Bylaws (revised 1999)

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The Michigan Chapter: Society for Neuroscience


Article I. Name and Identification
This organization is to be called The Michigan Chapter: Society for Neuroscience. It is organized according to Article III, Section 4 (Regional Chapters) of the by-laws of the parent organization, the Society for Neuroscience. In these by-laws, the parent organization shall be referred to as "the Society". The local organization will be referred to as "the Michigan Chapter".

Article II. Purpose
The purpose of the Michigan Chapter is to support and carry out the purposes of the Society at the regional level and as expressed in Article I of the by-laws of the Society.

Article III. Membership and Dues
Section 1. Membership
Anyone holding any category of membership in the Society may become a Chapter member by paying the current year's dues and sending a membership application to the Treasurer-Membership Chairperson. Two categories of members shall be recognized within the Chapter: Regular and Student. All Chapter members have full voting privileges in the Michigan Chapter.

Section 2. Dues
(a) Annual dues for the Michigan Chapter will be established by a majority vote of the Chapter membership present at a business meeting during any of the annual meetings. (b) A special annual dues rate may be established for students and medical house staff. (c) Annual dues are payable to the Treasurer-Membership Chairperson of the Michigan Chapter at the beginning of the fiscal year (January 1). Payment of back dues is not required for reinstatement of Chapter membership. Article IV. Organization Section 1. Quorum A quorum of the Chapter membership for the annual meeting shall be the number of members present at that meeting.

Section 2.1. Officers
The officers of the Michigan Chapter shall consist of President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer-Membership Chairperson, and Awards Chairperson.

The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Chapter, shall preside at meetings of the Chapter, shall be responsible for executing policies determined by the Chapter, shall act as spokesperson for the Chapter, and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Chapter membership are carried into effect.

The President-elect shall assist the President in his/her duties and shall substitute for the President in his/her absence.

The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all the meetings of the Chapter and shall give or cause to be given notice of all such meetings. The Secretary shall substitute for the President if neither he/she nor the President-elect can serve.

The Treasurer-Membership Chairperson shall have custody of the Chapter funds and securities, and shall keep full and accurate account of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Chapter, and shall deposit all monies and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Chapter, in such depositories as may be designated by the Chapter membership. He/She shall disburse the funds of the Chapter as may be ordered by the Chapter membership, and shall render to the President and the Chapter at its regular meetings, or when the Chapter membership so requires, an account of all his/her transactions as Treasurer-Membership Chairperson and of the financial condition of the Chapter. The Treasurer-Membership Chairperson and his/her committee shall approve or disapprove Society membership applications.

The Awards Chairperson, along with any referees chosen to aid in the process, shall be responsible for determining the appropriate recipients for any awards the Chapter may give.The Awards Chairperson will present these awards at the Chapter's annual meeting.

All officers of the Chapter shall serve for a period of two (2) years. The Secretary, Treasurer-Membership Chairperson and Awards Chairperson may succeed themselves, but the President may not serve a second term.

Section 2.2. Council Members
There shall be an elected Council consisting of ten (10) members, eight (8) regular Chapter members and two (2) student Chapter members. Each shall be elected for a two-year term. One-half of the Council shall be elected every year.

The Council shall be constituted such that there is always at least one Council member representing each five of the State's universities Central Michigan University, Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University, as well as one Council member each from Warner Lambert/Parke-Davis and Pharmacia & Upjohn. The eighth regular Chapter member and the two student members shall be elected at large.

The duties of the Council shall be to aid and advise the Chapter officers on Chapter policies, meeting format, Chapter activities (such as Grass Lectures), and other matters deemed appropriate by the officers and Council members.

Section 3. Election and Nominations
(a) Officers of the Michigan Chapter will be elected biennially. The candidates for office will be nominated from the floor at a business meeting during one of the annual meetings.Nominations by mail will be entered. (b) Election of office will be determined (i) by the nomination if there is only one nominee, or (ii) by a majority vote of a quorum.

Article V. Meetings
Section 1. Annual Meeting
There will be at least one meeting of the Chapter membership each year. Notice of the time, date, and place of this annual meeting will be mailed to the Chapter membership at least 60 days prior to that meeting.

Section 2. Business Meeting
A business meeting will be held some time during each annual meeting. Notice of the time, date, place, and proposed agenda of the business meeting will be mailed to the Chapter membership before the annual meeting. Arrangements for the following annual meeting and for additional meetings will be determined at the business meeting by a majority vote of the quorum.

Section 3. Interim Business
In the event that Chapter business, such as the approval of Society membership applications, must be conducted between annual meetings, the Treasurer-Membership Chairperson and committee shall approve or disapprove the applications.

Article VI. Fiscal Year and Report
The fiscal year of the Michigan Chapter will begin on January 1 and end on December 31 of that year. The Secretary's report and Treasurer-Membership Chairperson's report will be made at each business meeting during an annual meeting.

Article VII. Amendments
These by-laws may be amended by a majority vote of the quorum present at the business meeting held during any annual meeting provided that: (i) written notice of the proposed amendment is sent to the Chapter membership 30 days prior to the annual meeting, and (ii) ballots on the proposed amendments are included in the notice mailed out and are tallied in the final vote.

Article VIII. Enactment
These by-laws shall be enacted by a majority vote of the membership via mail ballot, June, 1971.