Constitution

THE ASSOCIATION

Section 1. The name and acronym of the organisation shall be the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology, or SASSB.

OBJECTIVES

Section 1. To promote and represent the activities and interests of all biological systematists, evolutionary biologists, and curators and managers of natural history collections in southern Africa.

Section 2. To increase appreciation in the general community for the importance of systematics and natural history collections.

Section 3. To lobby government agencies and granting agencies for funding for research and training.

Section 4. To foster the training of systematists / taxonomists.

Section 5. To hold meetings that deal with issues in systematic biology.

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership of the Society is open to all.

COUNCIL

Section 1. The elected officers shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and two or more Councilors, as determined by the Council.

Section 2. The Vice-President shall also be the President-Elect.

Section 3. The officers shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast.

Section 4. No member of the Council can simultaneously hold more than one position on the Council.

Section 5. The officers shall serve as the Council.

Section 6. The Council shall conduct the business of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology.

MEETINGS

Section 1. There shall be an Annual General Meeting, open to all members.

Section 2. As far as is feasible, the Annual General Meeting should be held during meetings of the Society.

AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

Section 1. The Constitution, or any part thereof, may be amended, suspended or repealed by a two-thirds majority of those voting in a ballot, provided there is at least two months’ notice of the proposed change.

Section 2. Any member in good standing may propose, in writing, an amendment to the Constitution to the Council. Such a proposal, if approved by a majority of the Council, shall be submitted with a recommendation to the members under Section 1 of this Article. A proposed change to the Constitution not recommended by the Council must be submitted to members if it is resubmitted by ten or more members in good standing.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Section 1. The financial resources of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology are derived from membership dues, contributions, subscriptions, sales, donations, gifts and bequests.

Section 2. Membership dues shall be determined by the provisions of Article 1 of the By-Laws.

DISSOLUTION

Section 1. The dissolution of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology shall be decided by a two-thirds majority of those voting in a ballot, provided two months’ notice is given.

Section 2. Any assets shall be disposed of, subsequently, at the discretion of the Council.

By-Laws of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology

ARTICLE I – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership shall be open to all persons who make formal application, and who are willing to abide by and uphold the Constitution and By-Laws of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology.

Section 2. Classes of membership are ordinary and student.

Section 3. Institutions or Societies may not become members.

Section 4. Membership dues shall be established by recommendation of the Council at the Annual General Meeting and shall be ratified by a majority vote of the members attending.

Section 5. All members in good standing have the right to vote.

Section 6. Any member in good standing is eligible to hold office.

Section 7. A member whose dues have not been paid within eighteen months shall forfeit the privileges of membership. Such members may be reinstated upon payment of membership dues.

Section 8. A member shall be considered such (either with or without privileges) until a written resignation is received.

Section 9. The privileges of membership shall include the right to receive publications, to vote in accordance with the By-Laws, and to participate in all of the activities and functions of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology.

Section 10. Society membership runs from congress to congress, i.e., over an eighteen-month cycle, and Society membership lapses before each Society congress.

Section 11. Society membership dues are collected as part of the congress registration process and fee. Non-congress attendees can also pay their membership dues at this time of year.

Section 12. During other times of the year, people interested in joining the Society or renewing their membership dues, can apply from the society website and transfer their membership dues to the Society Treasurer.

ARTICLE II – OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast in a ballot by members in good standing. The votes shall be counted by the Secretary and one or more persons appointed by the Council, who are not Council members.

Section 2. The nominees for each office shall be nominated in writing to the Secretary by any member in good standing. Prior to the election, each nominee must declare their willingness to serve if elected, in writing, to the Secretary.

Section 3. The officers shall serve for two years, or until their successors are elected.

Section 4. No officer, except the Secretary and Treasurer, shall be nominated for immediate re-election to the same position.

Section 5. The President shall preside at the Annual General Meetings and at meetings of the Council. The President shall exercise a casting vote if necessary.

Section 6. Fifty per cent of the Council represents a quorum.

Section 7. In the absence of the President at a meeting, the Vice-President shall assume his/her duties for that meeting, and shall become President in the event of death, resignation, disability or inability of the President. In the absence of both the President and the Vice-President at a meeting, a temporary chairperson shall be chosen to preside at the meeting by a majority of those members attending the meeting. The temporary chairperson shall exercise a casting vote if necessary.

Section 8. The Council shall appoint all committees as necessary. The President and Secretary shall be ex-officio members of all such committees. Unless otherwise stated in these By-Laws, each committee shall elect its own chairperson.

Section 9. Every year the President shall report to the membership on the activities of the Society during the preceding year.

Section 10. The Secretary is responsible to the Council for the administration of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology, and shall keep minutes of all Council meetings and Annual General Meetings, conduct official correspondence, and maintain a record of the affairs of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology. The Secretary shall also keep membership records and report to members on the conduct of the affairs of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology at each Annual General Meeting.

Section 11. The Treasurer is responsible to the Council for the finances of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology, and shall keep financial records, accept dues and monies, issue and pay invoices, maintain a bank account, and report to members on the management of the financial affairs of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology at each Annual General Meeting.

Section 12. Every year all accounts shall be subject to audit. The auditors shall not be members of the Council, and shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.

Section 13. In the event of the death, resignation, disability or inability of any officer, except the President, the Council shall, at its discretion, make a temporary appointment until the date of the next election. Such an appointee shall be eligible for nomination at the next election.

ARTICLE III - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Section 1. The date, time and place of the Annual General Meeting shall be determined by the Council.

Section 2. The date, time and place of the conference of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology shall be determined by the Organising Committee of the conference with the agreement of the Council. An Annual General Meeting will be held at every conference organised by the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology.

Section 3. The membership shall be informed of the date, time and place of the Annual General Meeting at least three months prior to the meeting.

Section 4. A quorum at the Annual General Meeting shall consist of the President or a representative, the Secretary or a representative, and ten members in good standing.

Section 5. There shall be a meeting of the Council during the course of the Annual General Meeting or the conference of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology. Meetings may be called by the President at other times.

ARTICLE IV – FINANCE

Section 1. All funds accruing to the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology from membership dues, contributions, subscriptions, sales, donations, gifts or bequests are to be used at the discretion of the Council, for the administration of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology and to fulfill the objectives of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology.

Section 2. Records pertaining to Society funds shall be open to inspection by any member at any time.

ARTICLE V - AMENDING THE BY-LAWS

Section 1. By-Laws may be adopted, amended, suspended or repealed by a majority of members voting in a ballot, provided there is at least two months notice of the proposed change.

Section 2. Any member in good standing may propose an amendment to the By-Laws, in writing, to the Council. Such a proposal, if approved by a majority of the Council, shall be submitted with a recommendation to the members under Section 1 of this Article. A proposed change to the By-Laws not recommended by the Council must be submitted to members if it is resubmitted by ten or more members in good standing.

ARTICLE VI - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Section 1. If not contrary to the Constitution or By-Laws, procedures to be followed in business meetings of the Society shall be those established in Robert's Rules of Order Revised, seventy-fifth or later editions.