Bylaws

Article I - Name and Purpose

  1. The name of this organization shall be the Society for Military Psychology (Division 19 of the American Psychological Association), hereinafter referred to as the “Society.” The American Psychological Association (APA) will hereinafter be referred to as the “Association.”
  2.  The purposes of this organization shall be:
    1.  To advance the science and practice of psychology, promote human welfare and organizational effectiveness, and advocate for the public interest on issues related to the military and national defense through education, research, and training.
    2.  To foster wide dissemination and application of scientific knowledge and state-of-the-art advances in areas relevant to military psychology.
    3.  To promote the open exchange of ideas and provide opportunities for mentorship, development, and growth of leaders across the professional lifespan of our membership.
    4.  To forge relationships in the spirit of engagement and collaboration with various APA Divisions and to serve as a resource for understanding military culture within the Association and the broader psychological community.
    5.  To develop relationships with external organizations that support military psychology and enhance the core mission of the Society.

Article II - Membership

  1. The Society shall consist of four classes of members (Fellows, Members, Associates, and Graduate Student Members), and three classes of affiliates (Professional, International, and Undergraduate Student). The requirements for these classes ofmembers and affiliates shall be those provided in the Bylaws of the Association with additional requirements as noted below. Eligibility for any class of membership or affiliation must include evidence ofaccomplishment, participation, or sustained interest in furthering the goals of military psychology.
  2. Fellows of the Society shall be persons who (a) have been a Society member for at least three years, (b) have been selected for their unique and/or outstanding contributions to military psychology, (c) have had at least five years of work experience related to military psychology, (d) are activelyengaged in the performance or administration of research or application relative to military psychology, and (e) are approved by the Association for Fellow status therein. Waivers of any of Society requirements will only be considered in the most exceptional of circumstances.
  3. Members of the Society shall be persons who (a) are Members of the Association, and (b) are elected as Members by the Membership Committee of the Society in accordance with the Association’s guidelines.
  4. Graduate Student Members shall be persons who are pursuing graduate studies in the field of psychology. The minimum requirement for acceptance to Graduate Student Member status shall be enrollment in good standing within the past twelve months in a regionally accredited graduate or professional school for graduate work in the field of psychology. Graduate Student Members shall be permitted to vote on such Society matters, not directly a concern of the Association, as determined by the EXCOM of the Division. In such cases, each such person shall have one vote, and no proxy votes shall be permitted.
  5. Associates of the Society shall be persons who (a) are Associates of the Association,and (b) are elected as Associate Members by the Membership Committee of the Society in accordance with the Association’s guidelines.
  6. Affiliates of the Society shall be persons who (a) are not Fellows, Members, or Associates of the Association, but (b) are elected to affiliate status by the Membership Committee of the Society. In accordance with the Association’s guidelines, a student affiliate member must be an undergraduate student studying psychology.
  7. Individuals interested in the Society’s international affiliate status must meet the Association’s criteria for international affiliate status. In accordance with the Association, international affiliates shall be psychologists outside the United States and Canada who are members of the national psychology association in the country in which they reside if such an organization exists.
  8. Professional affiliates shall be persons who are not members of the Association but have interest in military psychology and support the general purposes and philosophy of the Society as outlined in these Bylaws.
  9. New Members and Affiliates will be notified of membership status after submission of application and payment.
  10.  On all matters calling for action by the membership of the Society, each Fellow, each Member, and each Associate who has achieved voting status in the Association shall have one vote, and no proxy votes shall be permitted.
  11.  Fellows and members who are expelled by the Association shall have the circumstances of their expulsion reviewed by the Society’s Executive Committee (EXCOM) and a majority of EXCOM votes will be required for similar expulsion from the Society.
  12.  Any person may be expelled from the Society for cause by a two-thirds vote, taken by secret ballot, of the EXCOM. Such vote shall be taken only upon the recommendation of a select committee of no fewer than three persons appointed by the President of the Society to investigate the specific case. The committee’s recommendation will be submitted only after the committee has accumulated the relevant facts and has given the person in question an opportunity to answer the charges against him/her both in writing and by appearing in person before the committee.
  13. Other Associates and Affiliates of the Society shall be permitted to vote on such Society matters, not directly a concern of the Association, as determined by the EXCOM of the Division. In such cases, each such person shall have one vote, and no proxy votes shall be permitted.

Article III - Officers

  1. The Officers of the Society shall be the (a) President, (b) immediate Past President, (c) President-Elect, (d) Treasurer, (e) Secretary, (f) Society Representative(s) to the Council of Representatives of the Association, and (g) four Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee of the Society. Only Fellows and Members of the Society (not including the Graduate Student Member) shall be eligible for nomination or election as Officers of the Society, with the exception of one Member-at-Large position, which will be designated for the Graduate Student Member.
  2. The term of the President shall be one year, after which he/she shall serve one year as immediate Past President. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Society, to act as Chairperson of the EXCOM of the Society, to exercise supervision over the affairs of the Society with the approval of the EXCOM, and to perform such other duties as are incident to his/her Office or as may properly be required of him/her by vote of the EXCOM. In the case of absence, death, incapacity, or resignation of the President, his/her duties shall be assumed by the President-Elect.
  3. The term of immediate Past President shall be one year. It shall be the duty of the Past President to Chair the Awards Committee and in the absence of the President and President-Elect, preside at meetings and carry out other duties as assigned by the President with approval of the EXCOM.
  4. The term of the President-Elect shall be one year, after which he/she shall serve one year as President and one year as immediate Past President. It shall be the duty of the President-Elect to Chair the Society’s Elections Committee and in the absence of the President, preside at meetings and carry out such other duties as may be assigned by the President with approval of the EXCOM. The President-Elect shall also have responsibility for reviewing/revising/remitting changes to the Society’s bylaws and Strategic Plan.
  5. The term of Treasurer shall be three years, but they shall not serve more than two terms without at least three years intervening. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to have custody of all funds and properties of the Society, to collect any special dues or assessments that may be voted in accordance with Article VIII of these Bylaws, to make disbursements as authorized by the President with the approval of the EXCOM, and to serve as a member of the EXCOM.
  6. The term of Secretary shall be three years, but they shall not serve more than two terms without at least three years intervening. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep the records of all meetings of the Society, to issue calls and notices of the meetings and of nominations of Officers, to correspond with individuals who request information about the Society and its functions, and to serve as a member of the EXCOM.
  7. The term(s) of the Society Representative(s) to the Council of Representatives of the Association shall be governed by the provisions of the Bylaws of the Association. It shall be the duty of the Society’s Representative(s) to the Council of Representatives of the Association to perform the duties and accept the responsibilities specified in the Bylaws of the Association, to keep the Society Officers and membership informed of Council activities and pending actions relevant to the interests of the Society, and to serve as member(s) of the EXCOM.
  8. The non-student Members-at-Large of the EXCOM of the Society shall serve for a term of three years, but they shall not be eligible for re-election without at least one-year intervening. It shall be the duty of the non-student Members-at-Large of the EXCOM to serve as members of that committee and to perform such duties as may properly be assigned to them by the President with the approval of the EXCOM. Members-at-Large also serve on the Elections committee and actively engage membership participation in nominating interested members for service in the Society. Election of Members-at-Large will be staggered so that one three-year term will expire each year.
  9. The Graduate Student Member-at-Large of the EXCOM of the Society shall serve for a term of one year, and will be eligible for re-election continuously while they remain a Graduate Student Member (based on their status as of January 1st of their prospective term). It shall be the duty of the Graduate Student Member-at-Large of the EXCOM to serve as a member of that committee and to perform such duties as may be properly assigned to them by the President with the approval of the EXCOM. The Graduate Student Member-at-Large also serves on the Elections committee and actively engages membership participation in nominating interested members for service in the Society.
  10. No person may serve concurrently in more than one Society Office, except that any Society Officer may also serve as Representative to the Council of Representatives ofthe Association. In the event of election or succession to more than one Office inthe Society, the selection of the Office in which to serve and the Office(s) from which to resignshall be decided by the individual, or on his/her written petition, by the EXCOM of the Society. In the case of the death, incapacity, or resignation of a Society Officer, the EXCOM shall elect a successor pro tempore to serve until either (a) the term expires, or (b) a person elected by the membership for the unexpired term is installed at the next annual business meeting, the President excepted.

Article IV - Executive Committee

  1.  The EXCOM shall be a standing committee of the Society, withmembership and duties as provided in Articles II, III, IV, V, and IX of these Bylaws. It shall meet twice annually with one meeting corresponding with the first Association Council of Representatives meeting of the year and the other corresponding with the Annual meeting of the Association. It shall meet additionally, if necessary, upon call by the Society President. Ad hoc and electronic meetings (e.g., phone and video conference) may occur at the discretion of the President of the Society. A quorum (majority of voting members; greater than 50%) of the voting EXCOM must be in attendance in order to pass motions for consideration of related Society business.
  2.  The Society shall have an EXCOM consisting of all Officers of the Society (as listed in Article III, Section 1) as voting members. In addition, the chairpersons ofthe standing committees of the Society and the editor of the Society Newsletter shall attendmeetings of the EXCOM of the Society with the right to make and second motions,to participate in discussions and debate, to report regarding the progress of the workwithin their areas of responsibility, and to advise the EXCOM with regard to the likely impact of matters under consideration.
  3.  The EXCOM shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Society. All actions of the EXCOM that are of a continuing or policy nature are subject to theapproval, by majority vote, of the membership present and voting at the annual business meeting, by postal or electronic mail ballot, or by website.

Article V - Nominations and Elections

  1. The Officers of the Society shall be elected by the Fellows, Members, and voting Associates of the Society (see Article II, Section 13), voting by mail or electronic ballot according to the preferential voting system employed by the Association.
  2. A standing Elections Committee shall consist of the President-Elect (Chairperson) and the four Members-at-Large of the EXCOM. 
  3. The Committee Chairperson shall transmit the names of the persons nominated for each office to be filled to the Elections Committee of the Association in accordance with the Association’s deadlines for inclusion in the election ballot mailed or electronically sent by the Association in accordance with the provisions of the Association’s Bylaws.
  4. Officers shall assume office on the first day of January of the year after their election. They shall hold office until their successors are elected and installed, normal terms of office notwithstanding.

Article VI - Meetings

  1. There shall be at least one business meeting of the Society each year, in conjunction with the annual Association meeting.
  2. A quorum at the annual business meeting shall consist of no fewer than the lesser of twenty-five voting members or five percent (5%) of the voting membership.

Article VII - Committees

  1. The following committees shall be standing committees of the Society.
    1. Elections Committee
    2. Fellows Committee
    3. Membership Committee
    4. Awards Committee
    5. Program Committee
    6. Military Psychology Journal Committee
    7. Early Career Psychologists Committee
    8. Continuing Education Committee
    9. Student Affairs Committee
    10. Diversity in the Military Committee
    11. International Military Psychology Committee
    12. Ethics Committee
    13. Communications Committee
    14. History Committee
    15. Student Leadership Program
    16. Reserve Affairs Committee
  2. The President of the Society shall appoint chairpersons of standing and select committees.
  3. The purpose of each committee, membership requirements, and the specific procedures and processes of each committee shall be codified in committee charters to be maintained by the respective committee chairs. Committee charters will be reviewed annually by committee chairs and proposed changes will require EXCOM approval.
  4. In addition to the standing committees of the Society provided for by these Bylaws,the President, with the approval of the EXCOM of the Society or of the membership voting at the annual business meeting may establish such select, special, or ad hoc committees as are deemed desirable. Unless otherwise authorized by the membership or by theEXCOM at the time of approval for the establishment of such committee(s), the committee(s) shall serve for a term no longer than that of the President who appoints the members to such committee.
  5. In accordance with Article V, Section 7, of the Association’s Bylaws, all Society committees shall be subject to review by the Association’s Board of Directors.

Article VIII - Dues and Assessments

  1. The Society dues are established by the EXCOM and shall be paid annually by Members and Affiliates.
  2. Membership additional dues and special assessments may be recommended by the President with the approval of the EXCOM, and shall be established by majority vote of the membership present and voting at an annual business meeting, or by mailor electronic ballot.
  3. Upon receipt of Society membership dues by the Association (or the Society in the case of Affiliates), applicants for membership shall be considered “provisional” for purposes of receiving the Society Newsletter and the Journal, pending full acceptance as provided in Article II.

Article IX - Student Affiliate Chapter

  1. The Student Affiliate Chapters are intended to: (a) enhance contact and communication between students and Society membership, (b) facilitate communication among students interested in military psychology, and (c) promote the professional development of psychologists-in-training in areas relevant to military psychology. Membership is open to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing graduate education in psychology or related fields. The Student Chapters are housed in psychology undergraduate and graduate programs and require an identified faculty sponsor. Faculty sponsors are not required to be Society members; however, membership in the Society and Association are desirable. Student Chapter representatives are selected by the Student Committee and approved for a one-to-three-year term by the Executive Committee in consultation with the Student Committee Chairs. The President-Elect serves in an advisory role to the Student Committee and Chapter Representatives.
  2. Society for Military Psychology (Division 19) Student Chapters consist of student members who share a common interest area and are organized to represent and further the educational, scientific, professional, and public interests relevant to the Society mission and members. Chapters may be established by the EXCOM provided that (a) they represent at least one student affiliate member of the Society; (b) their proposed purposes and objectives are consistent with the purposes and objectives of the Society and Association; (c) The Society’s EXCOM may delegate the authority to the SAC in order to establish the chapters, provided that they are formed with administrative structures subject to EXCOM oversight and control; (d) they operate in a manner consistent with applicable Association and Society Bylaws; and (e) the establishment of any new Chapters is not inimical to the welfare of the Association, the Society, or any Student Chapter already established. The Society’s EXCOM may dissolve a Student Chapter by a two-thirds vote following a review.

Article X - Amendments

  1. The Society, by two-thirds vote of the membership present and voting at any annual business meeting, or by a majority vote of the Society membership voting by mail or electronic ballot, may adopt such amendments to these Bylaws as have been (a) presented and read at the preceding annual business meeting, or (b) circulated to the Society membership at least one (1) month prior to the final vote on the proposed amendment(s). Circulation may be carried out either (a) by publication in the Society’s Newsletter, (b) by separate mailing, postal or electronic, to the last known addresses of the membership, or (c) by website.