By Laws
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
SOUTH TEXAS SECTION
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
The Constitution
ARTICLE I – NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1 – Name. The name of this organization shall be "The South Texas Section of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Inc."
Section 2 – Purpose.
A. The Section shall operate primarily for scientific and educational purposes in the field of nondestructive testing and materials evaluation.
B. The Section shall strive to promote fellowship among those engaged in the field of nondestructive testing and materials evaluation.
C. The section shall formulate and promote efforts for recognition of the field of nondestructive testing and materials evaluation as a group of distinct sciences.
ARTICLE II – LIMITATIONS AND ENDORSEMENTS
Section 1 – Limitations. The following limitations shall apply to the operations and activities of the Section: 1) No funds of the Section shall inure to the benefit of any individual, except where benefits are offered equally to the entire membership or equally to prospective members, 2) the Section shall only engage in activities which are defined as purposes of the Section.
Section 2 – Endorsements. The seal, name, or approval of the Society and/or Section shall only be used in conjunction which are consistent with the purpose of the Society and the Section.
Section 3 – Whenever fees are charged for commercial exhibits, authorization must be requested from the national Board at least six (6) months in advanced as outlined in the National ASNT Bylaws, Article VIII, Section 7.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Any individual interested in the purposes and meeting the qualifications of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) is eligible for admission under the provisions of the ASNT National Constitution.
Section 2. Any ASNT member of good standing residing in or having a professional association with the South Texas region will be welcomed as a member of this Section upon certification of membership by the national office of ASNT or upon request for transfer of membership from any other section of ASNT, and will immediately receive all rights and privileges of membership.
ARTICLE IV – SELECTION OF OFFICERS, DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
Section 1. The officers of the Section shall consist of a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The officers shall be assisted by four Directors. The Section Officers, the Directors and the Chairman of all Standing Committees shall administer the Section and shall jointly make up the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The Chairman shall succeed to the position by virtue of being elected as Vice-Chairman during the preceding term. The Vice-Chairman shall succeed to the position of Chairman whenever the position of Chairman is vacant during the term. In the event that the position of Vice-Chairman is also vacant or filled by appointment, the Chairman shall be elected by the Section membership in a special election or annual election for the remainder of the term as Chairman and a one year term as a Director to be served during the following year.
Section 3. The Vice-Chairman shall be elected by the Section membership. Election as Vice-Chairman confers responsibilities for a period of three years to include the first year as Vice-Chairman, the second year as Chairman, and the third year as a Director.
Section 4. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall be elected by the Section membership for one year terms.
Section 5. Three Directors shall be elected by the Section membership for one year terms, and one Director shall succeed to the position by virtue of prior election a Vice-Chairman or Chairman. In the event that a past Chairman cannot serve as a Director, the position shall be declared vacant at the next annual election and shall be filled by a Director elected by the Section membership for a one year term. Each director shall nominate an alternate director to serve with full voting rights in the absence of the director. Alternate directors shall be approved by the Executive Committee.
Section 6. Committee Chairman shall be appointed by the Section Chairman.
Section 7. The term of office shall be from June 1st through the following May 31st.
Section 8. A vacancy may exist in an Executive Committee position whenever the responsible individual fails or no longer can fulfill the duties of the position or required succeeding position. A vacancy occurs whenever the individual is dropped from national membership, whenever the individual is removed from office or whenever the individual officially resigns from the position. Elected Executive Committee members may be removed from office whenever the individual fails to perform assigned meetings. Except where succession is provided for the position of Chairman, all vacancies in the Officer and director positions shall be filled by Executive Committee selected appointees, who shall serve until the end of the term. For purposes of election, the position filled by appointees shall be considered vacant. Elected Executive Committee members may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE V – DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Chairman shall have general administrative charge of the affairs of the Section and shall preside over its meetings and those of the Executive Committee. He shall appoint the chairmen of all other positions.
Section 2. The Vice-Chairman shall act for the Chairman in the latter’s absence.
Section 3. The Secretary shall transcribe minutes of all meetings and shall attend to Section correspondence as required.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall receive, disburse, and account for all monies belonging to the Section. The Treasurer shall present an annual report to the membership and shall submit approved reports to the National Office of ASNT as required by September 30th.
Section 5. The Directors shall assist in the determination of Section policy and otherwise act in an advisory capacity to the incumbent Chairman and the Section as a whole.
ARTICLE VI – MEETING
Section 1. The Section shall hold regular meetings, including an Annual Election meeting, in accordance with the Section By-Laws.
Section 2. Special Section meetings, if required, may be called by a majority of the Executive Committee. All members shall be given notice of the meeting at least four dace in advance.
Section 3. On the request of at least twelve members, the Chairman shall call a special Section meeting. Members shall be notified of the business to be considered. A quorum of the Executive Committee must be present at the meeting and no other business may be entertained or transacted.
Section 4. No proxy voting will be honored at regular or special meetings.
ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS
Section 1. The Executive Committee may, by a two-thirds vote, propose amendments to the Section Constitution or By-Laws which must then be submitted in writing with a ballot to the Section membership for at least thirty days consideration. Ballots shall be counted at the next regular meeting. Affirmation by two-thirds of the ballots received shall be required to enact the amendment.
Section 2. Ten or more Section members may, by signed petition, submit a proposed amendment to the Section Constitution or By-Laws through the Secretary for distribution in writing with a ballot to the Section membership for at least thirty days consideration. At the next regular meeting, ballots will be counted. Affirmation by two-thirds of the ballots shall be required to enact the amendment.
Section 3. Amendments shall take effect immediately upon announcement by the Chairman of their adoption and shall become part of this Constitution unless voided under the ASNT National Constitution. Constitutional amendments shall be submitted to the National Office of ASNT for review and rulings on the validity under the ASNT National Constitution.
Section 4. By-laws shall be amended by the procedures outlined in Section1 and Section2 of this Article, and shall take effect immediately upon announcement of their adoption by the Chairman, provided there is no conflict with the National or Section Constitutions.
ARTICLE VIII – DISSOLUTION
Section 1. In the event that four-fifths of the Section membership votes by written ballot that the Section should be dissolved, the dissolution and transfer of assets shall follow the procedure prescribed in the Constitution of the National Society.
The By-Laws
ARTICLE A – MEETINGS
Section 1. The Section shall hold a minimum of three regular meetings each year in or near San Antio, Texas. The members of the Section shall be notified at least one week in advance.
Section 2. Newly-elected officers shall assume their duties on June 1st, the start of the Section business year.
Section 3. The Executive Committee shall meet a minimum of four times per year. The meetings shall be called by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman in the Chairman’s absence. A majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4. Unless otherwise specified by the Constitution or By-Laws, all motions which come before a meeting of the Section or of the Executive Committee shall be decided by the majority of the votes cast.
Section 5. Ten members shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the Section.
ARTICLE B – DUES
Section 1. Annual dues shall be in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of the National Society. Dues shall be payable directly to the National Society.
ARTICLE C – ELECTIONS
Section 1. A nomination committee, consisting of five Section members, including a committee Chairman, shall be appointed by the Section Chairman before December 31st of each year. The committee shall nominate one or more candidates from the Section membership for each vacant position. The committee shall report its selection of candidates, who have indicated a willingness to serve, at the February meeting and by mail to all members. The names of other Section members may be added by petitions signed by no less than five members. The petitions shall be accompanied by a written statement that the nominee(s) is (are) willing to serve. Petitions must be filed with the Section Chairman within ten days after the February meeting.
The nominee for Vice-Chairman shall have served a full term on the executive Committee. If such a person is not available, any Section member may be nominated.
Section 2. In the event that the Nominating committee names only the required number of nominees to fill each of the vacant positions and no additional nominees are proposed by petition, the Section Secretary shall be instructed by the Section Chairman to cast a single ballot electing the nominees unanimously. However, when the number of nominees exceeds the number to be elected, election shall be held by letter ballot. The ballot shall be prepared by the Secretary after the period for filing petitions has expired and shall be forwarded to the membership at least ten days before the March meeting. They shall be delivered on or before the day of the March meeting. They shall be delivered unopened to tellers who shall be appointed by the Section Chairman. At that meeting, the tellers shall tally the votes and report the results. Election in this case shall be by majority of ballots properly cast by Section members.
Section 3. Elected officers shall be installed in office at the May meeting and shall act as assistants to the incumbent officers until the term begins on June 1st.
ARTICLE D – COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Standing Committees shall consist of Program, Membership, Publicity, Education, Yearbook, and House Arrangements. The Vice-Chairman shall chair the Program Committee. All other committee members shall be appointed by the Section Chairman.
Section 2. The Chairman may establish committees other than the Standing Committees and delegate responsibilities to persons or committees selected from among the Section members. No act of these persons or committees shall be binding on the Section until approved by the Executive Committee. Appointments by the Chairman shall expire with the Chairman’s term of office.
Section 3. The Executive Committee may remove from office any member of any committee with a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.
Section 4. The Executive Committee may appoint representatives to act as liaison to or in an advisory capacity with allied Societies. The Executive Committee shall function to aid and assist the Section Chairman and to conduct meetings in the absence of both the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman.
ARTICLE E – EXPENDITURES
Section 1. The fiscal year of the Section shall begin on June 1st and shall end on the following May 31st.
Section 2. The outgoing Chairman shall appoint an Auditing Committee as provided for in Article D, Section 2 to verify the annual report of the financial status of the Section.
Section 3. The Treasurer shall present to the members a verified report of the financial status of the Section within sixty days of the close of the fiscal year or at any time on request of the Executive Committee.
Section 4. The Executive Committee shall authorize expenditure of Section finances as necessary or desirable to carry out the work and aims of the Section.
Section 5. The Treasurer, Chairman, and Vice-Chairman shall have signature authority of the disbursement of funds. The Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall not exercise this signature authority unless it is made necessary by a vacancy of the Treasurer or upon the request of the Treasurer.