2008 Membership Committee Report

The Committee recommended that the student membership category be eliminated and that two new membership categories are created: graduate student and undergraduate student. Council had approved including undergraduates as student members during their 2007 summer meeting, but the Committee requested a separate membership category because the five-year limit of the student membership is too restrictive for undergraduate students who will transition to graduate students before being eligible for regular membership. Any matriculated undergraduate student, as demonstrated by submission of verification of student status, who has an interest in physiology, would be eligible for an undergraduate student membership. Any doctoral or masters program student who is actively engaged in physiological work would be eligible for the graduate student membership.

The Committee recommended to Council that the eligibility requirements for emeritus membership be revised to add a 10-year Regular membership requirement. The following bylaw change would be required:

SECTION 5. Emeritus Members. A regular member may apply to Council for transfer to emeritus membership if that person (1) has reached the age of 65 and is retired from regular employment or (2) has been forced to retire from regular employment because of illness or disability and (3) has been a Regular member in good standing for a minimum of 10 years. An emeritus member may be restored to regular membership status on request to Council.

As instructed by Council, the Committee will consider whether physiologists from underdeveloped countries should be provided with membership at reduced rates and if so, which countries should be eligible for the benefit.  The Committee will provide a recommendation to Council on this issue.