The International Society for Plant Pathology Inc
Statutes and Rules of Procedures

The name of the Society shall be "The International Society for Plant Pathology Inc" (ISPP). Herein after, it shall be referred to as the ISPP.

The Secretariat of the ISPP shall be managed from the home country of the Secretary-General (See  Rule 11)

The purpose of the ISPP shall be to advance education and to promote the development of plant pathology for public benefit throughout the world.

For the promotion of its scientific goals, the ISPP shall work together with the International Union of Biological Sciences and the International Union of Microbiological Societies under the International Council for Science (ICS).

 To achieve its purpose the ISPP shall:

sponsor a series of International Congresses of Plant Pathology, hereinafter referred to as "The Congresses", and other international meetings on plant pathology and closely related subjects;

establish committees to consider and report on special fields or problems in plant pathology; and

use other means as approved by the Council.

The categories of membership of ISPP shall be based on:

Individual Members (Statute 7)

Fellows (Statute 8)

Member Societies (Statute 9)

Nominating Bodies (Statute 10)

Supporting Organizations (Statute 11) and

Associate Member Organizations (Statute 4 and Statute 12).

Member Societies are those national or regional societies for plant pathology, or organizations with plant pathology as one of their primary interests and which have been recognized by the Council and as having paid their annual fees.

Nominating Bodies are those National Academies of Sciences, or similar bodies for science, in countries not represented by national or regional societies for plant pathology, that have been recognized by the Council for the purpose of appointing Councillors. Nominating bodies shall be recognized by the Council only if they are permitted to nominate Councillors by laws of the countries or regions to which they belong.

Supporting Organization Members are those, other than Member Societies, Nominating Bodies or Associate Member Organizations, that support the ISPP.   They can include companies and non-profit organizations and pay a membership fee and / or meet other agreed conditions of association but do not have voting rights or representation on Council.

Associate Member Organizations are those interested in specific aspects of plant pathology as well as those with related objectives, but not directly involved in plant pathology. Associate Membership shall be determined by the Council on the basis of common or complementary objectives. Associate Member Organizations may not be required to pay an annual fee but could be charged for participation in ISPP managed activities.

Individual Members, Member Societies, Nominating Bodies and Supporting Organizations shall enjoy the rights and privileges accorded to them by the ISPP as long as their annual fees are paid. The rights and privileges will be withheld from December 31 of the year in which the fee is not paid. Fellows will not pay individual membership fees from the date of their election as Fellows Associate Member Organizations will enjoy the rights and privileges accorded to them by the ISPP.

The Constitution Bodies of the ISPP are:

Membership;

These bodies shall be constituted in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.

The Council shall be convened within each Congress with the following functions:

to provide for discussion of the general policies and programs of the ISPP;

to consider matters of general interest to the members; and

to provide for the installation of new officers and the presentation of honors and awards.

The Council shall determine general policy and respond to recommendations of the Executive Committee in the organization and management of the ISPP.

The Executive Committee shall implement policy and conduct the business of the ISPP subject to approval by the Council. It shall consist of the President, the Immediate Past-President, two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General and the Treasurer.

Committees, appointed by the President after approval of the Executive Committee and the Council, shall work under the direction of the President and the Secretary-General.

The funds of the ISPP shall come from:

fees of Individual Members, Member Societies, Nominating Bodies and Supporting Organizations;

proceeds from the sale of publications;

gifts, legacies and grants; and

other sources.

The financial liabilities of the ISPP shall be limited to its current funds.

The financial commitments that require only the signature of the Treasurer and those that also require the signature of the President shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

The President and the Secretary-General or two Directors designated by, and delegating for, the ISPP President and Secretary General shall represent the ISPP in legal matters according to the laws of the United States of America or the State of Minnesota, USA.  They may represent the ISPP in other matters as approved by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer, or a designated representative of the Treasurer, shall represent the ISPP in legal matters relating to Banking and Finance according to the relevant State and Federal laws of the country in which the Society Bank Accounts are based.

The President and the Secretary-General (or their designated representatives) may commit the ISPP by their joint signatures in executing decisions of the Council. In special circumstances the Executive Committee may authorize another member of the Executive Committee to act in place of the President or the Secretary-General.

The administrative and financial year of the ISPP shall be the calendar year.

The Procedures of voting are defined in the Rules of Procedure.

Alterations and additions to the Statutes and Rules of Procedure shall be approved by two-thirds of the received votes of members of the Council entitled and able to vote in a ballot conveyed to all Councillors. 

The ISPP may be dissolved on the agreement of two-thirds of the Members of the Council. On dissolution the Executive Committee, acting for the Council, will be responsible for settling the accounts and for disposing of any remaining property provided that such property shall not be distributed among the members of the ISPP but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the ISPP as the Council may determine and if and in so far as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.

General prohibitions, notwithstanding any provision of the Statutes or Rules of Procedure that might be susceptible to a contrary construction, are:

the ISPP shall be organized and operated exclusively for scientific and educational purposes;

no part of the net earnings of the ISPP shall or may under any circumstances incur to the benefit of or be distributable to its officers, members or private individuals;

no substantial part of the activities of the ISPP shall consist of carrying out propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation;

the ISPP shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office; or for the political expediency of any organization or cause;

the ISPP shall not be organized or operated for profit;

the ISPP shall not in respect of any officer, member of the Council, or substantial contributor to the ISPP:

(i) lend any part of its income or corpus, without receipt of adequate security and a reasonable rate of interest, to;

(ii) pay any compensation, in excess of reasonable allowance for salaries or other compensation for personal services actually rendered to;

(iii) make any part of its services available on a preferential basis, to; 

(v) sell any securities or other property for less than adequate consideration in money or money's worth or;

(vi) engage in any other transaction which results in substantial diversions of its income or corpus.

The prohibitions contained in this Statute 28 do not mean to imply that the ISPP may make such loans, payments, sales, or purchases to anyone else, unless such authority be given or implied by other provisions of the Statutes or Rules of Procedure.

The Membership shall be composed of:

members of the Council;

individual members;

fellows;

members of Member Societies and members of Nominating Bodies who are plant pathologists.

The General Assembly shall, in accordance with Statute15 of the Statutes, be convened to receive:

reports on the work of the ISPP submitted by its officers, committee chairs and the Council;

audited accounts of the ISPP submitted by the Treasurer with the approval of the Council;

reports of additions or alterations to the Statutes or to Rules of Procedure implemented by the Council in the period between Congresses, and of any proposals submitted in accordance with Rule 4 of the Rules of Procedure;

the report of the Nominating Committee on the election of officers.

The General Assembly shall meet at least once during each Congress. The President of the ISPP shall normally preside at each meeting. If the President cannot do so, a member of the Executive Committee or a member of the Council nominated by the Council shall preside.

Proposals relating to the Statutes or to the Rules of Procedure, other than those proposed by the Executive Committee, must be sent to the Secretary-General at least 6 months before the next Congress. They will be considered only if endorsed by a total of at least 20 Individual Members or Fellows, or by three or more accredited representatives of Member Societies or Nominating Bodies recognized by the Council.

The Council shall consist of members appointed by Member Societies and by Nominating Bodies. Member Societies and Nominating Bodies with a membership of 10 to 100 plant pathologists may appoint one member of the Council (Councillor); those with 101 to 500 plant pathologists may appoint two Councillors. For every 1-500 plant pathologists above the first 500, one additional Councillor may be appointed. Member Societies or Nominating Bodies representing fewer than 10 plant pathologists may, with the approval of the Council, join with other Member Societies or Nominating Bodies to appoint one Councillor if their combined memberships are 10  to 100, and two Councillors if their combined memberships exceed 100. Individual members shall be represented on the Council by not more than five Councillors appointed in ways approved by the Council. Nine months before a Congress, Member Societies and Nominating Bodies will be asked to submit to the Council the name(s) of their appointee(s) for the next Council. Present or past members of the Council may be recommended for reappointment. The term of office of Councillors and Officers shall be from the end of one Congress to the end of the next.  

At least one year before the Congress, the Executive Committee will appoint a Nominations Committee comprising the Immediate Past President (chair) and six other members. These will be ISPP Councillors, or other senior representatives of ISPP Associated Societies, chosen on a geographical basis.

The Nominations Committee will invite each Associated Society and Nominating Body of ISPP through the ISPP Councillors to propose nominees for the positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary-General and Treasurer and to provide evidence of each nominee’s willingness to serve if elected. The call for nominations will be publicized through the ISPP Newsletter and website and ISPP Associated Societies. Any ISPP member may be nominated for the positions by Councillors, or any other member of an ISPP Associated Society.

The Nominations Committee will consider the nominees for each office, and being cognizant for the need of geographical diversity and gender balance, will select two names for each office and transmit such names for ratification by the Executive Committee.

The Secretary-General or a designate will send a ballot with two candidates for each office to each of the Councillors at least nine months before the Congress and request their vote within three months. The ballots will be counted by the Secretary-General or other designate of the ISPP Executive. The candidates with a simple majority will be elected. In the case of a tie, the President may cast the decisive vote. Evidence of each Councillor’s vote will be kept on file until after the Congress

The President will invite each newly elected officer to serve. If the elected officer is unable to serve, then the alternate candidate will be asked to serve.

The function of the Council relating to Statute16 shall be:

to direct the Executive Committee in matters of policy and management;

to determine the place and date of the next Congress;

to elect Fellows of the ISPP;

to recognize societies, bodies and organizations in accordance with Articles 6-13;

to determine procedures for representation of individual members on the Council;

to elect the Officers;

to establish committees and to approve the appointment of their officers;

to review and approve, or when deemed necessary, to amend reports prepared by the Executive Committee.

Only members of the Council or their designated alternates may vote. Each member of the Council shall have one vote in the event of an equality of votes in a ballot or otherwise, the President of the ISPP shall have a second and deciding vote.

The Council may admit non-members to its meetings.

The Executive Committee shall be formed according to Statute 17 of the Statutes. One of the Vice-Presidents shall be from the country in which the next Congress will be held. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once during each Congress and at least once between Congresses. Four members shall form a quorum at each meeting. The Executive Committee may admit others to its meetings.

The Executive Committee, in accordance with Statute 17, shall:

implement the decisions and resolutions of the Council and conduct the business of the ISPP according to general directions from the Council. Thus, it is responsible to the Council for the activities of the ISPP and for the expenditure of available funds;

take the necessary steps to initiate and assist in the organization of the Congresses;

submit to the Council annual reports on the activities and finances of the ISPP, and prepare a budget for the following year;

establish or provide for the continuation or dissolution of committees of the Council;

prepare the agenda for meetings of the Council and the General Assembly and submit to the Council matters for consideration and action.

carry out any other tasks and activities appropriate to and in accordance with the purpose of the Society.

The Secretariat shall comprise the Secretary-General and a small administrative staff and other personnel as agreed from time to time and appointed by the Executive Committee according to advice from the Council.  The Secretariat personnel currently includes the positions of Business Manager, ISPP Newsletter Editor, Chair of the ISPP Task Force on Global Food Security and Editor- in-Chief of the Food Security journal.  The Secretariat shall work under the direction of the Executive Committee.

In accordance with Statute 21 of the Statutes, the Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the ISPP. The Treasurer or a designated representative expends the ISPP funds under the direction of the Executive Committee.

Committees of the Council shall be appointed for the term of office of the Council; they shall be considered for reappointment by the next Council. A Committee shall inter alia:

organize meetings on special subjects;

propose for approval by the Council the establishment and membership of groups to study and report on special problems;

encourage and arrange for international cooperation between plant pathologists;

further the aims of the ISPP in other ways approved by the Council; and

submit a summary report of Committee activities to the Secretary-General at the time of each Congress.

Voting at meetings of the ISPP shall be by show of hands unless the members present decide that a ballot should be taken.

Resolutions before meetings of constituent bodies of the ISPP, and those placed before the Council by correspondence, shall be passed by a simple majority vote except those relating to the Statutes, Rules of Procedure, or dissolution of the ISPP when a two-thirds majority of members entitled and able to vote shall be required. In the event of the equality of votes, the Chair shall have a second deciding vote.

Fees charged by the ISPP shall be determined by the Council upon recommendation of the Executive Committee.  Fees may be influenced under a formula that applies to many different Member Societies, as a percentage of their individual member fee which varies according to that member Society's decisions.

Members, Member Societies, Nominating Bodies, Supporting and Affiliated Organizations shall be informed of the activities of the ISPP and related matters in its official publication "International Newsletter on Plant Pathology" and in other ways deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee with the approval of the Council. The ISPP may also issue other publications, the distribution and costs of which shall be decided by the Executive Committee subject to approval by the Council.

Business of the ISPP may be conducted by correspondence. Accepted by the Council: December, 1975.

Revisions considered by the Council; August 1978 (Third International Congress). Approved by the Council (on mail ballot): April, 1979.