[Adopted 2 December 2013]

1. Title
The title of the Committee is the Universities Committee for Scottish Literature (UCSL).

2. Aims and Origins of the Committee
Established in 2008, the Universities Committee for Scottish Literature is a representative body concerned with the condition, the development and the promotion of Scottish literary studies in tertiary education at home and abroad. The Committee fosters support between participating institutions and aims to encourage the internationalisation of the subject, and inter-institutional collaboration. It also aims to speak for Scottish literary study whenever matters of policy are discussed in educational or other public bodies. The Committee administers the award of the prestigious Ross Roy Medal for the best PhD thesis in Scottish literature submitted to a participating institution in any year.

3. Membership
Membership of the Committee is open to representatives from all Higher Educational Institutions in Scotland that are engaged with teaching and research in Scottish Literature and related cultural studies. Members from other organisations may also be co-opted to serve on the Committee.

4. Officers
The Committee shall have a Treasurer, a Secretary, and a Chair. Other officers may be appointed if necessary, as determined by majority vote. The officers shall be elected at a General Meeting for a minimum two-year term of office. Officers shall be eligible for reelection at the conclusion of their term of office (for a maximum of two further consecutive periods).

5. Quorum
For General Meetings quorum consists of at least 5 members.

6. General Meetings
General Meetings of the Committee shall be held at least twice annually; for banking purposes one of the two meetings (ideally the second) shall be designated the Annual General Meeting. General Meetings may be called at other times, with at least a month’s notice given to all members by the Chair. All members of the Committee shall have the right to vote at such meetings. For banking purposes one of the two annual meetings shall be designated the Annual General Meeting.

7. Amendment
Any General Meeting of the Committee may amend the constitution by a simple majority of the members, providing the meeting is quorate and that notice of the amendment proposed has been given to all members not less than one month before the General Meeting.

8. Dissolution
The Committee may be dissolved by the agreement of not less than three-quarters of those present at a General Meeting specially summoned for this purpose, of which at least a month’s notice must have been given to all members.