Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society: Proposed Amendment to the Bylaws

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Proposed Amendment to the Bylaws

2006 Sigma Xi Annual Meeting and Student Research Conference

November 2-5, 2006
Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Detroit, Michigan

Proposed Amendment to the Bylaws concerning Good Standing of Chapters
Adopted by the Board of Directors on 29 April 2006

To amend the Society's Bylaws in regard to the good standing of chapters so that each chapter, in order to remain in good standing, will need to (1) elect and initiate or reactivate an average of one member per year over a rolling three-year period and (2) conduct at least one activity per year.

Explanatory Note:
The Society has a set of minimum standards for the Society's chapters to remain in good standing. The Board of Directors, in agreement with the Committee on Qualifications & Membership, believes that it is important to enhance those standards to better foster the Society's goals to honor accomplishments in research and advance the programs of the Society through programmatic activities.

On 14 December 2005, the Board of Directors approved two amendments to the Society's Bylaws concerning the good standing of chapters: 1) to require the election and initiation of one member per year over a rolling three-year period and 2) requirement to conduct at least one activity per year. The amendments were approved by greater than the two-thirds majority of the Board required by the Society's Constitution.

According to the Society's Constitution, chapters had 90 days from the Board's adoption (i.e., until 14 March 2006) to file formal objections to the proposed amendments to the Bylaws. The proposed changes would have become effective on 15 March 2006 provided not more than one chapter formally objected by 14 March 2006.

Three chapters objected, one to both amendments and two chapters objected only to the amendment regarding an election and initiation of one new member and/or associate member per year over a three year period. The first chapter did not state its reasons for objection. The other two chapters felt that the requirement to elect an average of one member per year would be problematic.

On 29 April 2006 the Board considered the chapters' objections and proposed easing the requirement for initiations to allow for the initiation or reactivation of a full and/or associate member. The revised proposal is now presented for your consideration in anticipation of action at the November 2006 Assembly of Delegates.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO BYLAWS

BYLAW III, Section 1.B. Good Standing of Chapters

Below is text of proposed new Bylaw with amendments incorporated:

257. B. Good Standing of Chapters. To remain in good standing, a

258. chapter should (a) elect and initiate or reactivate, via any mechanism open to the

259. chapter, an average of one Member and/or Associate Member per

260. year over a rolling three-year period, (b) file with the Executive Director

261. an annual report on or about 1 July of each year, providing evidence

262. that the chapter has conducted at least one activity per year that is

263. contributing to the encouragement of scientific research, pure or

264. applied, and is serving the other objectives of the Society, (c) be

265. represented at the Assembly of Delegates at least once every three

266. years, and (d) provide timely annual notification to the Executive

267. Director of the officers of the chapter.

268. (vacant)

269. (vacant)

270. (vacant)

271. (vacant)

For your reference, below is text of the Bylaw as currently written with amendments in ALL CAPS and deletions [in brackets]:

BYLAW III, Section 1.B. Good Standing of Chapters

257. B. Good Standing of Chapters. To remain in good standing, a

258. chapter should (a) elect and initiate OR REACTIVATE, via any mechanism open to the

259. chapter, AN AVERAGE OF ONE [new] Member[s] and/or Associate Member[s] [on at least one] PER YEAR OVER A ROLLING THREE-YEAR PERIOD,

260. [occasion in two consecutive years, or, for chapters at non-academic

261. institutions, provide a record satisfactory to the appropriate

262. committee designated by the Board of either contributions to and

263. involvement in improvement of mathematics and science education

264. or the promotion of science or engineering to young people,] (b) file

265. with the Executive Director an annual report on or about 1 July of

266. each year, providing evidence that the chapter HAS CONDUCTED AT LEAST ONE ACTIVITY PER YEAR THAT is contributing to the

267. encouragement of scientific research, pure or applied, and is serving

268. the other objectives of the Society, (c) be represented at the

269. Assembly of Delegates at least once every three years, and (d)

270. provide timely annual notification to the Executive Director of the

271. officers of the chapter.