Bylaws

Current Bylaws (Approved in June 2019)

Article I. NAME OF ORGANIZATION

The name of this professional organization shall be “Out Toxicologists and Allies,” a Special Interest Group (SIG) of the Society of Toxicology, hereinafter designated as "OTA” or the “SIG.”


Article II. OTA’s MISSION AND OBJECTIVES

Mission: The Special Interest Group (SIG) Out Toxicologists and Allies (OTA) is established to support and promote scientists who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and related community members (LGBT+), and expand the diversity and inclusivity initiatives of the Society of Toxicology (SOT). Membership in this SIG is open to all SOT LGBT+ members as well as allies who embrace diversity and promote inclusiveness within the SOT. OTA recognizes that individuals come from diverse backgrounds and strives to be supportive of all intersecting identities.

Objectives:

  1. To promote the recruitment and retention of LGBT and all related community members (LGBT+) to professions within the field of toxicology.
  2. To enhance and advance the professional development of LGBT+ toxicologists and Society of Toxicology members.
  3. To provide mentorship of early career LGBT+ scientists as well as Society of Toxicology members.
  4. To promote and recognize the scientific, mentoring, and leadership accomplishments of LGBT+ toxicologists and allies.
  5. To provide a forum for LGBT+ toxicologists and allies to share ideas and discuss issues regarding their professional development in the toxicological sciences.
  6. To engage and inform the broader community of toxicologists regarding LGBT+ inclusivity in the field of toxicology relating to the workplace, research, and policy.
  7. To serve the Society of Toxicology as a resource for initiatives regarding diversity and inclusion.

No part of the net earnings of the SIG shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to it members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the SIG shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes herein-above set forth.

No substantial part of the activities of the SIG shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation and the SIG shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.


Article III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Membership in OTA shall be open to any member in good standing of the SOT of any gender and sexual orientation who shares the same common interests as the SIG upon payment of the required OTA dues as established by the SOT Council. Membership of OTA will be lost if dues are not paid on an annual basis or if the member is not in good standing with the SOT. OTA members who are SOT members shall receive all privileges conferred by their SOT membership.

Section 2: Any person having a professional interest in toxicology may become a member of OTA upon payment of the required dues. OTA members who are not SOT members shall receive limited SOT privileges, as approved by the SOT Council and SIG Board. These benefits will be posted on the OTA website and/or other similar means.

Section 3: No person, whether or not a member of the OTA, may (1) purport to represent, speak for or act for or on behalf of the OTA or (2) use the name of the OTA, including its acronym, logo or symbol, in connection with his or her own personal or business affairs without prior written authorization by the OTA Executive Board. The forgoing shall not bar any member of the OTA who is in good standing from simple disclosure of his or her OTA membership.


Article IV. THE OTA BOARD

Section 1: The OTA Executive Board shall be comprised of the following members (hereinafter referred to as “Officers”): The President, Vice President, Vice President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary-Treasurer and two (2) Councilors. Each officer shall have voting rights.

Section 2: There shall be one Graduate Student Representative and one Postdoctoral Representative associate members of the OTA Executive Board with voting rights. These representatives shall act as liaisons between the SIG and the Graduate Student Leadership Committee and Postdoctoral Assembly, respectively.

Section 2: Officers shall begin their terms of office on May 1 following the Society’s Annual Meeting at which their election is announced or one month after the Annual Meeting if it is held, any year, after April 1.

Section 3: Only OTA members who are Full, Associate, Retired or Emeritus SOT members in good standing of the SOT and the SIG shall be eligible to serve as Officers.

Section 4: Only OTA members who are either Graduate Student (for Student Representative) or Postdoctoral (for Postdoctoral Representative) members of SOT shall be eligible for election as the Student and Postdoctoral Representatives, respectively.


Article V. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1: The President shall serve for a term of one year. The President shall preside at all meetings.

Section 2: After serving for a term of one year as President, the outgoing President shall remain as a voting member of the OTA Executive Board for a term of one year and shall be designated Immediate Past-President.

Section 3: The Vice President shall become the President after serving one year as Vice President. The Vice President shall act as President in the absence of the President.

Section 4: A Vice President-Elect shall be elected by a majority vote of the ballots cast by the OTA membership, and shall become the Vice President after serving one year as Vice President-Elect. The Vice President-Elect shall act as Vice President in the absence of the Vice President.

Section 5: The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected by a majority vote of the ballots cast by the OTA membership, and shall serve as Secretary-Treasurer for a term of two years.

Section 6: There shall be two Councilors. The Councilors shall be elected by a vote of the membership and shall serve for a term of two years. One Councilor will be elected each year.

Section 7: Student and Postdoctoral Representatives shall be elected each year by a vote of the membership for a term of one year each.

Section 8: In the event of a vacancy in an elective office other than the Presidency, the OTA Executive Board may make an appointment or may provide for a special election to fill the vacancy until the unexpired term is completed. In the event of a vacancy in the Presidency, the Vice President accedes to that office until the unexpired term of the Presidency is completed and shall serve as President the following year.

Section 9: Elections shall be held annually by electronic ballot in the format deemed appropriate by the SOT Council prior to the SOT Annual Meeting.


Article VI. ADMINISTRATION

Section 1: The OTA shall be governed by the Executive Board except as otherwise expressly provided herein.

Section 2: The Executive Board shall be responsible for implementation of the objectives of OTA and may establish committees or co-opt other members of OTA as needed to achieve OTA objectives. The President of the OTA shall be the chairperson of the Executive Board. Five members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 3: The President will preside at all meetings of the OTA and of the Executive Board and shall perform such other duties as may be directed by the Executive Board. In the President’s absence, the succeeding order of Officers shall preside.

Section 4: The OTA shall comply with the following guidelines to retain its status as an authorized body within the SOT:

  1. To promote the recruitment and retention of LGBT and all related community members (LGBT+) to professions within the field of toxicology.
  2. To enhance and advance the professional development of LGBT+ toxicologists and Society of Toxicology members.
  3. To provide mentorship of early career LGBT+ scientists as well as Society of Toxicology members.
  4. To promote and recognize the scientific, mentoring, and leadership accomplishments of LGBT+ toxicologists and allies.
  5. To provide a forum for LGBT+ toxicologists and allies to share ideas and discuss issues regarding their professional development in the toxicological sciences.
  6. To engage and inform the broader community of toxicologists regarding LGBT+ inclusivity in the field of toxicology relating to the workplace, research, and policy.
  7. To serve the Society of Toxicology as a resource for initiatives regarding diversity and inclusion.

Section 5: The Secretary-Treasurer shall have fiduciary responsibilities for all monies of the SIG and shall authorize all disbursements as appropriate upon authorization by the Executive Board. The Secretary-Treasurer shall transmit to the successor in office all property of the SIG in their possession. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all transactions of all meetings of the OTA and the Executive Board, and shall be responsible for the correspondence of the OTA and for updating the Executive Board of the OTA’s membership and financial status.

Section 6: No funds shall be expended by or in the name of OTA to the extent that the expenditure, if made by the SOT, would represent use of funds for a purpose or purposes not within the Society’s exempt purposes under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 7: Any OTA funds or other property remaining at the time of termination or abatement or dissolution of the OTA shall be turned over to the SOT and shall become a part of the Society’s general funds.


Article VII. MEETINGS

Section 1: Meetings shall be held at least annually and as dictated by the membership needs and the scientific and educational programs of the OTA. The time and place of each meeting shall be communicated to the membership at least two weeks before each meeting.

Section 2: Special meetings may be called by the President at any time with the approval of the Executive Board or by presentation to the President of a petition signed by 20% of the membership in good standing.

Section 3: A quorum shall consist of 20% of the members in good standing.

Section 4: The Executive Board shall be required to hold quarterly meetings. Other meetings shall be held at the discretion of the President if each of the members of the Committee is notified at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.


Article VIII. DUES

Section 1: Dues are established by the SOT Council. A request for a variance from the established rate shall be directed to the SOT Council through the Council Contact to the SIGs. Special fees outside of the dues structure (i.e., funds for an off-site reception) can also be collected if pre-arranged through the OTA Staff Liaison.


Article IX. COMMITTEES

Section 1: A Program Committee consisting of not less than five members in good standing, including the Vice President, shall be appointed by the OTA officers within two months following installation of officers. The Vice President shall serve as the Chair of this committee.

The Program Committee shall develop scientific and educational programs consistent with the objectives of the OTA, and will complete arrangements for speakers and for meeting places and provide copies of the material to the Secretary-Treasurer who will, in turn, notify the SOT Council prior to developing the program. The Program Committee shall coordinate its activities with the SOT Program Committee and with other appropriate SIGs.

Section 2: A Nominating Committee consisting of not less than five OTA members in good standing, including the last two Past-Presidents, shall be appointed by the OTA officers within two months following installation of officers. The Immediate Past President shall serve as the Chair of this committee.

The Nominating Committee shall provide a slate of candidates for each election and submit the slate of candidates to the SOT Headquarters at least four weeks prior to the Annual Meeting. The OTA Staff Liaison shall distribute the ballot to all eligible members of OTA and shall count the votes. The candidate receiving the highest vote shall be elected to the contested position even when the vote does not reach a majority of those voting. Successful candidates shall be invited to the Executive Board meeting held at the annual SOT conference and shall be introduced to the full membership at the membership reception and through the newsletter.

Section 3: The President and the Executive Board shall appoint other committees as required and the President shall automatically act as an ex-officio member of such committees. Members of such committees shall serve at the discretion of the President.


Article X. AMENDMENTS

Section 1: Amendments to these Bylaws may be presented by any member of the SIG in good standing at any regular meeting of the OTA or at any special meeting called for that specific purpose. They shall be presented in writing and shall be offered to the membership present at that meeting on motion for consideration and circulation to the membership. A simple majority shall be necessary to pass the motion.

Section 2: Amendments accepted for future consideration and circulation shall be forwarded to the OTA Staff Liaison to be circulated with a ballot to all members in good standing. A two-thirds affirmative vote of the ballots returned within 30 days shall be necessary for adoption of any amendment.

Section 3: Amendments to these Bylaws must be approved by the SOT Council before they become effective. This is done to ensure that future changes in these Bylaws will have the same force as the original, which was so approved.