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BYLAWS
Article I: Chapter Name
Article II: Chapter Objectives
Article III: Chapter Membership
Article IV: Meetings of Members
Article V: Chapter Officers and Councillors
Article VI: Chapter Administration
Article VII: Chapter-Society Relationship
Article VIII: Chapter Committees
Article IX: Amendment of Bylaws
Article X: Chapter Dues and Finances
Article XI: Fiscal Year
Appendix I: Resolution on the Purpose of the ISES Europe Regional Chapter
ARTICLE I
Chapter Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the “Europe Regional Chapter of the International Society of Exposure Science" (hereinafter designated as ISES Europe and the Society).
Section 2. The geographical area of ISES Europe shall consist of the European continent and countries in close neighbourhood to Europe that are connected via bilateral or multilateral trade agreements with the European Union or non-EU countries in Europe.
Section 3. The address of ISES Europe shall be the office of the incumbent President.
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ARTICLE II
Chapter Objectives
The objectives of ISES Europe are to be consistent with the objectives of the Society. In particular, the objectives of ISES Europe are:
A. To foster and advance exposure science that is needed to safeguard European citizens from anthropometric and environment-related risks to health and well-being.
B. To foster integration and interaction of the various disciplines involved in exposure science.
C. To strengthen the impact of exposure science on human and environmental health policy.
D. To serve as the European focal point and platform for dialogue and exchange of information amongst members of the Chapter and other interested individuals from academia, government, and industry aiming at the identification of current and future scientific and policy needs and opportunities.
E. To trigger and support a European infrastructure to facilitate the sharing, generation and dissemination of exposure information (measured and model-predicted), knowledge and methodologies between relevant stakeholders such as academia, research institutes, policy makers, competent authorities and industry.
F. To promote the setting up of an Exposure Science Education Programme
G. To hold scientific and educational meetings and workshops.
H. To act as a resource for and provide support to the Society.
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ARTICLE III
Chapter Membership
Section 1. A member in good standing of the Society and residing or working within the geographic area of ISES Europe described in Article I shall automatically become a member of ISES Europe upon payment of ISES Europe dues. Chapter membership in good standing is dependent upon payment of ISES Europe dues for the current year within the same time limit as established for the Society.
Section 2. A person who is not a member of the Society, but has a professional interest in exposure science and environmental and health effects research may become an Associate non-voting ISES Europe member for up to two years. After that period, the Associate member is expected to join the Society to continue their participation in the activities of ISES Europe. The Society, in general, encourages and seeks broad participation from such disciplines as exposure science, toxicology, biochemistry, chemistry, analytical sciences, human biokinetics, biomonitoring, data storage, informatics, biostatistics, statistics, epidemiology, environmental fate and behaviour, ecology, risk assessment, and human and environmental health policy, among others. The Executive Committee of ISES Europe shall serve as the Committee on Admissions and shall be responsible for examining the credentials of prospective Associate members. Election to membership in ISES Europe under the provisions of this Section requires the approval of a majority of the voting members of the Executive Committee. Associate members shall not hold office and they are ineligible to vote in Chapter and Society matters.
Section 3. Full-time undergraduate and graduate students in colleges and universities that are located within the geographical domain of ISES Europe described in Article I may participate in the activities of ISES Europe as Associate non-voting student ISES Europe member without becoming a member of the Society for up to two years. After that period, the Associate non-voting student ISES Europe member is expected to join the Society to continue their participation in the activities of ISES Europe. ISES Europe and the Society, in general, encourage student participation. However, Associate student members may not hold office and are ineligible to vote on Chapter and Society matters.
Section 4. Termination of membership in ISES Europe is based on the same criteria listed in Article III, Section 4 of the Bylaws of the Society.
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ARTICLE IV
Meetings of Members
Section 1. One annual general business meeting of ISES Europe shall be held in person at which reports of the Officers shall be made. The time and place of the annual meeting together with the agenda shall be communicated to the membership at least 60 days prior to the meeting.
Section 2. Other meetings may be called by the President at any time, with the approval of ISES Europe Executive Committee. At least 30 days prior to a meeting, the Secretary shall send each member a notice of the time, date and place of each meeting.
Section 3. Executive Committee meetings shall be held twice per year in person or via conference call. Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the President, provided that each of the members of the Executive Committee is notified at least seven days prior to the meeting.
Section 4. Quorum – At any General Business Meeting of ISES Europe 25% of the membership shall, either by presence, by mail, or by proxy, be a quorum for voting purposes except as otherwise provided by law. Whether or not a quorum is present, a meeting may be adjourned from time to time by vote of a majority of the members present, without notice other than by announcement at the meeting and without further notice to any absent member.
Section 5. Standing Committees shall meet at least once each year in person or via conference call, and shall be convened at the discretion of the Chairperson.
Section 6. Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order.
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ARTICLE V
Chapter Officers and Councillors
Section 1. The Officers of ISES Europe are the President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer.
Section 2. The President shall have a two-year term in office. At the initiation of ISES Europe, the President will be elected by the members of the Society residing within the geographical domain of ISES Europe described in Article I. In subsequent years, the President will be elected by the members of ISES Europe to serve a two-year term and will be eligible to succeed himself/herself for one additional term. The immediate Past President cannot be re-elected for President.
Section 3. The Secretary and Treasurer shall serve a two-year term in office with staggered terms. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall be elected to a two-year term by the members of the Society residing within the geographical domain of ISES Europe described in Article I and are eligible to succeed himself/herself for one additional term.
Section 4. There shall be at least three Councillors: (1) the Past President (if any), (2) one Councillor-at-large, and (3) one student councillor. The student councillor must be a full-time enrolled student in a graduate program in a discipline related to exposure science at an accredited university or college that is located in the geographical domain of ISES Europe described in Article 1. At the initiation of ISES Europe, two Councillors shall be elected to a two-year term by the members of the Society residing within the geographical domain of ISES Europe described in Article 1. In subsequent years, the immediate past President (if any) will serve a two-year term as Councillor; the other Councillor will also be elected to a two-year term. The graduate student councillor shall be elected to a one-year term at the initiation of ISES Europe and in subsequent years to increase and encourage student representation and participation in ISES Europe matters and activities.
Section 5. ISES Europe elections shall be held every year. Ballots shall be distributed by ISES Europe Secretary to ISES Europe membership in September. Mail ballots or electronic transmission will be used for the election of officers and councillors. Completed ballots returned to ISES Europe Secretary shall be valid if returned no later than 30 days after the date on which ballots were distributed, and should contain either an electronic signature of the member for electronic balloting or handwritten signature of the member for ballots distributed by postal mail. ISES Europe Secretary and, at least, one member of ISES Europe Executive Committee shall tally the ballots. All elections are to be decided by a plurality of ISES Europe members voting. Ties shall be settled by a suitable lottery.
Section 6. Nominations may be made by the Nominating Committee or by petition of three ISES Europe members in good standing. One or more nominees for each position must be submitted to the Secretary at least one month prior to the mailing of ballots.
Section 7. In the event of a vacancy in the offices of Secretary or Treasurer, or any Councillor position, ISES Europe Executive Committee may make an appointment to fill the vacancy until the unexpired term is completed. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President, the Executive Committee may make an appointment to fill the vacancy until the unexpired term is completed.
Section 8. Recall of any elected Officer or Councillor shall be by written ballot and shall require a two-thirds majority of ISES Europe members voting provided that at least 50 percent of ISES Europe members in good standing vote for recall. Such recall shall be initiated by a petition signed by at least 20 percent of ISES Europe members in good standing.
Section 9. Officers, Councillors, and nominees for these offices must be fully paid members in good standing of the Society and ISES Europe.
Section 10. The Secretary, or immediate vacating Secretary, shall provide a copy of the Society and ISES Europe Bylaws to newly elected officers and councillors at the commencement of their term of office.
Section 11. Officers and Committee Chairs vacating their positions on the Executive Committee shall provide to ISES Europe Secretary, by January 30 following cessation of their term, a listing of all financial or contract records and related items that would be needed for continuing Society operations. The Executive Committee may request copies of these records or items within six months following cessation of the officer’s or chair’s term.
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ARTICLE VI
Chapter Administration
Section 1. ISES Europe shall be governed by the Executive Committee except as otherwise herein expressly provided.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall consist of the three Officers and the three Councillors.
Section 3. The President shall preside at all meetings of ISES Europe and of the Executive Committee and shall perform such other duties as may be directed by the Executive Committee. In the President’s absence, the Executive Committee shall designate a temporary chairperson for the meeting.
Section 4. Four members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 5. The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes and records of all meetings of ISES Europe and of the Executive Committee; shall carry on the correspondence of ISES Europe; and shall keep an accurate list of the members and their status. Minutes of the meetings of ISES Europe and the Executive Committee shall be promptly submitted to the Executive Committee for approval. The Secretary shall submit nominees for the Executive Committee to the membership for election.
Section 6. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of all funds of ISES Europe and shall sign and pay all authorized bills incurred by ISES Europe in the name of ISES Europe. The disbursement of ISES Europe’s funds shall be made only upon authorization of the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall prepare and submit to the Executive Committee annually a balance sheet and financial statement for the past year and an estimate of the probable income and expenditures for ISES Europe for the ensuing year.
Section 7. Contracts and Services – The Executive Committee of ISES Europe may be interested directly or indirectly in any contract relating to the operations conducted by ISES Europe or in any contract for furnishing supplies thereto, and no transaction entered into by ISES Europe shall be affected by the fact that the Executive Committee members were personally interested in it. Every Executive Committee member is hereby relieved from any disability resulting from holding such office that might otherwise prevent her/his contracting with ISES Europe for the benefit of herself/himself or of any firm, association, or corporation in which he/she has any interest, provided that such information is revealed to the Executive Committee.
Section 8. Compensation – Executive Committee and ad hoc or standing committee members, as such, shall not receive any stated salary for their services, but by resolution of the Executive Committee, expenses, if any, may be allowed for participation at each regular or special meeting of the Executive Committee, ad hoc, or standing committee; provided that the Executive Committee shall have power at its discretion to contract for and to pay to Executive Committee members rendering unusual or exceptional services to ISES Europe special compensation appropriate to the value of such services.
Section 9. Contracts – The Executive Committee, except as in these Bylaws otherwise provided, may authorize any officers, agent, or agents, to enter into any contract to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of ISES Europe, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances; and unless so authorized by the Executive Committee, no officer, agent, or employee shall have power or authority to bind ISES Europe by a contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or render it liable pecuniarily for any purpose or to any amount.
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ARTICLE VII
Chapter-Society Relationship
Section 1. ISES Europe is an independent non-profit scientific and professional organization which is affiliated with the International Society of Exposure Science. The Society shall have no legal, contractual or financial responsibility of any kind for the affairs of this Chapter.
Section 2. The activities of ISES Europe and its members shall be governed by the Bylaws of the Society and the Bylaws of ISES Europe.
Section 3. ISES Europe shall not have authority to act for or in the name of the Society. No action, financial or other obligation or expression of ISES Europe as a whole without prior approval of the Board of Directors of the Society shall be considered an action, obligation or expression of the Society.
Section 4. Before ISES Europe publishes technical information or otherwise publicly issues any statement upon a policy matter which purports to represent the opinion of the Society, it must obtain the consent of the Board of Directors of the Society. ISES Europe also agrees that from time to time the Society may restrict, limit, or prohibit the use of its name by ISES Europe in certain publications, meetings or similar activities involving communication with the public.
Section 5. ISES Europe policy shall be set by ISES Europe Executive Committee consisting of three officers and three councillors as described in Article V. An annual report concerning ISES Europe shall be submitted by ISES Europe Secretary to the Board of Directors of the Society prior to the Annual Meeting of the Society. The report shall describe the financial and membership status of ISES Europe and major scientific and educational activities during the year. ISES Europe is also encouraged to submit a brief annual summary to the Society newsletter or website.
Section 6. The Executive Committee of ISES Europe shall appoint a Chapter Delegate to serve as a non-voting representative of ISES Europe for all Society business. ISES Europe Delegate may be a member of the Executive Committee or a member of the Society. If ISES Europe Delegate is not a member of ISES Europe Executive Committee, he or she would be expected to participate in meetings of ISES Europe Executive Committee. ISES Europe Delegate will be expected to participate in all meetings of the Society’s Board of Directors and General Membership as a non-voting member. ISES Europe Delegate shall be a fully paid member of the Society.
Section 7. A representative of ISES Europe shall attend the General Membership Business Meeting and the Board of Directors Meeting at the General Scientific Meeting of the Society, subject to available funds. The Society may assist ISES Europe in facilitating or identifying potential sources of funding for attendance of ISES Europe representative to the Annual Meeting.
Section 8. The Society may serve as a facilitator and/or a resource center for administrative, scientific and technical functions and operations of ISES Europe.
Section 9. ISES Europe shall not conduct any meetings or conferences which conflict with the General Scientific Meeting of the Society.
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ARTICLE VIII
Chapter Committees
Section 1. In addition to the Executive Committee there shall be Temporary Committees (e.g., Nominating Committee).
Section 2. All other committee chairpersons shall be appointed by the President with approval of the Executive Committee. Any committee should strive for three members at a minimum.
Section 3. A Nominating Committee consisting of not less than three members shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee of ISES Europe within two months following the installation of the current slate of officers. Should the appointees not be able to serve, they may be replaced. The Nominating Committee will prepare the slate of candidates for each Chapter election on a timely basis, and as specified in Article V.
Section 4. Temporary committees may be created and abolished by the Executive Committee (except for the Nominating Committee which is established above, Article VIII, Section 3). The Executive Committee shall approve the charge for all committees, and in the case of temporary committees, shall specify the period of time.
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ARTICLE IX
Amendment of Bylaws
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended at an Annual or special meeting of ISES Europe, provided that a written notice of the meeting, together with the text of the proposed amendments and of any existing articles thereby affected, has been sent to the members by mail or electronic transmission by the Secretary at least thirty (30) days before the meeting at which a vote will be taken.
Section 2. Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by ISES Europe Executive Committee or by petition of at least 10 full members in good standing. Amendments must be presented to the Secretary at least two months before the meeting at which the vote on them will be taken.
Section 3. Adoption of a proposed amendment to these Bylaws shall require the affirmative votes of a majority of the members voting, provided that votes are received from at least 20 percent of the members in good standing.
Section 4. An amendment is ratified when approved by Chapter membership.
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ARTICLE X
Chapter Dues and Finances
Section 1. All Chapter’s dues shall be set by ISES Europe’s Executive Committee.
Section 2. All funds of ISES Europe, not otherwise employed, shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of ISES Europe in such banks or other depositories as the Executive Committee may select.
Section 3. The annual budget shall be subject to approval by the Executive Committee.
Section 4. In the event of dissolution of ISES Europe, any remaining funds or assets after discharge of all liabilities and obligations shall be given to the Society. No part of the net earnings of ISES Europe shall inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the Society is unable, unwilling, or ineligible to receive assets: i) the assets of a Chapter in the U.S. will be distributed to one or more organizations exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954; or ii) the assets of a Chapter residing outside of the U.S. will be distributed to a charitable organization in the geographical region or the country in which ISES Europe resides. This decision is to be made by the then existing Board of Directors of the Society.
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ARTICLE XI
Fiscal Year
Section 1. ISES Europe fiscal year shall be the same as the Society’s fiscal year.
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APPENDIX I
Resolution on the Purpose of the ISES Europe Regional Chapter
Resolution on the Purpose of the ISES Europe Regional Chapter
• Whereas occupational and environmental policy-making has been hampered by the scarcity or poor comprehension of exposure in effect as well as exposure studies with respect to chemicals or other stressors on human populations, and ecological systems, and
• Whereas human and environmental exposure assessment requires the cooperation of scientists in the field of exposure, human biokinetics, environmental fate and behaviour, epidemiology, statistics, toxicology, environmental health, and those in closely related disciplines, and
• Whereas no existing scientific professional organization in Europe is dedicated to stimulating the communication among these groups and thereby to promote the effectiveness of environmental exposure assessment, and
• Whereas no existing organization provides a forum to which governmental and EU agencies, industrial associations, or public interest organizations can turn to when seeking an organization of multidisciplinary groups to make recommendations on substantive or methodological problem areas in human and environmental exposure assessment, and
• Whereas no existing organization is available in Europe to take the initiative in identifying areas or topics in which exposure assessment can make an impact on environmental policy,
Therefore we join in the establishment of the Europe Regional Chapter of the International Society of Exposure Science in order to meet these needs and to strengthen the scientific input to human and environmental health protection and improvement.
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Bylaws set into force: 17-August-2017