Bylaws

The name of the Society is the Society for Social Neuroscience. The mission of the Society is to serve as an international, interdisciplinary, distributed gathering forum to advance and foster scientific training, research, and applications in the field of Social Neuroscience for the sake of humankind.

A prospective member can apply to join the Society by registering on the website. The Membership and Fellows Committee makes recommendations annually to the Board of Directors regarding the membership applicants. A simple majority of the Board of Directors is needed to approve an applicant for membership. A student who provides appropriate evidence of student status may apply to become a Student Member of the Society. Student members may vote in elections held by the Society.

The Membership and Fellows Committee also makes recommendations annually to the Board of Directors regarding members whose scientific contributions to Social Neuroscience warrant special distinction. A simple majority of the Board of Directors is needed to approve the designation of a member as a Fellow. Institutional memberships can also be approved by the Board of Directors. Member institutions will receive three free conference registrations, access to all online communications, the opportunity to submit announcements for possible posting in the listserv or on the website, and a free Exhibitors table at the annual meeting of the Society.

The Board of Directors shall exercise general supervision over the affairs of the Society, subject to the provisions of the Articles of the Bylaws.

The Board of Directors shall consist of twelve members elected for staggered terms of six years each. Three members of the Board will serve as the President-elect, the President, and the past President. In addition, the Secretary/Treasurer will serve on the Board (as defined in Article IV). Elected members of the Board of Directors may not succeed themselves. Upon request, the Secretary/Treasurer shall serve one additional year on the Board to provide continuity with new Secretary/Treasurer.

The Board of Directors shall from time to time appoint ad hoc committees as it deems necessary to conduct the affairs of the Society.

The officers of the Society shall be the President of the Board of Directors and the Secretary/Treasurer.

The officers of the Society shall be the President of the Board of Directors and the Secretary/Treasurer.

The Board of Directors elects the President. Except for the President-elect, President, past-President, and Secretary/Treasurer, the members of the Board of Directors are eligible for election as President. At least one month prior to the annual meeting of the Board of Directors, the Secretary/Treasurer will distribute a list of the members of the Board of Directors to all Board members, who will have 21 days to specify their first and second choices for President. Each first choice vote is worth two points, and each second choice vote is worth one point. The Secretary/Treasurer will tally the points received by each member in the election, and the member who receives the most points becomes the President-elect, effective at the beginning of the next annual Board meeting.

The term of the President shall be for six years, where the first two years are served as "President-elect", the second two years as President, and the third two years as "past President." The President must be a member of the Board of Directors at the time s/he becomes President-elect. The term of the Presidents as members of the Board of Director shall be extended if necessary to cover the whole of their period as President-elect, President, and past President. A President is limited to one term. The President shall preside at meetings of The Board of Directors and at the Business Meeting.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall be elected by the Board of Directors to serve a term of three years. Election is by a simple majority of the Board voting on the motion. The Secretary/Treasurer need not be a member of the Board of Directors when elected but serves as a voting member of the Board during the term as Secretary/Treasurer. The Secretary/Treasurer may be re-elected once, but may not serve more than six years. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining a list of the membership of the Society, the collection of dues and other assessments, the oversight of the Society website, the operations of the Society and oversight of Society Chapters, and the disbursement of funds as directed by The Board of Directors.

The Standing Committees of the Society include the Program Committee, Awards Committee, Bylaws and Archives Committee, Convention Committee, Education and Training Committee, Finance Committee, Membership and Fellows Committee, Public Outreach Committee, Publications Committee, and Website Committee.

The Program Committee shall be responsible for the program of the Society’s annual meeting, with an emphasis on a program that represents the diverse disciplines, perspectives, methods, animal-models, and international nature of the Society.

The Awards Committee shall be responsible for making recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the recipients of awards designated by the Board of Directors. Members and nonmembers are eligible for the awards.

The Bylaws and Archives Committee shall be responsible for maintaining the history and records of the Society.

The Convention Committee shall serve as the primary contact between the Society and other bodies involved in running the scientific meetings. The Chair of the Convention Committee shall also be responsible for planning and coordinating all aspects of the Society’s annual meeting except for those dealing with the Program, and of other scientific meetings and events as determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

The Education and Training Committee shall be responsible for student affairs in the Society and for promoting scientific education and training, with an emphasis on representing the diverse disciplines, perspectives, methods, animal-models, and international nature of the field.

The Finance Committee shall be responsible for recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the investment and oversight of the assets of the Society. The Secretary/Treasurer serves as an ex-officio member of the Finance Committee.

The Membership and Fellows Committee shall be responsible for: (a) the review of membership applications and a list of applicants recommended for Society membership; and (b) a review of Society members and a list of members recommended for Society Fellows status. Both lists should be submitted to the Board of Directors prior to the annual meeting.

The Public Outreach Committee shall be responsible for advancing the mission of the Society through communications with the Public, media, and national and international agencies.

The Publications Committee shall be responsible for making recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the editing and publication of any Society books and/or journal(s).

The Website Committee shall be responsible for maintaining the Society’s website, and for making recommendations to the Board of Directors on ways to improve functionality to advance and foster scientific training, research, and applications in the field of Social Neuroscience.

The Chair-elect of the Program Committee is appointed by the President-elect. The term of this individual as Chair-elect, Chair, and past-Chair coincides with the appointing President’s term as President-elect, President, and past-President. The members of the Program Committee include but are not limited to the Program Committee Chair-elect, Chair, and past-Chair. Members of the Program Committee are proposed by the Chair of the Program Committee for approval by the appointing President. These additional members serve a term to coincide with the term of the Program Committee Chair.

The appointment of the remaining Committee Chairs is staggered, with approximately one third appointed each year by the President-elect for terms to begin at the Board meeting at which this individual becomes President. The term of the Chair and members of each of these committees is three years, with the possibility of no more than two consecutive terms. Members on each Committee are proposed by the Chair of the Committee for approval by the appointing President.

In the case of resignation or death of a Committee Chair, the President shall appoint a replacement Committee Chair to serve the remainder of the term.

The Board of Directors elects the President. Except for the President-elect, President, past-President, and Secretary/Treasurer, the members of the Board of Directors are eligible for election as President. At least one month prior to the annual meeting of the Board of Directors, the Secretary/Treasurer will distribute a list of the members of the Board of Directors to all Board members, who will have 21 days to specify their first and second choices for President. Each first choice vote is worth two points, and each second choice vote is worth one point. The Secretary/Treasurer will tally the points received by each member in the election, and the member who receives the most points becomes the President-elect, effective at the beginning of the next annual Board meeting.

The term of the President shall be for six years, where the first two years are served as "President-elect", the second two years as President, and the third two years as "past President." The President must be a member of the Board of Directors at the time s/he becomes President-elect. The term of the Presidents as members of the Board of Director shall be extended if necessary to cover the whole of their period as President-elect, President, and past President. A President is limited to one term. The President shall preside at meetings of The Board of Directors and at the Business Meeting.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall be elected by the Board of Directors to serve a term of three years. Election is by a simple majority of the Board voting on the motion. The Secretary/Treasurer need not be a member of the Board of Directors when elected but serves as a voting member of the Board during the term as Secretary/Treasurer. The Secretary/Treasurer may be re-elected once, but may not serve more than six years. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining a list of the membership of the Society, the collection of dues and other assessments, the oversight of the Society website, the operations of the Society and oversight of Society Chapters, and the disbursement of funds as directed by The Board of Directors.

Once each year, the Secretary/Treasurer shall canvass the membership for nominations of members to serve on The Board of Directors. Each member may nominate up to two members for each vacancy to be filled.

The candidates for the election will be selected by choosing those with the most nominations, who are willing to serve, up to a total of three times the number of vacancies. The Board of Directors may at its discretion nominate up to one person for each vacancy, which shall count toward the maximum total of three times the number of vacancies. The names shall be placed on an election ballot, which shall be circulated electronically to all members. Each member can cast as many votes as there are vacancies.

Each year, if there are fewer than three continents (defined by country of residence) represented by elected members of the Board of Directors whose terms on the board extend beyond that year, then the slate for the vacancies on the Board of Directors will be designated to achieve this distributed international representation.

Twenty-one days after the posting or circulation of the election ballot, the election shall be closed, and the ballots counted. The members receiving the greatest numbers of votes shall be elected to fill the vacancies on The Board of Directors. In case of ties, the President shall cast the deciding ballot. In such cases, consideration should be given to ensure the Board reflects the characteristics of the membership.

Typically, the terms of two Board of Directors expire each year. In the case of resignation, recall, or death of a member of The Board of Directors, the resulting special vacancy shall be filled at the time of the next scheduled election. The special vacancies shall be filled last, with the nominees receiving the most votes filling the regular vacancies. People elected to fill special vacancies shall only serve the unfilled term of office of that vacancy. However, those members are then eligible for re-election. In the event of a one-year vacancy, the Board of Directors may appoint a member to serve the unfilled term. In such cases, consideration should be given to ensure the Board reflects the characteristics of the membership.