EAAA - what is it?

As of 2002 the Euro-Asian Accrediting Association of Evangelical Schools had 54 full and associate members.
Having begun with three to five enthusiasts at the beginning of the 1990s, to the official legal founding of the Association in October 1997 when there was 37 members, to the beginning of 2002, there has been a growth of more than 45%. This speaks well of both the popularity and the real-life necessity for such a movement in the countries of the Former Soviet Union.

EAAA membership is made up of both full and associate members. Full members can only be evangelical educational institutions and associate members can be any Christian organization that has an interest in the development of theological education in Eurasia.
Questions regarding relationships between EAAA members and also the relations of the Association to other organizations are regulated by the Charter-Constitution as well as by the General Meeting and Board of Trustees of the EAAA

EAAA Charter

The following Charter is the version that was approved with corrections, changes and additions at the founding conference in Moscow on October 14, 1997 with last changes from October 16, 2003.
This Charter serves as a constitution. That is, it is the foundational document which regulates the management of the Association's activity. The status of juridical persons who represent the EAAA in various countries depends on the laws of these countries and corresponds to that which is written below in this document.
The EAAA is registered in Ukraine and has its office at:
Odessa, ul. Tiraspolskaya, 33/19,
Tel. (048) 715-52-80, e-mail:eaaa@te.net.ua
The North American branch, EAAA International, is registered in the State of Illinois in the USA and has its office at:
335 Southcote Rd., Riverside, IL 60546,
Tel: 708-447-8773, E-mail: sandylaw@ameritech.net

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1.1. The Euro-Asian Accrediting Association of Evangelical Schools (hereinafter, the EAAA or the Association) is an international public organization, which unites, on a volunteer basis, educational and other institutions and affiliations who share the Statement of Faith of the Association and its Charter.
1.2. The activity of the Association is directed to:
- support evangelical theological institutions in reaching common standards, admitted in the system of Christian education;
- find and set up common standards in the system of Christian education;
- the accreditation of these theological institutions in accordance with the standards of Christian education.
1.2.1. The idea of accreditation is understood as being a process of elaborating and accepting common standards of Christian education, testing the members of the association for whether they meet the requirements of these standards, and granting them a corresponding accreditation level, certified by a corresponding document.
1.3. The location of the Association is the city of Moscow.
The Association carries out its activity on the territory of the states of its members.
1.4. The Association carries out its activity in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the acting federal legislation, the present Charter and the universally recognized principles and norms of international law.
1.5. The Association is a juridical person. It can, in its own name, acquire property rights, bear responsibilities, have its own balance, ruble and foreign currency accounts in the banks, including foreign, as well as its seal, emblem and other necessary requisites, proved by the EAAA Board (hereinafter, the Board), in Russian and in English.
1.6.        The Association can, in accordance with established procedure, be engaged in publishing activity, have the right to produce, to buy, to export, to import and to distribute religious, educational and methodical literature and other publications, as well as to be engaged in other administrative activity in accordance with the acting legislation.
1.7.        Public, religious, educational and other organizations and institutions, acting on the territory of the states of EAAA members, as well as individuals, irrespective of their citizenship and residence, can participate in the work of the Association.
1.8.        The Association is not responsible for the obligations of its individual members, just as its members are not responsible for the obligations of the Association.
1.9.        The Association can, on its own behalf, acquire property and non-property rights, act as plaintiff and defendant in the court and in the arbitration court.
1.10        The full name of the Association is the Euro-Asian Accrediting Association of Evangelical Schools, the abbreviation is the EAAA, in Russian - Евро-Азиатская Аккредитационная Ассоциация.

2. GOALS AND PURPOSES.
2.1. The purpose of the activity of the Association is the accreditation of evangelical educational institutions in accordance with generally accepted standards in the system of Christian education.
2.2 To achieve its statutory goals, the Association must carry out the following tasks:
2.2.1 - to set up an information network help its members;
2.2.2 - to render consulting services to its members in various areas;
2.2.3 - to help its members form and develop their libraries and to build relations between them;
2.2.4 - to provide support to its members in training national teachers, to organize international exchange of teachers;
2.2.5 - to support theological research programs and the development of theological thought in the schools of EAAA members.
2.2.6 - to work out standards and criteria for Christian education on the basis of the scientific work of the EAAA and other accreditation organizations, and also to work out the procedures for carrying out accreditation in accordance with world practice and the pooling of traditions.
2.2.7 - to establish contact with international accrediting organizations with the goal of integrating into the world-wide accreditation system and for the mutual acceptance of educational levels in the international evangelical community.
2.2.8 - to represent legal interests of the Association members, by their request, in their relations with government institutions and to assist the schools in obtaining public and international recognition.
2.2.9 - to be engaged in publishing activity. Along with religious literature it publishes scientific and methodical theological literature, spiritual-moral magazines, newspapers, informational materials about the activity of the Association, assists in granting the students of the members of the Association all privileges, they have the right for, on the basis of the acting legislation.
2.2.10 - assists in carrying out research work in the field of new forms of educational activity, based on contemporary methodology and research methods, foreign educational technologies and corresponding standards in the system of theological education;
2.2.11 - assists in preparing and publishing the monographs, textbooks, educational helps, selections of literature, reference books, brochures and other publications of an informational nature.
2.2.12 - conducts international conferences, colloquiums, congresses, meetings, seminars, courses etc.;
2.2.13 - examines the members of the Association with the purpose of checking their accreditation level;
2.2.14 - assists in accomplishing other tasks which are in accordance with the Charter and the acting legislation.

3. MEMBERSHIP.
3.1. Membership of the Association is voluntary and can be of two kinds - full and associate – with both having voting rights. The number of associate members in the Association and on the Board of the Association is limited to not more then 1/4.
3.1.1. Any evangelical school, irrespective of ethnic origin and location, can be a full member of the Association, if it shares the Statement of Faith of the Association and recognizes its Charter.
3.1.2. Associations, scientific research institutions, missions, missionary groups of the religious associations, as well as independent (autonomous) ones who share the goals and purposes of the Association and recognize its Charter can be associate members.
3.1.3. The admission of a full member takes place on the basis of a written application of an evangelical educational institution. Moreover, the school needs to pay admission fees, annual membership fees and accreditation fees. Additional information about a school can be requested only by approval of the General meeting.
3.1.4. Admittance to associate membership takes place on the basis of a written application of a candidate who recognizes the Charter of the Association and agrees with the Statement of Faith of the Association.
Associate members are to submit admission fees and annual fees.
3.2. The cessation of full and associate membership of the Association takes place when a member wants to leave the Association, or as a result of the following:
- deviation from the faith of the Association;
- violation of the provisions of the Charter of the Association;
- non-payment of membership fees for the current academic year. Pay time is set from January 1 to March 31.
3.2.1. The General meeting decides the question of the exclusion of a full member.
3.3. The question of admittance of a new member is decided by the Board on the basis of a written application of a candidate to the Chairman of the Board in accordance with the stipulations of Article 3.1.
3.3.1. The decision to admit an associate member is made by the Board. The decision to admit a full member is made by the Board and confirmed by the General meeting.
3.4. The full members of the Association have the right:
3.4.1 - to participate in the work of the Association and to manage its affairs;
3.4.2 - to elect and be elected to the elective organs of the Association, as well as to represent the Association within the boundaries of authority given to them.
3.4.3 - to receive, in accordance with established procedure, information on financial and other activities of the Association.
3.4.4.- to use, on preferential terms, scientific and methodical information which has been distributed by the Association and any other kind of services of the Association;
3.4.5 - to send, on preferential terms, their employees to further training to the educational centers of the Associations;
3.4.6 - to participate in scientific conferences, symposiums, exhibitions, forms of scientific tourism, etc., which have been organized by the Association;
3.4.7 - to be first in line for participating in the international activity of the Association;
3.4.8 - to appeal to the Association asking for help in defense of their rights and interests protected by the law, and for other urgent help;
3.4.9 - to acquire the publications of the Association or those books, acquired by it, on preferential terms;
3.4.10 - to submit proposals on questions covering the Association activities for the consideration of the leadership of the Association and to participate in the discussion of these questions;
3.4.11 - to apply for accreditation for their educational institution.
3.5 The Associate members of the Association have the right:
3.5.1 - to participate in the work of the Association and to manage its affairs;
3.5.2 - to elect and be elected to the elective organs of the Association, as well as to represent the Association within the boundaries of the authority given to them.
3.5.3 - to receive, in accordance with established procedure, information on financial and other activities of the Association.
3.5.4.- to use, on preferential terms, scientific and methodical information which is available in the Association and any kind of services of the Association;
3.5.5 - to send, on preferential terms, their employees for further training to the educational centers of the Association;
3.5.6 - to participate in scientific conferences, symposiums, exhibitions, forms of scientific tourism, etc., which are organized by the Association.
3.5.7 - to be first in line for participating in the international activity of the Association;
3.5.8 - to appeal to the Association asking for help in defense of their rights and interests protected by the law, and for other urgent help;
3.5.9 - to acquire the publications of the Association or those books, acquired by it, on preferential terms;
3.5.10 - to submit proposals on questions covering the Association activities for the consideration of the leadership of the Association and to participate in the discussion of these questions.
3.6. The members of the Association are obligated to:
- observe the Charter and to carry out the decisions of the General
meeting of the members of the Association;
- actively promote the achievement of the goals and purposes of the Association; and to carry out the measures which have been taken by the Association;
- pay admission and annual membership fees to the funds of the Association in the amount and in order, determined by the General meeting of the participants of the Association, every two years. Fees of the members of the Association can be of financial, material and other character;
Participation in the Association does not prevent its members from participating in any other unions and associations.

4. STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT
3.4.1. The activity of the Association is carried out by the General Meeting of the representatives of EAAA member schools and organizations (hereafter the “General Meeting”), by the Board of the Association, by the Chairman of the Board of the Association and his assistants, by the Executive Director and by corresponding structures within the Association.
4.2 The highest organ of the Association is the General Meeting of representatives of members of the Association. The General Meeting has the right to take decisions when it has a quorum of no less than half of the members of the Association.
4.3. A full member of the Association has one vote at the General Meeting. The representatives of the members of the Association can participate in the General Meeting of the Association, having full voting status, by the power given to them by the leader of the institution or the organization.
4.4. The General meeting has the exclusive right to:
4.4.1 - Approve the Charter of the Association, to introduce additions and amendments to the Charter;
4.4.2 - Make a decision on the cessation of the activities of the Association and on the formation of the liquidating commission;
4.4.3 - Elect the Chairman of the Board, the Board of The Association and the auditing commission
4.4.4 - Approve, upon the recommendation of the Board, the decision on granting the accreditation level to a theological school;
4.4.5 – Approve, upon the recommendation of the Board, the regulation "On the academic criteria and the standards of evangelical education";
4.4.6 - Approve the report of the Chairman of the Board and of the auditing commission;
4.4.7 - Approve the budget (estimate of costs) of the Association for two years and fees; to determine the manner and amount of fees for EAAA full and associate members
4.4.8 - Make a decision on the entry of the Association into international organizations, unions, associations, and on leaving of them.
4.5. Decision-making.
4.5.1 The decisions on the election of the Chairman of the Board, on the approval of the Charter, on the introduction of changes and additions to the Charter, on the approval of the decisions on the accreditation of theological institutions and on the cessation of the activity of the Association are made by qualified majority of votes of 2/3 of those present at the General Meeting of the representatives of the members of the Association.
4.5.2 The decisions of the General Meeting on all other issues, including the membership questions, are taken by a simple majority vote.
4.5.3 The voting can be secret (by ballots), open, or the decision can be made without voting, if there are no objections (by voice), or by correspondence sent by mail or with the use of modern forms of communication. The decision on the method of voting is made by the General Meeting in each separate instance.
4.6. The General Meeting of the representatives of the members of the Association can be convened as necessary, but no less than once every two years. An extraordinary General meeting can be convened by a decision of the Chairman of the Board, the Board of the Association, by 50% of members, or by 1/3 of full members of the Association.
4.7. During the period between the convening of General Meetings, the Board of the Association is the leading body of the Association. The Board is elected for a term of two years by the General Meeting of EAAA members, and consists of 5 to 12 people, including the Chairman of the Board,
4.8. The members of the Board can be re-elected for a new term, but no more than three consecutive terms.
4.8.1. The members of the Board can be re-elected on the expiration of their term, or recalled at any time by the suggestion of no less than 1/3 of the full members of the Association. In the event that a member of the Board has left, or is relieved of his position before his term has expired, the Board can elect in his place a new member for the rest of the term by the power of the Board, with the subsequent approval by the General Meeting of the members of the Association. A member of the Board has the right to step down from the Board.
4.9. The Board can be convened as necessary, but not less than twice a year. An extraordinary meeting of the Board can be convened by the Chairman, by the request of 1/3 of all members of the Board, or by the request of the auditing commission.
4.9.1. The decisions of the Board are made by open voting by simple majority of the votes of the members of the Board present, or by consensus without voting. The Board has the right to make decisions if no less than 2/3 of its members take part in the meeting, or by mandate sent by mail or with the use of contemporary kinds of communication.
4.9.2. Chairing the meetings of the Board is the Chairman who, in the case of a tie vote, has the right to cast the deciding vote.
4.10. The Board is accountable to the General Meeting, which has the right, if there are good grounds, to re-elect the members of the Board and the Chairman of the Board.
4.11. The Board of the Association:
4.11.1 - directs the Association in the period between the convening of General meetings;
4.11.2 – makes sure that the decisions of the General meeting are implemented;
4.11.3 - prepares the issues for the General meeting;
4.11.4 - makes decisions on the admittance to the membership of the Association with subsequent approval at the General meeting;
4.11.5 - deals with the accreditation of Schools, with subsequent approval at the General meeting
4.11.6 - determines the structure of the Association, approves the list of the staff members, the functionary instructions and conditions of the work of the employees of the Association;
4.11.7 - appoints and dismisses the Executive director of the Association;
4.11.8 - the Board has the right to make decisions on all other issues related to the activity of the Association, which are not under the exclusive competence of the General meeting;
4.12. The Chairman of Board of the Association:
4.12.1. The Chairman of the Board of the Association is elected by the General Meeting for two years with the right of being reelected to a new term, but not for more than three consecutive terms.
4.12.2. The Chairman of the Board of the association organizes and leads the work of the board and signs decisions taken by the Board.
4.13. The Vice-Chairman of Board of the Association:
4.13.1. The Chairman of Board of the Association is elected from the Board by members of the Board at the suggestion of the Chairman of the Board.
4.13.2. The Chairman of Board of the Association organizes and leads the work of the Board in the absence of the Chairman of the Board.
4.14. If the Chairman of the Board has served for three consecutive terms in that position they may be selected as a Board member. Also, if a Board member has served for three consecutive terms in that position they may be selected by the Board to be Chairman of the Board.
4.15. The Executive Director:
4.15.1 - executes the instructions of the Board;
4.15.2 - organizes the work of the various bodies of the Association;
4.15.3 - directs the every day activity of the Association;
4.15.4 - acts on behalf of the Association without the power of attorney;
4.15.5 - represents the Association in all institutions, organizations, both in the country in which the Association is registered and abroad.
4.15.6 - manages the property of the Association in accordance with the acting legislation of the country in which the association is registered and the present Charter;
4.15.7 - deals with legal issues, issues powers of attorney, is in charge of the credits, signs promissory notes and other financial accounts of the Association;
4.16. The auditing commission has three members and is elected by the General Meeting of the members of the Association for two years. Elected members of the EAAA Board, or the leaders of any body within the Association, may not serve as members of the auditing commission
4.16.1. The auditing commission audits the financial activity of the Association, not less than once a year, and values the Association's assets. The auditing commission must write up an annual report on their work and present it to the General Meeting.
4.17. The following procedures must be followed in order to be a candidate for a position within the EAAA:
- a candidate for the EAAA Board and for the auditing commission must have the support of five members of the Association.
- a candidate for the Chairmanship of the Board of the Association must have the support of the Board or 20% of the members of the Association.

5. PROPERTY. FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY
5.1. The Association is set up and exists on the financial backing of the membership, admission and one-time fees of its participants, as well as from donations of Russian and foreign non-political organizations, religious associations and private persons, including foreign citizens. Financial support may also come from the sale of literature, from transfers of funds from international Christian organizations, as well as income derived from enterprises and organizations (which have the right of legal personhood) set up by the Association, and from the income from any other activity which is in accordance with the acting legislation.
5.2. The property of the Association:
5.2.1. The Association has the right to own buildings, structures, production facilities, charitable and cultural facilities, and financial resources in national and foreign currencies, needed to accomplish the work of the Association as specified in the Charter.
5.2.2. The Association has the right to own property, acquired or created by citizens, organizations or given to them by the state, as well as property acquired through any other legal means.
5.2.3. The Association has the right, in accordance with its Charter and by agreement with the donors, to use the territory, buildings and property, given to it by the state or by religious, public and other organizations and private persons.
5.2.4. The Association can have its property on the territory of other states.
5.2.5. The Association can receive ownership of property or land for its own use, in accordance with the acting legislation.
5.2.6. The Association is responsible only for its own obligations and for that property which it owns.
5.3. The Association has the right to ask for volunteer financial and material donations and to receive them.
5.4. Donors have the right to designate the purpose of their donation and also have the right to make their donations anonymously.
5.5. The finances of the Association, including the profits of the statutory activity, can be spent on purposes, determined by the present Charter, and can not be distributed among its members.
5.6. The auditing commission carries out the financial activity of the Association.

6. CHANGES AN AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER
6.1. Decisions on introducing changes and amendments to the present Charter are taken by the General meeting of the representatives of the members of the Association and are to be registered in the same manner as the registration of the Charter.

7. CESSATION OF THE ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES.
7.1. The Association can cease its activity if a qualified majority of 2/3 of votes of EAAA member representatives of the General meeting votes for its reorganization or liquidation, or in other cases as stipulated by the acting legislation.
7.2. In case of the cessation of the Association activities, the General meeting of EAAA member representatives sets up a liquidation commission which takes full authority to manage the work of the Association.
7.3. In the event of reorganization, the Association's rights and responsibilities are transferred to the successors, who are determined by the General meeting of the Association.
7.4. In the case of cessation of activity, the property and assets of the Association will be returned to their previous owners.
7.5. Financial resources which remain after creditors' demands are satisfied, will be managed, according to a decision of the General meeting of EAAA member representatives, according to the purposes stipulated by its Charter.