Bylaws of the Botanical Society of America, Incorporated^*

ARTICLE I. Organization and Purposes

The Botanical Society of America, Incorporated (hereinafter called "The Society") is organized under the laws of the state of Connecticut as a corporation without capital stock, not for business or profit, but only for scientific and educational purposes. The MISSION of The Society is to promote botany, the field of basic science dealing with the study and inquiry into the form, function, development, diversity, reproduction, evolution, and uses of plants and their interactions within the biosphere. To accomplish this mission, the OBJECTIVES of The Society are to: sustain and provide improved formal and informal education about plants; encourage basic plant research; provide expertise, direction, and position statements concerning plants and ecosystems; and foster communication within the professional botanical community, and between botanists and the rest of humankind through publications, meetings, and committees.

ARTICLE II. Membership and Dues

1. Membership categories of The Society consist of (a) Active Member, (b) Family Member, (c) Life Member, (d) Corresponding Member, (e) Retired Member, (f) Sustaining Member, (g) Corporate Member, (h) Student Member, and (i) K-12 Classroom Teacher Member. All members in good standing are entitled to receive publications of The Society as stipulated below.

   (a)

   Active Member. Any person actively interested in botany may become an Active Member of The Society by payment of the appropriate dues to the Treasurer. Active Members receive electronic access to each issue of the American Journal of Botany, a copy of the Plant Science Bulletin, and upon request, the Directory, and have all other privileges of membership.

   (b)

   Family Member. Families actively interested in botany may elect Family Membership in The Society by payment of the appropriate dues to the Treasurer. Family Members receive electronic access to each issue of the American Journal of Botany, a copy of the Plant Science Bulletin, and upon request, the Directory for the family, and each shall have all other privileges of active membership.

   (c)

   Life Member. Any person actively interested in botany may become a Life Member by making a single payment to the Treasurer in the amount required for life membership. Life Members have all the privileges of Active Members.

   (d)

   Corresponding Member. Corresponding Members are distinguished senior scientists who have made outstanding contributions to plant science and who live and work outside of the United States of America. The number of such members is limited to fifty living persons. Members or Sections submit nominations supported by credentials of proposed Corresponding Members to the Committee on Corresponding Members which reviews these credentials and forwards its recommendations to the Council. The Council evaluates these proposals and presents its selected nominees to The Society for election at an annual business meeting. Corresponding Members pay no dues and have all the privileges of Active Members.

   (e)

   Retired Member. Any person retired from professional activities who has been a member of The Society for at least 25 years is eligible for one of the following categories of retired membership. 1) Retired Member and 2) Retired Member Subscriber. A Retired Member pays appropriate dues to the Treasurer, has all privileges of an Active Member, including receipt of the Plant Science Bulletin and the Directory, but does not receive the American Journal of Botany. A Retired Member Subscriber pays appropriate dues to the Treasurer, enjoys the same privileges as an Active Member, and, receives all publications of The Society. An Active Member may convert to Retired Member status by informing the Treasurer of inclusive dates of active membership and of retirement from professional activities.

   (f)

   Sustaining Member. Any commercial organization may become a Sustaining Member of The Society by payment of required dues to the Treasurer. A Sustaining Member has all the privileges of an Active Member, except that of the vote and of holding office in The Society, and is entitled to a 10% discount on advertising rates in the Journal.

   (g)

   Corporate Membership. Any commercial organization may become a Corporate Member of The Society by payment of the required dues to the Treasurer. A Corporate Member does not receive the American Journal of Botany but has all the privileges on an Active Member, except that of the vote and of holding office in The Society, and is entitled to a 10% discount on advertising rates in the Journal.

   (h)

   Student Member. Any student may become a Student Member of The Society by payment of the appropriate dues to the Treasurer. Student membership may be held for a maximum of seven years. Student members receive all publications of The Society and have all other privileges of membership.

   (i)

   K-12 Classroom Teacher Member. Any K-12 teacher actively interested in botany and actively teaching in the classroom of K-12 grades may elect membership in The Society by payment of the appropriate dues to the Treasurer. Teacher members have all the privileges of an Active Member.

2. At any Annual Business Meeting The Society may determine by majority vote the amount of annual dues for each category of membership.
3. Active Members, Family Members, Life Members, Corresponding Members, Retired Members, Student Members, and K-12 Classroom Teacher Members have all the privileges of membership, including the vote. Sustaining Members have all privileges of membership, except the vote and the holding of office [Article 1 (f)].
4. Members whose dues are in arrears for six months are suspended from The Society and discontinued from Society rolls. Such persons may be reinstated in good standing by payment of the appropriate dues to the Treasurer.

ARTICLE III. Officers

1. The Officers of The Society are: President, President-Elect, immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Program Director, Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Botany, and Editor of the Plant Science Bulletin. The Officers shall accept and conscientiously execute the duties specified in these Bylaws, or that custom and tradition dictate, for each respective office. Newly elected officers shall begin their terms of office immediately following the annual banquet, except as outlined in Article IV. 4. Newly appointed officers shall begin their terms of office on January 1, except as outlined in Article IV. 4.
2. The President, President-Elect and Past President serve for one year. The Secretary, Treasurer, and Program Director serve for three years. The Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Botany, and Editor of the Plant Science Bulletin, serve for five years.
3. No officer of The Society receives a salary or other compensation unless it is so voted by The Society at an annual business meeting.
4. Officers entrusted with the funds or property of The Society post bond in such sum and form as the Council of The Society determines.

ARTICLE IV. Election and Appointment of Officers

1. The President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Program Director are elected by the members of The Society according to the following procedures:

   (a)

   After the annual meeting the Past President activates the Election Committee and serves as its chair. The term of service for the three appointed members of this committee is three years, and the Committee on Committees recommends one new member each year to replace the outgoing member. The Secretary of The Society serves on the committee, ex officio.

   (b)

   Soon after its appointment, this Election Committee canvasses by mail each voting member of The Society for nominations for offices to be filled that year.

   (c)

   The Election Committee prepares a slate of two names for each office. The candidates for each office shall be selected from a combination of persons nominated by the membership at large and selected by the Election Committee. Consent to serve, if elected, is obtained from all nominees. An election by mail ballot is carried out by the committee at that time each year which seems most expedient in the overall program of The Society. The Executive Director’s office is responsible for receiving, opening, and tallying the ballots. The candidate for each office who receives the largest number of votes is recognized as elected to that office.

   (d)

   In the event of a tie vote, members of the Executive Committee and Election Committee vote among themselves until they have resolved the tie vote. The chair of the Election Committee conducts the voting.

   (e)

   Results of the election are reported by the Election Committee chair to the President and to the Secretary of The Society. The Secretary promptly notifies each candidate of the outcome of the election. The President invites each officer-elect to attend the annual meeting of the Council of The Society. Results of the elections are announced to the membership at the annual business meeting and are published in the Plant Science Bulletin.

2. Selection of the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal is the responsibility of the Executive Committee. To fill a vacancy in this office, the President appoints a committee consisting of at least three members of The Society. This committee solicits nominations for Editor-in-Chief, evaluates the candidates and makes recommendations to the Executive Committee, who then appoint the Editor.
3. Selection of the Editor of the Plant Science Bulletin is the responsibility of the Executive Committee. To fill a vacancy in this office, the President appoints a committee consisting of three members of The Society and the incumbent Editor, ex officio. This committee solicits nominations for Editor, evaluates the candidates and makes recommendations to the Executive Committee, who then appoint the Editor.
4. Vacant elective and appointive offices are filled as follows:

   (a)

   If the office of President becomes vacant, the President-Elect becomes President and serves out the term of the former President leaving a vacancy in the office of President-Elect. Whenever the office of President-Elect is vacant, during the next regular election both a President and President-Elect are elected, and the succession of President-Elect to President is reestablished.

   (b)

   If both offices of President and President-Elect become vacant simultaneously, the Secretary immediately calls for a Special Election by reactivating the most recent Election Committee to nominate both a President and President-Elect. The successful candidates for election assume office immediately and serve the unexpired terms of the vacated posts plus the next full term of office. For the second annual banquet, the President-Elect, having already presented one banquet address, is relieved of that duty and the Executive Committee of the Council arranges for an alternative event as appropriate.

   (c)

   If any other elective office becomes vacant, the Executive Committee of the Council designates a successor to fill the unexpired term.

   (d)

   Mid-term vacancies in the appointive positions of Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Botany, or Editor of Plant Science Bulletin are filled by the appointment procedures set forth in the preceding sections (Article IV. 2, 3, 4).

ARTICLE V. Duties of Elected Officers

1. President. The President, as chief executive officer of The Society, exercises the general supervision and management of The Society, and represents it as the occasion arises. The President presides at the annual business meeting, at meetings of the Council and of the Executive Committee and at the annual banquet. The President performs such other duties and has such other responsibilities as are prescribed in these Bylaws and as may from time to time be assigned by the Executive Committee, Council, and the membership.
2. President-Elect. The President-Elect performs any duties assigned by the President as well as chairing the Committee on Committees. In addition, at the annual meeting in the year before he/she assumes the presidency, the President-Elect delivers to the membership assembled at the annual banquet a botanically-oriented address. If unusual circumstances prevail, the President-Elect and the President, in consultation with the Executive Committee, may arrange for an appropriate alternative event. (See also Article IV. 4 of these Bylaws.)
3. Past President. The immediate Past President performs any duties assigned by the President as well as chairing the Election Committee and the Corresponding Member Committee.
4. Secretary. The Secretary maintains correspondence of The Society, keeps and reports minutes of Council and annual business meetings, prepares agenda for Council and annual business meetings, acts as secretary of the Election Committee, and prepares materials for awards and citations.
5. Treasurer. The Treasurer pays all expenses of The Society not related to publications, maintains financial records and provides periodic summaries, prepares and submits tax statements, and prepares an annual report including finances of the past fiscal year and proposed budget for the current year.
6. Program Director: The Program Director arranges the scientific program, social events, and business and council meetings of The Society at the annual meeting. The annual meeting program is planned cooperatively with the Sections of The Society and is coordinated with the programs of other societies meeting with The Society. The Program Director also issues the call for papers, symposia, and workshops; arranges and submits for publication accepted abstracts, and prepares the final program for the annual meeting of The Society.

ARTICLE VI. Duties of Appointed Officers

1. Editor-in-Chief, American Journal of Botany. The Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Botany is responsible for its publication in accordance with editorial policies established by the Botanical Society of America, the Editorial Committee of the Journal, and Journal tradition. This responsibility includes the processing of manuscripts, overseeing their professional review, preparation of issues, and adherence to a timely publication schedule.
2. Editor, Plant Science Bulletin. The Editor of the Plant Science Bulletin is responsible for the editorial policies and for the timely publication of the issues of the Bulletin. In consultation with the Editorial Committee of the Bulletin, the Editor publishes news and other items that are deemed of interest to The Society's members.

ARTICLE VII. Council

1. The Council consists of the President, President-Elect, immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Program Director, Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Botany, Editor of the Plant Science Bulletin, Executive Director, one elected representative from each Section and chair of each of the general committees (Article X, 4). Each Section representative shall be elected for a three-year term and that representative may be a section officer or a section member at-large.
2. The Council is the managing board of The Society and transacts the business of The Society except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws. The Council establishes the date and place of the annual meeting, arranges the program for the meeting, and reports to the annual business meeting through the President.
3. The Council may establish standing committees when necessary or abolish them as appropriate.
4. The Council authorizes the publication of the following: revisions of the Bylaws of The Society and the Sections; minutes of the annual business meetings, including reports of the Treasurer and the Executive Director; American Journal of Botany, Plant Science Bulletin, a Directory of society members, a Careers in Botany booklet; Guide to Graduate Studies in Botany; and other official publications.

ARTICLE VIII. Sections

1. The Society is divided into interest groups called Sections. Formation of a section is authorized by the Council when appropriate. Any member of The Society may join one or more Sections by notifying the Treasurer of The Society and meeting any financial or other obligations which may be imposed by the Section or Sections under the authority granted by this Article. Persons who are not members of The Society are not accorded full privileges of membership in the Sections. The Sections, at their discretion, may accord to such persons some form of associate status, but such associates are not eligible to hold office in any Section until they become members of The Society.
2. Each Section provides for the election or appointment of such officers and committees as it finds necessary.
3. Each Section formulates Bylaws for its own governance which are not inconsistent with the organization and purposes (Article 1) or Bylaws of The Society and which are approved by the Council. Such Bylaws are published along with the Bylaws of The Society.
4. Subject to approval by the Council, each Section may levy dues or otherwise collect funds which then are under its control. The collection and use of such funds shall not conflict with any provision of the organization and purposes (Article 1) or Bylaws of The Society, nor endanger the non-profit status of The Society.
5. Subject to Council approval, any Section(s), the majority of whose members so desire, may engage in any professional botanical activity, including publication, which does not conflict with the organization and purposes (Article 1) or Bylaws of The Society.
6. The Council may, but is not obligated to, appropriate funds from the treasury of The Society to help meet incidental expenses of the Sections. Such funds are provided by the Treasurer of The Society.
7. The Council may dissolve any Section that becomes inactive, or for sufficient reason. In addition, Sections may be dissolved at any time with the consent of a majority of members of that Section.

ARTICLE IX. Publications

1. The Journal. The American Journal of Botany is published regularly to disseminate the results of botanical research in all areas of interest to Society members. Editorial policy is established by an Editorial Board of the American Journal of Botany. The Board consists of the Editor-in-Chief, several Associate Editors selected by the Editor-in-Chief with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, and the Secretary of The Society ex officio. The Associate Editors are selected to provide expertise in the various disciplines represented by articles appearing in the Journal and serve five-year terms coincident with the term of the Editor-in-Chief or at the convenience of all parties. Replacements to the Board are nominated and approved as needed.
2. The Plant Science Bulletin. The Plant Science Bulletin is published regularly to communicate news of Society activities, is a medium of publication for any committee, and includes other items of interest to the membership that are not published by the Journal. Editorial policy is maintained by an Editorial Committee consisting of the Editor and five members appointed by the President in consultation with the incumbent Editor. The period of service is five years with staggered terms. If a Committee member resigns, the President, in consultation with the Editor, appoints a replacement to serve out the term. No committee member is appointed for two consecutive full terms.
3. Other Publications. The Council may authorize other publications from time to time as need arises, including:

   (a)

   Careers in Botany,

   (b)

   Guide to Graduate Study in Botany,

   (c)

   Directory of members.

ARTICLE X. Committees

1. Executive Committee. The President, President-Elect, immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Program Director, Executive Director ex officio and one Council member elected by the Council for a two-year term constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee acts on all interim matters that arise between regular annual meetings of the Society, and in such matters specifically assigned to it in these Bylaws: Article IV. l(d), 2, 3, 4; Article IX. 1; Article X 4(a), Article XV.
2. Committee on Committees: consisting of the President-Elect as chair, the Secretary of The Society, ex officio, and six members, each serving three-year terms, two being appointed each year by this committee. The committee shall be responsible for the structural and functional aspects of The Society standing and temporary committees. It shall recommend names to the President-Elect for staffing yearly and unanticipated vacancies on these committees, giving consideration to: (1) balanced representation; (2) the number of committees and duties which a potential nominee is serving; (3) the principle of rotation of committee assignments; and (4) the responses from the membership to a periodic survey of member interests in and qualifications for service on a committee.
3. Financial Advisory Committee: consisting of the President and Treasurer as ex officio members and three members appointed by the Executive Committee and serving staggered three year terms. The Chair of the committee is appointed by the Executive Committee. The committee oversees the management and investment of the Society's funds and makes suitable recommendations to the Executive Committee.
4. General committees. The President annually appoints the following standing general committees from among the members of The Society: Annual Meeting Program, Archives and History, Conservation, Education, Election, Membership and Appraisal, Publications, and Webpage.

   (a)

   Annual Meeting Program Committee: consisting of the Program Director as Chair, the Meetings Manager ex officio, the Program Organizer for each section, the chair of the local organizing committee, and a representative from each participating society. This committee is charged with arranging the scientific program on behalf of the society (Article V, 6).

   (b)

   Archives and History Committee: consisting of the immediate Past-Secretary as chair and one or two other members appointed to five-year terms by the President after consultation with the chair of the Historical Section. This committee ensures that such records of The Society as are of historical or archival interest are collected and organized in an orderly manner and deposited in an archival institution (currently the Library of the University of Texas at Austin) which will guarantee to curate and preserve the materials and make them available to The Society and qualified scholars.

   (c)

   Conservation Committee: consisting of a chair appointed by the President and five other members each serving three-year terms with two new members being appointed each year. This committee accumulates information on environmental problems, disseminates such information to the membership at it discretion, and brings matters of significance to the attention of the Council.

   (d)

   Education Committee: consisting of a chair appointed by the President and five other members all serving three-year terms with two new members being appointed each year. The President, Secretary, Secretary of the Teaching Section, Editor of the Plant Science Bulletin, and the immediate past chair of the Education Committee are members, ex officio, of this committee. This committee advises the President and the Council on policies and programs of The Society pertaining to teaching, training, and professional education in the plant sciences.

   (e)

   Election Committee: consisting of the immediate Past President as chair, the Secretary of the Society, ex officio, and three members appointed by the President as specified in Article IV, l(a) of these Bylaws.

   (f)

   Membership and Appraisal Committee: consisting of the Treasurer, Executive Director, ex officio, a chair and four other members appointed by the President for five-year terms, with one member appointed each year. This committee advises the President and the Council on policy matters pertaining to membership, to the effectiveness of Society organization and programming, and to professionalism among botanists.

   (g)

   Publications Committee: Consisting of a chair and 5 other members each serving 3 year terms with the American Journal of Botany editor, Plant Science Bulletin editor, Webmaster and Executive Director as ex-officio. This committee considers management issues of the American Journal of Botany, Plant Science Bulletin & webpage and ensures that the objectives and future directions of the American Journal of Botany, Plant Science Bulletin & the webpage are integrated and that they are coordinated with the goals of the Society. This committee will also be responsible for coordinating special publications.

   (h)

   Webpage Committee: Consisting of a Webmaster, as chair, the Chair of the Education Committee, the Executive Director ex officio and five other members appointed by the President, all serving three-year terms with two new members being appointed each year. The Secretary, Editor of the American Journal of Botany and Editor of the Plant Science Bulletin are members ex officio, of this committee. This committee maintains The Society's Webpage and advises the President and the Council on policies and changes necessary for effective internet communications.

5. Award committees. The President annually appoints the following standing award committees from among the members of The Society: Corresponding Members, Merit Awards, Darbaker Prize, Esau Award, Karling Graduate Student Research Awards, Moseley Award, and Pelton Award.

   (a)

   Corresponding Members Committee: consisting of the immediate Past President as chair and the two preceding Past Presidents. This committee makes recommendations to the Council in accordance with Article II, 1(d).

   (b)

   Merit Awards: consisting of a chair appointed by the President and two other members each serving three-year terms with one new member being appointed each year. The President of The Society is ex officio a member of the committee. Each year the committee solicits nominations, evaluates candidates, and selects one or more persons judged to have made outstanding contributions to botanical science. The committee prepares a short citation for each awardee, and informs the Secretary of The Society of its selection(s) at least one month in advance of the meeting during which the awards are to be presented.

   (c)

   Darbaker Prize: consisting of a chair, who is the senior appointed member, and two other members each serving three-year terms with one new member being appointed by the President each year. The committee selects a recipient, prepares a short citation, and informs the Secretary of The Society at least one month in advance of the meeting during which the award is to be presented. The prize is for meritorious work in the study of microscopic algae, is limited to residents of North America, and is based only on papers published in the English language.

   (d)

   Esau Award: consisting of a chair appointed by the President and two members, chosen by the President in consultation with the Developmental and Structural Section chair, each serving three-year terms with one new member being appointed each year. The prize is awarded to a student who is the sole or senior author of a paper presented in the Developmental and Structural Section session of the annual meeting.

   (e)

   BSA Graduate Student Research Awards Committee(including the J. S. Karling Award) : consisting of a chair appointed by the President and five additional members , each serving a three year term. Members should be drawn from different sections of The Society. The committee solicits proposals from student members for research awards. Awards are made to the most deserving applicants, based on merit of the proposal. The number and value of the award varies from year to year.

   (f)

   Moseley Award Committee: consisting of a chair appointed by the President and two other members, chosen by the President in consultation with the Developmental and Structural Section and Paleobotanical Section chairs, each serving three year terms with one new member being appointed each year. The prize is awarded to a student who is the sole or senior author of a paper orally presented in the Development and Structural Section or Paleobotanical Section of the annual meeting that best advances our understanding or the plant anatomy and/or morphology of vascular plants within an evolutionary context.

   (g)

   Pelton Award: consisting of a chair appointed by the President and two other members, each serving three-year terms with one new member being appointed each year. The award honors the memory of Jeanette Siron Pelton. When the Conservation and Research Foundation (Connecticut College, New London) informs The Society that the award is to be given, the committee seeks nominations from members of The Society and other interested individuals, selects the recipient, prepares a short citation, and informs the Secretary of The Society at least six months in advance of the meeting during which the award is to be presented. The award, including $1,000 prize, travel expense stipend, and certificate is given to junior investigators exhibiting exceptional promise or to senior investigators for sustained excellence in the field of plant morphogenesis. The particular subdiscipline of the nominee's research may be organismal biology, cell biology and/or molecular biology. It is anticipated that the awardee will give a special lecture at the annual meeting of The Society.

ARTICLE XI. Annual Business Meeting

1. The Council determines the time and place of the annual business meeting. The annual business meeting is conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order.
2. The Secretary notifies each member of The Society by e-mail and posting on the website of the time and place of the annual meeting not less than thirty days nor more than fifty days prior thereto.
3. At each annual business meeting the Secretary, Treasurer, Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Botany, and Editor of Plant Science Bulletin present their annual reports.
4. A quorum for any business meeting of The Society consists of not less than twenty-five (25) members entitled to vote.

ARTICLE XII. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of The Society begins on October 1st and ends on September 30th.

ARTICLE XIII. Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended at any time by ballot, received by mail, or fax, with the approval of three-fourths of those voting. All changes in the Bylaws will be reported at the next annual meeting and either published in the Plant Science Bulletin or promulgated separately to the membership.

ARTICLE XIV. General Prohibitions

Any provisions of these Bylaws which might be susceptible to a contrary construction notwithstanding:
1. The Society is organized and operated exclusively for scientific and educational purposes.
2. No part of the assets of The Society shall, or may, under any circumstances, inure to the private benefit of any member, officer, or individual except as reasonable compensation for services or reimbursement for approved personal expenditures on behalf of The Society [6(b), below].
3. Whereas The Society exists for scientific and educational purposes, it may engage in efforts intended better to inform the public on issues pertaining to plant science and the influences of plants on people as an element in the biosphere. The Society, nevertheless, shall not allow any part of its activities to become those of lobbying or espousing particular political or religious doctrines or dogmas.
4. The Society shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of a candidate for public office.
5. The Society shall not be organized or operated for profit.
6. The Society shall not:

   (a)

   lend any part of its income or corpus without the receipt of adequate security and a reasonable rate of interest to any member, officer, member of the Council, or substantial contributor to The Society;

   (b)

   pay any compensation in excess of a reasonable allowance for salaries or other remuneration for personal services actually rendered to any member, officer, member of the Council, or substantial contributor to The Society;

   (c)

   make any part of its services available on a preferential basis to any member, officer, member of the Council, or substantial contributor to The Society;

   (d)

   make any purchase of securities or any other property for more than adequate consideration in money's worth from any member, officer, member of the Council, or substantial contributor to The Society;

   (e)

   sell any securities or other property for less than adequate consideration in money or money's worth to any member, officer, member of the Council, or substantial contributor to The Society; or

   (f)

   engage in any other transactions which result in a substantial diversion of its income or corpus to any member, officer, member of the Council, or substantial contributor to The Society.

The prohibitions contained in this section (6) do not mean to imply that The Society may make such loans, payments, sales, or purchases from or to anyone else, unless such authority be given or implied by other provisions of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE XV. Distribution on Dissolution

Upon dissolution of The Society, the Executive Committee shall distribute the assets and accrued income to one or more scientific and educational organizations as the committee determines and as prescribed and limited in Article XIV of these Bylaws.

^*Bold type is unique to the Web version and is provided principally for aesthetics and emphasis. Incorporates changes in the bylaws up to October, 2006.