Knoxville - Oak Ridge LS Bylaws | AIChE

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Knoxville - Oak Ridge LS Bylaws

ARTICLE I

Name and Purpose

  1. The name of this corporation shall be the KNOXVILLE-OAK RIDGE SECTION OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS.
  2. The purposes of the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) are:
  • Promote excellence in chemical engineering education and global practice,
  • advance the development and exchange of relevant knowledge,
  • uphold and advance the profession's standards, ethics and diversity,
  • enhance the lifelong career development of chemical engineers through services, networking and advocacy,
  • stimulate collaborative efforts among industry, universities, government, and professional societies,
  • encourage other engineering and scientific professionals to participate in AIChE activities,
  • advocate public policy that embraces sound technical and economic information and that represents the interest of chemical engineers,
  • facilitate public understanding of technical issues, and achieve excellence in operations of the Institute, and
  • promote professional fellowship among its members.

ARTICLE II

Juridiction

The boundaries of the Section shall encompass the following counties of the state of Tennessee:

  • Anderson
  • Grainger
  • Morgan
  • Blount
  • Hamblen
  • Roane
  • Campbell
  • Jefferson
  • Scott
  • Cocke
  • Knox
  • Seiver
  • Cumberland
  • Loudon
  • Union

ARTICLE III

Membership

  1. The membership of the Section shall be limited to FELLOWS, MEMBERS, ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, AFFILIATES, and STUDENT MEMBERS, of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE); and LOCAL MEMBERS, as defined in Sections 2 and 3; residing or engaged in business within the boundaries encompassed by the Section. This group shall represent the voting body of the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Section.
  2. Nonmember chemical engineers may become LOCAL MEMBERS of the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Section for a period not to exceed two years. During this period, it is expected that LOCAL MEMBERS will apply for one of the grades of membership in the AIChE.
  3. Members in good standing of any of the Founder Societies (American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers; American Society of Civil Engineers; American Society of Mechanical Engineers; Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) may also be LOCAL MEMBERS of the Section for an indefinite period without applying for membership in the AIChE.
  4. Any member of the AIChE who resides and is engaged in business outside the boundaries of the Section and who desires to affiliate with the Section shall be eligible for membership by informing AIChE Headquarters.
  5. Persons who do not qualify for national AIChE membership, and if they are acceptable to the Section Executive Committee, will be registered as "Subscribers to the Section".
  6. Nothing in these bylaws shall be construed to prevent attendance of any interested person at meetings of the Section or to prevent Section members from bringing nonmember guests to meetings of the Section.

ARTICLE IV

Dues

  1. The fiscal year of the Section shall commence on January first and terminate on December thirty-first.
  2. STUDENT MEMBERS of the AIChE shall not be required to pay dues to the Section.
  3. The Executive Committee of the Section shall establish regulations regarding the amount and payment of dues.
  4. The Section, not AIChE Headquarters, is responsible for tracking non-AIChE member local dues collected and the individual's records.

ARTICLE V

Officers

  1. The officers of the Section shall be a Chair, a Chair-Elect, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and such officers, if any, as are deemed advisable. All officers must be FELLOWS, MEMBERS, or ASSOCIATE MEMBERS of the AIChE.
  2. The Chair or in his/her absence the Chair-Elect or a designee shall preside at all meetings of the Section.
  3. The Chair shall appoint all committees, temporary or permanent, with the exception of the Executive Committee.
  4. The Chair shall see that all books, reports and certificates, as required by law, are properly kept or filed.
  5. The Chair shall be one of the officers who signs the checks or drafts of the organization. No special fund may be set aside that shall make it unnecessary for the Chair to sign the checks issued upon it.
  6. The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Section.
  7. The Treasurer shall be charged with the collection and disbursement of funds as authorized by the Executive Committee. He/she shall keep adequate records and present financial reports at the request of the Chair or the Executive Committee.
  8. The Treasurer shall be one of the officers who signs checks or drafts of the organization. No special fund may be set aside that shall make it unnecessary for the Treasurer to sign the checks issued upon it.

ARTICLE VI

Directors

  1. There shall be five Directors, all of whom shall automatically become members of the Executive Committee. Four of the directors shall be elected by the membership. Two directors shall be elected each year and serve as directors for a term of two years.
  2. The retiring Chair of the Section shall automatically become one of the five directors and serve for a period of one year during which he is designated the Past Chair.
  3. The Chair assigns the duties of the Directors.

ARTICLE VII

Elections

  1. All officers and four Directors of the Section shall be elected by ballot at the Annual Meeting or by mail ballot under regulations prescribed by the Executive Committee. They shall take office the following fiscal year at the first Executive Committee meeting following certification of the election results by the Nominating Committee, the immediate Past Chair of the Section shall automatically continue as a member of the Executive Committee for one year.
  2. Officers shall hold office for one year, or until their successors are elected, and take office. Two Directors shall be elected each year. The elected Directors shall serve for two years.
  3. Immediately after the annual election, the Secretary of the Section shall forward the names of the newly elected Officers and Directors to AIChE Headquarters.
  4. Elections shall be held by the end of December of each calendar year.
  5. No member shall be eligible to hold more than one office at any one time.
  6. Should a vacancy occur in any office, the Executive Committee shall appoint a member of the Section to fill the unexpired term.
  7. Only members of the Section shall be eligible to vote in the Section elections.

ARTICLE VIII

Committees

  1. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the Officers of the Section, four Directors, and the immediate past Chair. This Committee shall meet at the call of the Chair of the Section, who shall serve as the Chair of the Executive Committee. In his/her absence the Chair-elect, in his/her absence the Secretary, or in his/her absence the Treasurer shall call and preside at such meetings. The Executive Committee shall be charged with the business of the section.
  2. There shall be a nominating committee whose Chair is the Past Chair. This committee shall develop a slate of candidates and carry out the annual election of officers and directors as prescribed in Article VII.
  3. Such other committees as may be required shall be appointed by the Chair with the approval of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IX

Meetings

  1. There shall be at least four meetings of the Section each year, one of which shall be designated the Annual Meeting. The Executive Committee shall determine the date and place of the meetings.
  2. A notice of the meetings of the Section will be sent to all members at least one week in advance of such meetings.
  3. A quorum of 5% of the membership of the Section is required to transact any business, other than amendments to these bylaws, brought before the general membership for approval.
  4. The Executive Committee shall meet at least four times each year.
  5. The presence of not less then five members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum and shall be necessary to conduct business of this organization; but a lesser number may adjourn the meeting for a period of not more than four weeks from the date scheduled. The Chair shall cause a notice of the rescheduled meeting to be sent to all those who were not present at the meeting originally called.

ARTICLE X

Amendments

  1. All bylaws of the Section, which are not inconsistent with any provision of the Section Charter and the AIChE Constitution, or with any provision of law, shall be subject to alteration or repeal. Alterations may be made by affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members voting.
  2. All amendments to these bylaws shall be subject to approval by the AIChE Headquarters.
  3. The Knoxville-Oak Ridge Section shall have no authority to act for or in the name of AIChE, and the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Section shall have no authority to incur any financial obligation in the name of the AIChE.

ARTICLE XI

Dissolution

  1. Upon the dissolution of the Section, any assets remaining thereafter shall be conveyed to the AIChE.
  2. In the event the AIChE is not then in existence or is not then exempt under Section 501 ( c ) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, amended, or under such successor provision of the Code as may be in effect at such time, the assets shall be conveyed to an organization dedicated to the perpetuation of objects similar to those of the AIChE and exempt under Section 501 ( c ) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, or under such successor provision of the Code as may be in effect at such time.