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Constitution and By-Laws
Amended January, 1979
Article 1
Name
The name of the Society shall be the American Microchemical Society. For purposed of this constitution and by-laws, it shall be known as andreferred to therein as the Society.
Article II
Object
Section 1: The Society shall be a nonprofit, scientific, and educationalorganization. The object of the society shall be
to encourage the advancement of microchemistry in its broadest sense
Section 2: The fields of activity shall be those appropriate tothe accomplishment of the object of the Society.
Section 3: The object of the Society shall be pursued in a non-profit-makingmanner conforming to the provision of the
Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c) (3) 1954, and as many be amended.
Article III
Lobbying
Section 1: The Society shall not attempt to influence legislationthrough propaganda.
Section 2: The Society shall not participate in any politicalcampaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
Article IV
Membership
All persons interested in the object of the Society shall be eligiblefor regular membership.
Article V
Section 1: The elected officers of the Society shall be the Chairperson-elect,the Secretary, the Treasurer, and three
Executive Committee Members-at-large. The offices of Chairperson andPast Chairperson are filled by automatic
succession. The Executive Committee shall consist of all the aboveofficers, the chairpersons of all standing
committees, delegates, alternate delegates, and the Editor of the MicrochemicalJournal.
Section 2: Elected officers of the Society shall be elected annuallyby mail ballot of the regular members in good standing.
Each officer shall serve one year per term.
Section 3: The Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer shall beex-officio members of all committees.
Section 4: The Executive committee shall have authority to actfor the Society in a manner consistent with the Constitution and
By-Laws of the Society.
Section 5: The general duties of each officer shall be those asdefined in Robertís Rules of Order (Revised).
Article IV
Meetings
Section 1: The regular meetings of the Society shall be scheduledmonthly meetings within the normally accepted academic
year, September through May.
Section 2: The Chairperson shall call a special meeting within30 days when so petitioned in writing by fifteen (15) members in
good standing or by any five (5) members of the Executive Committee.
Section 3: The Secretary shall notify members of at least one(1) week in advance of the time and place of each society
meeting.
Article VII
Amendments
Section 1: These articles of the Constitution may be amended asfollows: Any member may introduce in writing an
amendment to the constitution for consideration by the Executive Committee. After study, the chairperson shall
put this to a vote of the committee. If a majority vote agree, theSecretary shall notify the membership with a
written copy of the amendment for consideration at the next regular meting. Those unable to attend the next
regular meeting shall be privileged to vote on the motion by letter ballot. At the next regular meeting, a motion to
amend shall be considered. If two-thirds of those voting vote aye,the motion is passed.
Article VIII
Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the Society and the discharge of its debtsand the settlement of its affairs, any assets of the Society remaining thereaftershall be conveyed to such organization then existent, dedicated to the objectivessimilar to those of the Society so long as whichever organization is selectedby the governing body of the Society at the time of dissolution shall beexempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 asamended, or under such successor provision of the Code as may be in effectat the time of the American Microchemical Societyís dissolution.
By-Laws
Article I
Activities of the Society
Section 1: The Society shall be active unilaterally of in concernwith other organizations internationally, nationally, and locally.
Section 2: The Society shall encourage the utilization of microchemicaltechniques through the dissemination of knowledge, the
interchange of scientific ideas, and the presentation of award.
Article II
Members
Section 1: Election: Written Application for regular membershipshall be referred to the Membership Committee who will
determine the eligibility of the applicant. The Committee shall reportimmediately its recommendation to the
Executive Committee. Following a positive acceptance motion of theExecutive Committee, the Membership
Chairperson shall notify the applicant of this acceptance. Upon paymentof current dues, this applicant shall be
admitted as a regular member.
Section 2: Classes: There shall be three classes of membership:regular, honorary, and life. Honorary membership shall be
bestowed by a majority vote of members present at a properly constitutedSociety meeting which follows a
recommendation by the Executive Committee. Details of Honorary membershipshall be fixed by the Executive
Committee and shall be recognized as regular members and shall be exemptfrom payment of dues.
Section 3: Dues: Dues shall be paid each fiscal year to the Treasurerimmediately following membership billing. The name of
any member whose dues will be in arrears for more than one fiscal year shallbe removed from the roll of members
in good standing. Reinstatement follows full payment of due in arrears. Decisions in specific cases shall be the
duty of the Executive Committee.
Section 4: Dues shall be reviewed annually by the Executive committee. Any change receiving Committee recommendation
shall be continued in a membership-wide notice and voted upon at a designatedmeeting. Changes become
effective with the following society year.
Article III
Officers
Section 1: Vacancies: In the event of a vacancy in any electiveoffice, other than Chairperson or Past Chairperson, the
vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee for theunexpired term. Vacancy in the office
of Chairperson shall be immediately filled by automatic succession of theChairperson-Elect.
Section 2: The Chairperson-Elect shall act as Society Representativeto the governing board of other organizations, unless
otherwise designated by chairperson, in which technical meetings are heldin concert with these organizations. In
addition, the Chairperson-Elect shall conduct Society meetings the absenceof the Chairperson.
Section 3: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the prudentinvestment of all special funds of the Society with the approval
of the Executive Committee. The principal goal shall be conservationof funds invested. The Treasurerís books
shall be audited annually by the Auditing Committee and the incoming Treasurer. Report(s) of this audit shall be
made to the Executive Committee and to the membership of the Society.
Section 4: The Society generally follows the academic year.However, the Society Year shall be from June 1 to May 31 of
the following year. At the beginning of the New Year a report is requiredfrom the two Treasurers, outgoing and
incoming, after which time the books are open for the New Year. Duesbillings shall be made before October 1
of the New Year.
Article IV
Elections
Section 1: The Nominating Committee shall select one morewilling candidates for each elective office: Chairperson-Elect,
Secretary, Treasurer, and Executive Committee Members at large. TheSecretary shall announce the candidates
at the regular February meeting.
Section 2: Following the announcement, further nominations ofcandidates willing to serve are in order and may be announced
by he members from the floor or by the Secretary from membersí correspondence.
Section 3: The Secretary shall be responsible for preparationof the mail ballot in which candidatesí names and business
addresses appear in alphabetical order. Each regular member in goodstanding shall be sent one copy of this
ballot with instructions for voting, plus a preaddressed envelope to theSecretary at last 3 weeks prior to the April
Meeting. The Secretary shall also announce the election in the normalmembership notice for the April meeting.
Section 4: To be counted, ballots must be returned by membersin time for the April meeting at which time the Executive
Committee shall count votes to determine results of the election. The Secretary shall immediately notify the newly
elected officers of their selection.
Article V
Meetings
Section 1: The time and place of all meetings shall be set bythe Executive Committee.
Section 2: Nineteen members shall constitute a quorum for thetransaction of business of the Society.
Section 3: Five members shall constitute a quorum for the transactionof business by the Executive Committee.
Section 4: The recommended order of business at all business meetingsof the Society shall be as follows:
(a) Reading of the minutes of the previous meetings;
(b) Reports of officers;
(c) Reports of standing committees;
(d) Reports of special committees;
(e) Unfinished business;
(f) New business;
(g) Adjournment.
Section 5: Robertsí ìRules of Orderî (Revised)shall be the final authority on questions of procedure and parliamentarylaw
not covered by the constitution or by-laws.
Article VI
Committees
Section 1: The Chairperson shall appoint the following committees:
(a) Audit
(b) Benedetti-Pichler Award Fund
The award is known as ìThe A.A. Benedetti-Pichler Award in Microchemistry.î The committee
is composed of:
1. Society Chairperson-Elect
2. Three members form the body of the Society membership.
The members will be appointed to staggered three-year terms, with the mostsenior committee member
as Chairperson.
The Selection of the award recipient is based on service to microchemistryin its broadest meaning, which
includes research, application, administration, teaching, or to the meansof promoting the advancement of
microchemistry.
Although the Award Committee is solely responsible for selecting the recipientof the award, they will
actively solicit nominations form any interested individual, not necessarilya member of the American
Microchemical Society. Such nominations should be made in writingand addressed to the Chairman of
the Benedetti-Pichler Award Committee for transmittal to the Award Committee. Nominators will be
required to state the reason for the nomination and cite the work of thenominee. The committee will take
this list into consideration in selecting the recipient.
The recipient will be required to give a memorial award address at a suitablegathering, national or
international and will receive a suitable momento of the occasion. This address is to be made during the
calendar year in which the announcement is made and the award presented.
The award will be made annually unless the committee feels that, in anyparticular year, no one of sufficient
stature has been nominated.
(c) Eastern Analytical Symposium Delegate and alternate
1. appointment for one (1) year (January through December).
2. May be reappointed
(d) educational Fund
The purpose of the educational fund is to aid studies at undergraduate andgraduate levels in the area of
microchemistry and allied fields.
A committee e of three will be appointed to staggered three year terms,with the most senior as chairman.
This committee will consider applications for the granting of these fundsand the qualifications of the
people to whom the funds will be granted. The committee is solelyresponsible for selecting the recipient
of the award.
(e) Historian
(f) Hospitality
(g) Membership
(h) Nominating
(i) Program (chairman is the Society Chairman-Elect)
(j) Publicity
Section 2: The Editor of the Microchemical Journal shall be chosenby the Executive Committee and must be accepted by
the sponsoring publisher. The Editor shall have continuous term ofoffice and can only be removed by majority
vote of the Executive Committee. The Editor will submit an annualreport of the state of the publication. The
Editorial Board of the Microchemical Journal shall be the joint responsibilityof the Editor and the Publisher.
Membership of the Editorial Board of the Microchemical Journal shall bethe sole responsibility of the Edor and
Publisher with majority approval of the Executive Committee.
Section 3: Other committees shall be appointed, as the ExecutiveCommittee may deem appropriate.
Article VII
Amending the By-Laws
Any member may introduce in writing an amendment to the by-laws for considerationby the Executive Committee. After study, the chairperson shall putthis to a vote of that committee. If a majority vote agree, the Secretaryshall notify the membership with a written copy of the amendment of reconsiderationat the next regular meeting. A majority of the members present infavor of the amendment amends the by-laws.
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