Bylaws

Bylaws of the Biological Anthropology Association

A Section of the American Anthropological Association

Revised 2010

 

Article I. Name

The Section shall be known as the Biological Anthropology Section, a Section of the American Anthropological Association.

Article II. Purpose

Its purpose shall be to advance the study of biological anthropology and to encourage communication of the results of such study.

Article III. Powers

The Section shall be autonomous in all matters within its field that are not reserved by the Bylaws of the American Anthropological Association, inimical to the American Anthropological Association’s interests, or prohibited by law.

The Section shall be empowered to determine Section membership dues.

The Section shall determine voting requirements on all Section matters.

The Section may engage in publishing and other activities appropriate to its purposes.

The Section shall adopt and maintain Rules of Procedure consistent with American Anthropological Association Bylaws. The Section shall file with the American Anthropological Association Secretary a copy of its current, Rules of Procedure and Table of Organization.

Article IV. Membership

Membership in the Section shall be open to any member in good standing of the American Anthropological Association who supports the above purposes, subject to the payment of dues stipulated by the Executive Committee of the Section.

A Member in good standing shall be eligible to hold elective or appointive office, participate in the scientific program, receive publications and have one vote in nominating and electing officers and the transaction of other business of the Section.

For just cause, a Member may be deprived of membership by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee, subject to appeal to the Members at the annual Meeting.

Article V. Dues

The Executive Committee shall set the annual dues of the Members and may establish rates for special categories.

Any member in arrears in the payment of dues shall lose all membership privileges.

Article VI. Officers

The officers shall be Chair, Chair-Elect, Past Chair and Secretary-Treasurer

The Chair shall be the presiding officer of the Section and, shall represent the Section at the Section Assembly of the American Anthropological Association.

The Chair-Elect shall assume the duties of the Chair in the event of absence, death, resignation or incapacity of the Chair, and shall succeed to the office of the Chair at the expiration of the term as Chair-elect.

The Secretary-Treasurer shall have charge of the records of the Section and shall submit a draft budget for the approval of the Executive Committee not less than (60) days before the Annual Meeting.

The Past Chair shall assume office upon completion of his/her term as Chair. The Past Chair is available for special projects.

The terms of office of all officers, except Secretary-Treasurer and Past Chair shall be two years, commencing at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association. The term of office of the Secretary-Treasurer is three years. The term of office of the Past Chair shall be one year.

Article VII. Executive Committee

There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the officers and three members elected at large from the membership of the section. One of the elected members must be a student at the time of the election. In addition, the appointed positions of Program Chair, editor of the Biological Anthropology Section of the Anthropology News, Webmaster, and Chair of the W.W. Howells Book Award committee are voting members of the Executive Committee.

Subject to directives and limitations imposed by the Members of the Section, the Executive Committee shall have the authority to execute on behalf of the Section all powers and functions defined in these Bylaws.

The Executive Committee shall meet at least once annually, at the time of the Annual Meeting and may meet additionally on the call of the Chair or a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall make all non-elective appointments and may make interim appointments to fill vacancies in any elective office until the next regularly scheduled election.

The terms of office of the elected members of the Executive Committee shall be two years, commencing at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association.

Article VIII. Annual Report

At the time of each Annual Meeting, the Executive Committee shall report its activities to the Members and the Executive Board of the American Anthropological Association. The report shall include the reports of the Secretary-Treasurer, editors of publications, committees and other agents representing the Section.

Article IX. Meetings

The Section shall hold an Annual Business Meeting at the time of the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association.

The place and date of the Annual Meeting shall be disclosed to the Members not less than thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting.

The Executive Committee shall appoint a Program Chair and a Program Chair-designate, who shall be appointed one year in advance of assuming the position of Program Chair and shall be trained for the job of Program Chair during the year prior to becoming Program Chair.

The Program Chair shall organize the scientific program of the Section, normally for a period of two years, according to procedures established by the AAA and the Executive Committee.

Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee or upon written request of five (5) percent of the Members.

Article X. Quorum

Five (5) percent of the Members in good standing shall constitute a quorum of the Annual Business Meeting.

A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for transacting business.

The business of the Section shall be transacted by majority votes unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws.

Article XI. Nominations and Elections

Candidates for any elective office may be nominated by the Executive Committee, by a Nominations Committee, or by Members. All candidates shall be Members in good standing of the Section.

A Nominations Committee of three (3) Members shall be appointed annually by the Executive Committee.

An announcement shall be placed in the Biological Anthropology Section column in the Anthropology Newsletter, at least by the issue appearing 60 days before the Annual Meeting, of the availability of any elected or appointed office. Nominations, including self-nominations, should be communicated by Members to the Chair Elect, including a brief justification of the suitability of the nomination.

The Nominations Committee shall nominate two (2) persons for each vacant office. These nominations shall be made known to Members at least thirty (30) days before the ballots are sent out by the AAA.

Five (5) percent of the Members in good standing may nominate an additional candidate for any office, provided the nomination is received in writing at least thirty (30) days before the closing date set by the AAA.

The Chair Elect shall inform the prospective nominee of the probable extent of the burden of office, and explain the operation of the section as stipulated by these Rules of Procedure. A nomination becomes effective only upon filing with the Chair Elect a statement of willingness and ability to devote such time to the affairs of the Section as necessary to the effective execution of office.

Upon election, the new member shall be provided a copy of these BAS Rules of Procedure and other materials as necessary for him/her to become familiar with the duties involved prior to assuming office.

Article XII. Balloting

A Member in good standing shall be entitled to cast one ballot in any election or referendum.

Ballots are sent out electronically by the AAA. All voting is now done via a secure website. The Chair is notified of the results of the election and will inform the candidates of the results of the election.

The candidate receiving the most votes for a contested office shall be elected; the Executive Committee shall hold a run-off election within ninety (90) days to resolve all ties.

Article XIII. Referenda

A referendum may be conducted by mail ballot at any time upon initiation of the Executive Committee, or upon receipt by the Secretary-Treasurer of a petition signed by five (5) percent of the Members in good standing. A majority of votes received shall constitute a favorable vote.

Article XIV. Finances

The budget year of the Section shall be that of the American Anthropological Association.

The Section shall submit an annual operating budget to the American Anthropological Association Executive Board, which, when approved, shall govern Section activities for the year.

The estimated income from annual dues and from other sources shall constitute a working fund, available operating expenses.

No financial obligation shall be assumed by the executive Committee or by any officer on behalf of the Section. The AAA is the sole financial agent.

For the purposes of annual budgeting, estimated receipts from annual dues and other sources for the current year may be considered as available funds.

The Section may establish a fund balance for a specific purpose(s) as approved by the Executive Board to be administered by the AAA.

The Secretary-Treasurer is empowered to authorize the disbursement of funds based on the annual budget approved by the Executive Committee, and up to $200 additional funds at his/her discretion.

Three cash prizes are given by the Section each year: Student prize for best presentation at the meetings, the W.W. Howells book award and the Distinguished Lecture. The determination of the winners of these awards is done by the Executive committee or subcommittee of the Executive Committee.

Article XV. Amendments

These Rules of Procedure may be amended by the Members by electronic mail ballot provided that a proposed amendment is approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast.

Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by five (5) percent of the Members in good standing. The Executive Committee shall have the proposed amendment circulate to the Members and it shall allow thirty (30) days for the return of the ballots.

The amendments and provisions of these Bylaws shall be effective immediately upon adoption and shall superseded and nullify all previous amendments and provisions.