Revised 24 September 2007

Article 1. Purpose:

The Society is established to encourage primate research. At the same time the Society will, consonant with that purpose, do everything in its power to conserve primates, especially those in danger of extinction. The Society will encourage the establishment of scientifically administered centers for the breeding of primates, especially those considered endangered. The Society encourages its members to consider carefully the potential scientific value of experiments involving manipulations affecting the biological integrity of the species or the individual.

Article 2. Membership:

Applications for membership will be submitted to the Treasurer and Vice President for Membership.

There are two categories of membership: Individual membership and Corporate membership.

1. Individual membership. There will be three classes of individual membership: Regular, Student and Gratis membership. Applications for individual membership will be submitted to the Treasurer and Vice President for Membership. Persons in developing countries may be eligible for gratis membership.
2. Corporate membership. Institutions and Corporations wishing to support the ideas and objectives of the Society are eligible for Corporate membership. Applications are made through the Treasurer and Vice President for Membership and submitted to the Council for approval. Corporate members may be acknowledged on the web site and in the bulletin of the Society.

Every individual member has a voice in the General Assembly, in all elections for Officers, constitutional amendments and changes in the Bylaws.

Individual membership may be terminated upon:

1. Receipt by the Treasurer and Vice President for Membership of a written resignation from the Society signed by the member. The resignation becomes effective at the time of receipt. The member is not entitled to refund of dues.
2. Annual dues are expected from each member. Failure to pay dues over the course of a single calendar year will result in the termination of membership. Inquires regarding membership status can be made through the Treasurer and Vice President for Membership. Applications for membership renewal will be included in each bulletin and on the Society's website. If national currency controls prevent a member's payment of dues, the Council may permit retention of membership without payment upon promise of future payment. In the event of a dispute regarding payment that cannot be resolved between the Treasurer and Vice President for Membership and the member, the matter shall be referred to the Council for resolution.
3. Determination that a member has indulged in actions contrary to the principles and goals of the Society or liable to inflict serious damage on its general reputation. The Council as a whole shall consider and act upon such charges. The member shall be informed in writing of the charges and be given an opportunity to provide the Council with a written response in defense of his actions. Written notification of the Council's decision shall be given. The member affected is not entitled to a refund of dues and has no claims of any kind on the Society's assets.

Article 3. Dues:

Dues are fixed by the Council upon recommendation of the Treasurer and Vice President for Membership. Dues are payable annually or may be made in a lump sum via a lifetime membership payment. Individuals from developing countries are encouraged to become members of the Society. If such persons are unable to pay the membership fees, gratis membership shall be provided, when requested.

Article 4. Officers:

Section 1. President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Society; shall preside at meetings of the Council and General Assembly of the Society; shall be responsible for executing policies determined by the Council; shall act as spokesperson for the Society; and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Council are carried into effect. The President or the Council's designate shall serve as Chairperson of the Election Committee. The President shall archive all documentation of societal business conducted through his or her post annually.

Section 2. Secretary General. The Secretary General shall assist the President and shall be responsible for the minutes of all Council and General Assembly meetings. The Secretary General is the Society's legal representative. The Secretary General keeps all relevant records of the Society, except those pertinent to the Treasury; receives copies of all correspondence dealing with Society matters including petitions and votes on societal business; negotiates with the groups inviting the Society to hold its biennial meetings; and negotiates affiliations of other organizations with the Society. It shall be the duty of the Secretary General to archive all documentation of societal business conducted through her/his post annually.

Section 3. Treasurer and Vice President for Membership. The Treasurer and Vice President for Membership shall be responsible for all monies and valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Society, and for full and accurate accountings of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Society. The Treasurer and Vice President for Membership shall have signatory powers and shall disburse the funds of the Society as may be ordered by the Officers. The Treasurer and Vice President for Membership shall render to the Council at its regular meetings, or when the President or the Council so requires, an account of the financial transactions and status of the Society. The Treasurer and Vice President for Membership will receive all applications for membership and shall be responsible for maintenance of a list of members and their addresses. This list shall be provided to the Congress Organizing Committee prior to the congress. This list shall also be available to other members of Council, or appropriate outside bodies as needed to conduct the Society's business. The Treasurer and Vice President will provide information to prospective members; encourage new membership among qualified individuals or groups who will support and further the purposes of the Society; and will provide the Council with relevant statistics and demographic information about new membership at each biennial meeting. The Treasurer and Vice President for Membership shall archive all documentation of societal business conducted through his or her post annually including a list of the current membership and financial account information.

Section 4. Vice President for Conservation. The Vice President will chair the Conservation Committee. The Vice President promotes and coordinates the Society's programs dealing with conservation and habitat protection. The Vice President will acquire, collate and integrate information on conservation programs and progress, reporting to the Council as frequently as deemed necessary. The Vice President shall archive all documentation of societal business conducted through her/his post annually.

Section 5. Vice President for Captive Care and Breeding. The Vice President will chair the Captive Care and Breeding Committee, assuming an active role in acquiring and disseminating information on ethical and welfare issues and on new technology dealing with captive care and breeding of primates. The Vice President shall archive all documentation of societal business conducted through her/his post annually.

Section 6. Vice President for Education. The Vice President will chair the Education Committee. The Vice President will work closely with the Vice Presidents for Research, Conservation and Captive Care and Breeding and promote and coordinate the Society's public education programs. The Vice President shall archive all documentation of societal business conducted through her/his post annually.

Section 7. Vice President for Research. The Vice President will chair the Research Committee, serving to promote international scientific research collaboration, increase awareness of international funding opportunities, and serve as the Society's spokesperson concerning research with primates. The Vice President shall archive all documentation of societal business conducted through her/his post annually.

Section 8. Vice President for Communications. The Vice President for Communications is charged with composing and producing the twice-yearly IPS Bulletin. The bulletin will be sent by mail to each member as arranged by Council. The Vice President for Communications is also charged with maintaining the society's webpage. The Vice President shall archive all documentation of societal business conducted through her/his post annually.

Duties of all Society Officers:

All officers of the society have the following obligations;

• Officers must provide annually a copy of all official Society document and business conducted through his or her post to the Secretary General for submission to the Society's archives currently housed at the Library of the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. These documents must be labeled with the year, office, and subject to afford archiving by the librarian.
• Officers may be asked to nominate individuals from their region as potential participants in the training program component of the biennial congress or other societal programs.
• Officers must participate in the scientific program of the Congress by organizing a symposium, poster session, or roundtable discussion.
• Officers should attend meetings of the Council.

Article 5. Nominations and Elections:

Section 1. Elections. Slates of candidates for open offices shall be prepared every two (2) years from the roll of members by an Election Committee appointed by the Council. Candidates may be proposed in writing or e-mail by members not later than nine (9) months before the Congress. The Election Committee shall present a slate with the names of two (2) individuals willing to serve for each position, six (6) months before the Congress, taking into consideration the representation of scientific disciplines, geographical region and with due regard to the proposals received in writing from the members.

Section 2. Ballots. The ballots will be sent to the Chair of the Election Committee who will tabulate and record the vote three (3) months preceding the opening of the next Congress of the Society. A simple majority of mail votes cast will constitute election for all offices. The Chair formally reports the results of the elections to the Council and to the candidates.

Section 3. Accession. The newly elected Officers will assume their positions as the last item of business at the next meeting of the General Assembly.

Section 4. Vacancies. In the event that an Office becomes vacant, the Council shall by majority vote elect a member of the Society to serve in an interim capacity until the next duly elected candidate assumes office.

Section 5. Removal from Office. A Council member who is found to carry out her/his duties in a manner counter to the interests of the Society may be removed from office, by written or e-mail vote of three-fourths of the council members. Removal from office will only take place after the officer has the opportunity to explain her/his actions in writing or email and proper discussion among Council members has occurred.

Article 6. Council:

Section 1. Council. The Society's affairs shall be conducted through the Council. All officers are strongly encouraged to attend Council meetings. If an officer is unable to attend he or she must submit all pertinent materials of her/his post to a fellow council member to be presented at the Council meeting. Individuals presenting information to the Council may attend the meeting during the time period of their business as specified by the Secretary General. They will be asked to leave following discussion of their presentation. All voting members of the Council shall be entitled to one (1) vote except for the ex-officio member, representative of PSG, and the presiding Officer, who shall vote only in a case of a tie. Simple majority votes will decide issues acted upon the Council.

Section 2. Quorum. A quorum of the Council shall consist of fifty (50) percent of the Council's vote.

Section 3. Committee Appointments. The Council shall appoint the members of the standing committees with due consideration of suggestions made by the chairpersons of those committees.

Section 4. Meetings. The Council shall meet at the biennial Congress both before and after the General Assembly. At congresses where a new council takes office, the meeting before the General Assembly will be conducted by the outgoing Council and may be attended by the newly elected Council. The meeting after the General Assembly will be conducted by the newly elected Council. Newly elected Council do not vote in Council until they take office at the General Assembly.

Section 5. Disbursement of Funds. Funds of the Society will be disbursed only upon authorization by the Officers. Committee Chairs and Officers of the Society may request annual operating budgets to be spent at their discretion, for which there will be appropriate accounting. Major expenditures for special projects or programs must be explicitly authorized by the Officers. Funds donated to the Society for specific projects will be authorized by the Officers for that project and monitored by the Treasurer and Vice President for Membership to assure that all funds are spent for that purpose.

Article 7. Congress:

The location of the biennial Congress will be decided by the Council four (4) years in advance. The selection of place will be from invitation by groups that can assure the Society of the availability of reasonable convention facilities and local administrative support adequate to make successful arrangements for the Congress. The Secretary General will carry out preliminary negotiations and provide the Council with the information required. The regional group of the country selected as hosts for the biennial Congress will establish a Congress Committee. The Committee will follow the instructions of the Council and report to the Officers as requested.

Article 8. General Assembly:

The General Assembly is the gathering of the total membership attending the biennial Congress of the Society. The Assembly is called to carry out the business of the Society. The Assembly will be conducted in accordance with basic principles of Robert's Rules of Order. Reports to the Assembly will be given by the Officers; ad hoc reports will be given as deemed to be necessary by the President.

Attendees of the General Assembly must have paid dues for that calendar year to be entitled to vote. Thirty (30) members will be considered a quorum for the enactment of business. All motions and resolutions not of a routine matter shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary General at least one (1) month before the General Assembly. Motions and resolutions may be: (1) passed or defeated by a simple majority vote of the assembly; (2) tabled or referred to committee by appropriate parliamentary procedure; (3) declared by the Secretary General to be in conflict with the Constitution or Bylaws and therefore to be considered as amendments and processed according to Article 11 of the Constitution.

Article 9. Committees:

Section 1. Conservation. The Conservation Committee will be appointed by the Council on the recommendation of the Vice President for Conservation, who will chair the Committee. The committee will aid the Vice President in carrying out the duties specified for that office in Article 4, Section 4 of the Bylaws.

Section 2. Captive Care and Breeding. The Captive Care and Breeding Committee will be appointed by the Council on the recommendation of the Vice President for Captive Care and Breeding, who will chair the Committee. The Committee will aid the Vice President in carrying out the duties specified for that office in Article 4, Section 5 of the Bylaws.

Section 3. Education. The Education Committee will be appointed by the Council on the recommendation of the Vice President for Education, who will chair the Committee. The Committee will aid the Vice President in carrying out the duties specified for that office in Article 4, Section 6 of the Bylaws.

Section 4. Research. The Research Committee will be appointed by the Council on the recommendation of the Vice President for Research, who will chair the Committee. The Committee will aid the Vice President in carrying out the duties specified for that office in Article 4, Section 7 of the Bylaws.

Section 5. Election. The Election Committee will consist of at least five (5) members appointed by the Council and will be chaired by the President or the Council's designate. The Committee will provide for the nominations and elections of new Officers in accordance with procedures designated in Article 5, Sections 1 and 2 of the Bylaws. In appointing the members of the Committee, the Council will make every effort to balance the membership with consideration of equitable demographic and scientific area participation. The primary criteria for nomination of candidates are the scientific and personal qualifications of the individual for the position under consideration.

Section 6. Congress. The committee will be chaired by an appointee of the Council. Taking into account the advice of the Council, the Committee will plan the scientific program for the next Congress, invite speakers and arrange for appropriate merit reviews of submitted abstracts. It will arrange for Congress sites, plan for accommodation and registration of delegates, set registration fees, supervise the publication of programs and abstracts, and will ensure appropriate publicity about the Congress. It will use its best endeavors to raise funds for the Congress with the objective of minimizing the cost to the members.

Section 7. Awards. The Awards Committee will be appointed by Council and chaired by the President. The Committee will provide for the solicitation of nominations of award candidates, award and nomination promotion, review of award applications and nominations, selection of award recipients to be voted on by Council, and presentations of the awards. These awards include but are not limited to the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Section 8. Training Program. The Training Program Committee chaired by an appointee of Council. The Committee is charged with organizing and conducting the training program component of each Congress. The committee is also responsible for raising funds to contribute to the cost of the training program and selecting program participants. The training program is to be scheduled such that participants will have the opportunity to attend the scientific program of the Congress.

Article 10. Actions of the Society:

The society may enact policy statements through the recommendation of the Council followed by ratification by ballot of the membership, or vote at the General Assembly. The Society may initiate projects congruent with the aims of the society following recommendation by Council and approval by ballot of the membership, or by vote of the membership at the General Assembly.

Section 1. Initiatives. The Council will work to ensure that the following activities are carried out at every Congress. Each initiative will be organized by an appointee of Council.

• Training Program – a workshop for young primatologists aimed at developing critical skills
• Student Competition – provides feedback to students of primatology on their oral and poster presentations and recognizes students making outstanding achievements in the field.
• Silent Auction – all proceeds go to support the IPS Conservation Fund
• Other initiatives deemed vital by Council

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