President Secretary Regional Representatives
Vice President Treasurer Student Representatives


PRESIDENT

2-year term; cannot be re-elected to this position but can be elected to a different position on the Board.

The President is expected to:

  • Hold monthly (virtual) meetings with Staff, with interim meetings convened as needed.
  • Work with Staff to convene the quarterly Board meetings
  • Chair the Board meetings or identify another member of the Executive who can
  • Attend at least 3 out of 4 of the quarterly Board meetings
  • Provide a report to ISE members at the 1st General Assembly at the Congress, either in person or by proxy
  • If attending the Congress, participate in two in-person Board meetings and two General Assemblies

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VICE-PRESIDENT/PRESIDENT-ELECT

2-year term, leading to a second 2-year term as president.

The Vice President/President-Elect is expected to:

  • Attend at least 3 out of 4 of the quarterly Board meetings
  • Fill in for the President as needed
  • If attending the Congress, participate in two in-person Board meetings and two General Assemblies

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SECRETARY 

4-year term, staggered with the Treasurer’s term. Note: a single person is allowed to fill the role of both Secretary and Treasurer, should s/he be interested and provided no suitable nominees for Treasurer are available.

The Secretary is expected to:

  • Attend at least 3 out of 4 of the quarterly Board meetings
  • Fill in for the President as needed
  • Provide a report to ISE members at the 1st General Assembly at the Congress, either in person or by proxy
  • If attending the Congress, participate in two in-person Board meetings and two General Assemblies

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TREASURER

4-year term, staggered with the Secretary’s term. Note: a single person is allowed to fill the role of both Treasurer and Secretary, should s/he be interested and provided no suitable nominees for Secretary are available.

The Treasurer is expected to:

  • Attend at least 3 out of 4 of the quarterly Board meetings
  • Fill in for the President as needed
  • Provide a report to ISE members at the 1st General Assembly at the Congress, either in person or by proxy
  • If attending the Congress, participate in two in-person Board meetings and two General Assemblies

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REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

2-year term

Regional Representatives are seen as key networking and outreach agents for the Society, acting as a portal or communications liaison between ethnobiological organizations and/or practitioners in their region and the Staff and Executive Board. The position of Regional Representative is intended to build upon the strengths and interests of each individual in ways that support and further the goals of the ISE.

Regional Representatives are expected to:

  • Attend at least 2 out of 4 of the quarterly Board meetings
  • Provide a report to ISE members at the 1st General Assembly at the Congress, either in person or by proxy
  • If attending the Congress, participate in two in-person Board meetings and two General Assemblies

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STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES

2-year term; must have attended at least one prior ISE congress.

The ISE created the position of Student Representative in 2008 to increase our focus on issues of concern to students in ethnobiology and to help foster a ‘next generation’ of ISE leaders. The main role of this position is to keep the rest of the ISE Board in touch with a student’s perspective on topics under discussion, materials under development or issues being decided on and to support and promote the development of emerging ethnobiologists. The position of Student Representative is intended to build upon the strengths and interests of the individual in ways that support and further the goals of the ISE.

Student Representatives are expected to:

  • Attend at least 2 out of 4 of the quarterly Board meetings
  • Provide a report to ISE members at the 1st General Assembly at the Congress, either in person or by proxy
  • If attending the Congress, participate in two in-person Board meetings and two General Assemblies

Additional activities

In general, all Board members can support the ISE by promoting the vision and mandate of the Society, ideally by building upon the work that they are already engaged in. This can be done in the following ways, among others:

  • Outreach and networking (e.g., providing information about the ISE while attending meetings and conference, discussion the ISE Code of Ethics and programs and activities when opportunities arise, etc.)
  • Supporting regional conferences in the years in between the congresses (when possible)
  • Organizing Society-specific sessions during the biennial congresses
  • Actively engaging student and young research scholars in their regions
  • Helping with outreach to universities and other like-minded societies/organizations
  • Assisting in maintaining and increasing the ISE membership base
  • Developing member benefits
  • Assisting in raising funds to support ISE activities
  • Contributing content for the ISE website

Striking committees is another way that ISE Board members can get involved and share their unique talents and interests. Past committees have included:

  • Fundraising Committee
  • Board Nomination Committee
  • Membership Development Committee
  • Financial Management Committee (comprised of the lead persons on any grants, and ideally both the President-elect and Treasurer)
  • Indigenous Travel Award Selection Committee
  • Student Prize Selection Committee
  • Pre-Congress Workshop Advising Committee
  • Congress Scientific Review Committee
  • Congress Indigenous Forum Committee

Additionally, it has proven to be very helpful to have (at least) one Board member act as the Board liaison with the Congress Organizing Committee, even though the Chair of this committee is an ex-officio Board member.

Per the ISE Constitution, non-Board members may participate in any committee, so long as at least one Board member is involved and keeping the full Board appraised on the committee activities.

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