Bylaws

ARTICLE I. Name, Authority, and Purpose

Section 1. The name of this society shall be the International Society for the Scientific Study of Subjectivity (ISSSS).

Section 2. The Society exists by the authority of the charter members.

Section 3. The purpose of the Society is to promote the scientific study of subjectivity.

Section 4. The headquarters for this Society shall be Columbia, Missouri.

ARTICLE II. Membership

Section 1. Membership in this Society is open to anyone interested in promoting the Society’s purpose.

Section 2. The membership of this Society shall be composed of those persons who pay membership dues to the Society.

ARTICLE III. Meetings

Section 1. An annual meeting shall be held at the time and place determined by the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Additional meetings may be scheduled by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IV. Executive Committee

Section 1. The elected officers of the Society shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Advisor and along with the Immediate Past President of the Society, will comprise the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The President shall provide business leadership to the Society. The President shall serve a three-year term.

Section 3. The Vice President shall perform the role of research chair for the conference including putting out the call for proposals, organizing proposal reviewers, and overseeing the proposal review process. The Vice President shall serve a one-year term, which shall be renewable.

Section 4. The Secretary shall perform the customary duties of that office and shall be responsible for internal record keeping and communication among the members. The Secretary shall (a) prepare minutes for business meetings, (b) coordinate with the Editor of Operant Subjectivity and the Vice President regarding sending conference summaries, announcements, and memorandums to members of the Society, and (c) channel appropriate information to other organizations, publications, and potential members. The Secretary shall serve a three-year term, which shall be renewable.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial matters of the Society. The Treasurer shall serve a three-year term, which shall be renewable.

Section 6. The Advisor shall be responsible, in cooperation with the Executive Committee and the Editor and any scholarship committee than may be established, for (a) presenting special recognition, awards, scholarships, and similar, offered by or on behalf of the Society, (b) fostering grant proposals, and (c) establishing procedures for effective promotion of scholarship in the field, internationally and through the professional development of members. The Advisor shall serve a three-year term, which shall be renewable.

ARTICLE V. Nonelected Officers

Section 1. The Honorary President shall act as consultant to the Society by providing philosophical leadership. The Honorary President of the organization shall be Charles Stephenson, son of the creator of Q methodology, William Stephenson. This position does not preclude the Honorary President from holding some other elective or appointed position.

Section 2. The Editor shall be responsible for the content and publication of the journal entitled Operant Subjectivity: The International Journal of Q Methodology. The Editor shall be responsible for establishing editorial and publication policies, selecting reviewers, and determining the review process. The Editor shall be appointed by and be accountable to the Executive Committee. The Editor shall be appointed for renewable three year terms.

Section 3. The Conference Host shall, in cooperation with the Vice President and other members of the Executive Committee, plan and host the annual conference of the Society. The Host shall be responsible for organizing a conference site, creating the conference schedule, and other matters necessary to ensure a successful conference. The Conference Host will be appointed for a one-year term, and shall be accountable to the Executive Committee.

Section 4. The Webmaster shall, in cooperation with the Executive Committee and Editor, maintain an internet site on behalf of the Society.

Section 5. The Executive Committee may, if deemed appropriate, appoint additional officers.

ARTICLE VI. Responsibilities of the Executive Committee and its Committees

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for any additional functions or needs of the Society not specifically delineated in these Bylaws. The Executive Committee has the power to enact any temporary or permanent sub-committees appropriate for the Society.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to act on behalf of the membership of the Society in emergency situations between annual meetings. Such actions may be subject to review by the membership at the next annual meeting.

Section 3. The Executive Committee shall conduct business management responsibilities for the Society, including (a) setting Society dues, (b) conducting Society business, (c) nominating officers, and (d) in cooperation with the Editor, overseeing permissions and access policies, and other non-editorial matters associated with Operant Subjectivity.

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall nominate at least one individual to fill each vacancy among the Officers of the Society. In all elections, additional nominations may be made from the membership of the Society. The Committee shall be responsible for election procedures (such as notifying Society members whether elections occur by mail or during annual conference meetings, collecting and counting votes). In the event of an office becoming vacant before a term is completed, the Executive Committee shall appoint an individual to perform the duties of that office until the next annual meeting.

Section 5. All new officers and committee members shall take office by the conclusion of the annual meeting at which they were elected or by the conclusion of the meeting closest to their election.

ARTICLE VIII. Parliamentary Authority

All meetings of the Society, its committees, or other subsidiary bodies shall be conducted by informal means, with the goal of group consensus. A member of the Society may at any time request a more formal approach in handling a particular issue or conducting an entire meeting. In either case, if a majority of those members present vote in favor of a more formal method, the body will be governed by the parliamentary rules and usages contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

ARTICLE VIII. Amendments
Section 1. Amendments to these Bylaws may be initiated by a majority of the Executive Committee or any two members of the Society.

Section 2. The membership of the Society must be notified of the proposed amendment prior to the annual meeting.

Section 3. The adoption of a proposed amendment will be automatic if no objection is raised to the amendment. Any objection must be raised within one month of the amendment notification to the membership or during the annual meeting (whichever comes first). If an objection is raised from a member of the Society to the Chair of the Society, the proposed amendment will require two-thirds majority vote (by mail ballot or of those present and voting at the annual meeting of the Society).

Rev. 2010
Prior revision dates: 2002