Organization of the Society for Northwestern Vertebrate Biology
Executive Board
Vice Presidents
Editorial Positions
Officers of the Society, elected by the Society membership, consist of a President, one Vice-President from each of five regions (see Geographic Scope), a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Society Officers and three Trustees elected at large comprise the Executive Board, and collectively address Society business based on a Constitution and Bylaws. All Board members attend and participate in quarterly meetings (in person or by teleconference) and the annual meeting, though selected Board members have specific quarterly and annual meeting responsibilities. The Society also has three editorial positions that handle Society publications. Descriptions of Society positions and their responsibilities follow.
The Executive Board
The President is responsible for maintaining the purposes of the Society, which include the promotion of close working relationships among vertebrate scientists in the Pacific Northwest, encouraging people working in the field, and maintaining meeting places and publications for information exchange. The President presides over the Society and Executive Board meetings, which include scheduling and arranging the quarterly and annual meetings. S/he may call special meetings, select dates for meetings, appoint special committees, and serve as a regular committee chair. The President contributes a regular column to the newsletter of the Society (Murreletter), The President’s Corner.
Vice Presidents are responsible for the welfare of this Society in their respective regions, which includes the promotion of the organization and encouraging membership. Vice-Presidents take the lead on organizing annual meetings when they occur within the region they represent. They may also call and arrange program and social meetings within their regions. Vice-Presidents also contribute articles to the Murreletter.
The Secretary is custodian of all property of the Society and conducts the correspondence of the Society. The Secretary keeps accurate minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board. The Secretary is encouraged to contribute to the Murreletter.
The Treasurer manages the finances of the Society and keeps a record of all members of the Society. S/he receives all dues, gifts, and other monies, maintains these monies in a bank, disburses these funds as authorized by the Executive Board, and keeps accurate records of all transactions. An annual financial statement is prepared and submitted to the Executive Board at the annual meeting.
The Treasurer is also encouraged to contribute to the Murreletter. Trustees are responsible for assisting the Officers with the Society operations and supporting the Executive Board with duties. Trustees assist with the operations of the organization in diverse ways, which include helping with the organization of the annual meeting, nominating and contacting potential board members as vacancies occur, contributing to the Murreletter, promotion of the organization and encouraging membership, and other organizational tasks.
The Editorial Positions
The Editor of Northwestern Naturalist has primary editorial and managing responsibilities for the Society’s flagship journal, the Northwestern Naturalist. The editor allocates incoming submissions to associate editors, makes decisions regarding suitability of reviewed submissions, and interacts with the printer for the journal (Allen Press) to ensure development and production of a quality peer-reviewed publication.
The Editor of Northwest Fauna has primary editorial and managing responsibilities for the Society’s monograph publication, Northwest Fauna, which appears on an irregular schedule as contributors develop them. S/he allocates submissions for review, makes decisions regarding the suitability of reviewed submissions, and interacts with the printer for the monograph (Allen Press) to ensure development and production of a quality peer-reviewed monograph.
The Editor of the Murreletter has primary editorial and managing responsibilities for the newsletter of the Society, the Murreletter. S/he receives regular contributions from Society officers, varied contributions from the Society membership, and develops the layout of the newsletter on a quarterly basis.