Chapter Bylaws

Article I-- Name	Article X -- Nominations and elections
Article II -- Chapter Bylaws	Article XI -- Duties of Officers
Article III-- Objectives	Article XII -- Chapter Meetings
Article IV-- Policies	Article XIII -- Executive Committee
Article V -- Membership	Article XIV -- Board of Directors
Article VI -- Chapter Requirements	Article XV -- Standing Committees
Article VII -- Dues	Article XVI -- Parliamentary Procedure
Article VIII -- Fiscal responsibility	Article XVII -- Amendments
Article IX -- Officers	Article XVIII -- Dissolution

ARTICLE 1 -- Name

The name of this Chapter shall be the Mid- and South-Atlantic Chapter.

These bylaws shall be submitted to the Chapter Relations Committee of the National Board of Directors of the American Society of Indexers (ASI) for approval before being submitted to the Chapter members. These bylaws shall become effective upon approval of a simple majority of those members voting.

ARTICLE III -- Objectives

The objectives of this Chapter shall be identical to the objectives of the ASI:

to improve the quality of indexing and to secure useful standards for the field;
to act as an advisory body on the qualifications and remuneration of indexers to which authors, editors, publishers, and others may apply for guidance;
to issue from time to time books, articles, and other material on the subject of indexing and to cooperate with other societies and organizations in such publication;
to defend and safeguard the professional interests of indexers;
to cooperate with other societies and organizations in the field of indexing and information science and especially with The Society of Indexers (Great Britain).

ARTICLE IV -- Policies

The policies and procedures of the ASI, as applicable, shall in every case also be the policies and procedures of this Chapter.

ARTICLE V -- Membership

Membership in the Mid- and South-Atlantic Chapter shall include all those members of ASI who choose to affiliate with this chapter.

ARTICLE VI -- Chapter Requirements

Section 1.To remain in good standing, this Chapter shall:

maintain a membership of at least ten active members;
not be an integral part of any other national organization; and
ensure that the Chapter bylaws are current and not in conflict with the bylaws and policies of the ASI.

Section 2. Should membership fall below ten active members, this Chapter shall be dropped from ASI at the end of the fiscal year.

ARTICLE VII -- Dues

The ASI will allocate the per member allotment of the local Chapter to the local Chapter, during each fiscal year.

ARTICLE VIII -- Fiscal Responsibility

Section 1. The fiscal year shall correspond to the ASI fiscal year.

Section 2. The Treasurer's records shall be presented at the annual business meeting of the Chapter.

ARTICLE IX -- Officers

Section 1. The officers shall be a Chair, Chair-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Immediate Past Chair. The officers form the Executive Committee.

Section 2. A term of office shall be one year.

Section 3. Officers shall assume their duties on May 1 and shall serve for one year or until their successors are duly elected or appointed.

ARTICLE X -- Nominations and Elections

Section 1. Officers shall be elected by mailed ballot before April 30.

Section 2. Only members in good standing shall be eligible for office.

Section 3. The Chapter Chair shall appoint a nominating committee of at least two members. The nominating committee shall select a slate of one or more nominees for each office. The Secretary shall mail a ballot not later than six weeks before April 30.

Section 4. Vacancies in office shall be treated as follows:

In the event of death, resignation, or incapacity of the Chair, the Chair-Elect shall become the Chair for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Vacancies in offices other than Chair shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term by the Executive Committee.

Section 5. No member shall hold the same office for more than two consecutive years.

Section 6. Six months or more shall be considered a term of office in determining eligibility for reelection.

ARTICLE XI -- Duties of Officers

Section 1. The Chair shall be the principal officer of the Chapter and perform the following duties:

Preside at all meetings of the Chapter, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors.
Appoint standing and special committee chairs with the approval of the Executive Committee.
Serve as ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
Bring to the attention of the Chapter all pertinent information from ASI.
Approve all disbursements of funds. Countersign all checks or designate a person to countersign.
Send to the Chapter Relations Chair the names and addresses of all officers immediately following election or appointment and an immediate report of any changes affecting the officers.

Section 2. The Chair-Elect shall perform the following duties:

Preside, in the absence of the Chair, at all meetings of the Chapter, the Executive Committee, and Board of Directors.
Become Chair for the unexpired term in case of death, resignation or incapacity of the Chair.
Serve in such capacities as assigned by the Chair.

Section 3. The Secretary shall perform the following duties:

Take and record accurate minutes of the proceedings of all meetings of the Chapter, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors.
Preserve in a permanent file all records and letters of value to the Chapter and its officers.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall perform the following duties:

Have charge of all monies of the Chapter and report thereon at all meetings.
Apply for and receive the per member allotment of the local Chapter from the Treasurer of ASI for activities on the local level.
Pay all bills upon the written authorization of the Chair who will also countersign checks.
Keep an itemized record, in a permanent file, of all receipts and expenditures.
Deliver, within 2 weeks after expiration of term of office, all books, records, and papers to the newly elected Treasurer, requesting a receipt thereof.

Section 5. Each officer, except the Treasurer, shall deliver, immediately after retiring from office, all accounts, books, records, papers, and other property belonging to the Chapter to the newly elected officer.

ARTICLE XII -- Chapter Meetings

Section 1. Regular meetings shall be held at least two times a year unless otherwise ordered by the Chapter membership or the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Reports summarizing the year's activities shall be given at the annual business meeting, i.e., the final meeting of the fiscal year.

Section 3. Special meetings may be called by the Chair or by a group of any other five members, provided all members are notified in writing of time, place, and purpose of such meeting.

Section 4. Ten members shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE XIII -- Executive Committee

Section 1. The elected officers of the Chapter shall constitute the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall have authority to act for the Board of Directors between meetings of the Board, and shall report thereon at the next Board meeting.

Section 3. The Executive Committee shall meet on call by the Chair or by any two members of the committee, for the consideration of special matters between regular meetings of the Chapter and the Board of Directors.

Section 4. Standing and special committee appointments made by the Chair shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 5. A majority of the elected officers shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE XIV -- Board of Directors

Section 1. The elected officers and standing committee chairs shall constitute a Board of Directors.

Section 2. The Board shall perform the following duties:

Supervise the affairs of the Chapter.
Make recommendations for the Chapter's growth and prosperity.
Transact Chapter business between meetings of the Chapter and report those transactions at the next business meeting of the Chapter.
Make recommendations to the Chapter regarding proposed amendments to the bylaws.

Section 3. The Board of Directors shall hold a minimum of two meetings during the year, the dates to be determined by the Board at its first meeting.

Section 4. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chair or by one third of the Board members, provided two are elected officers.

Section 5. A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE XV -- Standing Committees

Section 1. The standing committees of the Chapter shall be the Membership Committee, the Program Committee, and the Publicity Committee.

Section 2. Only members in good standing shall be eligible to chair standing committees.

Section 3. Committee chairs and members shall be appointed for a term of one year and may be reappointed. No committee chair shall serve for more than three consecutive years as the chair of that committee.

ARTICLE XVI -- Parliamentary Procedure

The rules of parliamentary practices comprised in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern all proceedings of the Chapter, the Executive Committee, and the Board of Directors, subject to such special rules as have been or may be adopted.

ARTICLE XVII -- Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, or by a Bylaws Committee. Individual members may submit suggested changes to any member of the Executive Committee or to the Chair of the Bylaws Committee.

Section 2. All proposed amendments shall be sent in writing to every member of the Chapter at the time ballots are mailed.

Section 3. All proposed amendments shall be presented to the Board of Directors prior to presentation to the Chapter members.

Section 4. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of those members voting.

Section 5. The final adoption by the Chapter of amendments to or revisions of these bylaws shall be contingent upon the approval of the Board of Directors of ASI.

Section 6. When an amendment that affects Chapter bylaws is adopted by ASI, the Chapter shall automatically amend its bylaws to conform.

ARTICLE XVIII -- Dissolution

Upon dissolution of this Chapter, all its assets remaining after payment of all costs and expenses of such dissolution shall be distributed to ASI, and none of the assets shall be distributed to any member or officer of this Chapter.

These bylaws were approved by a vote of the membership September 2006

Go to Top of Document