WYOMING ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ARCHAEOLOGIST
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
Section I - NAME
1. The name of the organization shall be the Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists (WAPA), hereinafter referred to as the Association.
Section II - DURATION
1. The period of existence and duration of this Association shall be perpetual.
Section III - PURPOSE
1. The Association is a nonprofit voluntary organization that exists for the purposes of maintaining and promoting the goals of professional archaeology in the State of Wyoming.
2. These goals shall include but shall not be limited to
a. establishing and promoting high standards of archaeological research, reporting and management;
b. establishing and promoting professional archaeological interests in political and public forums;
c. establishing and promoting communications with the archaeological community;
d. establishing and promoting forums for discussing research problems and data;
e. promoting public education and interest in cultural resource preservation and conservation;
f. promoting investigations in the fields of prehistoric and historic cultural resources;
g. providing Association input to appropriate State, Federal and local agencies.
Sectiom IV - MEMBERSHIP
1. Individual voting member
a. Qualifications
i. Minimum of BA or BS degree in Anthropology or closely related discipline;
ii. Minimum of 12 months full-time, but not necessarily consecutive, professional archaeological experience;
iii. Exceptions to i. and ii. shall be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Association Membership and Ethics Committee. If an exception is granted for cause, the individual will have individual voting member privileges.
iv. No breaches of the Association Code of Conduct or Standards of Research Performance.
b. Entry procedures
i. Application, including submission of vitae and payment of annual dues;
ii. Acceptance by majority vote of the Association Membership and Ethics Committee after review of credentials.
iii. If there is a change in membership status or an individual voting membership lapses for more than one year, a new membership application must be submitted to the Membership and Ethics Committee for review.
c. Rights and duties
i. Adherence to the Association Code of Conduct and Standards of Research Performance;
ii. Right to participate in Association activities and responsibility to pay dues as established in accordance with Section VI (1);
iii. Full voting rights in all Association business
iv. Eligibility to serve as an Association officers or member of any Association committee;
v. Receipt of all Association publications.
2. Family voting members
a. Qualifications for each individual member of a legally recognized family
i. Minimum of BA or BS degree in Anthropology or closely related discipline;
ii. Minimum of 12 months full-time professional archaeological experience;
iii. Exceptions to i. and ii. shall be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Association Membership and Ethics Committee;
iv. No breaches of the Association Code of Conduct or Standards of Research Performance.
b. Entry Procedures
i. Application, including submission of vitae and payment of annual dues;
ii. Acceptance by majority vote of the Association Membership and Ethics Committee after review of credentials.
iii. If there is a change in membership status or a family voting membership lapses for more than one year, a new membership application must be submitted to the Membership and Ethics Committee for review.
c. Rights and duties
i. Adherence to the Association Code of Conduct and Standards of Research Performance;
ii. Right to participate in Association activities and responsibility to pay dues for each family member at 75% of the individual membership rate established in accordance with Section VI (1);
iii. Full-voting rights for each family member in all Association business;
iv. Eligibility of each family member to serve as an Association officer or member of any Association committee;
v. Receipt of one copy of all Association publications per family.
3. Student membership
a. Qualifications
i. Active participation in an academic program leading to a degree in Anthropology or closely related discipline;
ii. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-basis by the Membership and Ethics Committee.
b. Entry procedures
i. Application, including vitae and payment of annual dues;
ii. Acceptance by majority vote of the Membership and Ethics Committee after review of credentials.
iii. If there is a change in membership status or a student membership lapses for more than one year, a new membership application must be submitted to the Membership and Ethics Committee for review.
c. Rights and duties
i. Adherence to the Association Code of Conduct and Standards of Research Performance;
ii. Right to participate in Association activities and responsibility to pay dues at 50% of the rate established for individual voting members in accordance with Section VI. (1).
iii. All rights of voting members.
iv. Receipt of all Association publications.
4. Honorary members
a. Qualifications
i. There are two categories of honorary members who make significant contributions furthering the goals of the Association.
1. Non-voting Honorary Members do not qualify as members in any other category. They are voted in for life, pay no dues, and cannot vote.
2. Voting Honorary Members qualify as members in another category. They are voted in for life, pay no dues, but can vote.
b. Entry procedures
i. Acceptance by the Membership and Ethics Committee, or nomination at a regular meeting, followed by a 60 percent acceptance by the voting membership present at the meeting.
c. Rights and Duties
i. Acceptance of the Association Code of Conduct and Standards of Research Performance;
ii. Non-voting honorary members hold all rights of voting members except voting on Association business, membership on committees, and serving as an Association officer;
iii. Honorary voting members hold all rights and duties of voting members except for payment of dues established in accordance with Section VI. (1).
5. Institutional Members
a. Rights and duties
i. Acceptance of the Association Code of Conduct and Standards of Research Performance;
ii. Receipt of all Association publications except for subscription to the Association listserv.
6. Lifetime voting members
a. Individual or family voting members may purchase a lifetime voting membership at the current price established by the membership.
b. Lifetime voting members hold all the same rights and responsibilities, as individual voting members, except for payment of annual dues.
Section V – MEETINGS
1. The Association shall hold at least one business meeting per year and meet on other occasions as the membership shall deem necessary. A petition by ten voting members may request that the Executive Committee call a special meeting. Notice must be given to the membership via regular mail, email, the listserv, or other communication deemed most appropriate to reach the members at least 4 weeks prior to all meetings, regular or special.
2. Passage of a motion at a meeting shall require 51 percent sustainment by the voting members present at that regular meeting, whereas business conducted at a special meeting must be sustained by a 60 percent affirmation by the voting membership present at that meeting.
3. Modification of these Bylaws requires a 60 percent affirmation by the voting membership present at the meeting in which they are brought for a vote.
Section VI – FINANCES
1. Dues shall be paid to the Association at rate(s) established by majority vote of the membership at the meeting in which the issue is brought to the floor. Dues notices shall be sent to all members prior to March 15 of each year. Dues are payable to the treasurer by April 1 for that year’s membership.
2. Dues shall be used for the purpose of financing the business of the Association, including but not limited to fees for secretarial services and expenses of officers incurred in the normal course of Association business.
3. If dues remain unpaid for one calendar year, membership shall lapse. Terminated members shall have an opportunity to reapply for membership.
4. Finances shall be administered by the Treasurer. Records shall be available for inspection by the membership at all times and shall be audited for the preceding fiscal year prior to April 15th.
5. Single expenditures in excess of $200 require the prior concurrence of the President; single expenditures in excess of $500 require the prior concurrence of the Executive Committee, and shall be within the constraints of available funds.
6. Property
a. The Association may receive, maintain and hold, by request, device, gift, or otherwise, either absolutely or in trust, for any of its purposes, property, either real or personal, or funds, without limitations as to amounts or values.
b. The Association may convey such property and invest and reinvest any principal and interest; and may direct, manage, and expand the income and principal of the Association and the agency or agencies making such funds available, for the uses and purposes herein set forth.
7. No officer or member of the Association, in the absence of fraud committed by that officer or member, shall become personally liable for any debts or liabilities rising against or incurred by the Association or its officers, agents, employees, or members; and the private property of the officers and members of this organization shall be exempt from liability for any and all debts, obligations or liabilities of the Association.
Section VII - OPERATION
1. The place of business for the organization shall be c/o Office of the Wyoming State Archaeologist, Anthropology, Department 3431, 1000 E. University, Laramie, WY 82071. The Association Treasurer is authorized to direct financial institutions to mail statements and other regular financial correspondence directly to the Association Treasurer.
2. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the procedures at each meeting; other rules may govern as established by the President or presiding officer at the beginning of the meeting.
Section VIII - OFFICERS
1. The Association shall have four officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. All officers shall hold office for two years. The Executive Committee shall fill any vacancy during any term of office, by appointment, from the membership. Such appointments shall be for the remainder of the original elected term of office.
a. President. The President shall serve as the Association's representative in all its official affairs and transactions. The President shall reside over Association meetings. The President may appoint committees as necessary, with the assent of the Executive Committee.
b. Vice-President. The Vice-President shall act with the powers of the President in the event that the President is unwilling or unable to perform appointed duties. In addition, the Vice-President shall chair the Membership and Ethics Committee.
c. Secretary. The Secretary shall announce all meetings to the membership of the Association and shall maintain minutes of all meetings.
d. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall keep membership rolls of the Association, shall maintain records of financial transactions in accordance with standard bookkeeping practices, and shall disperse funds according to Section VI.
2. The Association shall appoint or retain a legal Counsel, as needed.
Section IX - STANDING COMMITTEES
1. Executive Committee
a. The voting members of the Executive Committee shall be composed of the Association Officers and two Members-at-Large, to be elected for two-year terms.
b. The Executive Committee shall act on behalf of the Association to further the goals of the Association as set forth in its Constitution and Bylaws.
2. Membership and Ethics Committee
a. The Membership and Ethics Committee shall be composed of the Vice-President and four voting Members, appointed by the Executive Committee, no more than two of which are Executive Committee members. The Vice-President shall chair the committee.
b. The purpose of the Membership and Ethics Committee shall be to review and vote on new members who shall then be accepted by majority vote of the committee.
c. The Membership and Ethics Committee shall review and evaluate all complaints brought to the organization regarding professional conduct as per the procedure agreed upon and posted by the Executive Committee. The Membership and Ethics Committee will recommend consequences for matters involving professional archaeological conduct of Association members, or of persons or organizations external to the Association, and the recommendations will be brought to the attention of the Executive Committee for action.
d. Complaints must be filed with WAPA within two years of the grievance occurrence.
Section X - ELECTION OF OFFICERS
1. The other officers of the Association, and the two Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee, shall be elected by the membership, requiring a simple majority of all votes cast. Voting may be done at a meeting of the membership or via another process, such as but not limited to email or an online voting program, deemed efficient by the Executive Committee.
2. Completed ballots shall be returned to the Executive Committee’s election appointee in compliance with the regulations of the determined voting method. Nominations shall be accepted bi-annually from the first of the calendar year in which the election will be held until 45 days before the election by submission to the Executive Committee. Ballots shall be distributed to the voting membership at least four weeks prior to the election deadline. Newly elected officers shall assume office on October 1. Ballots shall be counted by two voting members appointed by the President.
3. The President shall not vote in an election, except to break a tie.
Section XI - PUBLICATIONS
1. The Association shall publish a newsletter at their discretion. The Association may from time to time authorize the publication of other single or serial items.
Section XII - ADOPTION
1. These Bylaws shall become effective upon ratification by a 2/3 sustainment of those attending the meeting where they are presented for ratification.
Section XIII - DISPOSAL OF ASSETS
1. In the event of dissolution, the Executive Committee shall dispose of all Association assets to an educational or scientific institution that is exempt from taxation under the then current code of the Internal Revenue Service.
SECTION XIV -CODE OF CONDUCT
Archaeology is a profession, and the privilege of professional practice requires professional morality and professional responsibility, as well as professional competence, on the part of each practitioner.
1. The Archaeologist's Responsibility to the Public
a. An archaeologist shall:
i. Recognize a commitment to represent Archaeology and its research results to the public in a responsible manner;
ii. Actively support conservation of the archaeological resource base;
iii. Be sensitive to, and respect the legitimate concerns of, groups whose culture histories are the subjects of archaeological investigations;
iv. Avoid and discourage exaggerated, misleading, or unwarranted statements about archaeological matters that might induce others to engage in unethical or illegal activity;
v. Support and comply with the terms of the UNESCO Convention on the means of prohibiting and preventing the illicit import, export, and transfer of ownership of cultural property, as adopted by the General Conference, 14 November 1970, Paris.
b. An archaeologist shall not:
i. Engage in any illegal or unethical conduct involving archaeological matters or knowingly permit the use of his/her name in support of any illegal or unethical activity involving archaeological matters;
ii. Give a professional opinion, make a public report, or give legal testimony involving archaeological matters without being as thoroughly informed as might reasonably be expected;
iii. Engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation about archaeological matters;
iv. Undertake any research that affects the archaeological resource base for which she/he is not qualified.
v. Knowingly be involved in the recovery or excavation of artifacts for commercial exploitation, or knowingly be employed by or knowingly contract with an individual or entity who recovers or excavates archaeological artifacts for commercial exploitation.
2. The Archaeologist's Responsibility to Colleagues, Employees, and Students
a. An archaeologist shall:
i. Give appropriate credit for work done by others;
ii. Stay informed and knowledgeable about developments in her/his field or fields of specialization;
iii. Accurately, and without undue delay, prepare and properly disseminate a description of research done and its results;
iv. Communicate and cooperate with colleagues having common professional interests;
v. Give due respect to colleagues' interests in, and rights to, information about sites, areas, collections, or data where there is a mutual active or potentially active research concern;
vi. Know and comply with all federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, and regulations applicable to her/his archaeological research and activities;
vii. Report knowledge of violations of this Code to proper authorities.
b. An archaeologist shall not:
i. Falsely or maliciously attempt to injure the reputation of another archaeologist;
ii. Commit plagiarism in oral or written communication;
iii. Undertake research that affects the archaeological resource base unless reasonably prompt, appropriate analysis and reporting can be expected;
iv. Refuse a reasonable request from a qualified colleague for research data.
3. The Archaeologist's Responsibility to Employers and Clients
a. An archaeologist shall:
i. Respect the interests of her/his employer or client, so far as is consistent with the public welfare and this Code and Standards;
ii. Refuse to comply with any request or demand of an employer or client which conflicts with the Code and Standards;
iii. Recommend to employers or clients the employment of other archaeologists or other expert consultants upon encountering archaeological problems beyond her/his own competence;
iv. Exercise reasonable care to prevent her/his employees, colleagues, associates and others whose services are utilized by her/him from revealing or using confidential information. Confidential information means information of a non-archaeological nature gained in the course of employment which the employer or client has requested be held inviolate, or the disclosure of which would be embarrassing or would be likely to be detrimental to the employer or client. Information ceases to be confidential when the employer or client so indicates or when such information becomes publicly known.
b. An archaeologist shall not:
i. Reveal confidential information, unless required by law;
ii. Use confidential information to the disadvantage of the client or employer;
iii. Use confidential information for the advantage of herself/himself or a third person, unless the client consents after full disclosure;
iv. Accept compensation or anything of value for recommending the employment of another archaeologist or other person, unless such compensation or thing of value is fully disclosed to the potential employer or client;
v. Recommend or participate in any research which does not comply with the requirements of the Standards of Research Performance
SECTION XV STANDARDS OF RESEARCH PERFORMANCE
The research archaeologist has a responsibility to attempt to design and conduct projects that will add to our understanding of past cultures and/or that will develop better theories, methods, or techniques for interpreting the archaeological record, while causing minimal attrition of the archaeological resource base. In the conduct of a research project, the following minimum standards should be followed:
1. The archaeologist has a responsibility to prepare adequately for any research project, whether or not in the field. The archaeologist must:
a. Assess the adequacy of her/his qualifications for the demands of the project, and minimize inadequacies by acquiring additional expertise, by bringing in associates with the needed qualifications, or by modifying the scope of the project;
b. Inform herself/himself of relevant previous research;
c. Develop a scientific plan of research which specifies the objectives of the project, takes into account previous relevant research, employs a suitable methodology, and provides for economical use of the resource base (whether such base consists of an excavation site or of specimens) consistent with the objectives of the project;
d. Ensure the availability of adequate and competent staff and support facilities to carry the project to completion, and of adequate curatorial facilities for specimens and records;
e. Comply with all legal requirements, including, without limitation, obtaining all necessary governmental permits and necessary permission from landowners or other persons;
f. Determine whether the project is likely to interfere with the program or projects of other scholars and, if there is such a likelihood, initiate negotiations to minimize such interference.
2. In conducting research, the archaeologist must follow her/his scientific plan of research, except to the extent that unforeseen circumstances warrant its modification.
3. Procedures for field survey or excavation must meet the following minimal standards:
a. If specimens are collected, a system for identifying and recording their proveniences must be maintained.
b. Uncollected entities such as environmental or cultural features, depositional strata, and the like, must be fully and accurately recorded by appropriate means, and their location recorded.
c. The methods employed in data collection must be fully and accurately described. Significant stratigraphic and/or associational relationships among artifacts, other specimens, and cultural and environmental features must also be fully and accurately recorded.
d. All records should be intelligible to other archaeologists. If terms lacking commonly held referents are used, they should be clearly defined.
e. Insofar as possible, the interests of other researchers should be considered. For example, upper levels of a site should be scientifically excavated and recorded whenever feasible, even if the focus of the project is on underlying levels.
4. During accessioning, analysis, and storage of specimens and records in the laboratory, the archaeologist must take precautions to ensure that correlations between the specimens and the field records are maintained, so that provenience contextual relationships and the like are not confused or obscured.
5. Specimens and research records resulting from a project must be deposited at an institution with permanent curatorial facilities, unless otherwise required by law.
6. The archaeologist has responsibility for appropriate dissemination of the results of her/his research to the appropriate constituencies with reasonable dispatch.
7. Results reviewed as significant contributions to substantive knowledge of the past or to advancements in theory, method or technique should be disseminated to colleagues and other interested persons by appropriate means such as publications, reports at professional meetings, or letters to colleagues.
8. Requests from qualified colleagues for information on research results directly should be honored, if consistent with the researcher's prior rights to publication and with her/his other professional responsibilities.
9. Failure to complete a full scholarly report within 10 years after completion of a field project shall be construed as a waiver of an archaeologist's right of primacy with respect to analysis and publication of the data. Upon expiration of such 10-year period, or at such earlier time as the archaeologist shall determine not to publish the results, such data should be made fully accessible to other archaeologists for analysis and publication.
10. While contractual obligations in reporting must be respected, archaeologists should not enter into a contract which prohibits the archaeologist from including her or his own interpretations or conclusions in the contractual reports, or from a continuing right to use the data after completion of the project.
11. Archaeologists have an obligation to accede to reasonable requests for information from the news media.
Revisions to Bylaws Effective May 2, 2024.