Message from the Chair
Carole S. Hickman
This is going to be short and sweet. We want you to focus on a single event in the main
tent. We are changing our name to Division of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology. The new
name recognizes the fundamental unity of systematics and evolution. The new name also
reflects the new image of SICB and affirms our intent to welcome and include plant
biologists.
The change was discussed and approved by the SICB Executive Committee at the SICB 1996
Annual Meeting in Albuquerque. The wording of the proposed change to Bylaws of the
Division appears below. Send in the enclosed ballot to make the name change official!
Thanks to Jon Norenburg and Jackie Webb for organizing the lively "Systematics and
Evolutionary Biology" contributed paper session for the Albuquerque meeting. The sole
item on the agenda of the DSEB Business Meeting in Albuquerque was discussion of the role
of the Division in SICB and in the broader biological community. We were pleased to
welcome Charles O'Kelly, Program Director in Systematic Biology at the National Science
Foundation, to this discussion as well as systematists who are past, current or incoming
officers of the Divisions of Invertebrate Zoology and Vertebrate Morphology. With the
change that will permit SICB members to hold voting membership in two divisions, we look
forward to major growth and increased effectiveness in playing a major integrative role in
the Society.
Our Nominations Committee (Marvalee Wake, Chair, Lynne Parenti, Past
DSEB Chair, and Janice Voltzow) have been working hard on a dynamite slate of candidates
to lead the Division. We will hold that election through a separate mail ballot once the
membership has voted on the name change.
Proposed Bylaws Change
Currently the DSEB Bylaws read as follows:
Article 1: Name and Purpose
Section 1: Name
The official name of this division of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
shall be the "The Division of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology ."
Proposed Bylaw change:
Article 1: Name and Purpose
Section 1: Name
The official name of this division of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
shall be the "The Division of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology."
Note: This new name will be reflected throughout the Bylaws anywhere DSEB was
previously mentioned.