ByLaws
Current Bylaws
Revised October 2010
ARTICLE I. ASSOCIATION
A. Name
This organization shall be known as the International Association for the Study of the Commons.
B. Purpose
The Association is devoted to bringing together interdisciplinary researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for the purpose of fostering better understandings, improvements, and sustainable solutions for environmental, electronic, and any other type of shared resource that is a commons or a commons-pool resource.
C. Means
Toward these ends, the Association will sponsor publications, hold global and regional meetings of members to share research results and field experiences, foster various mechanisms for dissemination of findings, and sponsor other workshops and symposia on specific topics. The Association will not take or endorse positions on public policy issues except in extraordinary situations and only if consistent with the purpose of the Association and approved by a majority of the Executive Council.
ARTICLE II.MEMBERSHIP
A. Eligibility
Membership is open to all persons and organizations interested in the study of the commons and who pay dues to the Association. Membership shall not be divided into classes except for the purposes of determining dues (see Article VI C 1). Subject to approval by the Secretariat, in-kind services may be substituted for monetary payment of dues.
B. Membership Year
Membership in the Association shall be renewable on an annual basis.
C. Rights
Both individual and organizational members shall have the right to participate, subject to rules established by the Executive Council and the Bylaws, in programs and activities of the Association. In addition, individual members shall have the right to
1.hold office in the Association;
2.vote for elective officers;
3.vote on matters referred by the Council;
4.seek to petition the Council.
ARTICLE III. OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
A. Composition
The Executive Council of the Association shall consist of the President, President-Elect, immediate Past-President, and six Councilors.
B. Terms of Office
1.Regular terms of office begin on January 15 following the general election.
2.The President-Elect serves two years and succeeds to the office of President upon completion of the President's term.
3.The President serves two years and succeeds to the office of the Past-President.
4.The Past-President serves two years.
5.The President-Elect, President, and Past-President are voting member of the Executive Council.
6.Councilors will serve staggered terms, each to last six years. A Councilor may not be re-elected to a successive term as Councilor.
C. Duties of the Council
1.The Council shall be responsible for the administration of Association affairs. The Council shall have authority to execute on behalf of the Association all powers and functions of the Association consonant with the Bylaws.
2.The Council shall meet either in person or electronically. Council meetings shall be as frequent as needed and at least once every year. The Council is responsible for enabling full participation of all Council members.
3.The Council shall supervise the use of Association funds, approve the annual budget, and receive the Executive Director’s annual Budget Report.
4.The Council shall select the site and theme for the General Meeting, taking logistical, financial and equitable considerations into account. The Council shall also appoint the General Meeting Program Chair at least two years in advance of the next General Meeting.
5.The Council shall also approve the sites and themes of regional and thematic meetings.
6.The President shall be the presiding officer of the Association and Chair of the Council. The President shall exercise the duties and responsibilities commonly associated with the office.
7.The Council appoints and instructs the Executive Director, Editors, and other administrative officers.
8.Program chairs of regional and thematic meetings may be appointed as needed. Their responsibilities will be mutually agreed and in writing: the agreement shall include the mission statement of the Association and stipulate open calls for participation.
D. Decision making
1. Valid decisions require that a quorum of at least four Councilors and the President or President-elect are present (either in person or virtually) and voting.
2. Decisions by the Council shall be made by a simple majority of those voting, except for decisions that change the schedule of dues which shall require a two-thirds majority (at least 6 votes).
E. Attendance
1.Each elected officer has the duty to participate in council meetings.
2.In the event of legitimate reasons making participation impossible, the officer has a duty to explain the reasons to the President. The Council shall determine if the non-attendance is justified.
3.In the event of an unjustified absence, the Council may ask the officer to resign.
4.In the event of more than one unjustified absence, the Council may decide to terminate the officer’s membership on the Council.
F. Vacancies
1.In the event of death, resignation, or incapacity (as determined by two-thirds of the Council) of the President, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President and hold the title of Acting President until succeeding to the office of President after the end of the next General Meeting.
2.The Council may by appointment fill a vacancy in a Councilor office and such appointment will be effective until the next general election. A special concurrent election will then be held for the remainder, if any, of the Councilor term vacated.
3.Should the immediate Past-President be unable to serve, the position shall remain vacant.
ARTICLE IV. EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
A. Composition
The Executive Director and other executive officers as Council may create, Editors, and Program Chairs serve as ex-officio members of the Executive Council without voting privileges.
B. Executive Director
The Executive Director shall be responsible for implementing directives of the Council and for day-to-day administration of the Association. Among other duties, the Executive Director shall have charge of Association records and general correspondence, shall keep membership and subscriber lists, shall collect dues and subscriptions, shall manage accounts, and shall prepare and present the annual Budget and Financial Report at annual meetings of the Council.
ARTICLE V. ELECTIONS
A. Eligibility
All IASCP members in good standing during the voting period may vote for the election of officers.
B. Nominating Committee
1.The immediate past President shall chair the Nominating Committee, which shall consist of two first or second term councilors and two persons appointed by the President after consultation with Council and the Executive Director.
2.The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates with one nominee for President-elect and at least two nominees for each upcoming Councilor vacancy. The Committee shall strive to promote balanced representation in regard to age, gender, citizenship, professional background, locations of residence, and geographical and disciplinary areas of specialization, but shall not be bound by any particular formula. The Nominating Committee may not nominate any of its members.
3.The Committee shall ascertain that each candidate is a member of the Association in good standing, and that the candidate has given the Committee formal consent to be nominated.
4.The slate of nominees shall be given to the Executive Director no later than October 1 of the election year. The Executive Director shall add any other nominations (see Section C, below) and immediately forward the slate of nominees to the President and Council.
C. Other Nominations
Candidates may be nominated for elected offices upon written petition from one percent of the membership. Candidates must be eligible for office, members in good standing, and have given written consent to their nomination. The Executive Director must receive such nominations and the candidates’ written consent no later than October 1 of the election year.
D. Ballots
1.Ballots containing the Nominating Committee's slate and any other valid nominations shall be sent to the membership electronically no later than November 1 of the election year.
2.Ballots shall be returned to the Executive Director no later than December 1 of the election year. The Executive Director shall tabulate the results and forward them to the President no later than January 1. Results will be announced no later than January 2.
E. Voting
1.The procedure for voting shall strive to ensure that voting is secret and that only members in good standing may vote.
2.Voting will be by electronic media.
ARTICLE VI. FINANCIAL OPERATIONS
A. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year for the Association shall be July 1 to June 30.
B. Funding
The Association shall endeavor to raise funds from donor institutions and membership dues. The Council may approve additional fund raising activities.
C. Membership Dues
1.Dues shall be set by the Council. The Council may create various categories and durations of membership. Motions to alter the schedule of dues shall require a two-thirds majority of the Council.
2.If membership dues are not paid, memberships shall expire one calendar month after the renewal date.
ARTICLE VII. GENERAL MEETING
A. The General Meeting shall consist of a Membership Meeting and a planned program of papers and discussions organized by the Program Chair and committees.
B. The Membership Meeting shall be open to all members and guests of the Association. Reports shall be presented by the Executive Director, the active Program Chairs, and the Editors. Other committees and individuals as appropriate may also give reports.
C. Elections for the Executive Council and amendments to the Bylaws will not be conducted at the General Meeting but shall be conducted according to Article V.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS
A. Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by the Executive Council or by written petition to the Executive Council signed by one percent of the voting membership.
B. Proposed amendments will be submitted to the membership for ratification according to Article V (E). Proposed amendments will usually appear on the ballot for election of officers but may, at the discretion of the Executive Council, be submitted to the membership at other times.
C. Amendments will pass with a simple majority of those voting.
ARTICLE IX. INDEMNIFICATION
Every person who is or shall have been a director, officer, or ex-officio member of the Executive Council shall be indemnified by IASC against all costs and expenses reasonably incurred by or imposed upon him or her in connection with or resulting from any action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be made a party by reason of his or her being or having been a director, officer, or ex-officio member of the Executive Council, except in relation to such matters as to which he or she shall finally be adjudicated in such action, suit, or proceeding to have acted in bad faith and to have been liable by reason of willful misconduct in the performance of his or her duty as a director, officer, or ex-officio member of the Executive Council. “Costs and expenses” shall include, but without limiting the generality thereof, attorney’s fees, damages, and reasonable amounts paid in settlement.
