CONSTITUTION OF THE AIA SEATTLE SOCIETY

Preamble

The Seattle Society of the Archaeological Institute of America is an affiliated Society of the Archaeological Institute of America. It was established as such an affiliated Society in December 1956 and has continuously remained such an affiliated Society until the present date (June 1977), but has hitherto not adopted a formal structure of organization. It now wishes to apply for exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as a charitable society organized to promote the advancement of education and science and also for exempt status with the Post Office.

The Archaeological Institute of America was incorporated by act of Congress approved by President Theodore Roosevelt on May 26, 1906, appearing as Chapter 2560, 34 Stat. 203 (1906). The Archaeological Institute of America is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service and by the Post Office as a tax-exempt organization.

Article I

Name

1.1 The name of this organization shall be the Seattle Society of the Archaeological Institute of America.

Article II

Affiliation

2.1 The Seattle Society shall at all times function under the auspices of the Archaeological Institute of America and shall not adopt changes in this Constitution which would conflict with the Charter and Regulations of the Archaeological Institute of America.

Article III

Purposes

3.1 The purposes of the Society shall be to promote knowledge, study, and interest in archaeology and related subjects and to further the aims and programs of the Archaeological Institute of America.

Article IV

Membership and Dues

4.1 The membership of the Society shall consist of residents of Seattle and vicinity who are members in good standing of the Archaeological Institute of America.

4.2 Members of the Society in good standing who move away from Seattle and vicinity may, if they wish, retain their membership in the Seattle Society so long as they remain members in good standing of the Archaeological Institute of America.

4.3 The classes of membership shall be those prescribed by the Archaeological Institute of America.

Article V

Administration

5.1 The administration of the Society shall be vested in the Executive Committee, which shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

5.2 The President shall be the executive officer of the Society. He shall call and preside at meetings of the Society and of the Executive Committee and shall carry out the decisions of the Executive Committee and of the Society.

5.3 The Vice President shall serve as President in the absence or incapacity of the President.

5.4 The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the Society, maintain its records (except the financial records), and shall serve as liaison between the Society and the Archaeological Institute of America. The Secretary shall give due notice to the membership of all meetings of the Society and shall keep minutes of such meetings.

5.5 The Treasurer shall have custody of the funds of the Society and shall maintain the financial records.

5.6 The office of the Secretary and of the Treasurer may be held by the same person, who will in that case be designated as "Secretary-Treasurer".

5.7 Any vacancy occurring in the offices of Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer shall be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee. If the office of President becomes vacant, it is to be filled by the Vice President; the Executive Committee will then appoint an interim Vice President.

Article VI

Elections

6.1 The officers shall be elected either by a mail ballot or at a meeting called for the purpose by the President in accordance with the decision of the Executive Committee.

6.2 The election shall be held in the spring of each year, between January 1 and May 31.

6.3 Newly elected officers shall assume office as of the July 1 following their election and shall serve for two years. All officers are eligible for re-election.

Article VII

Delegates to the Council of the Institute

7.1 In accordance with Article IV of the Regulations of the Archaeological Institute of America, the Seattle Society may elect one delegate to the Council of the Institute for its first twenty-five members and one additional delegate for each additional fifty members.

7.2 The Society's delegates shall be elected at the same time and in the same way as the Society's officers. Since the number of delegates to which the Society is entitled varies with the Society's membership, delegates will be designated as "Delegate no. 1," "Delegate no. 2," etc. Delegate no. 2 will not serve if, according to the Institute's records at the time the list of Councillors is being constituted, the Society's membership has dropped below 75.

Article VIII

Committees

8.1 The Executive Committee shall be the executive organ of the Society. It shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

8.2 The Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee. It shall consist of three members of the Society and shall nominate a single list of nominees to serve as officers and as delegates for the ensuing year.

8.3 Other ad hoc or standing committees may be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee, as from time to time may seem appropriate.

Article IX

Meetings of the Society

9.1 There shall be meetings of the Society to present lectures by visiting lecturers from the Archaeological Institute of America and such other programs as the Executive Committee shall consider appropriate. Such meetings may be open to the public or may be restricted in attendance to members or members and guests, as the Executive Committee may consider appropriate.

9.2 A business meeting may be called by the President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, for election of officers and delegates for the ensuing year, for presentation of reports on the Society's activities, including reports on membership and finances, and for consideration of other appropriate matters. Such a business meeting, if called, should take place between January 1 and May 31. The Secretary shall give written notice of the time and place of any such meeting by mailing notices to all members at least ten days prior to the meeting.

9.3 In substitution for such a business meeting, the Executive Committee may decide on election of officers and delegates by mail ballot. In that case, no meeting need be held, but a written report on membership and finances shall accompany the mail ballot sent to members.

9.4 Other business meetings may be called at any time by the President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, provided ten days' notice is given to the members.

9.5 Upon written request by fifteen members, the President shall call a special business meeting to be held within thirty days of such request, to discuss such business as they may wish to bring before the meeting.

Article X

Dissolution

10.1 In the event of dissolution of the Society, any funds belonging to the Society at the time of dissolution, after all bills have been paid, shall be given to the Archaeological Institute of America.

Article XI

Adoption and Amendment

11.1 This Constitution shall be adopted and may be amended by mail ballot. Adoption shall be by a majority of valid ballots and amendments shall be by a two-thirds majority of valid ballots.

11.2 Alternatively, this Constitution may be amended at any business meeting of the Society, provided notices of the meeting and of the proposed amendments have been mailed to all members at least ten days before the date of the meeting.