Constitution and By-laws of the ASBCB:
CONSTITUTION
1 Name
The name of the Society shall be the
"African Society for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology"
(ASBCB)
2 Objectives
The objectives of
the Society shall be to:
2.1
Identify, promote and establish opportunities for
networking.
2.2
Encourage and develop bioinformatics and computational
biology nodes.
2.3
Increase awareness and promote the use of bioinformatics
and computational biology.
2.4
Facilitate access to bioinformatics and computational
biology infrastructure.
2.5
Promote bioinformatics and computational biology
education.
3
Guiding Principles
3.1 The Society shall serve as an international catalyst, forum
and resource devoted to developing competence and expertise in
bioinformatics and computational biology in Africa.
3.2 The Society will in pursuing its objectives, complement its
activities with those of other international and national
societies, associations and institutions, public and private, that
have similar aims. Its activities will, wherever appropriate, be
planned and implemented in collaboration with such societies,
associations and institutions.
3.3 The Society will promote the standing of African
bioinformatics and computational biology in the global arena
through liaison and cooperation with other international bodies.
4
Status
4.1 The
ASBCB
shall be an international scientific Society established with the
support of scientists, research and education institutions and
industry, governmental and non-governmental organisations,
agencies and foundations. The
Society
shall operate as a non-profit autonomous organization with
international status and be non-political in management, staffing
and operations. The
Society
shall be organized exclusively for scientific, developmental and
educational purposes.
4.2 The
Society
shall possess full legal identity and enjoy such legal capacity as
may be necessary for the exercise of its functions and the
fulfilment of its purposes.
5 Membership
Membership in the society will be respected internationally as an
essential demonstration of personal commitment toward the
advancement of bioinformatics and computational biology.
The ASBCB will have
four (4) classes of membership, namely:
5.1 Individual
Membership
Individual Members
shall be individuals and will be open to all scientists resident
in Africa, actively engaged in bioinformatics and computational
biology and interested in promoting the objects of the Society.
5.2 Student
Membership
Student Members
shall be
full-time students or post-doctoral fellows who are committed to
the goals and objectives of the Society, and who wish to
participate in and contribute to the development of its programs
and initiatives.
5.3
Institutional Membership
Institutional
Members shall
be affiliate (non-voting in the Governing Council) members,
individual institutions from African countries whose mandate is
not to represent their parent country but who would be valuable
members of this body. Criteria for institutional membership will
be based on geographic or networking relevance, provision of
specialised skill, resources, etc.
Institutional Members may
apply to the Council to become ASBCB Nodes, where a Node is
defined as an institution with relevant infrastructure and
expertise in bioinformatics or computational biology.
5.4 Associate
Membership
Associate Members shall be scientists or
institutions who are not located in Africa, but are committed to
the goals and objectives of the Society, and who wish to
participate in and contribute to the development of its programs
and initiatives.
6 Governance
6.1 The Society
shall be governed by the Governing Council that shall be
constituted as provided for in the By-Laws.
6.2 The Council
shall be elected by secret vote as set out in the By-Laws.
6.3 The Council
shall elect from among its members a President and other
office-bearers as provided for in the By-Laws.
7 Indemnity
7.1 Subject to
the provisions of any relevant statute, every member of the
Council or appointed servant of the Society shall be indemnified
by the Society in respect of all approved acts done by him on its
behalf (subject to section 7.2), and it shall be the duty the
Society to pay all costs, losses and expenses which any such
officer or servant may have incurred or become liable for by
reason of any contract entered into, or act or deed done by him in
his capacity as an officer or servant or in the discharge of his
duties.
7.2 Subject to
the provisions of any relevant statute, no member of the Council
or other officer of the Society shall be liable for the acts,
receipts, neglects or defaults of any other officer, or for
joining in any receipt or other act for conformity or for any loss
or expense suffered by the Society through the insufficiency or
deficiency of title to any property acquired by order of the
Council for or on behalf of the Society; or for the insufficiency
or deficiency of any security in or upon which any of the monies
of the Society shall be invested; or for any loss or damage
arising from the bankruptcy, insolvency or tortuous act of any
person with whom any monies, securities or effects shall be
deposited or for any loss, damage or misfortune whatever which
shall happen in the execution of the duties of his office or in
relation thereto unless the same happen through his own
dishonesty.
8
Amendments
This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of all
voting Members, provided notice of such a proposed amendment
together with its full text shall have been mailed to all members
at least four weeks in advance of the ballot. Voting may be
carried out by electronic means or so designated according to
procedures instituted by the Governing Council.
9
Dissolution
The Society
may be dissolved by a three-fourths majority of all voting
Members, if it is determined that the purposes of the
Society
have been achieved to a satisfactory degree or if it is determined
that the
Society
will no longer be able to function effectively. In the case of
dissolution, any assets situated in participating countries shall
revert to their legal owner(s) or distributed to institutions in
the participating countries having purposes similar to those of
the Society
after agreement between the governing authorities of those
countries and the Governing Council.
BY-LAWS
B 1 Membership
B 1.1 Membership
may be sought by making written application to the Honorary
Secretary, and paying the prescribed annual membership fee.
B 1.2 The annual
subscription fee shall be US$10,00 for ordinary members and
US$5,00 for student members. This subscription shall be subject to
revision by the Council from time to time and may be waived by the
Council in special cases.
B 1.3 A member
whose subscription is one year in arrears shall cease to be a
member, but the Council shall have the right to waive this rule in
special cases.
B 2 Governance
B 2.1 The Council
shall consist of six (6) persons elected for a period not
exceeding three terms from among members of the Society; a term
being defined as two (2) years.
B 2.2 Candidates
for election to the Council must be nominated and seconded by
members in writing and must signify their willingness to stand.
B 2.3 The Council
shall, at the beginning of each term elect from within its
members, the following office-bearers:
(a) a President
(b) a Vice-President
(c) an Honorary
Secretary
(d) an Honorary
Treasurer
B 2.4 The Council
shall have the right to co-opt additional members to serve until
the next election.
B 2.5 The
President may hold consecutive office for a period not exceeding
than two terms.
B 2.6 The Council may establish such other
subsidiary or ad hoc Committees, as it deems necessary for the
performance of its functions. It is anticipated that at least the
following committees will be constituted:
·
Research
Committee
·
Training
Committee
B
2.7 Council Members shall serve in their personal capacity and
are not considered, nor do they act, as official representatives
of their respective countries or any organization.
B
2.8 The Council shall meet at least once every six (6) months.
B
2.9. The Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure.
B
2.10 Notice of Meeting
The Secretary shall give notice and the time of and place of each
Council meeting to each Council member in person, or by mail
(including electronic mail), telefax, or telephone, at least
fifteen (15) days prior to such meeting. Unless otherwise
indicated in such notice, any and all matters pertaining to the
Society’s purpose may be considered and acted upon at such
meeting.
B
2.11 Quorum
The numerical majority of the active Council members shall
constitute a quorum for the consideration of any matters
pertaining to the Society’s purposes. If at any meeting of the
Council there is less than a quorum present, a simple numerical
majority of those present may adjourn the meeting. The act of a
majority of the Council members present at a meeting shall be the
act of the Council, unless the act of a greater number is required
by law, articles or bylaws.
B
2.12 Resignation
Any Council Member may resign at any time. Such resignation shall
be made in writing and shall take effect thirty (30) days after
receipt thereof by the President or Secretary.
As adopted at a meeting of foundation members held in
Cape Town on 13 February, 2004
