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BYLAWS OF THE SOUTHERN DIVISION
OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY

Amended 24 March 2001

        SECTION I. Name and Objectives. Pursuant to the Constitution of the American Fisheries Society (hereinafter referred to as the Society) and the Bylaws of the Society, there has been established a Southern Division (hereinafter referred to as the Division) of the American Fisheries Society.

        The purpose of the Division shall be those of the Society as set forth in the Constitution of the Society.

        SECTION II. Membership. The membership of the Division shall be composed of those Society members in good standing residing in, or having an interest in the fishery resources and related technical information in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, District of Columbia, and other Caribbean Islands. Members of the Society may elect to transfer into or out of the Division, according to the Society Bylaws, by notifying the Executive Director of the Society in writing.

        SECTION III. Meetings. The Division shall meet twice each year at a time and place decided upon either by the membership present at the preceding annual meeting, or in default of such a decision by the membership, by the Executive Committee of the Division.

        The Division may meet jointly with other organizations whenever it is expedient and advantageous to do so, in which case the meeting is to be officially recognized and clearly publicized as the annual meeting of the Division.

        Special meetings may be called by the Division President with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee of the Division.

        SECTION IV. Officers. In accordance with the Bylaws of the Society, the officers of the Division shall consist of a President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Immediate Past-President. All nominees for officers shall be members of the Society in good standing and shall have attended an annual meeting in one of the three years preceding their nomination.

        The officers shall be elected by mail ballot prior to the Division annual meeting, shall be installed at the conclusion of that meeting, and shall serve for one year except that the Secretary-Treasurer shall serve for two years. The position of President-Elect shall automatically convert to President, that of Vice President to President-Elect, and that of President to Immediate Past-President. The officers will be ineligible for re-election to the same office within one year following the expiration of their terms. In case of a vacated position, the Executive Committee of the Division shall appoint a qualified replacement to fill an unexpired term.

        In the event of a cancellation of the annual meeting, the officers and the members of any committee that have been appointed shall continue to serve until the next regularly scheduled meeting.

        No elected officer or appointed committee member of the Division shall receive any salary or other compensation from the Society or Division for services rendered. Clerical and other necessary expenses may be defrayed from funds available to the Division when such disbursements have been authorized at an annual meeting or by the Executive Committee in the interim between meetings.

        SECTION V. Duties of Officers.

        (a.) President. The President of the Division shall preside at all Division business meetings, serve as Chair of the Division Executive Committee, and represent the Division on the Governing Board of the Society (one of two representatives). The President shall appoint chairs of all Divisional Committees, except those defined in Section VII. (f) of these Bylaws, and the Divisional representative to the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The President shall submit a report of the Division activities at the Society's Governing Board meetings and at the annual meeting of the Society. If unable to attend a Society Governing Board Meeting, the President may designate the Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, or Immediate Past-President as an alternate by written notice to the Society's Executive Director prior to the meeting.

        (b.) President-Elect. The President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President if the President is absent or unable to act, represent the Division on the Governing Board of the Society (one of two representatives), chair the Program Committee, and conduct other duties assigned by the President. If unable to attend a meeting of the Society Governing Board, the President-Elect may designate the Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, or Immediate Past-President as an alternate by written notice to the Society's Executive Director prior to the meeting.

        (c.) Vice President. The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President-Elect if the latter is absent or unable to act, shall chair the Division Membership Committee and serve on the Membership Committee of the Society, shall chair a subcommittee of the Division's Executive Committee for the purpose of overseeing the technical committees, shall serve on the Program Committee of the Division, and conduct other duties assigned by the President.

        (d.) Secretary-Treasurer. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep the official records and archives of the Division, conduct its correspondence (including a periodic newsletter to the membership), collect and be custodian of any fees or assessments collected under the authority of these Bylaws plus any funds allotted to the Division by the Society, and disburse funds authorized by the Division membership or its Executive Committee. A financial report shall be submitted at the annual Division meeting. Duties requested by the Executive Director of the Society shall be performed and the minutes of the annual meeting shall be submitted to the Executive Director within 30 days following the meeting.

        (e.) Immediate Past-President. The Immediate Past-President shall serve on the Nominating Committee.

        SECTION VI. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee of the Division shall consist of the four duly elected officers, the Immediate Past-President, and the President of each chapter within the Division. It is authorized to act for the Division between meetings and to perform other appropriate functions. A quorum for the Executive Committee shall consist of 5, two of whom shall be officers. Telecommunications may substitute for meetings for conduct of business; the quorum is required. If unable to participate in a function of the Executive Committee, a chapter president may select an alternate to represent the chapter with full voting privileges, providing the substitution is presented in writing to the Secretary-Treasurer prior to convening of the Executive Committee meeting.

        SECTION VII. Divisional Committees. The President of the Division is authorized to appoint from members of the Division in good standing such committees as may be necessary for the conduct of the business of the Division. These committees shall include:

        (a.) Audit Committee of three (3) which shall audit the accounts of the Secretary-Treasurer and report to the Division at the annual meeting.

        (b.) Awards Committee of five (5) shall review and recommend to the President candidates who, by their noteworthy and longstanding contributions to fisheries, aquatic sciences, and the Division, shall be considered worthy of the Division's recognition for Outstanding Achievement, candidates who, by their outstanding contributions of time and energy for special projects or activities in the service of the Division, shall be considered worthy of the Division's recognition for Distinguished Service, candidates who, by their communication of noteworthy contributions to fisheries and aquatic science research and management shall be recognized by the John F. Dequine Award for the best paper, and Division chapters who, through service to their members, communities and the profession shall be recognized as the Outstanding Chapter at the annual meeting.

        (c.) Mail Ballot Committee of three (3), not to include Division officers and members of the Nominating Committee, which shall receive and tally mail ballots for Division officers and report at the next annual meeting.

        (d.) Membership Committee comprised of one (1) member from each chapter and residing in each state in the Division and chaired by the Vice President. This committee shall undertake to maintain current membership and recruit new members from those eligible within the Division boundaries. The chair will also serve on the Membership Committee of the Society.

        (e.) Nominating Committee of five (5), including the Division Immediate Past-president, shall recommend a slate of candidates for specific offices of the Division, including a Division representative to serve on the Society Nominating Committee.

        (f.) Program Committee of five (5), including the President-Elect as Chair, which shall be responsible for establishment of program and local arrangement committees for the annual and mid-year meetings. In the event that the annual meeting is planned jointly with another group, this committee shall be the Division's representatives to the joint program committee. This committee shall strive for high quality and provide instructions to speakers and authors in techniques of presentation. The Program Committee shall include the Vice-President who will succeed to the program chair in the following year.

        (g.) Resolutions Committee of five (5) which shall draft and recommend to the Division for consideration at its annual meeting such resolutions considered prudent and necessary in the furtherance of the purposes and objectives of the Division. The chair will also serve on the Resolutions Committee of the Society. The retiring chair shall be responsible for ensuring appropriate and prompt distribution of resolutions following their adoption by the Division.

        (h.) Student Affairs Committee of at least five (5) shall promote student involvement in all activities of the Division and identify concerns of students related to Society structure, function, and activities.

        (i.) Technical Committees of the Division shall provide a forum for the resolution of important professional problems within the Division. Each committee will elect a Chair, subject to approval by the Division President.

        (j.) Such ad hoc committees as are deemed necessary to carry out the work of the Division.

        The Division committees shall not duplicate or conflict with the functions of the standing committees of the Society, although they may submit recommendations to such standing committees. The term of office for members of the divisional committees shall end upon the discharge of their appointed duties or at the next annual meeting of the Division, whichever comes first.

        SECTION VIII. Voting and Quorum. Decisions at a meeting of the Division shall be in accordance with the Constitution of the Society. A quorum at the annual meeting of the membership for the transaction of official business of the Division shall be fifty (50) members in good standing.   

        SECTION IX. Special Assessments. The Executive Committee of the Division may levy special assessments, such as registration fees for attendance at annual meetings. Collection shall be made by the Secretary-Treasurer or an appointed representative.

        SECTION X. Amendment of Bylaws. The bylaws of the Division may be amended at the annual meeting by approval of 2/3 of the members present and voting, but all amendments must be reviewed by the Division's Executive Committee and published in the Division newsletter at least 30 days prior to consideration by the membership, and be approved in accordance with the constitution and bylaws of the Society. Any change shall take effect when written notice of approval has been received from the Society's Executive Director.

        STANDING RULES:

        The following rules are established to assist in conducting the business of the Division. A rule may be temporarily suspended for no longer than the duration of a meeting upon approval of 2/3 of the members present and voting. These rules may be amended by a majority of members present and voting at an annual meeting, unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws of the Division or the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society.

1.     Order of Business

        The agenda at the annual meeting of the Division shall include, but shall not necessarily be limited to, the following with all reports provided to the Secretary-Treasurer in written form. In the event that time limits presentations at the business meeting, each item shall be presented at the Executive Committee meeting.

        1. Call to order by the President. 2. Determination of a quorum. 3. President's address (subject to be of his/her choosing). 4. Introduction of noteworthy guests and visitors. 5. Reports of the Secretary-Treasurer. 6. Reports of the Chapters. 7. Reports of divisional committees. 8. Report of the Resolutions Committee. 9. Report of the Membership Committee. 10. Report of the Nominating Committee. 11. Report of the Mail Ballot Committee. 12. Other old business. 13. Installation of newly-elected officers. 14. Appointments of committees by Division President. 15. New business. 16. Adjournment.

2.     Resolutions

        (a.) General resolutions (those that place the views of the Division on record on matters of broad concern): in order to be eligible for consideration must be received by the Resolutions Committee no later than August 1, and must be printed in the Division newsletter before the annual meeting.

        (b.) Internal resolutions (those that concern the Division itself) will be eligible for consideration up to and at the business meeting.