Bylaws

Bylaws and Rules

Tennessee Technological University

Student Fisheries Association

Article I

Name and Objectives

1. The Tennessee Technological University Student Fisheries Association (TTU SFA) is a student subunit of the Tennessee Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, hereinafter referred to as the TTU Subunit, Chapter and Society respectively

2. The objectives of the Association shall be those of the Society as set forth in Article I of the Constitution. In addition, the TTU Subunit also has the following objectives:

   • Provide a platform for the academic and professional development of students interested in fisheries at TTU.

   • Encourage the recruitment of fisheries students to TTU

   • Gather and disseminate scientific, technical, and other information about fisheries science and practice to TTU Subunit members, the University community, and the general public through meetings, programs, and other forms of communication.

3. All activities of this TTU Subunit shall conform to the Society’s Constitution, Rules, and Procedures.

Article II

Officers and Chairpersons

1. TTU Subunit officers are President, Vice President/Secretary, Treasurer, and Undergraduate Representative

   • The elected officers are installed in April of the spring term, and the four officers will retain office until the following April.

   • If an elected officer cannot complete the term office, the President may appoint a replacement until an election may be held. In the event that a vacancy is known about in advance, an election should be held so that a new officer can begin the term immediately following the departure of the original official.

   • If the President of the TTU Subunit is unable to complete his or her term, the Vice President will assume the office of the President.

   • If an Active Member (as defined in Article VII, Section II) would like to call for the removal of an elected officer, a motion must be brought before the membership during a meeting.

     1. The meeting in question must be at quorum.

     2. The Active Member must, prior to the meeting, make a request from the President to have the floor after quorum is established and before other business is discussed.

     3. The elected officer in question may be voted out of their position by a 2/3 majority vote of Active Members. The President may appoint a replacement until an election may be held. In the event the elected officer voted out is the President, the Vice President will assume the office of the President. An election may then be held for either a new President or a New Vice President.

   • The TTU SFA will pay the parent society dues of all elected undergraduate officers.

2. Chairpersons may be appointed or elected and will serve until the goals of the committee which he or she chairs have been attained.

3. No elected officer or appointed committee member of the Subunit shall receive any salary or other compensation. Expenses may be defrayed from funds available to the TTU Subunit when authorized by the Executive Committee.

Article III

Duties of the Officers

1. The President shall at minimum be required to:

   • Be responsible for the TTU Subunit business.

   • Work readily with the Faculty Adviser, the Executive Committee, and Active Members.

   • Establish and appoint special committees and consultants as required.

   • Chair all TTU Subunit meetings.

   • Provide direction to other executive officers.

   • Represent the TTU Subunit at the Tennessee Chapter Executive Committee meeting, and report on recent Subunit chapter activities.

     1. This may include but is not limited to the Fishing Derby, volunteering, fundraisers, events, guest speakers, etc.

   • Must be an Active Member of the Subunit for one year prior to installation.

   • Keep a binder of all active events, opportunities, and contacts to be used both as a reference during their term and a transitioning binder for the proceeding President.

2. The Vice President/Secretary shall at minimum be required to:

   • Assume the duties of the President when the officer is temporarily or permanently unable to act.

   • Assist the President in all capacities.

   • Notify the members of meetings at least one week in advance.

   • Keep the names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers of all members of the Association.

   • Record all volunteer hours of the membership in an excel sheet. This will be formatted to include the event, the event date, how many hours the event lasted, and who of the membership was in attendance.

   • Keep a binder of all active events, opportunities, and contacts to be used both as a reference during their term and a transitioning binder for the proceeding Vice President.

3. The Treasurer shall at minimum be required to:

   • Attend to and record all the TTU Subunit’s financial business and maintain financial records in standard accounting format for review by Society officers and staff as needed or required.

   • Report the status of funds at each meeting.

   • Collect and receive all monies associated with the TTU Subunit.

   • Pay all accounts owed by the TTU Subunit.

   • Must be a Graduate Student

   • Keep a binder of all active funds, events, opportunities, and contacts to be used both as a reference during their term and a transitioning binder for the proceeding Treasurer.

4. Undergraduate Representative shall at minimum be required to:

   • Be the representative of any officer at a meeting who cannot be in attendance. This can include all Committee Chairpersons and any executive officer besides the President.

   • Serve as the Head Chair over all Committee Chairpersons.

   • Serve as the Chairperson of the Activities Committee.

   • Serve as a Committee Chair for any committee until a Committee Chair is appointed.

   • Must be an Undergraduate

   • Keep a binder of all active events, opportunities, and contacts to be used both as a reference during their term and a transitioning binder for the proceeding Undergraduate Representative.

Article IV

Subunit Faculty Advisor

1. The Subunit Faculty Advisor must be tenure or on a tenure track with a fisheries/aquatic biology background.

2. Upon transition, they shall remain the Faculty Advisor until they step down, retire, etc.

3. They are required to be CC’ed onto all electronic communications of any Executive Officer or Chairperson to monitor all club activities.

4. In the event that a new Faculty Advisor is needed, one shall be appointed under the coordination of the Executive Committee and the current Faculty Advisor in a timely manner.

   • Report of a new Faculty Advisor must be communicated to the Department Head of the Biology Department as well as the Administrative Assistant over Student Activities in the Dean of Students Office.

5. A Faculty Advisor is required in order to have an active organization on the Tennessee Technological University Campus.

Article V

Meetings and Voting

1. The TTU Subunit will meet once monthly during the spring and fall semesters.

2. Meetings must only be scheduled when all officers can be present.

3. The President may call additional meetings if the need arises.

4. Eight Active Members will constitute a quorum for transaction of business at a meeting.

5. Decisions at meetings are made by a simple majority of Active Members voting, except 2/3 majorities are required to;

   • Amend the Constitution or Bylaws

   • Suspend a Rule

   • Elect an Honorary Member

   • Vote an officer out of office

   • Vote a new officer into office

6. Any Active Member who cannot attend a meeting may request an absentee ballot from the Executive Officers.

7. Any Active Member is eligible for nomination to an Executive Office providing that he or she will be able to fulfill the obligations of the term.

   • Nominations for officers will be accepted beginning from the February meeting up until the March meeting. Nominations must be sent to the faculty advisor by email. An Active Member can nominate either themselves or another Active Member.

   • At the March meeting, if necessary, each position will be narrowed down to 2 potential officers per position.

     1. Potential officers will be able to present for 1-2 minutes at this meeting to discuss their plans for this position. During this presentation, other members interested in running for this office must leave the room.

     2. Discussions can be held for positions with 2 or more potential officers running

   • A ballot with no more than 2 potential officers per position will be distributed immediately following the March meeting. The ballot is to be turned into the Faculty Advisor’s mailbox, anonymously. After two weeks, the Faculty Advisor will count the ballots and a new Executive Committee will be announced.

8. Unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws or the Constitution of the Society, meetings are conducted according to the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

   • Robert’s Rules of Order are referenced at the end of this document.

Article VI

Standing Committees & Duties

1. The President will appoint the Committee Chairs of the following committees at the first meeting in the fall. It is the responsibility of the Committee Chair to appoint members as needed. All Committee Chairs will email a committee report to the President and CC the Faculty Adviser before each monthly meeting. Committees need to be formed by the second meeting of the semester.

   • Kid’s Fishing Derby Committee

     1. This committee will consist of a Chair and will be responsible for the organization of the annual Kid’s Fishing Derby.

   • Activities Committee

     1. This committee will consist of a Chair and will be responsible for the organization of social activities, and the organization of all educational and community outreach activities.

     2. This committee will also be responsible for documenting SFA events (via photos or videos) and maintaining the Subunit social media accounts.

   • Fundraising Committee

     1. This committee will consist of a Chair and will be responsible for acquiring fund for the TTU Subunit.

   • Bylaw Committee

     1. This committee will consist of a Chair and will be responsible for organizing the amendments of the Association’s bylaws at least every 2 years. The chair may be appointed on an as-needed basis and may not be a member of the Executive Committee. The chair shall call a meeting with at least 3 undergraduate and 3 graduate members to discuss the potential amendments of the bylaws, none of which may be currently serving on the Executive Committee. The chair will then be responsible for gaining approval of the amendments from the necessary persons.

Article VII

Dues

1. Annual dues will be paid at the beginning of the fall term by each Active and Affiliate Member of the Association. Spring dues are due at beginning of the spring semester if not paid with the annual dues.

2. Active Member status is given to any member who has paid his or her dues for that semester.

3. A 2/3 majority vote of the Subunit Officers may determine all Association dues, fees, and charges.

4. If the Association dissolves, all remaining funds will be given to the Tennessee Chapter of the American Fisheries Association

Article VIII

Amendment of the Constitution and Bylaws

1. Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws may begin with changes proposed by the Bylaw Committee. After proposed amendments have been agreed upon by this committee, they must be approved by the Faculty Advisor. After approval, they may be taken to the Executive Committee for presentation to the membership.

   • The Faculty Advisor may need to get approval from the TN AFS President.

2. The Constitution and Bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 majority of Active Members who vote on an Amendment, provided that the proposed amendment(s) are circulated in writing or via email to the membership at least 1 week prior to voting.

3. Following approval by the Subunit Membership, bylaw changes must be brought to Administrative Assistant over Student Activities in the Dean of Students Office. Amendments may be implemented immediately after approval by the Subunit Membership

4. The Constitution and Bylaws are to be reviewed and, if necessary, amended, a minimum of every two years. This review should happen in the fall semester.

Article IX

Rules

The following rules are established to help in the conduct of the Association’s business. A rule may be suspended for the duration of a meeting by a 2/3 majority of Active Members at any meeting unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws.

1. Order of Business

   1. Call to Order

   2. Determination of Quorum

   3. Introduction of Guests

   4. Report of the Secretary

   5. Report of the Treasurer

   6. Report from the chairs

   7. Old business

   8. New business

   9. Adjournment

Roberts Rules of Order

Guidelines

1. Obtain the floor (the right to speak) by being the first to stand when the person speaking has finished; state Mr./Madam Chairman. Raising your hand means nothing, and standing while another has the floor is out of order! Must be recognized by the Chair before speaking!

2. Debate cannot begin until the Chair has stated the motion or resolution and asked "are you ready for the question?" If no one rises, the chair calls for the vote!

3. Before the motion is stated by the Chair (the question) members may suggest modification of the motion; the mover can modify as he pleases, or even withdraw the motion without consent of the seconder; if mover modifies, the seconder can withdraw the second.

4. The "immediately pending question" is the last question stated by the Chair! Motion/Resolution - Amendment - Motion to Postpone

5. The member moving the "immediately pending question" is entitled to preference to the floor!

6. No member can speak twice to the same issue until everyone else wishing to speak has spoken to it once!

7. All remarks must be directed to the Chair. Remarks must be courteous in language and deportment - avoid all personalities, never allude to others by name or to motives!

8. The agenda and all committee reports are merely recommendations! When presented to the assembly and the question is stated, debate begins and changes occur!

The Rules

1. Point of Privilege: Pertains to noise, personal comfort, etc. - may interrupt only if necessary!

2. Parliamentary Inquiry: Inquire as to the correct motion - to accomplish a desired result, or raise a point of order

3. Point of Information: Generally, applies to information desired from the speaker: "I should like to ask the (speaker) a question."

4. Orders of the Day (Agenda): A call to adhere to the agenda (a deviation from the agenda requires Suspending the Rules)

5. Point of Order: Infraction of the rules, or improper decorum in speaking. Must be raised immediately after the error is made

6. Main Motion: Brings new business (the next item on the agenda) before the assembly

7. Divide the Question: Divides a motion into two or more separate motions (must be able to stand on their own)

8. Consider by Paragraph: Adoption of paper is held until all paragraphs are debated and amended and entire paper is satisfactory; after all paragraphs are considered, the entire paper is then open to amendment, and paragraphs may be further amended. Any Preamble can not be considered until debate on the body of the paper has ceased.

9. Amend: Inserting or striking out words or paragraphs, or substituting whole paragraphs or resolutions

10. Withdraw/Modify Motion: Applies only after question is stated; mover can accept an amendment without obtaining the floor

11. Commit /Refer/Recommit to Committee: State the committee to receive the question or resolution; if no committee exists include size of committee desired and method of selecting the members (election or appointment).

12. Extend Debate: Applies only to the immediately pending question; extends until a certain time or for a certain period of time

13. Limit Debate: Closing debate at a certain time, or limiting to a certain period of time

14. Postpone to a Certain Time: State the time the motion or agenda item will be resumed

15. Object to Consideration: Objection must be stated before discussion or another motion is stated

16. Lay on the Table: Temporarily suspends further consideration/action on pending question; may be made after motion to close debate has carried or is pending

17. Take from the Table: Resumes consideration of item previously "laid on the table" - state the motion to take from the table

18. Reconsider: Can be made only by one on the prevailing side who has changed position or view

19. Postpone Indefinitely: Kills the question/resolution for this session - exception: the motion to reconsider can be made this session

20. Previous Question: Closes debate if successful - may be moved to "Close Debate" if preferred

21. Informal Consideration: Move that the assembly go into "Committee of the Whole" - informal debate as if in committee; this committee may limit number or length of speeches or close debate by other means by a 2/3 vote. All votes, however, are formal.

22. Appeal Decision of the Chair: Appeal for the assembly to decide - must be made before other business is resumed; NOT debatable if relates to decorum, violation of rules or order of business

23. Suspend the Rules: Allows a violation of the assembly's own rules (except Constitution); the object of the suspension must be specified