BYLAWS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF PUERTO RICO, INC.
ARTICLE I
MEMBERSHIP
1. Members: Members shall be professional geologists, persons engaged in work in geology or in graduate studies in geology. Members in good standing may vote on all business of the Society and may hold office in the Society.
2. Emeritus Members: Emeritus Members shall be members of this Society that in the course of their lives have shown an unremarkable contribution to the Science of Geology, to the Society or to the country. Emeritus Members have all the rights and privileges as members but are exempt to pay annual duties.
3. Associates: Associates shall be persons engaged in work in fields closely related to geology or persons who, in the opinion of the Council, have demonstrated a sincere interest in the furtherance of the purpose of the Society. Associates may neither vote nor hold office.
4. Honorary Members: Honorary Members shall be persons honored by he Society for activities that have furthered the purpose of the Society. Honorary Members may neither vote nor hold office.
5. Student Members: Student Members shall be persons engaged in geological studies or working in geology who have completed no less than one (1) semester or two (2) quarters of courses in geology at a degree-granting college, institution, school, or university to the satisfaction of the faculty, as attested by the head of the Geology Department concerned. Student Membership shall be limited to a maximum of eight (8) consecutive years, unless the Student Member is engaged in graduate studies in geology at the close of the eight (8) year term, in which case Student Membership may be extended to the close of graduate studies in geology. Student Members may neither vote nor hold office.
6. Creation of Members
a. Candidate Members may be sponsored at any time by three Members, all of whom shall be personally acquainted with the candidate and his qualifications, with the exception that Junior Members applying as Candidate Members need be sponsored by only one Member.
b. Nominations shall be transmitted to the Secretary who shall refer them to the Committee on Membership.
c. The Committee on Membership shall examine each nomination and shall report their recommendations to the Council within thirty (30) days following receipt of the nomination.
d. The Council shall further examine the nominations and report their findings to the Members within sixty (60) day, at a Meeting of the Society if one should be scheduled within this interval or by mail if no Meeting is scheduled.
e. Election shall be by two-thirds vote of the Members present and voting or represented by proxy at a scheduled Meeting of the Society or by two-thirds vote of the Members as balloted through the mail.
f. The elected candidate shall become a Member on the payment of the initiation fee and dues.
7. Creation of Emeritus Members
a. Emeritus Members are Members of this Society that are entitled with this honor. Nominations for Emeritus Member can be made to the Council by a Member in good standing of the Society.
b. Nominations shall be processed in accordance with parts 6.b, 6.c and 6.d, Article I.
c. The elected candidate shall become an Emeritus Member upon acceptance pf the honor.
d. Emeritus Members are exempt of payment of fees and dues.
8. Creation of Associates
a. Candidate Associates may be sponsored at any time by two Members, both of whom shall be personally acquainted with the candidate and his qualifications.
b. Nominations shall be processed in accordance with parts 6.b, 6.c and 6.d, Article I.
c. Elections shall be by majority vote of the Members present and voting or represented by proxy at a scheduled Meeting of the Society or by majority vote of the Members as balloted through the mall.
d. The elected candidate shall become an Associate on the payment of the initiation fee and dues.
9. Creation of Honorary Members
a. Candidate Honorary Members may be sponsored at any time by five Members, all of whom shall be acquainted with the qualification of the candidate.
b. Nominations shall be processed in accordance with Parts 6b and 6c, Article I.
c. Election of Honorary Members shall be by unanimous vote of the Council.
d. The candidate shall become an Honorary Member upon his acceptance of the honor; no initiation fee or dues shall be required.
10. Creation of Student Members
a. Candidate Student Members may be sponsored at any time by two Members, one of whom shall be personally acquainted with the candidate.
b. Nominations shall be processes in accordance with Parts 6b and, Article I.
c. The candidate shall become a Junior Member on recommendation by the Committee on Membership when dues are received.
11. Initiation fees and dues
a. The initiation fee for Members and Associates shall be Ten Dollars ($10.00). No initiation fee shall be charged to other classes of membership.
b. Dues shall be payable on February 1 of each year. The annual dues of Members shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Annual dues of Associates shall be fifteen dollars ($15.00) and those of Student Members five dollars ($5.00). No dues shall be levied against Emeritus or Honorary Members.
12. Assessments
a. Assessments above and beyond dues may be levied by a majority vote of the Council.
b. Assessments shall apply only to Members
13. Arrears. Members, Associates and Student Members whose dues have not been paid within six months of the due date shall be deemed in arrear and shall be deprived of the rights and privileges of membership until payment has been made. Members, Associates, and Student Members whose dues have not been paid within one year of the due date shall be suspended. Suspension may be removed at the discretion of the Council.
14. Resignation. Resignations from membership shall be transmitted in writing to the Secretary.
15. Termination of Membership
a. The membership of any member of the Society may be terminated at the discretion of the Council.
b. Termination of Membership or Associateship may be appealed at the first Meeting after the Council’s decision is made. The examination may be rejected by a majority vote of the Members present and voting at this Meeting
c. Termination of Student Membership shall be automatic at the completion of the Student Membership term if application as a Candidate Member has not been made.
16. Refund of Dues. Upon termination paid-up dues for the current year and future years only will be refunded.
ARTICLE II
REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP
1. Sponsorship. All candidates for membership must have the number of sponsors for the desired class of membership, as listed in Parts 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, Article I of the Bylaws of the Society.
2. Education and Experience. All Candidates for membership must demonstrate the following minimum standard of education and experience.
a. Candidate Members
i. Possession of a Professional Geologist license, Bachelor’s Degree with a major in geology or the academic equivalent, or the equivalent in professional geological experience, as determined by the Council. Membership in the Geological Society of America, the American Association of Petroleum Geologist, the Society of Economic Geologist, or other societies of equivalent geological standing shall be sufficient evidence that this requirement has been met.
ii. Present or recent geological employment.
b. Candidate Associates
i. Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree with a major in a field closely related to geology or the academic equivalent, or the equivalent in professional geological experience, as determined by the Council.
ii. Present or recent professional employment in a field closely related to geology
iii. Or, in lieu of the requirements in Paragraphs (1) and (2), Part 2b. Article II of the Bylaws of the Society, explicit dedication to the furtherance of the purpose of the Society in a manner demonstrable to the Council.
c. Candidate Emeritus Members
i. Proof of the qualifications described in Part 2, Article I of the Bylaws of the Society
d. Candidate Honorary Members
i. Qualification as to education or experience will not be required
e. Candidate Student Members
i. Proof of qualification described in part 5, Article I of the Bylaws of the Society.
3. Other Requirements for Membership. After passage by the Committee on Membership, a candidate’s application shall come before the Council, which shall act as follows:
a. Candidate Members and Candidate Associates shall be judged for their dedication to the purpose of the Society.
b. Candidate Emeritus and Honorary Members shall be judged for their contribution to activities that further the purpose of the Society and (or) their contributions to geology.
c. Candidate Student Members shall be accepted.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS AND COUNCILORS
1. Officers. The Officers of the Society shall be a President, a Vice- President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, all Members of the Society.
2. Councilors
a. The number of Councilors shall be eight (8).
b. Four (4) of the Councilors shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
3. Terms of Office
a. Officers of the Society shall serva terms of one (1) years; Councils, except for the President and Vice-President, shall serve terms of two (2) years.
b. The President and Vice-President may not succeed themselves in the same Office.
4. Nominations of President, Vice-President and Councilors
a. No less than thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting, the Council shall submit to the Members by mail a slate of nominations for President, Vice-President and Councilors.
b. Nominations for President, Vice-President and Councilor also may be made by written notice to the Council from (5) Members prior to the Annual Meeting or may be made and seconded by individual Members from the floor at the Annual Meeting.
5. Election of President, Vice President and Councilors
a. The President, Vice-President and Councilors shall be elected at the Annual Meeting by a majority of the Members present and voting or represented by proxy.
b. Each year three (3) Councilors, other than the President and Vice-President, shall be elected, in order to assure continuity within Council.
6. Election of Secretary and Treasurer. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall be elected by the Council from among the Councilors.
7. Commencement of terms of office
a. The terms of office of the President, Vice-President and Councilors shall commence at the adjournment of the Annual Meeting in which election took place.
b. Terms of office of the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Society shall commence at the adjournment of the Council Meeting to be held immediately after the Annual Meeting only for the purpose of electing the Secretary and Treasurer.
c. A Councilor who shall miss two consecutive council meetings without the authorization of a majority of the remainder of the council shall be considered to have resigned from the council
8. Proxies. A member necessarily absent from a Meeting at which an election or other business is to take place may appoint another Member to vote for him by tranmitting to the President of the Society, or the presiding officer in the event in the absence of the President, a written notice designating his proxy.
9. Elections. Elections shall be by raised hand or secret ballot at the discretion of the Meeting. Elections shall be monitored by the Council. For elections and other business transactions at a meeting, a quorum shall consist of one-half of the Members including proxies.
10. Vacancies
a. In the event a Councilor who has a year remaining in his term shall be elected President or Vice-President, an additional Councilor shall be elected to fill the unexpired term at the same Annual Meeting in which the vacancy was created.
b. If a Council vacancy should occur between Annual Meeting, the Council may appoint an Acting Councilor who will serve until the next Annual Meeting.
c. If the office of the President should become vacant, the Vice-President shall assume the Presidency until the next Annual Meeting.
d. If the Office of Vice-president should become vacant, a new Vice-President may be appointed by the Council for the balance of the term.
ARTICLE IV
MANAGEMENT
1. Council
a. The direction of the Society and the control of all property of the Society shall be vested in the Council.
b. A quorum of the Council shall be five (5).
2. Reversal of Decisions of Council. Decisions of the Council may be reversed by a majority vote of the Members present and voting at a Meeting of the Society.
3. President
a. The President shall preside at Meetings of the Society and the Council.
b. The President shall be a member ex-officio of all committees of the Society, and shall be Chairman of the Committee on Membership.
c. The President shall deliver a Presidential Address at the Annual Meeting in which his successor is elected.
4. Vice-President. The Vice-President shall have and assume the powers and duties of the President in the event of the absence or disability of the President.
5. Secretary
a. The Secretary shall keep records of proceedings of the Society and of the Council.
b. The Secretary shall manage the preparation and dispatch of all Society correspondence and notices, including bill for dues and assessments.
c. The Secretary shall notify Councilors, Officers, and Committee Members of their election or appointment.
d. The Secretary shall keep a complete list of Members, Associates, Honorary Members and Junior Members and their places of residence with their dates of election and termination of membership in the Society and shall furnish to the Treasurer the names and places of residence of all persons elected to the Society.
e. The Secretary shall submit an Annual Report to Society, listing actions of the Council; numbers of members, new members; acquisitions and disposals of property of the Society; Officers and Councilors; and other data on activities of the Society including an abstract of the Annual Report of the Treasurer to the Council.
f. The Secretary shall be custodian of all property of the Society except property for which other provisions have been made by the Council.
6. Treasurer
a. The Treasurer, under the direction of the Council, shall collect and disburse all funds of the Society, and shall maintain a bank account in the name of the Society, against which the President may draw with the authorization of the Council.
b. The Treasurer shall keep records of all receipts and disbursements, and shall make these available to the Council on request.
c. The Treasurer shall submit an Annual Report to the Council of all receipts and disbursements during the preceding Fiscal Year.
d. The Treasurer shall prepare and submit to the Department State such fiscal reports on the business of the Society as are required at the close of each Fiscal Year. He shall also prepare and submit to other Governmental agencies such fiscal reports as may become necessary.
e. From time to time it may occur that the Annual Meeting of the Society, and thus the election of a new Treasurer, takes place before the end of the Fiscal Year. In such cases, the retiring Treasurer shall act as Co-Treasurer with the newly elected Treasurer until the retiring Treasurer has fulfilled all duties required of him with respect to the Fiscal Year.
7. Fiscal Year
a. The Fiscal Year of the Society shall begin on January 1st of a given year and shall end on December 31st of the following year.
b. The Fiscal Year of the Society shall be identified by the dates of the calendar years spanned (e.g., Fiscal Year 1999)
ARTICLE V
COMMITTEES
1. Purpose. The Committees shall be advisory and shall report to and act under the direction of the Council.
2. Standing Committees. The Council shall appoint the following standing committees:
a. A Committee on Membership
b. A Committee on Meetings
c. A Committee on Field Trips
3. A Committee on Membership
a. The committee on Membership shall consist of the President of the Society and two Members.
b. The committee members other than the President shall be appointed for two-year overlapping terms.
c. The Committee shall compare the qualifications of all candidates against the Requirements for Membership in the Society and shall report their recommendations to the Council.
4. A Committee on Meetings
a. The Committee on Meetings shall, at the direction of the Council, make arrangements for and prepare programs for Meetings of the Society.
b. A Councilor shall be the Chairman of the Committee
5. A Committee on Field Trips
a. The Committee on Meetings shall, at the direction of the Council, make arrangements for field trips and solicit aid from members of the Society in the planning and execution of field trips.
b. A Councilor shall be the Chairman of the Committee on Field Trips.
c. The number of Committee members varies at the discretion of the Council, but shall be so arranged that continuity from years is assured.
6. Other Committees
a. At the discretion of the Council other standing Committees or ad hoc Committees may be appointed.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS
1. Annual Meetings
a. Annual Meetings of the Society shall be held in or about the month of August.
b. Annual Meetings shall consist of technical sessions and a business session.
c. Field trips shall be arranged in conjunction with Annual Meetings.
2. Other Meetings
a. The Council may schedule other Meetings of the Society and (or) field trips at more frequent intervals if the Members of the Society so wish.
b. Special Meeting of the Society for scientific purpose may be called by the Council.
c. Special Meetings relating to business of the Society may be called by the Council on Thirty (30) days notice to membership.
d. The Council shall call a Special Meeting of the Society on the petition of one-third of the Members, provided the petition states the business from which the Special Meeting is to be called.
3. Transaction of Business. All business at Meetings shall be transacted by majority management of business sessions of Meetings of the Society.
4. Rules of Order. Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the general guide to management of business sessions of Meetings of the Society.
5. Meetings of the Council. Meetings of the Council shall be held quarterly or more often if necessary to.
ARTICLE VII
PUBLICATIONS
1. Publications
a. Consistent with the stated purpose of the Society, the Council shall arrange for the publication and distribution of scholarly papers on the Science of Geology within the limits of the fiscal ability of the Society.
b. At its discretion, the Council may appoint an Editor to be responsible to the Council.
c. Voluntary assistance with the work of producing the publications through such task as critical reviewing shall be general responsibility of the Members.
ARTICLE VIII
SECTIONS OF THE SOCIETY
1. Sections. Members and Associates of the Society may, with the consent and advice of the Council to organize as Sections of the Society.
ARTICLE IX
GIFTS AND BEQUESTS
1. Gifts and Bequests. The Society may accept gifts and bequests at the discretion of the Council.
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS AND RULES
1. Amendments
a. Amendments to the Bylaws of the Society may be made by a two-thirds vote of the Council at any Meeting of the Council.
b. Notification of Amendments to the Bylaws shall be mailed to the membership within thirty (30) days of the action of the Council.
c. Every such Amendment may be repealed by a majority vote of the Members present and voting or represented by proxy at the first Meeting of the Society following the action of the Council.
d. Any proposed Amendment to the Bylaws submitted to the Council by the signed petition of one-third of the Members not less than sixty (60) days before the next Meeting shall be set forth on the notice of the Meeting and may be adopted by a majority vote of the Members present and voting or represent by proxy at the Meeting.
2. Rules. The Council may, at its discretion, promulgate rules that are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society.
ARTICLE XI
DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
1. Procedure
a. A proposal to dissolve the Society may be submitted to the Council by petition signed by five (5) Members or a Councilor may place such a proposal before the Council.
b. If two-thirds of the Council votes for dissolution, then the proposal must be placed before a general meeting of the Society. If the proposal does not receive the required vote in Council, the proposal is defeated and goes no further.
c. In the event of passage by the Council, a general meeting of the Society will be called by written notice of thirty (30) days to all Members.
d. At the general meeting, the proposal will pass only if voted for by three-fourths (3/4) of the Members present and voting or represented by proxy.
2. Disposal of assets
a. If the Society is dissolved, the residual Council shall convert all assets of the dissolved Society into cash or other negotiable instruments.
b. Following settlement of all debts of the dissolved Society, the remaining proceeds will be transferred to non-profit scientific, professional, or educational institution or organizations selected by the residual Council.
c. The assets of the dissolved Society shall not be distributed among Members, Associate Members, Junior Members, or Honorary Members.