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          Southern Weed Science Society

   Constitution

Revised August 2006

 SOUTHERN WEED SCIENCE SOCIETY

Preamble

           The Society is established to bring together those persons from any state, area, institution or agency, who are directly interested in weed control within the Society area through research, education, regulation, manufacturing or merchandising.  The Society area shall consist of the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, as well as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.  The primary purpose of the Society is to exchange ideas, experiences, opinions and information, and discuss and plan means of securing more adequate weed control through more and better correlated and coordinated effort on weed research and control by Federal, State, and local public or private agencies. 

 ARTICLE I ‑ NAME

           The name of this organization shall be the Southern Weed Science Society. 

 ARTICLE II ‑ MEMBERSHIP

           There shall be two types of membership:

1.       Voting members of this Society shall be those who have signified their interest in its objectives by registering for the most recent annual meeting, by registering at the meeting, or by means of absentee registration.  Voting members, including student members, may attend all Society meetings, vote on all matters pertaining to the Society, and hold office.

2.       Sustaining members shall consist of organizations or entities with an interest in weed management or weed science technology who operate in the Society area and who contribute financially to the Society. 

ARTICLE III ‑ OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD 

Section 1.  The officers of this Society shall be the President, President‑ Elect, Vice‑President, Secretary‑Treasurer, Editor, and the immediate Past‑ President.  The officers, four Members‑at‑Large, the Representative to Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), and the Representative to the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), shall constitute the Executive Board.  The Business Manager, the Chairperson of the Constitution and Operating Procedures Committee, and the Webmaster shall be ex‑officio members of the Executive Board.  (12/03)

Section 2.  A mail ballot shall be prepared by the Nominating Committee prior to each regular annual business meeting of the Society. 

The Vice President shall be elected by mail ballot and shall hold office beginning with the close of the regular annual business meeting after his/her election and ending with the close of the next regular annual business meeting. 

Members-at-Large shall serve staggered terms, whereby two Members‑at‑Large shall be elected by mail ballot in the same year, one from the public sector and one from the private sector of the Society, and shall hold office for a term of 3 years beginning with the close of the next regular annual business meeting of the Society following their election and ending with the close of the third next regular annual business meeting of the Society. 

The Secretary‑Treasurer, Representative to WSSA, and Representative to CAST shall be elected by mail ballot, hold office for 3 years commencing with the close of the next business meeting after the election, and may be re‑elected to the office for one additional period of 3 years. 

The Editor shall be elected by mail ballot one year prior to holding office and shall hold office for 3 years commencing with the close of the second next regular business meeting of the Society following his/her election and may be re-elected to the office for one additional period of 3 years. 

The ballot shall be mailed at least 3 months prior to the regular business meeting, shall be counted at least 1 month prior to that meeting, and the nominees notified of the results immediately.  There shall be at least two nominees for each position being voted on. 

Section 3.  All voting members are eligible to hold elective office, or to be elected as a Member‑at‑Large to the Executive Board, or as Representative to WSSA, or as Representative to CAST. 

Section 4.  Officers and Members‑at‑Large shall not be eligible for re‑election for more than two consecutive terms. 

Section 5.  Except for President, vacancies occurring among members of the Board shall be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Board; such officers or Board members shall serve through the next regular meeting.  Beyond the next regular meeting, if the term of office has not expired, the unexpired portion shall be filled by normal mail election procedures.  Those elected shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term of office or until their successors have been elected.  If a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the President‑Elect shall succeed to the office, and a new President‑Elect shall be elected by the Executive Board. 

Section 6.  In the event of a tie vote in the balloting procedure for any of the elective offices of the Society, the tie will be decided by a majority vote of the Executive Board at its next regular meeting following the balloting. 

ARTICLE IV ‑ MEETINGS

Section 1.  The Society shall meet annually to carry out its objectives.

Section 2.  The business matters of the Society shall be handled during one of the following meetings: (a), a meeting of the Executive Board at the beginning of the annual meeting; (b), a meeting of the voting members near the middle of the annual meeting; (c), a meeting of the Executive Board at the close of the annual meeting; and (d), a meeting of the Executive Board near the middle of the calendar year.

Section 3.  At the first meeting of the Executive Board at the annual meeting, the Board will consider all committee reports and accept, modify, or reject them.

Section 4.  At the annual meeting of the voting members, the members will act on all committee reports submitted by the Executive Board.  No matter shall be voted on at this meeting that has not first been considered by the Executive Board.

Section 5.  Both outgoing and newly elected members of the Executive Board will attend the Executive Board meeting at the close of the annual meeting, but outgoing members will not have the right to vote.  This meeting will act on any old business not completed at the previous two meetings and any new business.  

Section 6.  At the mid‑year meeting of the Executive Board, major emphasis will be given to matters relating to arrangements for the next annual meeting.  Ordinarily, only those Executive Board members directly concerned with the arrangements will attend.

Section 7.  Special meetings for special purposes may be called by the President with the approval of the Executive Board.  Such special meetings may transact only such business as is specified in the call, and special meetings cannot supersede regular meetings except when especially provided for.  

ARTICLE V ‑ COMMITTEES

Standing committees shall be:

Any voting member of the Society shall be eligible to appointment on committees.  

ARTICLE VI ‑ ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION

          The SWSS will operate an Endowment Foundation for the purpose of advancing the scientific and educational objectives of the Society.  The SWSS Endowment Foundation shall be operated as a not‑for‑profit corporation and shall be managed by a Board of Trustees under the supervision of the SWSS Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII ‑ DISPOSITION OF ASSETS

Section 1.  Upon the dissolution of the Society, the Executive Board shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the Society, dispose of all of the assets of the Society, exclusively for the purpose of the Society, or to such an organization or organizations, organized and operating exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes, as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501 (c) (3) of the IRC of 1954, (or the corresponding provisions of any future U.S. Internal Revenue Law), as the Executive Board shall determine.

 ARTICLE VIII ‑ AMENDMENTS

 Section 1.  Any five or more voting members of the Southern Weed Science Society may initiate a proposed amendment to the Constitution.  The amendment shall be submitted to the voting membership with recommendations either at the next regular meeting or by mail ballot as described in Section 3 below.   

Section 2.  The Executive Board may propose amendments to this Constitution at any time either by mail ballot or at the regular meeting as outlined in Section 3 below.   

Section 3.  The Executive Board shall submit any proposed amendments to the membership at least 30 days before they are voted on.  Adoption of a proposed amendment shall require a majority vote of those voting members present at a regular meeting, or if by mail ballot, a majority of all ballots returned within 30 days after date of the original mailing.