Story of Palaeobotany Series (No.17):Brief introduction to Palaeobotanical Section of the Botanical Society of America [In Chinese with English citations]
关于美国植物学的机构选举和商业运作等问题,我与该学会负责人Bill Dahl 先生(EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR )有过通信,他认真回答了我的提问。例如:美国植物学会主席(中国人喜欢称谓“理事长”)是如何选举产生的?Bill Dahl 先生回答说:
“In the case of the President, there is an election each year and the position itself the changes each year of the three year term. It starts as the office of President-elect (a one year learning term), then the office of President (1 year) and then the office of Past-President.”
"The Paleobotanical Section of Botanical Society of America is the oldest organization of Paleobotanists in the world. The founding father of the Section in the years of 1934-1936 was Loren C. Perry, then of Cornell University.
Paleobotanical contributions at the Botanical Society of America's meetings had customarily been presented before the General Section. Professor Perry initiated discussions of forming a formal organization of the Paleobotany Section. The idea was enhanced by the visit to the U.S.A. of Dr. H. Hamshaw Thomas during the Pittsburgh meeting of the Botanical Society.
The Botanical Society Council minutes for the 30th Annual Meeting, at Washington University, St. Louis, December 31, 1935 - January 2, 1936, include an item: 'The Secretary reported a movement on the part of several of the younger members interested in paleobotany to ask for the formation of a paleobotanical section. The Council informally expressed its hearty approval of such action.' The minutes for the corresponding meeting at Atlantic City, December 29-31, 1936, include an item:'The Secretary reported plans for the organization of a Paleobotanical Section of the Society. The Council voted its approval of the proposal to organize such a Section.'
Whether one accepts the initial decision of the paleobotanists to organize in 1934 , or the final acceptance of the proposal in 1936, the Paleobotanical Section of the Botanical Society of America is the oldest formal organization of paleobotanists in the world."
Excerpted from Alfred Traverse, 1960, Plant Science Bulletin, vol. 6, number 3, p.1.
Alexandru Tomescu Department of Biological Sciences Humboldt State University 1 Harpst St., Arcata, CA 95521 Phone: (707) 826-3229 Email: mihai@humboldt.edu
Secretary-Treasurer:
Michael Dunn Deptartment of Biology Cameron University Lawton, OK 73505 (580) 581-2287 FAX (580) 591-8003 E-Mail: michaeld@cameron.edu
Walter Cressler Francis Harvey Green Library West Chester University 29 West Rosedale Ave West Chester, PA 19383 (610) 436-1072 FAX (610) 436-5521 E-mail: wcressler@wcupa.edu
Starting with reports issued in 1996, we will post copies of the business meeting minutes and report of the Secretary. The Treasurer's report will be mailed to members of the Section.
1.To arrange a suitable program on paleobotanical subjects in connection with the annual meetings of the Botanical Society of America, Inc.
2.To promote general interest and encourage research in paleobotany.
3.To stress the importance of fossil plants in relation to botanical and geological problems.
4.To establish closer contacts between botanists and geologists concerned with paleobotanical research and teaching.
5.To assist in the dissemination of paleobotanical knowledge.
6.To cooperate whenever desirable and possible with other organizations in achieving these ends.
7.To act in whatever capacity it may find expedient as an organization of paleobotanists.
ARTICLE II. Officers
The officers shall be a Chair, a Secretary-Treasurer, a Web Manager and Editor of the Bibliography.
The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Section, shall appoint all committees, and shall perform all other functions customary and prescribed for that office. The term of that office is one year.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep the records of the Section, carry on all necessary correspondence, and be responsible for the collection of dues and handling of funds belonging to the Section. The Secretary-Treasurer shall arrange the programs of the sectional meetings and represent the Section at the Council meeting of the Botanical Society of America, Inc. The term of that office is three years.
The Web Manager shall coordinate with manager(s) of the main BSA web site, and facilitate the maintenance, upgrading, and updating of web pages with content pertinent to the missions of the Paleobotanical Section. The term of that office is three years.
The Editor of the Bibliography shall be responsible for collating and preparing for publication citations to be included in the annual Bibliography of American Paleobotany. The term of office is three years and shall be staggered so that the Secretary-Treasurer and the Editor of the Bibliography are not both elected in the same year.
Officers shall be elected at a business session of the Section announced as to time and place in the regular printed program. They will assume office at the close of the annual meeting. Each officer must be a member of the Botanical Society of America.
Candidates for office shall be presented by a nominating committee of three persons, which shall be appointed by the Chair.
In the event of inability of the Chair to perform his/ her duties, or if the Chair vacates the office before expiration of the one-year term, the Secretary-Treasurer shall serve as Chair pro tem until the election of a new Chair at the next regularly scheduled business meeting of the Section. A similar vacancy in the office of Secretary-Treasurer or Editor of the Bibliography shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term through appointment by the Chair.
ARTICLE III. Special Meetings
The section may arrange special meetings or excursions whenever desirable.
ARTICLE IV. Membership
There shall be two classes of membership in the Section as provided for in Article VIII (paragraph 1) of the Bylaws of the Botanical Society of America, Inc. These are regular members (members of the Botanical Society of America) and associate members (non-Society members). Emeritus members are those who have been members of the Section for 10 years and have retired. Membership in the Section is free to designated honorary members. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep the membership list of the Section.
Associate members shall have the privilege of attending and participating in the programs of the Section. They shall receive the program and other incidental materials, which may be issued through the Secretary-Treasurer of the Section. Associate members may serve on all committees except the nominating committee. They shall not vote for officers or hold office in the Section.
Both regular and associate members of the Section shall pay yearly dues, which can be used to defray incidental expenses of the Section, including the expense of publishing and mailing the Bibliography. Changes in the amount of these dues shall be authorized by vote at the annual business meeting of the Section and must be approved by the Council of the Society, as per ARTICLE VIII, paragraph 4 of The Society bylaws. The Secretary-Treasurer shall collect the dues on a calendar-year basis; members in arrears after a period of six months shall again be notified and their names dropped from the list of members until the dues are paid. Members' names may be reinstated to the active membership list at any time by payment of the dues for the current year.
ARTICLE V. Amendments
These Bylaws may be amended by a three-quarters vote of those voting members present at a scheduled business meeting held during a Sectional meeting at which scheduled papers are presented.