Association of Social and Behavioral Scientists

ASBS Constitution and Bylaws

CONSTITUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF
SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENTISTS
(EXCERPTS)

                   This Association shall be known as the Association of Social
                   and Behavioral Scientists.

It shall be the purpose of this Association to encourage research and the study of methods, content and procedures for the vitalizing and advancement of Social and Behavioral Sciences in schools, colleges and universities.

It shall be the purpose of this Association to encourage and sponsor the presentation and publication of scholarly papers based on theoretical and empirical research in the Behavioral and Social Sciences.

It shall be the purpose of this Association to encourage interest of scholarship among students in the social and behavioral sciences in schools, colleges and universities.

Regular Members. Any person, organization or institution sharing the objectives of this Association may become a member upon payment of the established fees.

Life Membership. Any person, organization or institution paying dues of $500 in a lump sum, or in installments spread over not more than five years, shall become a life member of this Association, and therefore be exempted from paying further dues.

Privileges of Members. Each member shall be entitled to a copy of the official Journal, the Journal of the Association of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and such other publications issued during the membership as determined by the Association. Each member shall also be entitled to voice and vote at the annual business meeting.

The officers of the Association shall be President, President-Elect, and First and Second Vice Presidents, Executive Secretary, Recording Secretary, Assistant Recording Secretary, Treasurer and ten elected members of the Executive Committee. At least one of the ten members of the Executive Committee must be a current full-time undergraduate or graduate student, enrolled in an institution of higher learning. These officers together with the immediate past president shall represent the Association in its corporate capacity. In addition, there shall be the editor of the Journal, who shall attend meetings of the Executive Committee with a vote, and such other appointive officers and committees as are here-in-after provided for.

Ex-presidents of the Association, and upon invitation of the President, the chairperson and/or members of any committee of the Association, may attend meetings of the Executive Committee and participate in its discussion but have no vote.

The elective officers, except the President, shall be chosen by a majority vote of the members of the Association attending the Annual Business Meeting. The President-Elect shall automatically succeed to the office of President and upon the completion of the President’s term or upon the occurrence of one of the contingencies provided for in Section 2 of this Article. The terms of the elective officers, except members of the Executive Committee-at-large, Executive Secretary and Treasurer shall extend for one year, from the end of the program of one annual meeting to the end of the next. The Executive Secretary and Treasurer may be reelected for an additional three-year term. The terms of members of the Executive Committee-at-large, shall extend for three years and one third shall expire each year. Members of the Executive Committee-at-large may be reelected for no more than two additional three-year terms in succession. If a member of the Executive Committee is elected to any other office, his previous position shall become vacant and such vacancy shall be filled by the President for the unexpired term.

In cases of the death, resignation or inability of the President to perform the duties of his or her office, the President-Elect shall immediately succeed him or her. The President-Elect shall complete the remaining term and shall then become President for one full term thereafter.

The elective officers, except the Executive Secretary, Recording Secretary, Assistant Recording Secretary, Treasurer and members of the Executive Committee-at-large shall be ineligible to succeed themselves in office.

The Editor of the Journal shall be appointed by the Executive Committee after it hears the recommendation of the President. The Editor’s term shall be fixed by the Executive Committee.

There shall be a Board of Editors of the Journal to assist the Editor. The Executive Committee shall determine its size, method of appointment and tenure.

The Executive Committee may establish other offices, boards, and committees as the business of the Association may require, define their tasks and powers and fix their terms and methods of appointment.

The final or sovereign authority for deciding the policies and managing the affairs of the Association is the membership of the Association is the membership of the Association duly assembled in the Annual Business Meeting of in a special meeting duly called. It enacts and amends the Constitution, elects the elective officers, resolves issues brought to it and may confirm, revise or repeal any action of the Executive Committee or of any officer. A majority of the members in attendance shall meet annually at a time and place designated by the membership at the Annual Business Meeting. In the event of conditions arising altering the fulfillment of the memberships’ choice subsequent to the Annual Business Meeting, the Executive Committee shall be empowered to arrange for a meeting place. The Executive Committee and the officers shall acquaint the membership with the business of the Association and with the issues involved in the agenda of the Annual Business Meeting in advance of the said meeting.

Subject to the foregoing, the Executive Committee shall be the governing body of the Association and have general charge and supervision of its business and interests in accordance with this constitution. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a year. A special meeting may be called at the discretion of the President upon demand of members of the Executive Committee provided that a thirty-day notice is given of such a meeting. Five members shall constitute a quorum and a majority vote of the members in attendance shall control its decision. The Executive Committee shall receive reports of all officers and standing committees; adopt the budget and appropriate money; give its recommendations upon all questions (except the election of officers) to be presented to the Annual Business Meeting. It shall receive an annual audit of the Association’s accounts. It may give directions to officers and committees, and adopt rules for the regulation of the Association’s Business. In the event of an emergency which presents the holding of the Annual Business Meeting, the Executive Committee may exercise all the power of the Association.

The President shall preside at all business meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee. Except as otherwise provided, the President shall appoint all committees of the Association. The President shall see to it that the business of the Association is faithfully executed.

The President-Elect shall in addition to the duties otherwise provided, assume the duties of the President in the President’s absence and automatically become chair of the Program Committee for the year preceding his or her assumption of the office of the President, and discharge such other functions as may be assigned to him or her by the President.

The First Vice President, in additional to duties otherwise provided, shall serve as chairperson of the Membership Committee.

The Second Vice President shall serve as vice-chair of the Membership Committee and perform duties in connection therewith as may be assigned by the Executive Committee.

The Recording Secretary shall record the proceedings of the business meetings of the Executive Committee of the Association and shall transmit copies of the same promptly to the Executive Secretary and shall report the actions of the Executive Committee to the Annual Business Meeting of the Association.

The Assistant Recording Secretary shall aid the Recording Secretary and perform such duties in connection therewith as may be assigned to him or her by the Executive Committee.

The Treasurer shall review and approve the arrangements for the receipt, custody and disbursement of Association funds according to the budget approved by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall arrange for the annual audit and present the auditor’s report to the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall report the Association’s financial condition at the Annual Business Meeting. He or she shall have custody of the funds of the Association. The Treasurer shall review the Association’s investments and recommend investment policies to the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall seek to advance the interests of the Association in adding to its financial resources.

The Editor shall edit and publish the Journal, with the advice and assistance of the Board of Editors, and report its affairs to the Executive Committee.

The Executive Secretary shall execute the activities and policies of the Association. The Executive Secretary shall have charge of the central office of the Association, present plans and recommend policies for the accomplishment of the Association’s objectives to the Executive Committee and, upon approval of the Executive Committee, be responsible for their administration. All appointive committees shall look to the Executive Secretary for advice and assistance in their work. The Executive Secretary shall discharge the obligations and maintain the accounts, keep the membership informed currently on the work of the Association through the regular publication, make an annual report to the Executive Committee and to the membership at the Annual Business Meeting, and consult with the President as questions of policy currently arise.

The Parliamentarian shall assist the President in facilitating the orderly and legal conduct of business of the Association. He or she shall advise the President and, when requested, other officers and committees on matters relating to rules and precedents of the Association. The Parliamentarian shall call the attention of the President to any error in the proceedings of the Association that may affect the substantive rights of any member or may otherwise cause harm. The Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President and shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee during the tenure of the President.

Except as otherwise provided, the President shall appoint the following Standing committees with the advice of the Executive Committee, to serve for a one-year period.  They include the Membership, Program, Nominating, Budget, and Time and Place committees.

The Association shall make an annual award of a plaque to a scholar, a researcher, or a public servant recommended by an appointed committee to receive the W.E.B. DuBois Award. The recommendations shall be made by financial members of the organization, in writing, to the Chairperson of the Committee. The Committee membership shall make a report to the Executive Committee at its fall meeting. The Executive Committee shall make the final decision based on the DuBois Award Committee recommendation.

The Association shall make an award of $50.00 and a plaque for an undergraduate student research paper. This paper must have been adjudicated by criteria established for review by the Committee on Student Research. This award shall be known as the Theophilus E. McKinney Award.

AMENDMENTS OF THE BYLAWS - These bylaws can be amended at any regular meeting of the Executive Committee of the Association by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to each member at least one week prior to its consideration and a fifty-one (51%) quorum is present. Following approval by the Executive, amendments to the bylaws must be approved by a majority (51%) vote of the general membership of the Association.

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ON EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - A student representative shall be appointed to the Executive Committee for a period of one (1) year, from the end of the program of one annual meeting to the end of the next annual meeting. Whenever possible, the student should be selected from the student body of the sponsoring institution and should be in good financial standing. The student representative has voting privileges and is also subject to Article VII, Section 3.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY EMERITUS - The Executive Secretary Emeritus shall be appointed to the Executive Committee to advise same of the history and proceedings of the Association and to serve as an advisor to the Executive Secretary. This is a lifetime appointment and the appointee has voting privileges and is also subject to Article VII, Section 3.

PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE - A Publications Committee shall become a permanent Standing Committee of the Association. This Committee, which must be composed of members in good financial standing, shall give direction to and govern the Editor and Board of Editors, Journal of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

ANNUAL ASSOCIATION DUES - The amount of annual dues of the Association of Social and Behavioral Scientists shall be determined by the Executive Committee and shall be subject to the approval of a majority (51%) vote of the general membership of the Association.

NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS - The Nominating Committee, a standing committee of the Association, shall adhere to the following procedures pertaining to nominations and election:

You may download a complete copy of the ASBS Constitution and Bylaws in Adobe (pdf) format by clicking below:

ASBS Constitution and Bylaws