Established, December 9, 1976
Revised, November 1, 1986
Revised, October 28, 2012
Revised, October 13, 2018
Revised, November 7, 2019
Revised, October 19, 2023
Preamble
We, the member institutions of the Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA), coming from diverse Christian traditions, unite and affirm our shared belief that:
- Our Sovereign Lord, Jesus Christ, calls us to a ministry of providing quality education grounded on Christian values;
- Christian educational institutions must integrate faith and action to realize relevant, inclusive, innovative and holistic education; and
- Educational programs must be a redemptive manifestation of God’s saving actions in the world and an instrument for positive social transformation and nation-building. On the basis of these affirmations, we adopt and promulgate this Constitution and By-Laws.
Article I
Name of the Association
Section 1. The Association shall be named the Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA), hereafter referred to as ‘the Association.’
Article II
Purpose and Principles
Section 1. Purpose of the Association. The Association is established to promote the cause and purpose of Christian Higher Education in Asia by enabling its members through cooperation and mutual support to pursue the highest standards of education. Specifically, the Association shall, for the benefit of its members:
a. Endeavor to provide opportunities for sharing of relevant knowledge and best practices by organizing academic conferences in higher education;
b. Strengthen faculty and student exchange programs to promote intercultural understanding and global citizenship;
c. Foster collaborative research, training, and other capacitation projects; and
d. Provide liaison work to promote cooperation and partnership with governments and other higher education stakeholders in Asia.
Section 2. Guiding Principles. Consistent with its shared character and mission, the Association and its member institutions shall abide by the following principles:
a. Christian educational institutions have a critical niche in the intellectual, moral, and spiritual development of individuals and nations and the Association and its members shall faithfully embrace this reality and calling;
b. Evangelization, being integral in the life, ministry, and witness of Christian educational institutions, must include the cause of peace and justice, respect for the value of human life, and support to the UN Sustainable Development Goals; and
c. In the delivery of quality education, member institutions draw from the Gospel of Christ inspiring to promote: (i) holistic and relevant education; (ii) access and inclusivity; (iii) collaboration, innovation, and creativity.
Article III
Membership
Section 1. Eligibility. Membership in the Association is open to any Christian university or college in Asia duly recognized by the government of its home country and satisfies the criteria set by the General Assembly. Specifically, the applicant must exhibit:
a. Christian character and purpose;
b. Commitment to the production and dissemination of new knowledge through research, instruction, and extension; and
c. Support the promotion of a culture of innovation and creativity.
Section 2. Manner of Admission. A Christian university or college may be admitted as follows:
a. The applicant will submit a Letter to the Secretary-General manifesting firm interest to join the Association with the accomplished Application Form and the recommendation of at least one member from its home country, if applicable.
b. The Secretary-General will refer the application to the Member of the Executive Committee representing the applicant’s home country who will proceed to evaluate the same and assist the applicant in securing a letter of recommendation from a member of another country. If there is no Member of the Executive Committee from the applicant’s country, the Secretary-General shall facilitate the application process.
c. When the recommendation from a member of another Asian country is received, the Member of the Executive Committee handling the application shall endorse the same to the Executive Committee for consideration and approval.
d. The approval by the Executive Committee on the application shall be submitted to the General Assembly for ratification. After the ratification, the admitted member shall pay the membership due for the current year and receive a Certificate of Membership signed by the President and the Secretary-General.
Section 3. Membership Due. A member of the Association shall pay a yearly Membership due in such amount as may be fixed by the General Assembly or by its Executive Committee.
Section 4. Termination of Membership. Membership in the Association may be terminated upon:
a. Resignation from the Association.
b. Cessation of operation of the member – institution.
c. Failure to remit annual dues for a period of two (2) consecutive years; in which case the institution may apply for re-admission within two (2) years from notice of termination, and upon payment of past dues. Members who fail to apply for re-admission within two (2) years shall apply for new membership.
Article IV
General Assembly
Section 1. Composition. There shall be a General Assembly of the Association composed of all member–institutions.
Section 2. Duties of the General Assembly. The General Assembly shall serve as the policy-making body of the Association and shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
a. To approve from time-to-time programs, policies, strategic plans, and directions of the Association;
b. To ratify the approved Budget of the Association;
c. To ratify actions and resolutions of the Executive Committee;
d. To ratify the election of Officers and Members of the Executive Committee;
e. To receive Reports of the President and Treasurer presented to the General Assembly;
f. To approve amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association; and
g. To resolve with finality any issue or concern that may be brought to its attention by the Executive Committee or the President of the Association.
Section 3. Regular and Special Sessions of the General Assembly. The General Assembly shall convene for its regular session once every (2) two years preferably in the months of October or November. Upon the call of the President, a special virtual session of the General Assembly may also be convened to address urgent matters due to compelling reasons. The Executive Committee shall determine the specific date, venue, or mode of the meeting, whether in person, virtual, or hybrid.
Section 4. Order of Business. The General Assembly shall have the following agenda:
a. Proof of due notice;
b. Declaration of a Quorum;
c. Approval of the Minutes of the previous Session;
d. Business Arising from the Minutes;
e. Ratification of actions of the Executive Committee;
f. Report of the President;
g. Report of the Treasurer
h. Ratification of admission of new members by the Executive Committee
i. Ratification of Election of Officers and Members of the Executive Committee; and
j. Other matters.
Section 5. Notice of Meeting. A notice of the regular session of the General Assembly indicating the date, time, place, and mode thereof shall be sent to all members of record through electronic mail at least ninety (90) days prior to the date of the meeting. A notice to a special virtual session shall be sent through electronic mail at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting. A notice of the meeting shall be accompanied by the following:
a. The agenda for the session; and
b. The procedure to be followed when attendance, participation, and voting may be exercised by any member through remote communication.
Section 6. Voting rights are to be exercised by the Head of the Member – Institution. A member institution shall be entitled to one (1) vote in the General Assembly, which shall be exercised by its President/ Rector/Head/Principal or in his/her absence by one designated by him/her.
Section 7. Quorum. A majority of the member- institutions shall constitute a quorum to transact business.
Section 8. Management Conference. During the regular session of the General Assembly and/or in between its biennial sessions, a Management Conference may be convened to serve as a forum for conversation and interactive fellowship with a focus on resolving common issues in education and sharing of information, plans, strategies, best practices and advocacies among member-institutions.
Section 9. Academic Conference. In order to engage wider participation of the faculty of Member Institutions in the life and collective witness of the Association, an academic conference may also be convened during the regular session of the General Assembly and/or in between its biennial sessions, for the presentation of academic papers, innovations, and creative works.
Article V
Executive Committee and Officers
Section 1. Composition. There shall be an Executive Committee of the General Assembly which shall be composed of (a) the President, (b) the Vice-President, (c) the Treasurer, (d) the Secretary-General, and (e) members each representing a country in Asia with at least four (4) member institutions. With the exception of the General Secretary, there shall be no more than two (2) members from any one country.
Section 2. Duties of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is the body that acts for and on behalf of the General Assembly when the latter is not in session. It shall:
a. Oversee the affairs of the Association;
b. Approve the Annual Budget;
c. Receive and approve matters referred by the President and Treasurer;
d. Evaluate and approve new policies, programs, activities, and appropriate needed funds;
e. Initiate and act on any proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws;
f. Approve a verified application for membership, and
g. Take appropriate action or resolution on any matter brought to its attention by any member institution. Provided that the effectivity of actions and resolutions of the Executive Committee shall expire and be deemed bypassed unless ratified by the ensuing regular session of the General Assembly.
Section 3. Officers and their Duties. The officers of the Association and their respective duties are:
a. The President, as the head of the Association, shall preside over the meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee; initiate and propose new programs and policies for the consideration and approval by the General Assembly or its Executive Committee; promote and execute all approved programs, policies and resolutions; and serve as the official representative of the Association in any official function. Upon the expiration of the term of the President, the Vice President shall succeed as President for the ensuing term.
b. The Vice-President shall assist the President in the performance of his/her duties; and in the case of the latter’s absence or disability, shall act on behalf of the President. He/she shall also perform other duties that may be assigned by the President or the Executive Committee. The Vice President shall automatically serve as the President for the ensuing term.
c. The Treasurer shall (i) have custody of the funds of the Association; (ii) disbursed the approved budget, both Operations and Programs, to the Secretariat at the beginning of the fiscal year; (iii) receive financial reports from the Secretary-General; and (iv) submit an annual financial report to the Executive Committee and the General Assembly. Unless otherwise replaced by the Executive Committee or General Assembly, Hong Kong Baptist University continues to perform the duties as Treasurer.
d. The Secretary-General shall be the head of the Secretariat and shall perform the following duties: (i) assist the President in the performance of his/her duties and responsibilities; (ii) oversee the implementations of the programs and resolutions of the General Assembly or its Executive Committee; (iii) receive and process applications for membership; (iv) manage the finances of the Association pursuant to the provisions of the approved budget and submit semi-annual financial statements to the Treasurer, and (v) submit to the Executive Committee and the General Assembly a report on the activities of the preceding year(s). The Secretary-General shall be designated by the President of the Association and does not necessarily come from the same institution as the President.
Section 4. Election of Members of the Executive Committee. Except for the President, the Secretary-General, and the Treasurer, a member of the Executive Committee shall be elected in the following manner:
- He/she shall be selected and nominated by the members in his/her home country;
- The Executive Committee shall receive the nomination and proceed to elect the nominee; and
- Such election shall be confirmed by the General Assembly.
Section 5. Meetings. The Executive Committee shall meet at least two (2) times a year. The date, time, venue, and mode of the meeting shall be decided by the Executive Committee and the notice shall be sent by electronic mail at least ninety (90) days prior to the date of the meeting. It may convene in a Special Meeting to meet urgent and pressing matters. In such case, a notice to a special virtual session shall be sent through electronic mail at least thirty (30) days prior to then date of the meeting.
Section 6. Quorum. A simple majority of the Members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum to transact business.
Section 7. Term of Office. The Officers of the Association and the Members of the Executive Committee shall serve a term of two (2) years, from January 1 of a given calendar year to December 31 of the next calendar year. Members are eligible for re-election for one (1) consecutive term only, except the President whose tenure shall be limited to two (2) years, and the General Secretary, who may be re-appointed indefinitely.
Section 8. Institutional Nature of the Office. Membership in the Executive Committee refers to the institution, not the individual seated. Should the
President of an institution serving as a member of the Executive Committee step down from his/her post as head of the institution, that institution’s succeeding president shall serve for the remainder of the term of the Executive Committee.
Section 9. Sub-Committees. Whenever necessary and exigent, the Executive Committee may create subcommittees for (a) policy and advocacy; (b) program development; (c) finance; (d) membership; (e) institutional quality assessment, or for any field or purpose that may be deemed necessary and appropriate. The Sub-Committee created shall assist the Executive Committee in its work.
Article VI
Amendment of the Constitution and By-Laws
Section 1. The Constitution and By-Laws of the Association may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of a majority of the Executive Committee. Notice of the recommended amendment(s) shall be sent by electronic mail to all members at least thirty
(30) days prior to the regular session of the General Assembly.
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