Constitution and By-Laws

and

Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists

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​The Wyoming Archaeological Society

WYOMING ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INCORPORATED
CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this Society shall be the Wyoming Archaeological Society, Incorporated.

ARTICLE II – TERM
The term of existence of the Society shall be perpetual.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open to all duly organized Chapters in the State of Wyoming, to any person, persons, societies, or institutions upon payment of specified dues, and who subscribes to the purposes and abides by the rules of the Society.

ARTICLE IV – PURPOSES
1.  To encourage the preservation of archaeological materials and sites.
2.  To disseminate archaeological information.
3.  To receive, maintain and hold, by bequest, devise, gift or otherwise, either real or personal, any fund or funds without limitation as to amounts or values; and to convey such property and to invest and reinvest any principal or interest; and to direct, manage, and expand the income and principal of the association, and administer any special funds for various purposes as agreed upon by the governing Board of the Society, and for purposes and uses herein set forth; to buy, lease, hold, and exercise all privileges of ownership over such real or personal property as may be deemed necessary for the conduct and operation of the business of this Society or incidental thereto.
4. To promote scientific research and cooperation with scientific organizations to further archaeological studies.

ARTICLE V – OFFICERS
The management of this Society shall be vested in the duly elected officers and appointive officers of the Wyoming Archaeological Society, Inc. and their duly elected successors. The elective officers shall include a President, First Vice President, and Second Vice President. The appointive officers shall include the Executive Secretary/Treasurer, Editor, and Librarian, who shall be appointed by the Executive Committee. All State officers, elected and appointed shall be members in good standing of a Society Chapter. The appointed officers shall be appointed for an indefinite term of office. The elective State officers shall be elected at the annual business meeting by a majority vote of the qualified delegates present at the meeting.

ARTICLE VI – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the elected and appointed State Officers. The State Archaeologist shall act in advisory capacity for this Committee.

ARTICLE VII – CHAPTER ORGANIZATION
Ten (10) or more people residing near each other may apply to the Executive Committee for a Chapter Charter, provided the aforementioned persons are paid-up members of the Society and their Chapter Application is approved by the Executive Committee by a majority vote.

ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS
Any proposed change in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Wyoming Archaeological Society, Inc. shall first be submitted to all the Chapters at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual State meeting or any special meeting called by the Executive Committee for the purpose of amendment. An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the legal delegates present at the annual business meeting shall be required for any proposed change in the Constitution or Bylaws of the Society.

IN OFFICE ARTICLE IX – VACANCIES
All State Society officer vacancies occurring by death, resignation, or failure to serve, for the duration of the term to which the officer was elected or appointed will be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the Executive Committee for the balance of the term, except President and First Vice President, which offices will be filled by the First Vice President and Second Vice President for the balance of the term.

ARTICLE X – MEETINGS
The Wyoming Archaeological Society, Inc. shall hold an annual business meeting in the spring of each year. Other meetings may be called at such times and places as may be determined by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the organization of the business meeting. A quorum at any duly authorized meeting of the State Society shall be a simple majority of those certified voting delegates present.

ARTICLE XI – ACCOUNTING PERIOD
The annual accounting period of the Wyoming Archaeological Society, Inc. shall begin on April 1 of each year and end on March 31 of the following year.

ARTICLE XII – RULES
The Wyoming Archaeological Society, Inc. shall be governed by the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order.

Revised and amended 05/02/2015

WYOMING ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INCORPORATED
BYLAWS

ARTICLE I – AUTHORITY OF OFFICERS

1. The elected and appointed officers, with the State Archaeologist in advisory capacity, shall serve as the Executive Committee and shall have charge of all affairs, funds, and property of the State Society subject to the control of the State Executive Committee
2. A majority of all the members of the Executive Committee is sufficient to remove any State officer or officers for due cause.
3. The Executive Committee shall serve in an advisory capacity to all the Chapters of the Society.
4. The Executive Committee shall not be liable for any debts, bills, or liabilities incurred by any of the Chapters or their members.
5. No officers, elective or appointive, of the Wyoming Archaeological Society, Inc., either State or Chapter, will receive any compensation or be exempt from any dues unless honored with an honorary lifetime membership. The State Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall be given a mileage rate and per diem for official business travel at a rate set by the Executive Committee.
6. All libraries, equipment and monies of a disbanded Chapter shall be turned over to the Executive Committee for disposition.
7. The Executive Committee shall appoint an Executive Secretary/Treasurer, a State Editor, and a State Librarian. These officers shall be appointed from the present paid-up membership and shall serve at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
8. The Executive Committee may specify a permanent Society mailing address. The permanent mailing address shall be one convenient to the Executive Committee, the Executive Secretary/Treasurer, the Chapters, and to any members of the Society who shall have occasion to contact this Society on any matter of archaeological interest or routine Society business.
9. The Executive Committee may designate an official State Repository. Said repository shall contain all of the records of the Executive Committee, which the Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain in a current and accessible condition, so that records shall be available during all reasonable business hours for inspection by any member of the Society. The repository shall also serve as the Society’s official repository for all archaeological material which is now, or may thereafter become, the property of the State Society, and the Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall serve as custodian thereof, and make the same available for public view in a place generally available to the public. The Executive Secretary/Treasurer, on his/her own determination, or at the request of any member of the Society, may limit access to site reports, archaeological surveys, and collections, when such action is deemed necessary and reasonable to preserve archaeological sites.

ARTICLE II – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
1. The President shall preside at the annual business meeting of the State Society and at the meetings of the Executive Committee, and at any special meetings. The President shall perform such duties as usually pertain to that office, including the naming of a Nominating Committee and any other standing and select committees. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall also make any appointments necessary for the furtherance of the aims and purposes of the State Society.
2. The First Vice President shall perform all duties of the president during the absence or disability of the President, and in the event of death, resignation, or removal of the President from office during the term for which the President was elected, the First Vice President shall serve for the balance of the term.
3. The Second Vice President shall perform all the duties of the First Vice President in the absence or disability of the First Vice President, and in the event of death, resignation, or removal from office during the term for which the First Vice President was elected, the Second Vice President shall serve as First Vice President for the balance of the term. The second vice president shall serve as the Nominating Committee Chair.
4. The Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain the Society repository and shall serve as custodian for any and all archaeological materials and records contained in the repository. The Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall assist the elected officers in the conduct of Society business, and shall keep records of such business. The Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall assist the Chapters and coordinate activities between the Chapters, and shall keep the Chapters informed on all Society business. The Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall keep and maintain all financial records of the Society for the Executive Committee. The Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall collect state dues and issue memberships and certificates as appropriate for Associate, Active State, Institutional, and Honorary memberships. The Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall establish and maintain Society checking and savings accounts as needed, with arrangements for the signing of all checks and/or savings account withdrawals by either the Secretary/Treasurer or the President’s appointee. The Executive Secretary/Treasurer shall present a financial report at the annual state business meeting and shall keep the Executive Committee apprised of the Society’s financial position..
5. The State Editor shall be responsible for the production and distribution of all Society publications.
6. The State Librarian shall have charge of all library materials including the Exchange publications. The State Librarian shall keep a list of all publications and books available for loan to members and shall have the list published as appropriate in the Society’s publication, on the Society’s web page, or available upon request by any member of the Society. Rules and regulations pertaining to the loan of publications to members must be approved by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE III – ELECTION AND TERMS OF OFFICE
The State President, First Vice President and Second Vice President shall be elected by two (2) delegates from each of the affiliated Chapters at the annual spring business meeting. They shall be elected from the present paid-up memberships of the Society. Elected officers shall serve for a term of one (1) year. A member cannot serve in one (1) elective office for more than two (2) consecutive years.

ARTICLE IV – CHAPTER ORGANIZATION
1. Each Chapter must choose a name for itself and must adopt its own Constitution and Bylaws which must not be in conflict with the State Constitution and Bylaws.
2. Local Chapters may designate the time and place of their meetings, but it is recommended that Chapters meet at least once a month, typically September through May.
3. Each Chapter has complete self-determination in the election of its officers, business and projects, as long as it does not violate the policies of the Society as a whole.
4. It shall be the function of the Chapter to issue all memberships and collect dues.
5. Each chapter shall have full custody of, and determined disposition of, archaeological material recovered by the Chapter in accordance with State and Federal laws and in conformance with State Society policy.
6. Each Chapter shall have as a minimum the following officers as its Executive Committee: President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer. The President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer shall serve one- (1-) year terms. A vacancy in any Chapter office may be filled by appointment by the Chapter President until the next regular election.
7. The annual election of regular Chapter officers shall be held in January of each year.
8. Each Chapter shall set its own membership fees which shall include the State fees for each active individual or family membership.

ARTICLE V – CHAPTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE SOCIETY
1. Each Chapter shall remit to the State Executive Secretary/Treasurer, by March 31 of each calendar year, that amount as set by the Executive Committee for each active individual or family membership effective with the calendar year beginning January 1 of each year. The Society publication will be mailed to all members when published.
2. Each Chapter shall submit to the Annual meeting of the State Society a complete report of its activities during the previous year.
3. Each duly organized Chapter shall be entitled to two (2) delegates to the annual state meeting. Each delegate must be certified by the Secretary of each Chapter of which he or she is a member, and certified by the Executive Secretary/Treasurer at annual business meeting.

ARTICLE VI – MEMBERSHIPS

1. Individual Associate Membership.

Such members shall be members of the State Society only, shall not be affiliated with any Chapter, and shall not have any voting privileges. Associate members shall be entitled to receive the periodical

publication of the Society as issued.

2. Institutional Membership.
Any institution, such as colleges, universities, libraries, museums, other archaeological societies, etc. shall be members of the State Society only. Institutional members shall not have any voting privileges. Such members shall be entitled to receive the periodical publication of the Society as issued.

3. Active Membership.
a. Any individual who affiliates with a local Chapter and takes active interest in the work of such Chapter, shall be issued an Active Membership card by the Chapter Secretary. This shall entitle such members to Active Membership in the Chapter with full voting rights in the Chapter, but with Family Membership limited to a maximum of two (2) votes. All Active Memberships shall be members of the State Society also, and shall be entitled to receive the periodical publication of the Society as issued, but family memberships shall include only one copy of each publication and one membership card.
b. Individuals residing out-of-state or in areas remote from a local Chapter may apply to the State Secretary/Treasurer or to a Chapter Secretary for an Active Membership, either individual or family. These memberships shall have no voting rights, but shall be entitled to receive the periodical publication of the Society as issued, and shall be allowed to participate in any of the State Society’s activities.

4. Honorary Lifetime Memberships.
Candidates for Honorary Lifetime Memberships may be nominated by a local Chapter for reasons based upon significant service to archaeology in Wyoming. Nominations must be voted upon by the voting delegates at the annual business meeting of the State Society and such membership shall be granted in an open session of the annual business meeting. The State Secretary/Treasurer shall issue one (1) Honorary Lifetime Membership Certificate and an Honorary Lifetime Membership card to each Honorary Lifetime member. Honorary members may retain their active status and voting rights and are eligible to hold office. No institution can qualify for an Honorary Lifetime Membership.

5. Renewals.
All renewals of membership in each Chapter or State Society shall be made on or before March 31 of each calendar year or the membership and all Society privileges shall be terminated.

ARTICLE VII – RULES OF CONDUCT
1. The Executive Committee may, for reasons of conduct inappropriate to an archaeologist, revoke the membership of any member of the Wyoming Archaeological Society, Inc. Such reasons may include:

a. Any conduct which is contrary to the state intents and purposes of the Society.
b. The conduct of any excavation by methods inappropriate to a professional archaeologist.
c. Failure to complete and make public the records of a site upon completion of the investigation within a reasonable length of time.
d. Misrepresentation of membership in, or official relation to, any archaeological organization.
e. The sale of artifacts from or information about, any archaeological site for personal gain.
f. Aiding or abetting, by work or action, any persons who loot or destroy an archaeological site for any reason whatsoever.
g. Failure to secure the consent or permission of the Executive Committee of the member’s Chapter prior to excavation and permitting.

ARTICLE VIII – ORDER OF BUSINESS OF THE ANNUAL STATE MEETING
1. Call to order by the President.
2. Certification of Voting Delegates.
3. Roll Call of the Delegates or Alternates.
4. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting by the Executive Secretary/Treasurer.
5. Treasurer’s Report.
6. Auditor’s Report.
7. Editor’s Report.
8. Librarian’s Report.
9. Committee Reports (standing and select committees).
10. Old or unfinished business.
11. New Business.
12. Election of officers.
13. Selection of site for the summer meeting.
14. Selection of site for the annual meeting.
15. Comments and introduction of new officers who take office at this time.
16. Adjournment.

Revised and amended 05/02/2015