ARKANSAS ACADEMY OF
CHEMICAL ENGINEERS BYLAWS
Integrating a Tradition of Excellence and Achievement
With Our Goals for the Future
The University of Arkansas
Fayetteville
Statement of Agreement and Understanding
The AAChE will function as a nonprofit organization solely for the purpose of recognizing outstanding chemical engineers and providing support for the University of Arkansas (UA) Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering.
The Charter Members are eminent graduates of the UA Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering who have graduated at least twenty years prior to selection to membership.
The Department now delegates to the Charter Membership the privileges and responsibilities of perpetuating the Academy.
The Arkansas Academy of Chemical Engineers, in appreciation of the honor bestowed individually and collectively, will be perpetuated:
- As an endeavor to strengthen the dedication of students to chemical engineering through personal and professional example.
- For the annual recognition of chemical engineers who bring honor to the profession as practitioners and as citizens especially those who are graduates of the UA Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering.
- To provide advisory guidance and counsel at the call of the Department Head, Faculty, or students.
- And to provide a continuing means of organizing support for the benefit of the UA Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering including its faculty, staff, and students.
In the accomplishment of the before stated, the Arkansas Academy of Chemical Engineers does establish and abide by the following By-laws.
BYLAWS
ARKANSAS ACADEMY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS, FAYETTEVILLE
EFFECTIVE 8 APRIL 2005
I. MEMBERSHIP QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE ARKANSAS ACADEMY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
A. Active Members shall be limited to living individuals duly elected and subject to the conditions that:
- Each Active Member shall hold a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville granted at least twenty years prior to election.
- Each Candidate Member shall have received at least a three-fourths affirmative vote of the total votes cast for election to membership.
- The number of Active Members shall not exceed one hundred and fifty (150) and not more than fifteen (15) Active Members may be elected in any year.
- An Elected Member shall be present for induction as an Active Member at the first Induction Ceremony held after his election. An Elected Member who cannot be present at this Induction Ceremony without due cause (as determined by the Membership Committee) shall have his invitation to membership held in reserve until the next Induction Ceremony.
B. Honorary Members shall be limited to living or deceased individuals duly elected and subject to the conditions that:
- An Honorary Member shall be professional who is a former staff or faculty member of the UA Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering or who has otherwise served the department. He or she shall have performed distinguished service in his or her profession.
- Each Honorary Member shall have the unanimous approval of the Directors and a three-fourths affirmative vote of the total votes cast for election to membership.
- At no time shall the number of living Honorary Members exceed ten percent of the Active Members.
- Honorary Members may be inducted in absentia.
C. Senior Members shall consist of Active Members who have been transferred or elect to be transferred from Active membership under the following conditions:
- Upon retiring from engineering practice or other professional endeavor, and being less than 72 years of age, an Active Member may elect to be transferred to Senior Membership.
- Active Members shall be transferred to Senior Membership upon reaching 72 years of age.
- Senior Members may continue to make annual contributions to the Academy at the individual Member’s option.
- Senior Members may continue to participate in Annual Meetings with all voting and other privileges of active members.
D. Inactive Members shall consist of Active Members who have been transferred or elect to be transferred from Active Membership under the following conditions:
1. Active Members who have not made contributions averaging the minimum annual requirement, as established in VI.A., for three consecutive years shall be transferred to Inactive Status.
2. Inactive Members may be reinstated to Active Member status upon payment of the current year’s minimum contribution plus a reinstatement fee equal to seventy-five percent of the cumulative amount of annual contributions unpaid by the Member, subject to availability of membership openings as defined in I.A.3. and I.A.4. above and affirmative majority vote of the Academy.
3. Inactive Members may continue to participate in Annual Meeting functions but may not vote on items affecting membership or function of the Academy.
E. Distinguished Members – Active, Senior and Inactive Members will automatically be reclassified as Distinguished Past Members upon their death. Honorary Members will automatically be reclassified as Distinguished Honorary Members after their death.
F. Active, Senior, Honorary, or Inactive Members who resign from the Academy shall be dropped from the membership rolls.
G. An Active Member may elect to become a Lifetime Member by making a one-time contribution to the Academy. Lifetime Members shall thereafter be exempt from annual contribution requirements. Minimum Annual and Lifetime Membership contribution requirements are established under VI.A.
H. The Head of the Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Arkansas shall be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Academy.
I. Academy Members are to have demonstrated a high standard of integrity and are charged with the responsibility of adhering to standards of highest ethical and moral conduct in all aspects of the practice of engineering or other professional endeavors.
II. ORGANIZATION OF THE ARKANSAS ACADEMY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
A. Meetings.
1. There shall be an Annual Meeting of the membership held at such time and at such place as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
2. There shall be an induction ceremony for the purpose of inducting newly elected members and it shall usually be held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting at a time and place determined by the Board of Directors.
3. There may be such other meetings as shall be determined by the Board of Directors, and a petition signed by one-third of the Active and Senior Membership shall require the Board of Directors to call such meetings.
4. All meetings shall be announced by mail at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting.
B. Quorum.
1. A quorum shall exist when at least thirty (30) percent or 20 of the Active Members are present.
2. Every act of or decision made by a majority of those present when a quorum exists at a meeting scheduled in accordance with these by-laws shall be an act of the membership.
C. Directors.
1. The Board of Directors shall consist of at least six (6) directors with two (2) elected by and from the members at each annual meeting of the Academy for a three (3) year term. In addition, the immediate Past-President shall serve as a director. The Head of the UA Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering shall be an ex-officio, non-voting director.
2. At the first annual meeting of the AAChE, the membership will elect six (6) directors. The first meeting of the Board of Directors will be convened by the UA Department Head of Chemical Engineering. At this meeting, two (2) directors will be selected to serve for one-year terms, and two (2) directors will be selected to serve for two-year terms, and officers of the Board will be elected.
3. Vacancies on the Board of Directors occurring from death or resignation shall be filled at the next Annual Meeting of the Academy. Members will elect a Director to complete the un-expired term of each vacancy.
D. Officers.
1. The officers of the Arkansas Academy of Chemical Engineers shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and they shall be elected by the Board of Directors promptly after the election of the Board by the membership. The President and Vice-President will also serve as officers of the Board of Directors and will be selected from the Board. The President and Vice-President shall serve one (1) year terms; the Secretary and Treasurer may serve continuous terms.
2. The Officers shall have such duties as are necessary to the purposes and functions of the organization and such duties as are assigned by the Board of Directors.
3. Officers shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred if authorized and approved by the President and approved by the Board of Directors.
E. Committees appointed by the Board.
1. There shall be a Membership Committee of five (5) members, including the Academy Secretary who shall serve as Chairman, and said committee shall take such action as is necessary to comply with I, III, and IV.
2. There shall be a Nominations Committee of three (3) members, including the Academy Vice-President who shall serve as Chairman, which shall present a slate of candidates for election as directors at the Annual Meeting of the Academy. Nominations may also be made by any member present. There will be no vote by proxy and a simple majority of those present shall elect.
3. There will be a Finance Committee of three (3) members including the Academy Treasurer. The Finance Committee will review the financial status of the Academy and recommend a budget to the Board for approval by simple majority. The budget will plan and manage the collection and disbursement of AAChE operating funds for the stated purposes of the organization including provisions of II.
4. The Board of Directors shall authorize and the President shall appoint such ad hoc committees as are necessary to advance the purposes and business of the Academy.
III. NOMINATIONS FOR THE ARKANSAS ACADEMY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
A. The Secretary will inform all Active, Honorary, and Senior Members of the nomination process of the Academy on or before December 1 of each year.
B. The Secretary will receive from the Active, Honorary, and Senior Members until June 1 of each year such nominations as they shall care to make. Nominations shall be of individuals qualified under I.A.1 and I.B.1 and shall carry information which substantiates the nomination.
C. The Secretary shall deliver the nominations to the Membership Committee by June 15 of the same year.
D. The Membership Committee shall receive from the Secretary all nominations. They will receive, determine eligibility, and forward the nominations, which they recommend to the Board of Directors by August 1 of the same year. The number of recommended nominations will be limited to the available membership openings as specified in I.A.3 and I.B.3.
E. The Board of Directors shall review and certify the nominations by August 15 of the same year and return to the Secretary. Nominations which are not certified will be held by the Secretary for consideration in subsequent years.
IV. BALLOTING FOR THE ARKANSAS ACADEMY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
A. The Secretary shall prepare an email ballot carrying the names and brief biographical information of all those certified as nominees by the Board and shall deliver it to the members by September 1 of the same year. Any member can request a paper ballot by notifying the Secretary in writing, and such instruction will remain in effect until written notification to the contrary is provided by the member to the Secretary. Email ballots can be returned by email to the Secretary. Paper or printed email ballots should be mailed to the Secretary. Return address information will be included with the ballot.
B. The Membership Committee shall canvas all ballots so certified that are received by September 15 of the same year. By October 15 of the same year, the Committee shall declare as elected and eligible for invitation to membership in the next year those who have qualified under I.A.2 and I.B.2., and the Committee will notify those eligible for invitation to membership of the date of the next Induction Ceremony.
V. LIMITATIONS AND PRECEDURES FOR THE ARKANSAS ACADEMY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
A. The Board of Directors may remove a member upon the recommendation of an appointed Committee on conduct but not until such time as the Board or the membership has heard the appeal of the member so recommended if such hearing is requested.
B. The Bylaws may be amended at any Annual Meeting where such intention has been a part of the notice of the meeting. Proposed amendments must carry the favorable recommendation of two-thirds of the Directors.
C. The members of the Arkansas Academy of Chemical Engineers are not responsible for any indebtedness or liability incurred by or for any acts performed by any member or individual, at any regular or special meeting, outing or other social activity of the Academy.
VI. FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS
A. The Arkansas Academy of Chemical Engineers will be self-supporting using exclusively reserved monies deposited with the University of Arkansas Foundation account. These monies will result from contributions made or solicited by the members for this and additional purposes. Each Active Member shall be required to make a minimum annual contribution of $350 or elect to make a one-time contribution equal to sixteen (16) times the present annual contribution. Contribution amounts will be updated periodically through amendment of the Bylaws. Contributions shall be due January 1 and are payable on or before January 31 each year. Notice of the amount due will be mailed to each Active Member on or before December 1 of the proceeding year.
B. Members of the Academy will be responsible for their expenses incurred while attending meetings and other functions of the Academy.
C. The Board of Directors shall adopt an annual budget, which shall be reported to the membership in a timely fashion, and said budget will provide the Department Head with direction and authority as to the expenditure of monies from the above account.
D. The officers and directors will instruct the Treasurer in such efforts as he or she shall make annually to maintain funds in the above account pursuant to Item 4 in the “Statement of Agreement and Understanding” of the Arkansas Academy of Chemical Engineers.
VII. RECOGNITION AND AWARDS
A. A plaque or certificate of recognition and membership in the Academy will be awarded to each Active or Honorary Member at the induction ceremony.
B. A photograph of all Members of the Academy in good standing, individually identified, shall be prominently displayed in the UA Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering.
C. An up-to-date biographical sketch limited to one-hundred and fifty words will be maintained for all members in good standing of the Academy in the Maddox Reference Center at the UA Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering. These records will be easily accessible to the students.