IAPB Constitution

International Association for Plant Biotechnology (IAPB)

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Constitution of the

International Association for Plant Biotechnology

as amended at the 11th IAPTC&B Congress

in Beijing, August 13-18, 2006

A.  Name

The name of this Association shall be the International Association for Plant Biotechnology (IAPB), hereinafter referred to as the Association. 

B.  Objectives of the Association

To promote plant biotechnology, including cell and tissue culture applications.  These objectives will be achieved primarily, but not necessarily exclusively, by:

  1. convening International Congresses of the Association;
  2. the publication of a Journal/Newsletter. 

C.  Membership

Any person interested in plant biotechnology and paying dues to the National/Regional Correspondent of his/her country or region of residence, or directly to the Secretary, can become a member of the Association. 

D.  Governing Body and Officers

  1. The governing body shall be the Council consisting of all the National/Regional Correspondents. 
  2. The Officers of the Association shall be a President and a Secretary/Treasurer elected by the National/Regional Correspondents at their meeting at each International Congress. The President and Secretary/Treasurer will be members of the Executive Committee.  The President may assign an Editor for the Journal/Newsletter (see also “H1”), and the Editor shall then also be a member of the Executive Committee.  The Officers shall be voting members of the Council.  Candidates for Officers of the Association need not be National or Regional Correspondents.
  3. An Executive Committee, consisting of the Officers and three members of the Council shall be elected at the Council meeting held at each International Congress.   In addition, the immediate Past President shall be an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee.  The elected members should preferably have a wide representation of the international community and of the various disciplines of plant biotechnology and tissue culture.  The President of the Association shall chair the Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee will be responsible for the continued operation of the Association within the policies established by the Council. 
  4. Between Congresses, management of the affairs of the Association lies in the hands of the Officers. 

E.  Nomination for Officers and Members of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall place before the Council at their meeting nominations for Officers and members of the Executive Committee. 

F.  National/Regional Correspondents and Alternate Correspondents

1.   A National/Regional Correspondent and, where possible, an Alternate Correspondent, should be elected by each national group in a manner acceptable to them. 

2.   National/Regional Correspondents will be responsible for:

a)   representing their national point of view in the Council of the Association;

b)   promptly distributing the Journal/Newsletter and other information to the national members and forwarding information about their activities to the Editor and to the Secretary/Treasurer;

c)   collecting dues payable by members and remitting them to the Secretary/Treasurer each year;

d)   accounting for the annual dues to their members and the Secretary/Treasurer;

e)   collecting additional local dues to assist in the operation of national/regional activities, after consultation with national/regional members and informing the Secretary/Treasurer; 

3.   National Correspondents will participate in the governance of the Association by voting in the meeting of the Council. 

4.   In the absence or inability of a National/Regional Correspondent, the duly chosen Alternate will exercise the rights and responsibilities of the National Correspondent. 

5.   If, under special circumstance, an interested individual cannot become a member and pay his/her dues through the Correspondent of his/her country/region of residence, he/she can do so directly with the Secretary/Treasurer. 

G.  President

1.   The qualifications for nomination for President of the Association will include a declared willingness to host the next International Congress of the Association and to administer all the affairs of the Association. 

2.   The President of the Association will be the President of the International Congress.  The President shall establish a National Committee for the International Congress.  This Committee shall be representative of the major areas of plant biotechnology and tissue culture.  The President of the Association shall be the Chair of the National Committee.  The President is encouraged to appoint a Congress Secretary, a Local Organizer, and an International Advisory Board.  Within the general policies established by the Council or Executive Committee, the National Committee shall have the responsibility and authority for all aspects of the Congress. 

3.   The President will have the normal responsibilities associated with the office and other responsibilities as assigned by the Council.

4.   The President may, with the concurrence of the majority of the Executive Committee, enter into 4-6 year publishing agreements with the publisher of the Journal. 

H.  Secretary/Treasurer and Editor

1.   The Secretary/Treasurer, or alternatively a specifically assigned Editor, will edit the Journal/Newsletter. 

2.   The Secretary/Treasurer is empowered to receive and disburse funds on behalf of the Association and for preparing an annual financial statement of the Association for inclusion in the Journal/Newsletter. 

3.   The Secretary/Treasurer will have the usual responsibilities of the office together with those assigned by the Council. 

I.  Term of Office

1.   The term of office of the Officers and Executive Committee shall be four years, from the close of one International Congress to the close of the following International Congress. 

2.   The term of office of National/Regional Correspondents and Alternate Correspondents will normally be four years coinciding with that of the Officers of the Association. 

J.  Meetings

1.   The Council shall decide by vote the date and location of the next International Congress as proposed by the elected President.  The interval between International Congresses of the Association shall be four years.  These Congresses shall be representative of work in plant biotechnology and tissue culture and shall be open to all scientists to register, attend, and submit scientific communications for consideration. 

2.   Should the Executive Committee find that a date, country or President of the next International Congress needs to be changed, or should the Executive Committee need approval of the Council for action, approval is determined as follows:

a)   National/Regional Correspondents shall be advised in writing by the Secretary/Treasurer of the proposed action.  Each will have one vote for or against approval of the proposed action;

b)   a simple majority of the National/Regional Correspondents responding to the Secretary/Treasurer within three months of the date of mailing of the request for vote shall decide the issue. 

3.   The Council shall meet during the International Congress to transact its business. 

4.   The quorum for meetings of the Council, the Executive Committee, and the Association shall be the number of members present.  Decisions will be made by simple majority of those present. 

5.   The Executive Committee shall attempt to meet in person at least once between each International Congress. 

6.   There shall be a business meeting of the Association held at each International Congress. 

7.   The Association may provide official support to symposia or conferences of more restricted scope than the International Congress.  Organizers of such symposia or conferences must apply in writing to the President with a statement of objectives of the symposium or conference and other information requested by the President.  The Secretary/Treasurer will convey in writing the decision of the Executive Committee to the organizers. 

8.   Proposals for hosting the quadrennial Congresses should be submitted to the Secretariat in writing at least three months before the Congress at which time they will be considered. 

K.  Finances/Subscriptions for Membership of the Association

1.   The Executive Committee, with the approval of the Council, shall set the amount of annual dues payable by each member of the Association.  The Executive Committee, with the approval of the Council, may act on a request from a National/Regional Correspondent for changing the dues for members represented by that National/Regional Correspondent. 

2.   National/Regional Correspondents may elect to either: (a) receive sufficient copies of the Journal/ Newsletter by surface/airmail for distribution to each of their members; or (b) receive one copy of the Journal/Newsletter by airmail for copying and distribution to their members.*  Alternatively, a National/Regional Correspondent or any of the members may elect to pay airmail postage as part of their annual dues to receive the Journal/Newsletter.  

3.   When a country or region is more than two years in arrears in transmitting membership dues, the Secretary/Treasurer will send only one copy of each Journal/Newsletter to that particular National/Regional Correspondent.  Once this situation has been corrected, the regular number of copies of both the back issues and new volumes will again be sent. 

4.   When a National/Regional Correspondent shows that the transmission of funds to the Secretary/ Treasurer is impossible because it is prohibited by law or for other reasons, the Secretary/Treasurer may send one copy of the Journal/Newsletter to the National/Regional Correspondent for duplication and distribution to their members.  The National/Regional Correspondent and such interested persons can decide on the annual fee in local currency that should be paid to the National Correspondent to cover the costs of copying and distribution.  All persons that pay the annual dues to the National/Regional Correspondent in that country/region and receive copies of the Journal/Newsletter are considered to be members of the Association and shall be listed in the membership directory.  National/Regional Correspondents who have implemented this arrangement should officially inform the Secretary/Treasurer of the conditions under which individuals in their country/region can become members and receive copies of the Journal/Newsletter. 

L.  Journal/Newsletter

The Secretary/Treasurer of the Association, or an appointed Editor, is responsible for preparing and distributing the Journal/Newsletter.  A minimum of two issues of the Journal shall be published each year.    

M.  Amendments to the Constitution

The Council may amend this Constitution.  Proposals for amendments duly seconded must be sent to the Secretary/Treasurer three months in advance of the meeting of the Council at the International Congress.  Such amendments will be circulated to members of the Council in advance of their meeting.  Proposed amendments receiving approval by two-thirds of the members of the Council present shall be reported to the members of the Association at their Business Meeting during the Congress for ratification by a simple majority.