Bylaws
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
Western Massachusetts Section
Springfield, Massachusetts
BY-LAWS
First Revision December 1950
Second Revision December 1951
Third Revision October 1952
Fourth Revision October 1956
Fifth Revision April 1958
Sixth Revision January 1971
Seventh Revision September 1974
ARTICLE I - JURISDICTION
The district covered by the Section shall be that area which is approved by the Council of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. It is the area bounded on the north and west by the Massachusetts state line, on the south by an east-west line through the city of Wallingford, Connecticut, and on the east by a north-south line through the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. Headquarters of the Section shall be located in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts.
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. - The membership of the Section shall be limited to FELLOWS, MEMBERS, ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, AFFILIATES, and STUDENT MEMBERS of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, residing or engaged in business within the boundaries encompassed by the Section, except at noted in Sections 2,3 4.
Section 2. - Nonmember chemical engineers may become Local Members of the Section for a period not to exceed two years. During this period it is expected that Local Members will apply for one of the grades of membership in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Nothing in this Bylaw shall be construed to prevent members from bringing non- member guests to meetings of the Section. Student Members, Affiliates, and Local Members may not hold office in the Section.
Section 3. - Members in good standing of any of the Founder Societies (American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers; American Society of Civil Engineers; American Society of Mechanical Engineers; Instituteof Electrical and Electronic Engineers) may be members of the Section for an indefinite period without applying for membership in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Section 4. - Any member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers who resides and is engaged in business outside the boundaries of the Section and who desires to affiliate with the Section shall be eligible for membership and may become a member of the Section by application in writing to the Section Secretary.
Section 5 - Any member of the Section who no longer either resides in or is engaged in the district covered by the Section shall automatically be dropped from the membership list at the end of the fiscal year.
Section 6 - Any member of the Section in good standing may resign from the Section by giving notice in writing to the Executive Committee.
Section 7. - Student members of the AIChE shall be non-dues paying members of the local Section.
ARTICLE III - DUES AND FINANCES
Section 1. - At the Annual Meeting, the Treasurer of the Section shall recommend a per capita dues payment which, in his opinion, shall keep the finances of the Section in a satisfactory condition during the following fiscal year. Changes in dues shall be established by a majority vote at the Annual Meeting or by mail ballot in the event that a quorum is not present at the Annual Meeting. In the event of a mail ballot, the Secretary shall solicit votes from all members in good standing. Voting will be closed three weeks after ballots have been mailed. Ballots will be void unless signed. The Secretary will tally the votes and report the results at the next Section meeting. No vote is required to retain the same dues.
Section 2. - Members of the Section who are delinquent in their dues after May 1st of the fiscal year shall cease to be members in good standing and thereby forfeit the rights to vote and to hold office in the following year.
Section 3. A member who has remained delinquent in dues for one year may be dropped from the directory of the Section and the active mailing list.
Section 4. - Non-members and/or guests may be charged more than members are charged for section activities if so designated by the Executive Committee.
Section 5. - All standing committees and officers whose duties involve the disbursement of the Section’s funds
shall prepare a budget for the operating year for the approval of the Executive Committee, which approval must be obtained before any expenditures are made. The Treasurer shall be authorized to pay expenses incurred by committees and officers in accord with approved budgets. Any expenses other than those approved in the budget shall be paid by the Treasurer only after specific approval of the Executive Committee.
Section 6. - The fiscal year shall start January 1st.
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
Section 1. - The officers of the Section shall be Chairman, Chairman-elect, Secretary and Treasurer. All
officers must be Fellows, Members, or Associate Member’s of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Section 2. - The Chairman shall (1) preside at all meetings of the Section; (2) call meetings of the Executive
Committee as required and preside at those meetings; (3) appoint committees and committee chairman in accord with Article VI; and (4) serve as ex officio member of all committees.
Section 3. - The Chairman-elect shall: (1) assume the duties of the Chairman in his absence; and (2) serve as
Chairman of the Program Committee.
Section 4. - The Secretary shall: (1) keep a record of the proceedings of the Section and of the Executive
Committee; (2) issue notices of all meetings of the Section; (3) carry on correspondence of the Section as directed by the Chairman; (4) maintain a directory of the Section; and (5) make a report to the Secretary of the Institute immediately after the Annual Meeting, outlining the activities of the Section during the year concluded, and appending the annual reports of all standing committees.
Section 5. - The Treasurer shall: (1) collect dues levied in accordance with Section 2., Article IV; (2) notify
the Secretary and the Chairman of the Membership Committee of all members who are delinquent in dues as of May 1st and, as requested; (3) deposit funds entrusted to his care in a recognized bank; (4) pay expenses in accord with Section 6., Article IV; (5) keep sufficient record of collections and disbursements to enable him to present a complete reporting at any time; and (6) submit an audited report for the past fiscal year at the Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE V - COMMITTEES
Section 1. - There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the officers, the immediate past-chairman and
two other members of the Section to be elected as hereinafter provided. Major committee chairmen may be non-voting members of the Executive Committee at the discretion of the Chairman.
The Executive Committee shall be charged with administering the business of the Section and shall: (1) approve budgets and non- budgeted expenditures; (2) approve the program for the year; and (3) approve appointments to all other committees. In addition, they may discuss other matters of interest to the Section and make recommendations for action. A majority shall constitute a quorum. Minutes of the Executive Committee meetings shall be read with the Section minutes at the next meeting of the Section.
Section 2. - There shall be a Program Committee consisting of the Chairman-elect of the Section and other such
members as he shall appoint subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. This Committee shall be responsible for arranging all meetings during the calendar year.
Section 3. - There shall be a Membership Committee, its Chairman to be appointed by the Section Chairman. The Committee Chairman shall appoint his committee. All appointments shall require the approval of the Executive Committee. The Membership Committee shall maintain lists of new member prospects and of delinquent members removed from the active mailing list, solicit prospective members through official correspondence and personal contact, assist applicants in affiliating with the Institute, and coordinate all membership activities with other Section officers, the Institute and its Membership Committee.
Section 4. - There shall be a Publicity Committee, its Chairman to be appointed by the Section Chairman. The
Committee Chairman shall appoint his committee. All appointments shall require the approval of the Executive Committee. The Publicity Committee shall arrange for publication in local newspapers, “Chemical Engineering Progress” and through other appropriate media of notices and reports of meetings and activities of the Section, and information concerning prominent speakers and noteworthy professional accomplishments and honors accorded individual members.
Section 5. - There shall be a Student Activities and Career Guidance Committee, its Chairman to be appointed
by the Section Chairman. The Committee Chairman shall appoint his committee. All appointments shall require the approval of the Executive Committee. The Student Activities and Career Guidance Committee shall maintain close contact with nearby educational institutions of secondary and college level and endeavor to determine and advise the Section of means by which the members of the Section collectively or as individuals can provide information to and stimulate higher levels of achievement in those students interested in or in training for an engineering profession, with particular reference to Chemical Engineering. In addition, this committee will administer any scholarship funds created by the Section.
Section 6. - There shall be a Community Activities Committee, its Chairman to be appointed by the Section Chairman. The Committee Chairman shall appoint his committee. All appointments shall require the approval of the Executive Committee. The Community Activities Committee shall advise and recommend to the Section means by which the members of the Section, collectively or as individuals, can participate in appropriate community activities and carrying out those activities adopted by the Section. The Community Activities Committee shall also maintain an awareness of pending legislative action of particular interest to chemical engineers and advise the Section for possible action by members.
Section 7. - There shall be an Auditing Committee consisting of a Chairman and two members appointed by the Section Chairman with the approval of the Executive Committee. This Committee shall audit the Treasurer’s Report for the fiscal year prior to the Annual Meeting and report its findings at the Annual Meeting.
Section 8. - There shall be a Nominating Committee appointed by the Chairman of the Section with the approval
of the Executive Committee. This Committee shall propose a minimum of two candidates for each office at the May meeting. After the report of the Nominating Committee, the Chair shall receive nominations from the floor for each office in turn, starting with the office of Chairman-elect. Nominations made by the Nominating Committee and from the floor shall constitute the final slate of officers.
Section 9. - Each of the committees named in Sections 2. through 7. of this Article shall prepare an annual report of their activities for presentation at the Annual Meeting and inclusion with the Secretary’s annual report to the Secretary of the Institute.
Section 10. - Other committees which may be required shall be appointed by the Chairman with the approval of
the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VI - MEETINGS
Section 1. - There shall be a minimum of six meetings of the Section each year, one of which shall be the Annual
Meeting to be held in September.
Section 2. - The Secretary shall send a notice of the meetings to all members at least one week in advance of such meetings.
Section 3. - A quorum shall consist of ten per cent of the members of the Section in good standing.
ARTICLE VII - ELECTIONS
Section 1. - An election shall be held by mail ballot, prior to the June meeting, for the purpose of electing
the Chairman-elect, Secretary and Treasurer for a one-year term, and another member of the Section to be called a Director to serve on the Executive Committee for a two year term. The Chairman-elect shall be the Chairman the following year. A Teller Committee shall be appointed by the Chairman to determine the results of the voting.
Section 2. - The Secretary shall solicit votes by mail from all members in good standing. The voting procedure
shall require the use of a two-envelope system - the inner envelope to be unsigned for inclusion of the ballot provided, the outer envelope to be signed by the voter. The ballot shall be void unless the outer envelope is signed. Voting shall cease three weeks after ballots have been mailed. Election shall require a plurality of those voting. In case of a tie, the person elected shall be determined by lot at the June meeting.
Section 3. - Elected candidates shall take office immediately following the Annual Meeting of the Section. At that time, the retiring Chairman-elect shall automatically move up to Chairman, and the retiring Chairman shall automatically become a member of the Executive Committee for one year.
Section 4. - Should a vacancy occur in any office but Chairman, or among the three non-officer places on the
Executive Committee, the Executive Committee shall nominate two candidates to fill that vacancy for the unexpired term. Should a vacancy occur in the office of Chairman, the Chairman- elect shall move up to Chairman for the unexpired term as well as for the full term to which he is automatically entitled. In this case, the Executive Committee shall nominate two candidates to fill the vacancy on the Executive Committee for the unexpired term, plus one year. In such eventualities, elections shall, be held following the procedure outlined in Section 2. of this Article.
Section 5. - No member shall be eligible for election to more than one office at any one time.
Section 6. - No officer shall hold the same office for two successive years.
Section 7. - Immediately after the annual election, the outgoing Secretary of the Section shall forward the
names of the newly elected officers to the Secretary of the AIChE.
ARTICLE VIII -ORDER OF BUSINESS
Section 1. - The order of business of the Section shall be transacted as follows: Reading of minutes, reports of officers and committees, unfinished business, new business, adjournment.
Section 2. - At Section meetings with planned programs, the Chairman shall schedule the business meeting so as not to interfere with the program.
ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS
Section 1. - Proposals to amend these By-Laws may be made in writing by any five members of the local Section
in good standing, or by recommendation of the Executive Committee. The new By-Laws may not be inconsistent with any provision of the Charter of the Section, with any provision of the Constitution of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers or with any provision of the law.
Section 2. - These By-Laws may be amended by approval of not less than two-thirds of those voting at any
regularly scheduled meeting at which a quorum is present provided that:
a) An exact copy of the proposed amendment has been sent to each member in good standing, with notice of the time and place of the meeting, at least one week prior to the meeting.
b) Rewording or otherwise modifying such a proposal shall have the effect of postponing final consideration to a subsequent meeting so that the Secretary may present the corrected version in writing to the membership at least one week prior to the meeting.
Section 3. - These By-Laws may also be amended by approval of not less than two-thirds of those responding to
a mail vote sent by the Secretary to all members in good standing, providing the response is equal to at least ten per cent of the members of the Section. The vote will be for the proposed amendment as written, and modification of the amendment can only be voted on in a subsequent mailing.
Section 4. - All amendments to these By-Laws shall be subject to approval by the Council of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.