ARTICLE I: Membership

Section 1: Membership shall be open to all persons who make formal application, who pay the prescribed dues, and who are willing to abide by and uphold the Constitution and By-Laws of the International Society of Arachnology.

Section 2: Membership dues shall be established by recommendation of the Executive Committee at the General Meeting and shall be ratified by a majority vote of the members attending.

Section 3: All members in good standing have the right to vote.

Section 4: All members in good standing are eligible to hold office.

Section 5: A member whose dues have not been paid within a reasonable period of time shall forfeit the privileges of membership. Such members may be reinstated upon payment of delinquent dues.

Section 6: The privileges of membership shall include the right to receive publications, to vote in accordance with the By-Laws and to participate in all the activities and functions of the International Society of Arachnology.

Section 7: Honorary Members may be proposed by the Executive Committee and elected by simple majority at the General Meeting. The number of honorary members is not to exceed five per cent of the total membership. Honorary members shall enjoy all the services and the privileges under Section 6 of this Article.

Section 8: Associate Membership may only be bestowed or rescinded by the Executive Committee. An individual, who by virtue of low income or residence in a country which experiences severe exchange problems, or residence in a country that imposes technological constraints to online payments may make formal application to the Secretary. Associate members shall enjoy all the services and privileges under Section 6 of this Article.

ARTICLE II: Officers

Section 1: The President-Elect and six Council Members shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast by members in good standing in a ballot distributed prior to the General Meeting. The votes shall be counted by three members appointed by the President. Write-ins on ballots will not be permitted.

Section 2: The nominees for each office shall be nominated by the Executive Committee or may be nominated by any member in good standing, provided notice is given in writing to the President not less than one calendar month before the General Meeting. Prior to the election each nominee must declare their willingness to serve if elected to the President before the General Meeting. All valid nominations shall be announced by the President prior to or at the General Meeting prior to balloting.

Section 3: The officer elected as President-Elect shall commence duties with the closure of one International Congress of Arachnology, and transition to President at the closure of the subsequent Congress, and then Past President at the closure of the following, continuing as Past President for one half year. Thus, their total term will typically be 6.5 years. Upon the commencement of duties of a new President-Elect, the previous President-Elect shall become the President, and the previous President shall become the Past-President.

Section 4: Three new councillors will be elected at the General Meeting of a Congress; their duties shall commence with the closure of that Congress of Arachnology and cease with the closure of the Congress approximately six years hence.

Section 5: No elected officer shall be nominated for immediate re-election to the same office.

Section 6: The President shall preside at the General Meetings and at meetings of the Executive Committee. The President shall exercise a casting vote if necessary.

Section 7: Fifty per cent of the Executive Committee represents a quorum.

Section 8: In the absence of the President at a meeting, the President-Elect shall assume their duties for that meeting and shall become President in the event of death, resignation, disability or inability of the President. In the absence of both the President and the President-Elect at a meeting, a temporary chairperson shall be chosen to preside at the meeting by a majority of those members attending the meeting.

Section 9: The Executive Committee shall appoint all committees as necessary. The President and the Secretary shall be ex-Officio members of all such Committees. Unless otherwise stated in these By-Laws, each committee shall elect its own chairperson.

Section 10: The Secretary is responsible to the Executive Committee for the administration of the International Society of Arachnology. The Secretary may appoint two other persons to assist in these tasks, particularly regarding maintaining membership records. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all Executive Committee meetings and General Meetings, conduct official correspondence and maintain a record of the International Society of Arachnology affairs.

Section 11: The Secretary shall send out society-related correspondence to members several times a year. The Secretary shall send a reminder for dues payment when they are due.

Section 12: The Treasurer shall keep financial records, accept dues and monies, issue and pay invoices, maintain a bank account and report to members on the conduct of the International Society of Arachnology finances every three years at the General Meeting. Every three years all accounts shall be subject to audit; the auditors shall not be members of the Executive Committee and shall be appointed by the President.

Section 13: The Secretary shall keep the membership records.

Section 14: Should any elected office be vacant or soon to be vacant, for any reason, the Executive Committee may choose to hold a by-election to fill the office. The by-election is to follow the procedures of Sections 1 and 2, except that the Executive Committee may choose to hold the by-election at a time other than immediately prior to a Congress. The President shall announce the by-election to the members at least two months in advance. The elected officer shall assume duties immediately upon election and continue until the end date of that elected office. Alternatively, the Executive Committee may make a temporary appointment to fill an office, other than that of President and President-Elect, that has been vacated in the event of the death, resignation, disability or inability. Such an appointee is to serve until the date of the next regular election, and shall be eligible for nomination at that election.

ARTICLE III: International Congresses

Section 1: Offers to act as the Chairperson of the Organising Committee of the next International Congress of Arachnology shall be received by the Secretary prior to the General Meeting.

Section 2: The Executive Committee, after satisfying themselves as to the suitability of the site and the proposed dates, as well as the facilities, services and personnel available, shall present all such viable offers to the General Meeting.

Section 3: The Chairperson of the Organising Committee shall be elected in a ballot during the General Meeting by a majority of the votes cast by members in good standing.

Section 4: Once elected the Chairperson shall be free to appoint all other members of the Organising Committee.

ARTICLE IV: Meetings

Section 1: The date, time and place of the General Meeting, held during the period of the International Congress of Arachnology, shall be determined by the Organising Committee of the Congress with the agreement of the President.

Section 2: The membership shall be informed of the date, time and place of the General Meeting, and be provided with an agenda, prior to the meeting. A draft agenda should be sent well in advance of the meeting for Council discussion.

Section 3: A quorum at a General Meeting shall consist of the President or their representative, the Secretary or their representative and twenty members in good standing.

Section 4: There shall be a meeting of the Executive Committee during the course of the International Congress of Arachnology; meetings may be called by the President at other times.

ARTICLE V: Finance

Section 1: All funds accruing to the International Society of Arachnology from members' dues and contributions, subscriptions, sales, donations, gifts or bequests are to be used at the discretion of the Executive Committee, to support the administration of the International Society of Arachnology, provide financial support for the International Congress of Arachnology, support student research grant competitions, and support travel grants for attendees to the Congress. Grant administration and support is at the discretion of the Executive Committee and is dependent upon the financial health of the society.

Section 2: The financial year shall run from the first day of January to the last day of December. Members’ dues are liable for payment for each year of membership.

Section 3: Honorary Membership and Associate Membership shall be free of the liability to pay dues.

ARTICLE VI: Amending the By-Laws

Section 1: By-Laws may be adopted, amended, suspended or repealed by a majority of members voting in a postal or electronic ballot provided there is reasonable notice of the proposed change(s).

Section 2: Any member in good standing may propose an amendment to the By-Laws, in writing, to the Executive Committee. Such a proposal, if approved by a majority of the Executive Committee shall be submitted with a recommendation to the members as under Section I of this Article. A proposed change to the By-Laws not recommended by the Executive Committee must be submitted to members if twenty or more members in good standing re-submit it.

ARTICLE VII: Procedual Authority

Section 1: If not contrary to the Constitution or By-Laws, procedures to be followed in meetings of the International Society of Arachnology shall be those established in Robert's Rules of Order (1907).

Amended last – January 2023