By-Laws
of the International Genetic Epidemiology Society
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By-Lawsof the International Genetic Epidemiology Society |
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Membership shall be open to all persons and institutions interested in genetic epidemiology that have not had their membership previously terminated.
Each member shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted by the board of directors to a vote of the members.
Members who shall be in default in the payment of dues for more than one year shall be dropped from membership. Such persons will be reinstated to full membership upon the payment of all back dues without reapplying for admission. Membership may also be terminated at the initiative of the board of directors, following an opportunity for a hearing before the board. Any such decision by the Board may be appealed to the membership; to overturn the Board's decision there must be a two-thirds majority of the voting members, in a mail ballot.
Members resigned from or dropped from membership for any reason except default in payment of dues must reapply in order to reinstate membership.
Membership in this corporation is not transferable or assignable.
An annual meeting of the members shall be held at a time to be determined by the board of directors.
Special meetings of the members may be called by the board of directors.
The board of directors may designate any place, either within or without the State of Louisiana, as the place of meeting for any annual meeting or for any special meeting called by the board of directors.
Written or printed notice stating the place, day and hour of any meeting of members shall be delivered, either personally or by mail, to each member entitled to vote at such meeting, at least two months before the date of such meeting, by or at the direction of the president, or the officers or persons calling the meeting. Whenever a special meeting is called or when there is a meeting required by statute or by these by-laws, the purpose for the meeting shall be stated in the notice. If mailed, the notice of a meeting shall be deemed delivered when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the member at his address as it appears on the records of the corporation, with postage thereon prepaid.
INFORMAL ACTION BY MEMBERS. by written petition of ten percent of the membership received within sixty days following a business meeting, the secretary-treasurer may be directed to submit any action taken in the business meeting to the membership by mail ballot for ratification. If supported by a majority of the marked ballots returned, the action shall stand; otherwise it shall be declared null and void.
The members holding one-tenth of the votes which may be cast at any meeting shall constitute a quorum at such meeting. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the members, a majority of the members present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice.
The affairs of the corporation shall be managed by its board of directors.
The number of directors shall be eleven, including the elected officers, the past president, the editor of the Society's official journal, and six directors-at-large. At least two directors-at-large shall be elected representing members from outside North America. A president elect shall be elected every other year for a one-year term, to become president for the next year, and past president for a year after that. A secretary-treasurer shall be elected to a three-year term, which shall begin on July 1 of the first year, and end on June 30 of the third year. Directors-at-large are to be elected for three-year terms, two every year, following the procedures described below for the election of officers.
A regular annual meeting of the board of directors shall be held without other notice than this by-law, immediately before or after, and at the same place as, the annual meeting of members. The board of directors may provide by resolution the time and place, either within or without the State of Louisiana, for the holding of additional regular meetings of the Board without other notice than such resolutions.
Special meetings of the board of directors may be called by or at the request of the president. Reasonable notice of each such meeting shall be given to each director by mail, telephone or telefax, or personally.
A quorum for the board of directors shall be five members. If less than five directors are present at said meeting, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice until a quorum shall be present.
The act of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board of directors, except where otherwise provided by law or by these by-laws.
In case any vacancy occurs in the board of directors between elections, the president shall be empowered to appoint a director to complete the unexpired term.
The officers of the corporation shall be the president, the president-elect, and the secretary-treasurer.
Immediately prior to the annual meeting of the members, the board of directors will nominate two members to stand for election for each of the offices that will fall vacant in the coming year, except that they may, if they so choose, nominate only one member for each of the offices of president and secretary-treasurer. Names of those nominated will be read at the annual meeting of the members and additional nominations will be solicited. Nominations for any office in the corporation can be made from the membership when supported by five members in good standing. The nominating committee (board of directors) will contact those nominated and obtain permission to place their names before the membership. An election shall be held by mail ballot at least three months prior to the next annual meeting for the purpose of electing one of those nominated to each office. The membership shall have sixty days in which to return their ballots. The candidates with simple pluralities shall be declared the winners with the proviso that there must always be at least two directors at large representing members from outside North America. Ties will be resolved by lot.
Any officer or agent elected or appointed by the board of directors may be removed by the board of directors whenever in its judgment the best interests of the corporation would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed.
In case of a vacancy in any office between elections, the president shall be empowered to appoint an officer to complete the unexpired term.
The president shall be the principal executive officer of the corporation and shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the corporation. S/he shall preside at all meetings of the members and of the board of directors. S/he may sign, with the secretary-treasurer or any other proper officer of the corporation authorized by the board of directors, any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, or other instruments that the board of directors have authorized to be executed, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the board of directors or by these by-laws or by statue to some other officer or agent of the corporation; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of president and such other duties as may be prescribed by the board of directors from time to time.
In the absence of the president or in the event of his inability to act, the president-elect shall perform the duties of the president, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the president.
The secretary-treasurer shall keep the minutes of the meetings of members and of the board of directors; keep a register of the post office address of each member that shall be furnished to the secretary-treasurer by such member; have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the corporation; receive and give receipts for moneys due and payable to the corporation from any source whatsoever, and deposit all such moneys in the name of the corporation in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of Article VI of these by-laws; and in general perform all duties incident to the offices of secretary and treasurer.
A Program Committee shall be appointed by the president in consultation with the board of directors and shall consist of six members of the society in addition to the president, the president elect, and the secretary-treasurer. Appointed members shall serve terms of three years, with two of the members to be appointed each year. The president shall designate the chairman for the following year. The Program Committee is responsible for the organization and content of the annual meeting.
The board of directors may constitute and appoint other committees with such powers and authority as the Board shall designate.
The corporation shall not pay a salary to any officer, to any member of the board of directors, or to any committee member.
The board of directors may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents of the corporation, in addition to the officers so authorized by these by-laws, to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the corporation, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences or indebtedness issued in the name of the corporation, shall be signed by the secretary-treasurer of the corporation.
All funds of the corporation shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the corporation in such bank, trust companies or other depositories as the board of directors may select.
The board of directors may accept on behalf of the corporation any contribution, gift, bequest, or devise for the general purposes or for any special purposes of the corporation.
The board of directors, upon the recommendation of the membership, may determine from time to time the amount of initiation fee, if any, and annual dues payable to the corporation by members.
Dues shall be payable within three (3) months after receipt of the bill.
When any member shall be in default in the payment of dues for a period of twelve months from the beginning of the period for which such dues become payable, his/her membership may thereupon be terminated by the board of directors in the manner provided in Article I of these by-laws.
These by-laws may be altered or amended by majority vote of those attending any regularly convened meeting of the corporation.