of the Association of American Geographers
Adopted March, 1995 Effective March, 1995
Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Water Resources Specialty Group ("WRSG") of the Association of American Geographers ("AAG").
Article II: Purpose
1. The purpose of the WRSG shall be:
a. to encourage water resources research;
b. to promote water resources education;
c. to promote the exchange of water resources ideas and information;
d. to promote the interests of water resources within the discipline
of geography; and
e. to develop contacts and coordination with other water resources
organizations and with related specialty groups within the AAG.
2. The WRSG is organized exclusively for educational and scientific
purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code.
Article III: Membership
1. Any member of the AAG may elect membership in the WRSG.
2. All members of the WRSG must be members of the AAG.
3. Any member of the WRSG may hold office if duly elected or appointed
according to the requirements of Article IV below.
4. The AAG Central Office will certify membership in the WRSG each
year after payment of AAG and WRSG dues.
Article IV: Board of Directors
1. The WRSG will be governed by an elected Board of Directors ("Board")
consisting of five voting members: a Chair, a Secretary/Treasurer, and
three Directors.
2. All members of the Board must be members in good standing of the
AAG and the WRSG.
3. The Chair will be the chief executive officer of the WRSG and will
preside over the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") and all Board meetings
of the WRSG.
4. The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain an account of all income
and expenditures of the WRSG, present an annual financial report at the
AGM, and take minutes of all Board meetings and AGMs.
5. All Board members will serve a two-year term of office, commencing
at the end of the AAG Annual Meeting at which they were elected, except
as required by Article IV.9 below.
6. One Directorship will be designated for a "Student"; to be eligible
for this position, a candidate must be a graduate student at the time of
election to office.
7. If the position of Chair becomes vacant before the end of the normal
two-year tenure, the Secretary/Treasurer shall assume the duties of the
position until the next AGM and shall appoint an acting Secretary/Treasurer
for the same period.
8. If the positions of Secretary/Treasurer or Director become vacant
before the end of the normal two-year tenure, the Chair shall appoint an
acting officer to the vacant position until the next AGM.
9. Persons elected to fill vacant positions at the AGM following the
vacancy shall be appointed for the balance of the tenure of the position.
10. No Board member may hold more than one elected position in the
WRSG at the same time.
11. The Past President shall serve as a non-voting member of the Board
of Directors. [Amendment passed at 2002 business meeting in Los Angeles.]
Article V: Committees
1. The Board shall create such committees as are required by the activities
and responsibilities of the WRSG.
2. Membership of such committees, including designation of a chair,
shall be determined by the WRSG Chair, subject to the approval, by majority
vote, of the Board.
3. The life of such committees and the tenure of its members shall
be one year, subject to reappointment.
Article VI: Election of Officers
1. Terms of office for Board members shall be staggered as follows:
a. the Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, and one Director will be elected
in even-numbered years,
b. the remaining two Directors (including the Student Director) will
be elected in odd-numbered years.
2. Offices will be filled by voice-vote at the WRSG during the AAG
Annual Meeting unless a secret ballot is requested by at least 10% of the
members present at the AGM.
3. Written nominations for those positions becoming vacant each year
will be accepted from members in good standing by either the Chair or the
Secretary/Treasurer on or after the February 1st preceding the
AAG Annual Meeting. A Call for Nominations will be included in the Newsletter
published prior to the Annual Meeting; this notice will inform members
of any additional positions for which nominations are required by virtue
of a vacancy due to resignation. Such nominations should include the name,
affiliation, and address of the nominee, the position for which he/she
is being nominated, and an indication that the nominee has been consulted
and is willing to stand.
4. Additional nominations will be accepted from the floor at the AGM
subject to the limitation that the nominee is present and is willing to
stand.
5. All positions will be filled by the nominee receiving a plurality
of the votes cast at the AGM. In the event of a tied vote for the position,
a run-off election will be held to decide the outcome.
Article VII: Dues and Fees
1. The Board may assess annual dues from its membership, which will
be collected by the AAG Central Office at the time membership in the AAG
is renewed. Dues rate changes must be approved by a majority vote of the
members present at the AGM.
2. The Board shall manage all dues collected.
3. Annual reports of income and expenditures shall be furnished to
the membership in the Newsletter
published prior to the AGM and to the AAG Central Office.
4. The Board may establish reasonable fees for publications, workshops,
symposia, and other activities organized under the auspices of the WRSG.
5. The WRSG will operate on a fiscal year starting at the end of the
AAG Annual Meeting.
6. Inurement of income: No part of the net earnings of the WRSG shall
inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees,
offices, or other private persons except that the WRSG shall be authorized
and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered.
Article IX: Newsletter
and Other Publications
1. The WRSG will publish and distribute a Newsletter
to members at least twice a year, one of which will be disseminated during
the period between January 1 and the date 2 weeks prior to the AAG Annual
Meeting. In addition to any regular Newsletter
items, this issue shall include a call for nominations for vacant offices,
notices of proposed changes in bylaws, minutes from the last AGM and a
tentative agenda for the coming AGM.
2. The Newsletter
will be distributed to members in good standing at the time of the distribution,
as defined by the membership lists maintained by the AAG Central Office.
3. The WRSG may sponsor other publications (directories, proceedings,
etc.) as appropriate, subject to the approval of a majority of the members
present at the AGM.
Article X: Ratification and Amendment
of Bylaws
1. These Bylaws will take effect immediately upon their approval by
at least 60% of members present at the 1995 AGM.
2. Amendment of these Bylaws may be proposed by a majority of the Board
or by a petition signed by at least 25 WRSG members in good standing. Petitions
must be received at least 10 weeks prior to the beginning of the AAG Annual
Meeting to permit their inclusion in the Newsletter.
3. Acceptance of the amendment shall require the approval of at least
60% of members present at the first AGM after the proposal of the amendment
and its publication in the Newsletter.
Article XI: Legislative or Political
Activities
No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be
the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation,
and the organization shall not participate in or intervene in (including
the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on
behalf of any candidate for public office.
Article XII: Operational Limitations
Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the organization
shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on
(a) by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of
any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or (b) by organizing contributions
which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal
Revenue Law).
Article XIII: Dissolution Clause
Upon dissolution of the organization, the Board shall, after paying
or making provisions for the payment of all the liabilities of the organization,
dispose of all the assets of the organization to the AAG.