THE MIDWESTERN ASSOCIATION OF PARASITOLOGISTS (MAP)

Objectives and Organization

A restatement to incorporate changes approved in 2022. Earlier statements have been approved in 1948, 1953, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1986, 1989, 2003, 2004, and 2018..

Name

The organization shall be known as the MIDWESTERN CONFERENCE OF PARASITOLOGISTS (MAP), hereinafter referred to as MAP.

Affiliation

MAP is an affiliate of the American Society of Parasitologists.

Objectives

MAP is a gathering of parasitologists and students of parasitology for the purpose of informal discussion of research and teaching in parasitology, and the furthering of the best interests of the discipline of parasitology. MAP is organized exclusively for charitable scientific purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. Upon dissolution or termination of the existence of MAP, all of its property and assets shall, after payment of the lawful debts of MAP and the expenses of its dissolution or termination, be delivered, conveyed, and paid over to such organization or organizations at the time exempt under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as now or hereafter amended, as the Policy Committee shall determine; example organizations include the American Society of Parasitologists (ASP), or a similar organization with a mission to improve public health and prevention of infectious diseases.

Members

MAP is open to all interested persons regardless of place of work, residence, or affiliation in other recognized societies.  There are three categories of membership: Emeritus, Regular, and Student.  When a member retires from industry, university or other professional occupation, that person shall be eligible for emeritus membership. 

Dues

Annual dues are required for emeritus, regular and student membership.  The amount of the annual dues are established by the Policy Committee and collected by the Secretary/Treasurer each year.

Meetings

The annual meeting of MAP is called the Annual Midwestern Conference of Parasitologists (AMCOP).  The Conference is held in the general midwestern area during early to mid-June, unless otherwise specified by a majority vote of the previous Conference or a majority vote of those listed members replying by mail.  A registration fee will be charged to fund annual meetings.  A committee composed of the Presiding Officer, the Secretary/Treasurer, and the Program Officer, who is to serve as its chair, will decide the amount of this fee for each Conference in a manner that covers the reasonable cost of space rental, refreshments for the meeting, and annual operating costs for AMCOP. This committee will also approve reasonable costs negotiated by the Program Officer for lodging and an affordable banquet at the conference site. Registration, lodging, and banquet charges will be collected from AMCOP members before the annual conference.

bYLAWS

1)     Simple majority vote of members in attendance at regularly scheduled meetings of MAP shall determine the policies of MAP.

2)     The MAP officers are a Presiding Officer, whose term of office is one year or until a successor is elected (normally the term expires with adjournment of the AMCOP over which the person presides); a Secretary/Treasurer, whose term of office is two years or until a successor is elected; a Program Officer whose term of office is one year; and a Policy Committee composed of the last five available retired Presiding Officers plus, ex officio and without vote, the current Presiding Officer and Secretary/Treasurer.  All terms of office of each full member of the Policy Committee is five years, or so long as the person is one of the five most recent, available Presiding Officers.  The most recent past Presiding Officer available chairs the Policy Committee and is the Vice-President of the current Conference.

3)     The Presiding Officer, the Secretary/Treasurer, and the Program Officer are elected by a majority vote of those members attending a regularly scheduled business meeting of MAP (either in person or via electronic meeting) or by a majority vote of those replying to an e-mail ballot of the membership.

4)     The Presiding Officer shall preside at all meetings of the Conference and shall arrange for a banquet speaker.  On the first day of a Conference the Presiding Officer shall appoint the following committees, which shall serve until they have reported on the last day of AMCOP:

       (a) Nominating Committee,

       (b) Committee to Recommend Future Meeting Places,

       (c) Committee to Suggest Program Possibilities for Future Meetings,

       (d) Resolutions Committee,

       (e) Awards Committee,

       (f) Audit Committee,

       (g) such other ad hoc committees as may be required. 

5)     The Presiding Officer shall appoint the Conference Representative to the Council of the American Society of Parasitologists for the year, who must be a member of that society.  The current Presiding Officer serves as a member without vote of the Policy Committee.

6)     The responsibilities of the Secretary/Treasurer shall include:

a)     issue annual dues notices to members who submitted dues during the two preceding years

b)     about four months prior to each Conference, inform the new Presiding and Program Officers concerning their duties and the members of the Policy Committee of their tenure

c)     about two months prior to AMCOP, issue a call for participants in the program for each Conference

d)     within three weeks after the annual election, notify the Secretary of the American Society of Parasitology

e)     serve as Secretary of the Policy Committee and as an non-voting ex officio member

f)      annually submit all necessary tax or business forms

g)     and supervise all funds of MAP.

7)     The Program Officer shall be responsible for the general format of the AMCOP and for arranging suitable facilities and funding.  It shall also be this person's responsibility to chair the special committee to determine and collect the registration fee for the AMCOP.  The format of the AMCOP may vary, but should include both a demonstration session and a session of contributed papers, both open to all members.  A symposium may also be included or may replace a session of contributed papers.

8)     The Policy Committee shall determine by majority vote all matters of procedure and policy pertaining to MAP upon which decision must be reached between consecutive AMCOPs as well as all matters referred specifically to it by the membership.  Such a vote may be requested by any member of the MAP but must be directed through the Secretary/Treasurer.  The Chairperson of the Policy Committee shall request approval by the membership for all decisions of the Committee at the earliest subsequent business meeting of the MAP.

9)     The MAP confers three major awards during its annual meeting to student participants. These are the Chester A. Herrick Award, sponsored by the ELANCO Animal Health., for the best poster/demonstration of parasitological research, the George A. LaRue Award for the best oral presentation of parasitological research, and the Raymond M. Cable Award for best presentation given by an undergraduate student. Honorable mention awards will be given to the second-place poster/demonstration and second place oral presentation at the discretion of the awards committee. All awards are supported by donations from MAP membership, unless other organizations, companies, or any other non-member entities provide sponsorship or donations.

a)     A 3-person Awards Committee, appointed at each annual meeting by the Presiding Officer, will select the winner of each award. The committee will establish the criteria for judgment each year.

b)     The size of the Herrick and LaRue awards shall traditionally be $300.  The Cable undergraduate award shall traditionally be $200 and honorable mention awards shall traditionally be $100.  Awards may vary according to funds available from contributors.

c)     No person may win the same award more than one time while in student status.  Likewise, no student may win both awards at the same meeting.  However, one person may win each award while a student in different years.

d)     All award winners are eligible to apply for an additional $200 award to present their research at a future meeting (AMCOP, ASP, or other) that takes place before the next AMCOP.

10)  Symposium and Keynote speakers for the AMCOP may request travel reimbursement by contacting the Secretary/Treasurer and submitting any necessary forms in a timely manner.

11)  While such funds are available, a mini-grant program of $1000 is being made available to promote research activities by student members of MAP. The general outline for the program is that:

a)     At least two grants, one for undergraduate students and the other for graduate students, will be awarded each year, given there are sufficient high-quality grants. The maximum amount of any grant is $500 and it is up to the discretion of the Grant Committee, as to the amount and number of smaller awards. The intention is to provide equal funding to undergraduate and graduate students.

b)     Awardees are to be members of MAP and are expected to present the results of their work at a future AMCOP.

c)     A student may not receive more than two grants.

d)     The program will be funded out of the surplus funds in MAP’s general account beginning in 2012. The ability of MAP to fund this program in the upcoming year should be evaluated annually by its members during the business meeting at the AMCOP.

e)     A Student Research Committee, composed of 5 faculty MAP members with offset rotating 2-year terms, will evaluate submitted proposals. Committee members should be chosen to ensure coverage of a variety of areas of expertise in parasitology. Depending upon the year, 2 or 3 new committee members will be selected at each annual meeting.

f)      When the annual "Call for Proposals" goes out in spring, it will be transmitted to the American Society of Parasitologists’ Secretary-Treasurer, so that it can be advertised to the parent organization.