Bylaws of ORGALA

This is my original version of the bylaws of ORGALA.

What I have written here has undergone some change before the final product stage.
That final product can be found on Las Iguanas team website here:
http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2008/teams/lasiguanas/A_Policy_Mechanism.html

Bylaws of ORGALA
Organizacion para las Galapagos
  1. Membership
    1. Entrance into ORGALA of new organizations will be decided by a two-thirds majority vote of the current representative board of ORGALA.
    2. The board must evaluate each potential entrant according to the following formula:
  1. Scientific Panel
    1. Each member organization must provide a scientist who will serve on the scientific panel of ORGALA.  The scientist must be given a 5 year tenure during which the sponsoring organization must not alter his pay without consent or exert any other coercing influence on his actions within the panel.  It is essential that the scientist may vote his conscience. 
    2. Confirmation of a scientist into the scientific panel requires that the scientist fulfill the following qualifications:
    1. A scientist cannot be removed except by the panel of scientists by a two-thirds majority - such an action can be taken in the case of misconduct or neglect of responsibilities.
  1. The passage of proposals
    1. In order for a proposal to become policy in ORGALA requires a ½ majority in both the scientific panel and the board of representatives.
    2. In the case of a tie in the scientific panel, the board of representatives will be the sole deciding body, and in the case of a tie in both bodies, the executive director will cast the deciding vote.
    3. In the scientific panel, each scientist will be allotted one vote.
    4. In the representative board, each organization will be allowed one vote per dollar annual contribution to the ORGALA treasury with the exception that no organization will be allowed to exercise a majority of the vote.
    5. A member organization may not vote in a measure that involves funds to be given to that organization.
    6. In such a measure in which ORGALA funds are donated to a member of ORGALA, the executive director must cosign the measure in order for it to become policy
    7. Quorum will be two-thirds of the member organizations in both bodies.
  2. Meetings
    1. At the request of five or more member organizations, the executive director is required to convene a meeting within two weeks of the members’ request.
    2. Meetings should largely be conducted over teleconferencing software to reduce the cost of travel, but if deemed necessary by the executive director, the meeting may be convened physically in a location to be decided by the member organizations, preferably in Ecuador.
    3. At least once annually the members must convene a meeting with a quorum present physically, preferable in Ecuador.
    4. The executive director may convene an emergency meeting at his or her discretion.
  3. Financial Execution
    1. The executive director will be the financial executor of ORGALA.  He is responsible for disbursing funds exactly as the policy of ORGALA instructs him or her to do so (except in the case mentioned in section 3.6.)
    2. A two thirds majority in both the representative board and the scientific panel is required to remove the executive director from office in whatever circumstance the representative board deems it expedient or in the case the executive director resigns or is not able to complete the responsibilities of his office.
    3. A two thirds majority is required to confirm a nominee for the position of executive director of ORGALA with another competent applicant should the absence of an executive director occur
    4. The executive director is responsible for overseeing the treasury of ORGALA and making frequent reports on the financial situation and management of ORGALA funds.  The executive director may, if he or she wishes, appoint a committee of members to see that the funds of ORGALA are managed efficiently, to give reports to the representative body on the financial status of ORGALA, or to make recommendations on financial actions, but he may carry out those responsibilities alone.