By-Laws for University of Delaware Chapter of Sigma Xi

Early history, 1958 petition [4.7Mb]

  1. Name, Location and Host Institution

    2. The name of this organization is the University of Delaware Chapter (hereinafter referred to as “the Chapter”) of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society (hereinafter referred to as “the Society”). The Chapter is located in Newark, Delaware, with the host institution being the University of Delaware.

  2. Basic Constitution or Governing Documents

    The basic governing documents of the Chapter are the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society which together with these By-Laws become the governing documents of the Chapter.

  3. Object

    In accordance with Article I of the Constitution of the Society, the object of the Chapter is “to encourage original investigation in science, pure and applied.”

  4. Membership*

    1. The following dues-paying members of the Society are eligible to be enrolled as Members or Associate Members (as appropriate) of the Chapter, in accordance with Article II-1,2 of the Constitution of the Society: (1) those who are professionally associated (as member of staff or student) with the host institution, or (2) those who are not professionally associated with the host institution and reside in the area of the Chapter.

    2. The Chapter may newly elect as members, those persons who satisfy the criteria given in Article II-3 of the Constitution of the Society and Bylaw II of the Society, the actions being taken in accordance with the provisions of this Article II and Bylaw II.

    3. Members and Associate Members have such rights and privileges in Chapter matters as are accorded to them by Article II of the Constitution of the Society.

    5. *It is occasionally necessary to use in this document a word meaning both Members and Associate Members; in such cases, the word “member” or “membership,” without the capital “M,” will be used.

  5. Elections to Membership

    The Chapter shall conduct its elections of members, in accordance with the provisions of Article II-3 of the Constitution and Bylaw II of the Society.

  6. Initiation

    7. The Chapter shall conduct its initiations of new Associate Members in accordance with the provisions of Bylaw II-6 of the Constitution of the Society.

  7. Offices and Their Terms of Office

    The Officers of the Chapter are President, President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer. Elected Officers of the Chapter shall serve for a term of one year, beginning on July 1, or until their successors qualify. Upon expiration of the term of President, the President-elect shall become President and serve for one year in that office. The President and President-elect are each limited to one term every three years. The other officers may be reelected for additional terms.

  8. Election of Officers

    1. The officers of the Chapter shall be elected by electronic mail, with a ballot submission deadline of May 15. A plurality vote shall suffice for election.

    2. The Nominating Committee shall nominate one or more persons for each position to be filled, and shall report these to the Chapter by electronic mail at least two weeks prior to the election meeting.

    3. If the Office of President becomes vacant, the President-elect shall fill out the remainder of the term, and then become President on July 1.

    4. If the Office of President-elect becomes vacant, a special election shall be held to fill the vacancy.

    5. If a vacancy occurs in any office other than President or President-elect, the Executive Committee shall appoint a person to serve the unexpired term.

  9. Duties of Officers

    1. The duties of the President shall include the following: presiding at all meetings of the Chapter; presiding at meetings of the Executive Committee and the Membership Committee; representing the Chapter at all official functions in which the Chapter is involved; submitting a brief annual report concerning the Chapter and its activities; and performing such other tasks as may be appropriate for this Office.

    2. The duties of the President-elect shall include the following: serving as the deputy for the President and acting for the President in the President’s absence on any official occasion; serving as Chair of the Program Committee; serving as an ex-officio member, with vote, of the Membership Committee; serving as non-voting Convener of the Nominating Committee; and performing such other tasks as may be appropriately assigned by the President.

    3. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Immediate Past President and two elected members of the Chapter, excluding current Officers. The elections shall follow the same procedures as for the Officers. Members of the Nominating Committee may be reelected to serve additional terms. The Nominating Committee shall provide each year one or more eligible nominees for the following positions: President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer, two positions on the Nominations Committee, and two positions on the Membership Committee, together with such additional nominees as may be required to fill vacant positions. The President-elect serves ex-officio as the non-voting Convener of the Nominating Committee.

    4. The Membership Committee consists of six elected Members of the Chapter, each serving a three-year term, with two Members elected each year on a staggered basis. Members of the Membership Committee may be reelected to serve additional terms. The President serves ex-officio as Chair of the Membership Committee and the President-elect and immediate Past-President as ex-officio members, all with vote. The Membership Committee is responsible for soliciting nominations for election of new Associate Members, operating in accordance with the guidelines and provisions in Articles II-3 of the Constitution and Bylaw II of the Society.

    5. The Program Committee consists of three members, one of whom is the President-elect, who serves as Chair. The Program Committee is responsible for planning, arranging, conducting, and publicizing all meetings and other events, activities, and functions of the Chapter.

    6. The Awards Committee consists of three members, with the Chair appointed by the President. The Awards Committee is responsible for identifying or organizing student research symposia and organizing judging panels and criteria for awarding student research prizes funded by the Chapter.

    7. The Executive Committee consists of four members, including the President, President-Elect, immediate past President, and Secretary-Treasurer. The Executive Committee shall have the power to act between meetings with respect to matters: (a) when action is required and the exigencies of the situation will not permit a delay until the next meeting of the Chapter or until a mail ballot can be taken; or (b) when the degree of confidentiality is so great as to require consideration by a smaller group; or (c) when the President requires an advise-and-consent service. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to assist the President by giving preliminary consideration to matters which do not come within the purview of other committees or where time does not permit referral to the otherwise appropriate committee.

    8. The President of the Chapter is ex-officio a member of each Committee, with vote, except the Nominating Committee.

  10. Delegates to the Assembly of Delegates

    The Chapter will send at least one member to the Assembly of Delegates at least once in two years, in conformance with Article II-2-C of the Constitution of the Society and Bylaw III-1-B of the Society. Delegates will be active members, not excluding officers, appointed by the President.

  11. Meetings

    1. The Executive Committee shall hold at least two regular meetings each year. Executive Committee meetings shall be open to the full membership except when there is a need for confidentiality.

    2. Special meetings of the Chapter may be called by the Executive Committee, or at the written request of 25 members of the Chapter or one-fourth of the membership, whichever number is smaller. The notices of special meetings shall state the exact nature of the business to be transacted and no other business shall be carried on at such meetings.

    3. Regular discussions and business of the Chapter may be conducted at a meeting or via correspondence. A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Chapter shall consist of 15 members or one-fourth of the membership whichever number is larger. For mail-in ballots, the membership must be given seven days to return ballots. The vote is valid if ballots are received from at least 15 members or one-fourth of the membership, whichever is less.

    4. Each Committee shall meet at the call of its Chair or Convener, with due advance notice being given to the Members of the Committee.

    5. A majority of the members of a given Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, with approval of any action or motion requiring the assent of a majority of all members of the Committee, present or not.

    6. Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the conduct of all meetings, except where superseded by the Bylaws of the Chapter or the Constitution and By-laws of the Society.

  12. Membership Dues

    1. Regular national dues are billed directly to, and collected from, each member of the Chapter by the Society (at National Headquarters). A percentage of the national dues which is determined by vote of the Assembly of Delegates is returned directly to the Chapter as local support.

    2. On recommendation of the Executive Committee, and approval of the Chapter at a proper meeting, additional local dues may be levied to be billed and collected by the Society (at National Headquarters) for return to the Chapter.

    3. Any inactive (non dues-paying) member of the Society may become active by simply paying the current year’s dues.

  13. Amendments

    These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Members present at a proper meeting of the Chapter, provided each such amendment has been approved by the Executive Committee and made known in writing to all Members of the Chapter at least one month preceding the meeting at which the amendments are to be voted upon.

  14. Dissolution

    Upon dissolution of the Chapter, any assets remaining thereafter shall be conveyed to Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society of North America, Incorporated, or to another existing organization dedicated to a similar object, provided such other organization is tax-exempt under Section 501 © of the U. S. Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as amended.

First draft: November 30, 2004
Second draft: April 16, 2005
Modified second draft based on membership feedback: May 5, 2005
Approved: May 15, 2005
Revision to combine Secretary and Treasurer positions into single position of Secretary-Treasurer; Approved: June 2006.
Based in large part on the By-Laws of the Illinois State University/Illinois Wesleyan University Chapter

Please direct comments or requests to sigma-xi@udel.edu
"http://www.udel.edu/sigma-xi/by-laws"
Last updated July 5, 2006.