BYLAW
MEMPHIS CHAPTER
OF
THE TENNESSEE
SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS
BYLAW 1 –
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership applications may be received at either the National State or Chapter level and reviewed for eligibility by the Membership Committee. If deemed to be eligible by the Chapter Membership Committee, the applicant shall be added to the rolls and the State and National Societies notified. If deemed to be eligible by the State Membership Committee, the applicant will be added to the rolls and the Chapter and National Society notified subject to review by the Chapter Membership Committee.
Section 2. Membership in the Chapter imposes the obligation to uphold the honor and dignity of the engineering profession. If is therefore required of members to be familiar with ethical and legal standards, to observe them, to aid in preventing violations by others and to be familiar with the Chapter’s policies and procedures relating to handling alleged violations.
Section 3. Violation of the Chapter Constitution and Bylaws, the Code of Ethics, or the conviction of a felony, shall be considered as just cause for discipline as hereinafter provided.
BYLAW
2 – DISCIPLINE
Section 1. Changes or complaints of alleged violations of the Code of Ethics or of laws and regulations governing the profession may be filed in writing by anyone having factual knowledge of the matters; charges concerning the Constitution and bylaws shall be filed by a member in good standing. Each member is responsible to render written reports of factual knowledge he/she has of alleged violations of the Code of Ethics. Such charges may be, shall be filed with the Secretary or with the chairman of the Ethical Practices Committee of the State Society or the Chapter.
Section 2. An initial informal investigation of alleged violations will be made by the Ethical Practices Committee of the Chapter. When such informal investigations indicate that a formal investigation is advisable, the matter shall be directed to the attention of the State Society President for appropriate action.
BYLAW
3 – AFFILIATED GROUPS
Section 1. Local chapter auxiliaries may be established with approval of the Chapter membership. The purposes of an auxiliary shall be to assist in promoting the best interests of the professional engineer and the Society. The auxiliary shall be responsible to the Chapter for its policies including ratification of bylaws.
BYLAW
4 – FISCAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE YEARS
Section 1. The fiscal and administrative years of the Chapter shall be from June 1 through May 31.
BYLAW
5 – DUES
Section 1. The annual dues shall be as determined by NSPE, the State Society and the Chapter. Collection of Chapter dues shall be in accordance with the procedures established and approved by the State Society and NSPE.
Section 2. The Chapters’ portion of the dues collected by the collecting agents shall be returned to the Chapter Treasurer.
BYLAW
6 – BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall have the direction and general supervision of all matters pertaining to the Chapter. It shall adopt and monitor a budget and cause the accounts of the Treasurer to be audited not less than once a year. For the purpose of transacting business of the Chapter, a quorum of one-half the board plus one shall be required.
Section 2. The Board shall provide for and superintend the publication and distribution of all proceedings or transactions of the Chapter and shall have authority to appoint an editor and publish an official periodical for the Chapter.
Section 3. The Board shall be empowered to invest and reinvest such funds as may be available for the creation of a reserve fund. A three-fourths vote of the Board shall be required to authorize expenditures from this fund that are other than for investment and reinvestment.
Section 4. Each State Director shall attend the meetings of the State Society for the purpose of inquiring into the condition of the profession and to improve the communication between the Chapter membership and the Society.
Section 5. The Board shall hold regular scheduled meetings. It shall hold special meetings at the call of the President or other officers, as provided for in the Constitution.
Section 6. Each member of the Board shall be notified at least 5 days prior to the scheduled date of each meeting of the Board. An agenda and copy of each report and resolution that is to be considered at such meetings shall accompany the notice of the meeting and no other matters shall be considered at such meetings without the consent of the majority of the members of the Board in attendance.
BYLAW
7 – LETTER BALLOTS OF THE BOARD
Section 1. The President may at any time direct the Secretary to submit any question to the members of the Board by means of a letter ballot.
Section 2. Upon direction of the majority of the members of the Board present at any meeting, where less than all members of the Board members are present, the Secretary shall submit any question to the members of the Board by means of a letter ballot.
BYLAW
8 – OFFICERS
Section 1. President – The President shall have the following duties:
Preside at the meeting of the Chapter and the Board of Directors.
Be ex officio, a member of all committees.
Appoint the chairman and member of all committees.
Have general direction of the business of the Chapter.
Section 2. President-Elect – The President-Elect shall have the following duties:
Shall act as President in the President’s absence.
Shall undertake assignments at the request of the President or the Board of
Directors.
Prepare programs for the next administrative year.
Section 3. Vice President – In the absence of, or in case of the inability of the President and President-Elect, it shall be the duty of the Vice President to perform all the duties of the President.
Section 4. Treasurer – It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to protect all money and records of accounts of the Chapter, making an annual report of the receipts and disbursements to the Chapter. The Treasurer shall give such bond, to secure the faithful discharge of duties as may be determined from time to time by the Board. The fee for this bond shall be paid out of the treasury of the Chapter. At the expiration of the term of office, the Treasurer shall turn over to the successor all books, papers and money belonging to the Chapter, taking a receipt therefore.
Section 5. Secretary – The Secretary shall perform such duties as are required by law or as assigned by the Board. The Secretary shall prepare and maintain a written record of the proceedings of the Chapter and the Board. The Secretary shall have responsibility for publication of the chapter’s official periodical and dissemination of same to membership.
Section 6. State Director – The State Director shall attend, as a delegate of the Chapter, all State Society meetings and all meetings of the Board of Directors of the Society. The State Director shall report to the Chapter on activities of the State Society.
Section 7. Directors – Each director shall attend all Chapter and Board meetings and shall be prepared to present progress reports on assignments.
Section 8. Past-Presidents – The Past-President, an ex officio member of the Board, shall serve in an advisory capacity to the President and the Board, and shall preside at the Chapter and Board meetings in the absence of the President, President-Elect and Vice President.
BYLAW 9 – COMMITTEES
Section 1. The standing committees of the Chapter shall have the same names and duties as those of the State Society and NSPE and shall include but not be limited to:
Education
Registration and Qualification for Practice
Legislative and Government Affairs
Engineering Technicians
Ethical Practices
Interprofessional Relations
Engineers Week
Professional Development Awards
Awards
Public Relationships
Membership
Constitution and Bylaws
Nominating
Mathcounts
Periodicals
Committees may be combined at the discretion of the President.
Section 2. Each of the standing committees shall consist of at least three members who shall serve three-year terms with exception as listed below. The President shall appoint members to serve on the standing committees. The initial appointments following adoption of this constitution shall be for one, two, and three year terms for individually designated committee members as decreed by the President. Committee members may resign by notifying the President. Upon resignation of a committee member, the President shall appoint a replacement who shall serve the remainder of the term of the resigning member. Terms for committee member shall be staggered so that no more than one-third of committee member terms shall expire in any one year. The practice divisions may appoint such committees as are necessary to carry on their activities.
Section 3. Each standing committee shall inform the Board of its activities at least once each year, or as otherwise directed by the President.
Section 4. The President shall appoint such other special committees as may be desirable for the conduct of the business of the Chapter.
Section 5. No committee shall commit the Chapter without specific authorization from the Board.
BYLAW
10 – PRACTIVE DIVISIONS
Section 1. Practice divisions, comprised of members having common professional problems and interests, shall operate under the Constitution and Bylaws of the Chapter. Operating Rules and changes thereto must have the approval of the Board before becoming effective. The Board may dissolve a practice division after conducting a hearing on the need for such action.
Section 2. All actions by practice divisions shall be consistent with the policies of the chapter, State society and NSPE.
Section 3. Practice divisions serving the Chapter shall be as follows:
(No practice divisions specified at this time.)
BYLAW 11 – MEETINGS
Section 1. Nine regular monthly meetings shall be held each year at a time and place to be determined by the Board.
Section 2. Special meetings may be held at the call of the President, other officers as provided for in the Constitution.
BYLAW
12 – ODER OF BUSINESS
Section 1. The order of business at meetings of the Board shall be:
Roll Call
Reading of Minutes of Previous Meeting
Reading of Communications
Reports of Officers
Reports of Committees
Unfinished Business
New Business
Adjournment
Section 2. The order of Business at the Annual Meeting shall be:
Roll Call
Reading of Minutes of Previous Annual Meeting
Reading of Communications
Reports of Officers
Reports of Committees
Unfinished Business
Reports of Tellers Committee
Introduction of Officers Elect during Installation Ceremony
New Business
Adjournment
Section 3. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern matters of Parliamentary Procedure of the Chapter.
BYLAW
13 – OFFICIAL PERIODICAL
Section 1. The Chapter shall publish an official periodical to be known as “The Benchmark.”