October, 8, 2013
Dear LGS Member,
The LGS Board is proposing a number of changes to the LGS Constitution to be voted on later this fall. Summary of changes:
Article III – Membership-
- Change the minimum age for “senior members” to 65 as of June 1, 2014. All of those who are Senior Members as of that date will remain exempt from paying dues. Senior members need to renew their membership each year to remain LGS members. Examples:
a. Fred turns 60 in Feb. 2014 and changes his membership to Senior by sending in a membership renewal that is received by LGS PRIOR to June 1, 2014. Fred is dues exempt as long as he renews his membership each year.
b. Active member Susan turns 60 on July 5, 2014 and remains a dues paying active member until age 65 as long as she renews her membership each year. She is eligible to be a Senior Member when she turns 65.
As of 9-17-2013 LGS has 296 Active, Honorary and Senior members. Active = 121, Honorary = 8 and Senior = 167. Senior members make up 56% of the voting membership. In the next 5 years, 38 more of our current members will become “Senior” which would move us to 69% non dues paying, voting members assuming the total voting membership remained static
Article IV – Officers and Directors-
- Change the designation of “Directors” to “Advisors”. No other change except to the nomenclature.
Article VI – Duties of Officers – Section F,
Change designation of “Directors” to “Advisors” as above.
Article VIII – Committees
- Section C – Ballot Committee – add the Treasurer and the Secretary to the Ballot Committee so that the committee knows who is eligible to vote and their location for their ballot.
- Section D – Entertainment Committee – rename to “Education Outreach Committee” handling continuing education, education outreach, student awards and community youth activity programs. The entertainment functions of Bar B Q and Golf tourney have their own chairmen or committee already.
- Section E – Student Award Committee – eliminate. Roll that function into the new “Education Outreach Committee”.
- Section G – Auditing Committee- have 2 or more members that are not on the current Board of Directors and be in charge of an annual audit of the LGS finances and a report of same to the Board and Membership
- Section H – Lafayette Geological Society Bulletin – rename as “Communications Committee”. Committee is responsible for the Society Bulletin and website. This is a very important function and allows all forms of LGS Communication to be handled by a single Committee.
Sincerely,
LGS Board of Directors, 2013-2014
Changes to wording are in RED and deletions are struck through.
Constitution
CONSTITUTION OF THE LAFAYETTE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Article I – Name
This Society shall be called the Lafayette Geological Society and shall be incorporated under the laws of the State of Louisiana as a Not-For-Profit Corporation.
Article II – Objectives
The objectives and purposes of this Society shall be:
1. To advance Geology as a Science and profession.
2. To encourage cooperation and fellowship between all members and others interested in geological problems.
3. To foster higher standards of education and ethics among members and students.
4. To encourage public appreciation of the utility and application of geologic science.
Article III – Membership
Membership in this Society shall be available at the discretion of the Executive Committee to all interested persons participating directly in the exploration and exploitation of oil, gas, or other mineral resources. The Membership Qualification Committee shall aid the Executive Committee in determining the proper category of membership for all successful applicants.
All voting members in good standing at the time of the adoption of this revision shall be placed in active membership classification.
Section A: Active Members
Any person who possesses a degree in geology or geophysics from an accredited college or university, is actively engaged in the exploration or exploitation of oil, gas, or other minerals, or is in geological teaching or research, shall qualify for Active Membership in the Lafayette Geological Society. The collegiate or university requirements may be waived by unanimous action of the Executive Committee in special cases where the applicant’s standing in the profession is well recognized and the applicant has made significant contributions to the geological profession.
Section B: Senior Members
Effective June 1, 2014, any active member who is 65 years of age or older shall not be required to pay annual dues. Prior to this date all members 60 years of age or older will remain exempt from paying dues. All other rights and privileges shall be the same as those of active members.
Section C: Associate Members
Any person engaged in phases of endeavor pertinent to the exploration for or exploitation of oil, gas, or other minerals, who does not possess the requirements for active membership shall qualify for Associate Membership in the Lafayette Geological Society.
Section D: Honorary Life Members
Honorary Life Membership may be awarded at the discretion of the Board of Directors to any Active Member, who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession, society or toward the development of the petroleum industry.
Section E: Student Associate Members
A Student Associate member is considered one who is enrolled in an accredited institution of higher learning, and engaged in the study of geology or geophysics.
Section F: Privileges of Membership
The right to vote and hold office shall be restricted to Active, Senior and Honorary Life Members. All other rights and privileges of membership in the Society shall be common to all categories of membership.
Section G: Annual Dues
Annual membership dues shall be paid as prescribed in the By-Laws.
Article IV – Officers and Directors Advisors
The officers of the Society shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Together, these officers shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Society. Two (2) Advisors shall also be elected as described below. Together the Advisors and the Executive Committee shall constitute the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee shall approve or disapprove applications for membership, and shall see that the policies determined by the Board of Directors are carried out. A quorum for the Executive Committee shall be three members. The officers shall serve for one-year terms in their respective offices. With the approval of the Executive and Nominating Committees an individual holding the position of Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer may run for, and if elected shall serve an additional one-year term for a maximum total of two consecutive years in their respective office, after which the individual shall not succeed himself or herself in that office at any future time. Upon completion of the President’s one-year term in office, he will be succeeded by the President-Elect, without a vote by the officers or membership.
The Board of Directors Advisors shall serve for two-year terms with one Director Advisor being elected each year.
Article V – Election of Officers
Section A: Nomination of Officers:
The President shall appoint each year a Nominating Committee composed of three or more qualified members. No member of the current Board of Directors shall serve on this committee. This committee shall submit a slate of at least two candidates for each position, except for the position of President which will be filled by the President-Elect, to the Society at the next to last meeting prior to the end of the fiscal year. The Active Members present at that meeting shall have the opportunity to supplement the choices of the Nominating Committee by making nominations from the floor.
Section B: Voting Procedure:
A Ballot Committee composed of three appointed Active, Senior and Honorary Life Members shall prepare a suitable ballot to be mailed at least one month prior to the end of the fiscal year to all Active Members, Senior Members and Honorary Life Members. An attached explanatory notice shall state that any marked ballots not accompanied by the remittance of annual dues shall be disqualified. Only those returned to the Society within 15 days will be counted. The Ballot Committee shall count the ballots, after verifying the legality of each ballot, and shall be prepared to advise the President of the election results in advance of the first regular meeting of the new fiscal year. A plurality of all votes cast for an office is necessary for election. In case of a tie vote, the Executive Committee shall cast one additional (deciding) vote. The newly elected officers will initiate the performance of their duties as of the close of the fiscal year.
Section C: Special Elections:
The Board of Directors may call special elections in conjunction with regularly scheduled meetings to fill simultaneously developing permanent vacancies in the positions of President and President-Elect. Nominations will be received from the floor in such emergencies, and voting will be by a mail ballot with a simple majority being sufficient for election. The President-Elect automatically shall assume the office of President in the event of a permanent vacancy in that position. All other permanent vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the Board of Directors unless circumstances warrant calling a special election.
Article VI – Duties of Officers
The duties of the various officers shall include the specific functions set forth in the following sections as well as any other functions deemed advisable by the Board of Directors.
Section A: President
The President shall be the presiding officer at all meetings of the Society, shall be cognizant of all acts of the Society and of its officers, shall appoint all committees essential to the best interest of the Society, and may delegate qualified members to represent the Society on special occasions.
Section B: President-Elect
The President-Elect shall preside at Society meetings in the absence of the President, and shall assume the duties of the President in the event of the disability or transfer of residence of the latter. The President-Elect shall serve as Chairman of the Program and Publicity Committee.
Section C: Vice President
The Vice President shall be Publications Chairman and shall assume the duties of the President-Elect in case of temporary absence or disability of the latter. He/she will also perform other duties as directed by the President.
Section D: Secretary
The Secretary shall assume the duties of the President in the event of the temporary absence of the President, President-Elect and the Vice President. He/she shall record permanently the minutes of all meetings of the Society, Executive Committee, and the Board of Directors. He/she should handle all correspondence relative to the affairs of the Society, and shall be responsible for notifying the membership of the dates and natures of all meetings. He/she shall be familiar with the provisions of the Constitution and Robert’s Rules of order, Revised, and have a copy of each in his/her possession at all meetings.
Section E: Treasurer
The Treasurer shall assume the duties of the President in the temporary absence of the other four officers. The Treasurer and the President shall have charge of the financial affairs of the Society. In this connection, the Treasurer shall make all disbursements of funds under the supervision of the President and the Board of Directors. He/she shall submit quarterly financial reports and an annual report and inventory to the Society prior to leaving the office. He/she shall be prepared to submit the books to an Auditing Committee appointed by the President. The Treasurer shall lend essential assistance to the Membership Qualification Committee.
Section F: Directors Advisors
The two elected Directors Advisors shall serve on the Board of Directors in an advisory capacity, and shall have the right to vote in meetings of the Board of Directors. The President may call on the Directors Advisors to perform special functions and to serve on special committees appointed to further the best interests of the Society.
Section G: Past-President
The immediate Past-President shall automatically become a member of the Board of Directors with equal stature with the other Directors. If circumstances prevent his/her serving, the vacancy may be filled by the Board of Directors securing the services of the next immediately available Past-President.
Article VII – Meetings
The Society shall endeavor to hold one regular meeting each month except for June, July and August. Special meetings may be held at any time deemed advisable by the Officers and/or the Board of Directors.
The presence of fifteen percent of the Active Members shall be sufficient to establish a quorum. All business matters requiring a favorable vote by the membership, other than amending the Constitution and By-Laws, can be approved by a simple majority of a legal quorum.
Article VIII – Committees
The President shall appoint all committees essential to the best interests of the Society.
Section A: Program and Publicity Committee
This committee, under the Chairmanship of the President-Elect, shall secure and make all necessary arrangements for speakers at Society meetings. Topics should be related to the science of geology with special emphasis on subjects related to the exploration and exploitation of natural resources. Advance notice of meetings and an account of the meetings are to be supplied to the local newspaper. The size of the committee is optional.
Section B: Membership Qualification Committee
This committee, under the Chairmanship of the Secretary, shall consist of three or more members and will be responsible for screening all applicants for membership. It will classify successful applicants in the proper category of membership and will immediately submit its recommendations to the Executive Committee for approval.
Section C: Ballot Committee
This committee along with the Secretary and Treasurer shall supervise the mechanics of the balloting in connection with the election of officers, as set forth under Article V, Section B. Three Active Members shall serve with the Secretary and Treasurer.
Section D: Entertainment Committee Education Outreach Committee
This committee shall be responsible for planning and handling all types of entertainment staged by the Society. The committee shall function under a general chairman aided by a Vice-Chairman directly responsible for individual events. No entertainment functions shall be planned without the knowledge and consent of the President and Board of Directors. The size of the committee is optional.
This committee shall consist of two or more members who will supervise continuing education programs including field trips, education outreach, any earth science community youth activity programs, and college student programs.
Section E: Student Award Committee
This committee shall consist of three or more members and shall arrange and supervise an annual Student Award Program in accordance with procedures to be dictated by the Board of Directors.
Section F E: Publications Committee
This committee shall supervise the sale of all publications prepared by the Society. It shall cooperate closely with all special committees created to assemble pertinent material for publication. The size of the committee is optional. An inventory of publications on hand will be prepared and submitted to the Board of Directors in an annual report.
Section G F: Auditing Committee
This committee, consisting of three two or more active members not currently on the Board of Directors, shall be responsible for conducting an annual audit of the Treasurer’s statement, and of the maker assets accounts. It will submit to the Board of Directors an annual report of its findings and recommendations.
Section H G: Lafayette Geological Society Bulletin Communications Committee
The Society shall endeavor to publish a monthly bulletin or newsletter, except for June, July, and August, supervised by an editor who shall appoint a suitable committee to assist him/her.
This committee shall be responsible for the Society bulletin and website. They will publish a monthly bulletin or newsletter, except for June, July, and August, supervised by an editor who shall appoint a suitable committee to assist him/her with content, advertising, and photography. The committee will also maintain the Society website.
Article IX – Parliamentary Rules
Section A:
Robert’s Rule of Order, Revised, shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by the Constitution, or by special rules of procedure adopted by the Board of Directors.
Article X – Amendments
Amendments to this Constitution and By-Laws may be proposed to the Society by a resolution of the Board of Directors, by a Constitutional committee appointed by the President, or by a written petition signed by twenty Active Members.
The President shall then cause written explanation of the proposed changes to be mailed to all members. These proposals must then be submitted to the membership at the next regularly scheduled meeting with opportunity afforded for discussion. A ballot will then be mailed to all Active and Honorary Life Members. A two-thirds affirmative vote of all ballots returned within thirty days of the mailing date shall be sufficient to amend this Constitution. Balloting shall be governed by the same rules as the election of officers.
LAFAYETTE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY BY-LAWS
Article II – *Dues.
Dues for the Active and Associate Members shall be twenty dollars ($20.00) per year.
2. Senior Members and Honorary Life Members shall be relieved of all annual dues.
3. Dues for Student Associate Members shall be five dollars ($5.00) per year.
4. All dues shall become due on or before the first regular meeting of the fiscal year.*
5. The fiscal year shall be from June 1 to May 31.
*Change effective 6-1-94 by ballot vote of 3-25-94.
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