ISCP Membership
(A). All individuals who meet the eligibility requirements for membership as specified in the Constitution, above, and who attend at least one of three consecutive biennial meetings, beginning with the 2008 meeting, are regarded as Active Members of the ISCP until the end of three consecutive unattended meetings.
(B). All individuals who not meet criterion (A) above, but who were listed on the 2006 membership list will be regarded as active members until the end of the 2012 meeting.
Individuals not meeting criteria (A) or (B), above, may be admitted to active membership by a majority vote of the Operations Committee.
ISCP Operations Committee
President:
(Fundación Universitaria Konrad Lorenz, Colombia)
Secretary:
(Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico)
Treasurer:
(Arizona State University, USA)
Members-at-Large:
Aaron Blaisdell
(University of California Los Angeles, USA)
Sarah Cowie
(University of Auckland, New Zealand)
Brissa Gutierrez
(Arizona State University, USA)
(Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Spain)
(APOPO, Tanzania)
Constitution and By-Laws of the International Society for Comparative Psychology
Adopted:
September, 1984, Acapulco, Mexico
Amended:
August, 1986, San Jose, Costa Rica
August 1988, Sydney, Australia
July, 1992, Brussels, Belgium
August 2000, Warsaw, Poland
September 2006, Christchurch, New Zealand
October, 2008, Buenos Aires, Argentina
November, 2023, Aguascalientes, Mexico
(click here to download a PDF version)
PREAMBLE
The International Society for Comparative Psychology is organized for the purpose of encouraging the teaching, theoretical development, and empirical investigation of behavior in a comparative context, that is, the study of the evolution and development of behavior. All individuals interested in these aims are eligible to be members and officers of the Society.
CONSTITUTION
I. Membership
Any individual, who by example of research, writing, or training has shown interest in the aims of the Society as set forth in the Preamble, is eligible to become a member and officer as stipulated in the Bylaws. The duties and benefits of such membership shall be defined by the Bylaws.
II. Governance
The specific structure shall be set forth in the bylaws so that they may be changed as necessitated by developments within the Society. The basic principles of the structure shall be: 1) maximum participation by the membership in all policy and operational decisions; 2) direct election of all officers by the membership; and 3) regular and frequent review of organizational activities and procedures by the membership.
III. Activities
The Society shall encourage the scholarly development of comparative psychology by holding regular biennial meetings, organizing education programs, seeking means to support young scientists in their training and research activities, publishing such journals and books as may be determined to be useful, and maintaining relationships with existing international organizations which share the goals outlined in the Preamble to the Constitution. The Society’s biennial meetings shall take place in a venue decided by the Operations Committee membership at the biennial meeting. Consideration should be given to meeting concurrently with the International Congress of Psychology at its quadrennial meeting.
BYLAWS
A. Membership
1. Eligibility: (A). All individuals who meet the eligibility requirements for membership as specified in the Constitution, above, and who attend at least one of three consecutive biennial meetings, beginning with the 2008 meeting, are regarded as Active Members of the ISCP until the end of three consecutive unattended meetings. (B). All individuals who not meet criterion (A) above, but who were listed on the 2006 membership list will be regarded as active members until the end of the 2012 meeting. Individuals not meeting criteria (A) or (B), above, may be admitted to active membership by a majority vote of the Operations Committee.
2. Membership Dues: There are no membership dues. All of the ISCP’s revenues are to be derived from the biennial meting registration fees and other sources as necessary.
3. Benefits: Any member of the Society may become a member or chair of a committee and an officer of the Society. Participation in all activities of the Society, such as presenting material at meetings and publishing in the Society's journals and books, is a benefit of all members. Non-members' participation in such activities can be made possible through sponsorship by a member of the Society.
4. Responsibilities: Accepting election to a position as an Officer of the Society implies intent to attend all biennial meetings while holding that office.
B. Officers:
1. The officers of the Society shall consist of the President, President-elect, Past-President, President Emerita, Secretary, Treasurer, and six at large members of the Operations Committee.
a. Nominations for officers shall be solicited by e-mail preceding the biennial meeting in which a vacancy occurs. Additional nominations shall take place at the biennial meeting by the members present.
b. The election of all officers shall be held at the biennial business meetings by the members present. A simple majority of members is required to elect a person to any office of the Operations Committee.
2. President:
a. A President will be elected every two years for a six-year term. The first two years of the term will be served as President-elect, the second two years as President, and the final two years as Past-President.
b. The President will conduct the Operations Committee and general business sessions at the Society's biennial meetings, as well as preside over Society business that takes place by correspondence or other means between biennial meetings.
c. The President serves as ex-officio member of the Program Committees for the biennial meetings during the 6-year term of office. The President is expected to assist the committee and assure its proper function and responsibility to the Society.
d. The President shall be responsible for maintaining relationships with the International Union of Psychological Sciences, and with other international societies as determined by the Operations Committee.
3. The President-elect may temporarily assume the responsibilities of the President when requested to do so by the President or the Operations Committee
4. The Past-President's responsibilities include assisting the President, assisting the treasurer in any fund raising activities undertaken by the Operations Committee, and assisting membership or other committees in their activities.
5. The Secretary's term of office is four years. Responsibilities include recording all activities of the Society, reporting the minutes of previous meetings, furnishing other information when requested, and maintaining the archival integrity of the Society's records and other documents through a working relationship with an archival institution to be decided upon by the Operations Committee.
6. The Treasurer's term of office is four years. The treasurer is responsible for the funds of the Society and for maintaining accurate records of membership, income, and expenditures.
7. President Emerita: As the founding member of the Society, Ethel Tobach is named President Emerita in perpetuity.
8. Operations Committee:
a. The Operations Committee shall consist of the President, President-elect, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Journal Editor, web site manager, and six members elected at large from the membership.
b. Terms of the members-at-large shall be four years. Efforts shall be made to guarantee that the members of the Operations Committee represent the international diversity of the society.
c. The operations Committee shall meet twice at the biennial Society meetings, once prior to and once following the general business meeting
C. Committees
1. As required by the activities of the Society, committees may be formed, their composition constituted, and their activities described by the Operations Committee, either at their meeting or by mail decision
2. Program Committee
a. The Program Committee shall be regularly constituted for purposes of issuing a call for programs, presentations and symposia, and for organizing and managing the biennial meetings.
b. The Program Committee shall be consist of the President, the President-elect, the Past President, the local host, the local host's designee if applicable, and two members of the Operations Committee appointed at the biennial meeting preceding the meeting being planned.
D. The International Journal of Comparative Psychology (IJCP)
1. The IJCP is to be published quarterly every year, including special issues containing abstracts and papers from biennial meetings when appropriate.
2. Editors shall be elected for six year terms
3. The Editorial Advisory Board of the International Journal of Comparative Psychology shall be composed of editors representing the international diversity of the Society, and shall be appointed by the Journal Editor.
E. Amendment of Constitution and Bylaws
1. Any member shall be able to propose changes in the constitution or bylaws by writing to the Operations Committee or proposing the change at the biennial meeting. Voting on the proposed changes shall take place at the biennial meeting by the members present.
2. Changes to the constitution and bylaws shall be distributed to members immediately following the biennial meeting at which changes are made.
Society Business
Comments and suggestions? Contact the ISCP web manager.