Statutes of the
Société Internationale de Paléoentomologie
International Palaeoentomological Society
IPS
§1 Name, place of registration and sphere of action
(1) Name of the Society: “International Palaeoentomological Society" (IPS) (hereafter referred to as “the Society”)
(2) Place of registration: Paris
(3) Place of registered office: Museum of Natural History, 45 Rue de Buffon, CP 50, 75005 Paris.
(4) Management address: Olivier Béthoux, 57 Rue Cuvier, CP 38, 75005 Paris
(5) Area of activity: the study of fossil insects and other non-marine arthropods worldwide.
§2 Aims of the society
(1) The aim of the Society is to promote and advance the understanding of fossil insects and other non-marine arthropods.
(2) These aims shall be reached by pursuing the following objectives (the list is not exhaustive):
a) to establish a bibliography and an international database of fossil insects and other non-marine arthropods;
b) to exchange information and data on fossil insects and other non-marine arthropods;
c) to coordinate meetings and related activities;
d) to seek resources to support these aims through grants, donations and subscriptions;
e) to work jointly with complementary and affiliated organizations;
f) to encourage the joining of new members;
g) to hold conferences, exhibitions and lectures, and publish general information, atlases and scientific results;
h) to encourage collects and exchange of fossil material between collections and institutions in accordance with the legislations about the conservation and protection of fossil material in the corresponding countries.
i) to maintain a website dedicated to the activities of the Society.
§3 Non-profit-making character and use of funds
(1) The Society is a non-profit society based on collegiality and non-selfish motives.
(2) The Society is exclusively non-commercial. Its funds can only be used as specified in the Statutes. Members cannot have any claim to the property of the Society when they leave it or when the society is dissolved. No person may be benefited by financial delivery or other considerations that do not conform to the aims of the Society.
(3) The funds of the Society (when available), may be used to reach the goals of the society, especially to:
a) cover expenses of member of the Executive Committee, provided they are clearly linked to the objectives;
b) encourage member participation in the Society Congress (travel grant);
c) support/encourage student contributions during the Society Congress (student grants);
d) support conferences, exhibitions, courses and publications;
e) support short-term projects.
(4) In case of dissolution the funds of the Society pass, where and when appropriate to its successor, or otherwise, by default to a related society selected by the Management Committee.
§4 Membership
(1) There are six categories of membership:
a) Founding members – persons who have initiated the creation of this Society (list in the Appendix; membership status for life; exempt from membership fees);
b) Ordinary members – persons holding a post in the field of biology, geology, and/or palaeontology; once granted this status can not be lost through losing one’s job;
c) Corporate members – corporate entities in the field of biology, geology, and/or palaeontology;
d) Student members – this applies to students working a Masters or PhD (requires a reference from the student’s supervisor, who has to be a member; or references of two members);
e) Amateur members – any other person non-eligible for ordinary or student membership (requires a reference of two members);
f) Honorary members – persons who contributed outstandingly to the aims of the Society (membership status for life; see §4(4); exempt from membership fees).
(2) All members must subscribe to the aims of the society as set out above.
(3) Application for admission as ordinary member must take the form of a written request sent to the Secretary. Each application must be receive proper consideration by the Management Committee. In case of rejection (by the majority of members), the Management Committee is not obliged to inform the applicant about the reasons its decision.
(4) Admission as honorary member takes place during the General Ordinary Assembly. It has to be approved by the Management Committee (a simple majority) after (1) a nomination by at least three members of the Society, and (2) a secret ballot of the voting members of the General Assembly (a simple majority).
(5) The amounts of membership fees are determined by the Management Committee. Fees are due annually in advance for each calendar year.
(6) Membership of the Society is terminated upon:
a) the death of a member; or in case of absence of contact and membership fees during a period of three years (§4(7)); or,
b) if a member wishes to discontinue his membership (§4(8)); or
c) in case of revocation by the Management Committee (§4(9));
(7) Membership will be cancelled if the member cannot be contacted via mail, email or telephone during three consecutive years, and if fees are not paid during this period. After absence of contact and fees during a period of two years, the Treasurer will have to attempt to contact the member every three months for a year. Membership is automatically annulled if the member does not pay off their membership fees for three consecutive years.
(8) Members may cancel their membership by writing to the Secretary. Memberships stops upon receiving this communication, provided that the current year’s membership having been paid off.
(9) The Management Committee may exclude members who grossly offend against the aims of the Society or damage or injure the Society in any other ways. Exclusion shall be announced to the person concerned (individual or corporate entity) by written communication indicating the reasons for this. The person or corporate entity affected may challenge the reasons in writing sent to the Secretary within a period of three months. This appeal will then be considered by the Management Committee, which will take a final decision (simple majority). The exclusion shall take effect 3 months after the announcement (initial, or final) has been delivered to the affected person.
§5 Executive authorities
(1) Executives of the Society are:
a) The General Assembly of Members;
b) The Management Committee;
c) The Scientific Committee.
(2) The mandate of members of the Management Committee cannot be combined with the mandate of the members of the Scientific Committee. Retiring members of the Management Committee cannot elected themselves as regional members of the Scientific Committee.
§6 General Assemblies
(1) Ordinary General Assemblies of members are held during the Congresses, which are normally held every three, or at least every five years.
(2) The tasks of ordinary General Meetings are:
a) consideration and acceptance of the reports of the Management Committee and the financial auditors;
b) consideration and approval of decisions and recommendations by the Management committee on membership (applications, revocations) and other related matters;
c) consideration of motions proposed by members (which had been previously brought to the attention of the Management Committee);
d) establishment or cancellation of sections and/or working groups, if necessary;
e) regulation of the normal membership fees;
f) election of the members of the Management Committee;
g) election of the members of the Scientific Committee
h) election of financial auditors;
i) award of honorary membership;
j) consideration and acceptance of the President’s Address;
k) modification of the Statutes, if necessary (two-thirds majority of the voting members present required);
(3) Proposals intended to be considered at a General Meeting may be submitted by any member and must reach the Management Committee at least 15 days before the Meeting.
(4) Notice of a General Meeting must be given to all members in writing (via regular mail or e-mail) at least 30 days before the date of the meeting; a provisional agenda is to be included with the notice, which itself may be included in the announcement of a Congress programme.
(5) In case of urgency which requires action before the next ordinary General Assembly, a Special General Assembly may be convened by the Management Committee after receipt of a petition signed by ten percent of the members; the business of such a meeting shall be restricted to the questions proposed by the petition, which must accompany the notice of meeting.
§7 Management Committee
(1) The Management Committee comprises:
a) The President;
b) The Vice-President;
c) The Secretary;
d) The Treasurer;
e) The Substitute, who is to replace another member in the case of their death (except for the President; see §7(6(d)).
(2) Elections of members of the Scientific Committee proceed in the following way:
a) during a General Assembly members who wish to do so propose their candidature for the position of President;
b) the members of a General Assembly have a vote; the Management Committee nominates the new President (if the President is re-elected, the retiring ex-Vice-President or, if necessary, the Secretary, carries out the nomination).
c) the process is repeated for the positions of Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Substitute, who will be nominated by the new President.
d) there is no limit to the number of mandates of the Management Committee, but a mandate cannot be consecutive to two successive mandates; this restriction does not apply to the mandate of the Subsitute Member who has not yet been active.
(3) When a vote of the Management Committee is split evenly, the President has a casting vote.
(4) The tasks of the Committee include:
a) determining which particular objective can be financially supported, including travel grants, short-term projects, exhibitions etc. and giving indications on corresponding calls (applications will henceforth be considered by the Scientific Committee);
b) considering new members’ candidatures
(5) The tasks of the President are:
a) to represent and promote the Society as often as possible;
b) to call General Assemblies;
c) to call meetings of the Management Committee;
d) to call meetings of the Scientific Committee;
(6) The tasks of the Vice-President are:
a) to represent the President when necessary
b) to assist the President on request, when possible and necessary
c) to promote the Society as often as possible
d) to occupy the position and achieve the tasks of President if the President dies, is incapable of doing them, or on the President’s demand.
(7) The Secretary is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Society, including (the list is non-exhaustive):
a) maintaining an updated list of members, including their status of membership and function in the Society (where appropriate);
b) producing reports of meetings.
(8) The tasks of the Treasurer are:
a) to ensure that membership fees are up-to-date by contacting members directly as necessary (§4(7));
b) to fund applications selected by the Scientific Committee and approved by the Management Committee. The formal document of the funding scheme will be signed by the President (or his representative) and by the Treasurer.
c) to reimburse the expenses of the members of the Management Committee directly linked to the activity of the Society (§7(9)).
(9) Other various tasks are shared between the members of the Management Committee, based on the Committee’s proper judgment.
(10) Expenditure incurred on behalf of the Society by a member of the Management Committee in good faith shall be reimbursed upon the authority of the Treasurer and at least one other member of the Management Committee (other than the member asking for reimbursement).
(11) No member of the Management Committee shall be held personally liable for claims against the Society in excess of 1 euro
§8 The Scientific Committee
(1) The Scientific Committee is composed of thirteen members, including:
a) five members, each representing one of the five continents (North America, South America, Eurasia, Africa, Oceania); they compose the ‘Regional Scientific Committee’;
b) six member elected by the General Assembly; they compose the ‘Ordinary Scientific Committee’;
c) a First and a Second Substitute, elected by the General Assembly, aiming to replace another member of the Scientific Committee in case of decease.
(2) The elections of the Scientific Committee proceed in the following way:
a) members of the General Assembly who wish to do so propose their candidature for one of the five continents they represent; members of the retiring Management Committee and of the retiring Scientific Committee who are not applying for position renewal have a vote (each member provides a list of five candidates –one per continent); the new President proceeds with nomination.
b) members of the General Assembly who wish to do so propose their candidature for a mandate of member of the Ordinary Scientific Committee; each present member who is not already member of a Committee provides a list of eight candidates; the first six candidates are elected as members of the ‘Ordinary Scientific Committee’, the two following as First and Second Substitutes, respectively; in case of exaequo regarding the mandates of 6th member, it is first offered to candidates to withdraw (but, as a consequence, to access to the position of Substitute); if the situation cannot be solved this way, at a second step, each member present and voting who is not already member of a Committee is asked to vote for one of the exaequo candidates; if the situation cannot be solved this way, the new President nominates the successful candidate; each candidate who could not access the position of member at this step is given the status of Substitute; the same procedure applies in case of exaequo for the mandate as Second Subtsitute.
c) there is no limit to the number of mandates of the Management Committee, but a mandate cannot be consecutive to two successive mandates; this restriction does not apply to the mandate of the Subsitute Member who has not yet been active.
(3) In accordance with instructions prepared by the Management Committee, the tasks of the Scientific Committee are (the list is not exhaustive):
a) to evaluate and rate grant applications for travel grants to attend the Congress of the Society;
b) to evaluate and rate student presentations proposed for student award during the Congress of the Society;
c) to evaluate and rate applications for financial support to conference and lecture organisation, and for publication costs;
d) to evaluate and rate applications for financial support to short-term projects;
e) to assist the Management Committee whenever necessary.
§9 Sections, Working groups
Sections and Working groups of the Society can be established and dissolved during a General Assembly.
§10 General Regulations
(1) Activities of the members of the Management Committee shall be carried out in an honorary capacity, save that reimbursement of direct expenditure incurred on behalf of the Society.
(2) No person may participate in resolutions or duties for their direct benefit.
(3) Four members constitute a quorum for the Managing Committee. These members being present at the General Assembly will constitute a quorum if the agenda has been sent according to the statuses (§6(4)).
(4) Decisions taken by executive authorities are adopted at the simple majority (but see §7(3)).
(5) Decisions taken by executive authorities and constituent proposals will be recorded in written minutes, certified as conform by the signature of the President only.
(6) Fiscal year follows the Julian calendar.
§11 Voting, terms of office
(1) The period of operation will be the period between two Ordinary General Assemblies, taking place normally every three years, and at least every five year. All members of the Management Committee and of the Scientific Committee, and financial auditors are newly elected at each Ordinary General Assembly.
(2) Any member of the association can apply for a mandate as member of the Managing Committee or of the Scientific Committee, provided that membership dues are paid.
(3) Election of the Managing Committee must precede that of Scientific Committee.
(4) Votes of the General Assembly are public, unless three members at least, present and voting, advocate secrecy. Votes of the Managing and Scientific Committee are public, unless one, and two members, respectively, present and voting, advocate secrecy. Electronic pools will be valid, unless objected by at least five members.
(5) Unless specified, a person is declared elected for a position if this person obtains simple majority.
(6) Each Committee for which new active members have been elected has the capacity to withdraw before the end of the mandate. However, until a newly elected Committee becomes fully operative (no later than two months after its election), the preceding Committee has to pursue its activities.
(7) Elections and withdraws can only take place if they were announced in a provisional agenda, sent to members 30 days prior to the Assembly.
§12 Dissolution of the Society
A proposal for dissolution of the Society may be considered only at a General Meeting called for that purpose and at which at least one half of the members is present. If insufficient members are present, a second General Meeting is necessary, which is to be convened at a new date which has to take place within the succeeding year, and for which the number of members attending shall constitute a quorum. In either case, such a proposal shall require a 2/3 majority of the voting members for acceptance.