AP-LS Bylaws: Officers

1.     The officers of the Society shall consist of a President, a President-elect, a past-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, three Council Members and such other officers as may be elected in accordance with the provisions of this Article. Each shall perform the usual duties of the respective office and specific duties provided elsewhere in these By-Laws or assigned by the Executive Committee.

a    President:

The President shall be the principal officer of the Society and shall in general supervise all of the business and affairs of the Society. The President shall preside at all meetings of the membership and of the Executive Committee and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of President and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Executive Committee from time to time. The President shall be elected for a three year term, serving the first year as President-Elect, the second year as President, and the third year as Immediate Past-President.

In the absence of the President or in the event of the President's inability to act, the President-elect shall perform the duties of the President and, when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. The President-elect shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the President or by the Executive Committee.

 b.  Treasurer:

The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds of the Society, receive and give receipts for monies due and payable to the Society, deposit all such monies in the name of the Society in such banks or other depositories as shall be selected by the Executive Committee of the Society, prepare an annual financial report and a budget for the upcoming year for the Society, and in general perform all duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the President or by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall serve for a five-year term of office, this term being staggered with the term of the Secretary in such a manner as to provide continuity for the Executive Committee and the Society. 

Nothing in this Section shall be construed to bar collection by the Association or any other entity designated by majority vote of the Executive Committee of funds due and payable to the Society. When such collection occurs, the Treasurer shall have charge of ensuring ultimate deposit of such funds in the accounts of the Society and maintaining appropriate accounting of their receipt.

c.    Secretary:

The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the members of the Executive Committee, be the custodian of the Society records, secure and review evidence concerning the qualifications of all candidates for membership or changes in membership status in the Society, maintain an annually-updated membership list, disseminate information regarding the Society's activities to the membership, and in general perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the President or by the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall submit a budget for necessary operating expenses to the Executive Committee for approval, and shall have the authority to hire an Administrative Assistant according to the amount approved for such expenses. The Secretary shall serve for a three-year term of office, this term being staggered with the term of the Treasurer in such a manner as to provide continuity for the Executive Committee and the Society 

d.   Council Members

One Council Member shall be responsible for working with the Society’s Program Committee and current and future program chairs with respect to preparing and developing the Society’s annual scientific programs.  One Council Member shall be responsible for working with the Society’s Student Committee.  CouncilMembers may also take on other duties as assigned by the President, in consultation with the Executive Committee.  Council Members shall be elected by Society membership and shall serve terms of three years, these terms being staggered so that one Council Member is elected each year.

2.     There shall be Divisional Representatives to the Council of Representatives of the American Psychological Association in numbers permitted by the By-Laws of the Association. Representatives shall be elected for a five-year term of office.  In the event that there is more than one Divisional Representative allotted by the American Psychological Association, their terms will be staggered in such a manner as to provide continuity in representation to the Council. Divisional Representatives of the Association shall be members of the Association and shall be chosen by and only by the members of the Society who are also members of the Association.

3.     Candidates for office in the Society shall be Fellows, Members, or Members-at-large of the Society, with the exception of Divisional Representatives who must also be members of the American Psychological Association. Officers and Divisional Representatives shall be elected by preferential mail ballot.