Houston HFES Constitution

The Human Factors Society, Houston Chapter, is organized to serve the needs of the human factors profession in the Houston area. Its purpose is to promote and advance the understanding of the human factors involved in the design, manufacture, and use of machines, systems, and devices of all kinds through the interchange of knowledge and methodology in the behavioral, biological, and physical sciences.

The Houston Chapter is established as an affiliate of the Human Factors Society, Inc., a nonprofit corporation chartered by the State of California, to operate exclusively for charitable, educational, scientific, and literary purposes by authority of and in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation, the By-Laws, and the operating rules of the Society now in force or hereafter amended.

By-Laws

of the

HUMAN FACTORS SOCIETY, HOUSTON CHAPTER

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this organization is the "Human Factors Society, Houston Chapter."

ARTICLE II - PURPOSES

The Human Factors Society, Houston Chapter, hereinafter referred to as the Chapter, is an affiliate of the Human Factors Society, Inc., a nonprofit corporation chartered by the State of California. Purposes of the Chapter are those set forth in the Articles of Incorporation of the Human Factors Society, Inc., hereinafter referred to as the Society.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.

Classes of Membership. The voting membership shall include all Members, Colleagues, and Associates of the Chapter. There shall also be such additional special classes of membership as may be established by the Executive Council, which shall establish their voting privileges. Alternatively, voting privileges can be established by amending the By-Laws.

Section 2.

Qualifications for Membership.

a. Member. A Member of the Chapter must be a Member of the Society.

a. Associate. Any person interested or active in human factors or related

fields but who does not qualify for election to the class of Member shall be eligible for election to the class of Associate of the Chapter.

a. Colleague. A Colleague must have a bachelor's degree and three

years of applicable human factors or related experience, two of which may be in graduate school; he is not a member of the Human Factors Society.

a. Special. Qualifications for any special classes of membership such as

Fellow, Colleague, Student, Honorary, Sustaining, or any other, shall be established by the Executive Council.

Section 3.

Application for Membership. Persons desiring election to membership shall make written application to the Secretary on a prescribed application form upon which he must submit acceptable evidence of his qualificaitons.

Membership in the Society shall be verified by the Central Office. Applications of persons desiring election as Associates of the chapter who are not Associates of the Society shall be endorsed by a Member of the Chapter who shall act as sponsor.

Section 4.

Election to Membership. Members of all classes shall be elected by a majority vote of the full Executive Council upon nomination by the Membership Committee.

Section 5.

Privileges.

a. Members in good standing shall be entitled to vote, hold office, receive

Notices, participate in all activities of the Chapter, have a hearing before expulsion, inspect official records of the Chapter, insist on enforcement of the By-Laws and rules of the Chapter, and receive one copy of all Chapter publications.

b. Associates in good standing shall be entitled to all privileges of

Membership, except hold the office of President.

c. Special classes of members shall be entitled to all privileges as the

Chapter Executive Council may establish.

Section 6.

Change of Membership Status.

Associates and Colleagues of the Chapter in good standing shall be reclassified to the class of Member upon verification of election to the class of Member of the Society by the Central Office.

Section 7.

Termination of Membership.

The membership of a person in the Chapter in any membership class may be terminated at any time by voluntary resignation or by involuntary expulsion by a two-thirds vote of the full Executive Council. Failure to pay dues for one year shall be deemed sufficient cause for involuntary termination. Conduct prejudicial to the purposes of the Chapter shall also be deemed sufficient cause for involuntary termination.

Section 8.

Reinstatement of Members.

Procedures and conditions for the reinstatement of members shall be established by the Executive Council subject to the requirements of the other pertinent Sections of this Article.

Section 9.

Dues.

Annual dues for the various classes of membership shall be established by the Executive Council.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

Section 1.

Designation.

Officers of the Chapter shall be

a. President - Elect

a. President

a. Past President

a. Secretary - Elect

a. Secretary

a. Past Secretary

a. Treasurer - Elect

a. Treasurer

a. Past Treasurer

a. Directors

Section 2.

Duties of Officers.

The Officers of the Chapter shall perform the duties regularly or customarily attaching to their offices and such other duties as may be required of them by the Executive Council, by these By-Laws, or by the Society.

a. President-Elect. The President-Elect shall act as an understudy to the

President, acquainting himself with the business and operations of the Chapter in preparation for assuming the duties of the Presidency. He shall assume the duties of the President during the President's temporary absence or in the event he is unable to perform his duties as determined by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Council. The President-Elect shall be a member of the Executive Council.

b. President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the

Chapter and a member of the Executive Council. He shall preside over meetings of the Chapter and the Executive Council. He shall appoint all committee chairmen not otherwise specified in these By-Laws with the advice and consent of the Executive Council.

c. Past President. The Immediate Past President shall be a member of

the Executive Council and Chairman of the Nominations and Elections Committee. He shall also serve as Chapter Historian.

d. Secretary-Elect. The Secretary-Elect shall act as an understudy to the

Secretary, acquainting himself with the duties of the office in preparation for assuming the office. He shall assume the duties of the Secretary in his absence and shall be a member of the Executive Council. He shall prepare a summary of Chapter Activities each month and submit this summary to the editor of the Human Factors Society Bulletin.

e. Secretary. The Secretary shall keep a true and faithful record of all

business meetings of the Chapter and of the Executive Council and shall be custodian of all the records and correspondence of the Chapter. The Secretary shall be a member of the Executive Council.

f. Past Secretary. The Immediate Past Secretary shall be a member of

the Executive Council and the Nominations and Elections Committee.

g. Treasurer-Elect. The Treasurer-Elect shall act as an understudy to the

Treasurer, acquainting himself with the duties of the office in preparation for assuming the office. He shall assume the duties of the Treasurer in his absence and shall be a member of the Executive Council.

h. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the money and

securities of the Chapter and shall keep a true and faithful record of all financial transactions. Money shall be deposited in the account of the Chapter in a bank or trust company selected by the Executive Council and shall be disbursed only upon approval by the Executive Council.

i. Past Treasurer. The Immediate Past Treasurer shall be a member of

the Executive Council.

j. Directors. Two Directors - at - Large shall be members of the

Executive Council. One Director shall be the Chairperson of the Program Committee. One Director shall be the Chairperson of the Nominations and Elections Committee.

ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The affairs of the Chapter shall be managed by the Executive Council, which shall consist of the elected officers. Meetings of the Executive Council shall be called by the President at least twice annually to administer the affairs of the Chapter.

ARTICLE VI - ELECTION OF OFFICERS

AND EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Section 1.

Nomination.

At least three months prior to the Annual Business Meeting of the Chapter, the Chairman of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall issue a call by mail to all voting Members, Colleagues and Associates in good standing for nominations for the offices to be filled. Thirty days after the date nomination ballots are mailed, the Nominations and Elections Committee shall close nominations and shall make a count of the nominees for each office to be filled. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall then prepare the election ballot including for each office the names of the three persons who received the largest number of nominating votes and who are both eligible and willing to stand for that office, as determined by the Nominations and Elections Committee. If any nominee is found to be ineligible or unwilling to stand for office, the name of the person ranking next in nominating votes, and who is eligible and willing, shall be substituted. Alternatively, nominations may be made by the Nominations and Elections Committee.

Section 2.

Election.

No later than one month after the closing of nominations, the Chairman of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall mail the election ballot to all voting Members and Associates in good standing. Thirty days after the date the election ballots are mailed, the Chairman of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall close the election, and shall make a count of the votes. Tie votes for any office shall be resolved by drawing lots. The candidates for each office receiving a plurality of votes cast shall be elected. The incumbent President shall notify the winning candidates of their election and shall direct that their names be published within 45 days in any Chapter publication distributed to all Chapter members. He shall further direct that their names be forwarded to the Executive Administrator of the Society.

Section 3.

Terms of Office.

The Officers-Elect shall assume their offices on the first day after the close of the Annual Business Meeting of the Chapter following their election and shall hold office until their successors accept office in their stead or until the Executive Council shall have declared their office vacant as provided for elsewhere in these By-Laws.

a. The term of office of the President-Elect shall be one year upon

Completion of which he shall serve one year as President and the following year as Past President.

b. The term of office of the Secretary-Elect shall be one year upon

completion of which he shall serve one year as Secretary and the following year as Past Secretary.

c. The term of office of the Treasurer-Elect shall be one year upon

completion of which he shall serve one year as Treasurer and the following year as Past Treasurer.

d. The terms of office of the Directors shall be two years, the terms

expiring at the close of the Annual Business Meeting of the Chapter.

Section 4.

Installation.

Election results shall be announced during the Annual Business Meeting of the Chapter. Officers-Elect shall be installed by the incumbent Officers during this meeting.

Section 5.

Eligibility and Vacancies.

No individual may hold more than one elective office concurrently. Officers-Elect shall serve their complete terms of office before becoming eligible for re-election to the same office. The Executive Council shall consider the failure of any incumbent to perform the duties of his office from disability or other circumstances and may by a two-thirds vote decree the office vacant. In the event the order of succession to office provided for above does not provide for the assumption of duties by another incumbent, the Executive Council may appoint an appropriate incumbent to assume the duties of the vacant office until the vacancy is filled at the next election.

ARTICLE VII - COMMITTEES

Section 1.

Designation.

Committees shall be Standing, as provided for in these By-Laws, and Special, as may be determined by the President with the advice and consent of the Executive Council. The selection of Committee Chairmen, the status of each Special Committee, and its period of continuance shall be determined by the President with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, except as otherwise provided in these By-Laws. Chairmen shall normally serve from the time of their appointment until the close of the next Annual Business Meeting. Except as otherwise provided for in these By-Laws, Committee Chairmen shall be empowered to select and appoint such Committee members as shall be necessary to conduct the affairs of the Committee. Committee members shall normally serve from the time of their appointment until the close of the next Annual Business Meeting.

Section 2.

Standing Committees.

a. Membership. The Membership Committee, consisting of a Chairman

and not less than two additional members, shall evaluate the eligibility of all applicants for membership in the Chapter in all grades, shall evaluate the eligibility of all applicants for changes in membeship status in the Chapter, and shall submit its evaluations and recommendations to the Executive Council for action. The Membership Committee chair shall be held by the Treasurer.

b. Nominations and Elections. The Nominations and Elections

Committee, consisting of a Chairman and members he selects or as provided for elsewhere in these By-Laws shall administer the procedures for the nomination and election of candidates for the elective offices of the Chapter and shall ascertain the eligibility and willingness of all nominees as provided for elsewhere in these By-Laws.

c. Program. The Program Committee, consisting of the Chairman and not less than two additional members shall plan the content and execute the arrangements for all regular meetings of the Chapter, and such special meetings as may be called by the President and the Executive Council.

d. Publications. The Publications Committee shall consist of a Chairman,

the Editors of all regular Chapter publications, and such additional members as may be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Executive Council or by the Chairman subject to the approval of the Executive Council. The Publications Committee Chair shall be responsible for the publication and distribution of all Chapter publications, for identifying and defining requirements for new publications with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, and for preparing and submitting budget requests to the Executive Council at least annually. The Chairman, who shall not be an Editor, shall appoint Editors for all Chapter publications with the advice and consent of the Committee, subject to confirmation by the Executive Council and shall establish and enforce editorial policies subject to such constraints as may be imposed by the Executive Council. Editors shall be delegated full editorial authority (license) subject only to established editorial policies. The tenure of an Editor shall be determined only by his willingness to serve or by a vote of the Executive Council for his removal. Copies of all Chapter publications shall be submitted regularly to the Executive Council of the Society.

ARTICLE VIII - MEETINGS

Section 1.

Designation. There shall be Regular and Special Meetings of the Chapter and Regular and Special Meetings of the Executive Council, as provided for elsewhere in these By-Laws.

Section 2.

Regular Meeting.

No less than three Regular Meetings of the Chapter, one of which shall be designated the Annual Business Meeting, shall be held each year at such times and places as shall be decided by the Executive Council. Announcements shall be made by mail to all members of all classes in good standing not less than 10 days prior to meeting date.

Section 3.

Special Meeting.

A Special Meeting of the Chapter may be called at any time and place by the Executive Council, or by the Secretary upon written request of 51% of the voting members of the Chapter in good standing. Announcements shall be made by mail to all members of all classes in good standing not less than 10 days prior to meeting date.

Section 4.

Quorum.

The presence in person of a majority of the voting members of the Chapter shall costitute a quorum at any Regular or Special Meeting of the Chapter at which business is conducted, except that a lesser number may adjourn such meetings. During any meeting at which a quorum exists, the members may, by a two-thirds vote, order the submission of any question, except one affecting the By-Laws fo the Chapter, to the Executive Council or to the voting members by mail ballot.

Section 5.

Executive Council Meeting.

Meetings of the Executive Council shall be called by the President as provided for elsewhere in these By-Laws. The President may request the attendance of any Committee Chairmen, Editors, or members-at-large in order to receive reports and recommendations pertinent to the conduct of Chapter affairs. The presence in person of a majority of members of the Executive Council shall constitute a quorum.

Section 6.

Parliamentary Authority.

The rules contained in Roberts' Rules of Order shall govern the Chapter in all cases in which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the By-Laws of the body of standing rules or rules of order of the Chapter.

ARTICLE IX - FISCAL ACCOUNTING

Section 1.

Accounting.

The Chapter shall keep a record of all money received and paid out on the basis of the same fiscal year as that observed by the Society.

Section 2.

Fiscal Report.

The Chapter shall prepare and submit an Annual Financial Report to the Executive Council of the Society within one month following the end of the fiscal year. The Chapter shall, at the same time, submit an Annual Report. The Annual Report is defined in the Operating Rules of the Society.

ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS

Section 1.

Proposal.

Motions to adopt, amend, or repeal By-Laws, consistent with the Articles of Incorporation, the By-Laws, and the operating rules of the Society, and bearing the signatures of at least 5 Members of the Chapter, or Members of the Executive Council, shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary for distribution to the Executive Council within 14 days for vote. Members of the Executive Council shall be allowed not less than 7 days or more than 14 days thereafter to return their votes. Motions to adopt, amend, or repeal By-Laws shall be consistent with the Articles of Incorporation, the By-Laws, and the Operating Rules of the Society before voting on their adoption.

Section 2.

Adoption.

a. Motions to adopt, amend, or repeal By-Laws shall be passed by a two-

thirds vote of the Executive Council. After approval by the Executive Council, the proposal shall be submitted to the voting Membership of the Chapter during the next meeting or by mail ballot. Voting Members shall be allowed not less than 7 days or more than 14 days thereafter to return their votes. Motions shall be adopted if approved by two-thirds of the voting Members of the Chapter. Voting shall be by secret ballot.

b. In the event the Executive Council fails to approve a motion, a motion

shall cause a mail ballot on the motion to be distributed by the Secretary within 7 days to all voting Members of the Chapter. Voting Members shall be allowed not less than 7 days or more than 14 days thereafter to return their votes. A two-thirds vote of all voting Members shall override any contrary vote of the Executive Council.

Section 3.

Effectivity.

Adoption, amendment, or repeal of a By-Law shall take effect immediately upon its passage by the Chapter, and shall be announced immediately by mail to all members by the Secretary.

Section 4.

Society Approval.

Any amendment to these By-Laws initiated by Chapter action shall be submitted in writing within 30 days after its passage to the Chairman of the Chapter Affairs Committee of the Society for approval or disapproval by the Executive Council of the Society.

ARTICLE XI - COMPATIBILITY OF BY-LAWS

These By-Laws shall be compatible with the Articles of Incorporation, the By-Laws, and the Operating Rules of the Society, and any deviation therefrom is null and void.

ARTICLE XII - DISSOLUTION

In the event the Chapter dissolves, its assets shall be distributed for one or more of the purposes in Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or to an organization that has been held exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

APPROVAL OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE HUMAN FACTORS SOCIETY, HOUSTON CHAPTER

We the undersigned approve the Constitution of the Houston Chapter of the Human Factors Society:

Douglas J. Gillan

Betty S. Boldsberry

Charles K. Shepherd, Jr.

Angelo J. Micocci

Ruthan Lewis

Kritina L. Holden

Randy L. Smith

Robert E. Bond

David Desaulniers

Jim Stramler

Kenneth R. Laughery, Sr.

Lila F. Laux

Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx (unreadable)

David Lane