MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

CONSTITUTION

Article I. Name and Affiliation

The name of this organization shall be the Mississippi Academy of Sciences. It shall be incorporated. It shall be affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Article II. Purpose

The purposes of this Academy are to further the work of scientists, to facilitate cooperation, to improve the effectiveness of science in the promotion of human welfare, and to increase public understanding and appreciation of the importance and promise of the methods of science in human progress.

Article III. Members

There shall be six classes of members in the Academy; regular, student, educational, corporate donor, corporate patron and life.

Article IV. Election of Members

Any eligible person interested in the sciences and desiring membership shall become a member by sending an application and dues for one year to the Executive Officer or by appearing at the annual meeting and paying dues for one year. If, however, one is deemed unfit for membership the Board of Directors may so direct and refuse renewal of membership at the end of one year. No membership shall be considered, except for an honorary membership, unless accompanied by the first year's dues.

Article V. Divisions

Any groups of scientific workers within the Academy may organize as a separate division with the approval of the Board of Directors. Each division is empowered to organize its program in any way it deems proper.

Article VI. Officers

The officers shall consist of a President, a President-elect, an Executive Officer, and an Editor. The President and President-elect shall serve for a one-year term and shall not be eligible for re-election to these offices until three years from the date of expiration of term of office.

Article VII. Duties of Officers

Section 1. The President shall be the directing head of the Academy and shall perform the usual duties of that office. The President shall also serve as Chair of the Board of Directors and shall preside at all meetings of the Board and of the Academy.

Section 2. The President-elect shall assume the duties of President in the absence or disability of the President and, at the request of the President, assist in the performance of any designated functions.

Section 3. The Executive Officer shall be responsible for the keeping of a complete record of the meetings; preparation of a report of the proceedings; annual preparation of a list of members in good standing; shall have charge of all funds belonging to the Academy except as otherwise designated by the Board of Directors; shall make all disbursements necessary for normal Academy functions as designated or authorized by the Board of Directors and all disbursements that may be authorized in writing by the Chairperson of the Budget Committee; shall file financial statements as may be required by law; and shall report in writing at each annual meeting on the financial condition of the Academy. The Chairperson of the Budget Committee shall perform such other duties as commonly assigned to the Office of the Executive Officer or as provided for in the Bylaws.

The Executive Officer shall perform such duties as may be designated by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors and as provided in the Bylaws. The Executive Officer is the Secretary-Treasurer and may not concurrently hold any elective office in the Academy.

Section 4. The Editor shall be responsible for the publication of the Journal of the Academy and shall appoint, with approval of the Board of Directors, Associate Editors for the various divisions and shall select referees and supervise preparation of materials for publication. The Editor shall arrange for printing of the Journal and shall perform all duties pertaining to publication assigned by the Board of Directors.

Article VIII. Board of Directors

The executive body of the Academy shall be known as the Board of Directors. It shall be composed of the President, the President-elect, the Executive Officer, the Editor, the immediate past-President, and three others elected from among the voting members of the Academy as defined under Article X, Section 1. The last three members shall serve for terms of three years, one member being elected each year. Five members, including the President, shall constitute a quorum.

Article IX. Duties of the Board of Directors

Section 1. The Board of Directors shall have charge of the functions, policies, and publicity of the Academy; shall supervise the publications of the Academy; and shall decide on the time and place of the annual meeting.

Section 2. When the offices of the President-elect, the Executive Officer, or the Director become vacant, the Board of Directors shall fill the office by appointment and the appointee shall be notified at least seven days in advance.

Section 3. The Board of Directors shall meet during the week of the annual meeting and whenever the President deems a meeting to be necessary. All Board members shall be notified at least seven days in advance of called meetings.

Article X. Election of Officers and Directors

Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the immediate past-President and four members appointed by the President at least sixty days before the annual meeting. The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least two candidates for each elective office and for the Director, and shall report at the annual meeting. Nominations from the floor shall be permitted. In the event that more than two candidates are nominated for any office, a plurality will elect. Balloting shall be in writing by mail. The term of newly elected officers and directors shall begin July 1. Voting members shall consist of regular members, life members, individual patrons, donors, sponsors and benefactors. The Executive Officer and the Editor shall be selected by the Board of Directors, subject to approval of a majority of members in attendance at the annual meeting. Their terms of office shall be one year, renewable at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. An Election Committee consisting of three members, including its Chair, shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Executive Officer shall mail ballots to all members eligible to vote. The ballots shall be returned by mail to the Chair of the Election Committee. The Chair of the Election Committee shall count and tabulate the votes and send the ballots with a copy of tabulation to each member of the Election Committee for confirmation of count. The Chair of the Election Committee shall then report results of the election to the President.

Section 3. Members of the Election Committee shall be selected from schools and organizations represented in the Academy. Members may not be appointed to succeed themselves, and both Chairpersons and members shall be rotated among the organizations represented in the Academy. No school or other organization shall be represented by more than one member. Persons nominated for office, officers of the Academy, and immediate past officers shall not be eligible to serve on the Election Committee.

Section 4. The Election Committee shall determine status of questionable ballots and shall rule on their validity. The count of the Election Committee shall be final.

Section 5. Within thirty days after the annual meeting, the Executive Officer shall mail to each voting member in good standing a copy of the ballot, listing the offices and nominees, a plain unmarked envelope, and an addressed envelope. The ballot should be marked by the member, sealed in the plain unmarked envelope, and mailed to the Chair of the Election Committee in the addressed envelope. Any deviation from this procedure shall invalidate the ballot. Only ballots received within thirty days after the ballot is mailed shall be counted by the Election Committee and results reported to the President. Those persons declared elected shall take office July 1.

Article XI. Quorum

Thirty voting members in good standing in attendance shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Academy.

Article XII. Program

The program of the annual meeting shall be arranged by the Program Committee. The Chairperson of the Program Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. Divisional Chairpersons shall be members of the program committee.

Article XIII. Committees

Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution or in the Bylaws, committees shall be appointed by the President. Each committee shall consist of a Chairperson and not fewer than two additional members. A majority of the members of any committee shall constitute a quorum.

Article XIV. Amendments

Section 1. The Constitution and Bylaws may be amended in accordance with the following procedures. All proposed amendments must be transmitted in writing to the Executive Officer.

Section 2. An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed (a) by the Board of Directors, (b) by a petition in writing by any member of the Academy submitted to and approved by the Board of Directors at least thirty days prior to the annual meeting, (c) by a petition in writing submitted at the annual meeting from not less than 25 members in good standing. Notice of the proposed amendments shall be given at the business session of the annual meeting. The Executive Officer shall mail a copy of the proposed amendments and the corresponding passages in the existing Constitution to each member in good standing within thirty days after the annual meeting. Balloting shall be conducted as described under Article X, Section 5 of the Constitution. The amendment is adopted when favored by a two-thirds majority of the members voting.

Section 3. An amendment to the Bylaws may be proposed (a) by the Board of Directors, (b) by a petition in writing submitted at the annual meeting from not less than ten members in good standing. The amendment is adopted when favored by two-thirds of the members present and voting at the annual meeting provided a constitutional quorum is present. If a constitutional quorum is not present, then the amendment shall be mailed to all voting members and treated as described immediately above in Section 2.

MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
BYLAWS

Section 1. Other additional divisions are approved in accordance with Article V of the Constitution, or other changes are made by the Board of Directors. The Academy shall have the following divisions, each of which shall sponsor a scientific program at each annual meeting.

1. Agriculture and Plant Science
2. Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology
3. Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
4. Geology and Geography
5. Health Sciences
6.History and Philosophy of Science
7. Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
8. Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics
9. Microbiology and Immunology
10. Physics and Engineering
11. Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience
12. Science Education
13. Zoology and Entomology

Section 2. At its annual meeting, each division shall elect a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson. They shall assume their offices and shall serve until the end of the next annual meeting. Titles of papers to be presented shall be sent to the Divisional Chairperson who shall place them on the program. The Vice-Chairperson shall assist and shall assume the Chair if the Chairperson is no longer able to serve.

Section 3. The several divisions may function throughout the year and may meet for lectures, symposia, and other scientific purposes whenever it is deemed advisable.

Article II. Classes of Membership

Section 1. Regular members are professional scientists in the various fields and other persons interested in the purposes of the Academy. Regular members in good standing may be elected and/or appointed to office in the Academy, may serve on committees, and may vote upon such matters as may be brought before the membership, as provided by the Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 2. Educational members are institutions involved in education in the state and contribute annually.

Section 3. Life membership is conferred on individuals on payment of dues for life as set by the Board of Directors. Life members have the rights and privileges of Regular members.

Section 4. Patrons and donors are individuals or organizations making substantial contributions in money or property to the Academy. They, or in the case of organizations, their designated representatives, have the rights and privileges of regular members, except that organizational representatives may not vote for Officers or Directors, nor may they be elected to these positions.

Section 5. Student membership is open to students at any accredited college or university. Student members have the right to vote upon issues brought before the membership, except that they may not vote for officers or directors. They may be appointed to serve on committees, but may not be elected to any office or chair any committee.

Article III. Dues

Section 1. All dues shall be assessed by the Board of Directors at the annual meeting subject to approval by a majority vote of the members present at the business meeting.

Section 2. The Executive Officer shall mail a notice of annual dues to the current membership each year. Dues are payable upon receipt of notice. Only members whose dues are paid before or at the annual meeting shall be eligible to vote at the annual meeting, to hold office, or to serve on a committee.

Article IV. Publications

The Journal shall include records of the meetings, papers and abstracts presented at meetings, and activities of the Academy. When a new Editor is appointed, the retiring Editor is requested to serve as a Consulting Editor for a period of one year.

Article V. Budget

The budget for the fiscal year shall be prepared by the Executive Officer and submitted for approval by the Board of Directors by July 1.

Article VI. Committees

The committees of the Academy shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

Nominating Committee (Constitution Article X)
Program Committee (Constitution Article XII)
Election Committee (Bylaws Article V, Constitution VII)
Resolutions Committee
Membership Committee
Publicity Committee
At the annual meeting of the Board of Directors, the President-elect shall nominate for confirmation by the Board, Chairpersons of such committees as are not otherwise provided for in the Constitution and Bylaws. After consultation with confirmed Chairpersons, the President-elect shall appoint members to the committees.

Each committee should meet whenever there is a specific need. Each committee shall submit a report in writing at each annual meeting.
 

Revision 19 July 2000