BYLAWS for the Structural Engineering Institute Chapter of the Philadelphia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers
Article I: Name and Objectives
Section 1: The
name of this organization shall be Structural Engineering Institute Chapter,
Philadelphia Section, American Society of Civil Engineers, hereinafter referred
to as “Philadelphia SEI” or “the Chapter.”
Section 2: The
objectives of Philadelphia SEI shall be:
a. Advance the science, practice and profession of
structural engineering in a manner consistent with the purpose of the American
Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
b. Conduct seminars, symposia and other presentations for members who are interested in the topic of structural engineering.
c. Promote engineering education among students.
d. Cultivate friendly relations among engineers in the structural field, and cooperation with engineers in other fields.
e. Assist the public in obtaining dependable structural engineering services.
f. Maintain professional standards. Communicate the ethics, standards, goals and accomplishments of the Philadelphia SEI to structural engineers, related professionals, government and the public.
Section 3: Philadelphia SEI is organized within the American Society of Civil Engineers
Philadelphia Section, hereinafter referred to as “ASCE Philadelphia
Section.” The actions of the Structural
Engineering Institute Chapter shall be consistent with the provisions as set
forth in the Constitution and Bylaws of the ASCE Philadelphia Section.
Article II: Membership
Section 1: Membership is open to all members of the
American Society of Structural Engineers and/or members of the ASCE Structural
Engineering Institute, who subscribe to the rules of the Chapter and who have
satisfied current dues requirements of the Chapter.
Section 2: Individual Members in good standing may be
appointed to Philadelphia SEI committees.
Individual Members in good standing may qualify for a position on the Philadelphia
SEI Board of Directors after holding membership in the Philadelphia SEI for a
period of one year.
Section 3: For Non-Member participation, conferences and
other organized activities of the Philadelphia SEI shall be open to all persons
with an interest in the structural industry through payment of designated fees.
Article III: Dues and Finances
Section 1: Annual dues shall be established by the
Chapter Board of Directors and set forth in the Bylaws of the Chapter.
Section 2: A Member whose dues are not in arrears shall
be considered in good standing.
Section 3: A Member whose dues are more than 3 months in
arrears shall be considered not in good standing and can be removed from any
office or committee by action of the Board of Directors.
Section 4: No dues will be refunded.
Section 5: Fees for meetings and conferences will be set
by the Board of Directors. Officers of
the Philadelphia SEI Board of Directors shall pay at least the nominal cost for
Philadelphia SEI events, provided that their employer reimburses the
expenses. If the employer does not
reimburse expenses, the fees for such Officers shall be covered by the
Philadelphia SEI general funds account. Nominal cost is defined as the
per-person cost of meal plus venue (if applicable) that Philadelphia SEI pays
providers to host a given event.
Section 6: The fiscal year shall be October 1 through September
30.
Article IV: Board of Directors
Section 1: The government
of the Philadelphia SEI shall be vested in the Board of Directors.
Section 2: The Board
of Directors shall be composed of members of the Chapter.
Section 3: Each Officer on the Board of Directors shall
be a member for the Chapter in good standing throughout the term of
service. The Chair or the designated representative
to the ASCE Philadelphia Section shall also be a member of the ASCE
Philadelphia Section.
Section 4: The Officers
of the Board shall be Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Program
Director, Director of Public Relations, and Assistant Director of Public
Relations. The immediate Past Chair
shall be a non-voting member of the Board.
Section 5: The Officers shall rotate upward through the
positions of: Assistant Director of Public Relations, Director of Public
Relations, Program Director, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Chair.
Section 6: Except
for the first Board, whose members will serve for two years, all Officers will
serve for a term of one year, beginning at the close of the Section's Annual
Meeting (in May of each year) and continuing until the next election. The term of office shall match the Chapter’s fiscal
year.
Section 7: The
duties of Officers shall include the following:
a. Chair:
Presides over Chapter meetings. Ex-officio member of all subcommittees.
Coordinates Chapter activities. Establishes and distributes agenda for each Board
meeting. Represents the Chapter as a member of the ASCE Philadelphia Section
Board of Directors. Submits periodic reports to the Board regarding programs
and activities of the Chapter. b. Vice Chair: Assists Chair. Presides over Chapter meetings in absence of the Chair.
c. Treasurer: Responsible for fiduciary matters for the Chapter. Responsible for the collection of fees at activities and disbursements to cover costs. Extraordinary costs and contracts require approval of the Board of Directors. Submits a financial report at each Board of Directors meeting. Maintains a book of yearly accounts. Annually submits the Philadelphia SEI annual report to the ASCE Philadelphia Section Treasurer as requested by the ASCE Philadelphia Section Treasurer.
d. Secretary: Keeps minutes of the meetings and distributes them prior to the next meeting. Prepares and sends other correspondence as directed by the Chair. The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of the Chapter and the Board and shall inform the Chair and the Board from time to time of duties to be performed at stated times or intervals.
The Secretary shall issue all calls, notices, renewals, etc., as instructed by the Board and/or the Chair and shall have custody of all books, papers and records. The Secretary shall maintain a complete record of past members of the Board and Nominating Committees for the purpose of establishing eligibility for appointment or election.
e. Program Director: Responsible for all arrangements for the monthly membership programs. This includes arranging for the speaker (with suggestions and assistance provided by other Board members); obtaining the topic summary and speaker biography for the announcement and newsletter; and making venue arrangements (hall rental, equipment, food and beverages) with the assistance of the Treasurer. Coordinates publication of the meeting details with the Director of Public Relations.
f. Director of Public Relations: Responsible for publicity. Oversees the Chapter website and contacts with supporting businesses and organizations. Handles distribution of announcements to the Chapter membership and other interested parties for monthly meetings. Collects reservations for meetings and other events.
g. Assistant Director of Public Relations: Responsible to aid the Director of Public Relations in the compilation of event information, distribution of communications from the Chapter, collection of attendance replies to Chapter events, and staffing the sign-in area at Chapter events.
h. Immediate Past Chair: As requested, provides oversight and guidance of Board and Chapter proceedings. Typically does not attend regular Board of Director meetings, but may choose to participate if so requested or desired. Remains an active member of the Chapter throughout the course of the year in which this position is held.
Section 8: The Board shall develop a Long Range Plan for the Chapter that is in keeping with the mission of the SEI. The Long Range Plan shall be updated annually.
Section 9: The Vice Chair shall fill a vacancy in the office of Chair. Other vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment by the Board of Directors.
Section 10: At meetings of the Board of Directors, one-half of the total number of Board members shall constitute a quorum.
Article V: Nomination and Appointment of Officers
Section 1: The Board of Directors shall collectively
serve as the Nominating Committee.
Section 2: The Nominating Committee shall choose one or
more candidates for election to incoming Assistant Director of Public Relations
position and any vacant Board of Director positions.
Section 3:
Nominees shall agree to serve before the Annual Chapter Meeting is held.
If a nominee declines or does not respond, the Nominating Committee
shall find an alternate candidate.
Section 4: The Board of Directors shall be responsible
for evaluation of proposed candidates, including seeking references from fellow
members and design professional as to the character and competence of the
proposed.
Section 5: A member of the Chapter may make a nomination
for any open position. The nomination
shall be endorsed (seconded) by no less than two other members of the Chapter
in order to be considered for office. All nominations and endorsements
must be made by members of the Section in good standing..
Section 6: Proposed candidates shall be appointed to
their roles upon a majority vote for approval by the Board of Directors.
Article VI: Committees
Section 1: Committees shall be convened as deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors or at the request of members. Potential committees include, but are not
limited to, an Annual Golf Outing Committee and a Scholarship Committee. This does not include the Nominating
Committee which shall remain intact perpetually.
Section 2: The Chair each year shall appoint committee
chairs and members as needed to operate the Chapter. Committee chairs and
committee members shall be members of the Chapter in good standing.
Section 3: The Chair shall appoint such other committees
as are from time to time deemed necessary.
Section 4: Committee chairs shall provide reports to the
Board for review. Any proposed actions
require approval by the Board or a vote by the Chapter membership.
Article VII: Meetings
Section 1: Chapter
meetings shall be offered monthly from September through May.
Additional meetings may be offered. Meetings shall be held on such date
and at
such place as the Board of Directors designate.
Section 2: As often as possible, Chapter meetings shall
include a technical presentation that will earn attendees credit toward
professional development.
Section 3: All business meetings shall be governed by
Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, except as provided in these Bylaws.
Section 4: Board of Directors Meetings
a.
The Chapter’s Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors
shall be held in July or August of each year to conduct any business that might
properly come before the Board. The
place and date of the meeting shall be fixed by the Chair of the Board. All Officers shall be given at least fifteen
days’ notice of Board meetings. Notice
may be given personally, by first class mail, confirmed facsimile, or by
confirmed electronic mail. Agenda items
shall be distributed by the new Chair to all Officers at least 5 days in
advance of the meeting.b. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chair or Vice Chair at any time upon the request of any two Officers. Board meetings shall be held monthly (at a minimum) until the entire year’s calendar is established and coordinated for each Officer’s responsibilities.
c. At all meetings of the Board, the act of a simple majority of the Officers present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by these Bylaws or other applicable instrument or law. If at any meeting there is less than a quorum present, the presiding Officer may adjourn the meeting to another time and place.
d. Members of the Board may participate in a meeting of the Board by conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
e. Any Officer who does not attend three consecutive meetings of the Board will automatically be removed from the Board at of the conclusion of such third meeting, unless retained by a majority vote of the Board before the conclusion of such third meeting.
Article VIII: Amendments
Section 1: Proposed amendments to these bylaws shall
first be submitted to the Chapter Board of Directors for approval.
Section 2: Upon acceptance by the Board, the proposed
amendments, accompanied by a copy of the current bylaws, shall be
simultaneously submitted to the ASCE Philadelphia Section Board and the SEI
Secretary for approval. If there is no
response after two meetings of the ASCE Philadelphia Section Board, or no
response from SEI after 90 days, approval shall be assumed.
Section 3: Upon approval by SEI and ASCE Philadelphia
Section, the proposed amendments shall be published on the Chapter website, or
by separate mailer/email to all Chapter members, no less than fourteen calendar
days prior to the meeting in which they will be put to a vote.
Section 4: The amendments shall be approved by a simple
majority of the members in good standing present at the meeting, and shall
immediately go into effect.
Section 5: The most recent version of approved by-laws
shall be posted on the Chapter website.