Bylaws of the Southeast Ern Chapter of the Ecological Society of America

Bylaws of the Southeastern Chapter of the Ecological Society of America

As amended and accepted XXXX, 2016

As amended April 16, 2004

As accepted 12 April 2002

As amended 3 April 2001

As amended and accepted 18 April 1997

As amended 15 April 1988

Accepted 14 April 1983

Article 1. NAME. The official name of the organization shall be "The Southeastern Chapter of the Ecological Society of America" henceforth referred to as the chapter.

Article 2. PURPOSE. The objectives of this Chapter shall be to encourage ecological education and research and to sponsor meetings for the communication of ecological education and research activities of special interest to ecologists in the Southeastern United States. The Chapter shall be a chapter of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) and shall be governed in all of its operations by the Constitution and Bylaws of that Society.

Sub-article 2a. MEETINGS. The Chapter shall hold business meetings meet at annual meetings of either or both the ESA with the Society and with the Association of Southeastern Biologists (ASB). The official Chapter A business meeting of the Chapter shall be held at the annual ASB meeting with ASB, withand the members present constitutingshall constitute a quorum. Notice of the businessannual meetings shall be given each member of the Chapter at least 30 days in advance of each annual meeting by, and publication of a notice of the meeting in the ESA Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, the SoutheasternBiology, or the a Chapter newsletter, or the Chapter web page shall constitute adequate notice. Chapter meetings at other times and places may be organized at the call of the Executive Committee or when requested by 10 Chapter members.

Sub-article 2b. NEWSLETTER. The A newsletter shall be published at least twice each year, preferably at such time as to call attention to Chapter business and to events occurring at the ESA and ASB annual meetings. Chapter news published in the ESA Bulletin or posted on the Chapter’s web page Publication of the newsletter in the Bulletin of theEcological Society of America shall constitute fulfillment of this requirement.

Sub-article 2c. ODUM AWARDS. Annually, the Chapter shall present the Odum Award. The Chapter has established the Eugene P. Odum Award fund. The purpose of the fund is to encourage excellence in research by young ecologists. The fund shall be administered and invested by the Business Manager of the Ecological Society of America. Income from the fund shall be used each year to finance a suitable plaque and cash award to be given to the student (from those who have applied) judged to have presented the best paper on a clearly ecological topic at the annual meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists. The student may be an undergraduate orgraduate student, must be the sole or senior author of the paper, must make the presentation, and does not have to be a member of ESA. The paper must be presented in a regular contributed paper session

Each year he Chairperson shall appoint one person to the three-person judging panel. It is expected that each member of the panel will serve three years and in the third year will serve as the Odum Award Coordinator for the panel. The Chairperson shall appoint additional persons to the judging panel if any serving panel member is unable to serve the entire three-year term. The panel of judges shall evaluate the paper at the time of presentation on the basis of significance of ideas, creativity, quality of methodology, validity of results, and clarity of presentation. The award shall be presented at the ASB banquet and the recipient shall be announced in the summer newsletter.

Sub-article 2d. QUARTERMAN-KEEVER AWARD. Annually, the Chapter shall present an award supported by the Elsie Quarterman-Catherine Keever Award fund. The purpose of the fund is to encourage excellence in research by young ecologists. The fund shall be administered and invested by the Business Manager of the Ecological Society of America. Income from the fund shall be used each year to finance a suitable plaque and cash award to be given to the student (from those who have applied) judged to have presented the best poster on a clearly ecological topic at the annual meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists. The amount of the cash award will be set initially at $300. The amount of the award may change as income from the Award fund increases, at the recommendation of the Awards Committee, and with approval of the executive board. The amount of the cash award will be set initially at $300.The amount of the award may change as income from the Award fund increases, at the recommendation of the Awards Committee, and with approval of the executive board.

The award recipient may be an undergraduate or graduate student, must be the sole or senior author of the poster, must be present at the meeting, and does not have to be a member of ESA. The poster must be presented in a regular contributed poster session. The poster must represent original work and should present a substantially completed project.

Each year the Chairperson shall appoint one person to the three-person judging panel. It is expected that each member of the panel will serve three years and in the third year will serve as the Quarterman-Keever Award Coordinator for the panel. The Chairperson shall appoint additional persons to the judging panel if any serving panel member is unable to serve the entire three-year term. The panel of judges shall evaluate the poster using the following criteria: significance of ideas, creativity, quality of methodology, validity of results, and clarity of presentation. The award shall be presented at the ASB banquet, and the recipient shall be announced in the summer newsletter.

Annually, the Chapter shall give an awards from each of its two award funds (Eugene P. Odum Award Fund, Elsie Quarterman-Catherine Keever Award Fund). The purpose of these funds is to encourage excellence in research by young ecologists. The two funds shall be administered and invested by the ESA Business Manager. Fund incomes shall be used each year to finance a suitable plaque and cash award to be given to the student applicant judged to have given the best presentation, as detailed below for each award, at the annual ASB meeting. An award recipient may be an undergraduate orgraduate student, must be the sole or senior author, and must give the presentation., but:Hhoweverpresentation. However, the recipient does not have to be an ESA or ASB member. Submissions by the same individual for both awards based on the same research project will not be accepted. Only the first author will be considered for an award. Applicants presenting papers with more than two authors may be asked to describe their specific contributions to the research.

Annually, the Chapter Chairperson shall appoint an individual to a three-person judging panel for each award. It is expected that each panel member will serve three years, and in the third year will serve as the a panel Coordinator for each respective award. The panel Coordinators may serve as such in multiple consecutive years. The Chairperson shall appoint new panel members if any current member is unable to serve the entire three-year term. The panel Coordinators have discretion to will recruit additional judges if circumstances warrant individually or in conjunction with the Association of Southeastern Biologists Committee on Student Awards. The judging panels shall evaluate presentations on the basis of significance of ideas, creativity, quality of methodology, validity of results, and clarity of presentation. The two awards shall be presented at the ASB banquet, and the recipients shall be announced in the summer newsletter.

ODUM AWARD. The Odum Award is given to the student applicant judged to have presented the best oral paper on a clearly ecological topic. The oral paper must be presented in a regular contributed paper session or symposium and should represent a substantially completed project on original work.

QUARTERMAN-KEEVER AWARD. The Quarterman-Keever Award is given to the student applicant judged to have presented the best poster on a clearly ecological topic. The poster must be presented in person in a regular contributed poster session and should represent a substantially completed project on original work.

Article 3. MEMBERSHIP. Any ESA member of the Ecological Society of America may become a member of the Southeastern Chapter by payment of the Chapter affiliation dues, as set by ESA.

Article 4. OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS. The Chapter officers of the Chapter shall be a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary. The Executive Committee will identify nominees who have consented to run for office. Any member in attendance at the annual business meeting or selected by a Nominations Committee appointed by the Chairperson, shall be eligible for nomination as an officer. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of members attending the annual business meeting voting by electronic ballot two months prior to the end of an officer’s term in office. The terms of office shall be two years, with election of the Chairperson and Secretary in even-numbered years and Vice-Chairperson in odd-numbered years. After serving two years, the Vvice-Cchairperson will become the Cchairperson for a two year term. If the Vvice-Cchairperson is unable to assume the duties as chair, the Executive Committee shall identify a nominee for Cchairperson. The Ssecretary Allofficers shall be eligible for reelection. The terms of office shall extend between national ESA meetings of the Ecological Society of America. Newly elected Oofficers newly elected at the Chapter business meeting with at the annual ASB meetingthe Association of Southeastern Biologists (ASB) shall serve in an elect role until the next national ESA meeting. If necessary, a special election to replace officers unable to complete their terms may be held by e-mail ormail or electronic ballot, with at least 30 days notice in advance and with those voting constituting a quorum.

Article 5. DUTIES OF THE CHAIRPERSON. The Chairperson shall preside at the Chapter business meetings atmeetings at ESA and ASBof the Chapter, shall authorize expenditures of the Chapter funds, and shall promote the Chapter’s interests in every reasonable way the interests of the Chapter. The Chairperson shall represent the Chapter on the ESA Council of the ESA, and shall appoint committees as required. Such committees shall serve until the next annual businessmeeting atmeeting at ESAof the Chapter and may be reappointed at the Chairperson’s discretion of the Chairperson. The Chairperson shall also appoint a webmaster to maintain the Cchapter web page. If the Webmaster position is not filled, the Chairperson shall assume the duties of web page maintenance.

Article 6. DUTIES OF THE VICE-CHAIRPERSON. The Vice-Chairperson shall arrange, as appropriate, the scientific program, including field excursions, for all Chapter meetings of the Chapter. To facilitate the development of the scientific program, the Vice-Chairperson may appoint, with the consent of the Chairperson, a Chapter member to assist with the local arrangements. The Vice-Chairperson shall also assume the duties of the Chairperson

whenever that person is unable to act.

Article 7. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. The Secretary shall keep the Chapter records, financial accounts and files of the Chapter, including minutes of the annual meetingsa current membership and mailing list. The Secretary shall publish and distribute a newsletter for communication of Chapter activities and provide materials to the webmaster for posting on the Chapter web page.

Article 8. WEBMASTER. A webmaster shall be appointed by the chairperson. The Webmaster shall maintain the Chapter web page, working closely with the Chapter SecretaryofficersChapter officers. If the Webmaster position is not filled, the Chairperson shall assume the duties of web page maintenance.

Article 98. FINANCES. Necessary Chapter expenses of the Chapter shall be paid from the treasury of the ESASociety, but in no year shall theChapter’s total expenses of the Chapter exceed the sum of the amount allotted for the Chapter in the annual ESA budget of the Society, plus the amount, if any, collected as dues by the ESASociety on the Chapter’s behalf of the Chapter. No Chapter officer or member of the Chapter shall have authority to incur expenses in the name of the ESA Society, except as specified inin Article 5.

Article 109. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. An Chapter Executive Committee, consisting of the officers of the Chapter, may act on the Chapter’s behalf of the Chapter during the intervals between annual meetings.

Article 110. AMENDMENTS. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members who vote via electronic ballot. attending the annual Chapter business meeting of the Chapter, provided that notice of the proposed amendment has been supplied to Chapter members of the Chapter at least 60 days in advanceprior to the annual meeting.

Posted July 30 XXXX, 201604