Bylaws
Article I - Members
Section 1
Membership is open to all persons, but only dues paying members are allowed to vote official society business.
Section 2
The Officers of the Society shall have the right to refuse any new member or to terminate the membership of an existing member for cause and without prior notice. However, a terminated person may appeal to the general meeting of the Society.
Article II - The Officers
Section 1
The Officers of the Society shall be of two kinds, elective and appointive.
- The elected officers shall be President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and the immediate past President.
- The appointed officer shall be Historian of the Society Newsletter.
Section 2
No one individual may hold two or more elective offices concurrently.
Section 3
The terms of office for all officers of the Society shall be for one year.
Section 4
Duties of Elective Officers:
- The president shall preside at meetings of the Society and its officers; shall be nominal head of the Society; shall rule on questions of procedure that may arise; and shall appoint standing and ad hoc committees at his discretion.
- The president-elect shall fulfill the duties of the President when the latter is absent, and shall succeed the President at the termination of the latter’s term. He shall also assume the presidency should that office become vacant during a term.
- The Secretary shall maintain the records of the Society and its officers, shall notify the membership of the Society of pertinent business; shall be responsible for all general correspondence of the Society, and shall coordinate the organization of the general meeting.
- The Treasurer shall keep records and accounts of the Society including all monies received and disbursed; he shall collect the annual dues and maintain the membership roster; he shall be responsible for all financial reports required by the business of the Society. The Treasurer shall make a financial report to the membership at the general meeting. An outside audit shall be conducted immediately prior to the elected treasurer’s acceptance of the Society’s financial records by a firm acceptable to the Executive Council. The Treasurer shall be allowed to spend up to $100 on society expenses without receiving approval of the Executive Council.
- The immediate past-President shall serve as a member of the officers of the Society.
Section 5
All records and implements of office shall be turned over by any officer to his successor immediately subsequent to the latter’s assumption of office.
Section 6
Duties of the Historian of the Society Newsletter:
- He shall be responsible for all phases of its publication. He may appoint staff members to assist him. Inasmuch as the newsletter is the principal mechanism for written communication to the membership, the editor is obligated to publish all communications of the Society and its Officers on first priority and to include, as space permits, other items consonant with the stated objectives of the Society. He shall report annually to the Officers to whom he is responsible.
Article III - The Executive Council of the Society
Section 1
The Executive Council of the Society shall consist of the President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and the immediate past-President.
Section 2
The Executive Council shall be empowered to manage the affairs of the Society and to designate all appointive officers for terms of one year.
Section 3
The Executive Council shall fill any vacancy occurring among officers except that of President, by an appointment for the unexpired term.
Section 4
The Executive Council shall be specifically responsible for any publications of the Society and shall set such policy as is needed to coordinate the contents of the various media so as to further the stated objectives of the Society and to insure the availability and distribution of the several items.
Article IV - Elections of Officers
Section 1
The President shall appoint three members of the Society to serve as a nominating committee, to include not more than one member of the Executive Council.
Section 2
The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of at least one candidate for each office to be filled. The slate must be presented at the general meeting, at which time nominations may be made by the membership.
Section 3
The Nominating Committee, or a member of the Society, proposing a nominee, shall obtain assent of the candidate to serve if elected.
Section 4
The Slate of Nominations shall be circulated to the entire membership by the Secretary via the Newsletter not later than one month before the general meeting.
Section 5
Voting shall take place at the general meeting of the Society. The Secretary shall receive and count the votes. The results of the election shall be communicated to the membership via the Newsletter.
Section 6
The Secretary shall inform the elected candidates of their election. Newly elected persons will take office after the date of the general meeting of the election.
Article V - Meetings
Section 1
The Society shall hold a general meeting annually at a time and place set by the Executive Council of the Society. Not more than 18 months shall elapse between meetings.
Section 2
The membership shall be informed in writing of the time and place of the general meeting not later than two months prior to the opening of the meeting.
Section 3
The membership assembled at the general meeting shall elect the Society officers for the coming year.
Section 4
Special meetings may be called by vote of a majority of the Executive Council, or on a petition of a quorum of the membership. The time and place of such special meetings must be announced to the membership in writing at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
Section 5
One-third of the membership or 15 (whichever is less) will constitute a quorum to petition for a special meeting.
Section 6
All meetings shall be conducted under Robert’s Rules of Order.
Article VI - Meetings of the Executive Council of the Society
Section 1
The Executive Council of the Society shall meet at least once a year on the occasion of the general meeting of the Society and at least once no later than a month before the opening of the general meeting.
Section 2
Any meeting of the Executive Council shall be open to attendance by interested members of the Society as observers unless the Executive Council moves for an Executive Session.
Section 3
A simple majority of the Executive Council shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4
A majority of those present and voting shall be necessary to pass any motion.
Section 5
The meeting shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 6
Special meetings of the Executive Council may be called by the President, or by a majority of the same.
Article VII - Dues
Section 1
The Executive Council shall be authorized to establish such dues as are compatible with the financial status of the Society.
Section 2
A member in arrears for payment of dues for a period of 6 months after the conclusion of the current membership year shall be dropped from the role after due notice from the secretary.
Article VIII - Fiscal Year
Section 1
The fiscal year of the Society shall embrace the period of 1 April through 31 March of the following year.
Article IX - Amendment of the Bylaws
Section 1
Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Council or by petition to the Secretary by ten or more members of the Society.
Section 2
Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the Secretary at least three months before the general meeting at which they are to be discussed.
Section 3
Such amendments shall be submitted in writing by the Secretary to the general membership at least two months prior to the general meeting at which they are to be discussed.
Section 4
To be approved, an amendment must receive a positive vote by two-thirds of those voting at the general meeting.
Section 5
Any adopted amendment shall become an integral part of the Bylaws, and the Secretary shall be instructed to add them to copies of the Bylaws and to distribute the amended Bylaws to the members of the Executive Council of the Society and to other interested members of the Society.