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The
"By-Laws" establishing the World Association of
Copepodologists and governing its operations were originally
approved by a majority of the members present at the 3rd
International Conference on Copepoda in 1987. Certain amendments
were later approved at the 6th
ICOC at Oldenburg in 1996. Three additional changes were approved
at the 8th
ICOC at Keelung in 2002. The latest changes added one additional
elected Council member and instituted the post of Past President
(Articles 3 and 7), and shortened the nomination period for
officers from six months to two months in advance of each election
(Article 7). The Past President, Geoff Boxshall, discussed the
reasons for the most recent changes in the appended section on
"Approved
amendments to the WAC By-Laws." The current version of
the By-Laws is as follows:
Name
The
name of the association shall be The World Association of
Copepodologists, hereinafter referred to as the WAC.
Purpose
The
general objective of the WAC shall be the promotion and support of
interest in all aspects of research on Copepoda.
BY-LAWS
Article
1: Membership
Any
person interested in any aspect of the study of Copepoda is
eligible for membership of the WAC. Applicants for membership must
be nominated by two members of the Association. The nomination is
sent to the Executive Council for approval. The approval of the
Council confers on the applicant the status of a candidate member.
A list of candidate members shall be presented by the Executive
Council to the membership during the business meeting of the WAC,
to be ratified by its quorum (defined for the purpose of this
statute as at least 30 active members in addition to the officers
of the Council). Candidates not so approved will be informed by
the General Secretary in writing. Should the period between a
membership application and the next business meeting exceed three
years, the approval of candidates will be carried out by mail.
Article
2: Governing body
The
governing body of the WAC shall be the quorum of membership
assembled at business meetings during periodic symposia. Should
such meetings be impossible, the membership shall exercise its
authority by mail ballot, organized by the Executive Council.
Article
3: Officers
The
officers of the WAC shall be: a President, a Vice-President, a
Past President, a General Secretary, a Treasurer, a Local
Secretary and up to five Members, comprising the Executive
Council. The term of office of all officers will be coincident
with the interval between two successive meetings of the WAC. The
Local Secretary will not be an elected officer, but be appointed
by the Executive Council. After completion of one elected term as
President, the President will serve a second term as Past
President. At each meeting half of the slate of officers shall be
replaced. All officers of the Executive shall be eligible for
re-elections. The first slate of officers shall be appointed by
the Founder-President. The first meeting shall elect a new
President, General Secretary, Treasurer and two Council Members,
to stagger the terms of office and to ensure the continuity of the
Executive Council.
Article
4: Executive Council
The
Executive Council shall determine general policy on the basis of
input from the membership and shall conduct the business affairs
of the WAC. The Executive Council is chaired by the President of
the WAC. In his absence, the Council is chaired by the
Vice-President and in his absence by the General Secretary.
Article
5: The Treasurer
The
Treasurer shall keep the financial records of the WAC and shall
present an annual report at the end of each calendar year to be
included in the first issue of the newsletter of the succeeding
year.
Article
6A: The Local Secretary
The
Local Secretary shall be appointed by the Executive Council during
the WAC meeting from among members living in the locality
designated as the venue for the next meeting. The Local Secretary
shall take a leading role in organizing that meeting, in close
cooperation with the President and the Executive Council.
Article
6B: The General Secretary
The
General Secretary shall prepare and receive applications for
membership and assist the President in running the WAC.
Article
7: Nominations
Nominations
for any office, with the exception of those of the Local Secretary
and Past President, may be made in writing by any two members of
the WAC in good standing not later than two months in advance of
an election. The proposer must ascertain that each candidate is
willing to stand for office and serve if elected. Additional
nominations may be made by a Nomination Committee appointed by the
Executive Council and during business meetings of the WAC.
Article
8: Elections
Elections
shall be conducted by direct ballot at the business meetings of
the WAC. Should the interval between meetings exceed five years,
the Executive Council shall arrange a mail ballot election. In
that case the Executive Council shall mail ballots to the
membership in an issue of the newsletter before October 1 in the
election year. A brief biographical sketch of each candidate shall
accompany the ballots. The Executive Council shall appoint a
scrutinizing committee of three to count and record votes received
by November 1. The candidates receiving the greatest number of
votes shall be elected. When the vote results in a tie, the
Executive Council shall vote to resolve it. Should a tie still
persist, the President shall cast the deciding vote.
Article
9: Finance
The
expenses of the WAC shall be paid from the funds of the WAC,
within the limits of its budget. The capital and income of the WAC
shall be devoted solely to the furtherance of the objectives of
the WAC, as stated in its constitution.
Article
10: Dues
The
annual dues shall be fixed by the Executive Council. They shall be
payable in the currency used by the treasury of the WAC or by
International Money Order in advance before January 1 to the
Treasurer. Dues may be paid two years in advance. At the
discretion of the Executive Council, dues of some members may be
waived or reduced.
Article
11: Newsletter
The
WAC shall publish a newsletter entitled MONOCULUS. This newsletter
shall be published at least once a year. The responsibility for
its publication shall devolve upon an Editor, appointed by the
Executive Council for a period equal to the interval between
successive meetings. The Editor may be one of the officers of the
Executive Council and shall be eligible for re-election.
Article
12: Meetings
The
WAC shall sponsor an international symposium every three years, if
possible. The purpose of these conferences shall be the promotion
of the Association's objectives. They will also provide a platform
for the conduct of the Association's business, including
nomination and election of officers, adoption of by-laws and
amendment of the constitution and/or by-laws. All business
decisions shall be taken by the vote of the membership quorum.
Financial responsibility for the conferences shall rest with the
local organizers.
Article
13: Amendments
The
constitution and by-laws of the WAC can be amended only by
two-thirds majority of members in good standing present at a
business meeting or voting in a mail ballot. Amendments may be
proposed by any two members in writing to the General Secretary
for the appropriate transmission to the membership.
Article
14: Dissolution
In
the event that WAC is dissolved for any reason, the surplus funds
remaining after payment of debts and liabilities shall be
transferred to some institution or organization approved by the
Executive Council that has objectives similar to those of the WAC.
Any outstanding liabilities at dissolution shall be shared equally
among the members.
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