IACP is an independent non-profit organization of scholars, students, and practitioners interested in planning issues in China.
Founded in Washington DC, USA, in 2008, its mission is three-fold: (1) to serve as a bridge between urban planning researchers and practitioners in China and their counterparts in other countries, (2) to provide a forum for scholarly and professional dialogues, and (3) to form a lively and supportive community for its members.
IACP currently has more than 2000 members and friends. They include professors and students at universities, planners and managers from international institutions, government agencies and consulting firms, and other professionals. IACP members come from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, such as urban planning, architecture, geography, economics, public policy, environmental management, and real estate development. The whole membership has a wide geographic representation, which includes North America, Asia, Australia, and Europe. IACP also has corporate members (corporate member list).
As a global network of scholars, students, and practitioners, IACP is committed to promoting the career advancement of its members by fostering fellowship, exchange, and cooperation among them. If you are interested in planning issues in China, please join us! (membership application instruction).
Bylaws of the International Association for China Planning (IACP) Ratified and adopted by the IACP board of director (September 30, 2009; amended March 25, 2021)
Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be “International Association for China Planning” 国际中国规划学会), hereafter also referred to as “IACP”.
Article II. Purpose and Mission
IACP is a voluntary non-profit, independent, self-governed organization. It comprises of scholars and practitioners interested in urban and rural planning issues in China. IACP aims to serve as
- a bridge connecting researchers and professionals within and outside China interested in China planning issues
- a forum for scholarly and professional dialogue
- a community for its members
As a global network of scholars and practitioners, IACP is committed to promoting the career advancement of its members by fostering fellowship, exchange, and cooperation among them.
Article III. Membership
Any individual who identifies with the purpose and mission, and abides by the bylaw, of the International Association for China Planning shall be eligible for IACP membership by filling in the membership application form and paying the current membership due as established by the IACP Board of Directors. The individual should have an educational and/or professional background in urban or rural development-related fields which include, but are not limited to, urban planning and design, rural planning, architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, real estate, regional planning, regional science, geography, political science, environmental science, public administration, and public policy.
Section 1: Membership Categories
The membership of IACP shall consist of
(a) Individual membership that includes Regular Members, Student Members, and Honorary Members; and
(b) Organizational/corporate membership that includes business entities, private and public non-profits organizations, and education institutions.
Regular Members, Student Members, and Honorary Members shall be equally entitled to all privileges of IACP membership.
- A Regular Membershall be any person who has been engaged in and/or is interested in China urban or rural development-related work.
- A Student Membershall be any person who is currently enrolled as a student in a graduate or undergraduate school of recognized standing in one of the related fields.
- An Honorary Membershall be a person who has made a significant contribution to the profession and/or to IACP, nominated by the IACP Board and elected by a two-third majority vote by IACP Members presented at the IACP Annual Meeting.
- An Organizational/Corporate Membermay be any legitimate entity, that agrees with these bylaws willing to support IACP’s activities, that has paid annual IACP Organizational/Corporate Member dues. The IACP Board shall determine the amount of each corporate member dues on an individual basis and may specify a number of individuals from the organization or corporation that can participate as IACP members based on the nature of the organization and the amount of their dues. An Organizational/Corporate Member can designate a maximum number of representatives in accordance with the IACP Board’s decision. Each representative shall be entitled to all privileges of IACP membership but may not hold office unless that person is also a bona fide Individual Member at the same time.
Regional IACP chapters may have any or all of these types of members.
Section 2: Membership Management
Dues: All members except Honorary Members shall pay annual membership dues by the Annual Meeting of the membership year. The dues for regular membership, student membership and organization/Corporate membership should be determined by the IACP Board of Directors.
The board of directors shall set the amount of annual dues for regular and student members annually. Honorary members pay no dues. The board will specify the amount of dues for corporate members on an individual basis.
The established membership dues may be different for different regional Chapters subjected to the IACP Board’ approval. Regional Chapter dues are in addition to the IACP dues.
Appeal: Any candidate for membership whose application has been disapproved may appeal to the IACP Board of Directors upon written notification to IACP.
Resignation: Any Member may resign from IACP upon written notification to the IACP Board of Directors.
Expulsion: A Member may be expelled for violating IACP’s bylaw, Chapter bylaws, or Code of Professional Ethics in accordance with the procedures established by the IACP Board.
Termination: The membership shall automatically be terminated for any member who becomes delinquent for non-payment of dues for more than six months.
ARTICLE IV – Regional Chapters
IACP establishes the four regional chapters by a general definition of geographic coverage:
- North America;
- China;
- Europe;
- Asia-Pacific and all other regions.
The conduct and operation of regional chapters shall be jointly governed by the bylaw of IACP and Chapter bylaws. When there is a conflict, the IACP bylaw should govern.
A new regional chapter can be created when the IACP Board approves a petition, signed by no less than ten members, to create such a chapter with attached Chapter bylaws, and an initial list of chapter officers. The IACP Board’s decision should be rendered within sixty days after the petition is received.
Article V: Board or Board of Directors
Section 1: Responsibility of Board of Directors
IACP is managed by its Board of Directors. The functions of the Board of Directors are:
- establish goals and objectives;
- establish and promulgate policies;
- implement and update the strategic plan of the Association;
- enact, approve, interpret, and amend the bylaws;
- establish and disband Chapters; approve Chapter organizational structures and bylaws, and establish and modify the territorial limits of Chapters;
- fill vacancies by special elections when required, and break ties in the general election of Association Officers;
- establish annual dues, levy special assessments, adopt the annual program and budget, appropriate funds to reserve accounts and approve disbursement of reserve funds;
- elect Honorary Members;
- confer awards and citations;
- create and abolish councils, standing committees and task forces;
- perform such other functions as are customary for a Board of Directors.
Section 2: Election and Management of the Board of Directors
Any IACP member is eligible to be nominated and elected as a member of the board of Directors through a general election. Elections shall be conducted every two years before the Annual Meeting. The election procedure and process shall be managed by an Elections Committee appointed by the IACP Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors shall consist of seven (11) members and two (2) student members. The elections shall be conducted before the Annual Business Meeting. The Board of Directors shall serve for two years each term and shall not be elected for more than two consecutive terms except that if a board member who has served two consecutive terms not as chairperson of the board is elected chairperson, that person may serve a third term. Elections for each position on the Board shall be staggered so that there are always old Board members rotating out and new members rotating in at every election. To guarantee a more continuous turnover of student members, however, elections for the two student positions shall be held every term (every two years).
The Chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary shall be determined via a consensus process among elected Board of Directors at the first official meeting after each general election. Vice Chairperson/Chairperson-elect shall be determined within one year after the first official meeting of the Board of Directors, If consensus cannot be reached, an election will be held within the Board by simple majority vote.
The Board of Directors may form several committees or appoint specific task forces or advisors.
The director of the regional Chapter shall be an active scholar or practitioner located in the region. The Chapter director should be elected by the chapter members once the Chapter is established and the local bylaw is approved by the Board of Directors of IACP, and the election shall be conducted before the Annual Business Meeting. Regional Chapter directors elected by the chapter serve as observers in the Board of Director meetings. In the case there is no Chapter bylaws, the director of the regional Chapter shall be an active member of the Board of Directors and be nominated and elected by majority vote by the Board of Directors.
Any Director can resign by submitting a written letter of resignation to the IACP Board of Directors.
A Director is expected to make best efforts to participate in and contribute to all IACP meetings, activities, and events. A Director who misses more than two consecutive meetings without giving reasonable excuses can be removed from the Board. The decision of removal requires a two-thirds vote of the Board.
A Director can be removed due to misconduct or failing to fulfill his or her obligations. The decision of removal requires a two-thirds vote of the Board. The Board’s decision is final.
Article VI: Chairperson and other Officers
1) Chairperson
The Chairperson shall preside over general, emergency and officer meetings and oversee IACP’s activities. The Chairperson shall provide leadership and vision, concentrate on growth and program development consistent with the specific needs of the Association; promote outreach and initiate actions, oversee the management and administration of IACP, and implement policies and plans approved by the IACP Board of Directors.
The Chairperson shall prepare and submit the annual program plans and operating budget of the Association for the next calendar year to the Board of Directors for approval.
2) Chairperson-elect
The Chairperson-elect shall take over all duties of the Chairperson in his or her absence in the current Chairperson’s term, and shall automatically become the Chairperson upon the current Chairperson’s term end. The Chairperson-elect shall take a leadership role in keeping the bylaw current.
3) Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial accounting of the International Association for China Planning. He or she shall be the custodian and accountant of all IACP funds. The keeping and auditing of the accounts shall be open at all times to inspection by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall present a report at the Annual Meeting on the financial status of IACP. The functions of book-keeping and fund-disbursing or check-writing should be separated. The Treasurer is responsible for book-keeping and fund depositing, while the Vice-chair/Chairperson-elect is responsible for fund disbursing/check writing.
4) Secretary
The secretary shall prepare and issue notices of IACP meetings; prepare, distribute and receive ballots (together with the Elections Committee); and maintain a record of the proceedings of IACP, including but not limited to the Minutes of Board meetings.
5) Chapter Directors
The Chapter Directors shall be responsible for the activities of regional chapters. The Chapter Director is the contact person between IACP headquarter and the local Chapter of IACP. He/she shall take the leadership role in forming and updating the Chapter’s policies and procedures, and initiating services and activities; function as an information resource to the Chapter and inform and explain existing IACP policies, services, activities and procedures that affect the Chapter; be the Chapter’s representative on the Association’s Board of Directors and provide liaison between the Chapter and Headquarter; be responsible for enlisting Chapter support for proposed changes in Association policies, services, activities and procedures, determine the Chapter’s position on these issues, and present the Chapter’s proposals to the Board of Directors of IACP; and initiate constructive changes to Chapter and Association policies, services, activities and procedures.
Article VII: Conflicts of Interest
Section 1: Definition of Officers
The term of “Officers” refers to Directors and Chairs of various committees/task forces appointed by the Board.
Section 2: Conflicts of Interest of Officers
When any matter comes before the Board in which an officer has a personal interest, the interested officer shall immediately disclose the interest to the IACP Board of Directors and recuse him/herself from the Board discussion and vote.
Whether an officer has a personal interest in a matter shall be determined by the IACP Board based on whether that person would derive individual economic or other personal benefits, either directly or indirectly, from the decision.
No officer shall vote on any matter in which she or he has a personal interest.
Article VIII: Funding
The sources of IACP’s funding shall be: Membership Dues, grants, donations, sponsorship, and proceeds from IACP organized events.
Article VIIII. Meetings
Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of business at meetings of IACP and the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors may invite guests to attend their meetings. Guests may also be invited to attend business sessions of IACP at the Annual Meeting.
The IACP Chairperson or Secretary shall be responsible for sending out the notices of meetings of IACP and the Board of Directors.
In the absence of the Chairperson from a meeting of IACP, the Chairperson-elect shall preside. In the event that neither the Chairperson nor the Chairperson-elect is able to preside, a temporary Chairperson shall be elected by those present to preside at that meeting. Over 50 percent of board members are required to be a quorum for any meeting. No decision and vote can be made in a meeting without a quorum.
Article X. Business of IACP
Section 1: The IACP Headquarters shall be at a location approved by the Board.
Section 2: The official IACP website address shall be www.china-planning.org. Section 3:All votes committing IACP to any action or policy shall be taken at a duly called meeting or by mail or email ballot of the Board, as may be appropriate, and must be approved by a majority of the ballots cast, except as otherwise provided in the Bylaw.
The closing date for any mail/e-mail ballot shall be determined by the Chairperson and the Secretary except as otherwise provided in the Bylaw, but in no case shall the voting period be less than ten (10) days for a mail ballot, or less than five (5) days for an e-mail ballot. All mail ballots shall be returned to the Headquarters.
Article XI. Amendments
The IACP Board shall appoint a Bylaw Amendment subcommittee to make suggestions to amend the bylaw and to review changes suggested by IACP members. Any IACP member may propose changes to the bylaws by submitting them in writing to the Bylaw Amendment Committee of the IACP Board for consideration. The Bylaw Amendment Committee shall present the suggested bylaw amendments to the IACP Board for vote.
Amendment of the bylaws shall require an affirmative vote by two-thirds of the entire Board of Directors. Once adopted, the bylaw amendments shall be submitted in writing and presented to the members at the next annual meeting and the IACP Web site.
The Board may adopt, amend or repeal administrative policies by an affirmative vote by a majority of the Directors in a board meeting with a quorum or by a majority vote of all board members in the case of mail/e-mail ballot. Unreturned mail/e-mail ballots by the deadline are considered to be a vote to “abstain.”