Bylaws

I.C.1. BYLAWS United States (last amended July 2025)

ARTICLE I (Name and Purpose)

SEC. 1. The Association shall be called the International Association for Great Lakes Research. Its objectives shall be the promotion of all aspects of research on the Great Lakes and other large lakes and dissemination of research information through publications and meetings.

ARTICLE II (Membership)

SEC. 1. Membership in the Association shall consist of persons who are actively interested in research on Great Lakes and their basins, or in research directly applicable to the understanding or management of large lakes. Generally applicants who pay their dues automatically become members or retain their memberships. The Board of Directors can review applications for membership and by a two-thirds majority refuse membership to an applicant. Any member of the Association can challenge such an action by the Board at the annual business meeting, and a majority vote of the members present can overturn the Board action.  

SEC. 2. Membership within the Association shall consist of the following categories:

1. Individual
2. Student (enrolled, either full-time or part-time, in a graduate or undergraduate degree program. If after five years as a student member, the student has not graduated, the membership application form must be co-signed by the supervisor to indicate that the student is still enrolled in a degree program.)
3. Early Career (within five years of their terminal degree)
4. Retired (retired and 62 years of age by 31 January)
5. Life (a single donation of a fixed fee per individual)
6. Low/Low-Middle Income Countries
   1. Individual
   2. Student

SEC. 3. Only members shall be eligible to run for election as a member of the Board of Directors and vote in the annual election of the Board of Directors and other voting pertaining to the Association.

SEC. 4. By a majority vote, the Board of Directors may deny or terminate the membership of any member who engages in conduct determined to be unethical or in any way detrimental to the purpose of the Association. Any member proposed for termination for any reason other than non-payment of dues will be given written notice, including the reason for the proposed termination, the opportunity to contest the proposed termination in writing, and a final written notice of the Board’s decision. All terminations of membership shall be effective at the convenience of IAGLR in accordance with procedures established by a majority vote of the Board and shall terminate the right of the member to all membership benefits of the Association. Any member of the Association can challenge such an action by the Board at the annual business meeting, and a majority vote of the members present can overturn the Board action.

ARTICLE III (Board of Directors)

SEC. 1. A Board of Directors shall manage the affairs of the Association, and be responsible for long-term planning and continuity of the Association's programs and activities.

SEC. 2. The Board of Directors shall consist of at least thirteen members, all of whom shall serve as voting members of the Board of Directors. Of these, five shall be a President, a Vice President, a Past President, a Treasurer, and a Secretary. The Vice President shall be elected via a membership vote and shall serve a one-year term, followed by a one-year term as President, and a one-year term as Past President. If the incumbent is President or Vice President in the last year of an elected term, the term shall be extended as required to allow this. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by the membership for four-year terms. Terms shall be overlapping and the Treasurer and Secretary shall be eligible for re-election once.

SEC. 3. The remaining eight or more members of the Board of Directors shall consist of at least three from Canada, at least three from the United States, and at least two from other countries or Indigenous Nations (international). One of each of the Canadian, U.S., and international members shall be a student member of the Association. Board members shall be elected by the membership for three-year terms; student Board members for two-year terms. Terms shall be overlapping and a member shall be eligible for re-election once. If IAGLR has an Executive Director, they will be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board.

SEC. 4. Duties and obligations of these Board members shall be such as usually pertain to the offices held in similar organizations and any other duties prescribed by the bylaws or assigned by the Board of Directors, where obligations refer to conflict of interest disclosure and conforming to best practices regarding ethical business practices.

SEC. 5. If a board member is unable to complete their elected term, this position may be filled by appointment by the Board of Directors until the next election.

SEC. 6. The Board shall hold at least one annual meeting, not later than sixty days prior to the annual business meeting of the Association.

SEC. 7. No voting member of the Association's Board of Directors can receive remuneration for efforts (salary, wages, consulting fees), although they can be reimbursed for expenses.

ARTICLE IV (Elections)

SEC. 1. Candidates for members of the Board of Directors shall be solicited and approved by the Board of Directors. The approved slate of candidates will be presented to the membership for a vote and the results will be announced at the annual business meeting. The newly elected Board members shall assume office at the close of the annual business meeting.

SEC. 2. At the request of two or more Board members, given that such a request is made prior to the announcement of election results to candidates, the President will select an individual not previously involved in the count to evaluate the validity of reported election results, and determine the election results. The results of this re-evaluation will be final and binding in determining the outcome of the election.

ARTICLE V (Meetings)

SEC. 1. There shall be at least one annual meeting which shall include a business meeting for the Association as a whole and provide opportunity for a program of papers, lectures, and other features of interest to members. The annual business meeting shall be chaired by the President of the Board and present to the membership the current status of the Association with respect to conferences, publications, finances and other matters of interest, and include a motion of responsibility (see Article XI).

SEC. 2. Time and place of the annual Association meeting(s) shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall give at least three months' notice of the Annual meeting(s) to all members.

SEC. 3. At the annual business meeting(s) of the Association, members present shall constitute a quorum.

SEC. 4. At meetings of the Board of Directors (see Article III), half or more of the Directors shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VI (Publication)

SEC. 1. The Association shall publish proceedings or journals as it sees fit and consistent with its ability to finance such publications. Management of all publications shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VII (Dues)

SEC. 1. The annual dues for all members shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Association. Dues paid by members shall entitle them to access the Journal of Great Lakes Research issued by the Association during or for the fiscal year in which the dues were paid.

SEC. 2. Dues must be paid in full in advance of or within each calendar year. Members in arrears (who have not paid dues for the current calendar year) will not receive any publication until dues are paid. All members on the roster of the current and prior year will be allowed to participate in elections. Any member who fails to pay their dues for one year, shall be dropped from the membership roll. Any member who has been dropped for non-payment of dues may reapply for membership as provided in Article I.

ARTICLE VIII (Auditing)

SEC. 1. The financial record and statement of the Association shall be audited at least every four years and reviewed as necessary, by an official auditor. The fiscal year shall be 1 October through 30 September and a complete financial statement for the previous year shall be prepared in a timely manner, preferably by 31 March.

ARTICLE IX (Committees)

SEC. 1. The President shall appoint all committee chairs in consultation with the Board of Directors. The President and each committee chair shall determine the duties of each committee and the term of office for each member.

ARTICLE X (Amendments)

SEC. 1. The bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority of those voting, either at the annual meeting of the Association or in an electronic ballot, provided that, in either case, notice of the proposed action shall have been sent to each member of the Association at least thirty days prior to the date of voting.

ARTICLE XI (Order of Business)

SEC. 1. At the annual business meeting of the Association the order of business shall be as follows:

1. Call to order
2. Approval of agenda
3. Approval of previous annual meeting minutes
4. President's report
5. Treasurer's report
6. Executive Director's report (if IAGLR has an E.D.)
7. Editor's report
8. Other reports as needed
9. Revisions to bylaws
10. Motion of responsibility
11. Announcement of new officers
12. Other business
13. Adjournment

ARTICLE XII (Investment Fund)

SEC. 1. The IAGLR Investment Fund shall be established and managed to support Association goals. The Investment Fund shall constitute one General Investment Fund account and additional investment accounts (including endowment accounts) that shall be managed by the IAGLR Treasurer, with the assistance of the Investment Committee and the approval of the Board of Directors. All investment funds shall be invested in accordance with the Michigan enactment of the Uniform Management of Institutional Funds Act. The Investment Fund accounts shall be audited at least once every four fiscal years, and the auditor's report, together with an interim financial report, will be included in the Treasurer's Report to the IAGLR Membership at the Association's annual meeting. A financial self assessment will occur each year that there is no audit.

SEC. 2. Unless otherwise designated by a majority Board vote, the establishment of individual Named Fund accounts shall require Board approval and a minimum deposit equal to 7,500 in 2023 U.S. Dollars.

SEC 3. Prior to establishment of an individual endowment account, the Board shall consult with major donors to the account and define objectives and activities supported by interest derived from that individual account. Contributions and other sums of like nature that are directed to the IAGLR Investment Fund and received with no special designation shall be placed in the general endowment fund account.

SEC 4. The Board shall review the Investment Fund and its specific component funds at five year intervals following enactment of this bylaw. If the Board determines that one or more endowment fund accounts should be terminated, it shall present the proposed termination(s) for a vote before the Board and terminate such accounts if approved by a majority vote. Subsequent to such account determination(s), all funds remaining in the terminated accounts shall be transferred to the General Investment Fund account. The foregoing notwithstanding, the Board shall have the power to establish specific endowment fund accounts and define the time intervals at which such accounts must be reviewed for continuation.