By-laws

(As adopted by a Special Resolution of the Company passed on 23 February 1989 and amended by Special Resolutions passed on 15 May 2003, 24 April 2009 and June 2012)

Eligibility

Corporate Members

1. Honorary Fellows

Distinguished persons intimately connected with acoustics or a science allied thereto, whom the Institute especially desires to honour for exceptionally important services in connection therewith and any distinguished person whom the Institute may desire to honour for service to the Institute or whose association therewith is of benefit to the Institute, shall be eligible to become Honorary Fellows of the Institute.

2. Fellows

Every candidate for election or transfer to the class of Fellow of the Institute shall, in the opinion of the Council, have made a significant contribution to acoustics or to the profession of acoustics as shall make it desirable that he/she be a Fellow of the Institute; and

(a) have had experience for at least seven years of responsible work in acoustics or its application which shall satisfy the Council; and

(b) have the necessary qualifications for Corporate Membership of the Institute.

3. Members

Every candidate for election or transfer to the class of Member of the Institute shall have received a general education approved by the Council and either;

(a) (i) have been educated in acoustics or in a discipline relevant to the practice of acoustics in a manner satisfactory to the Council and have obtained a diploma of the Institute or a degree or diploma recognised by the Council for the purposes of this Clause of the By-laws; and

(ii) have had experience for at least three years of responsible work which demands a knowledge of acoustics or its application as shall satisfy the Council; or

(b) (i) have satisfied the Council that he/she possesses an equivalent knowledge of acoustics and cognate subjects considered appropriate by the Council in accordance with clause (a) of this By-law; and

(ii) have had experience for not less than seven years of responsible work which demands a knowledge of acoustics or its application as shall satisfy the Council.

4. Authorised Titles

The authorised titles and their abbreviations for persons belonging to the various classes of Corporate Membership shall be;

(a) Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Acoustics (Hon. F.I.O.A.) or (HonFIOA)

(b) Fellow of the Institute of Acoustics (F.I.O.A.) or (FIOA)

Non-corporate Members

5. Associate Members

Every candidate for election or transfer to the class of Associate Member of the Institute shall have received a general education approved by the Council and either;

(a) have been educated in acoustics or in a discipline relevant to the practice of acoustics in a manner acceptable to the Council and have been awarded a diploma of the Institute or a degree or diploma recognised by the Council for the purpose of this Clause of the By-laws; or

(b) have been educated in a discipline related to acoustics and have supplemented their academic qualifications with a period, of length that shall depend on individual circumstances, spent applying their academic qualifications to acoustically-related problems.

6. Technician Members

Every candidate for election or transfer to the class of Technician Member shall have received a general education approved by the Council and shall;

have been educated in acoustics or in a related discipline and have been awarded a Certificate of Competence of the Institute or an equivalent qualification related to acoustics acceptable to the Council; and be regularly engaged in acoustics or a related discipline for at least 1 year.

7. Affiliates

Every candidate for election or transfer to the class of Affiliate shall be one who has received a general education approved by the Council and who wishes to participate in the affairs of the Institute but for whom no other class of membership is appropriate.

8. Students

Every candidate for election to the class of Student shall, at the time of application, be a bonafide student.

A candidate will not be eligible to apply for Student Membership if he/she is in full-time employment unless they are studying for the Institute of Acoustics' Diploma.

A student shall cease to be a student member after four years from the date of admission or at the end of his/her course of study, whichever is the earliest.

9. Sponsors

Sponsor Membership is open to firms, organisations or persons engaged in or having an interest in acoustics, and whose support can advance the aims and objects of the Institute. Each Sponsor shall be entitled to the range of Sponsors' privileges currently approved by the Council.

10. Authorised Titles

The authorised titles and their abbreviations for persons belonging to the various classes of Non-corporate Membership shall be;

(a) Associate Member of the Institute of Acoustics (A.M.I.O.A.) or (AMIOA)

(b) Technician Member of the Institute of Acoustics (Tech.I.O.A.) or (TechIOA)

(d) Student Member of the Institute of Acoustics

No other titles or abbreviations are permitted.

Procedure for Election

11. General

Every application for election or transfer to any class of membership of the Institute shall be in a form prescribed by the Council and shall be signed by the applicant, the proposer and supporter or supporters of the application as appropriate for the class of membership desired. The application shall be accompanied by a Declaration in the form set out in the Appendix to the Articles of Association of the Institute of Acoustics.

Every member who is elected shall be informed of his/her election by the Secretary who shall also send a copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association and these By-laws, and any other document by which his/her membership is governed.

No election or transfer shall become effective until all fees payable on such election or transfer have been paid.

12. Corporate Members

Election or transfer to Corporate Membership shall be decided by the Council at a Meeting of the Council. No record shall be made in the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council of the names of candidates not elected, but such a record may be made in the Minutes of a meeting of a Committee of the Council. The Council shall not be required to give its reason or reasons for refusing to elect a candidate.

The Council may re-admit to Corporate Membership in the class to which he/she formerly belonged any person whose Corporate Membership has terminated, provided the Council is satisfied that he/she is worthy of such readmission and such amounts have been paid in respect of entrance fees or arrears of fees and subscriptions as the Council may determine.

13. Honorary Fellows

A candidate for Honorary Fellowship shall be nominated by the Medals and Awards Committee and the nomination shall be submitted for approval at a Meeting of the Council.

14. Fellows

A candidate applying for election or transfer to the class of Fellow of the Institute shall normally be proposed by one Fellow or Honorary Fellow of the Institute who personally knows the candidate and shall be supported by two other Fellows or Honorary Fellows of the Institute who also personally know the candidate.

15. Members

A candidate applying for election or transfer to the class of Member of the Institute shall be proposed by one Fellow, Honorary Fellow or Member of the Institute who personally knows the candidate and shall be supported by two other Fellows, Honorary Fellows or Members of the Institute who also personally know the candidate.

Non-corporate Members

16. Associate Members, Technician Members and Affiliates

A candidate applying for election to the class of Associate Member, Technician Member or Affiliate of the Institute shall be proposed by one Corporate Member who personally knows the candidate.

17. Students

A candidate for election to the class of Student shall be proposed by one Corporate Member (no longer required from December 2014).

18. Sponsors

Proposals for election to the class of Sponsor shall come to the Council through and with the support of a Corporate Member who is acquainted with the work and interests of the applicant.

19. Election to Membership in Exceptional Circumstances

Notwithstanding the provisions of By-laws 1 to 9, the Council may, in exceptional circumstances of qualifications, experience or achievement in acoustics or a science allied thereto, elect any candidate to any class of Membership it considers appropriate.

Download: Memorandum and Articles of Association combined (November 2012).pdf