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BYLAWS of the NORTHERN NEW YORK SECTION, AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
BYLAW I—Name This organization shall be known as the Northern New York Section of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
BYLAW II—Objects The objects of the Section shall be the furthering of the advancement of all chemical activities; development of social relations among those interested in this science; promotion of general welfare of the members of the Section; cooperation with the parent body of the SOCIETY and with other local and general technical associations, groups, and societies; advancement of chemistry as a profession; promotion of chemical research; advancement of applied chemistry; and dissemination of information on subjects appertaining to any of the above named objects.
BYLAW III—Territory and Headquarters The territory of the Section shall be that assigned to it by the SOCIETY. The headquarters of the Section shall be at Potsdam, New York.
BYLAW IV—Members and Affiliates Section 1. The rolls of the Section shall include those members and National Affiliates of the SOCIETY residing within the territory of the Section, provided that exceptions to this rule shall be made in conformity with the Constitution and Bylaws of the SOCIETY. Section 2. The Section may have Local Section Affiliates as authorized in the Constitution and Bylaws of the SOCIETY.
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Effective July 28, 1976. Approved, as amended, by the Committee on Constitution and Bylaws, acting for the Council of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
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Section 3. Members and affiliates shall have such rights and privileges as are accorded them by the Constitution and Bylaws of the SOCIETY.
BYLAW V—Organization Section 1. The officers of the Section shall be a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the same person. Section 2. The Section shall have Councilors and Alternate Councilors as provided in the Constitution and Bylaws of the SOCIETY. Section 3. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Section, the immediate Past Chair, the Councilors, and the Alternate Councilors. Section 4. All officers, Councilors, Alternate Councilors, and other persons elected by the members, shall be chosen from the MEMBERS of the Section.
BYLAW VI—Manner of Election and Terms of Office Section 1. Elected officers of the Section shall serve for a term of two years beginning on June 1, or until their successors take office. Section 2. Councilors and Alternate Councilors shall be elected for a term of three years beginning on January 1. No one person can serve as Councilor for more than two sequential terms (a total of six years). Section 3. Vacancies shall be filled by the Executive Committee, unless a special election is called by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee must call a special election upon written petition signed by 10% of the membership. Section 4. In order to meet the certification deadline set by the SOCIETY, the nomination and election of officers and Councilors shall be in accordance with the following schedule each year: (i)
A Nominating Committee shall be constituted no later than March 20. No member of the Nominating Committee may be a candidate for office in the election of the same year.
(ii)
The Nominating Committee shall present its slate of nominees to the membership at a regular or special meeting no later than April 30. The date, time, and place of this meeting shall be announced to the members at least 7 days before the meeting. At this meeting, any other nominations from the floor may be presented. In addition, nominations may be presented in the form of a written petition signed by at least six members and delivered to the Nominating Committee before the time of the meeting. The Nominating Committee shall also present the name of one or more nominees for Election
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Officer. The Election Officer shall be elected by show of hands by those attending the meeting. The elected Election Officer may not be a candidate for office in the election of the same year. (iii)
As soon as possible after this meeting, ballots shall be mailed to all members of the Section, with notification that they must be returned to the Election Officer no later than May 25 in order to be counted.
(iv)
The ballots must be separate or separable from any other materials included in the ballot mailing. Each ballot shall show the offices to be filled and the names of the candidates for each office. Each candidate name shall be shown beside a vacant square. Members shall vote for the candidates of their choice by writing a cross, slash, or check-mark in the appropriate square or squares. The candidates shall be listed in alphabetical order for each office.
(v)
The ballots shall not be marked in any way other than described above. If the ballot is sent to the members without an envelope, then care shall be taken that the address or other distinguishing marks on the package are placed so that they are separate or separable from the ballot.
(vi)
A ballot is invalid if more votes are cast than there are positions available, or if any mark other than as described above in section (iv) is placed on the ballot. A ballot is not invalid if no votes are made for some of the offices.
(vii)
Each marked ballot shall be sealed in a ballot envelope, which in turn shall be enclosed in an outer signed envelope and sent by the member to the Election Officer. All ballots shall be kept unopened by the Election Officer until 4 pm on May 15 of the current election year. Ballots envelopes received after that time shall be marked invalid and set aside unopened before counting begins.
(viii) After 4 pm on May 15, the timely unopened ballots shall be counted in the presence of a witness, who shall be a member of the Section. The Election Officer shall open the ballots and separate each ballot from its accompanying envelope. Ballots shall be inspected and set aside when invalid. All valid ballots shall then be tallied in the presence of the witness. The record of the votes for the candidates and the total ballots received shall be drawn up by the Election Officer and verified by signature of the Election Officer and the witness. (ix)
The voting record shall be sent to the Section Secretary as soon as possible, for announcement to the members. The opened ballots and invalid ballots and separated envelopes shall be kept for 30 days after the election results have been announced, and then shall be destroyed by the Election Officer, if no challenge has been received.
(x)
The Election Officer shall have powers of decision in electoral procedural matters. Challenges to his decision must be made to the Chair of the Section within 30 days of the declaration of results. If a challenge is made, then authority shall pass to a general
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meeting of the Section convened for the purpose of considering the challenge and making a final ruling. There shall be no appeal from the decision of the general meeting. Section 5. Officers shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast. The candidate for Councilor with the most votes on a single slate shall be elected Councilor with the runner-up elected as Alternate Councilor. All members shall be given an opportunity to vote. Section 6. Candidates for offices are required to follow the National ACS Guidelines with regard to canvassing members. Briefly these are: a. Written material on behalf of a candidate will be included in the Test Tube and distributed to all members. Material may also be included in the ballot mailing but must be detached from the ballot itself. b. Each candidate has access to the Section membership mailing list. Copies of the list may be obtained with a written request to the Executive Committee if the cost of reproduction is paid by the candidates. c. The Section, or its officers, cannot officially endorse any candidate but must treat all equally.
BYLAW VII—Duties of Officers and Executive Committee Section 1. The duties of the officers shall be those customarily performed by such officers, together with those responsibilities prescribed by the Constitution and Bylaws of the SOCIETY and by these bylaws, and such other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Committee. Section 2. The Chair of the Section shall be Chair of the Executive Committee, and shall appoint all committees authorized in these bylaws or by the Executive Committee. Section 3. The Executive Committee shall be the governing body of the Section and, as such, shall have full power to conduct, manage, and direct the business and affairs of the Section in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the SOCIETY and these bylaws. Section 4. The Executive Committee shall provide for such standing committees as it deems necessary to explore all problems in which the Section may have an interest.
BYLAW VIII—Meetings Section 1. The Section shall hold not less than six regular meetings each year, the time and place of the meetings to be decided by the Executive Committee. Section 2. The Section may hold special meetings at the call of the Executive Committee or at the request of 10% of the members of the Section. The notices of special meetings shall
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state the exact nature of the business to be transacted, and no other business shall transpire at such meetings. Section 3. Due notice of all meetings shall be sent to each member of the Section. A quorum for all meetings of the Section shall consist of 10% of the members of the Section. In the absence of a quorum, all meetings shall adjourn to a date. Section 4. The Executive Committee shall meet upon due notice to its members at the call of the Chair, or at the request of three members of the Committee. The Executive Committee shall hold a number of meetings at least equal to the number of regular meetings of the Section. In the absence of a quorum, which shall be three members of the Committee, called meetings of the Executive Committee shall adjourn to a date.
BYLAW IX—Dues Section 1. All members and National Affiliates of the Section, except members in emeritus status of the SOCIETY, may be assessed such annual Local Section dues as may be set by the Executive Committee. Section 2. The annual dues of Local Section Affiliates shall be set by the Executive Committee in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the SOCIETY. Failure to pay such dues in advance shall automatically terminate the affiliation.
BYLAW X—Amendments Section 1. A proposed amendment to these bylaws must first be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee. If it is approved by a majority of the Executive Committee, the Secretary shall furnish all members of the Section with copies of the proposed amendment at the time when notice of the next meeting of the Section is given. In the event that the Executive Committee does not approve the proposed amendment, it shall be submitted to the membership by the Secretary in the same manner, upon written petition of 20% of the entire membership. Section 2. At the second meeting of the Section after notice of the proposed amendment is given, the amendment may be adopted by three-fourths of the votes of the members present. The amendment shall become effective upon approval by the Council unless a later date is specified.
BYLAW XI—Dissolution of Section Upon the dissolution of the Section and the discharge of its debts and the settlement of its affairs, any funds and property of the Section remaining thereafter shall be used for the advancement of chemistry in the area covered by the Section. In the event this procedure is not
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practical, or there still remain unexpended funds, such funds shall be conveyed to the SOCIETY for the general purposes of the SOCIETY.
