Article I
Section 1. The American Association for the Advancement of Science was incorporated by an act of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1874. The Association is a nonprofit scientific and educational body.
Section 2. The objects of the American Association for the Advancement of Science are to further the work of scientists, to facilitate cooperation among them, to improve the effectiveness of science in the promotion of human welfare, and to increase public understanding and appreciation of the importance and promise of the methods of science in human progress.
Bylaws-Article I
Section 1. The objects of the Association shall be accomplished by conducting meetings and conferences of those interested in the various branches of science and education, producing and distributing publications, administering gifts and bequests as prescribed by the donors thereof, supporting research, making awards to recognize accomplishment in science, cooperating with other organizations in the advancement of science, and engaging in such other activities as shall have been authorized by the Board of Directors.
Constitution-Article II
Section 1. The membership of the Association shall consist of Members, Fellows, and Associates. Individuals in any of these three groups may become life members, emeritus members, and sustaining members in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 of this Article and with such relevnat rules as the Board of Directors shall have prescribed.
Section 2. Members. Any person, institution, or organization may be admitted to the grade of Member. Each Member shall have such rights and privileges and shall pay such annual dues and fees as the Council shall have prescribed.
Section 3. Fellows. Any person who shall have made a meritorius contribution to science may become a Fellow of the Association under such procedures as the Board of Directors shall have prescribed.
Section 4. Associates. Any person who shall have a record of leadership in any field related to science and who wishes to cooperate in the advancement of science may become an Associate of the Association under such procedures as the Board of Directors shall have prescribed.
Section 5. (a) Life Members. Any person making the Association a life membership contribution of such amount as the Board of Directors shall have prescribed may be admitted to life membership. Each Life Member shall be exempt from the payment of annual dues and shall have all the privileges of an annual member throughout life.
(b) Emeritus Members. Any individual annual member may be admitted to emeritus membership under such conditions as the Board of Directors shall have prescribed. Each Emeritus Member shall be exempt from the payment of annual dues and shall have all the privileges of an annual member throughout life.
(c) Sustaining Members. Any person making to the Trust Funds of the Association a sustaining-membership contribution of such amount as the Board of Directors shall have prescribed shall be the founder of a Sustaining Membership, which shall bear his name and shall be maintained in perpetuity as a trust. Each incumbent of a sustaining membership shall have all the privileges of a life member. The first incumbent of a sustaining membership may be either the founder himself or another person named by him, as he may choose. On the death or resignation of an incumbent, the Board of Directors shall name another person to hold the membership throughout life.
Bylaws-Article II
Section 1. Members who have paid dues for fifty years may be excused from further payments and still retain all the privileges of membership.
Section 2. Members may be elected by the Board of Directors to be Fellows of the Association adn Fellows so elected shall remain Fellows only so long as they retain membership. If a Fellow discontinues his membership and subsequently rejoins the Association, he shall automatically again become a Fellow from the time of rejoining, without another election. Members are eligible to nomination for fellowship if they have contributed to the advancement of science either by publication of original research or in other significant manner. Nominations for election to fellowship may be made by any three Fellows or by the administrative secretary or by the section committee in whose field the nominee's scientific work mainly lies.
Section 3. A Member may be dropped from membership for conduct which in any way tends to injure the Association or to affect adversely its reputation or which is contrary to, or destructive of, its objects. Charges of injurious conduct shall not be entertained against a Members unless the precise nature of the charges be submitted in writing to the president of the Association by not fewer than two Members. Upon receipt of such charges, the president shall refer them to the Executive Committee, which shall have the power to determine whether the charges shall be dropped, whether the accused shall be given an opportunity to resign, or whether the charges shall be referred to the Board of Directors for review and for final disposition. Whenever charges are referred to the Board of Directors, no person shall be dropped from membership except after opportunity to be heard and then only by a three-fourths vote of those members of the Board of Directors present and voting at a regular or special meeting.
Constitution-Article III
Section 1. The officers of the Association shall be (a) general officers elected from among the Fellows by ballot of the Council, and (b) administrative officers elected by the Board of Directors as prescribed in Section 3 of this Article.
Section 2. General Officers. The general officers of the Association shall be president-elect, a president, a retiring president, and a vice president for each section. The term of office of the president-elect and of the vice presidents shall begin on the January 15 following election. At the close of the one-year term of the president-elect he shall become president, and at the close of the one-year term of the president he shall become retiring president. In the event of a vacancy in the office of president, the President Elect shall become president. In the event of a vacancy in the office of president-elect, the Board of Directors shall make a pro tempore appointment to hold until the vacancy shall have been filled by ballot of the Council. In the event of a vacancy in the office of vice president, the Board of Directors shall fill the vacancy by appointment.
Section 3. Administrative Officers. The administrative officers shall be an administrative secretary, one or more associate or assistant secretaries, a treasurer, and, in addition, a secretary of each section. The administrative secretary, the associate or assistant secretaries, and the treasurer shall be elected by the Board of Directors. The secretaries of the sections shall be nominated from among the Fellows by the respective section committees and elected by the Board of Directors. The terms of office of each administrative officer shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall fill vacancies in the administrative offices.
Section 4. The duties of the officers shall be customary to those of the office and as further defined by the bylaws.
Bylaws-Article III
Section 1. The administrative secretary shall serve as secretary to the Council and to the Board of Directors; he shall be in charge of the Association's offices and shall manage the affairs of the Association in accordance with procedures determined by the Board of Directors. He shall be an ex officio of all standing committees.
Section 2.
The treasurer shall perform the usual duties and those assigned in the bylaws.
Section 3.
Reports of the administrative secretary and the treasurer shall be made in the manner prescribed by the Board of Directors.
Constitution-Article IV
Section 1. The Council shall perform all duties prescribed in the constitution and shall act as an advisory body in matters pertaining to the general policies of the Association.
Section 2. The Council shall consist of (a) the president-elect, the president, the retiring president, the vice presidents, the secretaries of the sections, the administrative secretary, the treasurer and the eight (8) elected members of the Board of Directors; (b) one Fellow elected by each regional division of the Association; and (c) the representatives of affiliated organizations, as provided for in Article VIII of this constitution. Each Council member shall serve until his successor shall have taken office. The president shall be chairman of the Council; if the president shall be unable to serve as chairman at any session, the Council members in attendance shall elect a chairman for that session. Twenty (20) members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 3. The Council shall meet during the annual meeting of the Association and at other times on the call of the president or upon the written request of twenty (20) members of the Council.
Bylaws-Article IV
None.
Constitution-Article V
Section 1. The Board of Directors is the legal representative of the Association and as such shall have, hold, and administer all the property, funds, and affairs of the Association.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall consist of eleven (11) members, the president-elect, the president, the retiring president, and eight (8) Fellows elected by the Council, two each year, for a term of four years. At any election of members of the Board of Directors not more than one Fellow serving his fourth consecutive year as an elected member may be re-elected. In the event of a vacancy in the office of an elected member of the Board of Directors, his successor for the remainder of the year shall be elected from among the Fellows by the Board of Directors and, for the remainder of the unexpired term, his successor shall be elected by the Council at the next annual election. Five (5) members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The retiring president of the Association shall be chairman of the Board of Directors. If he shall be unable to serve at any session of the Board, the Board members in attendance shall elect a chairman for that session. The administrative secretary and treasurer shall be ex officio members of the Board of Directors without vote.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall hold four (4) meetings a year, one of which will be at the annual meeting. The Board of Directors shall also meet at the call of the chairman.
Section 4. The Board of Directors shall appoint such committees as may be necessary to aid in the management of the Association. The duties of standing committees shall be stated in the bylaws.
Section 5. The term of office of each of the eight (8)regularly elected members of the Board of Directors shall begin on January 15 following his election, and each shall serve until his successor shall have taken office.
Bylaws-Article V
Section 1. The committees shall be standing as provided in the bylaws or special as the Board of Directors approves.
Section 2. During the interim between meetings of the Board of Directors, an Executive Committee consisting of the retiring president, the president, the president-elect, and such other directors or administrative officers as the Board of Diretors may designate shall act on behalf of the Board of Directors. All actions taken by the Executive Committee shall be submitted for review and action at the next following meeting of the Board of Directors.
Section 3. The Investment and Finance Committee shall advise the Board of Directors regarding purchases and sales of securities for the Association, shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors on financial questions, and shall have the authority to buy or sell securities under such limitations as the Board of Directors may set. The Investment and Finance Committee shall consist of the treasurer, the administrative secretary, and five (5) members appointed by the Board of Directors. Each appointed member shall serve a term of five (5) years, the term of one member expiring on January 14 of each year. Each shall serve until his successor shall have taken office.
Section 4. The Committee on Affiliation and Association shall review applications for affiliation or association with the Association and make recommendations thereon to the Board of Directors. The committee shall consist of five (5) members appointed by the Board of Directors. Each member shall serve a term of five (5) years, the term of one member to expire on January 14 of each year. Each shall serve until his successor shall have taken office.
Section 5. The Publications Committee shall give continuing scrutiny to the publications of the Association and the policies pertaining thereto and shall make recommendations thereon to the Board of Directors. The committee shall consist of five (5) men appointed by the Board of Directors. Each member shall serve a term of five (5) years, the term of one member to expire on January 14 of each year. Each shall serve until his successor shall have taken office.
Constitution-Article VI
Section 1. The Association shall be organized in sections in accordance with the fields of interest of its members, as determined by the Council. Each member of the Association may designate the section in which he wishes to be enrolled and may designate one additional section in which he is interested.
Section 2. The vice president for a Section shall be ex officio chairman of that Section.
Section 3. The affairs of each Section shall be managed by a section committee consisting of (a) the chairman and the secretary of the Section; (b) other members of the Council whose professional interests are in the field covered by the section or who represent societies affiliated with the section; and (c) four (4)Fellows, one elected each year by the section committee for a term of four (4) years. No person shall serve concurrently in more than one section committee. If an elected member of a section committee shall have resigned or died, his successor for the remainder of the unexpired term shall be elected from among the Fellows by the Board of Directors from nominations made by the section committee. One-third of the members of a section cshall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 4. The section committee of each section shall promote the work of the Association in its own field and may organize subcommittees for that purpose. It shall arrange such section programs as it shall deem desirable for meetings of the Association, either separately or in cooperation with other sections of the Association or with independent societies. With the approval of the Board of Directors, a section committee may arrange section meetings to be held at places and times other than those of Association meetings.
Bylaws-Article VI
Section 1. Council representatives of affiliated organizations which are not specifically related to an established section of the Association may be assigned to section committees in accordance with their requests.
Constitution-Article VII
Section 1. Regional divisions and local branches of the Association may be authorized by vote of the Council, for the purpose of promoting the work of the Association in their respective territories.
Section 2. Each regional division or local branch shall elect its officers for such terms as it shall prescribe and shall hold its meetings and conduct its affairs as it shall deem desirable, subject to the relevant provisions of this Constitution and of the Bylaws of the Association, and to such special provisions as the Council of the Association shall have established.
Bylaws-Article VII
Section 1. Regional divisions authorized by the Council have full control of their meetings, of their affiliations with other scientific organizations, and of all activities to promote the advancement of science in their territory.
Section 2. The Pacific Division (organized in 1915) includes members of the Association resident in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and the Hawaiian Islands.
Section 3. The Southwestern Division (organized in 1920) includes members of the Association resident in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Sonora, Chihuahua, and Texas west of the 100th meridian.
Section 4. The Alaska Division (organized in 1951) includes members of the Association resident in Alaska.
Section 5. Each division shall receive for its expenses an annual allowance not to exceed one dollar for each of its members in good standing and shall make an annual report to the Board of Directors covering the financial situation and other activities.
Constitution-Article VIII
Section 1. To facilitate cooperation between the Association and other organizations, and among the latter, the Council may, on the recommendation of the Board of directors, elect an organization to be an official affiliate.
Section 2. Each organization thus designated an affiliate shall be entitled to name one Fellow of the Association to represent it in the Council; if it has more than 100 members who are Fellows of the Association, it shall be entitled to name an additional Fellow of the Association to represent it in the Council.
Section 3. On recommendation of the Board of Directors, the Council may elect an organization to be an official associate. Associated organizations shall have the same rights and privileges as affiliated organizations except for representation on the Council.
Bylaws-Article VIII
Section 1. The names of affiliated and associated organizations shall be published from time to time as directed by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Affiliated academies of science shall receive for research an annual allowance of fifty cents for each of their members who is also a member in good standing of the Association. The minimum annual allowance shall be fifty dollars. If any academy fails to utilize the research funds made available to it in any one year, these funds shall revert to the Association's treasury on December 31 of the second calendar year following the year in which the allowance was computed.
Constitution-Article IX
Section 1. The Association shall hold an annual meeting each year at such time and place as the Board of Directors shall have determined. Other meetings of the Association or of its sections may be authorized by the Board of Directors.
Bylaws-Article IX
Section 1. The programs and arrangements for the Association meetings shall be under the general direction of the Board of Directors.
Constitution-Article X
Section 1. The publicatios of the Association shall be issued in such manner as the Board of Directors may direct.
Bylaws-Article X
Section 1. The publications of the Association shall be (a) Science, (b) The Scientific Monthly, (c) Proceedings, and (d) such other special publications as the Board of Directors may direct.
Section 2. The Association shall not be responsible for statements or opinions advanced in papers or in discussions at meetings of the Association or its sections, divisions, branches, or printed in its publications.
Section 3. The Association reserves the right to copyright, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, any of its papers, discussions, reports, or publications.
Constitution-Article XI
Section 1. Funds of the Association shall be classified as Current Funds, Investment Funds, and Trust Funds.
(a) Current Funds shall include all dues of annual members, all receipts from publications and all other funds received in the continuing operations of the Association.
(b) Investment Funds shall include all gifts and bequests received without special restriction concerning the use to be made of principal and income, and such other funds as may be designated by the Board of Directors as investment funds.
(c) Trust Funds shall consist of all life-membership contributions, all sustaining membership contributions, all funds appropriated by the Board of Directors for establishing special life memberships, all gifts and bequests accepted with specific restrictions prohibiting their allotment to either Current Funds or Investment Funds, and all other funds designated by the Board of Directors as Trust Funds.
Section 2. The deposit, investment, and disbursement of all funds shall be subject to the direction of the Board of Directors.
Bylaws-Article XI
Section 1. All funds shall be paid into the business office of the administrative secretary, where they shall be entered in the books of the Association, and deposited in a bank designated by the Board of Directors. The treasurer shall be the custodian of all Investment Funds, Trust Funds, and such other funds as may be placed n his charge by the Board of Directors. The administrative secretary shall be the custodian of the current funds.
Section 2. All bills against members and others shall be made and collected by the business office of the administrative secretary.
Section 3. All expenditures shall be made in accordance with the budget of appropriations as adopted by the Board of Directors.
Section 4. All payments shall be made by the business office upon competent certification as to their corrections and proper authorization.
Section 5. Checks against the accounts of the Association will bear two signatures, from a list of individuals determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 6. The securities of the Association may be bought, sold, or exchanged only upon the written order of two of the following: the chairman of the Investment and Finance Committee, the vice-chairman of the Investment and Finance Committee, the treasurer, and the administrative secretary.
Section 7. The business office of the administrative secretary shall keep proper accounts of all financial transactions of the Association.
Section 8. The accounts of the Association shall be audited and approved annually by a certified public accountant selected by the Board of Directors.
Section 9.The administrative secretary shall have the authority to enter into contracts for the Association, but contract authorization must be within the budget authorizations made by the Board of Directors.
Section 10. The activities of the Gordon Research Conference shall be administered according to procedures established by the Board of Directors.
Constitution-Article XIII
Section 1. Amendments to this constitution shall be approved by the Board of Directors after publication in substance in Science and The Scientific Monthly at least one month prior to an annual meeting of the Association and ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Council members present in a Council session of that meeting. Ratified amendments shall be effective upon adoption and shall be published promptly in Science and The Scientific Monthly.
Bylaws-Article XII
The bylaws may be amended by majority vote of the Board of Directors, provided notification of the proposed amendment has been mailed to each member of the Board at least twenty (20) days prior to the meeting.