Southern Appalachian Botanical Society
CONSTITUTION

Article I - Organization

Section 1.  The name of this organization shall be The Southern Appalachian Botanical Society.

Section 2.  The purpose of this Society shall be to promote botanical interest and to disseminate information concerning the flora and ecology of the southern Appalachian region and the eastern United States.  To this end, there is authorized the publication of a periodical to be known as Castanea, The Journal of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society.

Article II - Membership and Dues

Section 1.  Membership shall be open to all persons interested in botany.

Section 2.  Annual dues shall be established for the following categories of regular membership:  Individual, Student, Sustaining, Family, Life, and Emeritus.

Section 3.  Upon request to the Council, emeritus status in SABS will be awarded to members who meet either of the following criteria: 1) retired, age 65 or older, dues paid for the preceding 10-year period, or 2) retired, dues paid for the proceeding 20-year period.  Emeritus status carries the privileges of voting in SABS elections, attending annual meetings and field trips, receiving a free subscription to Chinquapin, and receiving Castanea at one-half the current dues rate.

Section 4.  Each member shall pay annual dues in accordance with her/his category of membership.  Annual dues include a year's subscription to Castanea and/or other publications of the Society.

Article III - Officers

        The officers of the society, elected by the membership, shall consist of a President (two year term), Past-President (one year term), President-elect (one year term), Treasurer (four year term), Membership Secretary (four year term), and Recording Secretary (four year term).

Article IV - Editorial Board

        The Editorial Board, elected by the membership, shall consist of three members, each one to serve a three year term with the election on one of the members taking place each year.

Article V - Council

Section 1.  The Officers of the Society, members of the Editorial Board for Castanea, the Editor of Chinquapin, and two Members-at-Large shall constitute the Council.  The Members-at-Large shall be elected for a term of two (2) years by the membership with one member-at-Large shall be elected for the Council each year.

Section 2.  The Council shall meet in the fall of each year and in the spring prior to the annual meeting of the membership.

Section 3.  Chairs of Standing Committees and the Managing Editor may meet with the Council at its fall and spring meetings.  The Managing Editor and Chairs attending may enter freely into the discussion and vote on those issues which require Council action.

Article VI - Meetings of the Society

Section 1.  The annual meeting of the Society shall be held jointly with the annual meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists.  Field trips may be held in connection with the annual meeting.

Section 2.  Special meetings of the Society may be called by the Council.

Section 3.  Notice of all special meetings shall be sent to each member at least two weeks before the date in which such meetings are to convene.

Section 4.  The members of the Society present shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the annual meeting or at any special meeting.

Article VII - Disposition of Property

        In the event of the dissolution or termination of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society, title to and possession of all assets of the Society shall be assigned forthwith by the Council to a non-profit organization similar to SABS in its overall goals or other botanical organizations operated exclusively for charitable, educational, or scientific purpose.

Article VIII - Incorporation

        The Southern Appalachian Botanical Society, having prior approval by the membership, is incorporated as a non-profit, scientific and educational organization without capital stock and one solely engaged in lawful activity as permitted by Section 501 c (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, and by Chapter 55A of the General Statutes of the State of North Carolina.

Article IX  - Audit

        The financial records of the Secretary-Treasurer shall be audited at least once each year by the Auditing Committee.

Article X  - Archives

        The Archives of The Southern Appalachian Botanical Society shall be maintained permanently at West Virginia University, Morgantown.

Article IX  - Amendments

Section 1.  The constitution may be amended by a simple majority of those members voting by mail, provided notice of the proposed amendment(s) has been sent to all members of the society at least thirty (30) days in advance of the deadline for receipt of ballots by the Secretary-Treasurer or a designee approved by the Council, provided the amendment has been proposed by the Council or by a committee authorized by the Society at an annual meeting, and provided that so long as the society shall be or remain an organization exempt under Section 501 c (3) of the Internal revenue Code of 1954, as amended.  No amendment shall be made to Article I or Article VII of this constitution without consent having been obtained from the Internal Revenue Service.

Section 2.  Amendments to the constitution shall take effect as soon as adopted by vote of the membership.

Approved, as amended, and adopted by the membership:  16 April 1999, amended 15 October 2001