ASN Rules and Guidelines

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ASN Rules and Guidelines

ASN RULES AND GUIDELINES

This document is intended to supplement the "Bylaws of The American Society for Neurochemistry" and to serve as a practical guide for members of the ASN. The document provides an overview of the responsibilities of and guidelines for: 1) the officers; 2) the permanent office; 3) standing committees; 4) the conduct of council and business meetings; and 5) the conduct of the annual meeting. This document is revised periodically as the goals of the ASN continue to grow and evolve.

I. ELECTIONS AND LEADERSHIP

As stated in the Bylaws, the ASN is governed by a Council consisting of the Officers (President, Past President, President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer), and twelve ordinary members. The President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer are also ex officio members of all standing, annual and ad hoc committees.

Quick Links: Election of Officers and Terms of Office Office of the President Office of the Past President Office of the President-Elect Office of the Secretary Office of the Secretary-Elect Office of the Treasurer Office of the Treasurer-Elect Council Members Parliamentarian Historian Meetings of the Council Legal Issues ASN Office

A. Election of Officers and Terms of Office

1. Elections

At least 6 months prior to each second annual meeting (usually in October of the year prior to the March meeting), the Chair of the Nominating Committee will solicit nominations for Officers and Council from the nominating committee, and the Secretary will prepare and distribute a request for nominations for Officers and Council from the members. Nominations must be received within 45 days of this mailing. Members may nominate no more than one candidate for each vacancy. The nominating committee shall identify two candidates (from individuals receiving 6 or more nominations if more than two are nominated) and only two candidates for the office of president elect. If only one individual is nominated by members, the committee will nominate a second person to run for that office. The Chair of the Nominating Committee will inquire as to their willingness to serve. Nominees must accept their nomination in writing. Only ordinary members in good standing are eligible to hold office in the Society.

The ballot shall have a minimum of two candidates for each office and a minimum of 8 candidates for the vacancies on Council. An exception may be made upon advice of the nominating committee and approval by Council to allow the current secretary and treasurer to stand for reelection unopposed. The Secretary will prepare the ballot and distribute it to the membership no later than 60 days prior to the annual meeting. No distinction will be made as to which candidates were nominated by the membership vs. those nominated by the Nominating Committee. The President will appoint a Senior Teller to tabulate the ballots. All ballots must be received by the Senior Teller no later than three weeks prior to the annual meeting. The Teller will inform the Officers of the elections results, and the President will notify the candidates of the outcome at least ten days before the annual meeting to insure that the newly elected officers attend the meeting. Ballots will be destroyed one year after the annual meeting.

The election results will be made known to the membership at the end of the annual business meeting. The six vacancies on Council are filled by the six nominees receiving the most votes. The open alternate position on Council is filled by the person receiving the seventh-most number of votes. New officers except the Secretary-Elect and Treasurer-Elect, and council members will assume their offices at the third Council Meeting. The Secretary-Elect and Treasurer-Elect will assume their offices at the last Council meeting of the following annual meeting.

2. Filling vacancies in Officer positions and on Council

a. Vacancies on Council that occur in between regular elections are filled by Council from the alternates, and then by candidates in the last preceding election in order of decreasing number of votes received. If there are not enough alternates to fill vacancies on Council, the Bylaws allow that Council operates with a minimum of seven members. In the unlikely event that the number of Council members falls below seven, the President shall call a special election that follows the procedures outlined above in section A1.

b. Vacancies in Officer positions are filled by Council, for the unexpired portion of the term. Council may elect to fill a vacancy with any ordinary member of the Society, including a current Council member or a candidate from the last preceding election.

B. Office of the President

The office of President is assumed by the President-Elect for a single two-year term. At the end of the President's term, he/she assumes the office of Past-President. The President, with the advice of Council, is the only legal signature on all contracts made with the ASN, such as maintenance of the ASN office, hotel contract for the annual meeting, fees for external organizers, and all obligations for the annual meeting. The responsibilities of the President include:

presiding over all Council and Business meetings
appointing committee members and chairpersons, with advice from other officers
appointing the Local Host and Program Committee Chairs for the annual meeting, with advice from other officers
appoint ad-hoc committees as needed
serves on the ASN NEURO Journal Oversight and Liaison Committee
resolving all professional matters which come to his/her attention
establishing and maintaining personal contact with other Neuroscience societies to identify common aspirations, goals and problems for which a common effort may be more effective with the help of the intersociety liaison officer than the action of each society separately, and to exchange meeting dates and programs as early as possible to avoid unnecessary duplication of symposia, special speakers and satellite sessions
vigorously seeking corporate sponsorship to insure a sound fiscal basis for the Society -providing information of historical interest concerning his/her term of office to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN Archives

C. Office of the Past President

The office of the Past President is assumed by the President at the end of his/her term. The duties of the Past President include:

assisting the President to provide continuity -assuming the duties of the President in his or her absence
lending their experience to the planning of the annual meeting
serving on the ASN NEURO Journal Oversight and Liaison committee
actively seeking and maintaining corporate sponsorship

D. Office of the President-Elect

The President-Elect is elected for a two-year term after which he/she assumes the office of President.

The duties of the President-Elect are to assist the President, and to work closely with the President and Program Committee to coordinate meetings that will occur during their term of office

E1. Office of the Secretary

The Secretary is elected for a two-year term, and is eligible for two additional terms, after which he/she is ineligible for another term for a period of four years. The responsibilities of the Secretary include:

in collaboration with the chair of the Electronic Communications Committee and the ASN Business Office producing the electronic ASN newsletter on a regular basis.
provide the contents of the ASN newsletter for inclusion in the ISN newsletter two times per year
providing copies of the newsletters to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN archives
including the preliminary program and registration form for the annual meeting, and the ASN membership application form in the December issue of the ISN newsletter
preparing, updating, publishing, and distributing the ASN Membership Directory as frequently as fiscally possible. The membership directory should contain an alphabetical list of all members, with membership classification and date of election to membership; a geographical index; lists of all past officers of the Society (with dates of service); the ASN Bylaws; the ASN Standing Rules (these may be in electronic formatting).
providing a copy of the membership directory to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN archives
preparing and distributing agendas for the Council and Business meetings
keeping, and transcribing records of Council and Business meetings
distributing records of Council and Business meetings to all the officers and council. Minutes of the business meeting are made available to the membership on the website.
providing copies of records of Council and Business meetings to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN archives
providing information to the ASN office such as the newly elected officers, committee compositions, current and future meeting information, and other items of interest and relevance
ensuring that appropriate sites are available for annual meetings, and providing information detailing the locations, local host chair, possible dates and approximate room charges to the Council
distributing copies of the Abstract book to the ASN archives, members, libraries, subscription services, and institutions
working with the Electronic Publications Committee to provide electronic postings and distributions for nomination and voting processes
providing information to the ASN office for advertising the dates and locations of upcoming meetings in appropriate scientific and medical journals, and to assist the local host committee in general PR for the annual meeting.
receiving and posting to the web site all listings for positions available as provided by ASN members, or members of any neurochemical society. This placement service is now named The Worldwide Neurochemistry Placement Service

E2. Office of the Secretary-Elect

The term of the person elected to this office will be just the year prior to assuming the duties of Secretary. During that year the individual elected will assist the Secretary and learn the duties associated with the position of Secretary.

F1. Office of the Treasurer

The Treasurer is elected for a two-year term, and is eligible for two additional terms, after which he/she is ineligible for another term for a period of four years. The Treasurer has to indicate a year prior to the end of each of his/her terms whether or not he/she will serve an additional term. The responsibilities of the Treasurer include:

maintaining a checking account in the name of the ASN (Signatories are the Treasurer, the ASN Office and the President)
investing funds appropriately in high-yield, but safe investments
providing biannual updates of financial status to the officers and council.
providing the Secretary with financial reports for the ASN Newsletter, at the treasurer's discretion.
providing financial reports at the annual business meeting
appointing an accountant to audit the Society's financial records, to prepare yearly financial reports (fiscal year July 1 to June 30), and to prepare and file tax forms
providing an audited financial report to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN archives
understanding the tax exemption document P 501 (CN) of February 11, 1975 (obtained from past Treasurer) to ensure that the Society does not jeopardize its tax-free status
retaining the ASN Federal tax identification number
preparing earnings statements (IRS form 1099) for individuals receiving more than $600 per year from the Society
preparing earnings statements (IRS form 8233) for non US citizens receiving any amount of money from the Society
ensuring that receipts are obtained from any person receiving money from the Society
serving as chair of the Finance Committee
being administratively responsible for dispersal of all ASN funds expended in support of the annual meeting, and all funds expended in the maintenance and operation of the society.
serving as a Member of the Enterprise Committee.

F2. Office of the Treasurer-Elect

The term of the person elected to this office will be for a maximum of 6 years starting immediately after election to the office. The Treasurer-Elect will assist the Treasurer, learn the duties associated with the position of Treasurer and serve as a Member of the Enterprise Committee. The Treasurer-Elect will begin serving as the Treasurer when the Treasurer retires at the end of the term.

G. Council Members

Members of the Council serve for a four-year term. ASN also elects 2 alternates to Council who serve for 4 year terms. Alternates have the privilege of attending and participating in discussions of Council meetings. Alternates will have voting rights only when they are present at a Council meeting where there would not be a quorum unless they are included as voting members of Council. There is no limit to the number of terms, as long as they are not consecutive, that individuals can serve. The duties of Council members include:

attending the annual meeting, council meetings and the annual business meeting
proposing new initiatives by bringing motions to the Council
creating policy of the operation of the Society by bringing motions to the Council
keeping themselves informed of issues in science and neurochemistry that are relevant to the growth and operation of the Society
actively promoting the growth of the Society by recruiting new members
actively promoting the activities and meetings of the Society\
conveying the opinions and ideas of the membership to the Council

H. Parliamentarian

The office of Parliamentarian is occupied by the Past-President and as Alternate by the current Secretary. A Parliamentarian is required at Council and Business meetings of the ASN. Since 1991, the Parliamentarian has also served as chair of the Standing Rules Committee. The Parliamentarian's function is to advise the presiding Officer on questions of procedure during Council and Business meetings. If requested by the President or the assembly, the Parliamentarian will state a ruling or give an interpretation of it. In the case of an error, the Parliamentarian may advise the presiding Officer of its occurrence, but the decision rests with the presiding Officer. The Parliamentarian's opinion is purely advisory.

I. Historian

The Historian, appointed by the President, will maintain the ASN archives as a living history of the Society and, as such, all important matters that relate to the operation of the Society should become a part of the archives. Items for submission to the archives should be given to Committee Chairs or Officers of the Society for forwarding to the Historian. In 1997 the archives were moved to University of California Los Angeles. Access to the archives is limited to the Historian, so all requests for information should be made through him/her. The archives should be maintained in chronological order. Items suitable for inclusion in the archives include:

minutes of Council and business meetings
minutes and reports of standing and ad hoc committees
annual audited financial reports
newsletters
amendments to Bylaws
petitions, standing rules, and special initiatives undertaken by the Society
records of public policy activities
annual volumes of the Transactions, Abstracts and Directories in duplicate
copies of all publications sponsored by the Society, i.e. Basic Neurochemistry, etc.
originals of the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Charter Members, and other items of historical interest.
any photographs of councils or meetings which are made available to the archives by members

J. Meetings of the Council

The ASN Council, composed of the Officers, Council members, Parliamentarian and Historian will meet twice during the annual meetings (one meeting prior to the annual business meeting and one after the annual business meeting) and will hold an interim meeting at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, or any other venue. In addition, Council will conduct business during the year via e-mail.

K. Legal Issues

The ASN is registered in the District of Columbia through HIQ Corporate Services. The Treasurer maintains information on this registration. Two firms with offices in Washington, D.C. have been used for legal advice. Melrod, Redman & Gartlan, Suite 1100K, 1801 K Street, N.W., Washington,D.C. 20006, telephone (203) 833-3700, have been "official" lawyers of the Society; this firm was involved in drawing up the original bylaws. Browdy & Newmark, Muncie Bldg., Washington, D.C., telephone (202) 628-5197 handled the trademark registration for "Transactions of the ASN." The patent registration #130,370 was issued on February 5, 1980; it was last renewed in February 2010.

L. ASN Office

The director of the ASN Office will be appointed by the President upon approval by Council. This office was established by Council in 1998. The current manager is Mrs. Amanda Lattuca of International Conference Services., 710-1201 W. Pender St. Vancouver, BC, Canada V6E 2V1, Email: amanda@asneurochem.org. The officers of the ASN will interact with the ASN Office as is pertinent to their individual duties. The duties and responsibilities of the ASN office are:

maintaining a permanent address for the ASN
maintaining a permanent telephone line where messages for the ASN can be left
assisting in increasing membership and sponsorship
preparing and submitting an itemized budget and financial reports concerning expenses of the office to the Treasurer
sending dues notices and receiving and recording dues collected from members, and depositing on a monthly basis any funds received for membership fees
mailing election notices
assisting the Secretary in advertising the dates and locations of upcoming meetings in appropriate scientific and medical journals
maintaining an accurate, up-to-date database of ASN membership
notifying the President of members who are in arrears and should be dropped from the membership roles.
forwarding membership applications to the membership committee
assisting and advising Local Host Committees regarding planning for annual meetings, and be responsible for the maintenance of accurate records of income and expenditures of the annual meeting.

II. ASN MEMBERSHIP

Four classes of regular membership exist within the ASN, viz., ordinary members, affiliate members, emeritus members, and corresponding members. These categories are defined in the Bylaws of the Society.

Quick Links: Membership Categories Corporate Sponsors Application and Election to Membership Membership Lists and Dues Collection

A. Membership Categories

1. Ordinary members of the Society shall be investigators in the field of neurochemistry or related fields that reside in the Western Hemisphere, which is defined as Canada, North America, Central America, South America, US Possessions and the Caribbean. Ordinary members receive all circulars, publications and announcements of the Society, may attend and submit abstracts to the meetings of the Society, may hold elected office in the Society, may nominate new members, may propose motions at the annual business meeting, and may vote on matters arising, including elections.

2. Corresponding members of the Society shall be investigators in the field of neurochemistry or related fields that do not reside in the Western Hemisphere. Corresponding members receive all circulars, publications and announcements of the Society, and may nominate new members.

3. Emeritus members of the Society are members who have retired from their professional duties and who have chosen to be classified as emeritus status. Emeritus status can be obtained by notifying the Secretary of retirement, in writing, with a request for reclassification. Emeritus members shall have all the rights and privileges of the membership class from which they transferred.

B. Corporate Sponsors

Corporate sponsors are corporations that provide financial support to the Society. Corporate sponsors will receive appropriate recognition for their support of the educational activities of the ASN.

C. Application and Election to Membership

Application forms are available from both the Secretary, the ASN office, and the ASN web site. Applications for membership and requests from members for reclassification are received by the ASN Office and forwarded to the chair of the Membership Committee on a monthly basis. Individuals whose applications are pending may submit abstracts for the annual meeting. Applications are also available at the ASN website, the Neurochemistry Newsletters, and at the ASN booth at the Society for Neuroscience Meeting.

D. Membership Lists and Dues Collection

All membership information and dues collection are handled by the ASN office. The ASN office ensures that the membership list is updated periodically. Mailings for collection of dues from current members are sent by the ASN office in January of each year. New members are billed for dues on a pro-rated basis upon ratification by Council. Dues are payable upon first notice. If dues are not paid by the third notice the member will be placed on inactive status.

At the end of September Prior to the abstract deadline date, the ASN office sends the local host committee chair a list of members in arrears. ASN members who are in arrears in their dues will be required to pay the non-member registration fee for the annual meeting if they have not paid their membership dues prior to registration. Members in arrears will not be permitted to pick up registration materials at the annual meeting until they pay their dues (or pay the non-member registration fee). The local host committee will be responsible for checking that registrations and abstracts are accepted only from members in good standing with regard to dues. This applies only to ASN members. Members of other neurochemical societies are welcome to submit abstracts for the ASN annual meeting.

The President will initiate termination letters. The Treasurer, with approval of the President, may waive payment of dues for members experiencing financial hardships.

Current dues are listed on the ASN web site. Emeritus membership is free.

III. ASN FUNDS

All donations to the ASN General Fund or any Special Fund, or to support the annual meeting, should be sent to the Treasurer in the form of a check made payable to American Society for Neurochemistry.

A. Basic Neurochemistry Fund

The Basic Neurochemistry Fund is supported by royalties earned from "Basic Neurochemistry" and is maintained by the Treasurer. These funds are used for editorial expenses including travel for the editors, and in support of the Basic Neurochemistry Lecturer for the annual meeting. Editorial expenses are forwarded to the ASN Treasurer for reimbursement. In addition, this fund may be used for educational ventures of the ASN such as the Young Investigators Educational Enhancement Fund (see D. below). Use of the funds for educational ventures of the ASN may be initiated by the ASN Council or the Basic Neurochemistry Editorial Board; in either case, all requests require the approval of both groups. The Basic Neurochemistry Editorial Board consists of the editors of the book, and its chair is the Editor-in-Chief of the book. Replacement editors are recommended to the Officers and Council for approval by the current editor.

B. Jordi Folch-Pi Memorial Fund

The Jordi Folch-Pi Memorial Fund was established to honor the memory of Jordi Folch-Pi through an award to an outstanding young investigator who has contributed to the field of neurochemistry. The amount of the award is determined by the ASN Council. The fund is maintained by the Treasurer, and is supported by interest generated on the principal, as well as from member donations.

C. Marian W. Kies Fund

The Marian Kies Award was established in memory of Dr. Marian Kies to recognize an individual who performed outstanding work in the field of molecular, chemical, and/or cellular biology during his/her graduate studies. The amount of the award is determined by the ASN Council. The fund is maintained by the Treasurer, and is supported by interest generated on the principal,, as well as from member donations.

D. Young Investigators Educational Enhancement Award

The Young Investigators Educational Enhancement Award (previously the Travel Fund for Young Investigators) was created to provide travel support for young neurochemists to attend the annual meeting of the ASN. The amount and number of awards are determined by the Treasurer. The fund is maintained by the Treasurer in a separate account, and is supported by contributions from the Basic Neurochemistry Fund and corporate sponsors, as well as member donations.

E. The Inter-American Cooperation Fund

In 1998, Council approved establishment of this committee whose function is to provide educational support for the Americas. This committee has no assigned budget, though the treasurer will entertain reasonable requests for some funding, i.e. travel, consistent with the status of the ASN treasurer.

F. The Bernard Haber Award Fund

The Bernard Haber Award was established in 2001 to recognize Dr. Bernard Haber’s leadership and outstanding contributions of to the field of Neurochemistry, and in particular for his efforts to develop and strengthen relationships between the American Society for Neurochemistry and other neurochemistry and neuroscience societies around the world. The award will be given to an ASN member of any category for their contributions in fostering the goals of the ASN and furthering interaction with other neurochemical or neuroscience societies. The award is a cash prize of $1,000 to be awarded as funds permit. The recipient has the opportunity to organize a symposium at the ASN Annual Meeting in the year following the award. The fund is maintained by the Treasurer, and is supported by interest generated on the principal, as well as from member donations.

G. General Fund

The General Fund is the main operating fund of the ASN. The fund is maintained by the Treasurer, and is supported primarily by dues collections, corporate sponsorship, and income associated with the annual meeting. The fund is used to support all activities of the ASN, including partial support of the annual meeting.

IV. ASN STANDING COMMITTEES

Members and chairs of ASN standing committees are appointed by the President for two-year terms. Individuals may serve more than two consecutive terms. Committee memberships will represent a broad geographic distribution, with no more than one person from a given institution. Committee membership should have staggered terms so that part of the committee turns over every two years.

Committees are encouraged to communicate and conduct their business throughout the year by e-mail. Committee meetings will no longer be scheduled at the annual meeting unless requested in advance by the committee chair. Each committee chair will be responsible for preparing a permanent record of decisions and how they were made by his/her committee. These records should be transmitted to the Secretary, and to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN archives. Each committee chair should present a brief (five minute) oral report to the Council and to the business meeting during the annual meeting. Longer reports should be conveyed in writing by e-mail to the secretary and chair of the electronics committee.

Any expenditures by a committee must be approved in advance by Council in the form of a committee budget request.

The creation or dissolution of standing committees is initiated by the president and requires majority approval of council.

A. Membership Committee

The Membership Committee, consisting of five members, functions to review membership applications on an on-going basis and to present recommendations to Council for approval.

The chair of the committee will receive applications from the ASN office, and will send copies of each completed application to each member of the committee as soon as possible. Applications will be evaluated independently by each committee member and decisions reported to the chair. Members of the committee shall not participate in decisions on the membership of applicants they have sponsored.

The original signed copy of the application will be retained in the ASN office files. After checking with the ASN office to ensure that he/she has a copy of each application, the chair may discard copies of the applications. A master list of the members accepted should be kept by the chair for two years. Individual committee members may discard their applications and evaluation forms after the committee has finished its evaluation. The ASN office should keep applications on file indefinitely.

The committee shall hold virtual meetings by e-mail to review and discuss its decisions on membership. In cases of disagreement in the initial evaluations, a majority vote will decide the classification of any given applicant. The Membership committee forwards their nominations to the Secretary, who sends the names to the Council for ratification by majority vote. Council will review the nominees, ratify the nominations by majority vote, and submit a list of the names of approved applicants to the Secretary, who will notify the ASN Office. The Secretary will present this list to the membership at the Business Meeting for their information. The Secretary will notify all applicants of the outcome of their application. The membership committee is responsible for inviting non-member invited speakers at the annual meetings to join the Society.

The membership committee should make an effort to track affiliate members to facilitate their re-classification as ordinary members.

B. Education and Public Policy Committee

This committee oversees all activities of the ASN that are related to education and public policy, and may request in a timely fashion (i.e. well in advance of the annual meeting), a specific budget from the ASN Treasurer, as approved by Council, to carry out its activities (including the Public Policy Forum at the annual meeting). The duties of the committee are:

to determine and arrange the Public Policy Program at annual meetings
to cooperate with and support the educational efforts of groups such as the National Committee for Research in Neurological and Communicative Disorders (NCR), and the Consortium for Neuroscience Education (CNE)
to increase awareness among membership of their responsibility to consider the public implications of their research and to communicate these to the general public, particularly in areas where neurochemical research would be likely to raise concerns of general interest
to alert the membership through the web site to events at the national level that affect the scientific enterprise
to promote the education of the public concerning the contribution and importance of neurochemical research to the national good by organizing a speakers bureau or perhaps other mechanisms
to arrange an educational workshop for local science teachers at the annual meeting
to arrange lectures, symposia, and/or workshops in local schools and colleges, aimed at promoting neurochemistry.
to be responsible for any publications emanating from events at the ASN meetings, except the Abstract book
to provide a record of activities on a yearly basis to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN archive

C. Electronic Communications Committee

The ASN web site is located at http://www.ASNeurochem.org. Items to be posted on the ASN web site must be approved by the Secretary who will forward items to the web site manager. The duties of the Electronic Communications Committee, which is chaired by the Secretary, are:

- to maintain a computerized network among the membership and other interested parties - to alert members by e-mail of opportunities to testify to Congressional committees and staff on matters requiring their expertise or of concern and interest to the ASN membership (generally initiated by the chair of the Public Policy committee)
- to alert members of events and opportunities relevant to the success of the scientific enterprise (generally initiated by the chair of the Public Policy committee)
- to maintain the ASN pages on the Internet.
- the web site includes:
- Lists of officers, committee chairs and members with e-mail links
- Standing rules and bylaws
- Searchable membership directory
- Membership application form
- Information about the annual meeting
- Award nomination forms
- Abstract submission forms
- Meeting registration forms
- ASN newsletter
- Links to University home pages and other Internet information of interest to members of the ASN, and of service to students and the public

Positions available, which is a service available to all neurochemical societies, The Worldwide Neurochemistry Placement Service

D. Inter-American Cooperation Committee

The Inter-American Cooperation Committee promotes the work and participation of ASN neurochemists from Latin and South America. The Committee receives no formal budget, but may request a specific budget from the ASN Treasurer, as approved by Council, and based on the moneys collected (via member donations) specifically for this purpose. Funds allocated to this committee should be used for the Basic Neurochemistry School.

E. Jordi Folch-Pi Memorial Award Selection Committee

The Jordi Folch-Pi Memorial Award Selection Committee receives applications for the award and selects an appropriate awardee annually. A call for nominations for the award will be listed in the Preliminary Program for the ASN Annual meeting by the chair of the committee. The committee chair ensures that the call for nominations will also be posted on the ASN web site and submitted to other neurochemistry-relevant web sites and publications. The committee will solicit nominations via e-mail from ASN members, past winners and past nominees.

The committee chair will collect the nominations, make sure the documentation is in order, and circulate the information to committee members for evaluation. The nomination materials to be submitted include:

a complete curriculum vitae
a one-two page statement from the nominee of goals and accomplishments
three letters of nomination
reprints of up to three key papers

To be eligible for this award, individuals must have received their Ph.D. within the past ten years and must reside within the Western Hemisphere; nominees need not be a member of the ASN, but they should be eligible for membership. The award is for foreign travel for the purpose of attending a scientific meeting (e.g., the ISN meeting).

The candidate will be selected at least one month before the meeting, and notified by the chair of the committee by phone; the President will notify the winner by mail. The chair should notify other nominees of the decision by mail. The chairperson should get an assurance that the candidate will be present at the meeting. Criteria used for selection of the awardee include demonstration of:

outstanding research accomplishments, which advance our knowledge of the biochemistry of the nervous system
original ideas and direction of the research effort.

The award will be presented at a plenary session or at the annual banquet. The ASN President will introduce the awardee, and present him/her with a check and a plaque. The awardee should give a brief acceptance speech (five minutes). The award winner will be invited to become a member of the ASN (if not already a member), and will be invited to organize a symposium at the next annual meeting of the ASN. There should be communication between the chair of the Folch-Pi committee and the chair of the Program Committee to ensure that this happens.

The committee chair should submit relevant information about the winner of the award to the Secretary for inclusion in the ASN newsletter and on the ASN web site.

The committee will actively solicit donations to the Folch-Pi fund, and will provide records of their activities and information of interest to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN archives.

F. Marian W. Kies Award Selection Committee

The Marian W. Kies Award Selection Committee receives applications for the award and selects an appropriate awardee annually. A call for nominations for the award will be listed in the Preliminary Program for the ASN Annual meeting by the chair of the committee. The chair of the committee ensures that the call for nominations will also be posted on the ASN web site and submitted to other neurochemistry-relevant web sites and publications. The committee will solicit nominations via e-mail from ASN members, past winners and past nominees. The committee chair will collect the nominations, make sure the documentation is in order, and circulate the information to committee members for evaluation. The nomination materials to be submitted include:

a complete curriculum vitae - two letters of nomination (one from the nominee's graduate advisor and one from another appropriate person)
reprints of up to two key papers - a copy of the dissertation abstract
a copy of the abstract submitted for the upcoming ASN meeting, on which he/she is the presenting author

To be eligible for this award, individuals must have received their Ph.D. within the past two years prior to the ASN annual meeting and must reside within the Western Hemisphere; nominees need not be a member of the ASN, but they should be eligible for membership.

The candidate will be selected at least one month before the meeting, and notified by the chair of the committee; the President will notify the winner by mail. The chair should notify other nominees of the decision by mail. The chairperson should get an assurance that the candidate will be present at the meeting. Criteria used for selection of the awardee include:

the quality of graduate work in the field of molecular, chemical and/or cellular biology of the nervous system
development of creative and innovative approaches to the research project
publications, participation at scientific meetings and extra-curricular activities

The award will be presented at a plenary session or at the annual banquet. The chair of the committee will encourage the winner's advisor to attend. The ASN President will introduce the awardee, and present him/her with a check and a plaque. The awardee will also receive a letter from the chair of the committee indicating that his/her registration fee for the following ASN meeting will be waived. The awardee may give a brief acceptance speech (five minutes). The award winner will be invited to become a member of the Society and will be invited to organize a colloquium at the next annual meeting of the ASN. The chair of the Kies committee will notify the chair of the Program committee to ensure that this happens.

The committee chair should submit relevant information about the winner of the award to the Secretary for inclusion in the ASN newsletter and on the ASN web site.

The committee will actively solicit donations to the Marian Kies Fund, and will provide records of activities and items of interest to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN archives.

G. Young Investigators Educational Enhancement Award Committee

The Young Investigators Educational Enhancement Award Committee, named previously the Travel for Young Investigators Committee, functions to secure and provide funds for young investigators to attend the annual meeting.

The Committee seeks to obtain funds to support the award by contacting individuals in the private sector on an annual basis. Funds received by members of the committee are forwarded to the chair, who in turn forwards the funds to the ASN Treasurer who sends letter of thanks to the donors. The chair will provide a list of donors to the chair of the Program Committee for inclusion in the abstract book. The Secretary of the ASN will send a copy of the abstract book to each donor with a cover letter listing the names, affiliations, and titles of presentations of the awardees.

The Committee determines who will receive awards and the amount of each award within guidelines established by the treasurer, who must approve all awards. The committee chair ensures that a call for nominations will be listed in the Preliminary Program for the ASN Annual meeting and that the call for nominations will also be posted on the ASN web site and submitted to other neurochemistry-relevant web sites and publications. The committee chair will collect the nominations, ensure the documentation is in order, and circulate the information to committee members for evaluation. The nomination materials to be submitted include:

a cover letter containing a brief statement of career goals, the name of the dissertation supervisor or research director, a statement of current financial support, and a statement concerning prior ASN award
a complete curriculum vitae - a copy of the abstract submitted for the upcoming ASN meeting, on which he/she is the presenting author

The funds available for awards are determined annually by the Treasurer of the ASN. Individual awards are determined by the committee, based on the needs of the applicant. The list of awardees is forwarded from the committee chair to the Treasurer. Upon approval by the Treasurer, the committee chair will notify the applicants concerning the status of their request. The committee chair will also provide a list of awardees to the chair of the Program Committee for inclusion in the program. The Treasurer will distribute the checks at the annual meeting.

To be eligible for this award, individuals must be in their final year of graduate study, or have received their Ph.D. or M.D. within the past 6 years prior to the ASN annual meeting and must reside within the Western Hemisphere; nominees need not be a member of the ASN, but they should be eligible for membership. Applicants must be first (presenting) author of a submitted abstract, and priority will be given to those who have not received an award previously from the ASN. The number of applications from any one laboratory is limited to two.

The committee chair should provide information concerning winners of the awards and donors to the funds to the Historian on a yearly basis for inclusion in the ASN archives.

H. The Bernard Haber Award Selection Committee

The Bernard Haber Award Selection Committee receives applications for the award and selects an appropriate awardee biennually or as funds permit. A call for nominations for the award will be listed in the Preliminary Program for the ASN Annual meeting by the chair of the committee. The committee chair ensures that the call for nominations will also be posted on the ASN web site and submitted to other neurochemistry-relevant web sites and publications. The committee will solicit nominations via e-mail from ASN members, past winners and past nominees.

a complete curriculum vitae
three letters of nomination

The award will be given to an ASN member of any category for their contributions in fostering the goals of the ASN and furthering interaction with other neurochemical or neuroscience societies.

The candidate will be selected at least one month before the meeting, and notified by the chair of the committee by phone; the President will send written notification to the winner. The chair should notify other nominees of the decision. The chairperson should get an assurance that the candidate will be present at the meeting.

The award will be presented at a plenary session or at the annual banquet. The ASN President will introduce the awardee, and present him/her with a check and a plaque. The awardee should give a brief acceptance speech (five minutes). The award winner will be invited to organize a symposium at the next annual meeting of the ASN. There should be communication between the chair of the Bernard Haber Award and the chair of the Program Committee to ensure that this happens.

The committee chair should submit relevant information about the winner of the award to the Secretary for inclusion in the ASN newsletter and on the ASN web site.

The committee will actively solicit donations to the Haber fund, and will provide records of their activities and information of interest to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN archives.

I. Finance Committee

The Finance Committee evaluates and provides advice on the financial activities of the society. In addition, the Committee actively recruits and maintains corporate sponsors. The committee is chaired by the Treasurer of the ASN, and consists of the President, the Past President, the President-Elect, the Past Treasurer, the Treasurer-Elect, the Secretary and the Secretary-Elect. This committee is charged with consulting a tax advisor regarding the non-profit status of ASN and ensuring compliance with Federal tax code. The committee is also charged with development of fiduciary and investment strategies for the future well-being of the ASN.

J. Standing Rules Committee

The Standing Rules Committee reviews the Standing Rules on an ongoing basis and identifies sections that require revision. In addition, any changes in procedures voted by the Council should be incorporated into the Standing Rules. The committee is chaired by the Parliamentarian and includes the secretary as a member. The Chair of the committee should insure that updates to the Standing Rules and Bylaws are provided to the ASN web master for inclusion on the web site. Officers, Council Members, and the Historian should be notified when revisions are posted.

K. Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee will consist of a chair and several members appointed by the president. At the direction of the Chair, the Nominating Committee will solicit at least six months prior to each second annual meeting, nominations for Officers and Council. Special skills, administrative backup, expertise and geography are to be considered in selection of nominees. At the same time the Secretary will prepare and distribute documents soliciting nominations for Officers and Council from the members. The nomination responses should be set up to allow confirmation of nominator eligibility (i.e. valid membership and within limit of nominations) as well as anonymous recording of the names nominated. Nominations must be received within 45 days of this mailing. Members may nominate no more than one candidate for each vacancy. Within 30 days of the close of the nominations, the nominating committee shall identify two candidates (from individuals receiving 6 or more nominations if more than two are nominated) and only two candidates for the office of president elect. If only one individual is nominated by members the committee will nominate a second person to run for that office. The Nominating Committee will construct a list of candidates, and communicate that list to the President and Secretary. The Chair of the Nominating Committee will inquire as to their willingness to serve. Nominees must accept their nomination in writing. Only ordinary members in good standing are eligible to hold office in the Society.

It has been customary for Secretary and Treasurer running for re-election to run unopposed and for the ballot to have two candidates for each of the other offices and eight candidates for the vacancies on Council.

The Nominating Committee will meet at the Annual Meeting to discuss the process for the election, and potential candidates for subsequent elections.

The President should appoint the Chair no later than the meeting preceding the year of elections. The previous Chair of the Nominating Committee should provide the new Chair with information and copies of relevant correspondence from the previous election process at or soon after the meeting preceding the year of elections. The new Chair should work closely with the Secretary, Parliamentarian and Business Manager at the beginning of the process to set the schedule and arrange for mailings in accordance with the by-laws, and communicate with them as well as the President throughout the process. The Nominating Committee will assist the President, as requested, in identifying candidates for appointment to ASN committees.

L. Journal Oversight and Publisher Liaison Committee

The Journal Oversight and Publisher Liaison Committee will be comprised of the Past-President (as chair), President, President-Elect and ASN NEURO Editor-in-chief, and ASN NEURO Deputy Editor-in-chief when someone holds that position. With this composition, the past-president would have up to 6 years’ experience on this committee. The mission of this committee is to serve as the liaison between the Society and the Journal. The committee is the authorized ASN agent that interacts with and has oversight of the ASN journal and editor in chief. The committee serves as the official liaison between ASN and the publisher. The committee must meet at least on an annual basis and must provide an annual report to Council. This committee is authorized to determine the procedures for selecting and appointing each editor-in-chief.

M. Enterprise Committee

The Enterprise Committee helps coordinate fundraising efforts by all ASN committees and meeting session chairs. It will explore new funding opportunities and it will assist in devising strategies to collect membership dues. The chair of the Enterprise Committee will be the Past Program chair. The committee may be composed of additional following members: Preset Program chair, Future Program chair, Present Local chair, Treasurer, Treasurer-elect and one Presidential appointee. The Presidential appointee will be determined President in by consultation with the current Treasurer and the Treasurer-Elect.

N. Young Latin American Scholars Committee (YLAS)

The Young Latin American Scholars (YLAS) Committee functions to provide scholarships for young neuroscientists from Latin American countries. These awards provide travel expenses to attend the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Neurochemistry. The award winner(s) will also visit, for a period not shorter than one additional week, an established neuroscience laboratory in North America.

Awards are restricted to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty no more than 35 years of age at the time of application. Applicants must be first (presenting) author of a submitted abstract. Applicants may not have received a YLAS Award from ASN previously. No more than two applicants from any laboratory may apply.

The Committee determines who will receive awards. The committee chair ensures that a call for nominations will be posted on the ASN web site and submitted to other neurochemistry-relevant web sites and publications. The committee chair will collect the nominations, ensure the documentation is in order, and circulate the information to committee members for evaluation. The committee chair will also provide a list of awardees to the chair of the Program Committee for inclusion in the program.

The nomination materials to be submitted include:

A cover letter containing a statement about your career goals and the purpose of your visit to a particular neuroscience laboratory in North America.
A signed letter of support from a senior scientist who is familiar with the applicant’s research.
A letter from the Host Laboratory accepting the visit of the applicant.
A full curriculum vitae.

The funds available for awards are determined annually by the Treasurer of the ASN.

O. Young Investigator Advisory Committee (YIEE)

The Young Investigator Advisory Committee will serve as representation for trainee-level members of the ASN (students and postdoctoral fellows) and provide guidance and feedback to council related to the views and concerns of young investigator members. The Young Investigator Advisory Committee will also facilitate personal and professional development opportunities for young investigator members, and it will contribute to the sustainability of the Society by fostering recruitment and preservation of young investigator membership. To this end, the Young Investigator Advisory Committee will manage social media presence in collaboration with the electronic communication committee and the secretary of the society. The Chair of the YIEE committee will be included as an ex-officio member.

P. Diversity and Inclusion Committee (DIC)

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee (DIC) was founded in 2021. It serves to promote diversity and inclusion in society membership, scientific programs, and various committees. DIC will work an advisory capacity to the council and all other committees.

DIC will work together with the Program committee on programs, speakers, and themes before conferences. It will coordinate with committees to identify opportunities to improve diversity and inclusion in the society’s awards. The DIC will oversee speakers and themes for Women in Neurochemistry program. DIC will work with upcoming meeting planners on both the scientific and networking aspects of meetings to promote diversity and provide an inclusive environment. They will provide to all ASN members, and keep current, a list of diversity and inclusion workshops, resources, and recommended readings as links on our ASN website. Finally, the DIC will suggest speakers on diversity and inclusion to speak during our council and ASN meetings.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

V. ORGANIZATION OF THE ANNUAL MEETING

The Annual Meeting of the ASN is the responsibility of Council or delegate (an external organizer), a Local Organizing Committee, and a Program Committee. The Local Organizing Committee or external organizer (if so delegated by Council) is responsible for all on-site organizational aspects of the meeting; the Program Committee is responsible for all aspects of the scientific program of the meeting. In the event that Council contracts with an external organizer, a local organizing committee is not required. It is expected that the Program committee and the parties responsible for on-site organization (the local host committee and/or the external organizer) will work together very closely.

A. Invitations to Host the Meeting

Early in November, three years prior to the meeting date, the Secretary will solicit invitations for the meeting from the membership. The individual who extends the invitation for the meeting to be held in his/her city will normally serve as the Chair of the Local Organizing Committee. An invitation to host the annual ASN meeting should be based on a cost-effective site, with reasonably priced, easily available air transportation and a cooperative hotel. Invitations must contain the following information:

the name and location of the proposed hotel/institution meeting site
dates for the meeting (held normally in the month of March, but can be in April) and the expected weather conditions during the proposed dates
the anticipated cost for accommodations in the host hotel, nearby hotels, and lower cost hotels for students and postdoctoral fellows
the local cultural points of interest in the host city
transportation facilities in the host city, proximity of airports, train stations, bus terminals, and driving distances from major cities
The possible synergism with other meetings will be a determinant in the choice of sites and dates.

Submitted invitations will be discussed by Council, and decisions will be presented to the membership at the business meeting. The final decision concerning the meeting date and place will be made by Council.

B. Appointment and Responsibilities of the Meeting Management

In the event that a local organizing committee is used for meeting management, the individual who extends the invitation for the meeting to be held in his/her city will normally serve as the Chair of the Local Organizing Committee. The Chairperson of the Local Organizing Committee will select others from the local site to serve on the committee in consultation with previous Local Organizing Committee Chairs, the President, and the President-Elect. The Chair and all members of the committee must be approved by the Council. The Local Organizing Committee (in conjunction with an external organizer, if applicable) has the responsibility for all on-site organizational aspects of the meeting. Any contracts made with external organizers, hotels or any other entity can be signed only by the President. The local organizing committee has no authority to obligate the ASN contractually.

There are two options for the management of the meeting.

1) The ASN Office functions as the meeting organizer for an appropriate fee, negotiated with the President, in a contract signed by the President.

2) The local host committee may choose to use a local organization and staff (e.g. a University Continuing Education Unit), with fiscal oversight and management by the ASN Office.

Any contracts must be signed by the President. The choice will vary with the location chosen and the preferences of the local host committee and the President. Final decisions will be made by the President, with consideration of cost and efficiency.

The organizational aspects of the meeting include:

fund raising to support the meeting
soliciting exhibitors for the meeting
scheduling all ASN Council meetings (three are held at each annual meeting; the first early to mid-afternoon the day prior to the beginning of the meeting, the second a breakfast meeting midway through the annual meeting, and the third a breakfast meeting held on the last day; ensuring that these meetings do not conflict with plenary sessions
arranging for an opening reception the evening prior to the first day of the meeting, an ASN banquet at either the convention hotel or in conjunction with an optional excursion at an appropriate local attraction, and coffee breaks in the mid-morning and mid-afternoon each day of the meeting
scheduling meetings for the editorial boards of the Journal of Neurochemistry, Molecular and Chemical Neuropathology, International Journal for Developmental Neuroscience, Neurochemical Research, Journal of Neuroscience Research, and Developmental Neuroscience, arranging appropriate food functions, and communicating this information to the ASN Secretary, the Program Chair, and the journals chief editors; ensuring that these meetings do not conflict with each other or with plenary sessions
scheduling a graduate student/postdoctoral event during the first or second day of the meeting, as well as a breakfast for the Women in Neurochemistry
ensuring that adequate, well-lighted poster boards are available, that each author of a poster is clearly identified by a badge stating "Author -Poster Session", and arranging for a poster attendant during meeting
ensuring that AV equipment is present and that there is personnel to project slides
displaying professional quality directional signs for symposia, colloquia, and workshops, as well as Council, and editorial board meetings
providing a hospitality room (or table) for family members and guests who will not attend scientific sessions for gathering information on local sight-seeing, shopping, etc.
arranging for CME credit, if possible, and providing forms to be signed at the meeting
providing information on local eating places and tourist attractions including prices, hours of operation, and directions for getting there
arranging for a facility whereby registrants can exchange messages with each other
providing use of a word processor and photocopying facilities for officers and committee chairs
providing registrants with official receipts
ensuring that meeting attendees recognize members of the Local Organizing Committee by a special badge or ribbon in case a problem arises
providing information of historical interest (program materials, photographs, etc.) to the Historian for inclusion in the ASN archives
providing professional, quality badges for participants that are clear and legible at a reasonable distance

C. Appointment and Responsibilities of the Program Committee

Following selection of the meeting site, the President will appoint a Program Chair. The Program and Local Organizing Committees must work very closely and cooperate in all aspects, especially in matters concerning the budget. It is important that the two chairs have a good working relationship.

The President, in consultation with the Program Committee Chair, will appoint members of the Program Committee. The chair of the committee should be a member of past program committee to provide continuity and experience. Members of past program committees should serve as some of the members of the current committee to provide continuity. The program committee should meet to formulate general policy the year before the meeting they program. This general policy includes the creation of a balanced program with a broad representation of topics.

The Program Committee, in consultation with the Local Organizing Committee (and external organizer, if applicable), is responsible for the conduct of the scientific portion of the annual meeting. Any contracts made with external organizers, hotels or any other entity can be signed only by the President. The program committee has no authority to obligate the ASN contractually.

These scientific portion of the meeting includes:

fund raising to support the meeting
soliciting symposia, colloquia and workshops from the membership. The schedule of the meeting will accommodate a maximum of 12 symposia, and 20 colloquia and workshops.. At least one chair for each symposium, colloquium and/or workshop must be an ASN member in good standing at the time of the annual meeting. When possible, proposals should include budgets for speaker expenses, including anticipated fund raising and support required from ASN funds.
selecting symposia, colloquia, and workshops and scheduling all scientific sessions, insuring that the Folch-Pi and Marian Kies awardees from the previous annual meeting participate by organizing a scientific session
coordinating any pre- or post-meeting workshops with the schedule of the annual meeting
responsibility for preparing and mailing the preliminary announcement of the meeting and the preliminary program containing the call for abstracts, subject index and acknowledgment cards, registration materials, posters announcing symposia, plenary sessions, basic neurochemistry lecturer, pre- and post-meeting workshops, material about the meeting site (hotel and city), and hotel registration form
providing the preliminary program to the Secretary so that it can be posted on the ASN web site.
mailing the acknowledgment cards to registrants after the program has been scheduled
responsibility for preparing the final program book listing the schedule for all scientific sessions, as well as Council, committee, editorial board, and other meetings
processing abstracts and handling pre-registration fees, the latter which should be given to the ASN Office and deposited in an interest bearing account until they are required for payment of expenses
assigning chairs for each of the sessions and ensuring that such chairpersons accept the assignment and have a clear understanding of how to conduct their session
providing the names and addresses of nonmember speakers to the membership committee who will invite these individuals to join the ASN

D. ASN Abstracts

The ASN Abstract Volume must include the title, TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR NEUROCHEMISTRY, and will be published in an easily accessible form (paper, CD, DVD, or other portable digital storage device). The Abstract Volume will be generated under the direction of the Program Committee and the Officers, and it will be archived in perpetuity. The Abstract Volume will be distributed to all meeting registrants, as well as mailed by the ASN office to all society members in good standing who request a copy.

E. Financial Aspects of the Meeting

The Local Organizing and Program Committees should consult with the Treasurer regarding their budget for the annual meeting. Although the ASN subsidizes part of the meeting, it does not have sufficient funds to cover all meeting expenses. Thus, it is up to the Local Organizing and Program Committee, as well as symposia, colloquia and workshop chairs to actively seek funding for their activities.

When possible, the ASN will provide financial support for scientific sessions (symposia, colloquia, workshops) commensurate with the financial state of the society. The precise amounts will be determined following discussion held between the President, the Treasurer, and the Meeting Organizer. Funding allocation will take into account previous funding levels, expected attendance, and funds raised by the individual sessions. Those amounts will be presented to council for approval at least 1 month before the first call for session proposals is sent out.

When possible, the ASN will provide two registration waivers per session that can be used at the session chair's discretion for ASN members or non-members.

These allocations are to serve as guidelines for support available to organizers in real need, and are not to be interpreted as a blanket allocation to each organizer.

In addition the ASN will provide moneys for:

all costs associated with the Basic Neurochemistry Lecturer through the Basic Neurochemistry Fund
travel awards recommended by the Young Investigators Educational Enhancement Committee through the Basic Neurochemistry Fund and other funds generated via contributions
the Folch-Pi and Marian Kies Awards through their respective funds
Pre- and post-meeting workshops are financially independent. Funds required for those must be raised through a separate registration fee that is recommended and solicited contributions. Women in Neurochemistry (WIN) is supported by members and a fee is paid at the registration desk.

The Local Organizing Chair and the Program Chair should work together to develop an appropriate budget for the meeting that covers all expenses not listed above. The budget should include all costs associated with:

the program, including envelopes, letters, abstracts forms, registration forms, badges and badge holders, poster numbering, AV equipment, poster boards rental, setup and removal, meeting rooms
travel expenses, registration fees and honoraria for invited speakers over and above the funds provided by ASN (see above)
the exhibits including piping and drapes for exhibit booths, exhibit hall fee, mailing, phone calls for exhibitor solicitation, security for exhibitor area. Fees charges to exhibitors should cover these expenses and may be set at a level that would provide additional income for the meeting.
social functions including the opening reception, coffee breaks, the banquet and the hospitality suite
funds for the graduate student/post-doctoral function
personnel including secretarial help, registration desk coverage, projectionists, security guard for exhibit area
an external organizer, if used
provide appropriate insurance for the poster and exhibit area

The registration fee for the meeting should be determined based on costs associated with the conduct of the program. The budget should be planned to break even with 500 registrants (note: approximately 30% of the attendance will be non-ASN members). Non-ASN members should be charged 1.3 times more than ASN members, and accompanying persons should be charged a registration fee adequate to cover the cost of the banquet and other social activities. Late registration (which should cost more than cancellation) in all categories can be appropriately increased. There should be a clearly stated cancellation policy. Student registration should reflect actual costs not to exceed 40% of member registration. Emeritus members are charged the student fee. Members of ASN sister societies (i.e. International Society for Neurochemistry, European Society for Neurochemistry, Japanese Society for Neurochemistry) may register at member rates The registration fee shall be set jointly by the Local Organizing Committee and Program Committee in consultation with the Officers of the Society.

The ASN office will handle all financial aspects of the meeting. No person is permitted to spend or commit the Society to spend any funds unless approved in writing by the Treasurer. Any donations or fees raised by the Local Organizing Committee, the Program Committee or organizers of symposia, colloquia and workshops must be in the form of a check made payable to the American Society for Neurochemistry. All expenses incurred for the meeting must be documented with receipts. After the meeting, but no later than August 31 following the meeting, the ASN Treasurer will prepare an accounting of the meeting income and expenses. Any surplus will be transferred to the General Fund.

F. Using an External Organizer

The Local Organizing Committee cannot sign any contract with an external organizer. Contracts can be signed only by the President. The assistance of a professional organizer can be very beneficial. Even with professional assistance, considerable input from the Local Organizing and Program Committees is necessary for a successful meeting. A professional organizer can be of major assistance with:

reviewing, negotiating, and approving all hotel and service contracts
assisting in formulating the proposed budget, and preparing the final financial report
program design and pre-meeting mailings
providing on-site management
details of pre-registration and on-site registration
accounting records of receipts and disbursements
assigning rooms for sessions, committee meetings, catered functions, etc.
establishing and maintaining exhibitors
arranging special airfare rates for attendees

Practical Guidelines for a Successful Meeting

1. Characteristics of a successful meeting:

a sound scientific program of high quality with a balanced representation of topics
cohesive meeting facilities, preferably under one roof or at least in close proximity, with sleeping rooms for registrants easily accessible to the meeting complex
meeting rooms of adequate size with good projection facilities, public address operations; the lighting and projector should be easily controlled from a single location in the rooms
comfortable areas for informal scientific discussion near the meeting rooms
exhibits of pertinent scientific apparatus and literature, centrally located in the congress complex
a social program to introduce registrants to cultural aspects of the host city and to provide meaningful opportunities for registrants to become acquainted with each other
explicit and complete advance information to registrants about activities and timetable, submission of abstracts, payment of registration fees, transportation from airports and within the city, hotel reservations, location and hours of registration, and other details
efficient operations during the meeting with the registration area conveniently located and staffed with knowledgeable people who can provide information about all aspects of the meeting

2. Hotel Requirements for the Annual Meeting of the ASN

To accommodate the program and other activities for the ASN Annual Meeting, the following provisions are required:

hotel rooms (250-300 rooms) to accommodate up to 500 people with provisions for extra persons in a room so as to keep costs at a minimum for younger members of the society; complimentary rooms should be available for officers of the society and others based on hotel room utilization; the hotel should be willing to hold rooms for one year in advance and ensure that contracted room rates are valid even if the meeting does not fill the entire block of rooms held
three meeting rooms to accommodate 200 persons each (for morning symposia)
five meeting rooms to accommodate 150 persons each (for afternoon colloquia, workshops and oral communications)
a poster area to accommodate 150-200 posters with sufficient space for coffee breaks
an exhibit area in close proximity to the poster area to accommodate up to 20 exhibitors
meeting rooms to accommodate 15-20 persons (for Council meetings) with the capability to serve luncheons and breakfasts
a room serving as the ASN office equipped with telephone, facsimile machine, computer with internet and e-mail capabilities and typewriter that can also be used as a newsroom for interviews with the press, etc.
a registration area consisting of:black-out screens for effective slide presentations
registration table with a telephone, cash box, computer and printer (for producing name badges)
a table for individuals to fill out registration forms
a table for the Treasurer to enable individuals to pick-up travel awards, and funds for symposia, colloquia and workshops
a visible directory in vicinity of registration desk - all meeting rooms must have: -an audio system with microphones for the speaker, chair of the session, and audience;
clear viewing from any seat in the room (no obstructions such as chandeliers or pillars)
a lighted lectern for the speaker
a chalkboard for speakers to use during question/answer sessions -sound proofing to prevent "cross-talk" between rooms during simultaneous sessions -electric pointers for presentations
a table at the front of the room for the session chair -conveniently located lighting controls at or near the slide projector
large, high quality projection screens enabling easy viewing from the back of rooms

3. Timetable for planning the meeting (for a March meeting)

Between January, the year before the meeting, and one month after the previous Annual Meeting
- The Program Committee should solicit proposals for symposia and colloquia/workshops.
- The committee should solicit proposals from the previous years Folch-Pi (symposium) and Kies (colloquium) Award winners.
One year before the meeting
- The Program Committee should meet at the Annual Meeting and determine which proposals for symposia, colloquia and workshops are acceptable.
- The President should select the name of the Basic Neuroscience Lecturer.
- Begin to gather material needed for the first mailing to the membership.
August, the year before the meeting
- The Program Committee, in consultation with the Local Organizing Committee, should obtain information regarding local arrangements, and assemble and mail the Preliminary Program containing the call for abstracts.
mid-November
- Deadline for receipt of abstracts.
mid-October-mid December
- The Program Committee must deliver electronic files of the abstracts including front matter, table of contents, indices for key words and authors, and abstracts (appropriately lettered as A, B, C or D) to the publishers of the Journal of Neurochemistry no later than December 10.
mid-January
- The Program Committee will prepare and send to the members a program outline listing all presentation titles and a complete list of authors according to their scheduled presentation time.
- All other meeting functions (pre- and post-meeting workshops, editorial board meetings, ASN committee meetings, etc.) should also be listed.
March
- A successful meeting.
mid-June
- The ASN Treasurer prepares a final accounting of the meeting income and expenses.

4. Guidelines for Pre- or Post-Meeting Sessions

Pre- or post-meeting sessions may be organized in conjunction with the ASN annual meeting. However, organizers must take note that such sessions are financially independent of the ASN. Thus, registration fees must be set with all budgetary items taken into consideration; organizers cannot rely on the ASN for financial support, and are encouraged to obtain support from appropriate sources. The International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN) has a grant program to support small conferences provided that the satellite is publicized internationally and has international participation. Past ASN satellite symposia organizers have been successful in obtaining such funds from the ISN.

Pre- or post-meeting sessions should be scheduled either immediately prior to or after the main meeting, should be held in the immediate geographic area of the main meeting, and should be timed to allow attendees to obtain the most favorable airfares.. The topic of the program is at the discretion of the organizer, but should be coordinated with the program chair of the ASN meeting to avoid overlap. If the pre- or post-meeting sessions are organized in parallel with the annual meeting, then information concerning these session can be mailed with information for the main meeting, and any abstracts of presentations can be included in the meeting abstract book.

To facilitate organization of these sessions and meet any initial expenses, the ASN treasurer may loan the organizer $1,000. It is expected that these funds will be repaid to the ASN at the end of the pre- or post-meeting session. Any profits incurred must be returned to ASN to be earmarked as seed money for future pre- or post-meeting sessions. The organizer of any pre- or post-meeting session must submit a complete financial accounting for the meeting to the ASN treasurer within 90 days of the conclusion of the meeting.

5. Guidelines for Joint meetings with other Societies-in preparation

Joint meeting with other societies require the approval of the officers and council and are subject to a joint agreement. The intersociety liaison officer will provide the necessary draft of any joint meeting for ratification by both societies. It is understood that in any year that a joint meeting is held, the annual meeting of the ASN will not be held. Every attempt will be made to honor the customs of both societies at a joint meeting. Such meetings must have adequate ASN representation on both program and host committees.