Constitution
CHAPTER I - NAME AND OBJECTIVES
Article 1
The name of this organization shall be International Organization of Psychophysiology. In abbreviated form it shall be known as IOP.
Article 2
The International Organization of Psychophysiology (hereinafter called the Organization) shall be a nonprofit organization. Its objectives shall be
- The world-wide dissemination of information regarding psychophysiological research, teaching and applications;
- The establishment and stimulation of psychophysiological research, teaching and applications;
- The development and promotion of international collaborations and discussion in the field of psychophysiology.
CHAPTER II - FUNCTIONS
Article 3
In order to achieve its objectives, the functions of the Organization shall be
- To promote research in the field of Psychophysiology;
- To promote improved standards of teaching, training and applications in Psychophysiology;
- To edit and publish the International Journal of Psychophysiology with Elsevier (hereinafter called the Publisher) and such other publications as may promote psychophysiological research;
- To hold at least one international Congress in the field of Psychophysiology approximately every two years;
- To assist governments and other institutions by providing information, counsel and assistance in the field of Psychophysiology;
- To establish and maintain effective collaborations and discussion with international and national scientific institutions, and such other institutions as may be deemed appropriate;
- To provide information about the field of Psychophysiology to the public media;
- To take such action as may be necessary for the attainment of the objectives of the Organization.
CHAPTER III - ORGANS
Article 4
The work of the Organization shall be carried out by
- The Membership;
- The Officers;
- The Board of Directors;
- Standing and Special Committees;
- Affiliated Societies.
CHAPTER IV - THE MEMBERSHIP
Article 5
Qualified specialists in Psychophysiology, the Neurosciences, and Psychological and Biomedical Sciences from all nations are eligible for Membership in the Organization. The Membership categories shall be those of Members and Associate Members and shall be defined in Article 1.1 of the Bylaws of the Organization.
Article 6
The Membership shall have the rights and privileges specified in Article 1.2 of the Bylaws of the Organization; it shall have the duties and obligations specified in Article 1.3 of the Bylaws of the Organization.
Article 7
The Membership and the Board of Directors meetings shall take place during the Congresses of the Organization. Additional meetings may be convened at the request of either a majority of the Board of Directors or a majority of the Membership.
Article 8
The functions of the Membership shall be
- To review reports and activities of the Board of Directors and to instruct the Board of Directors in regard to matters upon which action, study, investigations or reports may be desirable;
- To take any appropriate action to further the objectives of the Organization.
CHAPTER V - THE OFFICERS
Article 9
There shall be four Officers who shall be elected from the Membership for terms of approximately six years.
The Officers shall be the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary and the Treasurer. The Officers may be re-elected but may serve only two consecutive terms in the same position.
Article 10
The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Organization. S/he shall preside over all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Membership. S/he shall have primary responsibility for the affairs of the Organization and shall exercise general supervision of the operations of the Organization.
Article 11
The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in the case of the latter's absence or incapacity. The Secretary shall ensure that the records of the meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Membership are properly maintained. The Treasurer shall oversee the financial affairs of the Organization.
CHAPTER VI - THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Article 12
The Board of Directors is the governing body of the Organization.
Article 13
There shall be a Board of Directors comprising the Officers and ten or eleven Directors. Nine of the Directors shall be elected from the Membership. The nine Directors shall be elected for a term of approximately six years. These terms shall be staggered so that the positions of three Directors shall become vacant approximately every two years. Elected Directors may serve only two consecutive terms. The Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Psychophysiology shall be an ex-officio Director. The Editor-in-Chief shall be appointed as specified in Chapter X of the Constitution of the Organization. The immediate past-President of the Organization may be invited by the Board to be an ex-officio Director.
Article 14
The voting shall take place in meetings and/or by mail and/or e-mail ballot. A majority vote shall be necessary for a decision.
CHAPTER VII - STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Article 15
There shall be Standing Committees as defined in Article 2.1 of the Bylaws of the Organization. Special Committees may be established by the Board of Directors.
Article 16
The Committees shall be headed by a Chair who shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Board of Directors. The Chair in turn shall appoint the Members of his or her Committee. The term and composition of Standing Committees shall be defined in Article 2.1 of the Bylaws of the Organization.
CHAPTER VIII - AFFILIATED SOCIETIES
Article 17
National scientific societies shall have the right to affiliate with the Organization. The procedure for establishing an Affiliation to the Organization shall be to make a formal request to the Organization. Acceptance of an Affiliation shall be decided by the Board of Directors of the Organization.
CHAPTER IX - GENERAL MEETING
Article 18
There shall be a General Meeting of the Membership at each Congress of the Organization. The timing of successive Congresses of the Organization shall define the duration of appointments as Director or Officer of the Organization, over-riding a strict two-year time unit.
CHAPTER X - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY
Article 19
There shall be the International Journal of Psychophysiology, which shall serve as the official and principal publication of the Organization. It shall be directed by an Editor-in-Chief and an Editorial Board. The Editor-in-Chief shall be appointed by consultation between the Publisher and the Organization, subject to the Publisher's final approval. The Board of Directors may nominate two candidates for appointment to the Editorial Board, and the Editor-in-Chief will nominate the other editors. The Publisher shall have final approval.
CHAPTER XI - NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Article 20
The Officers and Directors shall be elected by Members of the Organization voting by any legal means.
Article 21
Members shall be invited to submit recommendations for nominations for Officers and Directors to the Chair of the Nominating Committee.
Article 22
The Nominating Committee shall ask the Membership to nominate candidates for each open position for Officers and Directors. The Nominating Committee shall ask the nominees to confirm their willingness to stand and submit the list of candidates who accept the nomination to the Secretary, who shall arrange for the mailing or e-mailing of an election ballot to the Membership. Each voter shall choose one candidate for each Officer position available (President, Vice-President, Secretary, and/or Treasurer) and up to the number of open positions for Directors (usually, three), and return the ballots by a specified deadline. The candidate(s) who receive(s) the highest number of votes shall be elected. In the event of a tied vote for any position, a follow-up election between the tied candidates will be held as quickly as possible. If the number of candidates is equal to the number of open positions, the candidate(s) shall be elected without a vote.Article 23
Election ballots that are returned by the deadline by any legal means shall be certified by the Chair of the Nominating Committee. The Chair of the Nominating Committee shall inform the President of the election results, who shall promptly notify the elected Officers and Directors and identify them at the next General Meeting of the Membership.
Article 24
New Officers and Directors shall assume office at the close of the next General Meeting of the Membership and shall hold office until their successors are elected and accept office in their stead.
Article 25
In the case of death, incapacity, resignation or otherwise of any of the Officers or Directors, the Board of Directors shall, by majority vote, elect or appoint a successor to fill such vacancy, and to serve until the next General Meeting of the Membership. For such a position, the election or appointment shall take place no longer than six months following the vacancy.
CHAPTER XII - OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
Article 26
The official language of the Organization shall be English.
CHAPTER XIII - SECRETARIAT
Article 27
The Secretariat shall be located at the President's office.
CHAPTER XIV - AMENDMENTS
Article 28
The Constitution of the Organization may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board of Directors, voting by mail or e-mail ballot. Amendments may be proposed by at least twenty-five percent of the Membership, or by at least four members of the Board of Directors. Amendments proposed by the Membership shall be deposited with the Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.
CHAPTER XV - INTERPRETATION
Article 29
In case of doubt or dispute as to the precise meaning of the Constitution, the Board of Directors shall make an interpretation.
Bylaws
1. THE MEMBERSHIP
1.1 Membership Categories
- Members: those scientists who have completed a Ph.D. or M.D. or equivalent with a specialization in Psychophysiology or a related field, and have published papers in the field.
- Associate Members: those students who are pursuing a Ph.D. or M.D. or equivalent with a specialization in Psychophysiology or a related field.
1.2 Rights and Privileges of the Membership
Members and Associate Members shall have the following rights and privileges:
- To vote, to be elected to or to be appointed to the Officers, Board of Directors and Committees of the Organization;
- To receive the International Journal of Psychophysiology at a reduced cost;
- To register for the Congresses of the Organization at a reduced cost.
1.3 Duties and Obligations of the Membership
Members and Associate Members shall have the following duties and obligations:
- To contribute to advancing the science of Psychophysiology;
- To support and attend the Congresses of the Organization;
- To further the objectives of the Organization;
- To pay Membership dues.
1.4 Membership Dues
There shall be a joining fee and Membership dues. The cost of these shall be determined and adjusted from time to time by the Board of Directors. The current joining fee is 10 Euro for Members and 5 Euro for Associate Members. The one-year Membership dues are 25 Euro for Members and 15 Euro for Associate Members. The Membership term shall be a fixed period of a calendar year (January 1 to December 31). If the renewal dues are not paid, a member's status may be set to “lapsed.” A lapsed member can restore their membership by paying the renewal dues.2. STANDING COMMITTEES
2.1 Names and Functions of Committees
The Organization shall have the following standing Committees, appointed by the President, with approval by the Board of Directors:
- Awards Committee: shall consist of the Officers and the Board of Directors. The function of the Committee shall be to determine if any awards for exceptional contributions to Psychophysiology shall be given, and, if so, to whom.
- Conference and Program Committee: shall consist of the Officers and the Board of Directors. The function of the committee shall be to make the necessary arrangements for the Congresses of the Organization and the scientific program in cooperation with the local organizing committee.
- Constitution and Bylaws Committee: shall consist of a Chair and two persons who shall serve for a term of six years, after which they may be re-appointed for another term. The function of the Committee shall be to review the Constitution and Bylaws of the Organization and receive proposals for amendments by the Membership and Board of Directors.
- Ethics Committee: shall consist of a Chair and at least two persons, who shall serve for a term of six years, after which they may be re-appointed for another term. The functions of the Committee shall be to review all issues concerning ethical aspects in the science of Psychophysiology and related areas; to bring to the attention of the Board of Directors and the Membership such matters of ethical concerns; and to develop guidelines of ethical conduct. In specific cases, the Chair can appoint specialists in related matters.
- Membership Committee: shall consist of a Chair and two persons, who shall serve for a term of six years, after which they may be re-appointed for another term. The functions of the Committee shall be to review applications for Membership and to admit qualified scientists in Psychophysiology and related fields into the Membership.
- Nominating Committee: shall consist of a Chair and two members of the Board of Directors, who shall serve for a term of six years, after which they may be re-appointed for another term. The Committee's duty shall be to compile a slate of candidates for each open elective office and position on the Board of Directors, based on nominations from the Membership, as described in Chapter X, and to facilitate the votes.
3. EMBLEM OF THE ORGANIZATION
3.1 Emblem
The emblem of the Organization shall consist of a human being with open arms embracing the biosphere. The biosphere shall be surrounded by two branches of thick olive leaves, and on top shall be affixed the initials of the Organization. The emblem of the Organization cannot be reproduced, or utilized in any form or by any means without permission of the Board of Directors.
4. FINANCIAL AFFAIRS OF THE ORGANIZATION
4.1 Bank account
The President shall open an official bank account of the Organization. The current address for the fiscal code is: Prof. Giuseppe Augusto Chiarenza, c/o UONPIA via Gorizia 25, 20017 Rho, Milano, Italy.
4.2 Auditor
At the General Meeting of the Membership, an Auditor or Auditors shall be appointed for the purpose of auditing and verifying the accounts of the organization.
5. AFFILIATED SOCIETIES
5.1 Rights and Privileges of Affiliated Societies
Affiliated Societies shall have the following rights and privileges:- Members of affiliated societies will be exempted from the joining fee of IOP (currently 10 Euro for Members and 5 Euro for Associate Members), when they newly apply to the IOP membership.
- Affiliated societies are listed on the IOP website with a link to their website.
- Conferences and events of affiliated societies may be advertised free in the official journal, International Journal of Psychophysiology, and on the IOP website.
5.2 Duties and Obligations of Affiliated Societies
Affiliated Societies shall have the following duties and obligations:- Affiliated societies should promote IOP, the International Journal of Psychophysiology, and IOP congresses to their membership; a link to the IOP website should be shown on their home page.
- Affiliated societies should send an Annual Report to IOP. The report should be written in English and include description of major events or activities through the year and updates to membership and governance.
5.3 Related Procedures
An applicant submits an official letter signed by the society's representative that gives basic information of the society (e.g., aim, history, and the number of current members). The letter will be circulated in the Board of Directors of IOP. If approved, the President will write a letter of acceptance. With reasonable cause, the affiliation can be cancelled at any time by consensus of the Board of Directors of IOP. The causal events include default of the Annual Report submission. Affiliated societies have the right to discontinue the affiliation at any time by submitting an official letter of withdrawal.6. ADVERTISEMENTS
6.1 Scope of Advertisements
The Organization and Affiliated Societies may advertise on the IOP website. Such advertising is to be limited to IOP-related material (e.g., advertising for the IOP congress, special issues of the International Journal of Psychophysiology, etc.) and that of Affiliated Societies.
7. AMENDMENTS
7.1 Additions to Bylaws
In addition to the present Bylaws, the Board of Directors may from time to time make further Bylaws for the regulation and management of the affairs of the Organization, and may likewise from time to time repeal or amend the present Bylaws.
7.2 Amendments
The Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board of Directors, voting by mail and/or e-mail ballot. Amendments may be proposed by at least ten percent of the Membership or by at least two members of the Board of Directors. Amendments proposed by the Membership shall be deposited with the Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.
8. TRANSITIONAL MEASURES
8.1 Congresses
The congress expected in 2020 shall be postponed to 2021. The subsequent congresses shall take place every two years in and after 2023, unless unexpected events happen.
9. INTERPRETATION
9.1 Interpretation
In case of doubt or dispute as to the precise meaning of these Bylaws, the Board of Directors shall make an Interpretation.
Revision History
Drafted in 1981 and established in 1982.
Fully revised and enacted on February 1, 2011.
Amendments of Bylaw 1.4 (Membership Dues) approved on March 19, 2014.
Addition of Bylaw 5 (Affiliated Societies) approved on May 27, 2015.
Amendments of Constitution Article 22 (Election procedure) and Article 25 (Replacement), Bylaw 1.4 (Membership Dues), and Deletion of the Bylaw article about the transitional measures of elections approved on October 24, 2016.
Addition of Bylaw 6 (Advertisements) approved on April 25, 2018.
Amendments of Bylaws 1.4 (Membership dues) and 5.1 (Rights and Privileges of Affiliated Societies) approved on September 8, 2018.
Variation of Articles 3, 9, 13, 18, and Bylaw 8 to replace fixed two- or six-year intervals by approximate periods following the COVID disruption of the 2020 Congress, approved by the Board of Directors, and enacted on March 21, 2021.
Amendments of Article 13 (The board of directors) regarding the immediate past-President as an ex-officio Director approved on March 30, 2022.