Proposed Changes to the Constitution to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences at King’s College, April 1, 2017:
ARTICLE II OLD LANGUAGE (WITH TEXT NEEDED TO BE EDITED IN RED):
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1 Membership to the Academy shall be made up of the following classes: a. active members; b. student members; c. life members d. honorary members; e. emeritus members; f. sustaining members; and g. institutional members.
SECTION 2 Any person engaged or interested in scientific work shall be eligible to active membership
SECTION 3 Honorary members may be elected by the Board of Directors to this class of membership in the Academy on account of special prominence in science or other branches of learning. They shall be exempt from the payment of dues.
SECTION 4 Active members who elect to pay an increased rate of annual dues shall be designated as sustaining members.
SECTION 5 Members in current standing will be allowed to attend the annual meeting.
SECTION 6 Any business or professional organization, or educational institution, that is interested in science may be elected to institutional membership.
SECTION 7 Applications for membership will be accepted by the Chairperson of the Membership Committee. Upon receipt of the official notification of acceptance to membership, the new member will have all the rights and privileges of membership.
SECTION 8 Election of honorary members shall be by a three-fourths vote of the active, life, sustaining, honorary, and emeritus members, present at any meeting. No election is required to permit active members to advance to the sustaining or emeritus membership category.
SECTION 9 To qualify for emeritus status, a member must have been in good standing for a minimum of ten years, active in the Academy as judged by the Board of Directors and no longer gainfully employed either because of disability or retirement.
SECTION 10 Members of all categories shall pay at a rate set annually by the Board of Directors and subject to a three-fourths vote of the voting members present at the Annual Meeting. The rates set should reflect the programs and operating costs of the Academy as determined by the membership. Life membership is conferred upon active members upon payment of an amount equal to fifteen (15) times the regular annual membership dues rate. Honorary members shall be exempt from the payment of dues.
SECTION 11 Scientific organizations within the Commonwealth, following application and approval by the Board of Directors and the General Membership, shall have the right to affiliate with the Pennsylvania Academy of Science.
SECTION 12 The privilege of voting in the Academy shall be restricted to the classes of: active, life, sustaining, student, emeritus and honorary membership who are in good standing prior to the Annual Meeting. The privilege of speaking from the floor at meetings of the Academy shall be available to all classes of membership.
PROPOSED NEW LANGUAGE FOR ARTICLE II:
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1 Membership to the Academy shall be made up of the following classes: a. active members; b. student members; c. life members; d. honorary members; and e. emeritus members.
SECTION 2 Any person engaged or interested in scientific work shall be eligible to active membership
SECTION 3 Honorary members may be elected by the Board of Directors to this class of membership in the Academy on account of special prominence in science or other branches of learning. They shall be exempt from the payment of dues.
SECTION 4 Active members who elect to pay an increased rate of annual dues shall be designated as sustaining members.
SECTION 5 Members in current standing will be allowed to attend the annual meeting.
SECTION 6 Applications for membership will be accepted by the Chairperson of the Membership Committee. Upon receipt of the official notification of acceptance to membership, the new member will have all the rights and privileges of membership.
SECTION 7 Election of honorary members shall be by a three-fourths vote of the active, life, honorary, and emeritus members, present at any meeting. No election is required to permit active members to advance to the emeritus membership category.
SECTION 8 To qualify for emeritus status, a member must have been in good standing for a minimum of ten years, active in the Academy as judged by the Board of Directors and no longer gainfully employed either because of disability or retirement.
SECTION 9 Members of all categories shall pay at a rate set annually by the Board of Directors and subject to a three-fourths vote of the voting members present at the Annual Meeting. The rates set should reflect the programs and operating costs of the Academy as determined by the membership. Life membership is conferred upon active members upon payment of an amount equal to fifteen (15) times the regular annual membership dues rate. Honorary members shall be exempt from the payment of dues.
SECTION 10 Scientific organizations within the Commonwealth, following application and approval by the Board of Directors and the General Membership, shall have the right to affiliate with the Pennsylvania Academy of Science.
SECTION 11 The privilege of voting in the Academy shall be restricted to the classes of: active, life, student, emeritus and honorary membership who are in good standing prior to the Annual Meeting. The privilege of speaking from the floor at meetings of the Academy shall be available to all classes of membership.
ARTICLE III OLD LANGUAGE (WITH TEXT NEEDED TO BE EDITED IN RED):
ARTICLE III – DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
SECTION 1 The Board of Directors shall be composed of the persons holding office as provided in this article and four Academy Directors-at-Large elected to staggered two-year terms by the membership. The at-large Directors will serve as chairs of Academy committees, defined in Article VI, Section 4 of this Constitution.
SECTION 2 The officers of the Academy shall be and consist of the President, the President-Elect, the Immediate Past-President, the Recording Secretary/Archivist, the Corresponding Secretary, the Treasurer, the Treasurer-Elect, the Book Treasurer, the Editor of the Journal, the Editor of the Newsletter the Webmaster, and the State Director of the Junior Academy of Science
SECTION 3 With the exception of the President-Elect, all nominees must have two years of prior membership and have attended one annual meeting to be considered for the above offices. Nominees for President-Elect must have satisfied the completion of one full-term as an officer in the Academy.
SECTION 4 Officers elected hereafter shall hold office for terms in accord with the following schedule: President, President-Elect, Immediate Past-President, Recording Secretary/archivist, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, and Book Treasurer – Two Years; Editor of the Journal, Editor of the Newsletter, and Webmaster – Four Years; State Director of the Junior Academy – Three Years (limited to two successive terms).
SECTION 5 The duties of the officers shall be those that usually pertain to the respective offices. The Recording Secretary/Archivist shall take minutes, and keep a record of all official business, shall collect and preserve all information of interest to the Academy and submit it to the Pennsylvania State Archives. The Corresponding Secretary is responsible for all Academy correspondence. The Treasurer shall accept, deposit, and disburse funds, maintain investments and records (including records of the Academy’s membership) and issue membership cards. The Treasurer-Elect shall assist the treasurer and become familiar with financial operations of the Academy. The Book Treasurer is responsible for all financial matters relating to book publication including the book fund. The Webmaster shall maintain the Academy website.
SECTION 6 In case of the inability of the President to perform the functions of his office, the following succession shall assume responsibility of the Office of the President: President-Elect, Recording Secretary/Archivist, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect and Book Treasurer. In the case of the inability of the Treasurer to perform the duties of the office, the following succession shall assume responsibility of the office of Treasurer: Treasurer-Elect, and Book Treasurer.
SECTION 7 Interim vacancies on the Board of Directors may be filled by appointment by the President with the approval by the majority of the Board of Directors. The office will be open for election at the next annual meeting. In the event that any officer, other than the President or Treasurer, is unable to complete the term of office by virtue of inability, resignation, disability, or death, the interim vacancy may be filled by the President with the approval by a majority of the Board of Directors. The Board position will be open for election at the next annual meeting.
SECTION 8 Voting privileges at Board of Directors Meetings are restricted to the Board of Directors, as defined in Article III, Section 2 of this constitution.
PROPOSED NEW LANGUAGE FOR ARTICLE III:
ARTICLE III – DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
SECTION 1 The Board of Directors shall be composed of the persons holding office as provided in this article and four Academy Directors-at-Large elected to staggered two-year terms by the membership. The at-large Directors will serve as chairs of Academy committees, defined in Article VI, Section 4 of this Constitution.
SECTION 2 The officers of the Academy shall be and consist of the President, the President-Elect, the Immediate Past-President, the Recording Secretary/Archivist, the Corresponding Secretary, the Treasurer, the Treasurer-Elect, the Finance Chair, the Editor-in-Chief, the Webmaster, the AAAS/NAAS Representative, the Committee Director, and the State Director of the Junior Academy of Science
SECTION 3 With the exception of the President-Elect, all nominees must have two years of prior membership and have attended one annual meeting to be considered for the above offices. Nominees for President-Elect must have satisfied the completion of one full-term as an officer in the Academy.
SECTION 4 Officers elected hereafter shall hold office for terms in accord with the following schedule: President, President-Elect, Immediate Past-President, Recording Secretary/archivist, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, AAAS/NAAS Representative, Committee Director, and Finance Chair – Two Years; Editor-in-Chief, and Webmaster – Four Years; State Director of the Junior Academy – Three Years (limited to two successive terms).
SECTION 5 The duties of the officers shall be those that usually pertain to the respective offices. The Recording Secretary/Archivist shall take minutes, and keep a record of all official business, shall collect and preserve all information of interest to the Academy and submit it to the Pennsylvania State Archives. The Corresponding Secretary is responsible for all Academy correspondence. The Treasurer shall accept, deposit, and disburse funds, and maintain investment records (including records of the Academy’s membership). The Treasurer-Elect shall assist the treasurer and become familiar with financial operations of the Academy. The Webmaster shall maintain the Academy website. The Finance Chair shall manage the investments of the society. The AAAS/NAAS Representative shall represent the society at the annual meeting of the National Association of Academies of Sciences. The State Director of the Junior Academy of Sciences shall manage the Junior Academy.
SECTION 6 In case of the inability of the President to perform the functions of the office, the following succession shall assume responsibility of the Office of the President: President-Elect, Recording Secretary/Archivist, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect and Book Treasurer. In the case of the inability of the Treasurer to perform the duties of the office, the following succession shall assume responsibility of the office of Treasurer: Treasurer-Elect, and Finance Chair.
SECTION 7 Interim vacancies on the Board of Directors may be filled by appointment by the President with the approval by the majority of the Board of Directors. The office will be open for election at the next annual meeting. In the event that any officer, other than the President or Treasurer, is unable to complete the term of office by virtue of inability, resignation, disability, or death, the interim vacancy may be filled by the President with the approval by a majority of the Board of Directors. The Board position will be open for election at the next annual meeting.
SECTION 8 Voting privileges at Board of Directors Meetings are restricted to the Board of Directors, as defined in Article III, Section 2 of this constitution.
ARTICLE IX OLD LANGUAGE (WITH TEXT NEEDED TO BE EDITED IN RED):
ARTICLE IX – PUBLICATIONS
SECTION 1 The regular publication of the Academy shall be the Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, which shall include the transactions and all papers deemed acceptable by the Editor and his/her committee.
SECTION 2 The Academy shall sponsor the Pennsylvania Academy of Science Newsletter which shall include notices pertinent to Academy business, and information about the activities of the Academy and its members.
SECTION 3 The Academy shall sponsor PAS Books.
SECTION 4 Current members will be able to publish in the open access Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, as a privilege of membership. Books and other publications shall be sold to members at a predetermined price.
PROPOSED NEW LANGUAGE FOR ARTICLE IX:
ARTICLE IX – PUBLICATIONS
SECTION 1 The regular publication of the Academy shall be the Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, which shall include the transactions and all papers deemed acceptable by the Editor and his/her committee.
SECTION 2 The Academy shall maintain the Pennsylvania Academy of Science website which shall include notices pertinent to Academy business and information about the activities of the Academy and its members.
SECTION 3 The Academy shall sponsor PAS Books.
SECTION 4 Current members will be able to publish in the open access Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, as a privilege of membership. Books and other publications shall be sold to members at a predetermined price.
ARTICLE XI OLD LANGUAGE (WITH TEXT NEEDED TO BE EDITED IN RED):
ARTICLE XI – AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1 This Constitution may be amended at any Annual Meeting by a favorable vote of three-fourths of the members present and entitled to vote thereon, provided that a copy of the proposed amendment shall be sent to all members at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting. For purposes of this section, publication of the proposed amendment in the Newsletter shall be sufficient notice, provided that copies thereof are mailed at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting.
PROPOSED NEW LANGUAGE FOR ARTICLE XI:
ARTICLE XI – AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1 This Constitution may be amended at any Annual Meeting by a favorable vote of three-fourths of the members present and entitled to vote thereon, provided that a copy of the proposed amendment shall be sent to all members at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting. For purposes of this section, publication of the proposed amendment on the Pennsylvania Academy of Science website shall be sufficient notice, provided that members are notified via email of the proposed changes at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting.