EABA By-Laws

By-Laws of the European Association for Behaviour Analysis

(Articles of Association)

Article I – Name

The name of this Association shall be EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS (EABA), hereafter referred to as ‘the Association’.

Article II – Purpose

The purpose of the Association shall be to foster the development of behaviour analysis within Europe and further afield in matters relevant to the conceptual, experimental, and applied analysis of behaviour, as well as service delivery.

Specifically, the Association shall:

Serve as a scientific and professional reference group for behaviour analytic researchers, practitioners, tutors, students, and service users and provide/foster networking between universities, research centres, and applied settings.
Ensure that accurate information about behaviour analysis is available to the public and get actively, effectively, and constructively involved in re-addressing inaccurate information.
Promote research, scholarship, and practice embracing the latest developments within behaviour analytic science, including ethical and cultural matters.
Offer productive networking opportunities between behaviour analysts and behaviour analysis organizations across Europe and further afield.
Promote best scientific, ethical, and culturally attuned practices wherever behaviour analysis is debated, researched, or practiced.
Promote good quality training and dissemination of the science and its applications and connect universities, research centres, and applied settings.
Encourage and actively support professional recognition/certification of behaviour analysts throughout Europe in order to protect service users and enhance professional mobility of behaviour analysts.
To organize and sponsor fora, conferences, summer schools, newsletters, journals, websites, blogs, e-lists etc. to promote the science of behaviour analysis.

Article III – Individual Membership

EABA membership/associate membership is open to those committed to the goals of the Association.

a) Categories of Membership

Members of the Association shall be persons who:

Are interested in the advancement of behaviour analysis and practice,
Are in agreement with the objectives of EABA (as set out above), and
Pay an annual fee as determined by the EABA Board of Directors.

EABA consists of full members and different categories of non-voting members. Affiliate, student, and service user members are non- voting membership categories.

A full member is anyone holding a terminal degree in a discipline which is directly related to or involving behaviour analysis and whose full-time professional commitments include teaching, research and/or practice in behaviour analysis.

To become a full member of the Association the following requirements must be met:

Completion of a university degree or college diploma in a related field, and
Employment (in a professional capacity) within education, social services, health services, or other related fields which involve the application of behaviour analytic principles, and which are approved by the membership sub-committee or
Professional qualification in behaviour analysis evidenced by certification or equivalent qualification in the applicant’s country of residence and approved by the membership sub-committee.

Full members shall be entitled to the rights and privileges of the Association without restriction. The minimum standard for full membership shall be completion of a terminal degree relevant to the purposes of the Association.

Affiliate, service user, or student (non-voting) membership status will enjoy the benefits of being a member of EABA. An affiliate, service user, or student member is typically an individual who is interested in the discipline of behaviour analysis but who lacks formal training, who is in receipt of behaviour analytic services, or who is in the processof pursuing formal training on a full-time basis in the discipline of behaviour analysis.

Standards for member status in the Association and benefits shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Annual membership fees are set by the Board of Directors of the Association.

Membership shall be decided without discrimination of race, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, political affiliation, or mental or physical disability of the applicant.

A membership sub-committee is nominated by the Board of Directors to oversee the membership process.

b) Good Standing

To remain a full member in good standing, an individual must be no more than 9 months in arrears with respect to any dues and assessments and should continue to work within a field involving the application of behaviour analysis.

c) Voting

All full members of EABA have voting rights. Each full member shall be entitled to one vote on all matters brought before the Association. There shall be no proxy voting. The voting status of other members as it applies to particular issues may be decided by the Board of Directors. Voting is organised by the EABA Secretary (or delegate Board member) and is conducted either by show of hands (for a public meeting) or electronically (via the EABA website or any other web-based application that the EABA Board agree to use).

Article IV – Affiliated Chapters

Affiliated chapters are organisations associated with EABA who share the goal of disseminating and developing behaviour analysis internationally. Chapters are interested in contributing to the well-being of society through development, enhancement, and support of the science of behaviour analysis through research, education, and practice. Applications for affiliate membership can be made on a rolling basis.

Requirements

Affiliated chapters should:

Share the values of EABA to enhance well-being in society through the development of and growth of the science of behaviour analysis.
Promote basic principles of good governance, due diligence, and care in the oversight and management of operations.
Link the EABA website to the chapter’s website (if applicable).
Provide disclaimers on any position or policy statements, to indicate that the positions are those of the chapter and not of EABA.
Operate in alignment with EABA’s diversity policy

Benefits

EABA will provide:

Space for business meetings at the bi-annual conference.
Opportunities for dissemination and promotion including a link to the affiliated chapter on the EABA website.
Free Expo poster space at the bi-annual conference.
Opportunity to advertise through the EABA mailing list.
An opportunity to contribute to the annual EABA newsletter and blogs regarding the chapter’s recent activities.

Article V – Governing Body, Duties, and Terms of Office

The governing body of EABA shall consist of a Board of Directors comprised of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, Basic Science, and an Applied Science representative and a non-voting service user representative and student representative. The President, Secretary, Treasurer, Basic Science, and Applied Science representatives shall constitute the voting members of the Board of Directors.

Each shall perform the usual duties of the respective office and specific duties provided elsewhere in these by-laws or as assigned by the Board of Directors.

President: with overall responsibility for the development of EABA, calling meetings, organising working parties to deal with specific issues, organising a committee to hold bi- annual conferences, and organising EABA Board of Director elections.

Treasurer: with responsibility for managing the EABA account, collection of membership fees and conference registration fees, and to liaise with other organisations and providers with regard to any financial matters. Provide annual financial reports (in collaboration with the accountant).

Secretary: with responsibility for maintaining the membership list, organising and maintaining the EABA web site, liaising with the European Journal of Behaviour Analysis in terms of distribution lists and minuting EABA Board of Directors meetings.

Basic science representative: with responsibility for ensuring that the experimental analysis of behaviour is represented in the activities of the organisation, including but not limited to setting criteria for membership, selecting invited conference speakers, arranging training events, and promoting student awards.

Applied science representative: with responsibility for ensuring that the applied analysis of behaviour is represented in the activities of the organisation, including but not limited to setting criteria for membership, selecting invited conference speakers, arranging training events, and promoting student awards, as well as serving as the Association’s continued education credits coordinator for the length of board membership and ensuring smooth transition of coordinator duties to the subsequent applied science representative.

Service user representative (non-voting) with responsibility to collate and represent consumer/service user views on the Board. Representing EABA in service user fora (with Board sign-off).

Student representative (non-voting), with responsibility to collate and represent student views on the Board. Included in selection of summer-school proposal. Representing EABA on student fora and social media (with Board sign-off).

In the event of the resignation of a member of the Board of Directors, lengthy absence or incapacity, the Board of Directors shall hold a special election to replace Board members before the normal voting cycle.

The Board of Directors shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association, performing the duties and abiding by the limitations specified in these by-laws. Actions of the Board of Directors that affect Association policy are subject to approval by a majority of full members who are either voting at the bi-annual meeting, or by a special electronic ballot as decided by the Board of Directors. A request for an electronic ballot of the membership of the Association may be initiated either by the Board of Directors or by five percent (5%) of members within at least 5 different countries. Results of the electronic ballot that reports votes of over 50% of all voting members constitutes the final decision for the Association with regard to that matter.

Meetings of the Board of Directors should be held frequently (e.g., monthly) and no fewer than six meetings should be held per year. The minimum number of Directors present at the meeting to endorse a decision should be three (3) out of the five (5) voting members. No proxy voting is allowed.

Elections for each of the Board of Directors positions shall be held every two years (usually in July). The elections will be staggered to ensure some continuity for the Board of Directors. The Secretary, Treasurer, student and service user representative elections will occur the year before each bi-annual conference. The President, the Basic and Applied Science representative elections will be held the same year as the bi-annual conference. Past Board members are responsible for a smooth handover to incoming Board members (an overlap of 1-3 Board meetings is advised; 1-1 hand-over meetings may be arranged).

Candidates should be in good standing at the time of their nomination for the candidature. Three months before each two-year election cycle (approx. April), the Election sub-Committee will communicate (to all full members) criteria for nominations for candidatures and voting procedures.

Should candidates run unopposed in an election, the Election sub-Committee will request candidate statements to confirm suitability for the post and appoint them to the Board. Should candidates be deemed unsuitable for the post, the deadline for nominations of candidates for elections to the board will be extended.

All members of the Board of Directors may be re-elected for a second two-year term but then must wait for at least two years (one full term) before re-submitting their candidacy for any other position on the Board of Directors.

Article VI – Sub-Committees

Special sub-committees will be established by the Board of Directors to pursue specific goals of the Association. Such sub-committees will have a chair appointed by the President and approved by the Board of Directors.

The Membership sub-Committee has responsibility to secure and review evidence concerning the membership qualifications of all candidates in terms of their proposed membership or changes of membership status.

The Election sub-Committee has responsibility to secure nominations from Association members and shall ascertain whether the nominees are qualified and willing to serve if elected. The Election sub-Committee has responsibility for making a preferential count of the election ballots and reporting the results to the Board of Directors. The Election sub-Committee will be comprised of one of the Board of Directors (provided that they are not a nominee for any of the positions) and two or more external sub-committee members.

Article VII – Activities

In order to enhance and evolve the field of behaviour analysis, the Association will hold a scientific conference at least every two years. To better support its activities throughout Europe the conference should always be hosted in a different country (as far as is practical). Local organizing sub-committees willing to host the conference should present their candidacy two years in advance, in response to a call for proposals that is sent out by the Board well in advance (e.g., June/July two years before conference date).

A summer school shall be convened approx. every two years (between conference years). Local organizing sub-committees willing to organise and host the summer school should present their candidacy at least one year in advance, in response to a call for proposals that is sent out by the Board well in advance (e.g., June/July at least one year before summer school date).

The Association may engage in other activities designed to accomplish its purposes, including (but not limited to):

Establishing or acquiring newsletters, journals, social media, blogs, and other publications.
Establishing and maintaining websites, email lists, and other information media.
Facilitating any relevant education and training events, including promoting public education.

The Board of Directors may provide for the formation and dissolution of student affiliate groups, special interest groups, and other sub-committees and units within the Association.

Article VIII – Rules of Procedure

The rules and laws of the country in which the Association is established, and all relevant EU regulations, shall govern the Association, its activities, and policies.

Article IX – Assembly

The Board is responsible for organizing a yearly general assembly meeting. The meeting will be scheduled during conference every second year and via a digital platform in September the other year.

The Association will send a detailed budget annually to all active members between September 1st - 30th. This will be sent digitally, via the email address provided by the member. The Association is subject to a number of recurring expenses annually (e.g., biannual conference, Board of Directors annual meeting, website maintenance, dissemination grant, representation at other conferences, webhost and accountant fees). Where an expense that is not directly related to the organisation’s regular activity exceeds 4000 euros OR 10% of the association’s total monetary asset at the time of the incurred expense, this must be approved by all active members.

The Association will provide a breakdown of the deviated expense and a statement of necessity for the expense directly to active member email addresses. Members who wish to refute this expense must respond to the email within 10 days in order to open up further discussion and collaborate on a resolution.

Article X – Amendments

These by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of members who reply to an email ballot sent to the total membership. By-law amendments may be initiated by the Board of Directors or by petition of five percent (5%) of the total membership.

The Board of Directors may, at any time, appoint a special sub-committee to review the by-laws and to make recommendations with regard to any changes to them.

Article XI – Dissolution

In the event of the dissolution or termination of the Association, all of the assets, titles to and possession of the property of the Association shall pass to one or more European non-profit scientific and professional organization as decided by the Board of Directors.