September 2013


CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
OF THE
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF TIME

Adopted at Williamstown, Massachusetts, 1 September 1974, and amended at Alpbach, Austria, 9 July 1979, at Castello di Gargonza, Italy, 9 July 1983, at Dartington Hall, Devon, England, 10 July 1986 and at East Glacier Park, Montana, U.S.A., 15 July 1989, by mail ballot August 1994, by mail ballot via the newsletter August 2001, by mail ballot via the newsletter August 2004, by online election, May 2008, August 2010, and September 2013.

PREAMBLE

The International Society for the study of Time originated in a proposal by J.T. Fraser that was discussed at a conference on “Inter-disciplinary Perspectives of Time” held by the New York Academy of Sciences in January 1966. It was unanimously agreed that an international society should be formed on an interdisciplinary basis with the object of’ stimulating interest in all problems concerning time and that this object could best be obtained by means of conferences held at regular intervals. G.J. Withrow was elected President, J.T. Fraser Secretary, and M.S. Watanabe Treasurer. It was agreed that the organization of the First Conference of the newly formed Society be left to a committee of these three officers, on the understanding that they would invite authorities on the role of time in the various special sciences and humanities to form an Advisory Board to assist them.

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of the society shall be the “International Society for the Study of Time.”

ARTICLE II – OBJECT

The object of the Society shall be to encourage the interdisciplinary study of time in all its aspects. This object is to be achieved through the dissemination of information, especially by (a) the organization of conferences, (b) publication of selected papers from those conferences, and (c) any other means that further the goals of the Society. To accomplish the Society’s purposes the Council may permit professional societies dedicated to the study of time in a specialized intellectual discipline to become affiliated with the Society upon such terms as the Council may deem best, subject to the provision of Article II of the Bylaws concerning the interdisciplinary character of the Society’s conferences.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

All those who have been invited and have prepared papers to deliver to the Society at one of its conferences (even if circumstances have prevented the address from being delivered), and all those who, upon application, are accepted as members, will be invited to become Members of the Society.

ARTICLE IV – REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIPS

The requirements for memberships will be established by the council, and may include evidence of professional standing or demonstrable projects of interest concerning time such that membership is likely to benefit both the Society and the potential member.

ARTICLE V – THE COUNCIL

The Council shall be the legal authority of the Society and in this capacity shall have and hold all its property and funds. It shall be responsible for its budget, shall form the Society’s general policies, and shall assist the Officers in arranging for meetings, publications, financial support and other similar activities. No formal invitations to address the Society shall be issued without its approval. The Council shall consist of the Officers as specified in Article VI, and the immediate past President, together with five at-large members of the society directly elected as provided in Article VII, together with the Editor(s) of the proceedings of the previous conference, the Managing Editor of the ISST journal KronoScope, and the Editor of the newsletter. Its decisions shall be by simple majority. The President, or in his/her absence, the Vice-President, shall preside at its meetings and shall not vote except when there is no majority.

ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS

  1. The Officers of the Society shall be a President, a Vice-President, an Executive Secretary, and a Treasurer, to be elected as provided in Article VII. The duties of the Officers shall be as provided in the Bylaws.
  2. In recognition of the work of J.T. Fraser in founding and sustaining the Society he shall be designated as the Society’s Founder in its correspondence and publications, and the title of Founder shall be reserved for J.T. Fraser exclusively.

ARTICLE VII – ELECTION AND TENURE OF COUNCILORS AND OFFICERS

  1. Nominations for the Council and the Society’s offices shall issue from the Nominating Committee. The Committee shall consist of the President, the Executive Secretary, the Vice-President, and two members of the at-large council appointed by the president. The full council must approve the report of the nominating committee. The names of its members shall be published in a timely manner and nominations shall be solicited from the membership.
  2. At-Large Members of the Council shall be elected by the membership. Officers shall be identified by the Nominating Committee and presented to the Membership for approval. The editors of the journal, volume, and newsletter shall be appointed by the council. Elections will normally be held during the year of each conference. All members of the society will be polled by the Executive Secretary, and the decisions will be by simple majority of those voting. Members of the Council and Officers of the Society shall take office at the end of the conference following the election and shall serve until the end of the next conference.
  3. The tenure of Officers of the Society can be terminated by a majority vote of the council, the Officers in question not voting. If no conference is held during a five-year period, the terms of the society’s Officers shall expire. If the offices become vacant between elections, they shall be filled by action of the Council.

ARTICLE VIII – OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERSHIP

Every Member of the Society shall be ready to assist the Officers, council, and the various committees in discharging their duties to the Society.

ARTICLE IX – COMMITTEES

[Committees previously required were eliminated by the amendments of August 1994,

and this article currently contains no provisions]

ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS

  1. No part of this constitution or the Bylaws which follow shall be amended or annulled except as herein provided.
  2. The Council may propose amendments to either the Constitution or the Bylaws at any conference of the Society: if approved by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting an amendment is adopted. The Council may make such amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws or both as may be necessary to qualify the Society under the laws of the United States of America as a tax exempt organization, gifts to which are deductible or excludable for income, gift and estate tax purposes, provided that such amendments do not alter the Society’s purpose, structure or modes of procedure as set forth in the Constitution and Bylaws. The preceding sentence includes the authorization to change the form of the organization by converting it to a trust or a corporation, as may best suit the stated tax purpose.
  3. Amendments may originate also from other Members of the Society. At any business meeting, a vote of five of the Members present shall be sufficient to bring the proposed amendment to the floor. If it is approved by a majority, it is submitted to the Council for approval. If the Council approves, the amendment is adopted. If not, the proposers may instruct the Executive secretary to poll all Members of the Society, and if the amendment gains a two-thirds majority it is adopted.
  4. Amendments may be initiated at any time by any fifteen members of the Society providing the Executive Secretary with a signed written copy of the proposed amendment and instructing the Executive Secretary to poll all members of the Society. If approved by two-thirds majority of all members voting after all members have been polled by the Executive Secretary and given opportunity to vote, an amendment is adopted.

BYLAWS

ARTICLE I – DUES

The Council shall be empowered to fix annual dues for Members. No assessment, however, shall apply so as to exclude from membership anyone who has satisfied the Council as to inability to pay. If the dues of any Member not exempted by the Council remain unpaid for more than one year, the Executive Secretary, after due notice, may remove the Member’s name from the membership list.

ARTICLE II – CONFERENCE

Conferences for the presentation and discussion of papers on various aspects of time shall be held at intervals of a few years at the discretion of the Council. In preparing conference programs, the Council shall respect the society’s interdisciplinary character, and there shall be no conference of the Society devoted to discussions within a single intellectual discipline. Attendance at conferences shall be open to all Members of the Society.

ARTICLE III – BUSINESS MEETINGS

A business meeting shall be held during each conference to hear reports from the Officers and to transact any other business that shall be brought to the attention of the presiding officer. It shall be open to all who have attended the conference, but only those who are currently Members of the Society shall be eligible to vote.

ARTICLE IV – DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

  1. The President shall preside at meetings of the Council and the Nominating Committee, and at conferences and business meetings that come within his/her term of office. He/she shall perform such other functions as are provided in this Constitution and Bylaws.
  2. The Vice-President shall be responsible for the acceptance and processing of new members to the society, and preside at conferences or the meetings of the Council in the President’s absence.
  3. The Executive Secretary shall maintain the membership lists of the Society and shall serve as secretary to the Council and committees of which he/she is a member. He/she shall be responsible for correspondence, for elections, and for notifying the members of the times and places of all conferences. He/she shall supply a list of the Society’s Members, together with addresses, to any Member requesting such a list.
  4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the Society’s finances. He/she shall prepare and submit to the Council annually and to the Society at every business meeting a report on the financial conditions of the society and perform such other duties as are usual to the office. He/she shall receive and disburse the Society’s money, maintaining an account for the purpose in a bank or trust company approved by the Council.

ARTICLE V – PERPETUATION OF THE SOCIETY

If no conference is called during a period of six years, a new Council may be elected by letter ballot by majority vote of the Members of the Society. Such ballots shall contain eight names, be signed by five members of the Society, and shall be sent to every Member. A Council so elected shall select Officers and shall fill the committees of the Society to serve until the next business meeting.