STATUTES AND BY-LAWS OF THE EUROPEAN BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS SOCIETY (EBRS)

I. OBJECT OF THE SOCIETY

Article I.1
The European Biological Rhythms Society was originally constituted as the European Pineal Study Group in Amsterdam on November 22, 1978 and was extended to the current form in September 5, 2005. The EBRS aims to promote research on biological rhythms – in its broadest sense – in Europe by …
a) … facilitating interactions and collaborations between different scientists, teams, and institutions working on biological rhythms;
b) … propagating the importance of Biological Rhythms Research to scientists outside of our field, to the general public and to funding agencies;
c) … providing education and training to postgraduate and postdoctoral students,
d) … sending out periodically a newsletter to all members,
e) … organising regular conferences or symposia on biological rhythms,
f) … all other legitimate means that will help the society to attain its objectives.

II. COMPOSITION

Article II.1- Members, Board, and General Assembly EBRS consists of ordinary members, emeritus members, supporting members and honorary members. All members are invited to take part in the biannual General Assembly (see Statute IV). The activities of EBRS are governed by the Board (see Statute III).
Article II.2 - Ordinary members All scientists, actively researching Biological Rhythms, may apply for ordinary membership. Applications for ordinary membership must be accompanied by a recommendation of at least two current ordinary EBRS members and have to be approved by the EBRS Board by a simple majority. Rights and duties of ordinary members:
a) Ordinary members may attend all congresses and symposia organised by EBRS;
b) Ordinary members may present papers or show posters at the congresses and symposia;
c) Ordinary members may attend the General Assembly and have full voting rights in its decisions;
d) Ordinary members have the right to be elected as members of the Board;
e) Ordinary members shall pay a biannual membership fee; its amount being based on a proposal by the Treasurer and decided by the General Assembly.

Article II.3 - Emeritus members An ordinary member who has retired can apply to the EBRS Board for Emeritus status. The Board’s decision will be based on a simple majority. Rights and duties of emeritus members:
a) Emeritus members may attend all congresses and symposia organised by EBRS;
b) Emeritus members may present papers or show posters at the congresses and symposia;
c) Emeritus members may attend General Assembly but have no voting rights in its decisions;
d) Emeritus members cannot be elected as members of the Board;
e) Emeritus members are exempt from paying a biannual membership fee.

Article II.4 - Supporting members Supporting members are persons or representatives of organisations either regularly contributing the biannual fees or having given at least one substantial donation to EBRS. A substantial donation is considered to exceed 30 biannual fees. Rights and duties of supporting members:
a) Supporting members may attend all congresses and symposia organised by EBRS;
b) Supporting members may present papers or show posters at the satellite symposium they organize in conjunction with the Congress for which they pay the conference fees;
c) Supporting members may attend General Assembly but have no voting rights in its decisions;
d) Supporting members cannot be elected as members of the Board;

Article II.5 - Honorary members Members can suggest the nomination of Honorary members. The applications should be made to the Board and if the Board agrees, a proposal will be made to the next General Assembly, which will decide by simple majority. Honorary members can be ordinary members or emeritus members of EBRS, but also non-members, who distinguished themselves in the field of Biological Rhythms or closely related fields. Rights and duties of honorary members:
a) Honorary members may attend all congresses and symposia organised by EBRS;
b) Honorary members may present papers or show posters at the congresses and symposia, if they pay the conference fees;
c) Honorary members may attend the General Assembly but have no voting rights in its decisions;
d) Honorary members cannot be elected as members of the Board;
e) Honorary members are exempt from paying a biannual membership fee.

III. ADMINISTRATION

The activities of EBRS are governed by the Board, which is responsible to the General Assembly.

Article III.1 – Composition of the Board The Board consists of the president, the vice-president, the secretary, the treasurer and six ordinary members. The president, the vice-president, the secretary, the treasurer and four of the ordinary members must be working as scientists in a European country, but do not necessarily have to have European nationality. Two additional Board members are selected from ordinary members, who do NOT work as scientists in a European country. The Board is supported by an Advisory Board, which consists of former presidents.

Article III.2 – Election of the Board All board members will be elected – upon the proposal of a nominating committee – by ballot of the EBRS members, who have voting rights by simple majority. The nominating committee consists of the acting president and vice-president, and three ordinary members of the society.

Article III.3 – Term of the Board All Board members, including president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer are elected for a period of four years. The vice-president will become president, after one four-year term for the next period. Except for the president/vice-president, all Board members may be re-elected and may serve as secretary or treasurer for more than one term.

Article III.4 – President The president is the legal representative of EBRS. On consultation with the president, the vice-president may act as such. The vice-president will become president in the event the president cannot fulfil his/her function. The EBRS Board can impeach the president before the end of his/her term by a two-third majority.

IV. ASSEMBLIES AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS

Article IV.1 - General Assembly The Society shall meet in a General Assembly once every two years in conjunction with the biannual EBRS conferences. For special reasons, the President, with the consent of the Board, may summon an extraordinary session of the General Assembly; the President shall also call such a session at the request of one-third of the members.

Article IV.2 – Agenda of the General Assembly The agenda for any session of the General Assembly shall be drawn up by the Board and sent to all members at least one month prior to the date of the Assembly. Business matters not included in the agenda shall not be discussed in the General Assembly, save with the consent of at least two-thirds of the members present.

Article IV.3 – Voting procedures of the General Assembly At the General Assembly, questions of scientific or administrative nature shall be decided by a simple majority of votes of the ordinary members present and voting. In the case of a tie, the vote of the President decides.

Article IV.4 – EBRS Congress A scientific congress will be organised at biannual intervals in a European country. The biannual congress is a scientific meeting of an interdisciplinary character. Participants are EBRS members or scientists involved or having been involved in research pertaining to different fields of biological rhythms. The organisation of the EBRS congresses will be the responsibility of a local committee, which is selected by the Board. The chairman of the local committee will be an EBRS member and will be responsible for the scientific programme. The current President has the first right to act as chairman of the local committee.

Article IV.5 – EBRS Symposia Scientific meetings can also be symposia (pertaining to a special field of biological rhythm) organised by EBRS members. Such symposia can be organised at irregular intervals on the request of 20 EBRS members. In exceptions, symposia can also be organised in a non- European country by EBRS members. The Board decides by simple majority about the suggestions for Symposia and may support members organising such symposia.

V. BUDGET

Article V.1 The revenues of EBRS consist of:
a) the bi-annual membership fees of the ordinary members;
b) grants from governments, governmental and non-governmental organisations, and persons supporting the activities of the Society;
c) annual contributions or donations of supporting members;
d) interest from capital.

Article V.2 The treasurer shall prepare a budget estimate for the period between the two General Assemblies. The General Assembly shall appoint two members of those present to audit the accounts, presented by the treasurer.

Article V.3 Ordinary members whose membership fees have been in arrears for four consecutive years shall, after due notice from the treasurer, be regarded as having resigned from the EBRS. In special cases, the Board may decide to depart from this rule.

Article V.4 Funds derived from donations shall be used by the Society in accordance with the expressed wishes of the donors, if any. Funds not specially earmarked by the donors shall be added to the general funds of the Society.

VI. REGULATIONS

Article VI.1 The General Assembly may draw up regulations relating to the conduct of its business, including delegation of powers to the members of the Board, on all matters not provided for in the Statutes.

Article VI.2 Amendments to the present Statutes may be proposed by the Board or by at least twenty of the ordinary members. For adoption by the General Assembly, an affirmative vote of two thirds of the ordinary present and voting is required. An amendment that fails to pass the first time may be subjected to a vote by mail (postal or electronic), resubmitted to the next following General Assembly and adopted if it gains two-thirds of the total votes cast either by mail or in person.

BY-LAWS

I. ELECTION OF THE BOARD AND NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Article BL-I.1 The President is charged with the conduct of the Board meetings and of the General Assembly. In his absence, the vice-president shall be designated as the alternative. In emergencies, the President is entitled to take action, in consultation with one of the other Board members, subject to the approval of the next Board meeting.

Article BL-I.2 The secretary shall conduct the general correspondence of the Society, keep the files, organize and convene the meetings of the Board and the General Assemblies, and record the minutes of the Board meetings and of the General Assemblies. At the General Assembly, he/she shall deliver a report on the activities of the Society during the past two-year period.

Article BL-I.3 The treasurer shall control, under his/her personal responsibility, all financial resources of the Society. He/she shall collect the membership fees and donations, and invest the funds in consultation with the Board. In the General Assembly the treasurer shall deliver a financial accounting of the past two-year period with supporting evidence, and give budget estimates for the next period between two General Assemblies. For expenditures other than those provided for in the budget estimate he/she will need the authorization of the Board.

II ASSEMBLIES

Article BL-II.1 The minutes of the Board meetings shall be sent to all members of the Board. They shall be submitted for approval at the next Board meeting. The minutes of the General Assemblies shall be sent to all members of the Society. They shall be submitted for approval at the next General Assembly.