Note: The bylaws (below) appear as amended and approved by majority vote at the business meeting of ISA RC41 in Bielefeld, Germany, July 20, 1994
The purpose of the Research Committee
I. OFFICERS OF THE RESEARCH COMMITTEE
III. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
The purpose of the Research Committee is to pursue a broadly based approach to the interrelationship between sociological and demographic phenomena. Specifically, the Research Group is concerned with how sociological phenomena affect population structure and processes and vice versa. Both macro and micro approaches are encouraged as well as research addressed to integrating these two levels of analysis. The Research Group will focus on conceptual and methodological development with the primary goal being an integrated and cumulative approach to the study of the articulation between population and social structure. Emphasis will be placed on cross-cultural research with a maximum exchange of research findings. Special attention is given to policy-relevant research.
I. OFFICERS OF THE RESEARCH COMMITTEE
The officers of the Research Committee shall consist of a Board of Directors comprising a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary-Treasurer, and additional research officers. All the officers shall serve a four-year term extending from January 1 following the World Congress of the International Sociological Association to December 31 following the next World Congress. The President shall preside at the business meetings held during the World Congress and any Inter-Congress Seminars held by the Research Committee and shall chair the Program Committee for the Research Committee's Sessions at the ISA World Congress. The Vice-President shall be responsible for the preparation and mailing of a newsletter of the Research Committee. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain the membership directory, take and circulate minutes of the Research Committee, and handle the nomination and election process as detailed in Article III.
Officers cannot succeed themselves. No member can hold two elective offices simultaneously. No member may be a member of the Board of Directors for more than two consecutive Inter-Congress periods. The Secretary-Treasurer is not allowed to be a candidate in an election which she/he must conduct in accordance with Article III.
All members of the Research Committee are eligible for election as Officers. If an elected office is vacated before the end of its term, it will be filled for the unexpired term by appointment of the Chair with the consent of the other Officers of the Research Committee. If the Chair's office is vacated prior to the completion of the normal term, the Vice-President shall fill the functions of the Chair. The new Chair shall appoint, in consultation with the Secretary-Treasurer, a new Vice-Chair to fill his/her unexpired term.
The Board of Directors is vested with the authority to carry out all necessary operations of the Research Committee.
III. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS:
The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for submitting a nomination form to members of the Research Committee no later than March 31 of the year of the World Congress. Any nominations must be received by the Secretary-Treasurer no later than May 15. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for contacting nominees to insure their willingness to be a nominee. Nominations can also be made at the Business Meeting, provided that nominees have already been contacted by the nominator and the nominee has agreed to be a candidate.
The elections of the Research Committee shall be carried out immediately following the conclusion of the World Congress of the International Sociological Association. The Secretary-Treasurer shall secure brief biographical sketches from the nominees; prepare an official ballot; and mail said ballots along with biographical sketches to all voting members of the Research Committee. Completed ballots are to be returned to the Secretary-Treasurer no later than October 31 of the year of the Congress. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for tallying the ballots and reporting the results to the membership no later than November 15 of the year of the Congress.
There shall be a Program Committee for the World Congress consisting of three members including the Chair of the Research Committee and two other members appointed by the Chair in consultation with other members of the Board of Directors. Program Committees for Inter-Congress Seminars will be appointed by the Chair in consultation with the other officers of the Research Committee.
The World Congress Program Committee shall develop sessions of interest to the Research Committee's membership in accordance with procedures and deadlines established by the International Sociological Association. The Program Committees for the Inter-Congress Seminars shall also develop sessions of interest to Research Committee members. Other committees may be established by the Chair of the Research Committee as needed and on an adhoc basis subject to approval by the other Officers of the Research Committee.
The membership of the Research Committee is open to any member of the International Sociological Association. Non-members of the International Sociological Association who are not Sociologists or who are Sociologists from countries with currency difficulties are excused from International Sociological Association membership. Members of the Research Committee who do not pay their dues by one year following the due date shall be dropped from the roles.
Dues shall be set during the Business Meeting of the Research Committee at the World Congress of the International Sociological Association.
Proposed changes in these bylaws must first be discussed at one of the Business Meetings of the Research Committee. Next, the Secretary-Treasurer must submit the proposed changes to a vote of the members of the Research Committee through a mailed ballot and the changes must be approved by a majority of those returning valid ballots. The change(s) will take effect immediately following the approval by a majority of members returning valid ballots.