AACBNC
Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Neurobiology Chairpersons
The Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Neurobiology Chairpersons (AACBNC) is an organization of Chairs, interim chairs, or permanent substitutes appointed by the Chair of departments of anatomy, cell biology, and neurobiology or equivalent organizational units in schools of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and osteopathic medicine or universities granting Ph.D. degrees in these disciplines in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada shall be eligible for membership. Presidents, directors, or permanent substitutes appointed by the president or director of institutes or centers for education or research in the anatomical, cell biological, or neurobiological sciences are also eligible for membership. ​
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AACBNC Executive Committee 2025-2026
TOP ROW (L-to-R)
President-Elect
President -- Gary Bassell, PhD, Emory University
President-Elect -- Kirk McHugh, PhD, Ohio State University
Past President -- Alex Robling, PhD, Indiana University
Secretary-Treasurer -- Raj Ettarh, MD PhD, California University of Science & Medicine
Councilor -- Wendy Macklin, PhD, University of Colorado
LOWER ROW (L-to-R)
Councilor -- Ken Kramer, PhD, Creighton University
Councilor -- Carmen Canavier, PhD, Louisiana State University
Councilor -- Douglas Gould, PhD, Texas A&M University
Councilor -- David Morton, PhD, University of Utah
CFAS Representative -- Jeffrey T. Laitman, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ANATOMY, CELL BIOLOGY, AND NEUROBIOLOGY CHAIRPERSONS
ARTICLE 1 - MEETINGS
Section 1. In addition to the annual meeting prescribed by the constitution, meetings may be called at the discretion of the Executive Committee of the Association or at the request of one-fourth or more of the voting members of the Association.
Section 2. In the case of the annual meeting, notice of the time, place, and tentative agenda shall be mailed to all members at least thirty days prior to the meeting. It shall not be necessary to give advance notice of items on the agenda except for amendments to the constitution and the election of special members. However, the Executive Committee should use its discretion in providing notice concerning important matters to be considered.
Section 3. In the case of specially called meetings, the agenda shall be set forth in the notice of the meeting and action on any other item introduced at the meeting, that does not involve a change in the Constitution or Bylaws, shall require ratification either by two-thirds of the total membership voting on a mail ballot or by a majority of the voting members present at the next annual meeting.
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ARTICLE 2 - ELECTIONS
Section 1. Manner of Election: Officers and Councilors required by these Bylaws to be elected by the Members shall be elected in the following manner:
A. The President would ordinarily be the President-Elect from the previous year. Due consideration shall be given by the Nominating Committee to achieving broad, geographic representation on the Executive Committee.
B. The Secretary-Treasurer will create a confidential ballot that will be sent via email to each member. The ballot shall contain instructions that include a deadline for receiving the completed ballots, and this deadline shall not be sooner than 20 days from the date of emailing. Such notice shall be emailed to each Member at their last known email address appearing on the Association's records. Each member shall then cast their votes and mail their ballot to the Secretary-Treasurer. Only original ballots shall be counted. A simple majority is required for election to President-Elect or Secretary-Treasurer. The two candidates who receive the highest number of votes for Councilor will be elected. In the event of a tie vote for any office, the incumbent Executive Committee shall elect the nominees to said office by secret vote.
Section 2. Successive Terms: A President may serve for only one term. Councilors may serve for no more than two terms which may be consecutive. The number of terms served by the Secretary-Treasurer has no limit. A member of the Executive Committee of the Association cannot run for another office unless their present appointment will end by the time they would be elected. In exceptional circumstances, the Executive Committee may request permission from membership at any time to postpone elections of new officers and extend the term of office for all current officers for one year. Approval by simple majority will extend the term of office.
ARTICLE 3 – DUES
The Association shall receive recommendations from the Executive Committee and shall determine dues for membership by a majority vote at the annual meeting.
ARTICLE 4 - VACANCIES
Section 1. If the President dies, resigns, or is incapacitated, the President-Elect shall immediately become President. If the time they served is less than six months, they shall serve as President until the second annual business meeting following their becoming President-Elect; in this case, a new President-Elect will be voted upon at the next election. If the time served is six months or more, their term will conclude at the end of the next annual meeting. Depending on the type of transition, it might be necessary to hold a special election for President-Elect.
Section 2. All other interim vacancies occurring among the officers shall be filled through appointment by the Executive Committee.
Section 3. All members who cease being Chairpersons at their institutions will remain members of the Association until the end of the next annual meeting after vacating the Chair. If a member who ceases to be a chairperson is on the Executive Committee, the remaining Executive Committee members shall determine whether it is in the best interest of the Association for that individual to be allowed to finish their term of office. In the case the President-Elect ceases to be a chairperson, term of office refers to being President-Elect, President, and Past-President. In the case that the President ceases to be a chairperson, term of office refers to President and Past-President.
Section 4. Individuals who cease to be a chairperson are eligible for Emeritus membership if they have been a member of the AACBNC for 10 years or more or if they have made significant contributions to the Association. Individuals may request to become an Emeritus Member or be nominated by any member of the Association. Nominations should be made to the Secretary-Treasurer. The Executive Committee recommends candidates to the membership for approval at the Annual Meeting. Emeritus membership requires a majority vote of the membership present at the meeting. Emeritus members do not have dues and do have all rights and privileges within the Association as do regular members apart from the right to vote and hold office on the Executive Committee with the exception of the office of Secretary-Treasurer. They do have the right to run for the office of Secretary-Treasurer and if elected they would be exempt from paying dues and would serve in the capacity of a regular member of the Association including the right to vote. Emeritus members do have the right to be a Representative of the Association.
ARTICLE 5 - PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
All proceedings at the meetings of the Association, its Executive Committee or other committees shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, revised, except where otherwise provided in these bylaws.
ARTICLE 6 - AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended in the same manner as the constitution.
CONSTITUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ANATOMY, CELL BIOLOGY, AND NEUROBIOLOGY CHAIRPERSONS
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1 - NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Neurobiology Chairpersons, hereinafter to be referred to as the Association. Its abbreviation shall be AACBNC.
ARTICLE 2 - PURPOSE AND MISSION
The purpose of this association shall be to provide a forum for discussion and a medium for communication among Chairs of Departments of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Neurobiology.
The Mission Statement of the Association is:
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provides leadership and advocacy in the biomedical sciences, especially the disciplines of Cell and Developmental Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy
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represents at the national level the interests of the academicians and investigators working in these disciplines
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develops policies consistent with these interests
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supports public policy efforts by other associations, particularly with regard to research support in these disciplines
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identifies and addresses emerging issues that affect the disciplines
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shares experience and provides expertise for the improvement of academic medicine and basic biomedical science.
ARTICLE 3 - MEMBERSHIP AND ATTENDANCE
Chairs, interim chairs, or permanent substitutes appointed by the Chair of Departments of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Neurobiology, or equivalent organizational units in schools of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and osteopathic medicine or in universities granting Ph.D. degrees in these disciplines in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada shall be eligible for membership. Presidents, Directors, or permanent substitutes appointed by the President or Director of Institutes or centers for education or research in the anatomical, cell biological, or neurobiological sciences are also eligible for membership. Schools must be accredited by the appropriate national-accrediting body. The AACBNC Executive Committee will serve as a reviewer of the accrediting body and of the institutes and centers. A school in which an equivalent organizational unit is not readily identifiable may be invited to designate a member of the faculty to represent that school as a member. Members shall not be permitted to send alternates or substitutes to meetings of the Association except under unusual circumstances and only with the permission of the majority of the Executive Committee of the Association.
ARTICLE 4 - OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, President-Elect, and Secretary-Treasurer. The President and President-Elect shall serve for two years or until successors are qualified. The Secretary-Treasurer shall serve for three year terms or until a successor is qualified.
Section 2. The Executive Committee of the Association shall be composed of the three officers, the Past-President, and four councilors. The four councilors will serve for two years, with terms arranged in that two councilors are elected each year. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to act for the Association in the interim between duly called meetings.
Section 3. Up to two members of the Association shall serve as Representatives to the Council of Academic Societies (CAS). The CAS Representatives will be elected by the Executive Committee for a term of three years. The number of terms that an individual can serve as CAS representative is unlimited, and if there are two Representatives, their terms shall start in different years. The Representatives shall meet with the Executive Committee but not have the right to vote, unless they are also members of the Executive Committee.
Section 4. The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee with four members. No more than two may be councilors. None of the members of the Executive Committee, except for the Councilors, shall be on the Nominating Committee. Due consideration should be given to achieving broad geographic representation on the Committee. The Nominating Committee shall confer with the Secretary-Treasurer that their selections are eligible to run for office based on the constitution. The Nominating Committee shall then ascertain that their selections would be willing to serve if elected and shall send the Secretary-Treasurer the names of two candidates for President-Elect, four candidates for Councilor, and two names for Secretary-Treasurer (the latter, every third year). Elections shall be submitted by ballot of the voting membership, and occur prior to the annual meeting at which the officers will be inducted.
Section 5. The terms of office of Councilors, Officers, and all Committee Members shall begin at the close of the annual meeting and continue until their successors are qualified. In exceptional circumstances, the Executive Committee may request permission from membership at any time to postpone elections of new officers and extend the term of office for all current officers for one year. Approval by simple majority will extend the term of office.
ARTICLE 5 - DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND COUNCILORS
Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and serve as Chair of the Executive Committee. They shall appoint the members of all ad hoc and standing committees and the Nominating Committee, and shall designate the chair of each committee from among its members, unless otherwise provided in the bylaws or by action of the membership. Subject to the consent of the Executive Committee, the President may create, combine or discontinue all appointive committees. They shall perform all other duties required by custom and parliamentary usage. The President shall have primary responsibility for arranging the agendas of meetings both the Executive Committee and the Association, provided that no question in which five or more members desire to have placed on the agenda shall be omitted, and provided that there shall be at each meeting an opportunity for items of business to be introduced from the floor for action at a subsequent meeting.
Section 2. The President-Elect shall act as a vice-president and shall assume the duties of President whenever the latter is absent or unable to act.
Section 3. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping an accurate and permanent record of the meetings and transactions of the Association, for conducting the correspondence of the Association, keeping a roster of members, sending out notices of meetings and performing such other duties as pertain to the office of Secretary. They shall receive and be custodian of the funds of the Association. They shall be responsible for signing the contracts for financial responsibilities for the annual and interim meetings. They shall present a proposed budget for the ensuing year, with the approval of the Executive Committee, and this budget shall be ratified by a simple majority vote of the membership present at an annual meeting. They shall incur no unbudgeted expense during the ensuing year without the consent of the Executive Committee. They shall make a complete financial report at the annual meeting of the Association.
Section 4. The Executive Committee shall be the policy making and administrative body of the Association during the interval between regular and annual business meetings and shall be empowered to enter into contracts and to authorize such expenditures as may be necessary to carry on the affairs of the Association. Its actions shall always be governed by this constitution and bylaws, and all actions by the Executive Committee shall be subject to review by the Association. When necessary, the consensus of the members of the Association may be taken by mail ballot. The President of the Association, acting as Chair of the Executive Committee, shall present a condensed report of its activities to the Association at the annual business meeting. The Secretary-Treasurer shall act as secretary of the Executive Committee. The President shall select two members approved by the Executive Committee yearly to audit the accounts of the Secretary-Treasurer.
ARTICLE 6 – MEETINGS
Section 1. The location and dates of the annual meeting shall be determined by the Secretary-Treasurer in consultation with the President-Elect. The location and dates of all called meetings shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Notice of the time, place, and agenda of all meetings shall be mailed to all members at least thirty days prior to such meetings.
ARTICLE 7 - QUORUM
A quorum for any regular or called meeting of the Association shall consist of twenty-fivepercent of the voting members.
ARTICLE 8 - COMMITTEES
Standing or ad hoc committees shall be established by the President or by vote of the Association or by its Executive Committee acting between meetings of the Association. Members of the standing committees shall be chosen from among the members of the Association. Members of ad hoc committees may be selected from the academic community-at-large.
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ARTICLE 9 – AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended by approval of two-thirds of the members voting at a regular or called meeting, or by two-thirds of the total membership voting on a mail ballot provided that such amendment has been circulated to all members at least thirty days prior to taking a vote.