A. Mensa is an international society composed of national Mensas and direct international members.  Mensa's purposes are to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity, to encourage research in the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence; and to provide a stimulating intellectual and social environment for its members.

B. Mensa provides a forum for intellectual exchange among members. Its activities include the exchange of ideas by lectures, discussions, journals, special-interest groups, and local, regional, national, and international gatherings, the investigations of members' opinions and attitudes: and assistance to researchers. inside and outside Mensa, in projects dealing with intelligence or Mensa.

A. Intelligence should be used for the benefit of humanity.  Therefore. Mensa shall have no aim which is to the disadvantage of the community.

B. Mensa encompasses members representing many points of view. Consequently. Mensa as an organization shall not express an opinion as being that of Mensa. take any political action other than the publication of the results of its investigations, or have any ideological, philosophical, political, or religious affiliations.

C. Members or groups of members may express opinions as members of Mensa. provided their opinions or actions are not expressed as being those of Mensa as an organization.

D. Mensa is a not-for-profit society.

A. Eligibility
Persons who have attained a score within the upper two percent of the general population on an intelligence test that has been approved by the International Supervisory Psychologists and that has been properly administered and supervised shall be eligible for membership. There shall be no other qualification or disqualification for initial membership eligibility.

B. Place Of Membership

1. Persons eligible for membership shall be offered membership in the national Mensa at the country where they reside, or as direct international members if there is no national Mensa where they reside.
2.  Members and persons eligible for membership who do not wish membership assigned by residence, upon request to and approval by the International Board of Directors, may be offered membership as direct international members or as members of a national Mensa in the country which they are citizens or subjects.
3. No member shall at the same lime be a direct international member and a member of a national Mensa nor shall any member at the same time hold membership in more than one national Mensa.

C. Conditions Of Membership

1. As conditions of membership, members must:

a.  Agree to abide by the Constitution of Mensa and the constitution or bylaws and the resolutions of any national Mensa of which they are members;
b. Pay the annual dues as set or modified from lime to time by their national Mensa Committee, or by the International Board of Directors if they are direct international members: and
c. Permit their names and addresses to be published in duly authorized Mensa listings

2. A member's failure to pay dues as provided in 1.b. shall, without further notice, constitute resignation of membership.

D. Disputes Within Mensa
Members having a dispute with Mensa, with any national Mensa or subdivision thereof, or with another member arising out of Mensa-related activities shall exhaust all avenues of settlement and redress within the Society before taking the dispute to external authorities. Failure to do so may be considered an act inimical to Mensa.

E. Disciplinary Action

1. Sanctions may be imposed by a national Mensa on any of its members who commits an act inimical to Mensa. provided that a fair and impartial hearing has been made available. Such sanctions may include censure, suspension or removal from office for a specified time. suspension of membership for a specified time. or expulsion from membership.
2. In the event that a national Mensa expels a member and the International Board of Directors receives substantial evidence that the member was denied a fair hearing prior to the expulsion, the Board may offer that member direct international membership.
3.  Sanctions may be imposed by the International Board of Directors on any direct international member who commits an act inimical to Mensa, provided that a fair and impartial hearing has been made available.

F. Member In Good Standing
A 'member in good standing' shall be a person who has accepted an offer of membership, has paid all dues owed. and is not currently subject to any sanction imposed by a national Mensa or by the International Board of Directors.

A. There shall be an International General Council (the 'IGC') composed of the Chief Executive Officer of each national Mensa and the international Chairman.

B. The IGC shall meet annually to provide a forum:

1. For the exchange of information among national Mensas, and
2. For the review and evaluation of Mensa's policies and programs by all of the national Mensas.

C. The IGC may transmit recommendations to the International Board of Directors and may place items on the Board's agenda for consideration at its next meeting.

D. The Chairman of the International Board of Directors shall also serve as Chairman of the IGC.

E. The IGC shall adopt its own standing orders.

A. Composition Of The Board
There shall be an International Board of Directors (the "Board") composed of the National Representatives of certain national Mensas. as provided in Article VI. and the international elected officers.

B. Function And Duties

1.  The Board shall be responsible for the management and development of Mensa in those areas of the world where there is no recognized national Mensa.
2. The Board shall formulate general Mensa policy: rule on matters on which this Constitution is silent; provide assistance to national Mensas of requested to do so. or if the Board deems it necessary; establish criteria for the recognition of national Mensas; prepare international publications and handbooks: authorize international Mensa gatherings: conduct and encourage research in accordance with Mensa's aims: maintain international offices and records: and manage Mensa's other intentional affairs.
3. The members of the Board are accountable to the membership for the conduct of Mensa's international affairs. The officers shall issue, at least annually, a report to the membership on the conduct of their respective offices.
4. The Board shall meet at least once a year and shall adopt its own standing orders.

C. International Elected Officers

1.  Any member in good standing shall be eligible to serve as an international elected officer.  The international elected officers shall be the International Chairman, the International Director-Administration, the International Director-Development and the Intentional Treasurer.
2. The International Chairman shall act as chief officer of international Mensa: preside at meetings of the Board and the IGC: and administer international Mensa affairs in accordance with this Constitution.
3. The International Director-Administration shall have the responsibility for executive supervision of Mensa's international office; international publications, responses to membership requests and inquiries: procurement of national membership lists: maintenance of international membership lists: distribution of agendas and minutes of IGC and Board meetings: and such other duties as may be assigned. The International Director-Administration shall also act as International Secretary.
4. The International Director-Development shall have the responsibility for executive supervision of direct international membership: membership development in countries which do not yet have recognized national Mensas: membership development assistance to national Mensas upon their request; international public relations; international special-interest groups: and such other duties as may be assigned.
5.  The International Treasurer shall act as chief financial officer of international Mensa: cause proper financial records to be made and kept: have responsibility for the preparation and submission to the Board of a detailed annual budget: and perform such other duties as may be assigned.
6.  The international elected officers shall not. while holding such office, hold any other international office or serve as Chief Executive Officer of any national Mensa.
7.  No international elected officer shall serve in the same elected office for more than two consecutive terms.

D. Membership And Voting

1.  Each officer shall have one vote.
2. Each national representative shall have the number of votes provided in Article VI.
3. The full Board vote' shall mean the maximum of votes which could be cast K all officers and national representatives were present and voting.
4. A majority of the full Board vote shall be required to pass any motion or approve any action.
5. National representatives who are unable to be present at a meeting of the Board, or of a sub-committee of the Board, may appoint another member of the Board or a member of their respective national Mensa committee as their proxy.
6. Each member of the Board must be a member in good standing.  Failure to maintain such status shall constitute resignation from office.
7.  In the event of the death, resignation, or removal of an officer, the vacancy shall be filled by the Board.
8.  All members of the Board shall be members of the British limited company Mensa International Limited.

A. Membership Required For Representation
A national Mensa shall be entitled to representation on the Board when it has at least 500 members in good standing or it has at least 75 members in good standing per million of population and at least 250 members.

B. Number Of Votes

1.  Each national Mensa entitled to a seat on the Board shall have at least one vote.  Each national Mensa that has 1000 to 4999 members shall have two votes. Each national Mensa that has 5000 or more members shall have three votes plus one additional vote for each additional 5000 members.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraph, no national Mensa shall exercise more than 40% of the full Board vote.  If the result of the calculation of the 40% limit includes a fraction, the national Mensa involved shall have the next higher whole number of votes if the fraction is one-half or more or the next lower whole number of votes if the fraction is less than one-half.
3. The calculation o« the number of votes to which a national Mensa is entitled shall be based upon its most recent payment to the international treasury of its assessed contribution to the international budget.

C. Designation 0f National Representatives

1.  The Chief Executive Officer of each national Mensa that is entitled to representation on the Board shall also serve as a National Representative of that National Mensa.
2. No National Representative may cast more than three votes. Therefore, each national Mensa entitled to cast more than three votes shall designate sufficient additional National Representatives to comply with the foregoing limitation.

D. Forfeiture of Right To Vote
A national Mensa shall forfeit its right to vote whenever and for so long as it is more than four months in arrears in paying its assessed contribution to the international budget, or whenever and for so long as it shall fail to provide a list of the names and addresses of all of its current members in good standing.

A. Honorary Positions
The Board may name a President and not more than three Vice-Presidents for terms of three years each. These shall be honorary positions granted in recognition of outstanding service to Mensa or in fostering the aims of Mensa. and only members in good standing shall be eligible for appointment to them.

B. Ombudsman

1. There shall be an International Ombudsman to resolve disputes at the international level between direct international members, between direct international members and Mensa. between direct international members and a national Mensa, between national Mensas, and within national Mensas where no Ombudsman exists.
2.  The International Ombudsman shall be appointed by a two-thirds majority of the full Board vote and shall serve for a term of three years, or until the appointment of a successor.
3.  The International Ombudsman shall receive the complete cooperation of all members of Mensa.
4.  The International Ombudsman's findings shall be published as specified by him or her.

C. Supervisory Psychologist

1.  The Board shall appoint an International Supervisory Psychologist who shall be responsible for insuring that selection standards are maintained throughout Mensa and who shall act as consultant to international Mensa and the national Mensas with regard to testing.
2. The international Supervisory Psychologist shall serve for a term of three years, or until the appointment of a successor.

A.      1. Officers and the International Supervisory Psychologist may be removed from office by the Board for malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office.

2.  The resolution for removal must be specific, must state the basis for removal, and must be set out in the agenda. Before a vote is taken on such a resolution, the member concerned must be given an opportunity for his or her views to be presented to the Board.

B.      1.  The International Ombudsman may be removed from office by the Board for malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office.

2. The procedure for removal shall be the same as for officers, except that concurrence of a two-thirds majority of the full Board vote shall be required.

C. Non-voting appointees, other than the International Ombudsman and the international Supervisory Psychologist may be removed from office by the Board at any time.

A. Functions And Duties Of The National Mensa Committees

1. The national Mensa committees shall be responsible for the management and development of their respective national Mensas.
2.  The national Mensa committees shall, in their respective countries, promote the stated purposes of Mensa recruit and test applicants for membership, supervise their local groups, maintain national offices and records, and be responsible for finance, publications, research, public relations, and all other national Mensa affairs.
3.  Without prejudice to itss rights and without affecting its duties to its members, a national Mensa committee may, with the approval of the Board, assign some of its functions to the international administrative office, or may join with one or more other national Mensas to form a group for mutual administrative or development assistance.
4. As used herein, the words 'national Mensa committee' shall mean the governing body of a national Mensa. regardless of what the governing body is called or how it is organized under a particular national Mensa's constitution or bylaws.

B. National Mensa Recognition
The Board may recognize a national Mensa in a country where the direct international members have achieved a degree of activity substantial enough to warrant such recognition, have created and adopted a constitution or bylaws by which they should operate, have submitted the constitution or bylaws to the Board and had such constitution or bylaws approved as meeting the Board's requirements; have agreed to submit any amendments to the constitution or bylaws to the Board for approval before making such amendments effective; and have met any other requirements formally promulgated by the Board.

C. Provisional National Mensa Status
The Board may recognize a national Mensa on a provisional basis if most. but not all. requirements for lull recognition have been met. The members of a provisional national Mensa shall remain international members.

D. Revocation Of Recognition

1.  A national Mensa may be derecognized by the Board after a full and fair investigation. X. in the opinion of the Board, the national Mensa has engaged in acts inimical to Mensa, has failed in a major way to perform its duties under this Constitution, or has tolerated irregularities in the testing and admission of new members.
2. A derecognized national Mensa shall cease to have the right to use the word 'Mensa' in its own designation and its activities and shall cease to have any rights under this Constitution.
3. Members of a derecognized national Mensa may. at the discretion of the Board, be offered direct international membership.
4. A national Mensa may have its status changed to that of a provisional national Mensa H. in the opinion of the Board, the national Mensa has tailed to carry out substantially all of its duties under this Constitution.
5. No resolution to derecognize a national Mensa or to change the status of a national Mensa to that of a provisional national Mensa shall be effective unless it receives a two-thirds majority of the full Board vote.

A. The international elected officers shall serve for a period of two years. They shall be elected by a majority of the votes received during the election period, which shall be April 15 through May 31 of the odd-numbered years. Their terms of office shall begin July 1 following their election.

B. No later than August 1 of each even-numbered year, the Board shall appoint an Election Committee of three to seven members, none of whom shall be a member of the current Board or a candidate for office on the next Board, and shall designate the Committee's chair. The Election Committee shall be responsible for the conduct of the election, promulgating whatever rules and regulations H shall deem necessary: prescribing the format for nominating petitions and the procedure for their submission, preparing ballots and written material in appropriate languages: and selecting professional auditors, accountants, or solicitors, or a similar independent body, to receive, count, and certify results of the voting.

C. The Committee shall cause to be published, no later than November 1 preceding the election, a notice to the members inviting nominations for the four internationally elected offices and specifying that the nominations must be received by the Committee no later than February 1, what format they shall follow, and where they must be sent.

D. Candidates for the internationally elected offices shall be members in good standing and shaft be nominated as follows:

1.  Members may nominate a candidate or a slate of candidates for any or all offices by submitting the names of such candidates to the Election Committee together with written evidence that each candidate has accepted the nomination and together with nominating petitions signed by at least 200 members in good standing as of January 1 prior to the election.
2. National Mensa committees may nominate a candidate or a slate of candidates for any or aft offices by submitting the name or names of such candidates to the Election Committee together with written evidence that each candidate has accepted the nomination.
3. The petitions and acceptances of nomination shall follow the format prescribed by the Election Committee.

E. If only one candidate has been validly nominated for an office, the Committee shall declare that candidate elected.  The names of all candidates validly nominated for contested offices shall be placed on the ballot provided they are members in good standing at that time.

F. The ballot shall list the candidates for each office in order determined by lot by the Committee. With each ballot shall be included the necessary voting instructions, a biography of each candidate, and a campaign statement the maximum length of which shall have been determined and published by the Committee. The Committee shall designate on the ballot those candidates who are running jointly.

G. Each candidate or group of candidates on the ballot may designate a representative to observe the counting of the votes at each location where they may be counted.

H. The Election Committee shall notify the International Chairman and all the candidates of the final tabulation of the votes no later than June 15.

A. Authority To Levy Assessments
The Board may finance all or any part of the operations of international Mensa by levies on the national Mensas, provided:

1. The assessments are no more than annual; and
2. The assessments are based upon a budget approved by the Board and substantially in balance as regards revenues and expenses: and
3. The assessments, whether a per-member amount or a percentage of dues, are applied uniformly to all national Mensas.

B. Restriction On Increasing Assessment
Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph XI.A., the rate of assessment shall not be increased unless the motion for such increase receives the affirmative votes of national representatives of national Mensas whose combined memberships constitute at least 51% of the worldwide membership of Mensa.

C. Limitations On Liability

1.   International Mensa shall be exclusively liable for its obligations.   No national Mensa  and no direct international member shall have any liability to international Mensa above the amount of any unpaid assessment or dues. respectively.
2.  The obligations of national Mensas are exclusively theirs and not those of international Mensa or any other national Mensa.

D. Limitations On Payments
Members of the IGC. of the Board, and of the national Mensa committees shall not be paid by Mensa except for reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred on Mensa business.

A. Governing Law
This Constitution shall be construed according to the laws of the State of New York, in the United Slates of America.

B. Severability Of Provisions
A determination that a provision of this Constitution is invalid or unenforceable under the laws of a specific country shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Constitution in any other countries.

C. Postal Ballot Required
All elections and referenda conducted by international Mensa or by national Mensas shall be by postal ballot.

D. Conduct Of Referenda
In all elections and referenda conducted by or within Mensa and by or within national Mensas:

1. Proponents and opponents shall be given reasonable opportunity to state their positions, and
2.  No recommendations on how to vote shall appear on the ballot.

A.  This Constitution may be amended as a result of a ballot among all members, provided that, of the members from whom completed ballots are received:

1.  More than one-half vote in favor of the amendment and the amendment is favored by the voters in at least one-third of the national Mensas; or
2.  More than two-thirds vote in favor of the amendment.

B.  Any proposal for an amendment which is recommended by the Board or by a national Mensa committee or committees representing 20% of the worldwide membership of Mensa shall be submitted to a ballot among all members of Mensa.

C.  The Board shall promptly arrange for the distribution, receipt, and counting of the ballots.