SMU Environmental Society

Constitution

ARTICLE I: Organization Name

The name of this organization shall be: The Southern Methodist University Environmental Society

ARTICLE II: Affiliation

Section I – The SMU Environmental Society has received a charter as student organization by the Student Senate of Southern Methodist University.

Section II – The SMU Environmental Society is comprised of two organizations—the Water Environment Federation (WEF) of SMU and the North Central Texas Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (A&WMA NTX Chapter). The WEF of SMU is a chartered student chapter of the Water Environment Association of Texas and the A&WMA NTX Chapter is a charted organization of the Air and Waste Management Association.

Water Environment Federation: http://wef.org/
Water Environment Association of Texas: http://www.weat.org/
Air & Waste Management Association: http://www.awma.org/
North Central Texas Chapter of the A&WMA: http://www.geocities.com/awmantx/

ARTICLE III – Purpose

Section I – The purpose of the SMU Environmental Society is to:

promote mutual acquaintance and good fellowship among students and students and their instructors;
provide some services when called upon in order to present a good image of Southern Methodist University to the community;
provide a common ground where students from various academic disciplines can advance their understanding of environmental issues and contribute toward progress in society though an organized exchange of knowledge.
promote better understanding of environmental issues including industrial ecology, air and water pollution, waste management, health effects, climate change, biodiversity and related environmental concerns.
foster and promote relationships with professionals in the environmental field.
promote knowledge of environmental science and engineering;
develop leadership

ARTICLE IV – Membership Requirements and Limitations

Section I - Membership in this society shall be open to individuals in good standing with SMU and who are interested in environmental issues, environmental engineering, or environmental science.

Section II – The SMU Environmental Society shall not discriminate its membership or participation on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

ARTICLE V – Officers

Section I - The officers of this society shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and at least three society members as provided by the By-Laws.

Section II – The President, the Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer shall make up the Board of Directors. (Look to the By-Laws, Board of Directors).

ARTICLE VI - Advisor

There will be at least one advisor who must be a faculty member of the ENCE Department of the SMU School of Engineering. The advisor(s) shall be selected each year by the SMU Environmental Society.

ARTICLE VII – Meetings

Section I - A business meeting shall be held before October 1st and February 1st of each year.

Section II - Regular meetings are to be scheduled at the beginning of each semester.

ARTICLE VIII – Quorum

A quorum is defined as 50% of the attendees at any official group meeting.

ARTICLE IX – Referendum and Recall

Section I – A person may not hold two elected offices at the same time. In the event a person is elected to two offices, s/he must choose to occupy one office and the runner-up shall occupy the vacant office.

Section II – Newly elected officers will be installed at the first meeting of the Fall Term and shall hold office for one year until new officers are installed for following fall.

ARTICLE X – Amendments

This Constitution may by amended by an announced meeting of the Society if agreed by two-thirds of the active members voting, provided that the amendment shall have been recommended by the Board of Directors, and provided that thirty days notice to the membership shall have been given of the proposed change.

ARTICLE XI - Ratification

This Constitution will be adopted by a majority vote at the first SMU Environmental Society meeting set to take place during the Fall Semester of 2003 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

By-Laws

A. Membership

Active membership in the SMU Environmental Society shall include to students currently enrolled in any department of SMU.

B. Dues

The Treasurer shall deposit all funds received with an established bank account.

All expenditures shall be made by the Treasurer, the President, or the Vice President through the treasurer.

C. Duties of Officers

The President shall preside at all meetings, shall be responsible for the proper functioning of appointed committees, and shall have all other duties normally entrusted to that office.

The Vice President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors, assume the duties of the President in his/her absence, and have all other duties normally entrusted to that office.

The Secretary shall keep all records of society activities and be responsible for keeping accurate minutes of all society meetings.

The Treasurer shall maintain a complete account of society income and expenditures and prepare an operating budget for the society, reporting current balance at each society business meeting.

The Board of Directors shall transact routine business between regular meetings, subject to the approval of the general membership.

D. Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall supervise affairs of the society between its business meetings, make recommendations to the society and perform other duties as specified in this constitution.

The Board of Directors shall be subject to the orders of the society, and none of its acts shall conflict with the actions taken by the society.

E. Committees

Committees may be appointed by the President, or by the Board of Directors with the approval of the President, as the occasion arises.

F. Order of Business

The order of business at regular meetings of the SMU Environmental Society shall be:

Reports of officers;
Reports of committees;
Unfinished business.

G. Parliamentary Authority

1. All other questions pertaining to the Order of Business shall be referred to the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, which shall govern the SMU Environmental Society in all cases which are applicable and which are not inconsistent with these By-Laws

The SMU Environmental Society may choose to adopt special rules of order.

H. Amendment Procedures

Amendments to these By-Laws may be proposed at any regular meeting of the SMU Environmental Society and shall be considered at the next meeting. The membership shall be informed of the proposed changes and the stated reasons for these changes.

Approval of amendments shall be by vote of two-thirds of the active members voting.

I. Other specific policies and procedures of the SMU Environmental Society

FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year shall begin on the first day of October.

MEETINGS

a. Regular meetings of the SMU Environmental Society shall be scheduled at the beginning of each semester.

b. Other meetings of this society may be called by:

i. Order of the President;
ii. Request of the Board of Directors;
iii. Request of at least five members of the SMU Environmental Society (five days notice of such meetings shall be given).

c. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held by:

i. Order of the President;
ii. Call of the members of the Board of Directors; except when required by urgency (five days notice of such meetings shall be given).

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

a. Officer elections of the SMU Environmental Society and the member-at-large of the Board of Directors shall be scheduled by the Board of Directors for no later than November 1. Those elected will take office immediately after being elected, or at the beginning of the fall semester if elections take place in the Spring.

b. Only members in good standing with the University and the SMU Environmental Society may vote and/or may be nominated for possible election.

c. Elections shall be conducted by secret ballot and presided over by the current President. If there is currently not a President in office, an advisor must oversee the election.

d. A majority of votes cast shall constitute an election to office. If the majority is not achieved, a run-off election between the two candidates shall occur. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes in the run-off election shall be considered elected for office. In the case of the members-at-large of the Board of Directors, the three candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected.

e. The term of office of each officer shall be from the first Fall Semester after being elected until the next election.

RECALL AND IMPEACHMENT

a. Any individual holding an office of trust under this Constitution and these By-Laws may be impeached by a two-thirds majority vote. If the motion passes, the Board of Directors shall call a special meeting to try the case within thirty days and shall appoint a member who holds no elected office to preside at the trial.

b. Conviction shall only be on failure to properly discharge the duties of office and must be by a vote of two-thirds of the active members. If the accused is convicted, a vacancy in that office shall exist.

c. On a recall petition of no less that fifteen percent of those eligible to vote, the Board of Directors shall call a new election for the position named in the petition. Such election shall be held within ten weeks.

VACANCIES

a. A vacancy shall be defined as termination of office through resignation, illness exceeding six weeks, conviction after impeachment, or loss of active membership status.

b. A vacancy in the office of the President shall be filled by the Vice President. Other vacancies in elected offices shall be filled for the remainder of the term by the Board of Directors within thirty days of vacancy, subject to the approval by the voting membership at the first meeting following the appointment.

c. The succession of officers during an incomplete term shall be as follows: Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer may succeed to the next office in order of - graduation or termination of the student in the next highest office. A temporary officer may be elected by the membership to any permanent office.

DISSOLUTION

a. The SMU Environmental Society may be dissolved by a majority vote of the total membership.

b. If dissolution is favorably acted upon, all just debts shall be paid out of the funds of the SMU Environmental Society, and all remaining society funds and other assets, together with all society records and files, shall be transferred to the appropriate parent chapters— the WEF and the A&WMA.