CONSTITUTION

​First adopted London 1973;

amended Wageningen 1977; Bangalore 1990; Copenhagen 2010; Cairns 2014; Guarujá 2018.

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Article 1. NAME AND LEGAL STATUS

The Society is called "The International Union for the Study of Social Insects" and is incorporated under the laws of the United States. Henceforth the Society will be referred to as “the Union”.

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Article 2. MISSION STATEMENT

The purpose of the Union is to promote and encourage the study of social insects and other social organisms in the broadest sense. Both research and the dissemination of knowledge about social insects and other social organisms through publications, educational programs, and activities are encouraged. The Union further pursues these objectives via the organization of Congresses and Symposia, publication of the journal Insectes Sociaux, and recognition of distinguished service with awards.

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Article 3. SECTIONS

The Union is composed of Sections, which are established on the basis of geographical contiguity for the purposes of: stimulating interest in social insects and other social organisms; holding meetings to present and discuss results of ongoing research; or other relevant activities. Sections shall be governed by their own Constitution and Bylaws except as provided otherwise in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Union. Sections must have 15 members and their Constitution and Bylaws must be approved by the General Assembly upon recommendation from the International Committee, in order to be officially recognized by the Union. A Section which falls below 15 members has, or reverts to, probationary status and is not entitled to voting representatives in the International Committee. Sections may remain on probation indefinitely, but must report to the Union every four years on efforts to increase membership. Sections have a President, who is the official liaison to the Union, and may elect additional Officers.

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Article 4. JOURNAL

The Society owns the journal Insectes Sociaux, henceforth referred to as “the Journal”.

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Article 5. MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the Union is through membership in a Section and all Union members must

therefore be affiliated with a Section. Membership is open to all persons interested in social

insects or other social organisms, although Sections are free to establish additional criteria. The

Union and Sections have both regular and student members; Sections are free to set additional

categories as needed. The Union may elect exceptionally distinguished senior scholars as

Honorary Members during a Congress.

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Article 6. MEETINGS

The Union meets every four years at an International Congress. Additional meetings are organized by Sections, either separately or jointly. A quadrennial Congress is the responsibility of one of the Sections; the Secretary-General will solicit bids to host the next Congress from Sections, to include information on the Congress venue, names of the proposed Congress Organizer and Congress Treasurer, and a draft budget, using a template available on the IUSSI website. The Secretary-General will present nominations to the International Committee and the General Assembly, which will choose the final venue for the next Congress. Business of the Congress includes Plenary Addresses, Symposia, Contributed Papers and Posters, as well as other scientific presentations. Meetings of the International Committee, the General Assembly and the Editorial Board of the Journal are also held during each congress. The Congress Organizing Committee is responsible for setting the scientific, social and meeting program. The Congress Organizer becomes President of the Union.

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Article 7. OFFICERS

The Officers of the Union are the President and Congress Organizer, the Secretary-General, the Congress Treasurer, the Editor of Insectes Sociaux, the Archivist, and the Web Master. Officers are nominated by the International Committee and approved by the General Assembly at the quadrennial Congress. All Officers except the Congress Organizer and Congress Treasurer can have their terms renewed. One person may only hold one office at one time.

 

The President, Secretary-General, and Editor of Insectes Sociaux form the Union’s Executive Committee, which is responsible for conducting Union business that cannot await the next Congress, in consultation with Section Presidents. Temporary vacancies in any of the Union Offices will be filled by the Executive Committee until such time as the International Committee can convene.

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Article 8. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE

The International Committee is composed of the Officers of the Union and of representatives

from each Section: one representative for each Section of up to 30 members, two representatives for each Section of 31-60 members, and so on. The International Committee is convened quadrennially at the Congress to approve reports by officers and motions that are to be brought to the General Assembly. The International Committee will, subject to approval by the General Assembly, appoint a Financial Sub-Committee of three Union members to audit the reports of the Secretary General and the previous Congress Treasurer.

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Article 9. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The final authority for the business and administration of the Union lies with the General Assembly, composed of members of the Sections, which will normally meet during the International Congress held every four years. The General Assembly votes on the recommendations of the International Committee and ratifies or rejects these by simple majority vote. The Agenda for a General Assembly meeting includes reports by the Editor on the state of the Journal and the Secretary-General on financial, political and administrative business of the Union. With the approval of the Financial Sub-Committee and the General Assembly, the Officers are relieved of their personal responsibility for the finances of the Union for the past accounting period of four years. The location of the next Congress will be determined by the General Assembly in the light of the recommendations of the International Committee. When there are competing nominations for the same Congress, the General Assembly will decide on the next venue by simple majority vote; selecting the venue thereby denotes election of the President and Congress Treasurer.

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Article 10. AFFILIATION

The union is a member of the International Union of Biological Sciences.

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Article 11. FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS

Neither the International Committee nor any officer of the Union may make any loans or contract any debts in the name of the Union without the approval of the General Assembly. The quadrennial Congress is expected to be financially self-sufficient, and the Union is not responsible for debts incurred by Congress organizers. The Union will cover the registration fees for attendance to the quadrennial Congress by the President, Secretary-General, and Editor-in-Chief, provided the Union has the financial means to do so.

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Article 12. FISCAL YEAR AND TENURE OF OFFICE

The Secretary-General maintains records for the Union, including membership files for each section, official correspondence, and contracts. The Secretary-General also keeps the accounts of the Union on an annual basis from 1 January to 31 December, and reports annually to the membership as a special publication in Insectes Sociaux. The formal report of the Secretary-General to the International Committee and General Assembly consists of a statement for the last four calendar years and an interim report for the current year. The Secretary-General arranges for the accounts to be audited by the Financial Subcommittee three months before the next Congress.

 

The term of the next Congress Organizer begins at the end of a quadrennial Congress. The terms of all other officers begin at the start of a quadrennial Congress following their election by the General Assembly. The Secretary-General can remain in office a maximum of 8 consecutive years. There is no limit to the number of years the Editor-in-Chief can stay in office. Nominations will be sought from all Sections prior to the quadrennial Congress to replace Officers of the Union (with the exception of the President and Congress Treasurer), irrespective of whether the incumbents have reached their term limits. If there are no nominations, and both the Secretary-General and Editor-in-Chief are willing, and constitutionally allowed to remain in position, they will be proposed for re-election to the International Committee meeting during the quadrennial Congress. Elections will take place during the International Committee meeting during the quadrennial Congress.

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In the case of incapacity, or resignation, of the Secretary-General or Editor-in-Chief during their 4-year term, the Editor-in-Chief will be replaced until the next quadrennial by one of the two sub-Editors. In the case that neither of them are willing, an emergency nomination and election process will be run by the Secretary-General across all Sections. In the case of the Secretary-General, the financial subcommittee will run an emergency nomination and election process as above. If the Editor-in-Chief is deemed by the membership at large (75% of sections in good standing) to be failing in their duties, the Union will have the power of recall, at which point the process described above for incapacity will take place. Similarly, if the Secretary-General is deemed not to be conducting their duties, the Union will again have power of recall, at which point the process for Secretary-General as described above will take place.

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Article 13. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION

Any member can propose a change to the Constitution. Requested changes must be submitted in writing to the Secretary-General, who then submits them to Sections no later than six months before a quadrennial Congress. During a Congress, proposed changes will first be acted upon by the International Committee, and any changes so approved by a simply majority will be taken to the General Assembly. Final adoption requires a 2/3 positive vote by members attending the General Assembly.

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BYLAWS

Last approved August 2018

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Article 1. SECTIONS

Sections conduct most of the Union’s business locally, and therefore represent the fundamental basis for the Union’s existence. Sections conduct meetings, and may publish proceedings, give awards, or otherwise support the work of their members. Every year sections should provide membership lists and notify the Secretary-General of any change in Section Officer positions. Sections communicate with their members concerning Union business.

 

Sections in good standing include: Andean-Caribbean, Australasian, Brazilian, Central European, French, Indian, Italian, Japanese, North American, and Northwest European.

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Article 2. FINANCES

The Union receives income from publishing its journal Insectes Sociaux. The Secretary-General will receive that income from the publisher and manage the day-to-day fiscal affairs for the Union.

 

The International Committee will appoint, subject to approval by the General Assembly, a Finance Subcommittee. This Subcommittee, with three Union members from three different sections, oversees the financial health of the Union. It reviews accounts submitted by the Secretary-General quarterly, and must approve the annual financial statement for the Union. The Finance Committee also develops policies for disbursement of Union funds and makes decisions on how to apply those policies. The Secretary-General and President serve ex officio on this committee. The Finance Subcommittee is responsible for preparing the annual budget for the Union, and for making decisions about expenditures. The Finance Committee also reviews the final accounts from the previous Congress Treasurer in preparation for an upcoming Congress.

 

Subscription rates to Insectes Sociaux for individuals are negotiated annually with the Publisher by the Executive Committee. Library subscriptions to the Journal are determined by the Publisher in consultation with the Executive Committee.

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Article 3. PUBLICATIONS

The Society supports the Journal through a contract with a Publisher. The Journal Editor-in-Chief is appointed by the International Committee, subject to approval by the General Assembly. The Editor-in-Chief is assisted by an Editorial Board, whose members are proposed by the Editor-in-Chief to the International Committee for a once-renewable term of 4 years, and approved by the General Assembly. The Editor-in-Chief will consult with the sitting Editorial Board members and Sections regarding potential candidates to be appointed to the Editorial Board. Care will be taken to ensure a fair representation regarding gender and country of origin with respect to Editorial Board members; however professional competence will remain the deciding factor in appointing individuals to the Editorial Board.

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The roles of the Editorial Board members include:

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1. Participate in online discussions about journal policy and initiatives

2. Attend an Editorial Board meeting at the Congress, should the editorial board member be at the Congress

3. Provide rapid “emergency” reviews of papers when the Editor or Associate Editor has difficulty finding referees or if a referee fails to return their evaluation

4. Participating in the annual selection of the recipient of the best paper of year prize

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The Editor-in-Chief will serve a four-year renewable term of office and may be assisted by

regional or topical Associate Editors after approval by the International Committee and the

General Assembly. Every effort will be made to have an Editorial Board that represents all

Sections and is diverse. Temporary vacancies on the Editorial Board are filled by the Editor in

consultation with the Associate Editors.

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Article 4. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

The President addresses the Society at its quadrennial Congress and presides over meetings of the International Committee and the General Assembly, which meets to hear and vote upon

recommendations from the International Committee. The President is responsible for organizing the quadrennial Congress at the end of her/his term of office and for appointing committees to assist in the organization of the Congress, in consultation with and with participation of his/her Section.

 

The Secretary-General is responsible for the administration, management and operation of the Union in accordance with the existing Constitution, Bylaws and Policies. Changes to the Constitution, Bylaws and Policies are first formulated by the International Committee and then approved by the General Assembly. Annually, the Secretary-General provides to the Executive Committee, Financial Subcommittee, and Sections a fiscal report from the previous year and a proposed budget for the current year. The Secretary-General submits a formal report for approval by the International Committee three months prior to the quadrennial Congress, summarizing the current status of the Union’s finances, as well as any political and administrative business. The Secretary-General is authorized to make expenditures up to 1000 USD/Euros for the Union. Larger, non-budgeted Union expenditures must be co-signed with the President and approved by the Financial Subcommittee. Expenses related to the Congress are the responsibility of the President and Congress Treasurer.

 

The Secretary-General reports annually to the membership via a note in the Journal, keeps the records of the Union, checks the list of members in good standing, and regularly communicates with Sections. In addition, the Secretary-General prepares agendas for meetings of the International Committee and General Assembly, and prepares the minutes afterwards.

 

The Congress Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Congress and submits, on behalf of the President and the Organizing Committee, a financial report to the Executive Committee and Financial Subcommittee within six months after the Congress.

 

The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with any Associate Editors and the Editorial Board, is

responsible for attracting papers of the best possible quality and for having the submitted papers reviewed. The Editor-in-Chief has the ultimate authority to decide which papers should be published. The Editor-in-Chief prepares an annual report to the Secretary-General and the

International Committee on the Journal’s business, copies of which are sent to all Sections. The

Editor-in-Chief prepares a formal report to the Executive Committee three months before a

Congress. This report is subject to approval by the International Committee and, ultimately, the

General Assembly. The Secretary-General tracks library subscriptions to the Journal and asks for

updates from the Publisher once every year.

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The Archivist keeps the Archive of the Union up to date and makes every reasonable effort to retrieve relevant material from the past that is not yet in the Archive. The Archivist works together with the Web Master to make non-confidential parts of the Archive available on the Union’s web-site. The Archivist submits a brief written and oral report to the Executive Committee 3 months before a quadrennial Congress for approval by the International Committee and General Assembly.

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The Web Master keeps the contents of the Union’s Webpage up to date and in good order, with workable links to section web pages. The Web Master works together with the Archivist to make non-confidential parts of the Archive available on the Union’s website. The Web Master submits a brief written and oral report to the Executive Committee 3 months before a quadrennial Congress for approval by the International Committee and General Assembly.

 

Article 5. THE QUADRENNIAL CONGRESS

The timetable for a quadrennial Congress includes:

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3.5 years before: Receive funds from the previous Congress President

3 years before: Lock in venue (dates and site); Establish a Website

2 years before: Have a complete Congress Organizing Committee in place. Solicit ideas

for Symposia from Sections, who will pass this on to their membership

1 year before: Send out first announcement with timetable for registration etc.; have a

detailed functioning web site established. Solicit nominations for Awards

After the Congress: Settle financial details within six months of the Congress and submits a

report to the Secretary-General and Financial Subcommittee; pending approval of the final report, the Congress Treasurer sends any surplus funds to the President of the next Congress.

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Article 6. THE HAMILTON AWARD

Every four years, the Union recognizes a senior scientist who has made substantial scientific

contributions to the study of social insects and other social organisms, and who has also mentored students in their own careers. The Secretary General will convene a committee, consisting of the Presidents of the Sections in good standing or their designated Section representatives, to solicit nominations, evaluate nominees, and select a winner. The winner is recognized accordingly at the General Assembly of the Congress.

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Article 7. WEST-EBERHARD PRIZE

Every four years, the Union recognizes a junior scientist, 5 years full time equivalent since PhD

defense, who is clearly an upcoming leader in the field of social insects and other social

organisms. Receiving the West-Eberhard prize will substantially assist the awardee in obtaining a tenure track position, or promotion to the next academic level. The Secretary General will

convene a committee, consisting of the Presidents of the Sections in good standing or their

designated Section representatives, to solicit nominations, evaluate nominees, and select a

winner. The winner is recognized accordingly at the General Assembly of the Congress.

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Article 8. STANDING COMMITTEES

Standing Committees include the Executive Committee, the International Committee (and its Financial Subcommittee), and the Congress Organizing Committee. The Secretary-General may appoint other ad hoc committees as are necessary to conduct Union business, subject to approval by the International Committee. All such committees will receive a written charge and timeline for their work, which includes submission of a formal report to the Union. The President may appoint other ad hoc committees as are necessary for organizing the Congress under his/her responsibility.

 

Article 9. CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS

Changes to the list of Sections in Good Standing and on Probation (Article 1) can be made annually by the Secretary-General. Movement of a Section from Probation to Good Standing requires submission by the Section of a membership roster and payment of any applicable fees for at least 15 members. Movement from a Section from Good Standing to Probationary can only occur after the Secretary-General has made good-faith efforts through at least 2 independent means of communication to obtain information from the last-known Section President or his/her Deputy.

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All other changes to the bylaws follow the same process as amendments to the Constitution,

except that final ratification requires a simply majority of members in attendance at the General Assembly.

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Article 10. DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution or termination of the Union, title to and possession of all property of

the Union shall pass on to an organization determined by the General Assembly by a simple

majority vote on proposals by the International Committee. The vote shall be administered by the Secretary General.