The last of our by-laws have been published in 1988. Since that time, we have had many new members join the research committee. In order to refresh long-term members and educate new members, below are the current by-laws of the International Research Committee on Disasters, RC 39.

BY-LAWS

As ratified at the Committee's business meeting in New Delhi, India, in August 1986, the following becomes the official by-laws of the International Research Committee on Disasters, RC39.

1. The Committee will have a Board of nine officers: a President, two Vice Presidents, a Secretary, three members-at-large and two ex-officio members (the previous term President and Secretary).

2. This Board will have the responsibility for setting the policies of the Committee, conducting its collective activities, and otherwise undertaking such actions as are necessary for the operation of the Committee.

3. Board decisions may be reached at meetings where at least four Board members are present and/or through mail correspondence among all Board members.

4. The President of the Board is responsible for calling and chairing Board meetings, representing the committee I its relationships with other groups, and carrying out such activities as may be decided by the Board.

5. One of the Vice Presidents, picked by the Board, will assume the responsibilities of the President of the Board in the case of the death, incapacitation, resignation, or other inability of the incumbent to carry out the responsibilities of the office of the President.

6. The Secretary will maintain the membership rolls of the committee, accept dues, and otherwise be responsible for such administrative matters of the committee as is determined by the Board.

7. The President, in consultation with the other Board members, will fill any vacancies in Board membership created by death, incapacitation, resignation, or other reason, by appointing temporary Board members.

8. These Board members will serve only until the next election of Board members, but will be eligible for re-election.

9. Six Board members will be elected by the Committee membership every four years.

10. The previous President and the Secretary of the Board will automatically become ex-officio members of the new Board and serve for a four-year term.

11. Board shall generally be responsible for obtaining nominations for the election, arranging the slate of candidates, counting the votes, and otherwise conducting the election.

12. The Board will conduct a mail ballot enough ahead of time so that the new officers can assume their offices at the end of the general meeting of the Committee which will take place every four years.

13. All members of the Committee who have fully paid their dues for the year in which the election is held are entitle to nominate candidates and/or run as well as vote for Board officers.

14. The President of the Board can serve only one four-year term, but all other members of the Board are eligible for re-election for up to eight consecutive years.

15. Qualifications and dues for committee membership will be set by the Board.

16. Dues and other funds which the Committee may obtain will be deposited and handled in a manner prescribed by the Board.

17. The president will present in the fall issue of Unscheduled Events a bi-annual report to all members. The report will summarize what the Committee has done during the two year period, unresolved questions and issues, and whatever else the president deems worthy to communicate to all the members. The report will also include as an appendix a financial statement prepared by the secretary-treasurer reporting the income and expenditures (categorized in specific terms such as dues, royalties, bequests, publishing costs of the IJMED, gifts, costs of award plaques, travel cost of
recipients of awards) of the Committee during the two year period, as well as what unexpended funds are available at the time of the report.

18. Minutes of all Board meetings and major decisions will be published as soon as possible in the Committee's newsletter.

19. The committee will have a newsletter to be distributed on a regular basis to all members.

20. The board will appoint the Editor of the newsletter and determine its general policies.

21. The relationship of the Committee to any other publications, such as a professional journal or a monograph series, will be determined by the Board, which serves as the Advisory board of the journal, the International Journal of Mass Emergencies
and Disasters.

22. All Board decisions are subject to review at the general meeting of the Committee.

23. All Committee members in good standing are eligible to present matters for Board consideration.

24. Changes in the by-laws of the Committee can be made by a majority vote of both the Board and all eligible Committee members.

25. Said committee is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

26. No part of the net earnings of the committee shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the committee shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article 25 hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the committee shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the committee shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the
publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the committee shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a committee exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

27. Upon the dissolution of the committee, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed
to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the committee is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized an operated exclusively for such purposes.