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BY-LAWS OF DIVISION 21 OF THE
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION


ARTICLE I

NAME AND PURPOSE

The name of this organization shall be the Division of Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology (hereinafter referred to as the Division), a division of the American Psychological Association (hereinafter referred to as the APA). The purpose of this organization shall be (a) to promote research, development, application, and evaluation of psychological principles relating human behavior to the characteristics, design, and use of environments and systems within which human beings work and live, (b) to stimulate the exchange of information among its members, and (c) to develop close relations and facilitate the exchange of information with other societies, associations, and technical groups that have similar concerns.

ARTICLE II

MEMBERS

Section 1.

There shall be five classes of members: Fellows, Members, Associates, Affiliates, and Student Affiliates.

Fellows of the Division shall be persons who (a) have been selected by the Executive Committee of the Division for unusual and outstanding contribution or performance in the field of applied experimental or engineering psychology, (b) have had five years of work related to psychology applied to the design and use of equipment and human / machine systems, and (c) are approved by the APA for Fellow status therein. Fellows shall be nominated to the APA by the Executive Committee and a majority vote of the Fellows of the Division attending the annual business meeting.

Members of the Division shall be persons (a) who are Members of the APA, (b) whose principal fields of study, research, work, or interest are within the area of applied experimental or engineering psychology, and (c) who are elected by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. Associates of the Division shall be persons (a) who are Associates of the APA, (b) whose principal fields of study, research, work, or interest are within the area of applied experimental or engineering psychology, and (a) who are elected by a majority vote of the Membership Committee.

Affiliates of the Division shall be persons (a) who are not Fellows, Members, or Associates of the APA, (b) whose interests are within the area of applied experimental or engineering psychology, and (c) who are elected by a majority vote of the Membership Committee.

Student Affiliates of the Division shall be persons (a) who are APA Students in Psychology and (b) who are elected by a majority vote of the Membership Committee.

Section 2.

The Chair of the Membership Committee shall notify persons newly elected to the Division of their election as soon as possible after their election.

Section 3.

Any person may be expelled from the Division for cause by a two-thirds vote, taken by secret ballot, of the total of Members and Fellows present and voting at an annual business meeting as provided in Article VI. Such vote shall be taken only upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee. The committee's recommendations will be submitted only after the defendant has been given an opportunity to answer the charges both in writing and by appearing in person before the Committee.

Section 4.

On all matters calling for action by the membership of the Division, each Fellow and Member shall have one vote, and no proxy votes shall be allowed. Voting may take place either at a regularly scheduled meeting as provided in Article VI of these By-Laws, or by mail ballot. Section 5. Associates and Affiliates of the Division Shall be permitted to vote on Division matters which are determined by the Executive Committee not to be of direct concern to the APA. In such cases, each Associate and each Affiliate shall have one vote, and no proxy votes shall be allowed.

ARTICLE III

OFFICERS, NOMINATIONS, AND ELECTIONS

Section 1.

The Officers of the Division shall be the President; the Immediate Past President; the President-Elect; the Secretary / Treasurer; Representative(s) to the APA Council of Representatives as provided for in Article IV and V of the By-Laws of the APA; and three Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee. Only Fellows and Members of the Division shall be eligible for nomination as Officers of the Division.

Section 2.

The term of the President-Elect shall be one year, followed by one year as President and one year as Immediate Past President. The Secretary / Treasurer shall serve for a term of three years, but not more than two consecutive terms without at least three years intervening. Each Member-at-Large shall serve for a term of three years; their terms shall be staggered.

Section 3.

The Secretary / Treasurer may not serve concurrently as President, Immediate Past President, or President-Elect of the Division. Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee may not serve concurrently as Division Representative. The Division-Representative(s) and the Members- at-Large of the Executive Committee may, however, concurrently serve as President, Immediate Past President, President-Elect, or Secretary / Treasurer, if duly elected.

Section 4.

It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Division; to act as Chair of the Executive Committee; to exercise supervision over the affairs of the Division with the approval of the Executive Committee; and to perform such other duties as are incidental to the office or as may properly be required by vote of that Committee. In the absence or incapacity of the President, the duties of President shall be assumed by the President-Elect.

Section 5.

It shall be the duty of the Secretary / Treasurer to keep the records of all meetings of the Division, issue calls and notices of the meetings; issue notices of nominations of Officers of the Executive Committee; issue mail ballots as directed by the Executive Committee; and serve as a member of the Executive Committee. It also shall be the duty of the Secretary / Treasurer to have custody of all funds and property of the Division, collect any special dues or assessments that may be voted in accordance with Article VII of these By-Laws; make disbursements as authorized by the Executive Committee; and serve as a member of the Executive Committee.

Section 6.

It shall be the duty of the Division Representative(s) to the Council of Representatives of the APA to perform the duties and accept the responsibilities specified in Article IV of the By-Laws of the APA. The representative(s) shall also serve as Executive Committee member(s).

Section 7.

It shall be the duties of the Members-at-Large to serve as members of the Nominations and Elections Committee, as provided in Article V of these By-Laws; and serve as members of the Executive Committee. They may also be designated to provide assistance to the Program Committee, the Membership Committee, or the Division Representative(s), or be given special assignments at the discretion of the President.

Section 8.

In the case of death, incapacity, or resignation of any of these Officers, the Executive Committee shall, by majority vote, elect a successor to serve until the next annual business meeting, except as provided in Sections 3 and 4 above.

Section 9.

The Officers of the Division shall be elected according to preferential voting system, by the Fellows, Members, and Affiliates of the Division voting by mail, except that the Secretary / Treasurer of the Division shall be elected by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. The Secretary / Treasurer shall send a nomination ballot each year to all Fellows, Members, and Affiliates of the Division at a time in accordance with the deadlines provided by the APA. This ballot shall provide three places for the office of President-Elect, three places for each office of Division Representative, and three places for each office of Member-at-Large of the Executive Committee.

Section 10.

The nomination ballots, when returned by the membership, shall be sent to the Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee. After counting the votes, the Committee also shall nominate one additional person willing to serve, for each of the offices to be filled, and transmit these names to the Secretary / Treasurer. The Secretary / Treasurer shall transmit these nominations, as described in Sections 12, 13, and 14, to the Election Officer of the APA in accordance with APA deadlines for inclusion in the APA ballot.

Section 11.

The election ballot for President-Elect of the Division shall contain the names of the two nominees standing highest on the nomination ballot from the Fellows and Members, and willing to serve. It shall also contain the name of the person nominated by the Nominations and Elections Committee who is willing to serve.

Section 12.

The election ballot for Division Representative (s) shall contain the name of the Member-at-Large of the Executive Committee who will complete the term of that office in the year of election. It shall also contain the name of the nominee standing highest, and willing to serve, on the nomination ballot for Division Representative(s), and the name of the person nominated by the Nominations and Elections Committee who is willing to serve. There shall be at least three nominees for each office as Division Representative.

Section 13.

The election ballot for Member-at-Large of the Executive Committee shall contain the names of the two nominees standing highest, and who are willing to serve, on the nomination ballot for this office. The election ballot shall also contain the name of the person nominated by the Nominations and Elections Committee, and willing to serve. It is intended that the Members-at-Large be elected from among the newer Members of the Division; therefore, the Nominations and Elections Committee is urged to seek nominees for Members-at-Large who shall have been Members of the Division for less than three years at the time of election.

Section 14.

Officers shall assume office on the first day following the close of the annual business meeting after their election and shall hold office until their successors are elected and accept office in their stead.

ARTICLE IV

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1.

There shall be an Executive Committee of the Division consisting of all Officers of the Division; these shall include the President, the Immediate Past President, the President-Elect, the Secretary / Treasurer, the Division Representative(s), the three Members-at- Large of the Executive Committee, and the Chair of the Program Committee.

Section 2.

The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Division. All actions of the Executive Committee which are of a continuing or policy nature are subject to the approval, by majority vote, of the membership present and voting at an annual business meeting, or by mail ballot, as provided in Article III of these By-Laws.

Section 3.

he President of the Division shall be Chair of the Executive Committee, and the Secretary / Treasurer shall be Secretary / Treasurer of the Executive Committee.

Section 4.

The President, in consultation with members of the Executive Committee, shall appoint such chairpersons and members of committees as are provided for in Article V of these By-Laws.

ARTICLE V

COMMITTEES

Section 1.

The committees of the Division shall consist of such standing committees as may be provided by these By-Laws, and such special committees as may be established by majority vote of the membership of the Division or by majority vote of the Executive Committee. Unless otherwise provided for, committees shall serve for the term of the President.

Section 2.

The Membership Committee shall be a standing committee consisting of one person who shall be designated by the President to act as Chair of the Committee, and two persons appointed by the Executive Committee to receive applications for membership, to examine the credentials submitted, and to make recommendations, accompanied by the data, to the Executive Committee in accordance with the requirements set forth in Article II of these By-Laws. The Membership Committee may also examine the qualifications of Members to become Fellows of the Division, and may recommend to the Executive Committee those Members who meet the Fellows membership requirements.

Section 3.

The Program Committee shall be a standing committee consisting of one person designated by the President to act as Chair of this Committee who shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee, and two persons appointed by the Executive Committee from the membership of the Division. It shall be the duty of this Committee to make arrangements for programs in cooperation with the Convention Program Committee of the APA and for any other meeting in which the Division participates.

Section 4.

The Nominations and Elections Committee shall be a standing committee consisting of the President-Elect as Chair and the three Members-at-Large of the Executive Committees. It shall be the duty of this Committee to carry out the provisions of Article III of these By-Laws.

ARTICLE VI

MEETINGS

Section 1.

There shall be at least one annual business meeting of the Division each year. There may be additional meetings of the Division if the membership so decides at any annual business meeting.

Section 2.

A quorum at the annual business meeting shall consist of not less than 5 percent of the total Fellows and Members of the Division.

Section 3.

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Division in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these By-Laws or with any special rules of order which the Division may adopt.

Section 4.

Any member of the Division can introduce agenda items and topics for discussion, review, or action by the Division at its annual meeting or at additional meetings. The procedure for introducing such topics is to send them in writing to the Secretary / Treasurer, or to any member of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VII

FINANCES

Section 1.

The Division is an integral component of the APA, a non-profit corporation of the District of Columbia, organized in accordance with Section 503(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 2.

Dues and assessments shall be recommended by the Executive Committee and shall be decided by majority vote of the membership present and voting at an annual business meeting, or by mail ballot, as provided in Articles III and V of these By-Laws.

Section 3.

Membership dues shall be paid as provided in Article XIX, of the By-Laws of the APA. Affiliates of the Division, who are not members of the APA, shall pay annual dues, assessments, or special dues when billed by the Secretary / Treasurer of the Division. Nonpayment of dues for two years shall be considered as equivalent to request for resignation from the Division.

Section 4.

In the event of dissolution or termination of the Division, title to and possession of all of the property of the Division shall pass forthwith to the APA.

ARTICLE VIII

AMMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS

Section 1.

The Division, by vote of two-thirds of the membership present and voting at any annual business meeting, or by a majority vote of the membership of the Division voting by mail ballot, as provided in Article II of these By-Laws, may adopt such amendments to these By-Laws as have been (a) presented and read at the preceding annual business meeting, or (b) circulated to the membership at least two months prior to the final vote on the proposed amendments. Circulation may be carried out either by publication in a journal of the APA, the Division Newsletter, or by mailing to the last known addresses of the membership. Modification approved by membership at the annual meeting, August 11, 1996, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Modification approved by members at the annual meeting, August 16, 1997, Chicago, Illinois.

 

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