Charter of the Congress of Scholars

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Charter of the Congress of Scholars

Detailing the Mission, Function and Duties of the Congress of Scholars

“Scientia in Unitate”

80 S.E.

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Preamble

1. The Congress of Scholars is an international forum of scholars which crosses institutional barriers. The board is composed of institutional leaders in academia who organize academic events, programs, and standards to formalize academics and ensure that a new generation of scholars can more effectively share their works and learn from one another. The Congress is not a single university, college, or academic society; it is a neutral arbiter of academic affairs with a mandate to create a community of scholars. The Second Age has marked a dramatic shift in contemporary global cultural attitudes. Following the departure from Arcas, the denizens of Almaris seem to have experienced a scholarly renaissance. The expansion of formal academic institutions in recent decades has created a hospitable space for those who seek to synthesize new knowledge merely for knowledge’s sake. There now exists the capacity to facilitate an international community of scholars who are motivated by nothing more than the accumulation, creation, and publication of knowledge; albeit, a small community. Nonetheless, an apparently small size of dedicated scholars in Almaris is the precise reason that a universal forum should exist to create a more intimate environment for academics who wish to see academia blossom.

 

Mission Statement

1. The mandate of the Congress of Scholars is to foster the next generation of researchers, academics and scholars. The Congress has three primary objectives; to facilitate networking events between scholars of all affiliations, to accredit degree-granting academic institutions, and formalize the process for awarding doctoral credentials. These objectives are not meant to hinder the activities of academic institutions – rather, they are meant to provide support for the next generation of scholars.
2. The motto of the Congress shall be “Scientia in Unitate,” the Flexian phrase for “Knowledge in Unity.” This motto summarizes the benefits of fostering collaboration and cooperation between scholars in different institutions and disciplines, and emphasizes that working together yields mutually beneficial results for all parties.

 

Governance

1. The bureaucracy of the Congress exists to organize academic activities and meetings. The Congressional board is made up of one representative from each accredited institution, as well as one Chairman appointed by a majority vote to facilitate congressional activities in a neutral fashion. The board represents the institutional interests of all academic guilds and may vote to make institutional changes to the Congress, binding to all accredited institutions. Board Members are appointed by the chief executive authority of their respective institution, and the chief executive authority reserves the right to appoint themselves as a Board Member. The Chair is elected by a majority vote of the current Board Members. The Chair may be a scholar associated with an academic institution, but may not be the institution’s chief executive authority. The Chair serves until departure or removal by a majority vote of the Congress.
2. Board Members reserves the subsequent powers: To bring forth any motions to the board regarding the activities of the Congress of Scholars, to vote on any motions presented by other members, and to call for a meeting of the board when they deem fit.
3. The Chair reserves the subsequent powers: To facilitate the agenda of board meetings, to moderate discussions during board meetings, to record the votes on any presented motions, to represent the general interests of the Congress of Scholars to any third party, and to process applications for institutional accreditation, as detailed by the Charter.

 

Accreditation of Academic Institutions

1. Accreditation of academic institutions is intended to identify those institutions which are active members in the scholarly community. Accreditation is also critical to participation with the Congress, as accredited institutions will appoint a representative to the board. The credentials are designed to be unrestrictive to ensure that all academic institutions, no matter their size, have access to the same opportunities and resources.
2. Accredited institutions will be eligible to receive any conditional funding possessed by the Congress of Scholars. Conditional funding will not discriminate between institutions.
3. Institutions must meet three basic requirements to attain and maintain accreditation:

• The establishment of a permanent, physical facility. The institution in question must have at least one identifiable campus.
• Membership of one or more doctoral degree-holders. At least one member of the institution must possess a doctoral degree as verified by the Congress of Scholars.
• Continued dedication to academic research. The institution in question must maintain a public academic presence.

 

Doctoral Accreditation

One useful function of the Congress is verifying the status of degree-holding scholars who have undergone the most rigorous academic training. Those who hold doctoral degrees have not only mastered their subject area, but have also created a novel and substantive piece of academic literature which has made an original contribution to their field. The doctorate signifies that the individual is capable of conducting original research and incorporating prior literature into their works. The doctoral degree certifies professors and researchers throughout Almaris as full members of the Congress.

 

The Congress of Scholars accredits only the academic doctoral degree. Medicinal degrees, professional degrees, craftsman certifications, magical certifications and academic degrees of less rigor fall to the discretion of individual institutions.

 

Those who receive a doctoral degree reserve the following rights;

1. Lifetime membership in the Congress of Scholars, lest expunged due to revealed plagiarism or academic dishonesty,
2. The title of “Doctor” (Dr.) for life,
3. And the right to mentor doctoral candidates at their discretion.

 

Doctoral candidates are expected to possess the following skills upon receiving their doctorate;

1. Mastery of the theories and core literature within their academic discipline,
2. Proficient understanding of research methodology appropriate to their discipline,
3. Critical thinking and writing abilities to incorporate into their academic work,
4. And the production of an at-length academic thesis which makes a substantial contribution to their field.

 

The process of granting doctoral degrees is as follows;

1. Doctoral candidates must identify a current doctorate to act as their mentor and supervisor. Current doctorates maintain full agency in their decision to accept or reject new doctoral candidates.
2. It is expected that doctoral candidates will receive rigorous academic training from their mentors during the “training phase.” This includes educating the mentee on research methodology, proper academic literacy skills and core concepts of the discipline.
3. During the “training phase,” the specific aspects of academic training fall upon the individual mentor and their affiliated academic institution. However, it is generally expected that all doctoral candidates master the above skill sets and produce smaller academic publications to demonstrate their progression.
4. When the candidate has completed training, they will be expected to complete their doctoral thesis/dissertation. This is a lengthy piece of academic literature which makes a significant contribution to their field. Dissertations must present a novel research question, a clear methodology to address this question, and any results yielded from their research. Although their prior publications may not make use of proper citations, the dissertation is expected to employ an acceptable citation style (such as VSSA or NGSC).
5. Upon completion, the student may submit their thesis to their supervisor. The supervisor is then tasked with creating a thesis committee of three degree-holding scholars to critique and judge the thesis. The supervisor may suffice as one committee member, and committee members may hail from the affiliated institution or others.
6. The thesis must come either to the conclusion to accept the thesis, at which point the doctoral candidate receives their doctoral degree, or to reject the thesis, wherein the candidate will have the chance to make sufficient edits and resubmit their dissertation at a later date.

 

Those who hold a doctoral degree may opt to omit themselves of institutional membership, instead acting as “independent scholars.” Independent scholars maintain the ability to mentor students and participate in Congressional events, but are not represented on the board.

 

The Congress of Scholars verifies the following types of doctoral degrees, all of whom would receive the title of “Doctor” (Dr.);

1. PhD, derived from the Flexian philosophiae doctor. Holders of this degree have undergone the doctoral accreditation process in full.
2. EpF, derived from the Flexian ex post facto. These are doctoral degrees of equal status to the PhD, but have been awarded to scholars with sufficient academic publications prior to the establishment of the Congress.
3. Posthumous PhD, awarded as recognition of deceased scholars deemed to have made a significant contribution to their field during life. Awarding of the posthumous doctorates must be brought to the board as a motion.
4. Honorary PhD, awarded as recognition of an individual’s academic contributions outside of the academic world. The honorary PhD cannot be used as appropriate academic credentials. Awarding of the honorary doctorates must be brought to the board as a motion.

 

Networking

1. In-person networking events between scholars are of utmost importance. Correspondence through letters are fruitful in sharing brief theories, but to truly interact with the intellectual work of others, a regular gathering of scholars is most effective. The Congress is responsible for the organization of academic forums wherein scholars are eligible to present influential studies with their peers and meet scholars from other institutions. The Congress may also provide logistical assistance with smaller conferences initiated by other academic institutions or individuals. Participation, of course, is not limited to those with advanced degrees, but simply those who have recently made scholarly contributions to their field.

 

Archival Duties

1. The Congress of Scholars is tasked with proper record-keeping, and may expand its archival functions at the discretion of the board.
2. The Congress will maintain an organized and public record of current and past doctorates.
3. The Congress will maintain an organized and public record of current and past accredited academic institutions.

 

Amendments to the Charter

This document may be amended by the following processes;

1. 3/4ths majority vote of Board Members on a proposed motion, or
2. Simple majority vote of a referendum among all current PhD and EpF holders. To amend this document through referendum, 50% of all current doctorates must agree to the proposed measure.