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SOCIETY
FOR PREVENTION RESEARCH BYLAWS
Article
I. Name
Section 1. This
organization shall be known as the Society for Prevention Research.
Article
II. Objectives
Section 1. The
Society for Prevention Research is an international scientific organization focused
upon the advancement of science based prevention programs and policies through
empirical research. The membership of the organization consists of scientists,
practitioners, advocates, administrators, and policy makers who are concerned
with the use of science to address problems, issues, and challenges pertaining
to the prevention of social and public health problems.
Section 2. Notwithstanding
any of the purposes or objectives stated elsewhere, the Society is organized exclusively
for educational purposes and will not engage in any activities which are not contemplated
by the provisions of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Section 3. The Society is not organized for profit and no part of its net earnings
shall be used for the benefits of its members, officers, directors, or other private
persons, except that the organization will be authorized to pay reasonable compensation
for services rendered.
Section 4. In the
event of the dissolution of the Society, any net assets shall be distributed to
one or more organizations which have established appropriate exemption status
under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, contributions to which
organization(s) are deductible, or to a State or Local government solely for public
purposes.
Article
III. Membership
Section 1. Membership
in the Society shall be open to any person interested in the objectives of the
Society. The forms and conditions of membership are set forth in the Bylaws.
Article
IV. Officers
Section 1. The
officers of the Society shall be a President, President Elect, Past President,
Treasurer and Secretary.
Section 2. Every other year the voting membership of the Society will elect a
President Elect
who will serve a two year term as President Elect and then succeed to the office
of President. Upon completion of a term as President, the President will become
the Past President and will remain a member of the Board of Directors for an additional
two years, while the President Elect will become President of the Society.
Section 3. The
President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and shall serve as the
Chairperson of the Board of Directors. The President is in charge of and supervises
the conduct of the Annual Meeting, represents and speaks for the Society, may
sign contracts and other documents on behalf of the Society, except as such duties
are assigned to the Treasurer, and shall perform other duties authorized by the
Board of Directors. The President shall appoint chairs of all standing committees,
except the ECPN, subject to the advice and consent of the Board, from among members
of the Society. The President is an ex-officio member of all standing committees.
In the event of death, resignation, or inability to perform his or her duties
the powers of the President shall devolve to the President Elect.
In the case of
death, resignation, or inability of any officer to perform the duties of that
office, the Board of Directors shall determine whether a special election is necessary
or whether the Board itself will appoint an interim officer who will fill the
office until the next general election.
Terms of office
for the President, the President Elect, and the Past President will be two years.
The President Elect
shall become President and the President shall become the Past President at the
close of the second Annual Meeting, or in the event that such meeting is cancelled
the change will take place on July 1 of that year.
Section 4. The
President Elect shall work closely with the President and shall be acquainted
with the affairs of the Society, performing the duties of the President when absent.
In the event that the President is unable to complete the term of office, the
President Elect shall fill the uncompleted term and subsequently fill the term
of office that s/he was elected to fill. The President Elect may receive special
assignments from the President. The President-Elect is an ex-officio member of
the Finance and Management Committee. Otherwise, his or her duties are the same
as those of other members of the Board of Directors. In the event of the death,
resignation, or inability of the President Elect to perform the duties of the
office, including succession to the office of President, a new election will be
held as soon as possible.
Section 5. The
Treasurer shall be appointed on an annual basis by the Board of Directors. The
Treasurer is a voting member of the Board. The Treasurer shall (a) receive, have
custody of, and disburse the funds of the Society subject to authorization of
the Board of Directors, (b) maintain a record of all receipts and disbursements,
prepare financial statements, keep individual records of members' dues payments,
send out dues notices, and carry on the routine business and fiscal affairs of
the Society, (c) arrange for an independent audit of the accounts annually, (d)
sign contracts and other authorized documents on behalf of the Society, (e) carry
out or supervise solicitation of advertising and other procurement of revenues
for the Society, (f) prepare an annual budget based on budget plans from the President
and the committee chairs.
Section 6. The Secretary shall be appointed on an annual basis by the Board of
Directors from among its members. The duties of the Secretary shall be to: (a)
record, maintain and distribute minutes of the Annual Business Session and various
meetings of the Board of Directors; (b) maintain communication with various Society
committees relative to schedules, reporting, activities of related committees,
and other matters, as the President may direct; (c) assemble and distribute to
the Board of Directors and others, as appropriate, reports of committees; (d)
maintain the Society Policy and Procedures Manual, distributing appropriate sections
of the Policy and Procedures Manual to new committee chairs; (e) be responsible
for maintaining important papers and records for the Society's archives; (f) maintain
and deposit minutes, committee reports, and other reports to the Treasurer for
the Society's archives, and (g) certify the eligibility of nominees for elective
offices and the eligibility of members in any balloting and shall send out, receive,
and maintain records of all ballots of elections, and other matters voted upon
by the membership,
Article
V. Board of Directors
Section 1. The
governing body of the Society shall be the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors
has the authority to interpret the Bylaws. It is also responsible for the formulation
of policy for the Society and will have responsibility for the general and fiscal
affairs of the Society; shall fill all vacancies not provided for in other ways,
such appointees to hold office until the installation of new officers at the next
Annual Meeting of the Society; shall establish plans and call for both regular
and, if necessary, special meetings of the Society; and may create and dissolve
ad hoc committees as are deemed necessary to carry out the functions and achieve
the objectives of the Society.
Section 2. The
Board of Directors shall consist of (a) the officers of the Society and (b) thirteen
members of the Society who will be elected for three year terms and (c) the ECPN
Chair who is an ex-officio voting member of the Board.
Section 3. An elected
member of the Board of Directors has no specific duties other than those assigned
to the Board by the Bylaws, or special assignments made by the President or the
Board of Directors. A principal function of the Board of Directors is to plan
and direct the Annual Meeting.
Section 4. In the
event of a Board of Directors member's death, resignation, or inability to perform
his or her duties, the Board shall appoint a successor to complete the remaining
term.
Section 5. Board
members must be dues paying members of the Society.
Article
VI. Board of Directors Meetings
Section 1. The
Board of Directors shall meet at least once during the Annual Meeting, at a time
and place to be announced in advance to the Members, and shall be available to
receive verbal or written communications from the members at that time and place.
At the annual Board of Directors meeting coincidental to the Annual Business Meeting,
the Treasurer and the Committee Chairs shall present written reports of their
activities during the past year and be available for questions and discussions.
Section 2. The
Board of Directors shall meet on a regular and/or periodic schedule to be determined
by the President and the Board of Directors each year. Members of the Board of
Directors may hold or participate in a meeting of Directors by means of conference
telephone or similar communications equipment, and provided that all persons participating
in the meeting can hear each other at the same time, this shall constitute presence
in person at the meeting.
Section 3. Special
meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or a majority
of its members.
Section 4. Forty-five
percent of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum. The
meeting shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order, Revised. Any
action required or permitted to be taken by the Board may be voted upon without
a meeting if all members of the Board receive mail or electronic mail and the
votes are returned in the same manner. Mail or electronic mail votes shall be
filed with the minutes of the Board.
Article
VII. Annual Meetings
Section 1. The
Society shall hold an Annual Meeting for the transaction of business, presentation
of papers, symposia, posters, and other forums for the discussion of topics germane
to the Society's objectives. The Board of Directors may authorize additional meetings
and may cancel or postpone the Annual Meeting.
Section 2. The
Board of Directors shall announce the projected times and sites of each Annual
Meeting at least three years prior to it. These meetings shall be held at times
and places convenient to as many members of the Society as possible and where
all accommodations are open and accessible to all members of the Society. Notice
of additional meetings or of changes in the time and place of meetings shall be
sent to all members of the Society as far in advance as possible.
Section 3. A Business
Meeting shall be held during the Annual Meeting for the discussion of the business
of the Society, including the presentation of reports and communications to inform
the membership on matters of interest to the Society, and to permit responses
from the Society's officers to questions and suggestions from the membership.
A summary of the actions of the
Officers, Board of Directors, and Committee Chairs shall be presented to the membership
and an opportunity will be provided for questions from the membership. The Business
Session shall be scheduled at a time not in conflict with other sessions. The
meeting shall be chaired by the President. It is desirable that the Board Members
attend the meeting. A Treasurer's report shall be given. At the option of the
President the Business Meeting and the Board Meeting may be conducted simultaneously
or may be scheduled separately.
Section 4. Twenty
five voting members, not including the officers and members of the Board of Directors,
shall constitute a quorum at the annual Business Session, and the meetings will
be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order, Revised. A Parliamentarian,
appointed by the President, shall be present at each Business Session. The Parliamentarian's
rulings shall prevail during the Business Session, but may be appealed to the
Board of Directors. The Parliamentarian need not be a member of the Society.
Section 5. A majority
of those attending the Business Session may pass "courtesy" or "appreciation"
resolutions. If at least seventy five voting members, including the Board of Directors’
members and officers are present, a majority can refer an item to the Board of
Directors for study, endorse a proposed resolution for an amendment to the Constitution
or Bylaws, or present a "Members Resolution" to be acted upon by the
membership by mail or electronic ballot as governed by the conditions specified
in Article XVI of the Bylaws. The Board of Directors is obligated to submit to
the voting membership proposals referred to it, together with its recommendations
or alternative proposals, if any.
Article
VIII. Standing Committees
Section 1. There
shall be Standing Committees to carry out and sustain the long term strategic
objectives of the Society. Currently these committees are Publications, Program,
Nominations, Elections, Membership, Recognition and Honors, the Prevention Science
Advocacy Committee, Training, Early Career Preventionist Network, the Partner
Organizations Committee, and the Finance and Management Committee.
The Board can create
additional Standing Committees.
Section 2. The
President shall appoint Chairs of all Standing Committees, except the ECPN, with
the advice and consent of the Board, from among members of the Society. The Chairs
of Standing Committees will appoint members of the committees in collaboration
with the President, except as otherwise specified herein.
The President of
SPR is an ex-officio member of all Standing Committees and is expected to facilitate
the smooth functioning of committees. He or she shall monitor the activities of
the committee and take steps, where possible, to ensure that the committees are
following through with their plans and assignments.
Section 3. The
Publications Committee
The Publications
Committee has responsibility for all print and electronic communications of the
Society having to do with prevention science. It shall also develop and oversee
websites and other mechanisms for interacting with the membership and the public
at large.
The Publications
Committee shall oversee operations of the journal(s) associated with the Society
for the Board of Directors and, on occasions when a vacancy occurs in the editorship
of the journal or journals associated with the Society, recommend a new editor
to the Board of Directors. The Publications Committee is also responsible for
overseeing the budget of the journal or journals associated with the Society,
and with the editor or editors, report annually to the Board of Directors on the
status and operations of the journal or journals, including an accounting of the
income and expenditures for the current year.
The duties of the
Publications Committee shall be to act as liaison to the Board, make recommendations
to the Board of Directors, faithfully monitor and execute such policies as have
been agreed to between the Society and the journal or journals associated with
the Society, and at least annually, and more often if needed, report to the Board
of Directors on these relationships and activities.
The Board of Directors,
with the advice of the Publications Committee, may authorize regular or occasional
publications, designating which shall go to the members as part of their privilege
of membership, but may not commit the Society to publication costs beyond existing
or projected revenues.
The Board of Directors,
with the advice of the Publications Committee, may authorize and approve the appointment
of an editor or editors of official Society publications.
The length of editors'
terms shall be five years unless otherwise determined by the Board at the time
of appointment. An editor’s term may be renewed or extended by a vote of
the Board. An editor will have the responsibility to appoint members of the editorial
board. Each editorial board member will serve for a one-year term, renewable at
the discretion of the editor.
Section 4. The
Program Committee
The purposes of
the Program Committee shall be (a) to organize the Annual Meeting and, in consultation
with the President, appoint those who will be responsible for various segments
of the program, (b) consider and, when possible, honor requests from members for
opportunities to participate in the Annual Meeting, and (c) be responsible for
preparing a tentative program for distribution to the membership three months
prior to the Annual Meeting and a final program for distribution at the Annual
Meeting.
The Chair of the
Program Committee shall serve for one year, but may be appointed to additional
terms.
Section 5. The
Nominations Committee
The purpose of
the Nominations Committee shall be to (a) nominate persons to fill elected positions
in the organization, (b) nominate people for at large seats on the Board, and
(c) assist the President in identifying people who would chair committees.
The Nominations
Committee shall consist of nine members, three to be appointed by the President
for a term of three years, and the terms of three members' expiring each year.
The Chair of the Nominations Committee shall be the Immediate Past President of
the Society.
No less than five
months before the next Annual Meeting of the Society, the Nominations Committee
shall (a) select two nominees for each office to be filled, (b) verify the eligibility
of the nominees with the Secretary, (c) prepare a uniform and concise information
sheet for each nominee, (d) prepare a ballot which shall provide for a write in
vote for each office, and (e) transmit the ballot form and the information sheets
to the Secretary or another party designated by the Secretary to send voting materials
to the membership of the Society.
To be eligible
for nomination for an elective office, a person must be a voting member whose
dues have been paid for the current year and for at least one year immediately
preceding his or her nomination.
The Nominations
Committee shall have the power to appoint a three person Elections Subcommittee
to oversee elections. The subcommittee will tabulate the ballots of the general
election and submit a written report of the results for each office to the President
and the Secretary, including the names of any write in candidates who received
at least ten percent of the ballots cast for that office. After tabulation, the
ballots shall be returned to the Secretary to be kept at least one year after
the election.
Section 6. The
Membership Committee
It shall be the
goal of the Membership Committee to recruit new members to the organization and
to retain existing members.
The Membership
Committee shall prepare and distribute membership lists annually, provide mailing
lists for Society publication(s), and send out periodic communications to the
membership.
The Chair of the
Membership Committee shall serve a one year term, but may be appointed to additional
terms.
Section 7. The
Recognition and Honors Committee
The Recognition
and Honors Committee shall identify people who are deserving of recognition for
their contributions to prevention science. The Committee shall function at the
discretion of the Board of Directors in acknowledging an individual or group for
distinguished service to the Society or to the field of prevention. A two thirds
vote of the Board of Directors shall be required for the authorization of new
awards or bestowal of existing ones.
The Chair of the
Recognition and Honors Committee will be appointed by the President and will serve
a one year term. Nominations for awards will be solicited from the membership
of the
Society by mail or electronic mail.
Section 8. The
Prevention Science Advocacy Committee
The purpose of
this Committee shall be to further the identification and adoption of science
based prevention practices and methods. This Committee will work in conjunction
with the Board to advocate for the use of science based prevention methods. It
will collaborate with the other Standing Committees relevant to training, publications,
and other activities of the Society.
The goals of the
Committee shall include, but not be limited to: (a) creating a registry of preventive
trials, (b) developing and fostering consensus around a set of standards for evaluating
the merits of preventive programs and policies, (c) fostering the dissemination
of programs and policies that meet the highest standard, (d) informing the public
about programs and policies that do not meet the highest standard, but do have
substantial evidence supporting their value, (e) fostering dissemination research,
(f) advocating the use of the products of prevention science research to prevent
social and public health problems, (g) advocating the use of the most rigorous
research methods for assessing the effects of preventive interventions and policies,
and (h) promoting support of prevention research.
The Chair of this
Committee will serve for up to three years and may have multiple terms. The Chair,
in consultation with the President, will nominate members to the Committee and
the Board will approve of all new members.
The Committee shall
have at least six members.
The Society for
Prevention Research views dissemination of empirically supported practices as
a high priority. Because dissemination is an activity that crosses disciplinary
lines, is not currently very advanced, and is not being adequately advanced by
existing structures within the scientific community, it is necessary for the Society
to play a vigorous role in the advancement of dissemination. This will require
funding. To this end, the Prevention Science Advocacy Committee is empowered to
seek funding to pursue special projects that will contribute to the goals listed
above.
The Committee is
empowered to create subcommittees and committees that are advisory to specific
projects. The chairs of subcommittees and advisory committees are to be nominated
by the Chair of the Committee and approved by the Board.
Section 9. Early
Career Preventionists Network Committee
The purpose of
the Early Career Preventionists Network (ECPN) is to support the scientific development
of the new members of the prevention science community, to serve as a preliminary
entry point of new members in the SPR, and to provide a training ground for leadership
in the SPR.
The ECPN Committee
shall comprise two members, a Chair and a Chair-Elect, elected by joint members
of ECPN and the SPR and committee chairs appointed as specified in the ECPN Operating
Rules.
Section 10. The Partner Organizations Committee
The purpose of
the Partner Organizations Committee is to provide a venue for organizations with
interests in the mission and work of the Society to provide direct and formal
input to the Board of Directors. The Committee is intended to facilitate timely
and constructive interaction and planning on projects and programs of mutual interest
to the Society and to the partner organizations.
The Partner Organizations
Committee can propose actions to the Board of Directors.
The Partner Organizations
Committee shall consist of one representative from each organization that the
Board of Directors has officially designated as a "Partner" through
majority vote. Partnership status will be invited by the Board of Directors annually,
and continued partnership can be determined by either the Board of Directors or
the partnership organization.
The partner organization
will choose their representative, and the tenure of the representative shall be
determined by the partner organization. Representative members will function in
a facilitative capacity, and will not be considered the exclusive representative
of the interests of the partner organization. Representative members are encouraged
to join SPR, but are not required to do so.
The Chair of the
Partner Organizations Committee shall be appointed by the President for a term
of one year. The Chair may be appointed to additional terms.
Section 11. Finance
and Management Committee
The purpose of
the Finance and Management Committee is to assist the Treasurer in financial and
administrative activities, including personnel issues. The Treasurer will serve
as the Chair of the Committee. The Chair, in consultation with the President,
will nominate members to the Committee and the Board will approve of all new members.
The President-Elect is an ex-officio member of the Finance and Management Committee.
Section 12. Other
Committees
Recognizing the
presence of varying special interests, and endeavoring to serve as broad a spectrum
of its membership as possible, the Society acknowledges the value of ad hoc committees
designed to address special needs. Therefore, the Board is empowered to create
ad hoc committees as it sees fit. These committees shall exist for as long as
they are judged by the Board of Directors to be active in serving the interests
of the membership.
Article
IX. Special Projects
Section 1. Given the Society's mission of enhancing the effectiveness of prevention
research and practice, it is essential to have a system for pursuing Special Projects.
A Special Project is one that is created to achieve a specific set of objectives
relevant to prevention research and practice and that is funded through one or
more grants or contracts.
Section 2. Each
committee may play a leadership role for developing Special Projects and their
requisite funding, although any member of the Society may propose a Special Project
to a Committee or the Board.
Section 3. All
proposals to outside funding sources will be reviewed by the Board of Directors
and must be approved by it. The Board shall have complete discretion regarding
the decision to proceed or not proceed with an application for funds for a Special
Project.
Section 4. An application
for funding of a Special Project shall name one or more directors of the project.
The project directors will have responsibility for carrying out the project successfully.
It is the intention of the Society to ensure that directors have both the authority
and the support needed to complete the project successfully. To this end, the
Society shall provide all of the necessary administrative support that is necessary,
such as space, accounting, personnel policies and procedures, legal consultation,
and organizational development consultation that is deemed needed, so long as
the cost for these items are borne by the outside funding source.
Section 5. The
Society recognizes the need of Project Directors to have discretionary authority
to carry out the objectives of the project, as well as the need for the Board
to balance that authority against its oversight responsibility. The Board and
the Special Project directors will devise methods appropriate to the discretionary
authority and oversight of each Special Project. Once funded the Special Project
will provide annual progress reports to the Board. The Board, at its discretion,
shall provide feedback and support to the project director(s). The Board shall
not terminate a project except for reasons of clear malfeasance on the part of
the project directors.
Section 6. In the
event of the inability of the Project Director(s) to continue the project, the
Board shall appoint replacements after consultation with directors, associated
with the project, who are remaining and in consultation with the funding agencies.
Article X. Special Funds or Endowments
Section 1. The
Board of Directors may solicit, receive, invest, and expend funds and the income
from these funds for special purposes designed to further the interests of the
Society, including the Annual Meeting.
Article
XI. Administrative Office of the Society
Section 1. The
Board of Directors may establish an administrative office for the Society and
allocate to it responsibility for day to day operations of the Society, and provide
funds for the office to complete the tasks involved in the operations of the Society.
The Board of Directors may appoint an Administrative Director, define the Administrative
Director’s duties, approve compensation or contract fees and terminate the
Administrative Director’s employment. The Administrative Director will be
specifically accountable to the President of the Society and the Finance and Management
Committee.
Article
XII. Membership and Dues
Section 1. Membership
in the Society shall be from January 1 to December 31. For other purposes, including
the terms of elected officers, the terms "annual" or "year"
shall refer to the time between the close of the Annual meeting and close of the
next following Annual Meeting, or whenever the next President of the Society takes
office. Should an Annual Meeting be cancelled or postponed, the Board of Directors
shall set a time when the next Society year begins.
Section 2. Membership
classes shall be Regular, Emeritus, or Student. (a) Regular members are persons
who are involved in prevention in any capacity. (b) Emeritus membership, which
has all the rights and privileges of the Regular Membership, is restricted to
those who have retired from regular full-time employment, have been Regular Members
of the Society for five or more years, and who make a written request to the Secretary
for Emeritus status. Membership dues shall be waived with the option of receiving
the Journal at member’s rates. (c) Student membership is restricted to individuals
who are enrolled or in residence toward a degree and have not yet completed the
requirements for a terminal degree in their chosen field of study.
Section 3. All
members are entitled to attend meetings of the Society, to receive its publication(s),
and to receive other communications authorized by the Society. Regular, Emeritus,
and Student members have voting rights and, except for those holding Student Membership,
are eligible for elective office in the Society.
Section 4. Membership
dues shall be established by the Board of Directors for the various classes of
membership. The dues schedule in effect at the time these Bylaws are adopted shall
remain in effect until changed by the Board of Directors of the Society. Any changes
made in the dues schedule shall take effect at the beginning of the next membership
year. Failure to pay dues will result in suspension of membership privileges if
dues are not paid by the end of the membership year.
Article
XIII. Voting and Elections
Section 1. All
voting for the election of officer(s) of the Society, to amend the Bylaws, or
to determine Society policies and action, shall be by mail or electronic ballot
among the voting members of the Society.
Section 2. No less
than three months before the Annual Meeting, each voting member shall be sent
an information statement on each nominee prepared by the Nominations Committee,
a ballot, together with instructions for voting and returning ballots, and a sealable
ballot envelope in which the ballot may be returned with the voter's signature.
Alternatively an electronic ballot may be used.
Section 3. To be
valid, ballots must be received by the Secretary on or before the date specified
on the ballot, which shall not be less than thirty days from the date of mailing.
The signature of the member must be on the envelope and the member's dues must
be paid by or at the time the envelope is received by the Secretary. Once eligibility
is confirmed, the envelope will be set aside for safekeeping until the next Annual
Meeting. Ballots unopened because the signature is missing shall be delivered
to the Board of Directors at the next Annual Meeting.
Section 4. Within
three weeks after the final date for return of ballots, the valid ballots will
be opened and tabulated by a three person Elections Subcommittee appointed by
the President. Normally, these will be persons located reasonably close to each
other. Immediately following the tabulation, this Committee will submit a written
report of the results to the President and the Secretary. The person receiving
the highest number of votes for each office shall be elected. The Secretary shall
notify candidates, the Board of Directors, and the membership of the results of
the election by the most appropriate and prompt means. The Secretary shall retain
the signature envelopes and other records of the balloting for at least one year
after the election.
Section 5. In the
event of a tie vote for any office, the Board of Directors shall determine the
election in a ballot conducted immediately by the Secretary. A majority of those
voting in the Board of Directors shall prevail.
Article
XIV. Other Balloting
Section 1. The Board of Directors may authorize and direct mail or electronic
ballots other than elections, to determine Society policy or action on any issues
that may arise, provided such balloting or its outcomes do not contravene provisions
of the Bylaws. Balloting on matters covered by the Bylaws must be in accordance
with the provisions specified for amendments.
Section 2. Special
mail or electronic ballots may be initiated by the Board of Directors or by other
voting members as provided below. They may be sent and returned with an election
ballot or separately at other times. The relevant portions of the Bylaws apply
to this balloting as well as any other conditions that may be specified by the
Board of Directors.
Section 3. The
Board of Directors shall authorize a special mail or electronic ballot if ten
percent or more of the members eligible to vote sign a written statement proposing
a course of action, a resolution, or a policy change and send it to the Secretary
for presentation to the Board of Directors. The Secretary determines when this
condition has been met and promptly thereafter distributes the statement to the
Board of Directors.
Section 4. Within
three months after such a statement has been determined to have been validly submitted
by ten percent or more of the eligible membership, a mail or electronic ballot
shall be sent to each voting member, together with the statement of the proposers
and any recommendation, explanation, or alternative proposal suggested by the
Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall consider the urgency of the issue
and employ special mailing or a shorter time schedule when it deems this justifiable.
Section 5. A majority
of the eligible votes received shall determine the issue.
Section 6. The
Board of Directors may also authorize the Secretary to conduct a poll of the membership
opinion on any issue by mail and/or Internet, with the specification that the
results do not commit the Society to any position or action and is merely a poll
of membership sentiment. The Board of Directors authorizes and specifies the conditions
of such a poll and the Secretary counts the ballots and announces the results.
Article
XV. Amendments
Section 1. These
Bylaws may be amended or new Bylaws adopted by a two thirds vote of the eligible
voters who cast votes in a mail or electronic ballot.
Section 2. A proposed
change in the Bylaws shall be sent to the members of the Society for a vote when
(a) initiated by the Board of Directors, (b) submitted in a petition by fifty
voting members, or (c) endorsed by a majority vote at the Business Session at
the Annual Meeting.
Section 3. A proposed
Amendment shall be voted on no less than two months and no more than six months
after the Amendment is proposed.
Article
XVI. Indemnification
Section 1. The
Society shall indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action
by or in the right of the Society) by reason of the fact that such person is or
was a Director or officer of the Society, or a chair or member of any committee
or task force of the Society, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees),
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred
by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if such person
acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in,
or not opposed to, the best interest of the Society, and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that such person’s
conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment,
order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent,
shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good
faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed
to, the best interest of the Society, and, with respect to the criminal action
or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct
was unlawful.
Section 2. The
Society shall indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to
be made a party, to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding
by or in the right of the Society to procure a judgment in its favor by reason
of the fact that such person is or was a Director or officer of the Society, or
a chair or member of any committee or task force of the Society, against expenses
(including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person
in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit, if such person
acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in,
or not opposed to, the best interest of the Society. No indemnification shall
be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall
have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance
of such person’s duty to the Society, unless, and only to the extent that,
a court in which action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that,
despite the adjudication of liability, but in view of all the circumstances of
the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such
expenses.
Section 3. The
Society shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance covering the Society
and any person who is or was a Director, officer, employee, agent, or chair or
member of a committee, task force, or similar group of the Society, against liability
asserted against such persons and incurred in any such capacity, or arising out
of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Society would have the
power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of
this Article XVI. Any amounts payable as indemnification under this Article XVI
shall be limited by the amount of money collectible under the Society’s
insurance coverage.
These Bylaws
Approved by the SPR Membership July 25, 2003.
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