CONSTITUTION

 

Collegiate Branch

Southern Region

American Society for Horticultural Science

 

 

Article I

The name of this organization shall be the Collegiate Branch of the Southern Region of the American Society for Horticultural Science.

 

Article II

The objectives shall be to promote the profession of agriculture as it pertains to horticulture; to sponsor horticultural activities; to develop fellowship among a membership with kindred interests; to furnish a medium of contact for horticulture students of the southern region of the United States; to act as an official agent of the horticulture students of this region; and to develop new interests and improvement in horticulture research, teaching, extension and service activities as they pertain to the field of horticulture.

 

Article III

The membership shall consist of the regular members of the Horticulture Clubs of the colleges and universities located in the southern region of the United States that have affiliated with the Collegiate Branch organization.  Each club through its authorized representative shall have a single vote in the affairs of the organization.

 

Article IV

Regular meeting shall be held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Southern Region of the American Society for Horticultural Science.

 

Article V

The officers of the organization shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Reporter, Collegiate Branch Official Representative to the National Association of Collegiate Branches. Each of these officers shall be elected to serve a 1-year term. A  faculty advisor shall be appointed to a 3-year term by the Executive Committee of Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science.

 

Article VI

This constitution may be amended at any regular annual meeting by a majority vote of the Horticulture Clubs that have paid club dues and are represented at the annual meeting of the Collegiate Branch organization in which the vote is taken, providing notice of such proposed amendment has been presented in writing to all member clubs at least thirty days prior to the date of the annual meeting at which said amendment is to be presented.


 

By-Laws

 

Section 1—Eligibility and Election of Officers:

            All officers shall be chosen from the active memberships of the Horticulture Clubs affiliated with the Collegiate Branch organization.  All officer candidates should be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program or have graduated no more than sixty (60) days prior to the meeting in which they will preside.  The election shall be held at the regular annual meeting of the organization and each club shall, through its authorized representative, have one vote in said election.  Nominations shall be made from the floor and voting shall be by ballot.

 

            In case no candidate shall have received a majority upon the first ballot, all but the two highest candidates shall be dropped, and additional ballots cast until one candidate shall receive a majority.  All officers shall be ineligible for re-election to the same office for a successive term.   No member may hold more than one office.

 

            Only one officer may be elected from a given school, except under extenuating circumstances when there are insufficient schools represented, by nominations,from which to elect all officers.

 

Section 2—Duties of Officers:

            All officers will be required to participate in the meeting over which they preside.  They will be expected to coordinate and assist with the setting up and scoring of the J. Benton Storey Undergraduate Judging Contest, which will preclude their participating as contestants.

 

            The President shall preside at all meetings and serve as a member and chairman of the executive committee.  The President shall also attend the Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science Executive Committee Meetings.

 

            The Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the President and serve as a member of the executive committee.  The Vice-President shall serve as Chair of the J. Benton Storey Judging Contest.

 

            The Secretary shall keep a permanent record book in which the proceedings of each meeting shall be recorded and a record of the names and addresses of the officers of each Horticulture Club affiliated with the Collegiate Branch.  At each meeting the secretary shall read the minutes of the preceding meeting and serve as a member of the executive committee.  The secretary shall also record the names of the authorized representatives of each club in attendance at regular annual meetings.

 

            The Treasurer shall keep a permanent record book in which all accounts shall be recorded. The treasurer shall receive all dues paid by member clubs of the Collegiate Branch and disburse all funds as directed by the organization or executive committee.  The treasurer shall invoice all clubs in the southern region for annual dues on or before September 1.  Prior to the annual meeting, he/she shall have the books audited by the Secretary-Treasurer of the Southern Region American Society for Horticulture Science.  The treasurer shall prepare a written report for presentation at each annual meeting and shall also certify each club eligible to membership and vote at each annual meeting.

 

            The Newsletter Reporter shall be responsible for developing a minimum of three (3) newsletters annually. The first newsletter should be a  post-regional meeting newsletter mailed by March 1 after the regional meeting.  This newsletter should include information about the previous regional meeting and upcoming national meeting.  The second newsletter shall be mailed prior to September1 and shall include a call for paper titles and award nominations as well as other available information about  the  upcoming annual meeting.  The third newsletter shall be mailed by December 1 preceding the regional meeting and should contain the student meeting program, information about lodging, and any tours or special events.

 

            The Collegiate Branch Representative shall be responsible for representing the Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science Collegiate Branch at the National American Society for Horticultural Science annual meeting.  A $400 reimbursement following meeting attendance is distributed to the Collegiate Branch Representative.

 

            Officers will serve as judges of the Outstanding Club Share Competition.  Voting takes place by secret ballot.  One student from each due paying club will serve as a representative.  The club with the majority vote receives a $100 award.

 

            The Faculty Advisor shall advise with the executive committee relative to matters of general concern of the organization and make recommendations as to programs and policies.

 

Section 3—Executive Committee:

            An executive committee consisting of the Chair, who shall be President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Newsletter Reporter, the Collegiate Branch Representative and the Faculty Advisor, shall function to direct activities of the organization and consider matters of general policy or welfare of the organization and present recommendations at the regular annual meetings of the organization.

 

Section 4—Dues:

            Each Horticulture Club in the Southern Region of the United States desiring to affiliate with the Collegiate Branch shall do so by paying an annual membership of thirty dollars ($30) and by filing with the Secretary of the organization a listing of the current officers of the club, including the faculty advisor.  Annual dues are due and payable by December 1 prior to the annual meeting of the organization, and no club representative is eligible to vote or participate in the organization’s judging contest as a team member until the treasurer has certified that the clubs’ dues have been received.  Clubs which do not pay dues by the December 1 deadline will be considered inactive and will be required to pay the annual membership dues plus a fifteen dollar ($15) reactivation fee.  Once the dues and reactivation fee have been paid, the club will be considered active and eligible to vote and have a team participate in the judging contest.


Section 5—Quorum:

            One-third of the regularly authorized delegates of the affiliated clubs in good standing shall constitute a quorum.

 

Section 6—Reading of the Constitution and By-Laws:

            The Constitution and By-Laws shall be read at each regular annual meeting prior to the election of new officers.

 

Section 7—Standardization of Horticulture Clubs Organization:

            It is recommended that Horticulture Clubs in the Southern Region adopt standard Constitutions and By-Laws in conformity with those recommended by the American Society for Horticultural Science.