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, and the right to vote or 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. Issues relating to business or policy should be freely discussed among all members present in one session of the Society's annual conference at an annual business meeting. 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 Board Meeting shall be held at each annual conference.

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.
  2. The Directors with voting power shall consist of six elected officers, a President, a Vice-President/President-Elect, a Secretary/Treasurer, and three Board Members*. There shall be one appointed officer, the editor of the Journal of Ethnobiology, who shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Board. The elected officers of the Society, and the editor of the Journal, and past Presidents, shall constitute the Board of Directors. Past Presidents' and editors' participation is in an advisory capacity only and they will have no voting power. 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. *Amended to six Board Members at the 2006 Board Meeting.
  3. Terms. The editor of the Journal of Ethnobiology serves an unspecified term on a voluntary basis. The Secretary/Treasurer serves two* consecutive years and may be re-elected. 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 three** Directors-at-large shall be elected for a three-year term and may be re-elected for no more than two terms. Directors-at-large shall be elected each year with the purpose of ensuring that no one three-year term overlaps with another. The organizatonal 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. *Amended to three consecutive years at the 1988 Board Meeting. **Amended to six Directors at the 2006 Board Meeting.
  4. Elections. Annual elections are held by written ballot. All individual members in good standing may vote in the election.
  5. Nominations. The President appoints and serves as Chair of a nominationg 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.
  6. Officers. 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 Secretary/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 Secretary/Treasurer shall further be responsible for reporting to the Membership and/or Board of Directors current and projected financial situations of the Society. 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. The editor of the Journal of Ethnobiology shall oversee the running of the Journal as well as the appointment of the members of its editorial board. The editor may act independently of the Society Board of Directors in matters concerning the Journal.

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 of Directors' Meetings.

ARTICLE XI, Amendments.

Upon recommendation by the Board of Directors or by not less than one third of the members, these by-laws may be altered, amended, or repealed and new by-laws may be adopted by a majority vote at a regular annual meeting.

[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.