By-Laws

Article I - Membership

Section 1.

Members shall be nominated in writing by two (2) Members or Emeritus Members, or by an officer of the Society or one of its Chapters. Such nominations shall outline the nominee’s qualifications for review by the Membership Qualifications Committee. Approved nominees shall be elected by a majority vote of the Executive Secretary upon receipt of a completed membership address card and a remittance for the first year’s dues.

Section 2.

Associate Members shall be elected in accordance with guidelines developed by the Membership Qualifications Committee and approved by the Executive Committee. Candidates shall be nominated in writing by two (2) Members, one of whom is a faculty member familiar with the nominee’s scholastic performance and professional objectives. Nominations shall be reviewed by the Chapter Officers (or by the Chapter Executive Committee). If elected, an Associate Member shall be certified by the Executive Secretary upon receipt of a completed membership address card accompanied by remittance of the first year’s dues.

Section 3.

Any time after graduation from school an Associate Member may be elected as a Member in accordance with the procedure in Sect. 1., above.

Article II - Dues

Dues for Members shall be $15.00 per year and $10.00 per year for Associate Members. Emeritus Members shall be excused from annual dues.

Article III - Nominations and Elections

Section 1.

The President-elect, Executive Secretary and At-Large Councilors shall be elected by a mail ballot sent to all members in good standing.

Section 2.

The Nominations and Elections Committee shall develop slate of candidates who have agreed to serve if selected (preferably more than one candidate for each vacancy, other than an Executive Secretary seeking re-election).

Section 3.

Nominations also may be made by petition signed by twenty (20) Members. Such petitions accompanied by candidates agreement in writing to serve if elected must be received by the Executive Secretary at least seventy-five (75) days before the Annual Meeting. The Names of petition candidates on the ballot will not be distinguished from those of the Nominations and Elections Committee.

Section 4.

The Executive Secretary will list the candidates for each position in alphabetical order on a ballot, which shall be mailed not later than sixty (60) days before the Annual Meeting. Ballots must be returned to the Executive Secretary not later than thirty (30) days before the Annual Meeting.

Section 5.

Counting of ballots shall be done by the Executive Secretary and the Chairman of the Nominations and Elections Committee, or the Chairman’s designate, serving as tellers. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes for their respective offices shall be declared elected. In the event of a tie, the Executive Committee shall decide the election.

Section 6.

The results shall be given promptly to the President and, if necessary, to the Chairman of the Nominations and Elections Committee. The President then shall notify promptly the successful candidates.

Article IV - Duties of the Executive Secretary

Section 1.

In general, the duties of the Executive Secretary shall be those normally pertaining to the office of a Secretary-Treasurer. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Handling of official correspondence of the Society.
  2. Maintaining the membership roles.
  3. Maintaining records of the Executive Committee minutes, Standing Committee reports, and Newsletters.
  4. Preparing and mailing a Society Newsletter at least annually.
  5. Mailing out ballots and dues notices annually.
  6. Receiving and holding the funds of the Society in a repository approved by the Executive Committee.
  7. Disbursing Society funds as authorized by the Executive Committee either in as approved budget or otherwise by special appropriation.
  8. Preparing an annual report of recipients and disbursements for presentation to the Executive Committee at its Annual Meeting, and a summary thereof for publication to the members in the Newsletter.
  9. Preparing an annual budget for the ensuing year for approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 2.

The Executive Secretary shall have the authority to employ, at Society expense, such office assistance as the Executive Committee may authorize.

Section 3.

The Executive Secretary shall be bonded at society expense in the amount determined by the Executive Committee.

Article V - Standing Committee

Section 1.

  1. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall solicit nominations for officers and At-Large Councilors, screen candidates and obtain written agreements to serve if elected, in time to meet the balloting deadlines.
  2. The Committee shall consist of not less than three (3) members, none of whom can be members of the Executive Committee.

Section 2.

  1. The Program Committee shall be responsible for identifying and presenting appropriate programs to develop the long-range professional growth of the Society. It shall be responsible for all activities at the Annual Meeting, other than the meeting of the Executive Committee. The committee may develop or assist in developing programs for smaller groups or members, such as: Chapters, regional meetings, symposia or scientific lectureships.
  2. The Chairman of the Program Committee shall be the President-elect of the Society. There shall not be less than two (2) additional Members. It also may include one or more Associate Members concerned with student of Chapter interests.

Section 3.

  1. The Awards committee shall develop appropriate awards programs to recognize distinguished scientist who have made substantial contributions to Food Science and Technology and its related disciplines. Awards programs also shall be developed to recognize promising younger scientists and students.
  2. All proposed programs shall be recommended to the Executive Committee for action. If approved, the committee shall be responsible for implementing them.
  3. The Awards Committee shall consist of at least four (4) members in addition to a chairman.

Section 4.

  1. The Membership and Qualifications Committee shall review all membership nominations for compliance with Society requirements and shall recommend qualified candidates to the Executive Committee for election. It shall develop suitable guidelines and promotional material to explain or interpret membership qualifications, requirements and obligations.
  2. The Committee also shall assist Chapter Membership Committees in expediting the nomination of new Members and the election of Associate Members.
  3. The Committee shall consist of not less than three (3) members, not more than one of whom may be a member of the Executive Committee.

Section 5.

  1. The chapter Affairs Committee shall be responsible for the interrelations between the Society and the Chapters. It shall:
  2. Review all petitions for establishment of new Chapter and recommend action to the Executive Committee,
  3. Assist petitioners in determining appropriate Chapter justification,
  4. Review Chapter By-Laws for conformance to Society requirements,
  5. Specify initiation procedures, and
  6. Implement all Chapter programs specified by the Executive Committee.
  7. To assist Chapters, the Committee shall:
  8. monitor Chapter activities and recommend ways of strengthening and improving their programs,
  9. initiate and suggest specific programs for Chapters to use,
  10. work with inactive Chapters that may be in danger of losing their charters to revitalize them, and
  11. work with Chapters whose charters have been withdrawn to help reinstate them.
  12. The Committee shall consist of a chairman and not less than three (3) members. The members preferably should be persons who are or recently have been actively involved in the activities and administration of their Chapter.

Article VI - Chapters

Section 1.

Whenever ten (10) or more Members of the Society of a University of geographical area desire to form a Chapter, they must:

  1. prepare a petition signed by at least three of the petitioners,
  2. prepare By-Laws, not in conflict with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society, to govern the operations of the Chapter, and
  3. prepare a list of all the members desiring to form the Chapter.

Section 2.

The items in Sect. 1 above shall be sent to the Executive Secretary who shall forward them to the Chapter Affairs Committee for review.

Section 3.

Upon approval by the Chapter Affairs Committee, the petition for a new Chapter shall be forwarded to the President with the recommendation that the Executive Committee grant a charter. The charter, if granted, shall be signed by the President and Executive Secretary and presented to the petitioner at the next Annual Meeting of the Society.

Section 4.

All chapter members must be Members in good standing of the Society.

Section 5.

Approximately May 1, each Chapter shall provide to the Executive Secretary a brief annual report of its membership status, summary of activities, and officers for the following year, including the Chapter Councilor.

Section 6.

The Executive Committee may revoke the charter of a Chapter that fails to meet the objectives of the Society or fails to maintain an average of ten (10) Members in good standing for three (3) consecutive years.