APPENDIX A. CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. As amended and adopted April 17, 1872, and further amended April 20, 1875; April 21, 1881; April 19, 1882: April 18, 1883; April 19, 1888; April 18, 1895. PREAMBLE. Empowered by the act of incorporation enacted by Congress, and approved by the President of the United States on the 3d day of March, A. D. 1863, and in conformity with the amendment to said act, approved July 14, 1870, the National Academy of Sciences adopts the following amended constitution and rules: ARTICLE I.-OF MEMBERS. SEC. 1. The Academy shali consist of members, honorary members, and foreign associates. Members must be citizens of the United States. SEC. 2. Members who, from age or inability to attend the sessions of the Academy, wish to resign the duties of active membership, may, at their own request, be transferred to the roll of honorary members by a vote of the Academy. SEC. 3. The Academy may elect fifty foreign associates. SEC. 4. Honorary members and foreign associates shall have the privilege of attending the meetings, and of reading and communicating papers to the Academy, but shall take no part in its business, shall not be subject to its assessments, and shall be entitled to a copy of the publications of the Academy. ARTICLE II.-OF THE OFFICERS. SEC. 1. The officers of the Academy shall be a president, a vicepresident, a foreign secretary, a home secretary, and a treasurer, all of whom shall be elected for a term of six years, by a majority of votes present, at the first stated session after the expiration of the current terms, provided that existing officers retain their places until their successors are elected. In case of a vacancy, the election for six years shall be held in the same manner at the session when such vacancy occurs, or at the next stated session thereafter, as the Academy may direct. A vacancy in the office of treasurer or home Secretary may, however, be filled by appointment of the president of the Academy until the next stated session of the Academy. SEC. 2. The officers of the Academy, together with six members to be elected by the Academy at the first stated session in each year, shall constitute a council for the transaction of such business as may be assigned to them by the constitution or the Academy. SEC. 3. The president of the Academy, or, in case of his absence or inability to act, the vice-president, shall preside at the meetings of the Academy and of the council; shall name all committees except such as are otherwise especially provided for; shall refer investigations required by the Government of the United States to members especially conver sant with the subjects, and report thereon to the Academy at its sessions next ensuing; and, with the council, shall direct the general business of the Academy. It shall be competent for the president, in special cases, to call in the aid, upon committees, of experts or men of special attainments, not members of the Academy. SEC. 4. The foreign and home secretaries shall conduct the core spondence proper to their respective departments, advising with the president and council in cases of doubt, and reporting their action to the Academy at one of the stated sessions in each year. It shall be the duty of the home secretary to give notice to the meubers of the place and time of all meetings, of all nominations for membership, and of all proposed amendments to the constitution. The minutes of each session shall be duly engrossed before the next stated session, under the direction of the home secretary. SEC. 5. The treasurer shall attend to all receipts and disbursements of the Academy, giving such bond and furnishing such vouchers as the council may require. He shall collect all dues from members, and keep a set of books showing a full account of receipts and disbursements. He shall present a general report at the April session. He shall be the custodian of the corporate seal of the Academy. ARTICLE III.-OF THE MEETINGS. SEC. 1. The Academy shall hold one stated session in each year, in the city of Washington, on the third Tuesday in April, and another may be held at such place and time as the council shall determine. Special sessions of the Academy may be called, by order of eight members of the council, at such place and time as may be designated in the call. Scientific sessions of the Academy may be held at times and places to be designated by a majority of the council. SEC. 2. The names of the members present at each daily meeting shall be recorded in the minutes, and the members present at any meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. SEC. 3. Scientific meetings of the Academy, unless otherwise ordered by a majority of the members present, shall be open to the public; those for the transaction of business, closed. SEC. 4. The stated meetings of the council shall be held during the stated or special sessions of the Academy. Special sessions may be convened at the call of the president and two members of the council, or of four members of the council. SEC. 5. No member who has not paid his dues shall take part in the business of the Academy. 'ARTICLE IV.-OF ELECTIONS AND RESIGNATIONS. SEC. 1. All elections shall be by ballot, and each election shall be held separately unless otherwise ordered by this constitution. SEC. 2. The time for holding an election of officers shall be fixed by the Academy at least one day before the election is held. SEC. 3. The six additional members of the council shall be elected, on any day after the first of the first stated session in each year, by each voter inscribing six names on his ballot, and those six who have received more votes than any others shall be declared elected. If two or more names have received the lowest number of votes that would elect, additional balloting shall be had for as many members as remain each time to be elected until the number is full. The term of the members so elected shall commence at the close of the session at which they are elected and continue until the close of the first stated session in the next year. SEC. 4. Nominations of members may be made in writing, signed by any five members of the Academy, at any stated session, to be voted on at the next stated session held in Washington, and each nomination shall, at the time of election, be accompanied by a written list of the original works of the nominee. SEC. 5. Proposed amendment to the constitution: "The Academy shall be divided into six standing committees. In this classification, a member who is eminent in more than one subject may be assigned to a corresponding number of committees. The classification shall be the following: "1. Mathematics and Astronomy. "2. Physics and Engineering. "3. Chemistry. "4. Geology and Paleontology. 5. Biology. "6. Anthropology. "In nominating for membership in the Academy, a statement must be made as to the subject or subjects in which the person nominated is eminent. Every nomination must be submitted, through the secretary, to all the members of the committee or committees representing the subject or subjects in which the person nominated is stated to be eminent; and, in order that his name may be brought before the Academy S. Doc. 56-2 |