REVISED SEPTEMBER 2012

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I. NAME AND TERRITORIAL RIGHTS

Section 1.This local BRANCH shall be known as the WESTERN NEW YORK BRANCH, hereinafter referred to as the BRANCH of the AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY, hereinafter referred to as the SOCIETY. 

Section 2.The geographical limits of this local BRANCH shall be those arranged with the chair of the Membership Board and approved by the COUNCIL.

Section 3. The territorial limits of the WESTERN NEW YORK BRANCH shall include the New York State zip codes 14000-14999. 

ARTICLE II. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the BRANCH shall be the promotion of scientific knowledge of microbiology and related subjects and the improvement of education in microbiology and related fields.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERS

The BRANCH shall consist of the following categories of members:

Section 1. Regular Members. A person who endorses the objectives of the SOCIETY and has an interest in microbiology or a related field is eligible become a Regular Member and vote. Non-members of the national SOCIETY cannot be elected to the BRANCH offices of President, President-Elect, Councilor or Alternate Councilor. A non-member of the SOCIETY may be elected as secretary-treasurer.

Section 2. Student Members. A matriculated full time student of microbiology or a related field who does not hold a doctoral degree shall be eligible to become a Student Member and vote. Student members cannot hold office.

Section 3. Sustaining Members. Any organization interested in advancing the objectives of the SOCIETY and the activities of the BRANCH shall be eligible to become a Sustaining Member.

Section 4. Emeritus Members. A person who has been a Regular Member for at least 20 years upon retirement from regular and remunerative professional work shall be eligible to apply for emeritus status. Emeritus Members shall have the rights of Regular Members.

Section 5. Other Members. Members living outside the territorial limits shall be granted membership upon approval of the Executive Committee of the BRANCH and SOCIETY authorization.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS AND BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. The officers of the BRANCH shall be a President, President-Elect and  Secretary-Treasurer. Each officer shall be elected for a term beginning July 1st and shall continue in office for two years or until a successor shall have been duly chosen. The President-Elect will assume the office of President when the current term of the President expires. The President and President-Elect shall be members of the SOCIETY in good standing in order to hold BRANCH office.

Section 2. The duties of these officers shall be such as usually pertain to the offices held and also any other duties that may be assigned by the SOCIETY, the BRANCH Executive Committee, or that shall be prescribed by the SOCIETY Constitution and Bylaws.

 Section 3. The Councilor from the BRANCH shall be a member of the SOCIETY in good standing who shall represent the BRANCH and shall be a member of the SOCIETY Council as provided in the SOCIETY Constitution and Bylaws. The term of the Councilor shall be two years. The Councilor shall be eligible to election for no more than two consecutive terms. Members of the BRANCH must also be SOCIETY members to be eligible to vote for Councilor.

 Section 4. The Alternate Councilor shall be an elected BRANCH member having the same qualifications as the Councilor as provided in the SOCIETY Constitution and Bylaws who shall take the place of the Councilor whenever circumstances prevent the duly elected Councilor from attending a Council meeting. The term of an Alternate Councilor shall be two years. Members of the BRANCH must also be SOCIETY members to be eligible to vote for Alternate Councilor.

Section 5. The President, President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, Councilor, Alternate Councilor and Immediate Past President shall constitute the Executive Committee of the BRANCH. The Executive Committee shall be the governing body of the BRANCH and shall always consider the varied interests of the membership of the BRANCH in designing meetings, programs and activities. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be called by the President or by any two members of the Executive Committee.

Section 6. In the event the President shall be unable to serve out his elected term, a vacancy in the office of BRANCH President shall be filled by the President-Elect who shall serve as BRANCH President until the subsequent 30th day of June. A vacancy shall be declared in the office of President-Elect.

Section 7. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President-Elect or in the office of Secretary-Treasurer, the President shall designate an interim Officer who shall serve in the office until the subsequent 30th day of June.

Section 8. A vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of BRANCH Councilor if the BRANCH Councilor shall be declared Councilor-at-Large, or shall be a member of the Society Council in some other capacity, or shall resign as Branch Councilor.

Section 9. A vacancy in the office of BRANCH Councilor shall be filled by the Alternate Councilor. In the event the BRANCH Alternate Councilor fills the declared vacancy in the office of BRANCH Councilor, the President shall designate an Interim Alternate Councilor who shall serve on the Executive Committee as Alternate Councilor until the 30th day of June following the appointment as Interim Alternate Councilor.

ARTICLE V. MEETINGS

Section 1. The BRANCH shall hold at least two meetings yearly. One of these meetings may be held jointly with a local scientific organization or a neighboring local branch.

Section 2. The time and place of each meeting shall be fixed by the Executive Committee, and a notice of the same shall be sent to each member of the BRANCH at least three weeks prior to the date of said meeting. Special meetings can be called by the Executive Committee on one week’s notice.

Section 3. Any area of special interest (such as Clinical Microbiology, Environmental and General Applied Microbiology, General Microbiology, General Medical Microbiology, Immunology, Microbial Physiology and Metabolism, Virology, et cetera as provided in the Divisional Organization of the SOCIETY Constitution and Bylaws) may request the Executive Committee to schedule an activity related to its area of specialization.

ARTICLE VI. FINANCES

Section 1. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for collecting dues set forth in the Bylaws.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall have the power to invite organizations to assist the BRANCH as sustaining members.

ARTICLE VII. ACTIVITIES

Section 1. The Activities of the BRANCH shall promote the scientific knowledge of microbiology and related subjects through BRANCH workshops, presentations and seminars available to all members.

Section 2.  The permanent Committees of the BRANCH shall be named and defined in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VIII. BYLAWS

Section 1. The Executive Committee or any five members of the BRANCH may propose Bylaws, or changes in the Bylaws, provided they are not in conflict with the Constitution of the SOCIETY and not in conflict with the Constitution of the BRANCH, as may be necessary for the proper government of the BRANCH. Such Bylaws shall become operative as set forth in Article VIII, Section 2, of the BRANCH Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 2. Any proposed change in the Bylaws, or addition thereto, shall require the affirmative vote of the majority of the entire BRANCH Executive Committee voting at a meeting or voting by correspondence. Such change or addition shall become operative when and if confirmed by a majority vote of the BRANCH members, provided that publicity is given to the issue three weeks prior.

ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS TO THE BRANCH CONSTITUTION

Section 1. Any proposed amendment to the BRANCH Constitution, not in conflict with the Articles of Incorporation of the SOCIETY and not in conflict with the Constitution of the SOCIETY, may be presented in writing by any two members of the Executive Committee, or at least five members, at any BRANCH business meeting.

Section 2. A proposed amendment approved by a majority of the members, present and voting at a BRANCH business meeting shall be promptly sent to all members of the BRANCH, together with a ballot.

Section 3. The Secretary-Treasurer shall canvass the ballots returned within 30 days of the date of mailing the letter ballot, and the proposed amendment shall be considered adopted if it receives the approval of two-thirds of the members voting. The result of the vote shall be announced by the President of the BRANCH in the first communication sent to the members after the votes are counted.

Section 4. Any amendment that has been adopted shall go into effect at once.

ARTICLE X. DISPOSITION OF ASSETS

Section 1. In the event of termination and dissolution of the BRANCH, the then remaining assets shall be distributed according to designation by the then Executive Committee to an organizer or organization qualifying under Section 501 (C) (3) of the “Internal Revenue Code of 1954”.

BYLAWS

SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP

1. Each member shall be entitled to receive all communications forwarded to the membership by the Secretary-Treasurer from the BRANCH Executive Committee and other standing committee.
2. Privileges for Student Members shall be extended to those members whose completed application for student membership has been approved by the Secretary-Treasurer.
3. Sustaining Members shall be entitled to receive all communications from the Secretary-Treasurer and shall be entitled to receive other communications and privileges as the BRANCH Executive Committee may specify. The representative of any Sustaining Member shall be entitled to a personal vote and entitled to hold office if a regular member in the BRANCH.

SECTION II. OFFICERS AND BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. The term of the office of Councilor shall be two years. All other offices shall have a term of one year.

SECTION III. FINANCES

1. Annual dues in the BRANCH shall be Regular Members, fifteen dollars ($15), Student Members, five dollars ($5), Emeritus Members, no charge and Sustaining Members, two hundred and fifty dollars ($250). Annual dues are payable to the Secretary-Treasurer. 
2. Annual dues for Sustaining Members shall include the privilege of exhibit space at a BRANCH meeting during the year.
3. The Secretary-Treasurer shall provide members a receipt for dues upon request.

SECTION IV. ACTIVITIES

1. The Permanent Committees shall be: Executive, Program and Membership. The President of the BRANCH shall appoint all Committee Chairmen not provided for in the Bylaws, after consultation with the Bylaws. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to approve the naming of Ad Hoc Committees for special activities.
2. The President shall be the Chairman of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have a minimum of two meetings per year, July through June. A meeting shall precede the BRANCH Scientific Meeting by at least six weeks.
3. The Nominating Committee shall be an Ad Hoc Committee of three or more regular members appointed by the President after consultation with the Executive Committee.
4. The Chairman of the Program Committee shall be the President-Elect of the BRANCH. The Secretary-Treasurer of the BRANCH shall be a member of the Program Committee and shall handle the correspondence for the meeting. The President shall appoint other members to the Program Committee as needed.
5. The Chairman of the Membership Committee shall be the  Secretary-Treasurer of the BRANCH. The records of the Secretary-Treasurer shall be the records of the Membership Committee.
6. The Editor of the BRANCH Newsletter shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee. The appointment will be for two years, but can be renewed. The Editor will be responsible to the President and the Executive Committee. The Editor will discuss proposed Newsletters and changes in format and publication schedules with the Executive Committee.
7. The Webmaster of the BRANCH Website shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee. The appointment will be for two years, but can be renewed. The Webmaster will be responsible to the President and the Executive Committee. The Webmaster will discuss proposed changes in format of the BRANCH Website with the Executive Committee.

SECTION V. CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

1. The BRANCH Constitution and Bylaws shall be available to each member of the BRANCH.

SECTION VI. RULES OF ORDER

1. The rules contained in Robert’s RULES OF ORDER, current edition, shall govern the action of the BRANCH in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the SOCIETY and are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the BRANCH.