Bylaws
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of the Chapter is The Arizona Physiological Society and hereafter will be referred to as the "Society".
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purpose of the Society is to promote the discipline of physiology; advance physiological research and teaching; facilitate teaching and research forums for students and young investigators, and to encourage interaction and fellowship among individuals interested in the physiological sciences and related fields within the state of Arizona. The organization is organized for scientific purposes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
ARTICLE III: PRINCIPAL OFFICE
The Society will conduct the secretarial and financial functions of the Chapter within the administrative offices of the Department of Physiology at the University of Arizona until the Executive Committee deems it necessary to relocate to a different location.
ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: The Society shall consist of Regular, Post-Doctoral Trainees and Graduate Student Members, and of Undergraduate Student Members, and Emeritis.
Section 2: A regular member is one who possesses an earned degree in the biological or cognate sciences and who has conducted physiological research and/or assumed teaching responsibilities in these areas within the state of Arizona. All Members who are current with their dues’ payment have the privilege of voting on Society matters.
Section 3: Regular and emeritus members of the American Physiological Society (APS) shall be eligible for membership in the Arizona Physiological Society without review and upon payment of dues.
Section 4: Membership in the Society shall be open to all persons interested in physiology and/or biophysics independent of National or international affiliation.
Section 5: A Post-Doctoral Trainee Member is one who possesses a doctoral degree in the biological or cognate sciences and is engaged in an approved institutional training program to enhance research competency. Post-Doctoral Trainee Members have the privilege of voting on society matters. If a member of APS, the individual is automatically eligible to become a member of the Society without review and upon payment of dues. If not a member of APS, the individual is to submit a letter of intent to the Membership Committee with a complete curriculum vitae and a certifying letter from either the departmental program director or a faculty member who is a Regular Member of the Society.
Section 6: A Graduate Student Member is one who possesses a B.S. or M.S. degree or equivalent in the biological or cognate sciences and is enrolled in an approved education program to secure an advanced degree in the biological or cognate sciences. Graduate Student Members have the privilege of voting on society matters. Any APS Graduate Student Member is eligible for membership without review and upon payment of dues. If not a member of APS, the individual is to submit a letter of intent to the Membership Committee with a complete curriculum vitae and a certifying letter from either the departmental program director or their faculty advisor.
Section 7: An Undergraduate Student Member is one with an interest in physiology who is pursuing a B.S. or equivalent degree in the biological or cognate sciences. To become eligible for membership, the individual is to submit a letter of intent to the Membership Committee with details of their educational experiences and a endorsement letter from either a responsible departmental official or regular member or officer of the Society. No individual can remain in this category longer than five years without reapplying.
Section 8: An Emeritus Member meets the requirements of, and retains the same privileges as, a Regular Member but pays a reduced fee if that person (1) has reached the age of 65 and is retired from regular employment or (2) has been forced to retire because of illness or disability.
Section 9: The Membership Committee may initiate action to remove members who do not adequately respond to charges of misrepresentation of eligibility for membership within the Society. The Chairperson of the Membership Committee will forward a recommendation to the President for discussion at the next annual meeting. A member will be removed from the Society if two-thirds of the voting membership approve.
ARTICLE V: DUES
Section 1: The annual dues for members with or without voting privileges shall be determined by the Executive Committee. They are to be paid in full at the time of the annual meeting and are not refundable.
Section 2: Any member whose dues are two years in arrears shall cease to be an active member of the Society. Payment of dues will allow reinstatement of an active membership status.
ARTICLE VI. GOVERNANCE
Section 1: The governance of the Society shall reside in an Executive Committee.
Section 2: The officers of the Executive Committee shall be a President, President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, a Post-Doctoral Trainee, and a Graduate Student Representative.
Section 3: The terms of office shall be two years for the President, one year for the President-Elect, three years for the Secretary-Treasurer, one year for the Post Doctoral Trainee, and one year for the Graduate Student Representative. No individual can serve without a break two consecutive terms in the same elected office, except for the President Elect.
Section 4: The duties of the President are to call meetings of the Executive Committee and the Society, select the keynote speaker, serve as host for the annual meeting, and function as Chairperson of the Nominating Committee. When necessary, the President will Chair the Program Committee. The President-Elect is to serve as President in his/her absence, function as Chairperson of the Program Committee, and after one year, assumes the office of the presidency. The Secretary-Treasurer will assume responsibility for all secretarial and financial matters of the Society that include, but are not limited to, the recording and reporting minutes of the annual meeting, serving as Chairperson of the Membership Committee, the preparation and supervision of a Society budget that has received Executive Committee approval, and the filing of any income taxes.
Section 5: In no circumstance will the continuity of governance be interrupted. In the event that the President-Elect is unable to fulfill the duties of the President, the Immediate Past-President will assume these responsibilities until a proper election is scheduled.
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
Section 1: The Nominating Committee shall consist of Regular Members and at least one member from the Executive Committee with the President serving as Chairperson. Their recommendations must be cognizant of the bylaws listed in Section 3 of Article VI.
Section 2: The Program Committee shall consist of all members of the Executive Committee with either the President-Elect or the President serving as Chairperson.
Section 3: The Membership Committee shall consist of Regular Members and at least one member from the Executive Committee with the Secretary-Treasurer serving as Chairperson.
a. It is the responsibility of the Chairperson to recommend to the Executive Committee the names of non-APS members who warrant regular membership. This status is assured with majority votes. The same procedure exists with the other membership categories.
Section 4: The Chairperson of any standing committee has the authority to appoint members from the Society for a one year term to assist in the functioning of the committee.
ARTICLE VIII: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1: Elections shall be conducted and finalized at the annual meeting until such time when electronic balloting can be implemented.
Section 2: It is the responsibility of the Nominations Committee to seek nominations from the membership well in advance of the annual meeting and to have candidates identified at the time when a call for abstracts is announced.
Section 3: The list of nominees shall be presented in the form of a ballot with officers being elected by majority vote.
a. At the inaugural election, voting will be for the offices of President, Secretary-Treasurer, the Post-Doctoral Trainee, and for the Graduate Student Representative. Eligibility will be determined by APS membership and by procedures initiated by the Inaugural Planning Committee.
ARTICLE IX: MEETINGS
Section 1: The Society shall schedule an annual meeting and specify its location as recommended by the President and the Program Committee, and approved by the Executive Committee.
Section 2: A business meeting for all members of the Society shall be held at the annual meeting.
a. The business meeting will be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order.
Section 3: The Executive Committee and the Program Committee will schedule the annual meeting during the fall and winter months within the facilities of the University of Arizona during the developmental years and until such times when other institutions request alternate sites.
ARTICLE X: QUORUM
Section 1: A quorum for the transaction of the business of the Society shall be those members who are present at the meeting.
ARTICLE XI: DISSOLUTION
Section 1: Upon the dissolution of this organization, assets shall be distributed to the American Physiological Society for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service.
ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS
Section 1: Bylaws may be amended at any scheduled or special meeting of the Society when two-thirds of the voting membership favor approval.
Section 2: A notice of impending amendments must be sent to the voting membership at least 30 days prior to a scheduled meeting.
ARTICLE XIII: REGULATIONS
Section 1: The Society shall be operated as a non-profit organization.
ARTICLE XIV: GENERAL
Section 1: The Society shall function with a concern for affirmative action, equal opportunity and organizational diversity for all its members.