New York Chapter of
The Wildlife Society
BYLAWS
NEW YORK CHAPTER OF THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY
Organized October 1963
Reviewed and Approved by The Wildlife Society, January 2020
Amended and Approved by Vote of the Membership, 4 February 2020
ARTICLE I. NAME, JURISDICTION, AFFILIATION, OBJECTIVES
Section 1. Name. The name of this organization shall be the New York Chapter of The Wildlife Society, hereinafter referred to as the Chapter.
Section 2. Area. This Chapter shall have its area of organization primarily in the State of New York.
Section 3. Criteria for Affiliation. The Chapter shall conform to the Bylaws, Code of Ethics, Objectives, Policies and Positions of The Wildlife Society, Incorporated (incorporated in 1948 under the laws of the District of Columbia, U.S.A.). Hereinafter, The Wildlife Society, Inc. May be referred to as The Society.
ARTICLE II. OBJECTIVES
Section 1. Objectives. Consistent with the objectives of The Society, the Chapter objectives are to:
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Encourage the highest possible professional standards in those working with wildlife resources.
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Encourage management of wildlife resources along sound biological, ecological, economic, and social principles.
Section 2. Implementation. To aid in the achievement of these objectives, this Chapter proposes to:
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Disseminate knowledge and exchange ideas through Chapter meetings and newsletters.
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Provide an opportunity for better liaison among individual members, Student Chapters, the Northeast Section, and The Society.
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Recognize and commend outstanding work in the profession.
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Become actively involved in important issues affecting wildlife resources in New York State, taking positions based on scientific fact and sound ecological knowledge to guide decision-making.
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Encourage public support for positions taken by the Chapter on important issues affecting wildlife resources.
ARTICLE III. CHAPTER YEAR
The Chapter's operating and fiscal year shall follow The Society's calendar year schedule.
ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Regular Member. Regular membership in the New York Chapter shall be available to any dues-paying member of The Society who resides or conducts professional activities within the organizational area of the Chapter (Article I, Section 2). Only Regular Members may hold office in the Chapter, vote on official matters of The Society, and officially represent the Chapter in business of The Wildlife Society by committee or officer appointment.
Clause A. Student Member. Student membership shall be available to any student member of The Wildlife Society currently enrolled in a New York State college or university. Student members may vote on official Chapter matters, and hold the office of Student Chapter Representative in the Chapter.
Section 2. Chapter Member. Chapter membership is available to any person who is not a Regular Member of The Society, but has an interest in the objectives and activities of the chapter and is approved by the Membership Committee. Chapter Members shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges of Regular Members, including voting for officers, except those reserved for Regular Members (Article IV, Section 1).
Section 3. Charter Member. Members in good standing on the membership rolls as of 6 December 1963, shall be considered Charter members.
Section 4. Honorary Member. Honorary Members of the Chapter shall be persons who, by a majority vote of all Chapter members, have been thus recognized for their achievements. A Chapter Honorary member need not pay Chapter dues. Honorary Members who are Voting Members of The Society shall have the same rights and privileges as Chapter Voting Members (Article IV, Section 1). Honorary Members who are Regular Members of The Society shall have the same rights and privileges as Chapter Members (Article IV, Section 2). Upon retirement from the wildlife management profession, a Regular Member of the Chapter (Article IV, Section 1) may apply, in writing, to the Vice-President to be considered for Honorary Membership.
Section 5. Contributing Member. Contributing Membership is open to individuals, business, industry, or organizations interested in promoting the interests of the Chapter. Contributing Membership shall provide all rights and privileges of Regular Membership except the right to vote in Chapter business meetings, hold office, or represent the Chapter or The Society in business matters. Dues for Contributing Membership shall not be less than One Hundred Dollars ($100).
Section 6. Dues. Annual dues shall be reviewed periodically by the Executive Committee and increased or decreased, as necessary. Dues shall be payable no later than the annual meeting. Annual Chapter dues also may be paid to The Society along with Section and Society dues.
Section 7. Resignation. Members may resign at any time by giving notice to the Chapter's Vice-President and Secretary, or will be considered to have resigned if annual Chapter dues are not paid.
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Section 8. Reinstatement. Persons who are dropped from the rolls of the Chapter for non- payment of dues or resignation may be reinstated to membership in the Chapter upon payment of the current year's dues.
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ARTICLE V. ELECTIONS AND OFFICERS
Section 1. Procedures. The Nominating and Awards Committee, selected by the Executive Committee (Article VII, Section 1), shall prepare a slate of 2 candidates for each of the elective positions, namely: Vice-President (President-elect; who shall succeed to be President), Secretary, Treasurer, Member-at-Large, and Student Representative.
Clause A. Nominees must be Regular Members of The Society or the Chapter (Article IV, Section 1.)
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Clause B. Prior approval shall be obtained from said candidates.
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Clause C. A nomination slate shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to the membership at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting.
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Clause D. Additional nominees may be submitted to the Nominating and Elections Committee and added to the slate upon the signed support of 2 or more members, provided prior approval has been obtained from each nominee.
Section 2. Balloting. Officers shall be approved by a majority vote of the ballots received. In the event of a tie, the selection shall be made by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. Ballots shall be mailed, delivered, or otherwise transmitted to Voting Members at least 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting. Completed ballots are to be mailed, delivered, or otherwise transmitted to the Secretary or his/her designee prior to the Annual Business Meeting. The ballots shall be counted and results reported by the Nominating and Awards Committee during the Annual Meeting. For ballot counting purposes, the President shall appoint a replacement for any member of the Nominating and Awards Committee who has been nominated for an office. No person may hold more than 1 elective position simultaneously.
Section 3. Officers. Officers of the Chapter shall consist of a President, Vice-President (President-elect), Past-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Their duties are:
Clause A. President. The President shall have general supervision of the Chapter officers, shall appoint, with the advice of the Executive Committee, Chairs of all regular and special committees, shall preside as Chair at meetings of the Executive Committee, and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating and Awards Committee. The President may represent the Chapter or appoint alternate representatives to other Chapter, Section, or The Society boards, committees, or meetings including the Executive Committee of the Northeast Section. The President or the Chapter Representative shall represent and serve as a member of the Northeast Section Executive Committee. The President or Chapter Representative shall assist the Section Chair by conducting or delegating routine Section business that must be transacted within the jurisdiction of the Chapter. The President shall also serve as chair of the Planning Committee for the Annual Meeting.
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Clause B. Vice-President (President-elect). The Vice-President (President-elect) shall serve as chair of the Membership Committee and of the Planning Committee for the Field/Continuing Education Meeting(s) (see Article VI, Section 1, Clause B), and shall perform any other duties assigned by the President. Gaining familiarity with the officers, committees and overall administration of the Chapter shall be a major function of this office.
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Clause C. Secretary. The Secretary shall be responsible for the files and records of the Chapter. Duties also include the recording of the minutes of all meetings, the maintenance of the membership rolls, correspondence, the issuance of meeting minutes, and notices of all proposed amendments to the Bylaws.
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Clause D. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all funds of the Chapter, and shall submit complete annual financial reports. Duties also include the receipt and disbursement of funds.
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Clause E. Past-President. The Past-President's duties will be to assist the President for a period of one year in all assigned duties and in promoting continuity and a smooth transition of Chapter affairs, and serve for one year as Chair of the Nominating and Awards Committee and Bylaws Committee.
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Clause F. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall act as the governing body for the Chapter and shall be made up of the above named officers, a Member-at- Large elected to the Committee, and a Student Chapter Representative elected to the committee.
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Member-at-Large. The Member-At-Large shall be a regular member of the Chapter and The Wildlife Society will serve as a full voting member of the Executive Committee. The Member-At-Large will focus on student and continuing education activities or the chapter and will complete specific tasks as assigned by the Executive Committee.
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Student Chapter Representative. The Student Chapter Representative shall be a student member in good standing of both the Chapter and The Wildlife Society. The student representative is a full voting member of the Executive Committee. The Student Representative shall provide regular updates on chapter activities to the Committee, as well as regular update on Chapter and Executive Committee activities to the student chapters.
Section 4. Term of Office. The Officers, Member-at-Large, and Student Chapter Representative take office immediately following the Annual Meeting, and unless re-elected, terminate their duties at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting marking the end of their Term, or at such time as their successors are elected and installed, except the Vice President (President-Elect) who shall be installed as President and the President who shall be installed as Past-President. Vice- President (President-elect), President, Past-President, and Member-at-Large will serve 1 year, Secretary and Treasurer will be elected for staggered 2-year terms. The Student Chapter Representative serves a 1-year term, although their term of office will follow Student Chapter bylaws, and not necessarily the Annual Meeting cycle.
Section 5. Vacancies. If the office of President is vacated for any reason, the Vice-President or Past-President shall assume the duties of the President for the balance of the unexpired term of the President. In the event the Vice-President or Past-President cannot serve as the President, the Executive Committee shall appoint a president pro-tempore until the next scheduled Chapter election, when the membership shall elect the next President. All other vacancies in any through appointment by the Executive Committee. All appointees must be Regular Members of the Chapter and The Society.
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings shall be held at such times and places as determined and published by the Executive Committee, or as specified in these Bylaws. Regular meetings shall include one annual meeting and may include at least one field/continuing education meeting per year.
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Clause A. Annual Meeting. An Annual Meeting shall be held during the first half of the Chapter fiscal year for the purposes of electing or installing officers, receiving reports of officers and committees, and for any other business that may arise.
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Clause B. Field/Continuing Education Meeting. These meetings shall be for the purpose of providing opportunities for education of members on some aspect of wildlife or other natural resources in New York.
Clause C. Meeting Notice. Members must be notified at least 30 days prior to any regular meeting.
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Clause D. Quorum. A quorum for any regular meetings of the Chapter shall be over 50% of the membership or 20 voting members, whichever is less.
Clause E. Meeting Rules. Order of business and parliamentary procedures at all Chapter meetings shall follow Robert's Rules of Order, latest revision.
Clause F. Bylaws. Chapter Bylaws shall be available for inspection during each annual meeting. If these Bylaws are revised, the new revision must be approved by The Society before becoming effective. Copies of Bylaws are available to any member on request from the Secretary.
Section 2. Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee at any time, provided members are given 10 days of notice, and the purpose of the meeting is given.
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Clause A. A quorum for special meetings is over 25% of the full membership or 10 voting members, whichever is less.
Clause B. Only items listed in the call for a special meeting shall be acted upon at the special meeting.
ARTICLE VII. MANAGEMENT AND FINANCES
Section 1. Executive Committee. The Chapter shall be governed by an Executive Committee composed of its officers as defined in Article 5, Section 3, the Member-at-Large, and the Student Chapter Representative.
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Clause A. Conduct. The Executive Committee shall conduct its affairs in conformance with the provisions of these Bylaws, and those of The Society. The Executive Committee is authorized to act for the Chapter between annual meetings and shall report its interim actions to the members at each annual meeting. Any Executive Committee action may be overridden by two-thirds of the Voting Members attending a membership meeting.
Clause B. Attendance. Committee Chairs and Regular Members may attend Executive Committee meetings, but may participate therein only when asked to do so, and they may not vote at such meetings.
Clause C. Quorum. A quorum for Executive Committee Meetings shall be 3 members of the Committee.
Section 2. Finance. Funds of the Chapter shall be under the supervision of the Executive Committee, and shall be administered either as a general operating fund handled by the Treasurer or as a permanent fund. The financial records of the Chapter shall be examined periodically by the Audit Committee (Article VIII, Section 6).
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Clause A. The Treasurer need not be bonded.
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Clause B. Funds shall be derived from dues, special assessments, work projects, and contributions.
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Clause C. Funds shall be placed in a federally-insured bank or savings and loan association.
Clause D. A special Finance Committee consisting of at least one Regular Member and up to two non-member advisors, shall be appointed by the President and make timely recommendations for management of a Chapter permanent fund. Each committee member shall be appointed alternately and annually for a 3-year term and need not be bonded. The committee will select its Chair annually subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. Vacancies shall be filled by the President for the remainder of any unexpired term.
Clause E. Administration of Permanent Fund Assets
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The Executive Committee may designate portions of funds received from: dues payments of all membership classes, subscriptions, sales items, fund raising events, general fund earnings, and from un-designated gifts to be placed in the permanent fund of the Chapter.
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The Executive Committee may accept any bequests, grants, trusts, or other assets.
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The Finance Committee shall evaluate and recommend the administration of securities, funds, or other property, real and personal, which have been placed in the Chapter’s permanent fund. It shall recommend, on the basis of majority vote, and subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, actions by the President and Treasurer to invest or reinvest in securities or other investment properties and to sell, transfer, and assign such assets including the right to execute proxies, transfer documents, and other legal papers related to such assets in the name of the Chapter. However, the exercise of such actions shall not be in contravention to the terms under which any such property was accepted from the donor or divisor.
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When permanent fund assets are required for Chapter business, and when so instructed by a majority vote of the Executive Committee, the President and Treasurer shall effect any necessary liquidation of permanent fund assets and/or transfer the stipulated amount to the general fund.
Section 3. Reports. Within 20 days after an election or other official action, the Secretary shall report such action(s) to the Executive Director of The Society, the Northeast Section Representative, and the Northeast Section Chair. An annual report from the Secretary shall be forwarded to these same parties. A statement of calendar-year income and expenses, together with starting and ending balances, must be submitted by the Treasurer to the Executive Director of The Society in January of each year for federal tax reporting by The Wildlife Society office.
Section 4. Files. The Chapter shall maintain a file containing: Bylaws of The Society, the Northeast Section, and the Chapter; minutes of all regular and special meetings of the membership and of the Executive Committee; correspondence pertinent to Chapter affairs; all committee reports; financial statements and records; and all other material designated as pertinent by the Executive Committee. A "Procedure for Filing" shall be kept in the Chapter file for the guidance of each succeeding Secretary. A Chapter "Operations Manual" provided by The Society will be maintained by the Chapter President and a written record of transfer of this manual to the incoming President will be maintained. For all other matters, the Chapter Newsletter shall be the official record of the Chapter, disseminated to all members and archived on the Chapter web site.
Section 5. Resolutions and Public Statements. Any member may submit resolutions or statements to the Chapter’s Executive Committee for possible consideration by the Chapter’s Executive Committee. These shall be accepted or rejected by the Executive Committee and, if involving new policy, prepared for submission to the Chapter membership. Such new items must be approved by two-thirds of the Chapter membership voting and must be transmitted to The Society, the Northeast Section Representative, and the Northeast Section Chair, if approved. Actions falling within previously established Chapter policies may be carried out by any Chapter officer upon approval of the Executive Committee. On issues where there are no previously established Chapter policies, and that demand action on a reasonably short notice, the President, or designated representative, may present a Public Statement on behalf of the Chapter provided that:
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The concept of the statement be brought to the Executive Committee's attention and is accepted by them prior to public issuing of the statement; and
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Copies of the statement are sent to the membership in the first Newsletter after public issuing of the statement. Furthermore, the Chapter may issue statements pertaining to subjects in its locale:
a) When the content of the statement falls within the established policy of The Wildlife Society, and
b) In the absence of existing position statements by The Society, The Chapter will not issue statements that may be in conflict with the policy of The without prior approval of The Society's Council. All statements will follow the "Policy Guidelines" (http://wildlife.org/network/tws-local/annual-reporting/). The Chapter membership, The Society, The Northeast Section Representative, and the Northeast Section Chair must receive copies of any Resolution or Public Statement within 15 days of such action or in the next Chapter Newsletter after issuance.
ARTICLE VIII. COMMITTEES
Section 1. Appointments. The Chapter President shall consider suggestions of the Executive Committee in appointing chairs of all standing committees, and all special committees. Committee chairs shall submit a written summary of the committee activities to the President and the Secretary before the close of each Annual Chapter Business Meeting. All committees shall be accountable to the Executive Committee under the general supervision of the President.
Section 2. Tenure of Appointments. The term of service for each member of all standing committees, except for those chaired by executive committee officers, shall be approximately 2 years.
Section 3. Duties and Composition.
Clause A. Standing Committees. These committees shall consist of at least 2 members, a chair and a second, and shall include:
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Nominating and Awards. The chair of this committee shall be either the Past- President. In addition to preparing a slate of candidates for office (Article V, Section 1), this committee shall be responsible for soliciting nominations and selecting recipients of Chapter Awards.
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Publicity and Information. Through advice and consent of the Executive Committee, the Newsletter Editor, who is chair of this committee, shall prepare and distribute to the membership a Newsletter at approximately quarterly intervals during the Editor's tenure of office, and also provide the Editor of the Section Newsletter with news and items of interest from the Chapter. The Newsletter shall be the official record of the Chapter. This committee also shall be responsible for publicity and web site content appropriate to all Chapter and Society activities and interests. The Chair of this committee shall be a Regular Member of The Society and the Chapter (see Article IV, Section 1).
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Membership. The chair of this committee shall be the Vice-President. The duties of this committee are:
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To invite and encourage the maximum number of interested persons to join The Wildlife Society and the Chapter.
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To maintain and periodically update demographic data of the Chapter membership.
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To inform current and potential members about The Wildlife Society programs to benefit the individual and the wildlife resources.
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To encourage enlistment of individuals and organizations for Contributing Membership status.
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Program. This committee shall arrange programs of all regular and annual meetings and additional meetings. Each meeting may have its own committees. The committee will provide the President with a proposed agenda for the Annual Meeting and Field Meeting at least 60 days prior to the meeting date. The Chair of this committee shall be a Regular Member of The Society and the Chapter (see Article IV, Section 1).
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Conservation Affairs. This committee shall review legislative proposals, administrative regulations, environmental assessments and impact statements, and other subjects or issues affecting wildlife or wildlife habitat within the organizational area of the Chapter and make recommendations to the Executive Committee for any action that should be taken by the Chapter. The Chair may ask any Chapter member to assist with reviews. The Chair of this committee shall be a Regular Member of The Society and the Chapter (see Article IV, Section 1).
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Audit. This committee shall review the financial records and supporting documents of the Treasurer at least annually. The committee shall also review these records and documents prior to any change in the office of the Treasurer. The Chair of this committee shall be a Regular Member of The Society and the Chapter (see Article IV, Section 1).
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Bylaws. The chair of this committee shall be the Past-President. The Bylaws Committee shall be responsible for revising and updating the Chapter Bylaws in accordance with The Society Bylaws.
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Student Affairs. The Student Affairs Committee shall be responsible for direct communications and coordination with the Student Chapters within the State to conduct an annual student workshop, to provide an annual student raffle, and to solicit content from each chapter for the newsletter. The Chair of this committee shall be a Regular Member of The Society and the Chapter (see Article IV, Section 1).
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Certification/Continuing Education. The Certification/Continuing Education Committee shall be responsible for education, promotion, and dissemination of certification information to wildlife professionals and the public in New York. The committee shall work with the Vice-President and the Member-at-Large to conduct at least one annual continuing education meeting. The committee shall also promote certification among employment agencies and private companies. The Chair of this committee shall be a Regular Member of The Society and the Chapter (see Article IV, Section 1).
Clause B. Special Committees. At the direction of the President, any special committee shall carry on the duties assigned. These committees may contain any number of members and exist for any length of time.
ARTICLE IX. DISSOLUTION
Section 1. Standards to Continue. The Chapter must continue to demonstrate its viability to the Council of The Society by meeting the following standards: a) complying with the criteria for affiliation (Article 1, Section 3), b) submitting the required reports to The Society (Article VII, Section 3), and c) fulfilling the purposes and intent of these bylaws. The Council of The Society may dissolve the New York Chapter following a 1 year grace period during which time the Chapter can come back into compliance.
Section 2. Dissolution. The Council of The Society may dissolve the New York Chapter, following a 1 year grace period during which time the New York Chapter can come back into compliance, if (1) it finds the Chapter is not meeting the standards established in Article IX, Section 1 and/or (2) if the Chapter fails to file required IRS reports, as set out in Article VI, Section 3, for 3 consecutive years. Upon dissolution of the New York Chapter of The Wildlife Society, its Executive Board shall transfer all assets, accrued income, and other properties to The Council of The Society with the understanding that said assets will be held for a maximum of 5 years from the date of dissolution of the Chapter, for redistribution to another chapter that may be established in approximately the same geographical area within said 5-year period. If another chapter is not established within said area and period of time, the Society Council may use or distribute all assets, accrued income, and other properties as best determined by the Council in accordance with Society Bylaws.
ARTICLE X. AMENDMENT TO BYLAWS
Section 1. Procedure. These Bylaws may be altered or amended by a simple majority of the Chapter members voting at any annual or special meeting if due notice of the proposed changes (Article VI, Section 1B) is followed. A member who will be absent from the meeting may file an absentee ballot (Article V, Section 2B).
Section 2. Conformance. No amendment to the Bylaws shall be enacted that results in a conflict with The Society Bylaws. If these Bylaws are revised, the new revision must be approved by the Society before becoming effective.