CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF

THE SOUTHERN REGION OF THE

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE

(Approved February 2, 2009)

 

CONSTITUTION

 

Article I. Name

 

The name of this organization shall be:--The Southern Region of the American Society for Horticultural Science (SR-ASHS).

 

Article II. Purpose

 

The purposes of the SR-ASHS shall be: 1) to encourage and facilitate mutual exchange of ideas and information concerning horticultural research, extension, education and industry, 2) to promote stronger bonds among horticulturists in the Southern Region, and 3) to encourage participation in the national society, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS).

 

Article III. Membership

 

Any person who is interested in the promotion of horticulture in the South is eligible for membership.  A member whose dues are not more then six months in arrears shall be considered active in this organization.  The privilege of voting and holding office shall be restricted to active members.  Eligibility for election to President, President-elect and the Executive Committee or appointment to Secretary-Treasurer shall be restricted to active members of the national society.

 

Article IV. Meetings

 

Annual meetings, including a business meeting, shall normally be held at the time and place of the annual meetings of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS) with which this organization is affiliated, but may be held at any other time and place as determined by the Executive Committee of the SR-ASHS after consultation with the members and notification to the Secretary of SAAS.

 

Article V. Officers and Sectional Chairs

 

The officers shall be President, President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer, and Sectional Chairs, and Sectional Chairs-elect.  Sectional Chairs shall represent the subject matter sections of the SR-ASHS created in the by-laws.

Article VI. Nominations and Elections

 

1.   Nominations for Elected Office.--The Nominations Committee shall submit a slate of candidates for the Election Ballot consisting of at least two candidates for each elected office to be filled.  Members of the Committee may not be candidates for elected office while serving on the Committee.

 

2.   Election of Officers.--The annual election of officers shall be by mail ballot.  The Election Ballot shall be sent to all Members of SR-ASHS at least four months prior to the annual meeting at which the newly elected officers are to begin their terms of office.  The Election Ballot shall contain instructions for voting and indicate the deadline for its return to the Nominations and Elections Committee Chair, who shall arrange for an independent tabulation of the results and who shall notify those elected at least one month prior to the annual meeting at which their terms in office begin.  When there are more than two candidates for the office, the candidate having the largest plurality shall be declared elected.  In the event of a tie vote for any office, the tie shall be resolved by vote of the Executive Committee.

 

3.   Replacement of Vacant Offices.—The Executive Committee shall appoint replacements for any Office that become vacant for any reason.  The appointee will serve until the next election.

 

Article VII. Amendment

 

The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at any regularly called business meeting, provided members are given official notification of the proposed amendment at least 30 days prior to the meeting.

 

Article VIII. Other Matters

 

The organization shall be governed by the Constitution and By-Laws of ASHS and the Rules and Regulations of SAAS on all matters of policy not covered specifically by these articles, and it is the intent of this organization to conform to the policies of ASHS and SAAS in all matters.

 

BY-LAWS

 

Section 1.     Duties of officers: 

 

The President shall preside at the general sessions and business meeting, serve as the SR-ASHS representative on the ASHS Resource Council, serve as ex officio member without voting privilege of on all standing committees, and present an address at the annual meeting.

 

The President-elect shall serve as temporary President and preside at the business meeting and general sessions in the absence of the President serve as an official member of the Executive Committee, and shall serve as ex officio member with voting privilege of all standing committees.

 

Progression of Presidential Office.  The President-elect-elect will have no duties.  President-elect will oversee the graduate student paper competitions and be a member of the Executive Committee.  President will preside over the annual meeting and conduct the Annual Business Meeting. The 1st Year Retired-President will become a member of the Nominations and Elections Committee and be a member of the Smeal Leadership and Administration Awards Committee. The 2nd Year Retired President will Chair the Nominations and Elections Committee and be a member of the Smeal Leadership and Administration Awards Committee...  The 3rd Year Retired President will Chair the Smeal Leadership and Administration Awards Committee.

 

The Secretary-Treasurer shall be appointed by and serve at the discretion of the Executive Committee and shall be responsible directly to the Executive Committee for all operations of SR-ASHS.  The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain liaison between the ASHS Executive Director and the SAAS  Secretary, mail to members the call for papers at least 30 days prior to the closing date for acceptance of papers; notify members of proposed constitutional amendments at least 30 days before a business meeting; serve as chair of the Program Committee; serve as ex officio member without voting privilege of all standing committees; keep the records of the SR-ASHS; collect dues from members; serve as editor of newsletters; and conduct the affairs of the SR-ASHS with the aid and advice of the President and the members of the Executive Committee.

 

The Sectional Chairs shall develop the program of the section, obtain projection and other equipment for use in the presentation of papers or posters, and serve as members of the Program Committee.  The Sections are: Fruit Science, Vegetable Crops, Floriculture, Ornamentals  and Turf, Postharvest and Biotechnology , Poster, Extension, Education and Collegiate Branches.

 

The Sectional Chairs-elect shall assist the Sectional Chairs in all business of their Sections, and in the absence of the Sectional Chair, shall act for the Sectional Chair.

 

Section 2.     The Executive Committee shall have charge of the affairs of the SR-ASHS in the interval between annual meetings, present at the annual meeting nominees for Nominating Committee, make recommendations for the presentation of programs and other activities pertaining to the welfare of the group.  The Executive Committee shall consist of the President-elect and six (6) at large members.  The members of the Executive Committee will be elected to serve three (3) year terms, with two (2) new members elected every year to replace the two (2) retiring members.. The Executive Committee will meet yearly at the Annual Meeting. At the end of each yearly meeting, the Committee members will select one of the two (2) members in the third year of their term to serve as Chair for the upcoming year.

 

Section 3.     The Nominations and Elections  Committee shall present a list of nominees for the officers-elect and standing committees, except for the Nominating Committee.  The Executive Committee shall submit a list of nominees for the Nominating Committee which shall consists of six (6) members, with each member serving two years and with one-half of the members retiring each year.  The retiring President of the SR-ASHS shall become one of the three new members of the Nominating Committee.  The senior retired President shall be chair.

 

 

Section 4.     The Awards Committees shall The Awards Committees will be composed of the last three (3) recipients.    Members will serve three (3) terms, with the senior member serving as Chair.  The Chair will be responsible for soliciting nominations, collecting nominations, disseminating nomination packets to the committee members, and tallying the results.  The recipient(s) will be reported to the Secretary-Treasurer.  The Chair will notify the recipient and their nominator of their selection, and will notify the nominator of those that were not selected.  Nominees not selected may reapply the next year or at any time in the future.  The recipient selected must meet the published guidelines for each award.

 

Section 5.     Ad Hoc Committees-: Ad Hoc committees may be appointed by the President with approval of the Executive Committee. The President may appoint the chair or allow a committee to elect its own chair.

 

Section 6.     Fifty (50) active members of the organization shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the annual business meeting.

 

Section 7.     Dues shall be determined by the Executive Committee for all classes of members.  Dues shall apply

to the calendar year in which they are paid and the member will be declared “active”..

 

Section 8.     Representation in other organizations: (a) 1) The President shall represent this organization on the ASHS Resource Council, and 2) The President and Secretary-Treasurer shall represent this organization on the SAAS Board of Directors.

 

Section 9.     Amendment to By-Laws:  The By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at any regularly called business meeting, provided members are given official notification of the proposed amendment at least 30 days prior to the meeting.

 

Section 10.   Distribution of property on dissolution:  In the event of the dissolution of the SR-ASHS, no employee, director, officer, or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the disposition of any of the assets.  All assets shall go to ASHS, a non-profit organization, for their stated purposes or to scientific educational, religious, or charitable corporation, trusts, or united funds, funds or foundations, meeting the requirement of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provisions of any subsequent revenue law.