American Institute of Chemical Engineers
Delaware Valley Section

By-Laws
Home Events Section Contacts Section News By-Laws

 
Home
 

 


Attention DVS Members

The Bylaws were updated to more appropriately reflect the operation of AIChE-DVS.  The key changes include:

1.  The creation of a Board of Directors.  The Board is elected by the members of the Section.

2.  The Officers (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary) will be selected from the Board by the members of the Board.

3.  The Quorum requirement for decision-making has been redefined.  Previously, a quorum of 5% of local section members was required to make decisions (i.e. budget approval, program activity, scholarships).  This has proven impractical given the population of the section.  The Quorum has been redefined empowering the Board of Directors to make most operational decisions.  Meanwhile, higher-level section decisions (Election of Board Members, Bylaw updates) will still require a broader quorum and involvement of full membership.  This change is designed to balance practicality and good-governance.

4.  A new officer position is created:  Associate Treasurer.  The role is designed to help ensure seamless transition in the management of the Section treasury.

The existing Bylaws appear below.  Click here to read the revised Bylaws.

The revised bylaws have been approved by vote of the Section membership, and will take effect as soon as approval is received from AIChE National.


(EXISTING) BYLAWS OF THE
DELAWARE VALLEY SECTION OF THE
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS

 ARTICLE I
Name and Objectives

Section 1.  The name of this organization is the Delaware Valley Section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Section 2.  The objectives of the Section are:

  1. The advancement of the profession of Chemical Engineering and the maintenance of high professional standards among our members.
  2. The carrying out of the aims and purposes of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
  3. Providing ways and means for consolidating our eligible membership into an effective Local Section.
  4. The promotion of cordial and helpful professional relations among our members, with AIChE National, with other AIChE Local Sections and Local Sections of other Technical Societies, with faculties and students of nearby institutions, and with the general public.

ARTICLE II
Obligations to the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (National)

Section 1.  The activities of the Section and its members are subject to the provisions in the Constitution, Code of Ethics, and By-Laws of the National American Institute of Chemical Engineers (hereafter referred to as National AIChE or National).

Section 2.  The Local Section shall not have authority to act for or in the name of the National AIChE.  Neither shall it incur any financial obligation in the name of the National AIChE.

 ARTICLE III
Boundaries

Section 1.  The boundaries of the Local Section shall be as approved by National AIChE.

Section 2.  The Local Section boundaries currently include the following counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia; and the following counties of Southern New Jersey: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem.

 ARTICLE IV
Membership

Section 1.  The membership of the Delaware Valley Section of the AIChE shall consist of FELLOWS, MEMBERS, ASSOCIATE MEMBERS, AFFILIATES, and STUDENT MEMBERS of National AIChE residing or engaged in business in the aforementioned geographical boundary (except as provided in Article IV, Section 3), who are in good standing in the Section.

Section 2.  A Local Section member in good standing shall have full voting rights, shall receive all issues of the Newsletter and all other benefits provided for the membership.

A member is in good standing in the Section if

  1. current local dues have been paid (For a period of no more than two consecutive years, an individual may become a Local Section member while not simultaneously being a member in good standing of National AIChE)
     
  2. last year’s local dues were paid and it is not later than February 1 of the current fiscal year
     
  3. the individual is a National AIChE member who moved into the area after September 1 of the current fiscal year (See Article V Section 2)
     
  4. the individual is a Student Member who has applied in writing to the Section Treasurer for Section membership.  Graduate student members as identified by National AIChE on their yearly mailing list will automatically be considered as local section members in good standing.

Section 3.  Any member of the National AIChE residing and engaged in business outside the boundaries of the Local Section who wants to become a Local Section member may apply in writing along with payment of the Local Section dues to the Section Treasurer.  Acceptance is subject to Executive Committee or Chair approval.

Section 4.  Nothing in these By-Laws shall be construed to prevent members from bringing non-members guests to meetings of the Local Section.

 ARTICLE V
Dues

Section 1.  The dues for members of the Local Section shall be fifteen dollars ($15.00) per year, except that dues shall be waived for Student Members per Article IV.  The means of soliciting the payment of dues shall be established by the Executive Committee.

Section 2.  National Members who moved into the Local Section after September 1 shall automatically become local members and shall not be required to pay the local dues for the current fiscal year.  They shall be so notified and asked to continue their membership on a normal basis for subsequent years.  

 ARTICLE VI
Officers

Section 1.  The officers of the Local Section shall be the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.  These officers together with the Local Section Past-Chair shall constitute the Local Section Executive Committee.  All nominees and officers must be MEMBERS or ASSOCIATE MEMBERS of the National AIChE and local Section Members in good standing.  It shall be the duty of the nominating committees and the Section Treasurer to notify the nominees of these requirements.

Section 2.  The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Section.  In his/her absence, the Vice-Chair, the Secretary or the Treasurer, in that order, shall preside.

Section 3.  The Chair Elect shall serve as Program Manager for all Local Section meetings.

Section 4.  The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Section.  The Secretary shall, under direction of the Chair, issue notices of Executive Committee meetings to the Executive Committee members, Section Committee Chair, and National Council Liaison.

The Secretary shall prepare and issue minutes for each Executive Committee meeting and any business conducted at Joint or Annual meetings of the Section.  Distribution shall include Local Section Executive Committee members, Section Committee Chair, and National Liaison.

In addition, by December 1, the Secretary shall edit and issue an annual report developed by the Past-Chair consisting of reports from each Section officer and Section Committee Chair summarizing the fiscal year past.  Copies are required for distribution to incoming Executive Committee members and Section Committee Chair.  Bound copies of this report are sent to: the Library of the United Engineering Center (New York City) through the National President, the Towne Library at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Local Section Files maintained by the Chair.

Section 5.  The Treasurer shall maintain appropriate records of the financial transactions of the Section.  The Treasurer shall be charged with the collection and disbursement of funds as authorized by the Executive Committee.  The treasurer shall maintain member in good standing and paid up membership lists for the Section.  At the first Section meeting of each fiscal year, the Treasurer shall present a financial report.  This report shall include a budget for the year which has been approved by the Local Section Executive Committee.  (See Article VIII Finances).

Section 6.  The Past-Chair shall initiate and compile an annual report prior to December 1.  The annual report shall be prepared per the standard form provided by the National AIChE and consist of reports from each Section officer and Section Committee Chair summarizing activities for the last fiscal year.  In addition, an analysis of the state of the local section along with any recommendations should be included.  If the Past-Chair is unable to fulfill this task the Chair shall assume responsibility for its completion.

 ARTICLE VII
Committees

Section 1.  There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the officers set forth in Article VI, Section 1.  This Committee shall meet at times set by the Chair, with input from the Committee but no less than specified in Article IX.  The Chair shall head the Executive Committee.  A quorum of the Executive Committee shall be three members.  The Executive Committee is charged with conducting the business of the Section.

Section 2.  The Section Chair shall have the responsibility of appointing such Section Committees as he/she deems necessary to carry out the Section programs and policies effectively.

Past experience indicates that the following Section Committees should be considered:

  • All Day Meeting

  • * Career Guidance

  • Company Representatives

  • * Continuing Education (Professional Development

  • Joint Meetings (by Section Chair Elect)

  • * Membership

  • Newsletter

  • Nominations & Awards (by Section Past Chair)

  • Planning

  • Plant Trips

  • * Publicity (Public Relations)

  • Scholarship

  • Student Chapters

  • Zeisberg Awards

The Chair of the Section Committees marked with an asterisk (*) are automatically members of the corresponding National Committees.  The office of the National Secretary should be notified of any changes in chair of these committees. 

Section 3.  Organization of Company Representatives shall be:

  1. Representatives Chair establishes an effective organization and follows up coverage of contacts with membership.
     
  2. Company Representatives post and distribute Local Section meeting notices in person, post Section bulletins, encourage meeting attendance and maintain an up-to-date membership list and list of prospective members.  Also, help the membership chair get new national and local members.

 ARTICLE VIII
Finances

Section 1.  The fiscal year shall be from July 1 to June 30 of the following calendar year.  The Section Treasurer shall distribute working funds within the limits of the budget established by the Executive Committee.  The Section Treasurer shall provide copies of a written monthly treasurer’s report at each executive committee meeting for inclusion in the meeting minutes.

Section 2.  The use of Section Funds for food, drinks, or other favors for Section officers or committee members shall be kept at a minimum and approved annually by the Executive Committee.

Section 3.

  1. The Section Treasurer shall maintain a checking account at a local bank protected by the FDIC.
     
  2. All other Section funds shall be deposited in a local bank as either demand or time deposits protected by the FDIC, or invested as approved by the executive committee.  The exact location shall be established to maximize interest accruals within the account restraints given above.
     
  3. The Section Treasurer shall prepare an annual report closing his books at the end of the fiscal year.
     
  4. The Section Chair shall appoint an auditor from the Section membership to audit the financial transactions of the fiscal year after the Section Treasurer closes the books.

Section 4.  The Section Treasurer is authorized to destroy records more than three years old, with the exception of the Treasurer’s Annual Reports and cancelled checks.  Cancelled checks may be destroyed after seven years.

Section 5. 

  1. The Program Chair (Vice-Chair) shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses when acting as host to a speaker.  These expenses shall be covered by appropriate budget items and controlled by the Section Treasurer.  The payment of honoraria to speakers is discouraged.  The Executive Committee will consider exceptions to this policy upon request from the Chair-Elect in advance of scheduling the event.
     
  2. The Executive Committee shall have responsibility for approving all funded activities such as professional (continuing) education, scholarships, and Zeisberg Awards.  The fund retained for financing the Zeisberg Awards is not to be combined with the Section operating funds, but accounted for separately.  Surplus professional education funds should be accounted for separately, but these funds may be appropriated for other uses at the discretion of the Executive Committee.  Surplus funds from the general budget may be used to build an endowment to finance the yearly student scholastic awards program, which is separate from the Zeisberg Awards, or for future programs designated by the Executive Committee.

Section 6.  Upon the dissolution of the Local Section, any assets of the Local Section remaining thereafter shall be conveyed to such organization then existent, dedicated to the perpetuation of objectives similar to those of the National AIChE or to the AIChE governing body provided that the organization selected by the Section at the time of dissolution shall be exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as amended, or under such successor provision of the Code as may be in effect at the time of the Section’s dissolution.

 ARTICLE IX
Meetings

Section 1.  There shall be at least four meetings of the Section Executive Committee open to Committee Chairs and the section membership each year, one of which shall be an Annual Board Meeting..  The Executive Committee shall determine the date and place of the meetings.  The Chair or Chair-Elect shall send a notice of the meetings to all Executive Committee and Committee Chair members approximately one week in advance of such meetings. 

Section 2.  A quorum at a Section meeting shall consist of 5 percent of the enrolled local section membership in good standing. 

Section 3.  The business of the Section and the Executive Committee shall be transacted according to “Robert’s Rules of Order.”  Ordinarily, the business of the Section shall be transacted at the meeting as follows: Reading of Minutes, Reports of Officers and Committees, Unfinished Business, New Business, Election of Officers (in April), Adjournment.

 ARTICLE X
Elections

Section 1.  All officers of the Section shall be elected by ballot at an Annual Board Meeting or ballot at a Section Dinner Meeting provided a quorum is present; or by mail ballot under conditions prescribed by the Executive Committee.  The election shall be held prior to June 1 and notice of same shall be announced at least 15 days in advance of the election date.  The term of office for newly elected officers shall be from July 1 through June 30 of the next calendar year, or until their successors are elected and take office.  Immediately after the annual election, the Secretary of the Section shall announce the results to members and forward the names of the newly elected officers to the Secretary of the National AIChE.

Section 2.  Should a vacancy occur in any Local Section office other than Chair, the Section Chair, after consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint some member who meets the requirements stated in Article VI to fill the unexpired term.

Should a vacancy occur in a Section Chair office, the Chair-Elect shall automatically fill the unexpired term of Chair and appoint a Chair-Elect replacement as above.

Section 3.  No member shall be eligible to election to more than one office at any one time.

Section 4.  Nominations.  The committee for nomination of officer candidates shall be:

Past Chair

Chair

Vice-Chair

All nominees shall be local section members in good standing.  Nominations for any section office may be submitted by petition on or before January 15 to the Section Past Chair provided that this petition is signed by three percent (3%) of the members of the local section.  Two nominees are required for any chair election whenever the current chair is serving by appointment.

ARTICLE XI
Amendments

Section 1.  These By-laws, with the exception of Article II may be amended at any Section meeting by an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of all local section members present provided:

  1. That the Executive Committee has initiated or approved the proposal, or, that 25 local section members have submitted the proposal in writing to the local section Secretary.
     
  2. That in any case the local section Secretary shall give the local section membership at least 15 days notice of the proposed action prior to the meeting at which action is scheduled.
     
  3. That a quorum is present.
     
  4. That subsequent approval by the National Council of AIChE is received.  If after sending the proposed amendment to the National Council of the AIChE no response is received within three months, the proposed amendment will become final.

Section 2.  Any procedural question requiring parliamentary ruling not provided for in these by-laws shall be decided in accordance with “Robert’s Rules of Order.”

 Approved by Local Section Membership on __________, 2002.

 Approved by National AIChE on __________, 2002

[Top of Page] [Home] [AIChE National]

For comments, suggestions, and questions regarding this web site
please contact the Webmaster
© Copyright 2002-2008 AIChE-DVS.  All rights reserved.