BY-LAWS l CONSTITUTION
OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR CLINICAL NEUROMUSICOLOGY

§ 1 l Name, Seat, Fiscal Year
The society carries the official name of International Society for Clinical Neuromusicology (CNM)
The society will be registered in the office of the court recorder, officially seat at Hannover, Germany.
The fiscal year will run from January 1 until December 31 of each year. The first fiscal year will start at the date of official registration and be completed on December 31 of the year of first registration.

§ 2 l Aims and Purpose of the Society
The purpose and aims of the society are solely for the pursuit of nonprofit activities in support of service and charity as defined by the pertinent legal regulations regarding “liabilities of taxes and fees” in Germany.
The society is a nonprofit organization and does not pursue profitable interests.
No person or entity shall receive financial gains or material advantages through disbursements or compensations from the society that are alien to the purpose and aims of the society.
Fiscal or other proprietary means of the society shall only be used for activities or aims and purposes as defined by constitution of the society.
Purpose of the society is to further and initiate all activities that support, advance, and develop comprehensive knowledge and interdisciplinary exchange regarding the neuroscientific foundations of music perception and production as well as the role of music in clinical neurology for disorders of the human nervous system. Activities will follow the scientific and clinical guidelines of the International Academy for Multidisciplinary Neurotraumatology (AMN), the World Federation of Neurorehabilitation (WFNR), and the Committee on Neurorehabilitation and Restorative Neurosurgery of the World Federation for Neurosurgery (WFNS). The support and advancement of research, education, and training within an interdisciplinary scientific context shall be given particular emphasis.
Four areas of emphasis and advocacy shall be pursued by the society:
a) research in the basic neurobiology of music
b) neurologic music therapy and neurorehabilitation
c) music learning and training
d) music development in earl childhhod*
*this area encompasses special efforts in music research and music education including sensorimotor, cognitive and affective development domains

The society shall be engaged in all activities in support of such areas of interest defined above, in particular in the academic training and continuing education of highly qualified academic and clinical professionals, and shall actively pursue international collaborations with other scientific units, academic institutions, and professional organizations, on the basis of mutual respect and consideration for the diversity of all cultures.
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§ 3 l Membership
1. Membership is open to all professionals in the fields of neuroscience and/or music who can demonstrate respective knowledge and skills through their work in research, education, or medicine/rehabilitation, or who wish to acquire pertinent professional knowledge and skills - either through continuing education or student training - according to the areas of focus defined in § 2.
Membership can be obtained in the following categories:
- Active members
- Student member
- Honorary members
- Senior members
- Inactive members
- Corresponding members
- Institutional or Corporate members (Businesses, Foundations, etc.)
Only active members can vote.
2. Membership will be granted after a request for membership has been submitted in writing by the applicant and the board of directors of the society has unanimously voted for acceptance (No written confirmation is necessary)
Should membership have been denied by the board, the membership meeting will decide on the membership request.
3. Membership shall be dissolved when a member leaves the society, either through death of the member or through termination of membership by the member or by the society board.
Cancellation of membership must be submitted in writing to the board prior to the end of the fiscal year, and will take effect after a termination period of 6 months.
The members or the society board also have the right to immediately terminate membership due to specific reasons of extraordinary cause, however, such termination by the board must be executed within any limits of due process and protection of pertinent legal rights.
4. No members shall receive any fiscal or other material contributions from society funds or property. No terminating members or their legal heirs shall receive any monetary or other material contribution, award, or reimbursement from society funds.

§ 4 l Governance
The governing bodies of the society are as follows:
a) the executive committee
b) the management committee
c) the membership meeting

§ 5 l Executive and Management Committee
1. The executive committee consists of the president, the vice president, the secretary general, the treasurer, and the president elect.
2. The management committee consists of the members of the executive committee and additionally the past president, the honorary president, the current, past and elect congress chairs, the regional vice presidents, and chairs of any special topics committees who will be appointed by the president and confirmed by the executive committee.
3. The actions of the executive and management committees shall be decided, if not specified otherwise, with simple majority. A tie vote shall be broken by the vote of the president. The executive committee has the responsibility to set the code of operational policies, rules of conduct, and order of business of the society. All actions of the executive and management committees are to be recorded in written minutes.
4. External representations of the society shall be made jointly by two members of the executive committee.
5. The executive committee shall jointly conduct all internal business of the society. The committee shall decide on the administration and use of all funds and other means of the society in accordance with the directives decided by the membership meeting. The executive committee may delegate specific tasks, such as treasurer or recorder of meeting minutes. The executive committee shall be responsible for creating the annual society report. All committee members are working on behalf of the society on an honorary basis.

§ 6 l The Membership Meeting
1. A regular membership meeting shall be held every fiscal year during the annual society congress. The membership receives and approves the report from the executive committee, approves previous meeting minutes, decides on use of fiscal and other society means, the election of the executive committee members, the next congress chair, the location of next congress, and any changes to the by-laws of the constitution of the society.
The executive and management committee members shall be elected for a period of four years.
2. The call for membership meeting shall be issued by the president with an advanced notice of six weeks in writing and including a meeting agenda.
3. The membership meeting shall be conducted by the president - in case of absence the vice president shall conduct the meeting.
4. Decisions by the membership meeting shall be made by simple majority vote of all present and eligible members. Changes of constitutional by-laws shall require a two-third majority of all society members – in such case, mail-in votes by letter are valid.
5. All actions of the membership meeting shall be recorded by written minutes. The president shall appoint the recorder. The minutes must be signed by the president and recorder.
6. The membership meeting will determine by simple majority vote the procedure for the election of the management committee.

§ 7 l Dissolution
1. For dissolution of the society, a vote of the membership meeting is required with a ¾ majority of all present and eligible members. A membership meeting for purpose of society dissolution must be called by the executive committee four weeks prior to the meeting in writing by registered mail and with reasons presented for the request of society dissolution.
2. In case of society dissolution or loss of non-profit status for the society all material possessions and funds of the society must be transferred to another non-profit organization. Specific details of transfer shall be decided by the membership meeting. Prior to any decisions regarding transfer of any society possessions, approval of any appropriate governmental financial oversight institutions must be obtained.