By-Laws of the Society of Ethnobiology

ARTICLE I, Name.

The name of this organization shall be the Society of Ethnobiology, hereinafter referred to as the Society.

ARTICLE II, Ojectives.

The objectives of this organization shall be to establish and maintain an organization of scientists of high standing with a common interest in ethnobiology, to promote the discussion and communication of knowledge devoted to the interdisciplinary study of anthropology and biology, and to stimulate and disseminate research advances concerning ethnobiology by sponsoring scientific and professional publications.

ARTICLE III, Office.

The registered office of the Society shall be located in the state of Arizona at such place as may be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors upon filing of such notices as may be required by law, and the registered agent shall have a business office identical with such registered office.

ARTICLE IV, Membership.

The membership of the Society shall consist of any person, firm, unincorporated association or corporation that has paid its memebership fee.

ARTICLE V, Dues.

All members will be required to pay annual dues. Annual dues shall be set by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI, Rights and Prerogatives of Members.

The rights and prerogatives of members are those customary to the members of any organization, including participation in meetings, discussion, committee membership, the right to vote, and the right to hold elective office.

ARTICLE VII, Meeting of Members.

  1. An annual meeting of the members shall be held at a time and place as may be designated by the Board of Directors.
  2. The annual conference is a scientific program, arranged to reflect the broad interests of Society members in the field of ethnobiology. The annual meeting should provide opportunities for members and others attending to hear reports of recent research in ethnobiology, exchange material of mutual interest, and to discuss matters of policy relating to the Society. Persons considering membership in the Society shall be permitted to attend and participants in the program shall be encouraged to join the Society.
  3. A business meeting shall be held during the Society's annual conference where issues relating to business and policy should be freely discussed among all members present.
  4. A Board Meeting shall be held at each annual conference.
  5. The organizational year is from annual meeting to annual meeting. If, for any reason, an annual conference does not take place the organizational year shall run temporarily from January through December.

ARTICLE VIII, Organizational Structure and Procedures.

  1. The affairs of the Society shall be managed by its Board of Directors. Directors need not be residents of the state of Arizona but must be members of the Society.  The elected officers of the Society, Past Presidents, Editors of the Society's publications, and appointed Coordinators shall constitute the Board of Directors.  The President, Vice-President/President-Elect, Treasurer, and Secretary shall constitute the Executive.
  2. The Board members with voting power shall consist of ten elected officers: a President, a President Elect, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and six Board Members At Large.
  3. Members of the Board of Directors with non-voting power shall be Past Presidents of the Society, the Editors of the Society's publications, and appointed Coordinators. The President in consultation with the Board shall appoint the Editors of the Society's publications and Coordinators. Past Presidents, publication Editors, and Coordinators participate in an advisory capacity as non-voting Board members. Past Presidents shall retain the right to be heard and to participate at all Board and committee meetings, whether open to the public or not.
  4. Terms. The President shall be elected for a two year term and cannot be re-elected to a consecutive term. The Vice President/President-Elect shall be elected for a two-year term as Vice-President and then succeed to the office of President for two more years and may not be re-elected. The Treasurer and the Secretary serve three consecutive years and may be re-elected for one additional term for a total of six consecutive years. The Editor/s of the Society's publications serve unspecified terms on a voluntary basis.  Each of the six Board Members At Large shall be elected for a three year term and are eligible for re-election for the consecutive term.  Board Members At Large shall be elected each year with the purpose of ensuring that no single three year term overlaps with another. In the event that the elected member cannot fulfill their duties, or resigns, then the President, in consultation with the Board, shall appoint a replacement for the remainder of the term.
  5. Elections. Annual elections are held by email ballot. All individual members in good standing may vote in the election.
  6. Nominations. The President appoints and serves as Chair of a nominating committee consisting of a total of three persons. The committee shall solicit members in good standing willing and able to serve as officers and Board Members for the forthcoming year (beginning at the following conference). The resulting report will appear as a ballot no later than three months before the end of the current year and will be sent to all members.
  7. Duties. Duties of all officers will be those customarily associated with their titles or as listed in Robert's Rules of Order, or by action of the Board of Directors. The President shall be responsible for coordinating organizational business in consultation with other members of the Board of Directors. A consensus of the Board as a group will decide final recommendations in all such instances. The Vice-President/President-Elect shall be responsible for assisting the President and for taking a major role in the organizaton of the annual meeting and in fundraising for the Society.  The Vice-President serves on the investment committee and the web committee. The Treasurer shall be responsible for receiving dues, managing the Society's funds, and disbursing same. This person shall be authorized to sign checks for the organization. The Treasurer shall further be responsible for reporting to the Membership and/or Board of Directors current and projected financial situations of the Society as well as correspond with subscription services, the Journal of Ethnobiology Editors and its publisher. The Treasurer shall prepare Society taxes, arrange audits, and write annual reports.  The Treasurer shall manage a membership database and members' web accounts.  The Secretary shall keep minutes at all Board meetings and business meetings and archive minutes on the Society website. The Secretary shall prepare meeting agendas, organize Board conference calls, keep track of Society activities throughout the year to catalog as Old Business on meeting agendas, and assist with Society archives. The Secretary shall manage annual elections of the Board of Directors. The Secretary serves on the nominations committee. The Secretary shall maintain Board Members' bios, descriptions of the Society's organization, and Society bylaws on the website. The Secretary shall manage correspondence with the Society from web and telephone queries. The Editors of the Society's publications shall oversee the running of the publication for which they serve as editors as well as the appointment of the members of its editorial board. The Editors may act independently of the Society Board of Directors in matters concerning the publication for which they serve as Editors.

ARTICLE IX, Finance.

  1. The monies of the Society shall be deposited in the name of the corporation in such bank or banks, or trust company or trust companies, as the Board of Directors shall designate, and shall be drawn out only by checks signed by person or persons designated by resolution of the Board of Directors.
  2. The Society shall continue to act in good faith towards debts and obligations incurred by the Society to past and present officers of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE X, Books and Records.

The Society shall keep correct and complete books and records of accounts and shall keep minutes of the proceedings of Board meetings of the Directors and committees having any of the authority of Board meetings.

ARTICLE XI, Amendments.

A member of the Board of Directors or a group consisting of no less than one third of the Society's general membership may make a motion to alter, amend, or repeal these bylaws.   Changes to bylaws may be adopted by a majority vote of the Board of Directors during an in-person Board meeting; during a virtual Board meeting; and by way of voice, show of hands, electronic, or email voting.

[1981] Amendment 1. The membership approved an amendment that Steven D. Emslie, a Society of Ethnobiology founder, is a permanent ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees.

[2003] Amendment 2. The membership approved an amendment that the Conference Coordinator position and the Website Coordinator position are both official Society of Ethnobiology advisory positions.

[2003] Amendment 3. The membership approved an amendment that official Society of Ethnobiology business can be conducted between annual Board meetings, and all voted decisions within an interim period will be voted on to be officially entered into the meeting minutes at the next annual Board meeting.

[2003] Amendment 4. The membership approved an amendment that for elections, member votes can be accepted by Fax and by electronic mail, as well as by US Postal Service.

[2006] Amendment 5. The number of elected Board Members at Large (who serve three-year terms) shall be increased from three to six by replacing each retiring Board member with two elected Board members each year for the next three years.