Article I
Purpose: The purpose of the Membrane Transport Subgroup is to foster the study of and communication about the biophysical mechanisms of permeation and transport of small molecules and biopolymers through cell membranes.
Article II
Membership: Members of the Biophysical Society may join the Membrane Transport Subgroup; non-members of the Biophysical Society are welcome to attend Membrane Transport Subgroup symposia but are unable to join the Subgroup, serve as Officers of the Subgroup, or vote.
Article III
Dissolution: The Membrane Transport subgroup must be in accordance with the Biophysical Society’s constitution and bylaws, mission, values, goals, and operational guidelines. If subgroup is found in violation of their bylaws or Society’s guidelines, the group will be placed on probation and may be dissolved at the discretion of the Council of the Biophysical Society.
Article IV
Meetings: Business meetings shall be held in connection with the annual scientific meeting of the Biophysical Society. Five percent of the members of the Membrane Transport subgroup or 10 members, whichever is smaller, shall constitute a quorum. Scientific meetings shall be held in association with the annual Biophysical Society meetings, and must follow the guidelines established by the BPS Council.
Article V
Officers:
The Subgroup will have a Chair, Co-chair, and a Secretary-Treasurer. A new Secretary-Treasurer will be elected every second year following that year's annual Subgroup meeting. Upon election of a new Secretary-Treasurer, the previous Secretary-Treasurer will automatically become the Co-chair and the previous Co-chair will become the new Chair. Thus each subgroup leader will serve for two years in each leadership position. The retiring chair will be ineligible for re-election (as Secretary-Treasurer) for two years.
Duties and authority: The Chair will be primarily responsible for the meeting program and decisions concerning expenditure of dues, which may be used to cover administrative expenses and to reimburse part or all of the travel expenses of invited speakers.
The Co-chair will assist the chair as needed in planning the meeting program, and communicating with the Society concerning meeting plans and public communications (flyers, announcements, newsletter reports, etc.).
The Secretary-Treasurer will work with the Society to manage the collection of dues, financial accounting, payment of bills, and maintenance of the membership roster, including the maintenance of an email list containing all interested members.
Article VI
Executive Committee: The Executive Committee will be responsible for fulfilling the scientific and business obligations of the group. The Executive Committee will consist of the Chair, Co-chair, and Secretary-Treasurer. The Executive Committee shall have the power to conduct other business by means of electronic vote. The affairs of the Subgroup shall be handled by the Officers in accordance with the policies determined by the Executive Committee and the Biophysical Society Council.
Article VII
Nominating Committee: The members of the Executive Committee shall constitute the nominating committee. The Nominating Committee is responsible for soliciting nominations from subgroup membership and for preparing the final slate of candidates. Nominations will be received electronically up to one month prior to the Subgroup’s business meeting. Nominees must accept their nomination prior to being placed on a ballot.
Article VIII
Eligibility for Office: Only members of the Membrane Transport subgroup can be candidates for offices. Members may not be elected to one office more than once every five years.
Article IX
Elections: Elections will be held electronically up to two weeks prior to the Subgroup’s business meeting. The candidate for each office receiving the highest number of votes will be elected. The results will be announced to the Subgroup’s membership during the Subgroup’s Business meeting. Officers will take office at the end of the annual subgroup business meeting held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Biophysical Society. Interim vacancies in officers or councilors will be filled in accordance with Bylaw Article VII of the Biophysical Society.
Article X
Amendments tot he Bylaws: Amendments should arise from the members of the Membrane Transport Subgroup, approved by a two-thirds majority of the Subgroup’s Executive Committee, and ratified in an electronic ballot by a majority of the members of the group voting.