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CONSTITUTION OF ICBEN
(approved: September 1978; last revision: October 2023)
ARTICLE I. Name
The name of this
organization shall be the "International Commission on Biological
Effects
of Noise" (also referred to as the ICBEN or the Commission). The
working
groups within the ICBEN shall be the Teams.
ARTICLE II. Object
The object of the
Commission shall be to encourage international cooperation in the study
of the
biological effects of noise; to promote communication among scientists,
governmental agencies, industrial workers and managers, and other
parties and
entities concerned with noise and noise effects; and to stimulate the
exchange
and dissemination of information about the biological effects of noise.
ICBEN adopts the following definition of the term "noise": Noise is unwanted and/or harmful sound.
ARTICLE III. Finances
The officers and the Executive
Committee are authorized to solicit funds in support of the activities
of the
ICBEN.
ARTICLE IV. Officers
Section 1. Appointment.
The
officers of the ICBEN shall be the President, the Past President, the
Vice
President, and the Secretary, each to serve for three-year terms. The
Executive
Committee, by a majority vote, shall elect (or re-elect) the President,
Vice
President, and Secretary. Announcement of these appointments shall be
made
during the business meeting that is held during the Congress. Following
the
announcement, the President shall assume the office of Past President.
No
person shall hold the same office for longer than two terms.
Section 2. Interim
Appointments.
The Vice President shall succeed to the office of President should an
interim
vacancy in that office occur. After consultation with the Executive
Committee,
the President shall appoint a new Vice President or a new Secretary
should an
interim vacancy in either of those offices occur. An interim appointee
in any
office shall serve the remainder of the three-year term and shall be
eligible
for a full-term appointment to the same office. A vacancy in the office
of Past
President shall remain vacant.
Section 3. Removal
from Office.
Should the Executive Committee determine by a two-thirds majority that
any
officer is performing the duties of office inadequately, it may remove
that
person from office and elect another person to complete the term. The
new
officer shall be eligible for a full-term appointment to the same
office just
as any interim appointee would be.
Section
3.1. Should the President determine that
the Chair or Co-Chair of any Team is not performing his/her duties,
then, with
the support of the majority of ICBEN Officers, the President may remove
and
replace that Team Chair or Co-Chair.
ARTICLE V. Executive committee
The Executive Committee
shall be composed of the officers, all former Past Presidents of ICBEN,
the Chairs
and Co-Chairs of the Teams, and no more than 10 other people ("Members
at
large") appointed by the President of the ICBEN. The Executive
Committee shall
have general supervision over the affairs of the ICBEN and the ICBEN
Teams and
shall perform such other duties as are specified in this Constitution.
ARTICLE VI. Meetings
Section 1. Congress.
The ICBEN shall conduct a congress every third year. The proceedings of
the
congress shall be published.
Section
2. Business Meeting. A business meeting
shall be scheduled during each congress for the purpose of announcing
the
appointment of new officers, of nominating new Team Chairs and
Co-Chairs, and
of receiving reports; and for any other business that might arise.
Additional business
meetings can be called any time by the President. Only Executive
Committee
members can attend and participate in the business meetings, aside from
invited
guests. Only Executive Committee members have the right to vote in
business meetings.
Section
3. Other Meetings. Conferences for
planning the Congress and meetings that may be useful or necessary for
conducting the business of the ICBEN may be called by any officer or by
any
five members of the Executive Committee.
Section
4. Notice. Written notice of any meeting
must be sent to every member of the Executive Committee at least four
weeks
prior to that meeting. The notice should include information about the
time and
place of the meeting and should also include a statement of the
meeting's
purpose.
ARTICLE VII. Teams
Section 1. Formation.
With the approval of the Executive Committee, a new Team may be formed
to study
and to communicate information about a special aspect of the biological
effects
of noise. Each Team shall be responsible for the portion of the
Congress
program that is dedicated to surveys, reviews, and studies of that
special aspect
for which it was formed, as well as for communications with
governments,
industries, workers, scientists, and other concerned parties and
entities both
as part of the Congress program and as part of the Team's work during
the
period between Congresses. Each Team (via the Chair and Co-Chair) must
contribute to the organisation of the Congress.
Section
2. President and Vice President. With
the approval of the Executive Committee, the President of the ICBEN
shall
appoint a Chair and a Co-Chair for each Team. These two people shall
not be
citizens of the same country except with special authorization from the
Executive Committee. No person shall serve as Chair or Co-Chair of a
Team for
more than two three-year terms.
Section
3. Team Membership. With the approval of
the Executive Committee, the Chair and Co-Chair of each Team shall
appoint Team
members. There is no set limit to the number of members of a Team.
There is no
set limit to the number of members from any one country. Any member of
a Team
becomes a member of ICBEN itself.
ARTICLE VIII. Alumni Members
Team members and
Commission officers, upon the completion of their terms, become Alumni
Members
of the ICBEN and should be kept informed of Team and Commission
activities and,
when appropriate, should be consulted by Team Chairs and Co-Chairs.
ARTICLE IX. Sponsorship and Affiliation
The Executive
Committee may, by a two-thirds vote, elect to accept sponsorship for
the ICBEN,
for any Team, or for any ICBEN or Team activity from any other
organization.
The Executive Committee may, by a two-thirds vote, elect to accept
affiliation
with any other organization.
ARTICLE X. Amendment of the Constitution
Any amendment of this
Constitution shall require the affirmative vote of two thirds of the
members of
the Executive Committee.
POSITION I. Changing policy
Policy positions may
be changed by a simple majority vote of the ICBEN Executive Committee.
POSITION II.
With the changes away
from limiting the number of members in the Teams and the number of
members from
one country, Team Chairs and Co-Chairs explicitly aim to maximise the
number of
countries represented in their Teams.
POSITION III.
ICBEN aims to develop
stronger links with other international organisations, including WHO
and
I-INCE.
POSITION IV.
ICBEN aims to address
noise research and policy issues of concern to developing countries.
POSITION V.
Team Chairs and Co-Chairs are
required to produce an overview paper
summarising developments in their field prior to the ICBEN Congress.
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