BYLAWS
for the
Adopted
(Amended 2 May and 2 October 1982, 1 October 1983, 4 October 1986, 1
October 1988, 7 October 1989, 5 May l990, 1 October 1994, 7 October 1995, 10
October 1998, October 2005 and October 2007.)
Article I.
EMBLEM
Article II.
MEMBERSHIP AND SCHEDULE OF DUES
Article III.
MEETINGS
Article IV. THE
GOVERNING BODY
Article V.
OFFICERS AND APPOINTED POSITIONS
Article VI.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND APPOINTEES
Article VII.
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND PROPERTY
Article VIII.
LOCAL CHAPTERS
Article IX.
AFFILIATIONS
Article X.
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. The emblem of the Kansas Ornithological Society (KOS) shall be
the Horned Lark.
Article II. MEMBERSHIP AND SCHEDULE OF DUES
Section 1. Membership shall be open to all persons interested in the purposes
of
Section 2. Powers of the members.
A. To elect officers and directors.
B. To make recommendations to the Board of Directors.
C. To receive and take action on recommendations of the Board of Directors.
D. To exercise all other powers usually vested in voting members of a
corporation.
E. To set the dues schedule for various memberships.
F. To approve affiliation with other organizations.
Section 3. Classes of membership.
A. Regular members, Sustaining
members, Life members, Family regular members, Family sustaining members,
Contributing members, Student members (elementary through college, including
full time undergraduate or graduate students) and Libraries.
B. The dues can be changed at any regular
meeting of
C. Any foreign category or
subscription will have an additional cost for postage.
Section 4. Membership rules and regulations.
A. Each membership class receives one set of publications.
B. The fiscal year shall be the calendar year.
C. Annual dues shall be payable to the treasurer by January 1.
D. Members in arrears after the spring meeting will be deleted from the
membership.
E. The dues schedule of members may be changed by a 2/3 vote of the KOS
members present and voting at any regular or special meeting provided that the
membership has had written notice of such proposal 30 days prior to the vote.
F. The dues of new members paid during the last four months of any calendar
year will also include membership for the following year.
G. Principal amounts received from life memberships shall be placed in an
endowment fund and invested in securities approved by the Finance Committee
with interest there from used, as
needed, for the expenses of
Section 1.
Section 2.
Section 3. Times and dates of meetings and trips shall be set at the annual
meeting or by the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Special meetings may be called by the President upon written
notice (Newsletter or direct mail) to each member not less than 30 days prior
to such meeting.
Section 5. A special meeting must be called by the President upon written
petition of 25% of the members.
Section 6. A quorum shall be the members present and voting at any regular
or special meeting.
Section 7. Robert's Rules of Order, newly revised, shall be the authority on
all questions of procedure not specifically stated in the Constitution or
Bylaws.
Section 8. Annual meetings are recommended to rotate to different geographic
areas of the state for the convenience of all members and to afford a wider
knowledge of bird species.
Article IV. THE GOVERNING BODY
Section 1. The Governing Body shall consist of a Board of Directors
(hereinafter referred to as the Board) made up as follows:
A. Elected officers: President (Chairman of the Board), Vice-President,
Corresponding Secretary (Secretary of the Board), Membership Development
Coordinator, Treasurer, Business Manager, four (4) Directors at large, Editor
of the Bulletin, and Editor of the Newsletter.
B. Immediate past president.
Section 2. Meetings. The Board shall meet during the annual
Section 3. Quorum. A simple majority of the voting Board members shall
constitute a quorum to transact business.
Section 4. The Board shall have the power to act on all matters pertaining
to
Section 5. Reports.
A. The proceedings of the Board shall be reported at each annual meeting of
B. The Treasurer shall give a financial report at each annual meeting.
C. These reports shall be published in full or in resume in the Newsletter.
Article V. OFFICERS AND APPOINTED POSITIONS
Section 1. Elected positions.
A. Officers: President, Vice-President, Corresponding Secretary, Membership
Development Coordinator, Treasurer, Business Manager, Editor of the Bulletin
and Editor of the Newsletter.
B. Four (4) Directors at large: Two shall be elected at the annual meeting
each year to serve two-year terms. Good geographical distribution should be
considered.
Section 2. Elections.
A. The officers shall be elected at the annual meeting for a term of one
year and shall serve until the end of the regular annual business meeting in
which their respective successors have been elected.
B. The President and Vice-President may be elected to their respective
offices for two consecutive terms only.
C. The Corresponding Secretary, the Membership Development Coordinator, the
Treasurer, the Business Manager, the Editor of the Bulletin and the
Editor of the Newsletter may succeed themselves as elected.
D. A slate of officers shall be submitted by the nominating committee which
shall have been appointed by the President at least three months prior to the
annual meeting.
E. Nominations may be made from the floor.
F. Voting shall be by secret ballot if more than one candidate is nominated
for a given office.
G. A majority of those members present and voting shall elect.
Section 3. Appointed positions.
A. Appointed positions are: Librarian, and the Chairman of each of the
standing committees on Conservation, Membership, Publicity.
B. The Librarian shall be appointed by the President with the approval of
the Board for a one year term which shall begin with the annual spring field
trip. The Librarian may be reappointed at the discretion of the President and
the Board.
C. The chairmen of the standing committees shall be appointed by the
President within 60 days of the election and shall serve until the next annual
meeting. They may be reappointed.
D. These appointees shall be notified of and should attend Board meetings
but have no voting rights.
Article VI. DUTIES OF OFFICER, COMMITTEES AND
APPOINTEES
Section 1. Duties of officers and appointees shall be such as are implied in
their respective titles and as specified hereafter.
Section 2. The president shall:
A. Preside at all meetings.
B. Be empowered to call special meetings.
C. Appoint standing committees on Conservation, Membership, Publicity,
Finance Committee and such other ad hoc committees as may be deemed necessary
to serve during his term of office.
D. Be an ex-officio member of all committees.
E. Appoint the Librarian, subject to the approval of the Board.
F. Appoint a nominating committee for next year's officers and directors.
G. Be Chairman of the Board of Directors.
H. Be authorized to fill, until the next annual or special meeting, any
vacancy on the board.
I. Call for nominations for the Dr. Ivan L. Boyd Recognition Award and
Avian Conservation Recognition Award wotj am announcement in the Horned Lark
and on KSBIRDS-L prior to the fall meeting per Article VII Section 5 and
Section 6.
J. Be authorized to sign checks.
K. The President will appoint an Auditing Committee at the Fall
Meeting.
Section 3. The Vice-president shall:
A. Perform the duties of the President in his absence or in the event of his
inability to perform such duties.
B. Perform such duties as directed by the President.
C. The Vice-President will coordinate with the local committee for the fall
meeting and conduct the scientific papers sessions.
D. Be a member of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. The Corresponding Secretary shall:
A. Keep complete and accurate minutes of all meetings.
B. Carry on the correspondence, as directed by the President, pertaining to
the affairs of
C. Keep a listing of the duties of each standing committee as specified by
the Board and shall supply a copy of the pertinent list to each newly appointed
committee chairman.
D. Be a member of, and act as Secretary of, the Board of Directors.
Section 5. The Membership Development Coordinator
shall:
A. Prepare and preserve a record of all members and their attendance at each
meeting and make such records available.
B. Issue membership receipts (sent only on request), dues reminders,
membership applications and invitations.
C. Advise the Business Manager of membership changes.
D. Make a written report at the annual meeting.
E. Be responsible for the local chapter program.
F. Be a member of the Board of Directors.
G. Maintain the mailing list.
Section 6. The Treasurer shall:
A. Be the custodian of all funds belonging to
B. Pay out and expend the same by check.
C. Notify Membership Secretary of the date and amount of each dues payment.
D. Prepare an interim financial statement to be presented at the annual
business meeting and an annual financial statement to be published in full in
the Newsletter.
E. Be resident agent of
F. Prepare an annual report for the Secretary of State on incorporation
status.
G. Be a member of the Board of Directors.
Section 7. The Business Manager shall:
A. Be responsible for conducting business activities of
B. Oversee the printing and distribution of The Bulletin, Newsletter
and other publications.
C. Prepare all legal agreements with individuals and organizations.
D. Inventory and maintain stock of all supplies and print replacement
stationery, forms, etc. as needed.
E. Be an ex-officio member of all committees which involve legal agreements,
contracts, or major outlay of funds.
F. Be authorized to sign checks.
G. Be a member of the Board of Directors.
Section 8. The two editors shall:
A. Be charged with the organizing, editing, and publishing of the KOS
Bulletin and the Newsletter and other printed matter as shall be approved by
the Board.
B. May appoint such associates and Assistant Editors as shall be necessary
to aid in the performance of their duties.
C. Publish the Bulletin quarterly and the Newsletter bimonthly if material
and funds permit.
D. Be members of the Board of Directors.
Section 9. The Librarian shall:
A. Be responsible for maintaining all scientific papers and archives
belonging to
B. Make all papers of Section A available on loan to
Section 10.The Conservation Committee shall:
A. Be responsible for providing awareness to the Board and KOS members on
conservation issues that may have positive or negative impacts on avian
communities in Kansas pursuant to Article II of the KOS Constitution.
B. Be responsible for soliciting nominees and selecting from those nominees
the recipient of the Annual KOS Avian Conservation of the Year Award to be
approved by the Board per Article VII Section 6.
C.Seek to promote conservation and provide educational opportunities for the
general public.
Section 11. The Membership Committee shall:
A. In coordination with the Membership Development Coordinator develop
communications media for use in KOS membership development activities.
B. Develop activities to educate the public about KOS, its aims, and the
benefits of membership.
C. Encourage interest of young people in birds and ornithology as part of
long term membership development.
D. Develop outreach programs whereby KOS members can interact with the
public, schools, and other organizations to further interest in ornithology in
Kansas.
Section 12. The Publicity Committee shall:
A. Be responsible for contacting media outlets of upcoming meetings and
other pertinent events sponsored by KOS.
Section 13. Kansas Bird Records Committee shall:
A.Be responsible for evaluating reports of rare and unusual
bird sightings from Kansas per the KBRC Procedural Rules of the KOS’s KBRC (as
approved and amended by the KOS Board).
Section 14. Finance Committee shall:
A. Consist of the Chairman, the Treasurer, and the past Treasurer.
B. Be responsible for the management of all funds of the KOS and make
investments for the Society as approved by the Board.
C. Solicit budget requests from each officer and standing committee prior to
the annual business meeting.
D. Provide a budget for the next fiscal year at the annual board meeting for
approval by the Board.
Section 15. The Auditing Committee shall:
A. Audit the Treasurer's books and annual report for the year ending
December 31 and will report this audit to the Board at the next Board meeting.
Article VII. SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND
PROPERTY
Section 1. Contributions by bequests, memorials, and gifts in the form of
money may be accepted anytime, such contributions to be used as designated by
the donor upon approval by the Board.
Section 2. The donation of property may be accepted by the Society, by vote,
upon recommendation of the Board, such property to be managed in its natural
state for scientific or educational purposes, or to be managed or sold as a
source of income for
Section 3. The specific uses to which the property is put shall be designated
at the time of acceptance by the Society.
Section 4. Special funds may be established as needed to administer the
contributions given for use in special projects and property management.
Section 5. Establishment of the Dr. Ivan L. Boyd Recognition
Award. This award is to be given to a member(s) of KOS, usually each year, for
outstanding contributions and service to the society.The award is not a
monetary award but shall be presented to an individual(s) as a plaque with
appropriate information provided. It shall be known as the Boyd Award in
recognition of the contributions of Dr. Ivan Boyd who was a KOS Founder,
Charter Member, and the first president of KOS.
A. Individuals must be nominated by another KOS member. Nominations will be
accepted each year by the KOS President.
B. The KOS President will notify the Board of all nominations.
C. The Board will review the nominations and make a selection. The Board may
approve more than one recipient each year or may choose not to name a recipient
in a given year.
D. Announcement of the Award recipient(s) will be made at the KOS meeting
each fall.
E.
Current KOS Board members are not eligible to receive the Boyd Award.
F.
The KOS Board may adopt other guidelines and procedures to improve or modify
the administration of the Boyd Award.
Section 6. Establishment of the KOS Avian Conservation
of the Year Award. This award is to be given to an individual, who may or
may not be a KOS member, usually each year, for outstanding efforts in avian
conservation in
A.
Individual must be nominated by a
B.
Nominations will be accepted each year by the KOS Conservation Committee.
The Committee will select a recipient approved by the board.
C.
The Committee may select, and the Board may approve, more than one recipient
each year or the Board may choose not to name a recipient in a given year.
D.
Announcement of the Award recipient(s) will be made at the KOS Meeting each
fall.
E.
Current KOS Board members are eligible to receive this award.
F.
The KOS Board may adopt other guidelines and procedures to improve or modify
the administration of the Avian Conservation Award.
Section
1. A local chapter of the Kansas Ornithological Society may:
A.
Be formed at any institution, city, town or other places upon affirmation by
the Board that a majority of its members are in good standing in
B.
Elect its own officers, assess additional dues, and conduct its own meetings.
C.
Be known by a name of its own selection plus the designation: Chapter of the
Kansas Ornithological Society, Inc.
D.
Provide a rallying point for monthly meetings and local field trips.
Section
2. Applications for local chapter designations shall be made to the Membership
Development Coordinator and approved by the KOS Board. The affiliation may be
revoked by the Board at any time.
Section
1. The Kansas Ornithological Society, Inc. may consider or seek affiliation
with other organizations having similar goals for the purpose of strengthening
Section
2. Active affiliation with another organization may become binding only after
being approved by a 2/3 vote of all members present and voting at a regular
meeting or at a special meeting called for this purpose.
Section
3. No affiliation shall be considered which runs counter to provisions of the
Constitution or Bylaws of KOS.
Section
1. The Bylaws may be amended at any regular or special called meeting of KOS by
a two-third (2/3) positive vote of all those KOS members present and voting,
except as otherwise provided, provided such amendments shall have been
submitted to the Board and notice of such amendments mailed to each KOS member
or published in the Newsletter at least 30 days prior to the meeting.
Section
2. At any annual business meeting amendments may be made to the Bylaws by a 95%
positive vote of
END