MBL Society Council Charter

Adopted by the MBL Society on July 1, 2020, amended August 8, 2024.

1. Purpose

The role of the MBL Society Council (“Society Council”) is 1) to facilitate and promote communication between Society Members and the MBL President/Director, and 2) to advise the President/Director with respect to matters concerning MBL’s mission and its scientific and instructional endeavors.

The MBL President/Director will communicate with the Society Council regularly on matters for which they seek the advice of the Society Council.

2. Composition of Council

The Society Council will be comprised of no more than thirteen (13) members, with the goal of including members representing resident scientists, Whitman scientists, education faculty, emeritus, postdoc/graduate students, and at large members.

The Director and/or his or her designee and the Speaker of the MBL Society will serve as ex officio, non-voting members.

Members eligible for nomination to Society Council are all MBL Society members in good standing.

3. Council Elections

MBL Society members shall elect members of the Society Council annually.

MBL Society members may be nominated for consideration as Society Council members by other MBL Society members or by self-nomination.

A Nomination Committee will be composed of up to six (6) members appointed by the Society Council Chair in consultation with the Society Council.

The Nomination Committee will prepare slates from the nominations for election by MBL Society members

4. Society Council Terms

Society Council member terms will begin on July 1, continue for three years, and end on June 30. Society Council members may serve two (2) consecutive three-year terms, and then typically will stand down for at least two (2) years before being eligible again.

Chair and Vice Chair positions will be elected from and by members of the Society Council at the first Society Council meeting following the elections. Chair and Vice Chair terms are one (1) year in duration.

5. Society Council Meetings

The Society Council shall meet formally at least twice per year, on dates selected in coordination with MBL President/Director and MBL Speaker. Usually, there are two additional informal meetings of the Society Council each year.

The MBL Director and the MBL Society Speaker will be invited (as ex officio and non- voting members) to all formal MBL Society Council meetings.

The MBL President/Director, MBL Speaker, or the Society Council Chair may invite relevant staff to attend or provide status reports at formal Society Council Meetings. These invitees may include Directors of the Division of Research and Division of Education, the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO), other future MBL Committees, and relevant staff representatives.

All Council members vote during MBL Society Council meetings, but if the Society Council Chair and MBL President/Director agree, then in rare cases specific discussions and/or votes will be restricted to Council members at the faculty rank.

6. MBL Society Meetings

The Society Council Chair, or another Council member they designate, shall report at the MBL Society Annual meeting.

7. Conflict with Bylaws

In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between these MBL Society Council Policies and the MBL Bylaws, the MBL Bylaws shall control.