I. Name
II. Aim
III. Activities
§ 3. This aim shall be achieved by:
a) Congresses consisting of lectures, discussions, exhibits, excursions, and other scientific activities.
b) Publication of a journal based in part on Congresses and other material as appropriate.
c) Encouragement and sponsorship of symposia, meetings, and working groups.
d) Provision of financial assistance as practicable for limnological activities.
e) Affiliation with organizations embracing similar aims and interests.
IV. Membership and dues
§ 4. There shall be six categories of membership - Ordinary, Associate, Honorary, Life, Emeritus, and Student - all of which shall have full privileges in SIL including the right of one vote at any General Assembly attended by a member in any of these categories.
a) Ordinary Members are individuals interested in limnology who pay full dues.
b) Associate Members are scientific institutes, societies, and other corporate bodies that pay full dues.
c) Honorary Members are elected by the Executive Committee in recognition of their outstanding contributions to limnology or its applications. Honorary members pay no dues.
d) Life Members are individuals who make a major financial contribution to SIL. The minimum contribution for this category of membership shall be 40 times the annual dues of ordinary members. Life members do not pay annual dues.
e) Emeritus Members are individuals who, after retirement, request emeritus status and are approved by the Executive Board. Emeritus members pay no dues and receive no publications or pay 50% dues and receive publications.
f) Student Members are full-time students working toward a graduate degree in limnology. Student status is grounded for a maximum of 5 years.
§ 5. Application for Ordinary, Student, or Associate membership can be made through the SIL website.
§ 6. Dues. Annual dues are payable by February 1, and shall be fixed at each General Assembly for the period until the next General Assembly.
§ 7. Members in good standing for any given year will receive all SIL publications as issued during that year.
§ 8. Members in arrears by payment of back dues, can receive back issues of publications if they are available.
V. Fiscal year
VI. Governance
§ 10. Governance shall be by an Executive Board, an International Committee, and the General Assembly in accordance with statutes and by-laws.
§ 11. Executive Board
a) The President, three Vice Presidents, and the General Secretary-Treasurer shall constitute the Executive Board.
b) A Nominating Committee of five members chosen by the Executive Board shall nominate candidates to be elected by mail or email ballot prior to each Congress. All officers are eligible for reelection except that the President and the Vice Presidents, who may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
c) The Executive Board shall be convened by the General Secretary to meet in person, by email, or by conference call and presided over by the President. Four members shall constitute a quorum. A simple majority of those present shall carry a proposal. If votes are equal a proposal shall be defeated. Business may be conducted by letter or email.
d) The Executive Board shall be responsible for presenting to the General Assembly a general report, a statement on income and expenditure, a forecast of the financial situation in the coming triennium, resolutions passed by the International Committee, and other business.
e) The General Secretary-Treasurer, in addition to his responsibility for all business matters, shall be ex officio a member of all committees.
f) The Editor in Chief shall be responsible for editing the publications issued by SIL, and shall report to and be appointed by the Executive Board.
g) Members of the Executive Board shall act in an honorary capacity. The President, or in his absence a Vice-President, the General Secretary-Treasurer, and the Editor in Chief shall attend each Congress at the expense of SIL. The General Secretary-Treasurer and Editor in Chief shall receive an annual honorarium, the amount of which shall be fixed by the General Assembly.
h) No document binding SIL shall be valid unless signed by the President and General Secretary-Treasurer.
§ 12. International Committee
a) The members of the Executive Board and National Representatives shall constitute the International Committee.
b) The General Secretary shall convene the International Committee, and the President shall preside over its sessions. In his absence, the General Secretary shall preside.
c) Business may be conducted if all members have been notified in advance of the meeting. One-quarter of the members shall constitute a quorum. Resolutions shall be carried by a simple majority, or defeated if the votes are equal.
d) Special meetings of the International Committee shall be called by the President or when any member with the support of at least one-third of the committee members so requests.
§ 13. National Representatives
a) Each country is entitled to one National Representative for every 50 members; a fraction thereof counts as a whole. A country with fewer than 5 members will not have a National Representative.
b) The members of each country may, before each Congress, choose their National Representative(s). If no representative(s) is so selected, the Executive Board is empowered to appoint a representative(s). The National Representative(s) shall serve through the next Congress and shall be eligible for reelection.
c) If a National Representative is unable to attend a meeting of the International Committee, the Executive Board is empowered to appoint an ad hoc National Representative from among the members of that country present at the Congress.
§ 14. General Assembly
a) The Ordinary Members, Honorary Members, Life Members, Emeritus Members, Student Members, and designated representatives of Associate Members attending a congress shall constitute a General Assembly.
b) There shall be at least one General Assembly at each Congress; any General Assembly shall be preceded by a meeting of the International Committee.
c) The General Assembly shall decide on matters presented to it on behalf of the International Committee and on items of business raised by any member.
d) A simple majority of those voting shall carry a proposal. If votes are equal, the President has the deciding vote.
e) A proposal for termination of SIL shall require approval of three-quarters of the members of the General Assembly.
f) Should SIL be terminated, the Executive Board shall decide how to dispose of any assets, but dissolution must be done in accordance with the aims of SIL.
g) Two auditors appointed by the Executive Board shall audit the accounts each year and submit a written report to the next General Assembly.
VII. Congresses
§ 15. The time and place of the next Congress shall be decided by the General Assembly, and, if possible, a tentative decision about the one after that shall be made.
§ 16. The General Secretary-Treasurer shall announce the Congress at least one year in advance and, working closely with the local organizing committee, shall communicate in writing to all members the major topics and organizational details of the Congress.
§ 17. A Congress shall be held every three years whenever feasible.
§ 18. Each member attending a Congress shall be entitled to present one paper. Manuscripts ready for review can be submitted to the Editor before the final General Assembly. The Editor will decide on the basis of its originality and scientific merit whether a paper from the Congress shall be published by SIL.
VIII. Languages
IX. Amendments
