ISC bylaws (final)

ABOUT THE SOCIETY

The International Society for Chronobiology was founded in 1937 in Ronneby, Sweden, under the name of "Societas pro Studio Rhythmi Biologici." Its name was changed to the current "International Society for Chronobiology" in 1971 at the X International Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. The present constitution was adopted in 1979 at the XIV Conference in Hannover, Germany.

The aims of the Society are:

  • to further the study of temporal changes in living matter, including biological rhythms in development and aging in individuals and populations;
  • to study and define the mechanisms of these temporal changes;
  • to promote education in and wide understanding of chronobiology;
  • to foster practical applications for chronobiological findings to mankind in basic and applied biology, physiology, work hygiene and the medical sciences;
  • to further contact between scientists in the field and provide a forum for practitioners of chronobiology.

The Society will sponsor, cosponsor or facilitate scientific meetings, teaching sessions and other activities worldwide.

The Society will hold a biennial International Conference which provides members and interested colleagues with the opportunity to present original research and with a forum for discussions of both fundamental and applied chronobiology.

 

HONORARY MEMBERS

The Society has an official journal, Chronobiology International, which is listed or abstracted in the following: Index Medicus, Current Contents, Biological Rhythms, Cambridge Science Abstracts and SCISEARCH & BIOS.

Society members who have distinguished themselves in chronobiological research may be elected as "Honorary Members." This is the highest recognition given by the Society for outstanding contributions to chronobiology. The Society Honorary Members are listed below. (*Deceased)

Jurgen Aschoff (Germany)*, Enre Balazs (USA), Ludwig Brownian (USA)*, Rudolf Engel (USA)*, Dora Hayes (USA), H. Laurell (Sweden)*, John Pauly (USA), Alain Reinberg (France), Lawrence Scheving (USA), Arne Sollberger (USA)*.

 

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR CHRONOBIOLOGY

ARTICLE I

Section 1. The name of the society shall be the "International Society for Chronobiology," hereafter called the Society.

Section 2. The purpose of the Society shall be:

  1. to further the development of studies on temporal parameters of biologic variables (chronobiologic variation) and to pursue related scientific and educational purposes,
  2. to further the contact between scientists working in this field,
  3. to encourage the development and recognition of centers of chronobiologic research,
  4. to work toward the establishment of chronobiology as an academic discipline in its own right.

Section 3. The operational year for the Society shall start on the first day of July and end the 30th of June the following year.

ARTICLE II

Section 1. The governing Board of the Society shall consist of a President; a Vice President and a Secretary, who shall act also as Treasurer. The terms of the President and all board members and Vice President shall be for four years. The President and the Board will nominate the Secretary-Treasurer. In case of the absence of the President, a member of the Board will preside until a new President will be elected. In addition, six to twelve society members will be elected as Board members.

Section 2. Election procedure.  The Board will name a Nominating Committee of five members (four non-Board members and the Secretary-Treasurer) This committee will communicate with members to obtain names of candidates for the President and Board member positions.  After verifying the acceptance of the candidates to serve on the Board, the Nominating Committee shall take into consideration the geographic distribution of the membership of the Society when making the recommendations.  The committee  shall submit two names for each office and mail the candidates names and an election form to the society members.  The election procedure will be held by e-mail communication and the procedure of ensuring full confidence of the responses will be explained in the issuing ballot form. Elections will be terminated prior to the biennial International Conference every four years.  In the absence of an elected President a new President shall be elected by a special e-mail ballot within the following six months.
Any candidate receiving a majority of votes cast shall be declared elected. In case of a tie or lack of a majority for any office, the two candidates with the most votes shall be voted on by ballot at the biennial meeting; the one receiving the greater number of votes shall be declared elected. Only members who paid their dues (or those that their dues were waived) are eligible to be elected or to vote.

ARTICLE III

The management of the affairs of the Society shall be delegated to the Board. Should any member of the Board be unable to complete his/her term of office, the Board shall have the power to appoint a replacement from the membership, who will serve the remainder of the term.

ARTICLE IV

The Society shall meet at least every second year if possible, the time and place to be determined by the Board. Any member of the Society may suggest a suitable meeting place.
The Reports of the Conferences are to be published, if possible. English is to be used in all official circulars and reports.

ARTICLE V

Section 1. The dues of the Society shall be determined by the Board and ratified by the membership at each Biennial Business Meeting.

ARTICLE VI

Section 1. The transaction of business at the Biennial Business Meeting will be permitted to all members who paid the annual dues.

Section 2. Any of the Society bylaws may be modified without delay or advance notice by a mail ballot if 70% of those members who return their ballots agree to the change and if the Board agrees unanimously.

Section 3. Rulings of the presiding officer shall be in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.

ARTICLE VII

Notwithstanding any provision of the Constitution which might be susceptible to a contrary construction:

Section 1. The Society shall be organized exclusively for scientific and educational purposes.

Section 2. The Society shall be operated exclusively for scientific and educational purposes.

Section 3. No part of the net earnings of the Society shall or may under any circumstances inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

Section 4. No substantial part of the activities of the Society shall consist of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation.

Section 5. The Society shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

Section 6. The Society shall not be organized or operated for profit.

Section 7. The Society shall not:

A. Lend any part of its income or corpus, without the receipt of adequate security and reasonable rate of interest to;

B. Pay any compensation, in excess of a reasonable allowance for salaries or other compensation for personal services actually rendered;

C. Make any part of its services available on a preferential basis to;

D. Make any purchase of securities or any other property, for more than adequate consideration in money's worth;

E. Sell any securities or other property for less than adequate consideration in money or money's worth to;

F. Engage in any other transactions which result in substantial diversions of its income or corpus to: any officer, member of the Board, member or substantial contributor to the Society;

G. Make such loans, payments, sales or purchases to anyone else, unless such authority be given or implied by other provisions of the Constitution.

ARTICLE VIII

Upon dissolution of the International Society for Chronobiology, the Board shall distribute the assets and accrued income to one or more organizations as determined by the Board, but such an organization or organizations shall have met the limitations prescribed in Sections I to 7 inclusive of Article VII, immediately preceding.

RESOLUTIONS
  1. Resolved, that subject to ratification by the membership at a Biennial Business Meeting, the Board shall have the power to establish or disestablish relationships with various scientific and governmental groups. It also shall nominate at appropriate times, for election by the Society, representatives to these groups. Their terms of office shall be designated by the Board in accordance with guidelines set by the individual organizations.
  2. Resolved, that the Society endorse publications in the field of chronobiology and advise their editors as need be. Currently the official journal of the Society is Chronobiology International. Other journals may be endorsed in the future.
  3. Resolved, that the Society approves and encourages national societies that exist or that may be established in the future for the purpose of fostering the advancement of chronobiology.
  4. Resolved, that any member or members speaking in a personal capacity, about a matter within the range of committee responsibilities, shall make clear in the statement that the statement is not made by such member or members acting as chairman or as committee members or members. No member of the Board shall release or otherwise make any public statement purporting to express the opinion of any committee of the Society on any issue within the jurisdiction of the Society without the prior approval of the Board.
  5. Resolved, that every member of the Board, officer or employee of the International Society for Chronobiology, shall be indemnified by the Society against all expenses and liabilities, including counsel fees, reasonably incurred or imposed upon him in connection with any proceeding to which he may be made a part, or in which he may become involved, by reason of his being or having been a member of the Board, officer or employee of the Society, or any settlement thereof, whether or not he is a member of the Board, officer, employee at the time such expenses are incurred, except in such cases wherein the member of the Board, officer, or employee is adjudged guiltily of willful misfeasance or malfeasance in the performance of his duties, Provided, however, that in the event of a settlement the indemnification herein shall apply only when the Board approves such settlement and reimbursement as being for the best interests of the Society.
    The foregoing right of indemnification shall be in addition to and not exclusive of all other rights to which such member of the Board, officer, or employee may be entitled.