INTECOL: Statutes

Statutes of The International Association for Ecology

(INTECOL)

Dear Members: Please note that these Statutes are currently being revised by the Board in light of converting the Association's administration to a web-based system.

P1 Name and seat of the association

1. The association shall carry the name International Association for Ecology (INTECOL). It is entered into the "Vereinsregister" of the district court of the city of Osnabrueck. After registration it carries the attribute "registered association" (eingetragner Verein) in the abbreviated form "e.V."

2. The association is affiliated with the ICSU family of scientific organizations as the section responsible for general ecology within the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS).

P2 Aims of the Association

1. The association pursues exclusively and directly goals of public utility as specified in the section of     tax exempt activities of the revenue regulation.

2. The association will assist and/or support the following:
   a) the development of the science of ecology and the application of ecological principles to global        problems, especially by assisting international cooperation;
   b) the collection, evaluation and distribution of information about ecology;
   c) national, regional and international actions which will serve ecological research, training of        personal, coordination of general publications of ecological principles and the recognition of the        importance of ecology for economy and society;
   d) the organization of conferences, meetings, symposia, programs and projects, conduct of speaking-        series, publication of manuscripts, and measures which are deemed necessary to reach the goals        of the association.

P3 Non-profit status

The association operates as a non-profit organization and seeks no financial gain for it members.

P4 Insignia

The association uses for its identification the acronym INTECOL.

P5 Membership

1. The association distinguishes the following membership types
   a) ordinary members;
   b) associate members, by associating regional and national associations of ecology;
   c) affiliate members, scientific institutions, organizations or corporations;
   d) honorary members.

2. The application for membership is to be sent to the executive board which decides about the     acceptance. The accepted member recognizes the statutes of the association.

3. Membership terminates
   a) by death;
   b) by renouncement in writing to the executive board;
   c) by expulsion through the board;
   e) if membership fees or other payments are overdue for more than one year and are not received        within 6 months after dunning. Expulsion requires 2/3 majority vote of the board. With the        termination of membership all demands from the association are lost.

P6 Rights and obligations of members

1. Members have the right to participate in the general assemblies of the association, to make proposals     and to cast their votes. Each member has one vote which he/she can cast only in person. He/she     may be elected for offices after reaching 18 years of age.

2. Members are obliged to pay their dues set by the general assembly monthly in advance. Honorary     members pay no dues.

3. Members receive published information such as newsletters, bulletins, and information about the     congresses of the association.

P7 The use of the financial resources of the association

1. The means of the association may only be used for objectives written in the statutes. The members receive no payment from the association.

2. No member may benefit from expenditures alien to the aims of the association or from extraordinarily high remunerations.

P8 Fiscal year

The fiscal year is the calendar year.

P9 Governance of the association

The governing bodies of the association are
   a) the general assembly (council);
   b) the executive board, consisting of the president, the general secretary, and the treasurer. The        association will be represented before court and otherwise by two members of the executive board,        normally by the president and the general secretary;
   c) the board, consisting of nine additional members which will be elected by the council with bare        majority taking into account adequate regional representation. The past president is always a        member of the board.

P10 The general assembly (council)

1. Every fourth year the general assembly will be called together in conjunction with the international     congress of the association. The invitation to the council meeting will be published in the newsletter at     least one year in advance.

2. Specified proposals to the council must come in writing to the executive board at least one month     before the event.

3. The council covers at least
   a) the report of the board;
   b) the report of the auditors;
   c) the clearing (discharge) of the board;
   d) acknowledging the election of the new board.

   The board will be elected for four years with bare majority. It will conduct the business of the    association until the next election. President, general secretary and treasurer will be elected separately    from the other board members.

   e) the election of two auditors.

   The auditors may not be board members. One re-election is possible. However, each time one auditor    must change.

   f) all changes of the statutes;
   g) decisions about the proposals entered;
   h) declaration of honorary members;
   i) dissolvement of the association

4. An extraordinary council meeting must be called if at least 1/3 of the ordinary members announce this    in writing and give the reason for such a meeting.

   Any ordinary and extraordinary council meeting may be competent when properly announced. It rules    over proposals with bare majority with the exception of changing statutes or dissolution of the    association. Each council meeting and resolutions passed require a protocol which needs to be    signed by the chairman and must be countersigned by one member of the executive board.

P11 Executive board and board

1. The executive board is responsible of the orderly administration of all offices and has to appoint    temporary replacements in case any member of the executive board is incapacitated.

2. Executive board and board are called together by the president and if he/she be absent, by the    general secretary. The invitation including the agenda should come ordinarily in writing three months in    advance. In exceptional cases, a deadline of one month serves. Executive board and board decide    with majority vote unless the statutes direct otherwise. In case of equal votes, the vote of the board    member presiding over the meeting decides.

3. Each session requires a written protocol which has to be signed by the presiding board member and    the keeper of protocol. The protocols are to be archived.

4. Members of executive board and board carry their offices honorarily.

P12 Changes of statues

1. Statute changes require a 3/4 majority of the members present, when at least 1/3 of the ordinary members are present.

2. If less-than 1/2 of the members are present, it is necessary to publish a proposed change of statutes in the newsletter of the society and the vote pro or contra the change must be sent to the general secretary. Of the ballots, 3/4 need to be positive.

P13 Liability

The association is liable only for such financial obligations which were caused by the executive board up to the amount of DM 5,000.00 for a single event. Engagements higher than DM 5,000.00 require
a majority agreement of the board.

P14 Dissolving the association

1. The dissolution of the association can be achieved only by an extra-ordinary council meeting in which 3/4 of the ordinary members vote positive. If less than 1/2 of all members are present, the procedure laid down in P12, 2 is to be allowed.

2. In case of dissolution or annulation of the association or in case its present purpose ceases to exist, its assets go to the Gessellschaft fur Okologie, which has to use it exclusively for purposes of public utility.

Berlin 31/7/1987
Revised by mail vote of membership 08/30/1996