By-laws

The following are the by-laws of the Society for Research on Adolescence as of January 1, 2006.

Article I. Name and Purpose
The name of this non-profit organization is the Society for Research on Adolescence. The purpose of this multidisciplinary Society shall be: (1) to promote the understanding of adolescence through research and dissemination; (2) to provide a forum for faculty, scientists, professionals, and student researchers interested in adolescence. The corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, religious or scientific purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Article II. Localization of Principal Office
The principal office of the Society is determined by the Council of the Society.

Article III. Membership
(1) The membership of the Society shall consist of Full Members, New Professional and Emeritus Members, and Student Members (non-journal option available). Any individual who is judged by the Membership Committee as having contributed to or furthered research in adolescent development shall be eligible for membership. In addition, professionals interested in research on adolescence are eligible for membership.
(2) Students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate study qualify for Student membership. Student, Non-Journal membership is reserved for those individuals enrolled in undergraduate or graduate study who do not wish to receive the Journal of Research on Adolescence.
(3) New Professionals are those individuals who have graduated from their respective programs of study within the last two years. New Professionals may not exceed two years of membership in this category. Emeritus members are individuals who have retired but wish to keep an active membership in the Society; there is no term limit for this membership category.
(4) On all matters calling for action by the membership of the Society, each member (Full, New Professional, Emeritus, Student, or Student, Non-Journal) shall have one vote. No voting by proxy shall be allowed. All issues requiring a vote of the membership shall be completed at the business meeting of the Biennial Meeting or via electronic and/or mail ballot as deemed appropriate by the Council.

Article IV. Officers
(1) The elected officers of the Society shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Past President, four elected Council Members-at-large, one appointed Council Member-at-large, an International Representative, a student representative, and an alternate student representative to Council. The President-Elect shall serve for two years, and shall then serve as President for two more years. Past-presidents shall serve for two additional years. The Society's membership shall elect four members-at-large to the Council, each of whom shall serve for a four-year term. Two of these members-at-large shall be chosen before each Biennial Meeting so that two individuals serve overlapping terms. The appointed Council Member-at-large shall be appointed by the Council to serve a four year term. The Council shall also include an International Representative elected by the Society’s membership for a four-year term. Candidates for International Representative must be non-U.S. citizens. The International Representative is responsible for specific duties unique to this position in addition to the obligations of a Council Member. Non-U.S. citizens may also be elected or appointed as Council Members-at-large. Council Members-at-large and the International Representative can serve no more than two consecutive terms on Council. The Council shall also include a voting student representative and an alternate student representative. The term of the student representative and alternate shall be four-year terms, with one being elected every two years to fill the four-year position. Elected representatives will serve their first two years as alternate student representative, followed by two years as voting student representative. In this way, the two student representatives will overlap their terms to facilitate continuity of service. The student representative and alternate shall attend council meetings. Student representatives shall be permitted to complete the two-year term of office even if they finish graduate studies before the term expires.

Article V. Nominations Elections, and Appointments
(1) The President-Elect, Elected Council Members-at-large of the Council , International Representative to Council, Student Representative and Alternate Student Representative shall be elected by the members of the Society via electronic and/or mail ballot using a simple ranking system. The person(s) receiving the highest ranking is elected.
(2) The new officers and members of the Council shall assume their offices at the end of the Biennial Meeting of the Society held in the year in which they are elected. New officers and members who are appointed to office to fill a vacancy in the Council membership shall assume their offices immediately upon appointment.
(3) The Nominations Committee shall solicit suggestions for nominations electronically or by mail from the membership for the offices of President-Elect, elected Council Members-at-large, International Representative, and Student Representatives to the Council. The Nominations Committee shall select the final slate of candidates. This selection shall be guided by the suggestions of the membership and any policy guidelines as may be set down by the Council. Selections should reflect the diversity of interests and backgrounds of the membership and the goals of the Society. In every third election, the ballot for President will be limited to individuals whose primary discipline is not in psychology. The Nominations Committee shall ascertain the willingness of the nominees to serve if elected. The election ballot shall contain the names of at least two nominees for each position, as well as spaces for write-in candidates. The Nominations Committee shall submit the slate of candidates to the Executive Office who will conduct the election electronically or by mail in accord with any policy guidelines as may be set down by the Council.
(4) A new appointed Council Member-at-large shall be appointed every four years. This shall be done following the election of other Council members and prior to the Biennial Meeting of the Society held that year. This appointment shall be made by a vote of the Council members. The Council shall seek to appoint a person to this position in order to provide representation to diverse groups within the membership that have not achieved representation on the Council through this or recent prior elections. The appointed Council Member-at-large shall assume office at the end of the Biennial Meeting.
5) Unless otherwise specified in these articles, the President may recommend the appointment of individuals to specific posts. Such appointments are subject to approval of the Council.

Article VI. Meetings
(1) The Society shall meet biennially pursuant to its purposes.
(2) At each Biennial Meeting of the Society, there shall be at least one business meeting at which the officers and members of the Council shall report to the Society and respond to questions from the membership.
(3) Special business meetings of the Society shall be held at any time upon call of Council or upon the call of one-fifth of the electorate of the Society. Council shall determine the time and place of such meetings. Notice, in writing, for every regular or special business meeting shall be mailed to each member of the Society no fewer than 30 days before such meetings, and if for a special meeting, such notice shall state the object or objects thereof.
(4) The Council of the Society shall meet at least once a year at the time of the Biennial meeting of the Society or at the time of the Biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, or at other appropriate times. The President, Executive Office, and the Chairpersons of all standing committees shall report in writing to the Council annually.

Article VII. Committees
(1) The President, in consultation with Council, shall appoint ad hoc committees from time to time to facilitate the functions of the Society. The President shall also appoint, in consultation with Council, new Chairpersons to standing committees when a Chairperson’s term has ended or when necessary due to vacancy.
(2) The Council shall serve as the Committee on Committees assisting in the solicitation of nominations for committee chairs. The Committee on Committees shall submit a slate of candidates for Committee Chair positions to the President and shall approve appointments to committees as recommended by the President. It shall also review policies and procedures for committee membership, length of terms, and related issues. A member of Council shall be designated as the Chair of this committee.
(3) In keeping with the goals of the Society to encourage diversity in interests and backgrounds of the membership and governing officials, Ad hoc and Standing Committees should make every attempt to include members of different backgrounds and experiences. All committees of the Society should include a student member.
(4) The Nominations Committee shall be responsible for soliciting nominations and approving a slate of candidates for the Society's elected offices. The Nominations Committee shall consist of two Council members and two members of the Society approved by Council upon recommendation of the President. The Past-President shall serve as chairperson of the Committee. The term of all members of this committee shall be two years.
(5) The Program Committee shall be responsible for the planning and conduct of the Society's Biennial Meeting within such policy guidelines as may be adopted by the Council. The Program Committee shall consist of at least three members approved by the Council upon recommendation of the President. The President will appoint the Program Chair, and with the Program chair will appoint the local Program Chairperson. Sub-committees will be appointed as deemed necessary to conduct the Biennial Meeting. The Program Committee generally includes the President, the Program Chairperson, and the Local Program Chairperson. The Program Committee issues meeting announcements, the call for papers, and the program book for the meeting in advance of the meeting in collaboration with the Executive Office.
(6) The Membership Committee shall be responsible for activities related to membership within such guidelines as may be set down by the Council. The Membership Committee shall consist of at least three members approved by Council upon the recommendation of the President. The International Representative shall serve as a member of this committee.
(7) The Publications Committee shall be responsible for the planning and conduct of the Society's Publication Program within such guidelines as may be set down by Council. The Committee is responsible for reviewing existing publications, evaluation of proposals for major modifications in a publication and for establishment of a new publication. In addition, the Committee shall be responsible for working with the publisher of the journal. The Publications Committee shall consist of at least three members approved by Council upon recommendation of the President.
(8) The Awards Committee shall be responsible for the selection and dispersal of the awards of the Society. The committee is responsible for soliciting nominations for awards through the Society newsletter or other appropriate media. The Awards Committee shall consist of the chairperson and at least three members approved by Council upon recommendation of the President.
(9) The Finance Committee shall be responsible for annual review and planning of the financial concerns of the Society. The committee shall make recommendations to Council on investment of Society assets, and the accrual of revenues (e.g., membership dues). The Finance Committee shall consist of a member of Council, and at least one other member. The activity of this committee requires expertise in financial management and as such committee membership is limited; a student representative will not be included on this committee.
(10) The Research, Policy, and Public Information Committee shall be responsible for developing activities of the Society that address issues of public policy related to adolescents and the social contexts in which they develop (e.g., families, schools, neighborhoods). This committee shall make recommendations to Council for activities that promote dissemination of basic and applied research to multiple audiences (e.g., policy-makers, educators, parents). This committee shall also select and disperse, in collaboration with the Awards Committee, awards for written work on adolescence that has specific relevance to public policy. This Committee shall consist of the Chairperson, a member of Council, and several members from the Society. Attempts shall be made to select some committee members who can serve as liaisons with other organizations who have common goals and interests (e.g., a parallel committee of the Society for Research in Child Development).
(11) The Chairperson of each committee is responsible for providing annual reports of the year’s activities to the Executive Office for inclusion in the Council Briefing Book. Chairs will maintain rosters of committee members with date of member’s appointment and provide this information annually to the Committee on Committees and the President for review. Chairs will also maintain records of activities and process to be forwarded to the next chair at the end of the chair’s term.

Article VIII. Dues
(1) Changes in annual dues and assessments of any special dues shall be decided by a majority vote of Council. The membership of the Society shall be notified of such changes in timely fashion.
(2) Dues are collected annually for each calendar year.

Article IX. Amendments
(1) Amendments to these By-laws may be adopted by the Society by a simple majority vote of the membership via electronic and/or mail ballot or by voice vote held during the business meeting of the Biennial Meeting. It is necessary that each proposed amendment has been first either presented and read at the preceding business meeting or published on the website or in the newsletter of the Society at least two months prior to final vote. Review and adoption of a revision of the By-laws shall follow these same procedures.
(2) Amendments may be proposed by Council or by a petition of at least ten percent of the electorate of the Society.

Article X. Dissolution
Upon the dissolution of the corporation, the Council shall, after paying or making provisions for payment of all the liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all the assets of the corporation exclusively for the purpose of the corporation in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes or shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501 (c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Council shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the Executive Office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.