BY-LAWS OF THE EASTERN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, INC.
Click to download Word Document VersionARTICLE I NAME
The name of this Society shall be the Eastern Psychological Association, Incorporated (hereinafter referred to as the Association).
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
The Association has as its purpose the advancement of the science of Psychology through Meetings for the presentation of reports and discussions of scientific work having theoretical and practical significance.
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
1. MEMBERS shall be persons desiring affiliation with the Association in accordance with the purpose of the Association as stated in Article II and demonstrating such scientific qualifications as are signified by one of the following: [a] having made recognized contributions to psychological science, as shall be determined by the Board of Directors; or [b] having completed one full year of graduate study in an accredited university, the major part of which study shall have been in psychology.
2. LIFE MEMBERS shall be Members of the Association who have achieved retirement status, who have been Members of the Association for the previous ten (10) years, and who apply to the Executive Officer for such status.
3. STUDENT MEMBERS shall be non-voting Members of the Association who, having shown a commitment to scientific psychology, have been nominated by a faculty member who is a Member of the Association. They may be upper division undergraduates or first year graduate students.
4. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS shall be non-voting Members of the Association who teach psychology in secondary schools and have been nominated by their principal or department chair attesting to their teaching psychology.
5. APPLICATION: Application for membership in any category shall be in written form as prescribed by the members (herein capitalized when designating the body of the Members), through its Board of Directors (herein referred to as Directors) and shall attest to the qualifications prescribed in this Article. A membership application shall contain sufficient information to verify that an applicant meets the qualifications for membership under [a] or [b], above.
6. ELECTION:
[a] The Executive Officer of the Association shall elect to membership, in the name of the Members, and at any time, an applicant whose membership qualifications under ARTICLE III §1 [c], §2, §3, or §4 have been verified. Such election shall become void if the initial dues have not been paid within two (2) months after notice of election by the Executive Officer. [b] Applicants for membership under ARTICLE III §1 [a] and [b] shall be elected by a majority vote of the Members present at the Business Session of any annual Meeting. Election to membership shall become void if the initial dues are not paid by the Member-elect within two (2) months after election.
7. PRIVILEGES: Members shall have equal rights to submit scientific reports and equal privileges of discussion in the meetings of the Association. Members shall have equal rights of voting and holding office according to these By-Laws. Members may bring to the attention of the Officers, Directors, and Members such matters as they may deem necessary. On request a list of the membership shall be available to members, at a cost specified by the Executive Officer, exclusively for noncommercial use. Student Members and Associate Members with an E.P.A. sponsor may submit papers or posters, and participate in symposia in the annual meeting.
ARTICLE IV MEETINGS
The primary purpose of the Association is to conduct annual Meetings consisting of scientific programs. A Business Session shall be scheduled at each Meeting. Also opportunities may be provided for educational and professional services to the membership, and for the scheduling of Meetings on special psychological topics.
I. ANNUAL MEETING: The Annual Meeting of the Members shall be held during the Spring on a date and at a place approved by the Board of Directors and ratified by a majority vote of the Members present and voting at a previous Annual Meeting. In an emergency, the location and date of the Meeting can be changed by a vote of the Directors. The Program of the Annual Meeting shall be mailed by the Executive Officer to the last known addresses of all Members not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the Meeting.
2. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special Meetings shall be held on call of the majority of the Members present and voting at a Business Meeting, or on call of the Directors, or on a written request submitted to the Executive Officer and signed by one-tenth (1/10) of the total membership. The Executive Officer shall designate a convenient time and place for Special Meetings, and the program of a Special Meeting shall be mailed by the Executive Officer to the last known addresses of all Members not less than twenty (20) days prior to the Special Meeting.
3. SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM: The scientific program at any Meeting shall be under the direction of the Program Committee. Presentation of papers, posters, and symposia shall be by Members and by others approved by the Program Committee when sponsored as Guests by Members. The Program Committee shall include in the program of a Meeting all scientific papers or topics of discussion submitted by Members that meet the scientific standards and technical requirements established by the Program Committee and approved by the Members through the Directors.
4. BUSINESS SESSION: Unless otherwise specified in these By-Laws, such business as the Directors recommend shall be transacted in a Business Session of a Meeting for which a quorum shall consist of fifty (50) Members. Additional items of business in accordance with these By-Laws may be introduced by those Members attending. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of the Business Session.
ARTICLE V BOARD OF DIRECTORS
There shall be a Board of Directors (herein referred to as Directors), which shall consist of the voting Officers (President, President-Elect, Treasurer, and Executive Officer) as designated in Article VI, and nine (9) Members-at-Large. Ex-officio nonvoting Members of the Board shall be the immediate Past President, Historian, Parliamentarian, and Chair of the Program Committee.
1. TERM OF OFFICE OF MEMBERS-AT-LARGE: Members-at-Large shall serve terms of three (3) years, beginning and ending with the fiscal year. Three (3) of the nine (9) Members-at-Large shall be elected annually to fill vacancies left by those Directors whose terms shall have expired. Members-at-Large shall be ineligible for reelection for three years upon completion of their term as Director.
2. MEETINGS: Meetings of Directors shall be held at a convenient time and place designated by the Executive Officer on call of an Officer or on written request to the Executive Officer by a Director. The President of the Association shall be the Chair of the Directors and the Executive Officer of the Association shall be its Secretary. A quorum at any Meeting of the Directors shall consist of a majority of the voting Officers and Directors.
3. DUTIES: The Board of Directors shall recommend for acceptance or rejection all applications for membership under Article III §1 §1 [a] and [b] received by March I for vote by Members at the Annual Meeting. Unless otherwise specified in these By-Laws, it shall fill position vacancies caused by an incumbent's death, disability, or resignation. It shall be responsible to the Members for the conduct of Meetings and shall exercise general supervision over the affairs of the Association as authorized by these By-Laws. It shall bring to the attention of the Members such matters as it deems necessary.
4. DUTIES OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The At-Large Directors, by virtue of their scientific standing and visibility, lend credibility and support for the Association's goals, especially by active participation in its governance, by facilitation and improvement of its annual scientific meetings, and its other professional and educational undertakings, and in efforts to ensure its financial stability by recruiting members, exhibitors, and advertisers.
[a] Meeting Attendance. Directors participate in the Annual Meeting of the Board, the annual Business Session, and ad hoc and standing committees as appointed by the President, Executive Officer, or Board.
[b] Scientific Program Facilitation. Directors help maintain the high scientific quality of the Meetings by providing recommendations for content and presenters to the program committee, and by participating in Meetings as discussants, organizers of sessions, presenters, session chairs, sponsors, and in other ways as requested by the Program Committee.
[c] Professional and Educational Activities. Directors help maintain and enhance the professional and educational mission of the Association by active efforts to encourage colleagues, students, publishers, and others to utilize the exhibits, and the liaison and job placement programs, and, thereby, lend their scientific stature to building a strong financial, and membership base for the future.
ARTICLE VI OFFICERS
The Officers shall be the President, President-Elect, the Executive Officer, the Treasurer, the immediate Past President, the Historian, the Parliamentarian, and the Program Committee Chair.
1. TERMS OF OFFICE: The President, President-Elect, Past President, and Program Committee Chair shall each serve a term of one (1) year. The President is ineligible for reelection to that office. The Treasurer and Parliamentarian shall serve for a term of three (3) years each. The Executive Officer's and Historian's terms of office shall each be five (5) years. Terms of all officers shall begin and end with the fiscal year, June 1 through May 31.
2. PRESIDENTS DUTIES: It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all Meetings of the Association, to act as chair of the Directors, to exercise general supervision over the affairs of the Association, to perform all such duties as are incident to the office or as may properly be required by the votes of the Members or the Directors under the authority of these By-Laws. He/she shall appoint a member to serve with her/ him on the expiration of the presidential term as the Elections Committee for the following year as prescribed in Article VII, § 2 of these By-Laws. He/she shall take responsibility for the duties of the Executive Officer, Treasurer, Historian, Parliamentarian, Program Committee Chair, and Board Members in case of the death, disability, or resignation of any of these officers until the appointment of a successor under the authority of these By-Laws. She/he shall bring to the attention of the Members and the Directors such matters as he/she deems necessary.
3. DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT: It shall be duty of the President-Elect generally to fulfill the duties of Board members and specifically to be the understudy of the President.
4. EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S DUTIES:
[a] It shall be the duty of the Executive Officer to keep the current records of all Meetings of the Directors and of the Association, to file and hold subject to call by the Directors or Members all current records, reports of committees, and Proceedings, to conduct all official correspondence, to issue all programs of Meetings, to receive applications for membership, to issue notices of acceptance into membership, and to serve as Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee.
[b] She/he shall have custody of all property of the Association except records of permanent value which are placed in the Office of the Historian and those assets which are in the custody of the Treasurer.
[c] She/he shall have responsibility for the collection of membership dues, registration fees at the Annual Meeting, and all other receivables of the Association, shall deposit all receipts in banks approved by the Directors, and shall have further responsibility for authorizing the expenditure of funds for duly declared purposes of the Association as provided by the By-Laws and as approved by the Members through the Directors.
[d] She/he shall maintain a full and complete record of all money received and of all property of the Association, and shall within a reasonable time exhibit the books upon request to any Member of the Association. In cooperation with the Treasurer, he/she shall submit an interim financial report for the current fiscal year at each Annual Meeting and at any Special Meeting where such is requested by the Directors or by the Members. She/he shall present for each fiscal year a financial report, as approved by the Treasurer and audited by professional auditors, to the Members through the Directors. He/she shall be bonded in an amount fixed by the Directors.
[e] She/he shall perform such other duties as are required by a vote of the Members or the Directors under the authority of these By-Laws. He/she shall perform the duties of the President in case of the death, disability, or resignation of that officer until the appointment of a successor under the authority of Article Vlll, §3 of these By-Laws. She/he shall represent the Association in any situation where specific provision is not contained in these By-Laws. By virtue of this authority, he/she shall appoint a Member to act as her/his agent where it is impossible or inadvisable for him/her to do so. She/he shall bring to the attention of the Members and the Directors such matters as may be necessary.
5. DUTIES OF THE TREASURER:
[a] It shall be the duty of the Treasurer, in cooperation with the Executive Officer, to recommend a budget (which may include a contingent fund) for the succeeding year at each Annual Meeting and at any Special Meeting where such is requested by the Directors or by the Members. He/she shall review all financial statements of the Association and shall nominate and assist the professional auditor(s) who shall be elected annually by the Directors. She/he shall bring to the attention of the Members and the Directors such matters as may be necessary.
[b] He/she shall have authority to sign checks and drafts on behalf of the Association for the disbursement of funds as designated by the Executive Officer and in accord with the provisions in the By-Laws and the approval by the Members through the Directors.
[c] She/he shall invest surplus funds in securities as authorized by the Directors and be responsible for their custody, and shall promptly report and transmit to the Executive Officer interest earned by such securities.
[d] He/she shall maintain a full and complete record of all disbursements, cash on hand, and securities held in custody, shall within a reasonable time exhibit the books upon request to any Member of the Association, and shall be bonded in an amount fixed by the Directors.
6. DUTIES OF THE HISTORIAN:
[a] It shall be the duty of the Historian to have final custody of all permanent records of the Association. She/he shall maintain an on-going historical record of the affairs of the Association, and annually shall add to the permanent records an historical resume of the affairs of the Association for that year.
[b] He/she shall prepare summaries of previous transactions of the Association as requested by the Officers, Directors, or Members, and shall bring to the attention of the Members and the Directors such matters as may be necessary.
7. DUTIES OF THE PARLIAMENTARIAN:
It shall be the duty of the Parliamentarian to rule in regard to any questions concerning the conduct of the Business Session and meetings of the Board of Directors.
8. DUTIES OF THE PAST PRESIDENT:
The Past President shall serve as the Chair of the Elections Committee and shall fulfill the duties and obligations of Board members at large.
9. DUTIES OF THE PROGRAM COMMITTEE CHAIR:
The Program Committee Chair shall be appointed by the Board of Directors in consultation with the members of the Committee, shall be a non-voting member of the Board of Directors during her/his term of office, and shall be responsible for directing the activities of the Program Committee as authorized in Article VIII, § I. When possible he/she shall have served at least one year on the Committee.
ARTICLE VII COMMITTEES
Specific tasks and responsibilities of the Association shall be conducted by such standing committees as are hereinafter provided by these By-Laws and such special committees as may be established by votes of the Members or the Directors.
1. PROGRAM:
[a] Membership: The Program Committee shall consist of members appointed by the Board. The size of the Committee shall be determined by the Board and altered as it deems necessary. The Chair of the Committee shall be appointed by the Directors in consultation with members of the Committee and shall be a non-voting member of the Board during her/his term of office. The President and the Executive Officer shall be ex-officio members of this Committee.
[b] Duties: The Program Committee shall solicit the scientific program from the Members by an official Call for Papers to be issued by the Executive Officer not less than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to an Annual Meeting. The Committee shall transmit the scientific program to the Executive Officer not less than forty (40) days prior to a Meeting, shall direct the scientific program of a Meeting, and shall perform such other duties as are prescribed in Article VIII, § 3. The Committee shall make its report to the Members through the Directors and at the Annual Business Session.
2. ELECTIONS:
The Elections Committee, consisting of the Past President as Chair, the Executive Officer, and one Member appointed by the Board, shall represent the Members in counting and reporting nominations and elections as prescribed in Article VIII, § 1 of these By-Laws. The Elections Committee shall make its report to the Members.
3. LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS:
[a] Membership: The Committee on Local Arrangements for the Annual Meeting, consisting of the Executive Officer as Chair and at least two (2) additional Members from the institution or locality where the Annual Meeting is to be held, shall be appointed by the Directors each year.
[b] Duties: The Committee on Local Arrangements shall have charge of all local arrangements for the Annual Meeting and it shall work in coordination with the Program Committee in the preparation of the Program. It shall report to the Members through the Directors. The Executive Officer shall make the local arrangements for Special Meetings.
ARTICLE VIII NOMINATION AND ELECTION
The President, President-Elect, Past President, and Members-at-large of the Board of Directors shall be elected by the Members. A mailed preferential ballot shaft be employed. The Treasurer shall be elected by the Members present at the Business Session of the Annual Meeting. The Executive Officer, Historian, Parliamentarian, and Program Committee Chair shall be elected by the Directors.
1. NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF PRESIDENT-ELECT AND MEMBERS-AT-LARGE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
[a] At least one hundred and twenty (120) days prior to the Annual Meeting, the Executive Officer shall mail a nomination ballot to all Members. Each member may nominate one candidate for President-Elect and one candidate for each vacancy among the Directors. The nomination ballots shall be counted by the Elections Committee ninety (90) days prior to the Annual Meeting. The Elections Committee shall report to the Executive Officer the nominees for President-Elect and for Directors, ranked according to number of votes received.
[b] The Executive Officer shall ascertain that all nominees are Members of the Association and are willing to stand for office. The name of any nominee found to be ineligible or unwilling to stand for office shall be removed from the list of prospective candidates.
[c] Not fewer than two (2) nor more than nine (9) nominees for President-Elect, and not fewer than two (2) nor more than four (4) nominees for each vacancy among the Directors (totaled) shall appear on an election ballot. Names of the Members who have received the greatest numbers of nominating votes shall be listed by the Executive Officer on the final election ballot in alphabetical order for President or Directors. But a nominee eligible to go on the ballot for both President-Elect and Director shall choose one office to stand for, and the next ranked nominee for the other office shall be included. The final election ballot shall be mailed by the Executive Officer to the Members not less than twenty-eight (28) days prior to the Annual Meeting.
[d] The election ballot shall be counted by the Elections Committee, with the lowest preferential rank counted as one (1) and the highest as the number equal to the total number of candidates for that office included on the ballot. The count shall be made not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the Annual Meeting.
2. NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF THE TREASURER:
The Directors shall nominate one candidate for Treasurer. Additional nominations may be offered by Members in attendance at the Business Session of the Annual Meeting. The Treasurer shall be elected by majority vote of the Members present and voting at the Business Session of the Annual Meeting.
3. VACANCIES:
[a] In case of a vacancy in the office of Executive Officer, Treasurer, Historian, or Parliamentarian by death, disability, or resignation, the Directors shall appoint a Member to act until the next meeting of the Association, when such vacancy shall be filled as prescribed in §2 of this Article.
[b] In case of vacancies on the Board of Directors due to death, disability, or resignation of the President, President-Elect, or Members-At-Large, the Board shall examine the Election results in the last Board Election and, after eliminating those persons elected to full Board terms in that election, appoint the remaining Member with the next highest number of votes to the first such vacancy, the remaining Member with the second highest number of votes to the second vacancy and so on. In the event that a sitting Board Member is elected President the Board shall elect a person to fill the year's vacancy on the Board by the procedure specified in the preceding sentence.
ARTICLE IX FISCAL MATTERS
The fiscal year of the Association shall close on May 31.
1. DUES AND GUEST FEES:
[a] The Board of Directors may recommend at the Annual Meeting, for the approval of the Membership, changes in the amount of dues and Guest fees for the next fiscal year.
[b] Dues shall be payable on or before January 15th of the fiscal year. Non-payment of dues by a Member for two (2) consecutive years shall constitute automatic resignation.
2. DUES EXEMPTION:
[a] Wives, husbands, and children of Members when introduced by the Member upon registration at a Meeting of the Association shall have the privileges of Guests without payment of guest fees.
[b] Life Members shall be exempt from dues but shall be encouraged to make financial contributions to the Association. They shall retain all the rights and privileges of Members of the Association.
ARTICLE X AFFILIATIONS
The Association may establish affiliation with and have representation in the Councils of other organizations which have interests compatible with the goals of the Association. Affiliation shall be authorized by a two-thirds vote of the Members present and voting at a Meeting, provided a petition for affiliation has been presented to the Members through the Directors at least one (1) year prior to final action. Such affiliation shall be discontinued when action by the affiliated organization is deemed by the Board of Directors contrary to the interests and purpose of the Association.
ARTICLE XI AMENDMENTS AND REFERENDA
I. The Association may by vote of two-thirds of the Members present and voting at any Meeting adopt such By-Laws or amendments to By-Laws as are consistent with the Association's Certificate of Incorporation and are deemed necessary for the management of the affairs of the Association, provided a full statement of the proposed By-Laws or amendments to By-Laws has been mailed to the last known addresses of all Members not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the Meeting.
2. By-Laws or amendments to By-Laws may also be adopted by mail ballot. In this case, the Executive Officer shall establish a suitable deadline for the return of ballots and send by first class mail a copy of the proposed changes to the last known address of each Member. Changes shall be adopted if two-thirds of the Members responding are in favor of the proposed changes.
3. When approved by the Members, By-Laws or amendments to By-Laws shall go into effect at the beginning of the fiscal year.
4. Resolutions relating to any position to be taken by the Association shall be decided by a mail ballot of the Membership. A referendum may be initiated in one of three (3) ways:
[a] action of the Board of Directors,
[b] a simple majority vote of those Members voting at the Business Session, and
[c] by a petition signed by ten per cent (10%) of the Membership and submitted to the Executive Officer.
The ballot shall contain pro and con position statements. The results of a referendum shall be decided by a simple majority of those voting.
Adopted at the Annual Business Meeting in Atlantic City, 4/6/40, and amended at the Annual Business Meetings at Brooklyn College, 4/19/41; Temple University, 4/16/48; Springfield, MA, 4/18/49; Brooklyn College, 3130/51; Atlantic City, 3128152; New York City, 4/12/57; and by mail ballot. on 12/3/58; 12/2/61; 12/1/65; 12/1/69; 3/31/72; 3/31/75; 3131179; 3/31/89, 3/31/90, and 3/31/95; and by electronic balloting 8/15/05.

