record of the votes not later than seven days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

At the Annual General Meeting the President shall declare elected as Councillors those candidates, in number equal to the number of vacancies to be filled, who have received the highest number of votes. In the event of an equality of votes being recorded for candidates for one or more of the vacancies a further ballot or ballots shall be taken at the Annual General Meeting. For this purpose two scrutineers shall be appointed at the meeting to receive these further ballot papers and to report to the President the result of the voting. In the event of a subsequent withdrawal from the final nomination list previously issued to Members and Fellows of sufficient nominations to reduce the number below that of the impending vacancies, the President shall first declare elected as Councillors the remaining persons who had been nominated normally. The emergency nomination or nominations by the Council as provided for in Rule 24 shall then be submitted for approval to the Annual General Meeting. Approval of such emergency nominations shall require a vote in favour, by a show of hands, of at least two-thirds of the Members and Fellows present and voting.

The Council shall have the power to fill any vacancy that may arise either among the Officers (other than the President or President-Designate) or on the Council. Any person appointed to fill such a vacancy shall remain in office only for the unexpired term of their predecessor, but they shall be eligible for re-election.

In the event of the President being unable for any reason to continue to act as President, the senior Vice-President who is able and willing to serve shall act as President until a new President be elected.

The President shall hold office for one year but shall be eligible for re-election for a further consecutive year. The Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer may each hold office for five years, and each shall be eligible for re-election.

Each year group of Vice-Presidents and Councillors, in order of seniority of office, shall retire annually and shall not be eligible for re-election to the same office until after an interval of one year, and a Vice-President shall not after retirement be eligible for re-election as a Councillor until after an interval of one year. For the purpose of defining period of office the year shall be regarded as the interval between the election or re-election of the President at successive Annual General Meetings.

(d) If they become bankrupt or suspend payment of their liabilities or compounds with their creditors.

(e) If, save for Overseas Members, they absent themselves from the meetings of the Council during a continuous period of one year without special permission of the Council.

(1) Members. The annual subscription shall be as determined from time to time by the Annual General Meeting of the Society and Membership shall be in the following categories:

(a) Corporate Members. Any firm, company, association or institution may take out as many unit subscriptions as they consider appropriate.

Members and Fellows resident abroad may pay subscriptions in the currency of the country where they reside, provided that the amount received by the Society is equivalent to the sterling value of the subscription on the first day of January of the year in which the subscription is due.

Subscriptions shall be deemed to be due on the first day of January of each year in respect of the twelve calendar months immediately following that date.

A Member or Fellow shall not be entitled to receive copies of the Society’s journals for any year until their subscription for that year shall have been received.

When a Member or Fellow has paid the appropriate subscription, they shall be entitled to all the benefits and privileges of Membership of the Society, and shall be bound by these Rules. An Honorary Fellow is entitled as from the date of their acceptance of the Fellowship to all the rights and privileges of a Fellow and is exempt from the payment of an annual subscription. All references in these Rules to a Fellow shall be deemed to include an Honorary Fellow wherever the context requires or admits.

(a) For each unit subscription a Corporate Member may nominate in writing, addressed to the Honorary Secretary, one representative, who shall represent such Corporate Member. Each representative shall for the period of their nomination have all the rights and privileges of a Member, and the Corporate Member so represented shall be under all the obligations of a Member. All references in these Rules to a Member shall, where the context admits, be deemed to include the nominated representative of a Corporate Member.

(b) A Corporate Member may, upon written request to the Honorary Secretary, receive two copies of each of the Society’s journals for each unit subscription. Each Corporate Member shall have one vote for each unit subscription, which may be exercised only by the nominated representative. If any nominated representative is also a Member or Fellow they may exercise two votes, one on behalf of the Corporate Member he represents, the other by virtue of their Membership or Fellowship.

Every Member shall have the right to attend and vote at all General Meetings of the Society and to attend all Ordinary Meetings of the Society on payment of such fees as may be determined by Council; to attend any or all meetings of the Local Sections hereinafter defined and to vote at meetings of that Local Section of which they are a registered Member, as defined by Local Section Rules; to propose or second applications for Membership; to receive one copy of either of the Society’s journals and to purchase one copy of the other journal at such additional cost as the Annual General Meeting shall from time to time decide; and to use the Society’s Library.

The Award, which was instituted in 1975, is in an appropriate form as decided by Steering Committee from time to time.

(a) All Fellows and Members are eligible for the Award which shall be given for particular efforts made or for service beyond that normally expected. In exceptional cases non members of the Society or institutions may be eligible.

(b) Nominations shall be made on the prescribed form and while they shall normally be made by the Local Section or Technical Committee they can also be made by any of the Society’s committees or individuals. There should be a statement of the service meriting the award together with three signatories sponsoring the candidate.

Nominations should be submitted to the Society’s offices who will then forward them to the Board of Fellows. The Board shall give consideration to each such nomination and shall recommend to Council the names of those they consider suitable to receive the Award. The Board shall only make the recommendation if at least two-thirds of those present at a Board meeting plus those those voting by proxy approve. Council shall accept the Board’s recommendation if approved by not less that two-thirds of the members present and voting at the Council.

(c) The presentation of the Awards shall be made, preferably by the President but if that is not possible by another Officer of the Society on a suitable occasion.

A person admitted to Fellowship shall have the privilege of describing themselves as a Fellow of the Society of Glass Technology and of using the initials FSGT after their name and shall be entitled to receive a Diploma from the Council, which Diploma shall remain the property of the Society and shall be surrendered (if demanded) when the holder ceases to be a Fellow.

Every Fellow shall have the right to attend and vote at all General Meetings of the Society and to attend all Ordinary Meetings of the Society on payment of such fees as may be determined by Council; to attend any or all meetings of the Local Sections hereinafter defined and to vote at meetings of that Local Section of which they are a registered Member, as defined by Local Section Rules; to propose or second applications for Membership; to serve as a referee for applicants for the Fellowship; to propose candidates for election to the Fellowship under Rule 12 or for Honorary Fellowship; to receive one copy of either of the Society’s journals and to purchase one copy of the other journal at such additional cost as the Annual General Meeting shall from time to time decide; and to use the Society’s Library.

A person admitted to Honorary Fellowship shall have the privilege of describing themselves as an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Glass Technology and of using the initials Hon.F.S.G.T. after their name and shall receive from the Council a Diploma testifying to the special services for which he was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Society.

The Board of Fellows shall consist of fifteen Fellows, appointed by the Council from amongst the body of Fellows, three of whom shall retire annually in order of seniority and shall not be eligible for re-election until after a lapse of one year, and the President ex-officio.

Any casual vacancy on the Board shall be filled by Council appointment and the Fellow so appointed shall serve only for the unexpired term of office of their predecessor, but shall be eligible for re-election.

The Board shall have power to elect its own Officers, to arrange for the conduct of its own business and generally to make such arrangements as it may deem necessary for the fulfilment of the powers and duties conferred and imposed on it by these Rules, provided that in addition to any other offices it may be deemed necessary to constitute there shall be created the Office of Recorder. The Fellow for the time being serving as Recorder shall receive applications for admission to the Fellowship, proposals for special admission to Fellowship and proposals for admission to Honorary Fellowship, and in dealing with them shall act generally in accordance with the requirements of these Rules. The Board may also, when desirable, propose for the approval of the Council regulations and conditions or amendments thereof governing the qualifications of candidates for Fellowship and of persons proposed for admission to Honorary Fellowship and methods by which such application shall be dealt with.

Five members of the Board of Fellows present in person or by suitable electronic means shall form a quorum.

Any Member or Fellow may resign their Membership or Fellowship by giving to the Honorary Secretary notice in writing to that effect. Such resignation shall be accepted only if annual subscriptions and other payments due from such Fellow or Member have been duly discharged. The date from which such resignation shall be deemed to take effect shall be the last day of the Society’s financial year, unless an earlier date is desired by the resigning Member or Fellow.

A Member or Fellow whose subscription is fifteen months overdue shall be informed by the Honorary Secretary that if, within one month of the giving of such notice, the amount has not been paid, Membership or Fellowship (as the case may be) shall cease. Any person whose Membership or Fellowship lapses under this Rule shall forfeit all right or claim upon the Society, its properties or funds, but shall continue to be liable for any moneys which they may owe to the Society. The Council may, however, at its discretion and having regard to the circumstances of each case on its merits without reference to any previous action by it, postpone or remit the payment of any subscription which may be in arrears or extend the length of time of the notice above referred to.

It shall be of the duty of the Council if it shall be of the opinion that the interests of the Society so require, to request by letter any Member or Fellow to resign from the Society within a specified time, stating its reasons for making this request. In default of resignation, the Council shall submit the question of the expulsion of such Member or Fellow to the next meeting of the Society held after the date of expiry of such specified time. Such Member or Fellow shall at such meeting be allowed to offer an explanation verbally or in writing. After hearing such explanation a vote by ballot accepting or rejecting it shall be taken, and if not less than two-thirds of the Members or Fellows present and voting reject the explanation the Member or Fellow shall be expelled from the Society. The Council may exclude such Member or Fellow from the Society’s functions until such meeting shall be held.

(a) The funds of the Society shall be under the control of the Council, and shall be used in pursuance or furtherance of the objects of the Society, and in the fulfilment of these Rules, but not otherwise. The uses to which the funds may be put include the purchase of such offices or other property as may be deemed necessary for the satisfactory conduct of the Society’s business; the Council may also at its discretion sell such property.

(b) All moneys received by the Society shall be paid into an account of the Society at its bankers, and cheques drawn upon its bankers shall be signed by the Honorary Treasurer and either the President or the Honorary Secretary, or in such other manner as may be given the prior approval of the Council.

(c) All funds, investments and securities shall be lodged with the Society’s bankers or other institution approved by the Council, in the names of the President, the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer of the Society for the time being.

A budget shall be presented by the Treasurer to the first Council meeting in each financial year, estimating the expenditure likely to be incurred in conducting the normal business of the Society during that year. After approval of this budget by the Council, the Officers shall be empowered to pay accounts within the budget without further authority. No expenditure outside the budget shall be incurred without the prior approval of the Council. Details of payment made within the budget shall be presented to the Council.

The Council shall be empowered to appoint Trustees as and when necessary to uphold any of the property or assets of the Society and to execute agreements or sign documents relating thereto, provided that such Trustees are appointed from among members of the Council or are a trust corporation. Such Trustee or Trustees shall deal with such property or assets of the Society as are vested in them in accordance with the directions of the Council, such directions being made by means of a copy resolution of the Council signed by the Chairman of the meeting at which it was passed. The Council shall be empowered to pay the fees of such a trust corporation and to indemnify such Trustee or Trustees against any financial claim made against them in respect of any action taken as Trustee in accordance with the directions of the Council.

(a) All funds of the Society not needed immediately for the ordinary purposes of the Society may be invested by the Council in the name of the Society in any stocks, shares or other securities. The Council may also at its discretion place any money of the Society on deposit with bankers, local authorities, building societies or other financial institutions.

The Council may appoint a Member as Honorary Portfolio Manager, responsible to the Honorary Treasurer and Council, to advise on, purchase and sell stock, shares and other securities on behalf of the Society. Changes in the investments will be monitored on a regular basis by the Officers of the Society. The position will be on a renewable annual basis.

The Council may at its discretion from time to time vary or sell any such investments of the Society.

(b) The Council may from time to time borrow money or raise special funds for the purposes of the Society, and may mortgage or charge the Society’s properties, investments or other assets as security therefore, provided that such borrowing shall not exceed £5,000 unless authorised specifically by a General meeting of the Society.

The financial year of the Society shall end on the thirty-first day of December, to which day the accounts of the Society shall be balanced.

At every Annual General Meeting qualified accounts shall be appointed as auditors or independent examiners for the ensuing year at a fee to be arranged by the Council. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of auditors or independent examiners during any year, the Council shall appoint other qualified accountants to act until the next Annual General Meeting.

The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in April, May or June in each year, upon a date and at a time to be fixed from time to time by the Council for the following purposes:

(a) To receive from the Council a report and the audited or independently examined accounts made up to the previous thirty-first day of December, and to adopt, wholly or in part, or in any modified form, the said report and accounts.

(b) To report any additions to or changes in Regulations made by the Council during the year.

(e) To consider, and if thought fit to repeal, amend, or add to, the Rules of the Society in the manner as hereinafter provided.

(f) To decide upon any resolution which may be duly submitted in the manner imposed by the Society’s Rules.

The Council may at any time for any special purpose and at such notice as it may from time to time decide, call a Special General Meeting, and it shall do so forthwith upon requisition in writing of any fifteen Members and/or Fellows stating the purpose for which the meeting is required.

Ordinary Meetings of the Society for the presentation and discussion of papers on matters of interest to the Society shall be held at such times and in such places as the Council may from time to time decide.

Any Member or Fellow desirous or moving any resolution at a General Meeting shall give notice thereof in writing to the Honorary Secretary not less than twenty-one days before the date of the meeting.

Fourteen days at least before the Annual General Meeting a notice of such meeting, with the business to be transacted thereat, including the terms of any resolution due notice of which has been given in accordance with Rule 57, together with a report and the audited accounts, shall be sent to every Member and Fellow, and no other business shall be transacted at such meeting.

At all meetings of the Society, the President, or in their absence a Past President, or in the absence of any past Presidents, the senior Vice-President present, or in the absence of the Vice-Presidents, the senior member of Council present shall take the chair. In the absence of all these persons, any other Member of the Society may be elected to preside over the meeting. On all motions the Chairman shall, in the case of an equality of votes, have a second or casting vote.

The quorum at all General Meetings shall be twelve Members and/or Fellows present in person or by suitable electronic means.

The Council may authorise the formation of a Local Section of the Society in any district where in its opinion the Membership is sufficiently large, and may contribute from the funds of the Society towards the formation and maintenance of such Local Section at any time after it has been formed. The accounts of each Section for each calendar year shall be considered by the Executive Committee at its first meeting after the end of the year, and shall, when approved, be submitted to the Council of the Society together with any request for a contribution to the Section funds, if required. The Council shall have power to dissolve such Section at any time after it has been formed.

Each Local Section shall be responsible for its own expenditure and shall make its own Rules and Regulations which shall be submitted to the Council for approval. The Rules of Local Sections should as far as possible be framed in accordance with the Local Section Rules set out in Appendix A. A complete report of each meeting held by a Local Section shall be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary as soon as possible following the occasion of such meeting, and this report shall be submitted by the Honorary Secretary to the next Council meeting following the date of its receipt, and shall form the basis of a report in a journal of the Society.

(a) Upon receipt by the Council or a request from what is deemed to be a sufficient number of Members and Fellows resident abroad in any country, the Council may authorise the formation of an Overseas Section of the Society in such country, and the Council shall have power to dissolve such Section at any time after it has been formed.

(b) Such an Overseas Section shall be constituted on lines similar to the Society and shall be managed by a Sectional Council elected by Members of that Section.

(c) The Sectional Council shall prepare Rules for that Section, which shall be submitted to the Council of the Society for approval.

(d) The Council of the Society may contribute from the funds of the Society towards the formation and maintenance of such Overseas Sections at any time after their formation, but to no further extent shall any Overseas Section be a charge on the Society’s funds, nor shall the Society be responsible for liabilities incurred by an Overseas Section.

(e) Complete reports of each meeting held by an Overseas Section shall be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary, and these reports shall form the basis of a report in a journal of the Society.

(f) Each Overseas Section shall from time to time examine all papers contributed to and reports of discussions held at its sectional meetings, and shall forward to the Honorary Secretary all such papers and reports of discussions as are deemed worthy of publication.

The Council may from time to time appoint Committees whose powers shall be defined by resolutions of Council. The President, the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer shall be ex officio members of all Committees.

The Council shall have power to publish journals, monographs, a directory and other publications, and to accept advertisements for insertion therein in such form and at such rates as it may from time to time fix. The Council shall also have such other powers as may be necessary in connection with the printing, publication and sale of the said journals, monographs, directory and other publications.

The Council shall have power to appoint an Editor, Business Secretary, Technical Secretary, Assistant Editor, Assistant Secretaries and such other persons as may be deemed necessary, either to act in an honorary capacity, or to be employed at such remuneration as the Council may fix from time to time. A member of staff in receipt of remuneration for their services need not be a Member of the Society.

The Council shall have such power to provide such funds as it may from time to time determine for the maintenance of a library or for the formation and maintenance of sectional libraries, and to make such regulations for the conduct and control of the library or libraries, as it may from time to time deem necessary; see Appendix C.

The Council may appoint a Librarian to act in an honorary capacity or may employ such librarian at such salary as the Council may from time to time fix.

All original papers communicated to the Society and accepted for publication shall become the property of the Society, in which the copyright shall be vested. They shall not be published or communicated elsewhere except by permission of the Council.

The Council may for a prescribed period delegate to any duly appointed Committee or to any of the Society’s Honorary Executive Officers such of its powers as it may from time to time decide to be expedient.

These Rules may be added to, repealed, or amended by resolution, of which due notice has been given, at any Annual or Special General Meeting, provided that no such resolution shall be deemed to have been passed unless it be carried by at least two-thirds of the Members and/or Fellows present and voting in person or by suitable electronic means. Provided that should circumstances arise which in the interest of the Society require immediate action for which these Rules do not provide, the Council may make such Rule or Rules as may be necessary in the circumstances to deal with the situation and report their action to the next General Meeting of the Society for confirmation.

The Council may from time to time make, repeal, and amend the Regulations set out in the Appendices (not inconsistent with these Rules) as it shall think expedient for the conduct of the Society’s affairs.

The Council is the sole authority regarding the interpretation of these Rules and of any Regulations made there under.

The Society shall be dissolved if a resolution for that purpose be passed by the majority of Members and/or Fellows present at an Annual or Special General Meeting and confirmed by two-thirds of the voting Members and/or Fellows whose votes shall be taken by the Council on a postal vote of all Members and Fellows within a period to be appointed by the Council. Thereupon the library and the balance of the funds, together with other property of the Society which remains after the discharge of all liabilities, shall either be handed over to such institution or institutions engaged in the furtherance of the scientific study of glass as shall be decided by a majority or Members and/or Fellows voting at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose; or, in default of such decision, shall be given to the Royal Society of London for disposal by it as seems desirable in the best interests of the glass industry, provided that all surplus property of the Society shall be applied only to charitable purposes. The Society shall thereupon be dissolved.

In accordance with Rule 61, the Council has authorised to date the formation of the following Local Sections given in the order of their formation:

London Section 1929 Greater London, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Channel Islands,

Disbanded 2011 Dorset, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire,
Surrey, Sussex, and Wiltshire.

Midlands Section 1933 Birmingham, Dyfed, Glamorgan, Gwent, Powys, Avon, Cambridgeshire,

                Disbanded 2009              Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, Hereford & Worcester, Leicestershire, Norfolk,
           Northamptonshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Warwickshire,
           West Midlands, plus those parts of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire
           covered by Derby (DE), Nottingham (NG) and Peterborough (PE) postal codes
           areas.

Yorkshire Section        1934             Yorkshire, Humberside, plus those parts of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and
           Lincolnshire covered by the Sheffield (S), Doncaster (DN) and Lincoln (LN)
           postal code areas.

North-West Section 1944 Greater Manchester, Northern Ireland, Clwyd, Gwyneth, Cheshire, Cumbria, Isle of Man,

Disbanded 2009 Lancashire, Merseyside plus that part of North Derbyshire in Stockport (SK) postal code area.

The following Rules for Local Sections must be read in conjunction with the Rules of the Society and in particular with Rules 36, 39 and 60.

The name of the Section shall be the ......................... Section of the Society of Glass Technology.

The objects of the Section shall be to further the objects of the Society, and particularly to provide additional facilities for meetings of the Members of the Society who are resident in the area served by the Section. This area is defined as ......................................................

All Members and Fellows resident within the area served by the Section are normally registered as Members of that Section, but any Member or Fellow because of special interest or convenience may apply for registration as a Member of some other Local Section than the one in which they reside.

Any Member or Fellow resident outside the area of any of the Sections may apply to the Local Secretary of the Section the meetings of which they can most conveniently attend for registration as a Member of that Section.

A Member or Fellow may be registered for holding office and for voting in only one Local Section.

Only registered Members of the Section are eligible for holding office or Executive Committee membership of that Section and for voting at its meetings; but all Members and Fellows of the Society whether registered Members of the Section or not may attend and take part in all technical meetings and discussions. They shall all have the right of introducing visitors to meetings.

The right to introduce visitors may also be exercised in the interests of the Section by the Executive Committee. Corporate Members may also, in addition to their nominated representative, send any additional members of their staff to Ordinary Meetings, but the presence of any additional representatives at works visits arranged on behalf of the Section shall be subject to such special regulations as the Executive Committee may from time to time set up. The names of all visitors and of the additional representatives of Corporate Members shall be recorded in a book kept for the purpose.

Visitors and additional representatives of Corporate Members shall be permitted to take part in all technical discussions, but shall have no vote.

The management of the Section shall be vested in an Executive Committee, which shall consist of the President, the Honorary Secretary, and the Honorary Treasurer as ex officio members, the Local Section Secretary or Secretaries, the immediate past Chairman of the Section, and six, nine or twelve members elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Section, and in special circumstances, up to two co-opted members.

The Executive Committee shall, at its first meeting after the Annual General Meeting of the Section, elect one of its members as Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year.

One-third of the elected members of the Executive Committee, in order of seniority of service on the Committee, shall retire annually and shall not be eligible for either nomination or re-election to the Committee until after an interval of one year. However, if the Committee determines that local conditions deem it necessary for continuity and efficient running of the Section, they can co-opt up to two Members/Fellows/Nominated Representatives for a period of one year. Those co-opted may offer themselves for election in the following year.”

The Local Secretary or Secretaries shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting, shall hold office for one year, and shall be eligible for re-election.

Nominations for membership of the Executive Committee and for the office of Local Section Secretary (or Secretaries) may be made only by the registered Members of the Section. Such nominations shall be received by the Local Section Secretary not less than twenty-one days before the date of the forthcoming Annual General Meeting and shall only be accepted if the persons proposed have intimated their willingness to serve if elected. If the number of nominees does not exceed the number of vacancies, their names shall be submitted to a vote by show of hands. In the event of their being more nominees than vacancies the election shall take place by a ballot vote of the Members present and entitled to vote.

The Annual General Meeting of the section shall take place in April, May or June. Seven days at least before the Annual General Meeting a notice of such Meeting shall be sent to every Member, together with a statement of all business to be transacted thereat.

The Ordinary Meetings of the Section shall be held at times and places to be announced after joint annual consultation between the Local Section Secretaries and the Honorary Secretary; it being understood that no meeting, technical or social, of a Local Section shall be held during the week in which the parent Society is due to meet. For each Ordinary Meeting a Chairman shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall meet at such times as may be found necessary to carry on the business of the Section. Meetings may be called at any time by the Chairman and Local Section Secretary or by notice to the Local Section Secretary given by any three members of the Executive Committee. The Local Section Secretary shall give to all members of the Executive Committee seven days’ notice of such meeting and of the business to be transacted thereat.

At all Section Meetings eight Members shall form a quorum for the transaction of business.

The Society having agreed to contribute towards the ordinary expenses of the Section, the accounts of the Section for each calendar year shall be considered by the Executive Committee at its first meeting after the end of the year, and shall, when approved, be submitted to the Council of the Society together with an estimate of the expenditure for the ensuing year. The Section shall only raise funds for such specific purposes and under such conditions as Council may from time to time approve.

These rules may be added to, repealed or amended by resolution at any Annual General Meeting provided that no such resolution shall be deemed to have been passed unless it be carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of the Members present and entitled to vote, and be subsequently confirmed by the Council of the Society.

Notice of such resolution shall be sent to all Members by the Local Section Secretary at least seven days before the Annual General Meeting, and for this purpose the Local Section Secretary shall be informed of the proposed resolution at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.

These rules shall become operative on ..................................................

The main business affairs of the Society shall be handled by a Steering Committee which shall be directly responsible to Council. It will be empowered to act on behalf of Council within the limits established by resolutions of Council and shall give account of its actions at regular Council meetings. It shall be responsible for giving guidance to Council on important issues affecting the business of the Society in pursuance of its objectives as a Registered Charity within the United Kingdom.

2 The Steering Committee shall hold at least four calendared meetings per year. Normally the President will take the Chair at such meetings, but in the absence of the President another member of the Steering Committee shall at the President’s invitation take the Chair. If no such provision is made then the meeting shall elect a Chairman from its number.

3 Membership of the Steering Committee shall be the President, the Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer, the Immediate Past President or the President Designate as appropriate, the Chairman of the Board of Fellows, and Portfolio Holders. The Steering Committee shall have power to co-opt up to three additional members whose contributions are deemed valuable and shall be free to invite other individuals to attend specific meetings if required. Co-opted members and those present by invitation shall not have voting rights.

4 The Steering Committee shall be empowered to conduct business between meetings by correspondence or by telephone contact, provided that appropriate records be kept and incorporated in the business of the next Steering Committee meeting.

5 The remit of the Steering Committee shall be the general management of the Society, to which end it will receive regular financial reviews and will supervise the activities of the Standing Committees. A member of the Office Staff will attend and will take minutes. The calendared meetings will proceed even if all the members cannot be present. In the event of a Standing Committee Chairman being unable to attend a Steering Committee meeting another member of that Standing Committee shall be nominated to attend instead and to exercise that Chairman’s voting rights.

Standing Committees shall be constituted by the Council from time to time to cover the important areas affecting the Society in the pursuance of its Objectives. These Committees shall seek to ensure Council has the best achievable guidance in the discharge of its members’ responsibilities as Charitable Trustees.

2 Method of Operation: A standing committee shall meet as frequently as the nature of the work load demands. The quorum for a meeting of a Committee shall be three. Each Standing Committee shall act as a sub-committee of the Steering Committee and the Chair shall give regular account of its activities to the Steering Committee and to Council. Where there is no provision elsewhere in the Rules The Chair of a Standing Committee shall be nominated annually by the Steering Committee and approved by Council. Standing Committees shall be empowered to conduct business by correspondence or by suitable electronic means, provided that appropriate records are kept and such business is considered at the next Standing Committee meeting. These Committees should represent the wide geographical spread of the Society Membership. The provision for conducting business by correspondence and by electronic means will facilitate multinational membership of these Committees.

3 The Board of Fellows: in addition to the Standing Committees, the Board as constituted in Rules 42-44 will regulate the award of the Fellowship and make awards for service; the Board of Fellows shall take responsibility for the wider professional and qualifications issues of concern to the Society. In particular the Board shall advise the Steering Committee and Council on to the Continuing Professional Development of Society Members.

The function of the Presidency Committee is to advise the Council every year of the name of a Fellow or Member of the Society to be invited to occupy the office of President during the following administrative year of the Society.

3 The members of the Presidency Committee may consult together either by meeting or correspondence.

5 Any meeting of the Committee shall be presided over by the senior Past President present if willing to serve: and failing them by some other Past President appointed by the members in attendance.

6 The Presidency Committee shall make its recommendation to the Council not later than the November Council meeting in each year.

The following are the Technical Committees of the Council with the subjects included in their terms of reference.

The chemical analysis and determination of properties of glass and glass associated materials of practical interest to the glass industry.

The physics and chemistry of glasses and related materials and the physical and chemical principles of processes used in the glass manufacturing and glass using industries.

3) The materials used for the construction of furnaces and heating appliances, preparation, properties, methods of testing, standards and specifications.

Other Technical Committees may be established by Council from time to time, the terms of reference of which shall be stated and the conditions of appointment and operation of which shall conform to the Regulations here prescribed. Council may also authorise the creation of Special Interest Groups as recommended by the Technical Committees. These Special Interest Groups will consist of small numbers of specialists within a given field whose task it will be to focus on a certain area of development, possibly including cross organisation meetings.

2 The business of each Technical Committee is to advise the Council on any matters remitted to it and to make recommendations to the Council from time to time on any subject which falls within its general terms of reference. Minutes of all meetings of each Technical Committee will be sent to the Society’s administrative office. An Annual Report of its work shall also be prepared and presented by the Chair to the February Council and subsequently, on approval, to the Annual General Meeting of the Society.

3 It is the duty of each Technical Committee to take active steps to encourage the production of papers on subjects falling within its purview and also to recommend from time to time subjects for conferences, symposia or colloquia dealing with matters falling within its scope.

4 The members of each Technical Committee shall comprise the President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer ex officio. Each Committee shall consist of persons having a particular knowledge of the business of the Committee, who shall have power to appoint a Secretary or Secretaries. The Committee may also co-opt suitably qualified individuals to attend or, in the case of those living overseas, they may become corresponding members.

Members shall be given preference when appointments are being made to Technical Committees.

5. In the event of a member of a Committee being unable to attend a particular meeting, it shall be permitted for that member to nominate a replacement.

7 The Chair of each Technical Committee shall be elected for a period of three years from amongst its members. They shall be eligible for re-election for not more than one further three year period. Immediately on the expiration of their Chairmanship they shall be eligible for election to the Committee.

8 In the absence of the Chair from any meeting of the Committee, the members present shall elect a Chair for the meeting from amongst their number.

9 The Secretary or Secretaries of each Committee shall be appointed annually by the Committee and shall be eligible for re-appointment. The name(s) of the person(s) appointed shall be reported to the first meeting of Council subsequent to the appointment.

10 Each Technical Committee shall hold at least two meetings a year with members being present in person or by suitable electronic means.

11 Any member of the Council may attend a Technical Committee meeting and take part in discussions by invitation of the Chairman of the Committee; such persons shall not have voting rights.

1 Only works of which the Society possesses duplicate copies shall be made available on loan

2 A Member or Fellow may borrow not more than two volumes at one time, and may retain them for a period not exceeding fourteen days.

3 A separate receipt, on forms provided, must be given for each volume borrowed.

4 Members borrowing books through the post shall pay the cost of carriage on them in both directions, and shall undertake all risks from the moment of their despatch until their safe return to the Library.

5 Members to whom books have been issued shall be held responsible for their preservation from injury, and the Council is empowered to require that a damaged, detained, or lost volume shall be required or replaced at the borrower’s expense.

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