Revised SCS Bylaws

Last Updated on Monday, 19 May 2008 17:31 Written by SCS Administration Sunday, 03 February 2008 13:59

Following the 2007 IPTC, the bylaws have been revised to read as printed below.  You can download a pdf by clicking here.

 

 

 

Article I.  Name of the Society

 

The name of the society shall be the Standard Celeration Society.  This name shall be owned by, and shall be the exclusive property of the Standard Celeration Society.  Hereinafter within this document, the Standard Celeration Society shall also be referred to as "the Society."

 

Article II.  Membership

 

Membership.  The membership of the Standard Celeration Society is open to anyone who requests membership and who then also pays the appropriate dues set by the Society.  The Society shall set any dues and fees structure, schedules for payment of dues, and reserves the right to add additional qualifications for membership.

 

Membership Policies.  As a matter of Society policy, the Society urges those individuals with an interest in, or commitment to, the Standard Celeration Chart, frequency, celeration, and Precision Teaching to join and become members of the Society.

 

As a matter of Society policy, The Standard Celeration Society does not and will not discriminate the granting of memberships to persons on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, national origin, creed, academic, occupational, or professional status.  The election or appointment of officers shall likewise adhere to this policy statement. 

 

Categories.  Membership categories shall include:  Sustaining Members, Full Members, and Student Members.  Student members shall be entitled to a reduced membership fee, contingent upon common and accepted proofs of status as a student.  The society shall determine the dues for each category of membership, and shall reserve the right to change the dues as well as the number and structure of membership categories.

 

Dues.  Only persons who pay dues, as set by the Society shall become members.  All dues shall be fair and reasonable, and their prices made known to prospective or renewing members.  The Society shall vote on the amounts of dues, or increases in dues, at its periodic meetings.  No increase in dues can be made unless voted upon and enacted by free and fair vote at meetings of the Society.  Dues may not be increased or changed on an interim basis.

 

Renewal.  Memberships shall extend for one year durations.  At the conclusion of one year, a member has the right to renew membership by paying the appropriate dues for the membership category.  The Society may, at its discretion, offer membership terms of durations longer than one year, and at its discretion, offer discounts to the dues for longer-term durations.  Members shall have the right to inquire about their membership status, and shall have the right to be informed of expirations of their memberships.  Persons whose membership has become defunct may reapply and become members again, at the same membership status, upon re-application and payment of the requisite dues.   

 

Benefits.  All persons who have joined the Standard Celeration Society and who have paid the requisite dues, are entitled to and shall receive a subscription to all issues of the official journal of the Society published during the duration of membership.  In addition, members are entitled to discounts on other products and services offered by the Society.  Only members may vote for officers, for policy proposals, or for amendments to these By-Laws. 

 

Article III.  Officers

 

Section 1. Officers. 

 

The officers of the Standard Celeration Society shall include a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, the immediate Past President, and the Editor of the Society's journal. Collectively, these  officers shall form an Executive Council, defined below, that shall conduct the official business of the Society. The Society reserves the right to add offices, and the Society may, at its discretion, create temporary appointive, ad hoc offices, including directors of task forces, chairpersons of committees, or other posts.  However, any temporary appointments serve and the pleasure of the Executive Council and shall have non-voting status in any meetings and/or decisions of the Executive Council. 

 

The term of office for officers, generally, shall be for two years.  There are two exceptions to this rule:  The term of office for the Editor has been defined separately in the special by-laws enacted for the Society's journal, as defined in Article VIII of these by-laws.  The term of office for Treasurer shall be for a longer period than two years, but not to exceed eight years.  

 

Section 2.  Duties.

 

President.  The President of the Standard Celeration Society shall:

 

   a. Preside over and conduct all official meetings of the Standard Celeration    Society.

   b. Ensure that all official meetings of the Standard Celeration Society adhere to Robert's Rules of Order.

   c. Ensure that all elections of new officers are carried out an a free and fair manner.

   d. Represent the Society on all official business carried out in the name of the Society.

   e. Represent the Society in an official capacity to the media, and for public relations purposes.

   f. Appoint officers to fill vacancies created in any of the offices named in Section 1 of this Article, on a temporary basis until the next election of new officers for the Society. 

   g. Appoint directors of task forces, and chairpersons of committees.

   h. Execute all instruments in behalf of the Society necessary to ensure its continued operation.

   i.  Call and announce meetings of the Executive Council of the Society.

   j.  Maintain files of all official documents of the Society, including these By-Laws.

   k.  Maintain all official trademarks, logos, and other names and symbols of the Society, to ensure their integrity and proper use. 

   l.  Propose an annual budget to the Society, and receive from the Treasurer copies of all expenditures of the Society.

   m.  Propose Amendments to these By-Laws at the direction of the Executive Council of the Society.

   n.  Vote in meetings of the Executive Council of the Society. 

  

Vice-President.  The Vice-President of the Standard Celeration Society shall:

 

   a. Act for the President in his/her absence.

   b. Become the President of the Society whenever the then-current President resigns or is removed from office.

   c. Direct any task forces or chair any committees of the Society at the request of the President, and in such capacity report to the President.

   d. Perform other acts as the President may direct, consistent with the objectives and policies of the Society.

   e. Vote in meetings of the Executive Council of the Society.

 

Treasurer. The Treasurer of the Standard Celeration Society shall:

 

   a.  Keep all records and be accountable for all funds belonging to the Society.

   b.  Pay all obligations incurred by the Society when payment is authorized by a majority of the Executive Council of the Society.

   c.  Open and maintain all bank accounts for the Society, in the name of the Society, in depositories designated by the Executive Council of the Society.

   d.  Render periodic financial reports of the Society to the Society, including at any annual or other periodic meetings of the Society.

   e.  Provide a financial report to the President on a quarterly basis, noting all income and all expenditures of the Society's funds, and provide a financial report at the President's request.

   f.  Appoint a bookkeeper, as necessary, with the approval of the Executive Council of the Society, to keep financial records, with the stipulation that such appointment shall not relieve the Treasurer from the responsibilities herein created.

   g.  Maintain and update a list of members of the Society, and provide this list upon request to the President and to the Editor of the official journal of the Society.

   h. Vote in meetings of the Executive Council of the Society.

 

Secretary.  The Secretary of the Standard Celeration Society shall:

 

   a.  Record the minutes of all official meetings of the Society and the Executive Council of the Society.

   b.  Maintain records and copies of the minutes of all meetings of the Society.

   c.  Receive and redistribute official records and files from former officers of the Society to the newly elected officers of the Society. 

   d.  Perform other acts, consistent with the objectives and policies of the Society, as the President may direct.

   e.  Vote in meetings of the Executive Council of the Society.

 

Past President.  The immediate Past President of the Society shall:

 

   a.  Upon conclusion of his or her term the President becomes the immediate Past President, and shall serve on the Executive Council for the next two years.

   b.  Transfer records and files of the Society to the newly elected President. 

   c.  Vote in meetings of the Executive Council of the Society. 

 

Editor.  The Editor of the official journal of the Standard Celeration Society shall:

 

   a. Perform all editorial duties as stipulated in the By-Laws heretofore separately enacted for the position of Editor. (See Article VIII.)

   b. Represent the official journal of the Society in an official capacity to the public or to other organizations.

   c. Appoint a staff to assist with the production and distribution of the official journal of the Society.

   d. Receive funds from the Treasurer, as budgeted, for publication and distribution of the official journal of the Society.

   e. Request and receive from the Treasurer, on an "as needed" basis, a list of paid members for the purposes of facilitating distribution of the journal to the membership.

   f.  Serve as a member of, vote in meetings of the Executive Council of the Society.

 

Section 3.  Indemnification.

 

All officers, former officers, and officers-elect, or any person who may have served at the request of the President, shall be indemnified against legal liability and from expenses actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any action, suit, or proceeding in which such person is made a party by reason of being, or having been, such officer or person, except in relation to matters as to which such person shall be adjudged in such action, suit, or proceeding, to be liable for intentional misconduct in the performance of duty.  Furthermore, all officers, former officers, officers-elect, or any person who may serve or have served at the request of the President shall be indemnified from legal liability from any of the actions of any member of the Society purporting to act for the Society, acting without its official approval or recognition, or who improperly uses the property of the Society. 

 

Section 4.  Executive Council.

 

There shall be an Executive Council for the Standard Celeration Society.  The Executive Council, hereinafter also referred to as either "the Executive Council," or as "the Council," shall consist of the following six members:  President, Vice-President, immediate Past President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Editor of the Society's official journal. 

 

The Executive Council for the Standard Celeration Society shall be charged with the following duties:

 

a.  Carrying out all business or duties necessary to operate the Society.

b.  Coordinating activities, duties, and responsibilities among members of the Council.

c.  Proposing new policies and by-laws for the Society.

d.  Proposing a dues and fees structure for membership to the Society.

e.  Proposing a discount structure as a membership benefit.

f.  Giving official recognition or honors to individuals, groups, or organizations. 

g.  Determining revenue streams in addition to that provided by membership. 

h.  Promoting the society in pursuit of its mission and objectives.

 

The Executive Council shall have the power to propose new policies for the Society to the membership of the Standard Celeration Society. These policies may be enacted or rejected by free and fair vote of the membership of the Society or at meetings of the membership of the Society.  Because the need to adopt unforeseen new or additional policies may arise in the interim between meetings of the Society, the Executive Council may adopt, on a temporary basis, new policies, as long as these policies are not in conflict with established policies of the Society.  Any temporary policies determined by the Council shall be presented to the membership of the Society at the immediate, next regular meeting of the Society, whereupon said temporary policies shall either be enacted or rescinded by way of free and fair vote by the membership of the Society.  No new policy shall become a permanent policy of the Society without first having been approved by the membership in a free and fair vote.  A policy formally rescinded by a free and fair vote of the membership cannot subsequently be reinstated by the Executive Council. 

 

The Executive Council may, at its discretion, meet at the request of the President, given due consideration for announcement of the request being made in a timely and reasonable manner. In lieu of actual meetings with members physically present, the Council may conduct de facto meetings using electronic means.  These meetings may be, at the discretion of the Council, open or closed to the membership. 

 

All decisions of the Council shall be made by simple majority vote.  If a member of the Council has a conflict of interest regarding a vote on any decision, that member shall recuse him or herself from the vote.  In the case where one or more members of the Council is absent from a vote, the President shall cast any tie-breaking vote.

 

Article IV Amendments

 

These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the membership of the Society at any meeting called for that purpose, or at any periodic, scheduled meeting of the Society.  Notice of such meeting and of any or all proposed amendments shall be given to the members of the Society, in writing, not fewer than 30 days prior to such meeting.  For the purposes of this Article, "in writing" shall include electronic transmissions, including email.

 

The Executive Council of the Society may propose amendments to these by-laws.  In addition, members of the Society may petition the Council to amend these By-Laws.  Amendments may be voted upon at the called-for or periodic meetings of the Society; however, amendments may not be both proposed and voted upon within the same meeting, without the 30-day period between announcement of the proposed amendment first intervening. 

 

 

Article V Elections and Votes

 

All elections of officers and votes regarding policies or amendments to these by-laws shall be carried out in a free and fair manner.  All newly elected officers assume office upon their election.

 

Officers may be re-elected to the same office.  The Society shall retain the right to add qualifications to re-elections, including whether an intervening term passes between the holding of offices.  Any member of the Society may nominate candidates for any office of the Society.  However, no official endorsement shall be made by or on behalf of the Society for any candidate, and no materials or other property of the Society may be used by, for, or on behalf of any candidate for any office.   

 

To ensure "institutional memory" and continuity in the Executive Council, the Society may stagger the terms of various offices.  This means holding elections for some officers one year, and the other officers the following year. 

 

All decisions regarding the adoption of policies of the Society shall be by a simple majority vote, except for Amendments to these By-Laws, which shall require a two-thirds majority vote. 

 

All major decisions (e.g., election of officers, adoption of policies, amendment of by-laws) shall be accomplished through an electronic (or equivalent) ballot of SCS members.  The Secretary shall maintain a current listing of all SCS members and send an electronic (or equivalent) ballot to each member each time a decision requiring a vote of the membership is required.  The Secretary shall compile the results of each vote and notify the membership of the results in a timely manner.

 

 

Article VI.  Property of the Standard Celeration Society

 

The Standard Celeration Society shall own the name "Standard Celeration Society," and reserve the right to register this name as a Registered Trademark.  The Standard Celeration Society shall own any logos, icons, symbols, or other designations, including official letterhead, made by the Society, or produced on its behalf.

 

All official records and files of the Society become the property of the Society.  Any officer of the Society, at the expiration of his or her term, shall transfer all official records and files of the Society to the Secretary of the Standard Celeration Society.  No individual ownership attaches to any records, files, or the property of the Society. 

 

The Standard Celeration Society owns the names of its official journal and of any other publication produced by the Society. The names "Journal of Precision Teaching," and "Journal of Precision Teaching & Celeration" are owned by the Society.

 

The Standard Celeration Society owns its official website, which is presently designated with the URL "www.celeration.org."  The Society reserves the right to contract with any internet service provider, and to appoint a "web master" with the official responsibility of maintaining the Society's website.  The Executive Council is authorized to contract for and purchase internet web services, and to contract for the services of a "web master" to run, maintain, and update the Society's site.

 

The Society reserves all ownership rights to its property.

 

 

Article VII  Publications and Official Communications of the Standard Celeration Society

 

The Standard Celeration Society shall produce and publish, and offer as a benefit of membership to the members, an official journal.  This official journal is now titled "Journal of Precision Teaching and Celeration."   

 

The Standard Celeration Society shall, at its discretion, offer a website and/or other internet service, some or all of which may be made freely available to the public.  As a membership benefit, some portion of the website or other internet service may be made available to dues-paying members only.

 

The Standard Celeration Society shall, at its discretion, offer and publish any newsletter or periodical other than and in addition to its primary official journal.  Members shall receive such publications as a benefit, or receive discounts on the subscription price.

 

The Standard Celeration Society shall, at its discretion, publish and offer for sale, any books, monographs, video or audio recordings, electronic publications, or any other documents to the general public, or exclusively to the membership.  Membership shall confer a discount on the prices of such items offered for public sale. In all publications or other items offered for sale, appropriate transfer of copyright to the Society shall be made according to common and accepted practice.  The Society shall not publish any item to which it does not own a legal copyright, or to which a legal copyright has not been transferred.

 

The Standard Celeration Society may, at its discretion, contract with copyright owners be a reseller of books or other items to which it does not own the legal copyright, provided that the Society is not the publisher.

 

The Standard Celeration Society may, at its discretion, offer a "new members" package to be given to new members of the Society, upon receipt of membership request and dues.

 

Article VIII Editor of the Journal of Precision Teaching and Celeration

 

A special set of by-laws has been independently written and enacted for the Editor of the Journal of Precision Teaching and Celeration, and for the official journal of the Society.  Those by-laws are incorporated here in full as Article VIII of the present By-Laws of the Standard Celeration Society.  Upon enactment of these By-Laws by the Society, the previously enacted by-laws pertaining to the Editor and the Journal of Precision Teaching and Celeration shall become Article VIII of these By-Laws.

 

The Editor of the Journal of Precision Teaching and Celeration reports to the President of the Society.  Hereinafter within this document the Journal of Precision Teaching and Celeration shall be referred to as the Journal.

 

Term of Appointment.  The term of appointment of the Editor is four years.  The first year is to organize the editorial operation and select manuscripts for the Editor's first volume.  During this period the new editor will organize the editorial office, establish a peer review process, and begin to receive manuscripts.  The first year of the term will overlap with the final year term of the incumbent Editor.  The remaining three years will correspond to three volume years of the Journal. 

 

Duties.  The Editor is responsible for editorial practices compatible with the general policies and procedures established by the Society's By-Laws and Executive Council as recorded in these By-Laws. 

 

The editor is responsible for the academic content of the journal. The Editor accepts or rejects manuscripts submitted for publication based, in part, on editorial recommendations and reviews, exercises leadership in obtaining appropriate material for publication while maintaining an open forum, and manages the peer review process.

 

The Editor is responsible to (a) establish a peer review system; (b) establish an editorial advisory board and preparing a list of potential ad hoc reviewers; (c) correspond with authors in a timely manner; (d) work with authors on substantive editing of manuscripts and identifying on-line links in references; (e) provide accepted manuscripts for copy editing and production on schedule; (f) provide yearly reports of manuscript activity and other reports as requested by the President of the Society; and (g) work cooperatively with editorial and production staff at printing headquarters or supervising and managing the printing at a different location.

 

The Editor will prepare open calls for potential editorial advisory board members to be published regularly in the journal and in the Society's newsletter. The Editor will adhere to the yearly budget for editorial office costs and travel expenses as stipulated in the Society's approved budget, and provide yearly reports to the Society on these expenses. The Editor is expected to attend the Annual Convention for the Association of Behavior Analysis and participate in sessions related to the Society's publications program, and to attend the Precision Teaching and Standard Celeration Society conferences.

 

In the event that the Editor changes institutions during the editorial term, the office is to be relocated to the Editor's new institution.

 

Qualifications.  The Editor must be a member of the Standard Celeration Society and an

active professional in the field of Precision Teaching and Standard Celeration Charting.

Additional qualifications include: a record of recent research and publication; editorial experience (e.g., journal editorship, review board participation); effective interpersonal and communication skills; effective management and organization skills; and effective electronic communications skills

 

Term of Office.  The term of office of the current Editor began September 1, 2000 and shall conclude on September 1, 2004. The volume years are 2000 to 2004.  The next editor shall begin September 1, 2003 in order to correspond with the above Terms of Appointment.  That editor's tenure shall begin September 1, 2003 and end September 1, 2007.  This pattern shall be followed for the future editorships.   

 

Appointment.  An announcement of an open Editorship shall be posted on the Society's Listserv and may be announced in the Journal or in other media, as determined by the Society's Executive Committee. The candidates for editor will submit a curriculum vitae and a letter of application stating qualifications for the position.  The candidate will arrange for two letters of reference, one of which is from a person who served on the Journal Editorial Board within the previous five years, and one other letter. The officers of the Society have the option to invite candidates to apply for the editor position, and may, at their discretion, ask candidates for additional materials, such as tentative plans for improvement or additional letters of reference.  These materials shall be mailed or emailed to the President of the Society.

 

These materials will be reviewed by the officers of the Standard Celeration Society and the current editor.  A simple majority vote will elect the Editor.  New Editors shall be announced on the Society's Listserv and at the Society's Business Meeting held annually at Association for Behavior Analysis Convention.

 

Article IX.  Policies and Practices of the Standard Celeration Society.

 

In addition to any aforementioned policies of the Standard Celeration Society, the Society shall adopt the following policies:

 

a. Defining a "mission statement."  The Society shall define a mission statement that outlines and describes its general goals and purpose.  This mission statement may be proposed by the Executive Council and presented to the membership for enactment.  As a matter of de facto general policy, the Society is dedicated to promoting the use of the Standard Celeration Chart, the measures of frequency and celeration, and the practices and principles of Precision Teaching.  Under the mission adopted, the Society shall determine, at its discretion, specific objectives in alignment with the mission, to help effect its mission.

 

b. Use of Charts and Data.  Whenever possible, the Society shall use frequency and/or celeration data, charted on Standard Celeration Charts, as a basis for making proposals, or for making decisions, either at meetings of the Council, or at general meetings of the Membership.

 

c. Standard Chart Listserv.  The Standard Celeration Society acknowledges the "SC List" (also known as the "SC Listserv") as an important means of communication among persons interested in the Standard Celeration Chart, Precision Teaching, or the Standard Celeration Society.  The Society does not own the "SC List," however, and unless otherwise directly expressed, announcements or information distributed via the "SC List" do not denote, constitute, or reflect any official policies of the Standard Celeration Society.  The Society, furthermore, indemnifies itself from liability arising from any messages posted to the "SC List."

 

d. Awards and Recognition.  The Society reserves the right to extend official recognition, awards, and honors to those individuals, persons, or organizations, who, in the opinion of the Society, have performed noteworthy acts in furtherance of the mission and objectives of the Society.

 

e. Certification Privileges Reserved.  The Standard Celeration Society shall, at its discretion, reserve the privilege to certify programs that use or teach the Standard Celeration Chart and/or Precision Teaching.  Similarly, the Society shall support good educational programs and shall support good writing.

 

f. Press Releases.  The Standard Celeration Society shall, at its discretion, reserve the right to issue Press Releases. These shall come from the office of the President of the Society.

 

g. Alliances.  The Standard Celeration Society shall, at its discretion, ally itself with other associations, societies, or organizations in common purpose of promoting movements, causes, or official actions congruent with the mission and objectives of the Society.

 

h. Measurement Standards.  The Standard Celeration Society shall, at its discretion, formally adopt and announce measurement standards. These standards shall include official definitions of frequency, celeration, bounce, standard chart, standard celeration chart.  Moreover, the Society shall, at its discretion, adopt, announce, and promote the Standard Celerations of x1, x1.4, x2, x4, and x16 (where 'x' stands for "times"), and any other standard celerations, by stating their respective angles in terms of degrees of straight lines as drawn on Standard Celeration Charts.  The Society reserves the right to publish these standards, and to call attention to them as standards. 

 

i.  Ogden R. Lindsley.  As a matter of policy, the Standard Celeration Society recognizes the company of Ogden R. Lindsley, Ph.D., Behavior Research Company, as the developer of the Standard Celeration Chart. 

 

j.  Scientific Methods.  As a matter of policy, the Standard Celeration Society shall respect scientific methods.

 

 

 

 

Article X.  Enactment.

 

The present By-Laws shall be enacted by a free and fair vote of the membership of the Standard Celeration Society.  Upon enactment, these By-Laws shall become the official by-laws for the Society.

 

The aforementioned present By-Laws were enacted on 27 May 2001.

 

Signed this 25 day of October 2001.

 

 

________________________________________, President

Abigail B. Calkin

 

________________________________________, Vice-President

Ken P. J. Kerr

 

________________________________________, Past-President

Charles Merbitz

 

________________________________________, Treasurer

Brad Frieswyk

 

________________________________________, Secretary

Sandy MacLeod

 

________________________________________, Editor

Richard M. Kubina

 

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