ASIH CONSTITUTION

as revised at the 2001 meeting

Article I: Name

The name of this Society shall be "THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ICHTHYOLOGISTS AND HERPETOLOGISTS." The Society is incorporated in the District of Columbia (22 November 1949).

Article II: Object

Section 1. The object of this Society shall be to advance the science of the study of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles.
Section 2. The Society shall be operated as a nonprofit corporation.

Article III: Membership

Section 1. Membership shall be open to persons interested in the object of the Society.
Section 2. The membership of the Society shall consist of the following classes:

a. Active members who pay annual dues in the following categories: Student, Foreign, Regular, Associate, and Sustaining.
b. Honorary Foreign Members shall be elected by the Board of Governors from among the ichthyologists and herpetologists, located outside of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, who have attained distinction as investigators. The Honorary Foreign Members shall be equally divided between ichthyologists and herpetologists.

Section 3. Nomination to membership shall be upon recommendation of one member.
Section 4. Distinguished Fellows.

a. Distinguished Fellows shall be elected by the Board of Governors from among North American members of the Society who have attained distinction as investigators and/or have made noteworthy contributions to the Society.
b. Nominees for Distinguished Fellows shall have been a member of the Society for a period of 20 years or more.
c. The number of Distinguished Fellows shall not exceed 20 at any one time and not more than six shall be elected in any one year. They shall be equally divided among ichthyologists and herpetologists.
d. Distinguished Fellows shall be nominated by petition which shall be signed by ten or more members of the Society. This petition shall list the scientific achievements and services rendered by the nominee. The petition shall be addressed to the Secretary at least two months before the annual meeting.
e.Distinguished Fellows shall be listed on the inside front cover of COPEIA.

Article IV: Officers

Section 1. The officers of the Society shall be: A President, who shall assume the duties of this office for a one-year term immediately following a term as President-Elect. A President-Elect, who shall serve a one-year term; the office shall alternate annually between an ichthyologist and herpetologist; the President-Elect shall be ineligible for another term until two years shall have elapsed from the end of a term as President. A Treasurer, and a Secretary, who shall be elected annually but who may serve unlimited consecutive terms. An Editor, five Divisional Editors, an Index Editor, and two Book Review Editors (one in ichthyology and one in herpetology).
Section 2. The Officers shall be elected at the annual general meeting from among regular, associate, sustaining, and life members. The slate of nominees shall be furnished by the Nominating Committee at the Board of Governors meeting. Additional nominations may be presented from the floor at the annual business meeting. All nominations shall be accompanied by a brief statement of qualifications and a written statement of willingness to serve from the nominee. The term of office shall commence on 1 January following the annual meeting at which the officers were elected. In the event of a tie in election for any office, the Executive Committee shall determine the winner.
Section 3. The officers named in Section 1 shall discharge the duties usually assigned to their respective offices (see Bylaws).
Section 4. In the event of death or incapacitation of the President during the term of office, the President-Elect will become President. If the position of President-Elect becomes vacant, the person who received the second highest number of votes in the election will become President- Elect. If necessary, the Executive Committee shall make the determination that a President or President-Elect is incapacitated to the extent that required duties of the office are not likely to be performed.
Section 5. A vacancy in either the Secretaryship or Treasurership occurring in the interval of the meetings of the Society may be filled, until the next annual meeting, by appointment by the President.
Section 6. Executive Committee.
a. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, immediate Past-President, prior Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor, Chair of the Long Range Planning and Policy Committee, and Chair of the Endowment and Finance Committee.
b. Each ASIH President will serve a total of four years on the Executive Committee, as President-Elect, President, immediate Past-President, and prior Past-President, in that sequence.

Section 7. Between the annual meetings the business of the Society shall be conducted by the officers, acting within their individual responsibilities, and the Executive Committee.

Article V: Board of Governors

Section 1. At the time of the annual meeting the business of the Society shall be conducted by the Board of Governors. The Board shall include not more than 50 elective members, each elected from among regular, associate, sustaining, and life members for a term of five years. Elective members of the Board shall not be eligible for reelection until the annual meeting following the expiration of their terms. The incumbent officers of the Society shall be members of the Board. Former Presidents of the Society shall be members of the Board for life. All meetings of the Board of Governors shall be open to all members of the Society.
Section 2. Ten vacancies in the elective membership of the Board of Governors shall be filled through election at the business meeting from nominations provided by the Nominating Committee and/or from the floor. All nominations shall be accompanied by a brief statement of qualifications and a written statement of willingness to serve from the nominee. Five of the elected Governors shall be herpetologists and five shall be ichthyologists. Each member shall vote for a maximum of five candidates. It is recommended that members vote for candidates in their own discipline only, but a member whose activities spread across the two disciplines may vote across the two disciplines. The term of office shall commence on 1 January following the annual meeting at which the Governor was elected. An additional vacancy shall occur if the President-Elect is a member of a class. No other officer shall be replaced if a member of a class at the time of election as an officer.
Section 3. The Board shall conduct business during the period between annual meetings only upon call by the Executive Committee.

Article VI: Meeting of the Society

Section 1. This Society shall hold an annual meeting. A general business session open to all classes of members shall be held for the purposes of hearing a report on the transactions of the Board of Governors and of acting upon such business as may properly be considered by the membership at large.
Section 2. The Meetings Management Committee shall solicit and receive invitations from prospective home institutions for the Annual Meetings, shall evaluate such invitations, and shall report its recommendation(s) to the Board of Governors.
Section 3. The place of the annual meeting of the Society shall be determined by the Board of Governors. Notice of the meeting shall be mailed to all members of the Society at least three months before the date set for the meeting.

Article VII: Southeastern Division

Section 1. Membership in the Southeastern Division is open to ASIH members in good standing residing in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Active membership status within the Southeastern Division shall be determined by the Bylaws of the Division currently in force.
Section 2. The Southeastern Division shall elect a President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer.
Section 3. Annual meetings of the Southeastern Division shall be held concurrently with the ASIH Annual Meetings when the latter occur in one of the states identified as within the Southeastern Division in Section 1 of this Article.

Article VIII: Quorum

At the Annual Meeting, one hundred members shall constitute a quorum of the Society and thirty a quorum of the Board of Governors.
If the Board of Governors votes electronically between annual meetings, 30 votes shall constitute a quorum of the Board.

Article IX: Changes in the Constitution and Bylaws

Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution and Bylaws may be proposed: (a) by majority vote of the Executive Committee, or (b) by written and signed petition from at least twenty-five (25) members in good standing of ASIH.
Section 2. Proposed amendments must be circulated to all members at least three (3) months prior to the scheduled Annual Meeting of the Society.
Section 3. Proposed amendments of this Constitution and Bylaws may be adopted at any meeting of the Society if approved by two-thirds of the members of the Board of Governors voting and two-thirds of the members voting at the annual general meeting.
Section 4. Dissolution of the society shall require two-thirds assent from members of the Board of Governors voting and ratification by mail ballot of two-thirds of the membership voting in response.
Section 5. In case of the dissolution of the Society, its assets shall be transferred to a successor non-profit society organized for educational, professional, or scientific purposes, or if no successor society is designated by the members of this Society, then the assets shall be transferred to some other non-profit organization of like character as determined by the members of this Society by response in mail ballot.

BYLAWS

Article I: Dues

Section 1. Annual dues shall be payable 1 January, in advance. COPEIA shall not be sent to those in arrears for dues. Upon payment of arrearage, plus a late fee calculated as 10% of the annual dues, the former member shall be reinstated.
Section 2. A service charge calculated by the Secretary to recover actual costs may be billed subscribers requiring special billing procedures.
Section 3. The following is the schedule for dues and subscriptions to be paid in United States dollars or equivalent: Student Members $30.00 annually, Regular Members (domestic and foreign) $60.00 annually, Associate Members $10.00 annually, Institutional Subscribers $100.00 annually, Sustaining members $75.00 annually. Life Members: $1500 in a single payment or in four equal consecutive annual payments of $375.

Article II: President

Section 1. The President shall preside at sessions of the Board of Governors and at the general business meeting.
Section 2. The President shall also appoint the committees prescribed by the Constitution and Bylaws, and such other representatives or committees as may prove necessary. The Presidentand President-Elect shall be members of all committees.

Article III: Secretary

Section 1. The Secretary shall keep the records of the Society and report at the annual meeting.
Section 2. The Secretary shall be responsible for sending out notices announcing the annual meeting and for arranging the agenda for the Board of Governors and general business meetings at the annual meeting.
Section 3. The Secretary shall be reimbursed out of the monies of the Society for expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Society.
Section 4. The Secretary shall make such purchases and employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the business of the Society. The Secretary shall be responsible for authorizing disbursement of funds for the expenses of society offices within limits to be set annually by the Executive Committee. All such expenditures will be reported to and are subject to review and ratification by the Board of Governors.
Section 5. Unless other appointments are made by the President, the Secretary shall act as delegate or representative of this Society at meetings of related societies covering matters of mutual interest.
Section 6. The Secretary shall arrange for an annual professional audit of the financial record and statement of the Treasurer and shall transmit the auditor's report to the annual meeting of the Board of Governors.
Section 7. Any copyright requests or copyright-related issues and the associated records- keeping shall be handled by the Secretary in consultation with the Editor.
Section 8. Publications storage.
a. The Secretary shall be charged with the responsibility of ensuring safe storage, sale, and other disposal of back numbers of COPEIA and other Society publications.
b. The Secretary may employ such assistance including outside contractual assistance as may be necessary to discharge these functions.
c. The Secretary will report annually to the Board of Governors on the status and disposal of backlogged items.

Article IV: Treasurer

Section 1. The Treasurer shall be in charge of the funds and securities of the Society.
Section 2. At the annual meetings of the Society, the Treasurer shall present a statement of the funds and monies of the Society, the statement to cover the calendar year.

Article V. Editorial Offices

Section 1. Editor
a. The Editor shall serve as the Chief Executive Officer for the journal COPEIA. The Editor shall bear the final responsibility and authority for all materials published in COPEIA.
b. In the processing of manuscripts submitted for publication in COPEIA, the Editor shall allocate manuscript workload among the Sectional Editors, and shall receive their recommendations on manuscripts that have cleared the review process.
c. The Editor shall report through the ASIH Executive Committee to the Board of Governors, and shall seek Executive Committee and Board of Governor approval for any substantive change in ASIH publishing product or practice, especially where new or unanticipated expenditures of ASIH funds are involved.
d. The Editor serves on the ASIH Executive Committee, and the Publications Policy Committee and serves as Chair, Editorial Policy Committee.
e. In situations that may arise between annual meetings, the Editor (upon consultation with and approval by the Executive Committee) may appoint a substitute (or co- participant) for a given editorial office.

Section 2. Sectional, Book Review, and Index Editors

a. The five divisional sections of COPEIA shall be General Herpetology; GeneralIchthyology; Ecology and Ethology; Physiology and Physiological Ecology; and Genetics, Development, and Morphology. Sectional Editors shall serve as Chief Operating Officers for their respective sections, shall select reviewers and solicit manuscript reviews, and shall make recommendations regarding acceptability for publication in COPEIA to the Editor.
b. Two Book Review Editors shall promote the announcement and critical review of important new works in Herpetology and Ichthyology, respectively.
c. An Index Editor shall be responsible for production of the annual index to COPEIA. The Index Editor shall archive materials for periodic multi-year indices to be prepared as deemed necessary.
d. Any editorial office, except that of Editor, may be held by two persons if approved by election to office by members of the Society.

Article VI: Editorial Board

An Editorial Board representing the five divisional disciplines of COPEIA, shall be nominated annually by the Divisional Editors, up to six board members each, for service in that disciplinary area, and appointed by the President in consultation with the Editor.

Article VII: Meetings

Section 1. The Chair of the Local Committee shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the chairs of the Meetings Management Committee and Meetings Planning Committee if possible, at least six months before the time of the meeting.
Section 2. The Chair of the Local Committee will work with the chairs of the Meetings Management Committee and Meetings Planning Committee to make all local arrangements including the arrangements for printing the program.

Article VIII. Committees

Section 1. Committees of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists are categorized as Standing Committees, Continuing Committees, Recurring Committees and Special Purpose Committees.
Section 2. Except as provided for separately in the CONSTITUTION and BYLAWS all committee appointments are made by the President and carry a tenure of appointment of one year. By arrangement between the President and the incoming Committee Chair, Subcommittees may be appointed and delegated to specific functions. Subcommittees are not listed separately and exist at the discretion of the President and the full Committee.
Section 3. Committee service, including that of Committee Chairs, is upon a calendar year basis, commencing January 1 and ending December 31, except for the Nominating Committee and Chair, which serve from meeting to meeting. Committees are appointed by the President at or soon after the annual meeting of the year preceding service. The report of a Committee Chair is submitted through the Secretary for presentation at the annual meeting immediately after the termination of the calendar year of service. Except where provided for separately, continuation of appointment of a Committee Chair or Committee member is at the discretion of the cognizant President and the member in service.
Section 4. The charge to and purview of the Committee shall normally follow that listed in the ASIH Procedures Manual, subject to modification, individually or separately, by the President, Executive Committee and/or Board of Governors, except as provided for separately in the CONSTITUTION or BYLAWS.
Section 5. Standing Committees are provided for separately in the CONSTITUTION and/or BYLAWS, and/or are those which must be renewed yearly to conduct society business. Standing Committees are as follows:
ANBM - Annual Business Meeting
BOFG - Board of Governors
EDBD - Editorial Board
EDPC - Editorial Policy Committee
ENFC - Endowment and Finance Committee
EXEC - Executive Committee
GFAC - Gaige Fund Award Committee
GSPC - Committee on Graduate Student Participation
HSFC - Henry S. Fitch Award Committee
LOCL - Local Committee for the Annual Meeting
LRPP - Long Range Planning and Policy Committee
MMGT - Meetings Management Committee
MPLN - Meetings Planning Committee
NOMC - Nominating Committee
RFAC - Raney Fund Award Committee
RHGC - Robert H. Gibbs, Jr., Memorial Award Committee
STAC - Student Awards Committee

Section 6. Continuing Committees are provided for separately in the CONSTITUTION and/or BYLAWS, and/or are those which are normally renewed yearly to conduct society business. In years where no action by the Committee or Representative is anticipated, appointment or not is at the discretion of the President. Continuing Committees are listed in the Procedures Manual.
Section 7. Recurring Committees are those which are appointed on an episodic basis, as need occurs. In years where no action by the Committee or Representative is anticipated, appointment or not is at the discretion of the President. Recurring Committees are listed in the Procedures Manual.
Section 8. Special Purpose Committees are those which are appointed normally on a one- time basis, as need occurs. Appointment or not is at the discretion of the President. The President shall define the charge to each Special Purpose Committee upon appointment. Unless renewed by the succeeding president each such Committee shall cease to exist after a period of time up to one calendar year, commencing January 1 after date of appointment.

Article IX: Nominating Committee

Section 1.The Nominating Committee shall consist of five members; three in the discipline of the President-Elect to be elected, and two in the alternate discipline. Five ASIH members in good standing shall comprise the Nominating Committee and serve meeting to meeting: (a) One of the two members of the outgoing Nominating Committee who is in the discipline of the President-Elect to be elected. This person shall be elected and serve as chair of the new committee. (b) The immediate Past-President of the Society. This position shall be filled automatically. (c) One person in the discipline of the President-Elect to be elected, chosen from at least two persons nominated by the Board of Governors. (d) Two persons in the alternate discipline chosen from at least four persons nominated.
Section 2. If only one of the two persons from the outgoing Nominating Committee is available for election as chair of the new committee, this person shall receive the chairship automatically. If neither person from the outgoing Nominating Committee is available for election as chair, the Past-President shall assume the chairship and the President shall nominate two additional persons in the appropriate discipline. If the Board of Governors fails to nominate the number of persons listed above for positions (c) and (d), the President shall provide the balance of the nominations.
Section 3. The election of the Nominating Committee shall be at the business meeting of the Society. All nominees, including additional nominations from the floor at the business meeting for positions (c) and (d), must provide a written agreement to serve on the committee, which would include the possibility of a second year of service as chair.

Article X: Long Range Planning and Policy Committee

Section 1. The Chair of the Long Range Planning and Policy Committee shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee and such others as the President may feel desirable. The Chair shall serve for a period of three years and may be reappointed. Six other members shall be similarly appointed and the expiration dates of the terms of their service shall bestaggered in order to provide continuity. Tenure of appointment shall be on a calendar year basis.
Section 2. The Committee shall identify desirable Society policies and activities and shall advise the Board of Governors and Membership on the best way to carry out and fund Society activities.
Section 3. The Committee is responsible for the development and updating, to reflect current practice, of the ASIH Procedures Manual, and from time to time make suggestions for improvements and best response to available technologies and opportunities.
Section 4. The Committee shall maintain close liaison with the Endowment and Finance Committee. The Committee Chairs shall serve as consulting (nonvoting) members of the corresponding Committee and shall keep each Committee informed, as appropriate, of mutually relevant activities.

Article XI: Endowment and Finance Committee

Section 1. The Endowment Committee shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee and shall consist of five members, including the Chair. To provide continuity, members of the Committee will have staggered, five-year terms. One member should be a business person or someone with considerable experience in investing. Tenure of appointment shall be on a calendar year basis.
Section 2. The Chair-Elect of the Endowment Committee shall be appointed by the President. The Chair-Elect shall succeed the Chair, each of whom will serve one year in their respective positions. The Chair may be reappointed as Chair-Elect. The Chair and the Chair-Elect will work closely together in planning and organizing the activities of the Endowment Committee.
Section 3. The Committee shall be in charge of fund-raising and investment of the endowment.
Section 4. The Committee shall advise the Society on all matters pertaining to the General Endowment Fund and the Life Membership Fund.
Section 5. The Committee shall maintain close liaison with the Treasurer and other members of the Executive Committee and shall advise officials of the Society in the management of all funds and moneys of the Society.
Section 6. The Committee shall maintain close liaison with the Long Range Planning and Policy Committee. The Committee Chairs shall serve as consulting (nonvoting) members of the corresponding Committee and shall keep each Committee informed, as appropriate, of mutually relevant activities.

Article XII: Funds

Section 1. Society Funds and income derived therefrom shall be used only for tax-exempt purposes.
Section 2. Funds of the Society shall be as follows:
a. The Frederick H. Stoye Fund shall be invested and used to offer awards for meritorious papers presented by student members at the annual National Meeting. The awards will be known as the Frederick H. Stoye Awards. The basis for award decisions shall be determined by a Student Awards Committee. The Student Awards Committee shall be appointed by the President-elect for service prior to and in the subsequent Annual Meeting.
b. The Tracy Storer Fund shall be invested and used to offer awards to students judged to have prepared the best posters in ichthyology and herpetology at the National Meeting. The basis for award decisions shall be determined by a Student Awards Committee. The Student Awards Committee shall be appointed by the President-elect for service prior to and in the subsequent Annual Meeting.
c. The Robert H. Gibbs, Jr. Memorial Fund shall be invested and used to award a yearly prize, as determined by a selected panel of judges, based on an outstanding published body of work in systematic ichthyology by a citizen of a Western Hemisphere nation who has not been a previous recipient of the award. The basis for an award decision shall be determined by a Robert H. Gibbs, Jr., Memorial Fund Committee. The Robert H. Gibbs, Jr., Memorial Fund Committee shall consist of three ichthyologists, each serving a three-year term. Each year one member is replaced by an individual elected by the Board of Governors among nominees submitted by the NominatingCommittee or nominated from the floor. The Senior member of the Committee serves as its Chair.
d. The Edward C. and Charlotte E. Raney Fund shall be invested and used to provide support for young ichthyologists in such a way as to enhance their professional careers and their contributions to the science of ichthyology. The basis for award decisions shall be determined by a Edward C. and Charlotte E. Raney Fund Committee. The Edward C. and Charlotte E. Raney Fund Committee shall be appointed by the President for service prior to the subsequent Annual Meeting.
e. The Helen T. and Frederick M. Gaige Fund shall be invested and used to provide support for young herpetologists in such a way as to enhance their professional careers and their contributions to the science of herpetology. The basis for award decisions shall be determined by a Helen T. and Frederick M. Gaige Fund Committee. The Helen T. and Frederick M. Gaige Fund Committee shall be appointed by the President for service prior to the subsequent Annual Meeting.
f. The Life Membership Fund shall consist of dues received from Life Members. The interest from this Fund shall be added to the principal. When this Fund exceeds by $1000 or more the sum computed as adequate to pay costs of fulfilling Society obligations to Life Members, the excess shall be transferred to the Endowment Fund.
g. The General Endowment Fund shall be an unrestricted fund to receive money from a variety of sources. Major and minor donations to the Society without any restrictions will be placed in the principal of this Fund.
After the Fund grows large enough to be handled by a professional money manager, the Board of Governors will appoint an Investing Trustee(s) to handle the investments. The number of trustees will be determined by the Board of Governors, as well as their qualifications and responsibilities to the Society. The Endowment Committee will advise the Board of Governors on these matters and monitor the activities of the trustee(s).
The General Endowment Fund initially will be invested in a cash or income instrument fund to be approved by a majority of the Executive Committee. After the Fund is invested in a broad range of securities, a percentage of the net asset value will be dispersed annually by the Board of Governors for specified activities of the Society based on recommendations of the Executive Committee.

Section 3. All money, stocks, bonds, or other property offered to the Society for purposes other than application to the publication expenses or other operating expenses of the Society can be accepted only by a majority of the Board of Governors, except that the acceptance of any such funds donated for use by any duly constituted activity of the Society, including the General Endowment Fund, can be approved by the Executive Committee. Acceptance of such money, stocks, bonds, or other property by the Board of Governors shall be only with the establishment by the Board of procedures to implement its use. All proposed funds shall be accompanied by a proffered gift or proposed funding source.
Section 4. The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists may formally recognize major donors to the General Endowment Fund. Four levels of major donors are: Supporter, $1000―$2999; Sponsor, $3000―$9999; Patron, $10,000―$24,999; Benefactor, $25,000 or higher. No benefits will be provided to donors.

Article XIII: Honorary Foreign Members

The number of Honorary Foreign Members shall not exceed 30.

Article XIV: Society Sets of COPEIA

Official bound sets of COPEIA shall be maintained in the offices of the Editor and the Secretary.

Article XV: Committees

Such committees as the President shall deem necessary shall be appointed by the President or by the presiding officer at the annual meeting, unless the composition and function of committees be otherwise set forth in the Constitution and Bylaws or in motions passed by the Board of Governors or by the membership at large at the annual meeting. Unless otherwise specified, committees shall serve from one annual meeting until the next and shall normally be appointed by the President during the annual meeting.

Article XVI: Procedures

Procedures and other items, not specified in the Constitution or Bylaws of this Society or by action at the annual meeting, shall be in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.