The Society’s Council is recommending a number of new amendments to the Society’s Constitution and Bylaws; these need to be approved by members to come into effect. Members will shortly be receiving emails enabling them to vote.
The proposed amendments include a change of name to the Society, to the International Coral Reef Society, which in a previous informal consultation was supported by approximately 80% of those members who responded. As several older members pointed out, the current name of the Society (ISRS) was chosen to encourage membership by researchers primarily interested in reefs of non-coral origin. However, the Society now has only a handful of such members, while it is believed large numbers of people interested in coral reefs are discouraged from joining by the non-inclusion of the term “coral reefs” in the name. The other proposed amendments are:
- To the date when subscriptions fall due – to ease the task of subscription renewal
- To the election of ordinary councilors – to encouarge the election of Council members representing different global regions
- To the membership of the Council – so that the chairs of the Society’s principal committees and chapters serve ex-officio as Council members
- To permit the President to serve two terms and then serve one term ex-officio on the Council – to promote continuity between one president and the next
- To replace officers or members of Council who have not participated for a year or more – to ensure the effective management of the Society.
Members are urged to vote promptly on receiving their voter emails. A two-thirds majority of at least 40% of members is required to approve the Constitutional changes. Full details of the proposed amendments are shown on the Society’s Constitution Wepage.
