SCECSAL adopts amended constitution

The SCECSAL General Council, following virtual consultations held on 29 and 30 May, has adopted an amended constitution which has put in place a new governance structure and formalises the resolution of the SCECSAL General Assembly, made in 2016, to establish a permanent SCECSAL Secretariat.

The new SCECSAL governance structure will be composed of the SCECSAL General Council, the highest decision-making body made up Presidents/Chairpersons of the SCECSAL member Associations; the SCECSAL Committee of Focal Points, composed of representatives of the member Associations, to be responsible for day-to-day SCECSAL business; and the SCECSAL Secretariat.

The amendments to the constitution also give power to the General Council to suspend member Associations failing to fulfil their SCECSAL constitutional and financial obligations; and authorises member Associations hosting SCECSAL conferences to charge higher registration fees to participants who are not members of their national library (information) associations, a move aimed at encouraging library and information professionals to participate in activities of their national associations.

The constitution also makes provision for organizations and associations from within or outside the SCECSAL region, that are involved in or have an interest in the development of the library, information and knowledge profession in the region, to join SCECSAL as SCECSAL Affiliates.

Work on amending the constitution began in June 2016 and was finalised at the face-to-face meeting of the SCECSAL General Council held in Entebbe, Uganda, on 23-24 April 2018.

Download a copy of the constitution in PDF.