CONSTITUTION OF THE WORLD CONGRESS OF HERPETOLOGY
(Revised Version Adopted at Fourth World Congress, December 2001)
ARTICLE 1. NAME
The name of this organization is the World Congress of Herpetology.
ARTICLE 2. DEFINITION
As used throughout this Constitution, herpetology is defined as the study of all aspects of the zoological taxa Amphibia and Reptilia.
ARTICLE 3. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Congress are to promote international interest, collaboration and co-operation in herpetology. These are to be achieved by holding periodic international congresses of herpetology, by establishing specialist committees, by serving as the Section of Herpetology of the International Union of Biological Sciences and by undertaking or encouraging such other activities as will promote these objectives.
ARTICLE 4. GOVERNMENT
4(i) Size. The congress shall be governed by an Executive Committee of not fewer than sixteen (16) and not more than twenty (20) members that shall in turn be advised by an International Herpetological Committee of not fewer than forty (40) and not more than fifty (50) members. Membership of both committees shall be open to all herpetologists and shall be as representative as possible of herpetological sub-disciplines and the geographic distribution of herpetologists.
4(ii) Term of Appointment of Members. Members of both the Executive and International Herpetological Committees are elected for two inter-congress terms, and are eligible for re-election by the Congress at which they are scheduled to retire.
Except as provided in Article 4 (iii) the terms of retiring members shall be deemed to expire at the end of the final plenary session of a Congress.
Foundation members who are chosen by lottery to retire before the expiry of the two inter-congress terms will immediately become eligible for re-election at the Congress at which they are due to retire.
4(iii) Office Bearers. The executive officers of the Congress shall be a Secretary-General, a Secretary-General Elect, and a Treasurer. The Secretary-General Elect and Treasurer shall be elected by members of the Executive Committee meeting at its first business session following the final plenary session of each Congress. The Treasurer shall be a current member of the Executive Committee. The retiring Secretary-General and Treasurer, if not re-elected, and notwithstanding the provisions of Article 4(i), shall remain members of the Executive Committee until the end of the calendar year in which their retirement occurs.
Vacancies caused by the resignation or death of an executive officer between World Congresses will be filled by the Executive Committee, except that the Secretary-General Elect shall, in the event of the position of Secretary-General falling vacant, fill that position.
4(iv) Election of Members. New members of both the Executive and International Herpetological Committees shall be elected by registered participants assembled at the final plenary session of each World Congress of Herpetology from a list of nominations submitted to the Executive Committee. If the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies, then the election shall be by open ballot of a format to be determined by the Executive Committee.
4(v) Nominations for Membership. At least eighteen months prior to a congress the Secretary-General shall notify affiliated organizations and such herpetological journals and newsletters as he/she may determine, of a call for nominations for membership of the Executive and International Herpetological Committees.
All nominations for membership of these Committees must be received by the Secretary-General at least four months prior to a Congress and must be seconded either by any two members of either the Executive or International Herpetological Committees, or, in the case of the International Herpetological Committee, by the governing body of an Affiliated Organization.
4(vi) Filling of Vacancies. Vacancies caused by the resignation or death of a member of either the Executive or International Herpetological Committees will be filled by a person appointed by the Executive Committee, except that any vacancy on the Executive Committee will be filled by a member of the International Herpetological Committee. All such appointees shall automatical1y retire at the next World Congress of Herpetology but shall be eligible for re-election.
4(vii) Duties. The Executive Committee shal1 determine the date and venue of each World Congress of Herpetology [Article 5(i)] and shall appoint a Conference Director and Organizing Committee for each such Congress. Responsibility for the program for each World Congress is vested in the Executive Committee, which shal1 delegate authority to the Conference Director and/or Organizing Committee to undertake specific tasks and functions associated with each Congress subject to final review by the Executive Committee.
The International Herpetological Committee shal1 act as an advisory body to the Executive Committee; it may either respond to specific requests by the Executive Committee or may initiate matters to be considered by the Executive Committee.
4(viii) Conduct of Business. All officers and committee members shall accept, and conduct their business within, the guidelines of the Constitution. The Secretary-General is a member of the Executive Committee and shall be responsible to the executive Committee for the fol1owing functions that occur in association with the Congress to be held under her/his tenure: (1) co-ordinating the general business of the Congress, including al1 general correspondence, maintenance of records, the organization ofal1 Executive Committee meetings and the circulation of minutes ofal1 meetings to members of the Executive Committee; (2) receiving nominations for membership of the Executive and International Herpetological Committees; (3) establishing an Organizing Committee for the Congress and arranging far appointment of a Conference Director; (4) appointing the Scientific Pro gram Committee for the Congress and designating the Chair of this committee; (5) establishing subcommittees with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee; (6) receiving and dealing with proposed resolutions for the Congress; (7) appointing a person to record minutes at the Executive Committee meeting sessions and the business meeting of the World Congress of Herpetology; and (8) chairing the Plenary Session of the Congress. The Secretary-General Elect is a member of the Executive Committee and shal1 be responsible for undertaking al1 negotiations to obtain a host institution for the Congress to be held under his/her tenure as Secretary-General. The Secretary-General Elect should represent a portion of the World that complements the region represented by the Secretary-General. The Treasurer is a member of the Executive Committee and shal1 be responsible for (1) keeping records and accounts of all monies received and dispersed by the Congress; (2) presenting an audited statement of accounts at the first Business Meeting of the Executive Committee at each Congress; (3) chairing the Fiscal Planning Committee; and (4) assuming an active role in fund-raising activities. The Conference Director is an ex officio member of the Executive Committee and the Organizing Committee of the Congress, and in that role, is responsible for (1) consulting with the Executive Committee and Organizing Committee to determine the appropriate fees (registration and other) and auditing requirements for the Congress; (2) presenting a complete budget for the Congress to the Executive Committee and Organizing Committee; and (3) arranging to indemnify members of the Executive Committee and Organizing Committee against any personal financial liability that might be incurred as a result of activities associated with the Congress.
The Executive Committee shal1 meet in business session at least twice during the course of each World Congress of Herpetology and be chaired by the Secretary-General. Agendas for such meetings shal1 be drawn up by the Secretary-General and circulated to members via electronic, facsimile, or priority mail at least four months prior to the Congress. Between Congresses the Executive Committee shall conduct its business by electronic, facsimile, or priority mail, and on any voting matter the Secretary-General shall al1ow one calendar month from the date of posting of letters by air mail before forwarding a second copy to members who have not replied during this period. If a member fails to respond to this second letter within one calendar month then he or she shall be deemed to have abstained from voting. Failure to vote on three successive occasions will be taken to signify that a member wishes to tender his or her resignation.
The International Herpetological Committee shall neither meet nor conduct business independently of the Executive Committee, but shall exercise its duties and responsibilities through the Secretary-General.
4(ix) Subcommittees. The Secretary-General, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, shall establish subcommittees to carry out specific functions or to examine and report upon matters of specialized herpetological interest.
4(x) Finances. The Executive Committee shall solicit funds from individuals or organizations wishing to support the work of the Congress, shall retain surplus monies from individual Congresses and from the sale of Congress proceedings or symposium publication rights and shall deposit such funds with a body such as a national society or scientific institution that is approved by the Executive Committee and that has its ac counts subjected, at least annually, to professional audit.
The Executive Committee shall expend such funds as are necessary to conduct the business of the Executive and International Herpetological Committees between congresses. The Treasurer shall keep records and accounts of all monies received and disbursed by the Congress and shall present an audited statement of ac counts at the first business meeting of the Executive Committee to be held at each Congress.
4(xi) Records. The Secretary-General shall cause to be kept such written records as are necessary to ensure the effective management and continuity of administration of the Congress. Such written records are to be passed in their entirety by the Secretary-General to the Secretary-General Elect within three months of the change of incumbency.
Except that the Executive Committee may determine periodically that such archival records may be deposited in an institutional library or archive if the records are no longer required for the conduct of regular business.
4(xii) Meetings. The Executive Committee shall meet at such times and places as shall be determined by the Secretary-General, but shall conduct formal business only at those business meetings provided for in Article 4(viii). At such business meetings, decisions will require a simple voting majority of members present, except that changes to the Constitution require the procedures set out in Article 6.
The International Herpetological Committee shall meet at times and places to be determined by the Secretary-General.
ARTICLE 5. CONGRESSES
5(i) Venue and Date. Each World Congress of Herpetology shall be held not less than three years and not more than five years after the preceding congress. The venue and date of each Congress shall be determined by the Executive Committee; except that the Executive Committee shall submit to a preferential vote at the final plenary session of each Congress a list of potential venues for the next Congress and shall subsequently make every effort to put such a vote into effect.
5(ii) Language. The official language or languages of the Congress will be determined by the Executive Committee.
5(iii) Participants. Participation in any congress shall be open to all persons interested in herpetology, and is subject only to compliance with registration procedures and payment of the prescribed fee.
5(iv) Host Institution. The Secretary-General shall undertake all necessary negotiations to obtain a host institution for each Congress, and shall seek the approval of the Executive Committee prior to accepting the invitation of any institution to host a Congress.
5(v) Organizing Committee. The Secretary-General shall undertake all necessary negotiations to establish an Organizing Committee for each Congress, the composition of which must be ratified by the Executive Committee.
An Organizing Committee shall report to the Secretary-General no later than six months, and complete its work no later than 12 months, after the end of the Congress for which it was established.
5(vi) Conference Director. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Conference Director for each Congress, who shall be responsible to the Executive Committee through the Secretary-General for all aspects of the organization of each Congress. The Conference Director is to be an ex officio member of the Executive and Organizing Committees, and will not be the chairperson of the Scientific Program Committee.
5(vii) Finance. Each World Congress is to be financially self supporting and it is the responsibility of the Executive Committee, in consultation with the Conference Director and the Organizing Committee, to determine registration and other fees, auditing requirements, and to approve a Congress budget prior to entering into any contractual arrangements with the hast institution.
The Executive Committee at its discretion may make available to the Organizing Committee such funds, either as a loan or gift, as it may determine; conversely surplus funds from any one congress will be retained by the Executive Committee for the future conduct of the business of the World Congress of Herpetology.
5(viii) Indemnity. The Executive Committee shall ensure that appropriate action is taken under the laws of the hast country to indemnify members of the Executive Committee, the Conference Director and members of the Organizing Committee against personal financial liability for any aspect of the Congress and its organization.
5{ix) Sections. The Executive Committee may establish such Sections of a Congress as it deems necessary to meet the needs of specialist subgroups of herpetologists.
5(x) Program. Notwithstanding Article 4(vii) the program for each congress (including plenary speakers, contributed papers and symposium topics and convenors) will be developed by a Scientific Program Committee of nine members to be appointed by the Secretary-General, and to include the Conference Director and no more than three other members from the hast country. The chairperson of the Scientific Program Committee will be appointed by the Secretary-General and will report to the Executive Committee through the Secretary-General. The Scientific Pro gram Committee, through its chairperson, will propose a final scientific program no later than six months before the Congress. Each symposium convenor will submit a list of proposed contributors to the Scientific Program Committee which, in consultation with the Executive Committee, will arrange for the Secretary-General to issue formal invitations to all proposed contributors. The final pro gram for each Congress must be approved by the Executive Committee four months before the Congress.
5(xi) Plenary Session. The Executive Committee shall ensure that each Congress program provides for the holding of a least one plenary session. Such a session shall include the election to vacancies on the Executive and International Herpetological Committees and consideration of all Congress resolutions.
5(xii) Publications. All rights to volume publications arising from Congress activities and programs, including editorial control, are vested in the Executive Committee. No symposia or other official meetings can be convened during the course of the Congress or at the Congressional venue without the explicit, prior consent of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE 6. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed (1) to any two members of the Executive Committee and/or International Herpetological Committee who also endorse the proposals and/or (2) by any two members of the Executive Committee and/or International Herpetological Committee; such proposals shall be subject to a vote conducted by electronic, facsimile, or priority postal mail among members of both Committees and shall be adopted if two-thirds of the members’ voting favour the proposed amendments.
An amendment shall become effective upon adoption unless a later date is specified in the amendment itself. 4
ARTICLE 7. AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
The Executive Committee, at its discretion, may confer upon particular international, transnational, national and regional societies or associations of herpetologists in any country the status of an Affiliated Organization. The governing body of each such Organization is thereby eligible to submit to the Executive Committee, at least four months prior to a Congress, one nomination for membership of the International Herpetological Committee. No other rights are conferred upon an Affiliated Organization. The Executive Committee, at its discretion, may withdraw the status of an Affiliated Organization.
ARTICLE 8. HONORS
The Congress shall not bestow honors of any kind on individual herpetologists, other than by involving them in the business of the Executive or International Herpetological Committees, or by their involvement in the proceedings of a Congress.
ARTICLE 9. RESOLUTIONS
The Executive Committee shall consider and recommend action by a plenary session of a Congress on properly presented resolutions, whether such proposals are initiated within the Executive Committee, adopted by Sections of the Congress or made by any group of twenty (20) or more persons in attendance at the Congress. Such resolutions must deal only with matters relevant to herpetology and herpetologists. Any individual who wishes a Section to adopt a proposed resolution should whenever possible give notice of intent to the organizers of the Section in sufficient time to ensure that the proposal is included in the pro gram and allotted sufficient time for discussion.
The Secretary-General shall receive proposed resolutions up to 24 hours prior to the plenary session of the Congress and shall cause the submitted proposals to be announced to the Congress by posting or such other medium as he or she may determine.
The Executive Committee shall take whatever subsequent action may be required by resolutions of a Congress, insofar as such action is consistent with this Constitution.
ARTICLE 10. DISTRIBUTION ON DISSOLUTION
Upon dissolution of the World Congress of Herpetology the Executive Committee shall assign to the International Union of Biological Sciences or such other international organization or organizations as it believes will best serve the interests of international herpetology all assets and accrued income, less any expenses which the Executive Committee or its delegates may incur in arranging such a dissolution.
ARTICLE 11. PROHIBITIONS
Notwithstanding any provision of this Constitution which might be susceptible to a contrary interpretation:
a. The Congress shall be organized and operated exclusively for scientific and educational purposes.
b. The Congress shall not be organized or operated for any profit other than that which will enable the Congress to pursue its objectives.
c. No part of the assets or net income of the Congress shall be put to the benefit of any member or private individual.