By Laws
Constitution and Bylaws can be downloaded here in PDF format.
SOUTH COAST GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE
Section I
The name of this organization shall be the SOUTH COAST GEOLOGLOGICAL SOCIETY, a non-profit organization herinafter referred to as “Society”. The Society shall be an independent southern California Society, not affiliated with any other professional organizations. The Society will be informally organized being unincorporated and subject solely to the provisions of these By-Laws.
Section II
The purposes of the Society are:
- To make known geological and related information pertinent to geologists and other people interested in geology and associated fields.
- To increase communication between geologists of all specialties.
- To provide and avenue for effective action on problems pertinent to the geologic profession.
- To increase public awareness of the importance of geology and related sciences in their service to the community.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP
Section I
Membership in the Society is open to geologists and all persons interested in geology. They may become members of the Society on the payment of dues and filling of appropriate membership dues.
Section II
Membership shall be classified in three categories: “Member”, “Contributing Member”, and “Honorary Member”, as defined herein
A) Members
The requirements for Membership shall consist of the following:
- Be engaged in full-time employment as a geologist or other earth related science profession, or,
- Be interested in the promotion and enhancement of the field of geology and related fields, i.e., students, technicians, and informed citizens.
B) Contributing Member
A contributing member shall be an individual or corporation interested in furthering the application of geology to the benefit of the South Coast area, and also one who was interested in maintaining high professional standards within the profession.
C) Honorary Member
A simple majority vote of the Society membership is required to confer the title “Honorary Member” on persons qualified by their furtherance of the purposes of the Society or contribution to the technical advancement of geology.
Section III
The Society may retract its granting of membership status for reasons of moral turpitude.
- A three-fourths majority of the membership will be required to vote expulsion from membership
- No vote may be taken on retraction of membership without written notification by Registered Mail to the secretary of the Society at least two weeks prior to a meeting of the Society.
ARTICLE III: DUES
Section I
Effective January 1, 1971, an annually thereafter, the dues of the Society shall be $5.0 for each Member, and not less than $20.00 in value (monetary, goods, or services) for each Contributing Member, payable to the Society Treasurer, on January 1 of each year.
ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS AND DUTIES
Section 1
- The officers of the Society, which for the year of 1970, have consisted of four co-chairmen and voluntary participation of members, shall be succeeded by an elected president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. These officers and the retiring past president (a co-chairman will act in this capacity in 1971) shall constitute the Executive Committee and only members in good standing shall be eligible to hold office.
- The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and the Executive Committee. He is the Chief Executive Officer and shall supervise the principal activities of the Society. He shall appoint such committees as are required and he shall represent the Society on appropriate occasions. It will be in his charge to resolve any professional or organizational differences which may arise between members of the Society. By preserving the unaminmity of the Society, he will encourage its effective growth and the accomplishment of its purpose.
- The Vice President shall assume the duties of President in the event the President is absent or incapable of serving. If the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall become President for the remainder of the term. The Vice President shall be charged with making arrangements for the program at each meeting of the Society. He shall also be in charge of other necessary program details, including compiling a portfolio of abstracts of presentations and resume of each speaker.
- The Secretary shall maintain such minutes at the meetings of the Society and at Executive Committee meetings, as are necessary to prepare a brief record of the principal events of such meetings. He will also serve as Society historian, and shall pass on to his successor a summary of the Society’s activities during his term, including a list of papers presented, their authors, and dates given. He shall provide all notices to members of meeting and other announcements and provide contact with publicity media as are necessary. He shall act as a clearinghouse for all formal Society correspondence and shall be in charge of membership.
- The Treasurer shall be responsible for collection of dues and maintaining the financial records of the Society. He will pay obligations of the Society as approved by vote of the membership or Executive Committee. Two signatures by members of the Executive Committee, as designated on the signature cards for the Society checking account, will be required to commit the funds of the Society.
- The President shall act as counsel to the Executive Committee for historical and carry-over matters of the previous administration. He shall serve as Chairman of the Nominating Committee for selecting a slate of officers.
- Officers of the Society shall not publicly represent the official position of the Society on any legislation or matters of political nature without the express permission of the majority of the membership present at a meeting preceding such presentation.
ARTICLE V: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section I
A Nominating Committee shall consist of the President, as Chairman, who shall appoint three or more members to serve on the Committee, except for the first year, 1970, during which all the present co-chairmen will serve as members of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall elect candidates for Society offices with one or more candidates named for each office. At the November meeting, the nomination slate will be presented to the Society, additional nominations accepted from the floor, and nominations closed at the conclusion of the meeting. Members of the Nominating Committee are eligible for nomination to office.
Section II
Election shall be conducted by mail ballot between the November and December meetings. Ballots shall be distributed to all members. A provision will be made for write-in candidates. Included with the ballots will be a notice of the closing date for receipt of valid ballots. The candidates receiving a plurality of votes for their respective offices are so elected. In event of a tie vote, a decision between the two candidates receiving the most votes shall be by lot. The December meeting shall be turned over to the officers-elect prior to adjournment.
Section III
All officers shall be elected for a term of one year and until replaced by election. No elected officer shall succeed himself in office, more than once.
Section IV
In the event one elected officer shall become unable to serve, the vacant office shall become the direct responsibility of the next higher ranking officer. The duties of the vacated office shall be shared by all remaining officers. If two or more elected officers shall become unable to serve, the Nominating Committee shall select the candidates necessary to fill such vacated offices, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee and the majority of the voting members in attendance at the next meeting following such election.
ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES
Section I
The Nominating Committee is the only regular committee of this Society. The composition of the Nominating Committee shall be determined prior to, and announced at, the October meeting.
Section II
Special committees may be formed or dissolved as required by the President subject to the approval of the Executive Committee (legislative, historical, By-Laws, entertainment, field trips, publications, etc.)
Section III
All officers shall be ex-officio, non-voting members of all committees appointed by the President, except the Nominating Committee, but are not required to attend committee meetings. At least one officer, preferably the President, shall attend all important committee meetings, with the exception of the Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS
Section I
Regular monthly meetings of the Society shall be held on the first Monday of each calendar month, unless such Monday shall be a holiday, in which case the meeting date shall be the first succeeding non-holiday weekday. The meeting date in any particular calendar month may be changed, prior to the sending of notices to members, in order to accommodate a speaker’s schedule, avoid a holiday, or otherwise increase the likelihood of a successful meeting.
Section II
Special meetings of the Society may be called by the Executive Committee with due notice to members.
Section III
Meetings shall generally be conducted informally. In the consideration of formal business, however, the President, or a majority of the members, may invoke Robert’s Rule of Orders to facilitate a more orderly and expeditious discussion period.
Section IV
A quorum of 20 members or 1/3 of the membership, whichever is less, at a Society meeting shall be required to conduct any business, such as action on resolutions or other general undertaking of the Society.
- Amendments to these By-Laws and elections shall have been discussed at a Society meeting prior to sending a mailed ballot to all members in good standing.
Section V
The Executive Committee may meet at any time by mutual consent or at the request of the President.
ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS
Section I
The By-Laws of the Society are subject to amendments by the members of the Society. Such amendments shall be presented to the Secretary in the form of a petition with signatures of at least five members of the Society. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to mail a notice of the proposed amendment(s) to the Society’s total membership at least (2) weeks prior to the next meeting date. Following said meeting, the Secretary shall mail a ballot to all members. A two-thirds majority of the ballots returned within three (3) weeks following said meeting shall be required to pass any amendments.
ARTICLE IX: DISSOLUTION
Section I
In the event of the dissolution of the Society, all the assets, funds and moneys of the Society shall be conveyed, transferred, and delivered as a contribution to the American Geological Institute (AGI) for its use as it sees fit. No part of the net worth of the Society shall, under any circumstances, inure to the benefit of any member of the Society.