General Guidelines of the International Financial Cryptography Association Limited

Article I: Name

The name of this organization is the International Financial Cryptography Association Limited, hereinafter referred to as the IFCA.

Article II: Purposes

The purposes of the IFCA are to advance the theory and practice of financial cryptography and related fields, and to promote the interests of its members with respect thereto. To achieve these purposes, the IFCA sponsors the Financial Cryptography conferences, sponsors or co-sponsors other appropriate meetings or conferences,cooperates with appropriate meetings or conferences sponsored by other groups, and takes such other actions as its Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board, deems appropriate.

Article III: Membership

Membership is open to any person subscribing to the purposes of the IFCA. A person becomes a member or renews his or her annual membership upon registering for the Financial Cryptography conference and paying the appropriate registration fee, or by payment of annual membership dues. Membership period as a result of registering for the Financial Cryptography conference is twelve months beginning with the month in which the conference opens. A member who engages in an activity inconsistent with the purposes of the IFCA may be expelled from the IFCA by a two-thirds vote of the full Board. The member under investigation has the right to examine the charges against him or her and to make a statement defending himself or herself before the vote. The proceedings and documentation are confidential, unless the member wishes to make them public. An expelled member may be reinstated, at the earliest one year after his or her expulsion, by a majority vote of the Board.

Article IV: Officers

The Officers of the IFCA are the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. The term for all offices is one year.  Officers may serve successive terms. The Officers are elected by the Board. The President is responsible, under the supervision of the Board, for the day-to-day functioning of the IFCA. The President represents the IFCA in its dealings with other organizations. The President appoints committees as required to assist him or her in discharging these duties. The Vice President performs such duties as the President or the Board may assign.   The Vice President acts for the President in the President's absence. The Vice President becomes Acting President until the next regular election upon the death, incapacity, resignation, or expulsion of the President. The Secretary is responsible for maintaining the minutes of the Board meetings, the Guidelines and the Bylaws of the IFCA, the records of the members (which include the mailing list), and for the timely mailing of announcements. The Treasurer is responsible for the receipt and payment of funds on behalf of the IFCA and for the maintenance of proper financial records and documents. The Treasurer recommends to the Board any changes in the amount of dues. The Board at its discretion may establish a secretariat with paid personnel to assist the Officers in activities as the Board may direct.

Article V: Board of Directors

The Board consists of five elected Directors. The term of office is three years, with staggered terms, so that at least one term expires every year. Directors are elected by the members at the annual General Meeting, held during the Financial Cryptography conference.  Directors may be re-elected. The Board elects a Chair to preside over its meetings. The Board manages, controls and directs the affairs, funds, and property of the IFCA. Two meetings of the Board are held in conjunction with the annual Financial Cryptography conference. The (outgoing) Board meets before the General Meeting, primarily to wrap up any outstanding matters from the previous year, including those concerning the current conference. The (incoming) Board meets after the General Meeting, primarily to decide matters for the upcoming year, including election of Officers and appointment of General and Program Chair. For urgent business, additional meetings of the Board may be called by its Chair or by a majority of the Directors with two weeks notice with an agenda. The Board may also transact urgent business that arises between meetings by post, fax, telephone, and/or electronic mail. Minutes of Board meetings are taken by a person designated by the Chair. These minutes, after approval and/or correction by the Board, are made available to the membership. A majority of the Board constitutes a quorum. Except as otherwise specifically noted, decisions are made by a majority vote of the Directors present (including proxies) or by a majority vote of the full Board for actions taken outside of the meeting. The Board may invite Officers or other non-Directors to participate in a Board meeting. Only the Directors will have a vote in any decisions of the meeting.

Article VI: Conferences and Workshops

The IFCA sponsors an annual Financial Cryptography conference. The IFCA may sponsor, or co-sponsor, additional conferences, workshops, or other similar meetings as the Board deems appropriate. The IFCA may cooperate, without financial responsibility, in other worthy meetings or conferences as deemed appropriate by the President and approved by the Board. Registration for the Financial Cryptography conference also serves as the usual method for renewal of membership in the IFCA. The fee for participating in this conference includes the annual dues; this fee is paid in full even by those who do not desire to become IFCA members. A General Chair for each conference sponsored by the IFCA is appointed by the Board. The General Chair has full responsibility for arranging all aspects of the conference except for the technical program and may appoint others to assist in the execution of these duties. The Board also appoints a Program Chair for each conference sponsored by the IFCA. The Program Chair appoints a program committee to assist him or her in ensuring that the program meets a high scientific standard. The Program Chair may not concurrently serve as a Director or Officer of the IFCA.

Article VII: General Meetings

A General Meeting of the membership takes place annually at the Financial Cryptography conference. The General Meeting is presided over by the President of the IFCA or, in case of the President's absence, by the Vice President, or, in case of both their absences, by the Secretary. The General Meeting is open to all members of the IFCA. Twenty-five members constitute a quorum for business at a General Meeting. The President, or his or her representative, reports to the membership the major decisions made by the Board since the most recent General Meeting, and introduces any items proposed by the Board for decision by the membership. These are either accepted or rejected by majority vote of the members present. Motions may also be proposed from the floor by any member and, if seconded, adopted by majority vote of the members present. Minutes of the General Meeting are taken by the Secretary or, in case of the Secretary's absence, by a Director or Officer designated by the Secretary as his or her representative. These minutes, after approval and/or correction by the Board, are made available to the membership. When the President judges that an action taken by the General Meeting does not reflect the position of a majority of the IFCA members, the President may place the question before the entire membership in a written ballot. If fifty members petition the Board for a referendum on an issue, the Board directs the Secretary to place the question before the entire membership in a written ballot. Decisions by the membership (other than election of Directors) may be overruled by a two-thirds vote of the Board.

Article VIII: Elections

At the General Meeting the President presents a list of vacant Director positions (including those of Directors whose terms are expiring) and the Board's nominations for these positions, and accepts additional nominations from the floor. Any IFCA member may nominate another member and all nominations must be seconded in order to be added to the ballot. After each of the candidates is given an opportunity to make a statement, the members present at the meeting will vote in accordance with election Guidelines established by the Board. Any premature vacancy in an office is filled by an appointee chosen by the President and then approved, as soon as possible, by the Board. Any premature vacancy in the Board is filled by a candidate chosen by the Board and serves until the next General Meeting, at which the membership elects a replacement for the remainder of the term. Any Officer or Director who engages in an activity inconsistent with the purposes of the IFCA may be removed upon two-thirds vote of the full Board. The person under investigation has the right to examine the charges against him or her and to make a statement defending himself or herself before the vote. The proceedings and documentation are confidential, unless the person under investigation wishes to make them public.

Article IX: Compensation

The Board shall establish compensation for Directors, Officers, and members of the program committee that may consist typically of waiver of registration fees, reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses for attending a meeting or conference, and/or honoraria The position of General Chair will typically be remunerated, either at a fixed level or on a commission basis, or some combination of the two.

Article X: Guidelines

The Board may establish additional Guidelines as deemed necessary to aid in the activities of the IFCA. There will be Guidelines for the duties and responsibilities of the General Chair and Program Chair of the conferences, for IFCA elections, and for other matters as deemed necessary by the Board.

Article XI: Amendments

Amendments to these General Guidelines may be proposed by majority vote of the Board or at a General Meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present. A proposed amendment becomes effective upon subsequent ratification by a two-thirds vote of the Board and by a majority vote of either the members present at a General Meeting or the full membership.

For further information, please contact one of the IFCA officers.