Bylaws of the Appalachian Regional Microscopy Society

 Revised 2004, 2012, 2020

Article I - Membership and Dues

Section 1. The categories of membership are: 

Individual (any person who has an interest in microscopy and supports the purpose of AReMS), Corporate (any commercial corporation that has an interest in microscopy and supports the purpose of AReMS; the corporation shall designate one representative at the current corporate dues rate to receive all membership privileges), 

Distinguished (any member so elected unanimously by the membership, in attendance at an annual meeting, on the basis of significant contribution to AReMS by service or participation), and Honorary (any person selected by the Executive Committee whose association with the Society is deemed important to society functions).

Section 2. Individual, Corporate, and Distinguished members in good standing shall have the right to vote in any election or society matter and to hold elective office.

Section 3. The rates for dues in each category, on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, shall be established by majority vote of the membership at any meeting. Dues shall become payable on January 1 for that calendar year.

Section 4. Application for membership shall be accompanied by a payment of the current year's dues. Membership shall be approved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

Section 5. Members with dues in arrears shall be ineligible to vote on society matters or to hold elective office. Those in arrears for twelve (12) months shall be dropped from the membership. To be reinstated, a member dropped for non-payment of dues must submit an application accompanied by the current year's dues. 

Article II - Elections

Section 1. Executive Officers of the society shall consist of a President, President-elect, Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Webmaster, Public Relations Officer-Photographer, Parliamentarian, and three Members-at-Large. With unanimous agreement of the Executive Committee, non-presidential positions may be combined when insufficient candidates are available to fill vacant positions. These officers collectively form the Executive Committee (ExCom).

Section 2a. Executive Officer terms are as follows: President (two years), President-Elect (two years), Past-President (two years) Secretary (three years), Treasurer (three years), Public Relations Officer-Photographer (three years), Parliamentarian (without term), and Biological (B-MAL), Corporate (C-MAL), and Physical (P-MAL) Members-at-Large (MAL; three years each).

Section 2b. Election of Executive Officers shall be staggered to minimize Executive Committee disruption. One new MAL will be elected each calendar year. Secretary and Treasurer election should not occur in the same year.

Section 3. The Nominating Committee, and Student Awards Committees comprise the Past- President (Chairman) and the three Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee. 

The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of at least two nominees for each office and shall submit, with approval of the Executive Committee, the candidates to the membership at the annual meeting. Advanced notice (one month) of the election must be posted on the AReMS website. 

The Student Awards Committee shall rank poster presentations in two categories, physical sciences and biological sciences for the  Best Poster award. Innovative approaches to student research will be considered for the McGill Award. The Past-President (chair) coordinates but does not vote for these awards.

Section 4. Individual, Corporate, and Distinguished members in good standing are eligible for nomination, provided that he/she, if elected, will not simultaneously hold elective office in any other society maintaining affiliate society status with either the Microscopy Society of America or the Microbeam Analysis Society.

Section 5. Electronic ballots will be posted to the AReMS website thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting.  Nomination of Executive Committee members will take place during the annual business meeting held at the end of the society’s annual meeting. Voting will take place at this time by direct plebiscite.  A majority vote shall constitute election to office, and a tie shall be resolved by the President. 

Section 6. Election results will be announced by the president and posted to the website as a matter of record. All ballots will be archived by the secretary. All newly elected officials take office at the conclusion of the annual business meeting. When appropriate (alternate years), the President-Elect shall become President at that time.

Section 7. If the President leaves office during her/his term, the President-elect immediately assumes the office and serves to the end of the term that follows. If any other elected officer cannot serve her/his full term or misses three (3) Executive Committee meetings, the Executive Committee will appoint a replacement.

Article III - Fiscal Responsibility

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall have the sole authority to select specific financial institutions for the society's accounts.

Section 2. Only the President and Secretary are authorized to sign for the Society's financial accounts.

Article IV - Executive Committee

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall meet no less than three times a year (virtually or physically). ExCom organizational meetings shall occur in the spring and/or summer preceding the annual fall meeting of the society.  In addition, an ExCom business meeting shall take place during the  Annual Meeting of the membership. Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the society’s President. 

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall discuss recommendations from committees and individual members and, where appropriate, bring these matters to the general membership for consideration. In addition, the Executive Committee shall, on her/his request, advise the President on committee appointments and society affairs.

Section 3. The Executive Committee, with the advice of the President and membership, shall select the site and appoint a local host for each Annual Meeting.

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall maintain the AREMS Leadership Guide, which details the responsibilities of all officers and Committees, and shall periodically examine the AREMS Leadership Guide to determine whether revision of the document is appropriate. All revisions of this document must be approved by the Executive Committee.

Article V – Website 

Section 1. The AReMS website is the official media of communication between the Excom, membership, and the public-at-large. It is overseen by a Webmaster (elected official of the Excom). The Website shall also function as the society’s primary archive. 

Article VI - Other Designated Committees

Section 1. The Audit Committee, composed of the Members-at-Large and the President-elect, who shall serve as Chair, shall audit the financial records of the society at the close of the Treasurer's term of office.

Section 2. The  Student Award Committee, comprises Members-at-Large and the Past-President, who shall serve ex officio as a non-voting Chair, shall select the recipient of the Student Awards. The recipient shall be a member of AREMS selected for her/his outstanding contribution to microscopy. 

Article VII - Duties of Officers

Section 1. The President shall direct the activities of the Society, shall preside at all society and Executive  Committee meetings, and shall be the society liaison to all affiliated societies. He/she shall appoint ad hoc  committees from the Executive Committee or the general membership, as necessary. Each ad hoc committee  shall be discharged at the close of the appointing President's term unless reappointed by the next President.

Section 2. The President-elect shall support the President and shall discharge the duties of the President during her/his absence from any meeting. He/she shall administer the absentee vendor/exhibitor program for all meetings and shall serve as Chair of the Audit Committee.

Section 3. The Past-President shall advise and support the President, serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee,  and serve ex officio as a non-voting Chair of the Student Award Committee.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall monitor the collection and expenditure of all AReMS funds and shall provide financial reports to the Executive Committee at each of the three annual Excom meetings. Communication of fiscal matters to the general membership will be by way of the AReMS website. A financial report is due to the Auditing Committee at the close of her/his term. In addition, he/she shall maintain the membership roster for the Society, the Secretary, and the Webmaster. The Treasurer shall file federal tax form 990-EZ when the financial records of the Society indicate that such filing is required.

Section 5. The Secretary shall record the minutes of the Annual Meetings, special meetings, and meetings of the Executive Committee and shall maintain past and present records of the society. Records should be maintained in duplicate, archived on the AReMS website and in tangible record. In addition, he/she shall make all society documents available to those attending official meetings. All documents and records shall be passed on to the incoming Secretary.

Section 6. The Members-at-Large will represent the interests of the three main membership components of the society, viz., the Biological Sciences, Corporate, and Physical Sciences and shall serve ex officio on the Audit Committee and with the Past President on the Nominating and the  Student Award Committees.

The Biological and Physical Members-at-Large will assist the President with the solicitation of student posters for the annual meeting. This involves creating institutional lists and contacting students in research at said institutions.

The Corporate Member-at-large will take charge of soliciting corporate vendor participation in the annual meeting. As such, he/she is in an ideal position to assist with the identification of workshop presenters.

All Members-at-Large will continue their primary liaison role with their respective membership groups, reciprocally representing member needs to and from the Executive Committee.

Section 7. Public Relations Officer – Photographer.

.The Public Relations Officer is a non-voting member of the Executive Committee. He/she shall represent the society at relevant public and professional functions. This includes microscopy-based educational outreach in the public sector and advertisement/membership recruiting at professional scientific meetings, conferences, and workshops. 

.In the Public Relations Officer’s secondary role as society Photographer, he/she shall photographically document Executive Committee membership as well as relevant social occasions. Said social and official imagery shall be forwarded to the Webmaster for posting on the society’s website.  

Section 8. Parliamentarian

The Parliamentarian is a voting member of the Executive Committee. The parliamentarian’s primary role is to ensure that the society’s By-Laws and Constitution are adhered to in all actions of the Executive Committee and General Societal meetings. In addition, the parliamentarian ensures that all executive proceedings are conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order (http://www.robertsrules.com). To provide year-to-year protocol continuity, this position is without term, being initiated/terminated by majority vote of the Executive Committee.

Article VIII - Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by petition to the Secretary by ten percent of the members in good standing. Suggestions for amendments shall be received at any meeting of the AREMS membership. 

Section 2. Proposed amendments shall be promptly submitted for vote by the membership by the Secretary along with signed statements of support and/or opposition for each amendment, and the ballots shall be accepted by the Secretary for thirty (30) days after website posting of the proposed amendments. The Secretary shall count the ballots, and the amendment(s) shall be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.

Section 3. Any member in good standing, on request submitted to the Secretary, may witness the counting of the  ballots, and the Secretary shall retain the ballots for inspection by the membership at the next Annual Meeting.