CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
OF THE ALABAMA PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
(Includes all revisions accepted
as of November 7, 1981)

I. Purpose

The Alabama Philosophical Society is an organization formed for the primary purpose of bringing together persons interested in discussing topics and questions of a philosophical nature. No one particular method or system of philosophy is either espoused or officially endorsed by the society. All philosophical viewpoints are both welcome and open for discussion. The society will provide a forum for the exchange and mutual understanding of divergent views.

II. Membership

1. Membership is not restricted to professional philosophers. There shall be two classes of membership: constituent and collegiate. Constituent members are mature non-students. Collegiate members are graduate and undergraduate students who are registered in an institution of high learning.

2. All applicants for membership shall be approved by a majority vote of the membership present at a business meeting.

III. Officers

1. Officers of the society will consist of a President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer. The President and Vice-President will not succeed themselves. Each officer will be elected for a period of one year, this period of office commencing with the conclusion of the fall meeting. Elections will be held in a parliamentary manner at the fall meeting. The interim period created by resignations may be filled by appointment by the President without approval of the members. If the President’s office becomes vacant between elections, the Vice-President will assume the role of President. Those eligible for these offices shall be professional philosophers.

2. The President’s primary role, in addition to the functions otherwise mentioned in these bylaws, will be to preside over the meetings and to take whatever measures he deems necessary and prudent to safeguard the society’s primary goals, and to promote its successful continuation and progressive expansion. The President shall appoint an archivist for a term of five years, or a replacement in case the archivist cannot complete his or her term. The President is also empowered to appoint committees and chairmen of committees. Of these committees, there shall be a program committee composed of the President as chairman and two other professional philosophers. These committee members shall be rotated.

3. The Vice-President’s role will be to preside over the meetings in the absence of the President and to assist the President whenever such assistance is requested.

4. The Secretary-Treasurer’s role will be to take charge of all official correspondence involving the society. He will record the minutes of each meeting, make official deposits and withdrawals in a special checking account, prepare an annual report on the society’s financial standing, and compile a list of constituent and collegiate members to be circulated among the members themselves.

IV. Meetings

1. The society will regularly meet at least once a year in the fall. The place should be selected in advance at the business portion of the meeting. The precise day will be determined by the President after consultation with the institution which has been chosen to host the meeting.

2. The meetings will consist of a formal presentation of a minimum of two papers, by invitation, followed by a discussion of the papers open to all present, and a business session to discuss any administrative affairs before the society.

V. Dues

Dues for the society shall be set annually. These dues will be collected by the Secretary-Treasurer either at the time of the meetings or through the mail, whichever he considers appropriate.

VI. Papers

The selection of speakers and of papers to be read at each meeting will be by invitation of the program committee. Each member is eligible to submit papers.

VII. General Provisions

1. All business meetings will be conducted in a parliamentary manner and all motions which are carried by a majority of the members present will be enacted immediately by the society.

2. All officers will be elected through parliamentary procedure. Following nominations, a ballot will be taken. The candidate with the greatest number of votes will be elected. In the event of a tie, the candidates involved in the tie will be presented anew for a second or third ballot until the tie is broken. In the event of only one candidate being nominated for office, a majority of those members present will be sufficient to elect him to office.

3. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the constituent members present or voting by mail. A proposal for amendment may be submitted a any regular meeting, but no vote of adoption or rejection shall be taken on the proposal until the next regular meeting.

Note on the Archivist’s Activities

The archivist should collect, maintain, and on member’s request make available, copies of the papers of the society, especially copies of programs, minutes, and Treasurer’s reports. He should do likewise with such other material as may be available and deemed relevant to the functioning and history of the society. Such material may include, but not be limited to, copies of correspondence, membership lists, talks given at meetings, testimony delivered on behalf of, or in the name of, the society, grants and programs proposed by the society, and reports requested or issued by the society or any of its committees.


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