OLD VERSION... Pre-2023

ES-SEPM Constitution

Article I. NAME

The section will be known as the Eastern Section of the SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology).

Article II: OBJECTIVE

The objective of the section is to promote the science of geology in eastern North America and adjacent areas through research in sedimentology, sedimentary petrology, paleontology, and stratigraphy. The section will cooperate with the Northeastern and Southeastern Sections of the Geological Society of America for the furtherance of mutual objectives.

Article III: MEMBERSHIP

  1. The section shall be composed of Members and Student Members.
  2. Members of the Section will be persons engaged in paleontological, petrologic, sedimentological, or stratigraphic research and who work or reside in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and the Provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and that portion of the Province of Ontario east of the 89th meridian. Members may also be persons who do not reside in the section region but who conduct paleontological, petrologic, sedimentological, or stratigraphic research therein.
  3. Student members will be persons who are engaged in paleontological, petrologic, sedimentological, or stratigraphic research and who are enrolled in a college or university within the geographic area of the section.
  4. Candidates for membership will make application to the Secretary/Treasurer. Upon approval thereof (based on evidence provided on the application that the applicant meets the criteria specified above) and payment of dues, the Secretary/Treasurer will notify the applicant of his or her acceptance.
  5. Members and Associates of the SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology) who reside within the geographic area of the Section will become members of the Eastern Section automatically upon submission of an application and payment of dues.

Article IV. OFFICERS

  1. The officers of the Section will be President, Vice President, Newsletter Editor, Secretary/Treasurer, Councilor for the Northeast, and Councilor for the Southeast; all to be elected.
  2. The term of office for all officers is two years. Elections for President and Vice President shall occur together, alternately with the election for Secretary/Treasurer and Newsletter Editor. Officers are elected by a majority vote among postal ballots received by the secretary within thirty (30) days after the ballot is mailed to the Members.
  3. 3. Executive authority of the Section will be vested in a Council comprising the elected officers plus the immediate past-President.
  4. The President will discharge the usual duties of a president as well as act as presiding officer at all meetings of the Section and Council. The Section President is the official representative for the Section to the Council of the SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology).
  5. The Vice-President will assume the duties of the president in the case of absence or disability of the president.
  6. The Newsletter Editor will prepare and distribute the Section newsletter based on material submitted by members and officers of the Section, and other such information as s/he deems relevant to the Section membership. Newsletters should be circulated at least each spring and fall, and at other times as occasion demands.
  7. The Secretary/Treasurer will keep records of the proceedings of the section and a complete list of the membership of the section. S/he will prepare membership application blanks, and other materials necessary to the Section's business.
  8. The Secretary/Treasurer will also have custody of and responsibility for all funds of the Section. S/he will keep an account of receipts and disbursements, and will submit his/her account to the membership at the annual business meeting.
  9. The Councilors will act as the Section’s liaison with the committee organizing the annual meetings of the Northeastern and Southeastern Sections of the Geological Society of America, and will help in making local arrangements for concomitant meetings of the Eastern Section of SEPM.
  10. The Council will consider all candidates for membership and pass on the qualifications of the applicants, and will have ultimate control and management of the affairs and funds of the Section.
  11. The President and Vice-President will not succeed themselves in office except if the Vice-President replaces the President, s/he is eligible to a full term as President.
  12. In the event that neither the President nor the Vice-president is available to serve as presiding officer of the Section, the immediate past-president will assume the President’s duties.

Article V. MEETINGS

  1. The Section will hold two stated meetings each year to be conducted in connection with the annual meetings of the Northeastern and Southeastern Sections of the Geological Society of America.
  2. The annual meetings shall be devoted to the presentation and discussion of scientific papers (in the form of symposia or theme sessions, or both, organized and sponsored by the Section via the Council), to the transaction of section business, and other appropriate functions.

Article VI. AMENDMENTS

The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds plurality of the vote in favor of the amendment among postal ballots received by the secretary within thirty (30) days after proposal of amendments with provision for postal ballot is mailed to the Members. Any proposed amendments must have been approved by a majority vote of the Council prior to being submitted to the Members for a postal ballot.

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