Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

Summary Title Amendments Offices Nomination

Summary of the Articles and the Bylaws

Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws were filed with the Secretary of the State of Texas on August 30, 1990. The following is the summary of current Articles and the Bylaws.

Board of Directors:

4.1) Min. of 5 and max. of 7 elected directors. One honorary director appointed by elected directors.

4.4) Hold office for 1 year.

4.5) Are elected by the majority of votes also constituting a minimum. Min. no. of votes is the greater of: 30% of the voting members present for the election and 25% of the voting members.

4.6) Must be nominated at least 2 weeks prior to the elections to be included in the absentee ballots; and Must have been an active member for at least 3 months before the elections.

President:

Must have served either in the current or in one of the previous boards of elected directors.

Nomination for the presidency will be accepted only from the newly elected members of the board of directors and is elected by the majority of votes.

4.7) Meetings: At least once every 3 months.

4.8) Quorum: Presence of at least 4 elected directors (including the president or her/his representative).

Decisions: Must have the support of the majority of the directors present, and must include the support of at least 3 elected directors.

4.10) Vacancies: Will be filled for the remainder of the term through appointment by the board of directors, except for the president's position which will be filled by the vice president.

Officers:

5.4) Any member of the society can become an officer of the corporation upon approval of the board.

Membership:

6.1a) Professional member (min. of 4-year college degree or equiv.): $25 Application Fee.

6.1b) Student member (towards a 4-year college degree or equiv.): Free Membership.

6.1c) Affiliate member (person or institution; no voting power): $25 Application.

Amendments:

Article 11- Amendments to Articles of Incorporation: By 2/3 of the votes.

At any general meeting with the presence of at least 30% of voting members.

At least 60 days advance notice of the proposed amendment(s).

Article 8.1- Amendments to Articles of Bylaws: By 2/3 of the votes.

At any general meeting with the presence of at least 20% of voting members or by written ballots.

At least 30 days advance notice of the content of the proposed amendment(s).

Note: The above summary includes the amendments approved on Jan. 1992 & 1994.

(Form 1.05, 12/95)

Links to the complete text of the original Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws as they were filed with the Secretary of the State of Texas on August 30, 1990. Above is the summary of current Articles and the Bylaws.

First Draft of SIP Bylaws: 1/31/90.

Second Draft of SIP Articles & Bylaws: 6/90.

SIP Articles & Bylaws Signed & Notarized: 8/17/90.

Incorporated (Charter # 01164970): 8/30/90.

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Amendments

6/5/91 Fiscal year for the corporation starts on January one and ends on the last day of December.

1/8/92 Candidacy must be registered two weeks prior to the elections.

1/8/92 Candidates for the presidency must have served in the board at least once.

1/8/92 Board consists of 9 elected directors and one appointed honorary director.

1/8/92 Directors will hold office for one year.

1/8/92 Candidates must have been active members for at least 3 months prior to the election.

1/8/92 Board will appoint new directors to fill the vacancies for the remainder of the term.

1/8/92 Elected director can and shall serve as officers of the corporation.

1/4/94 Presence of at least 30% of voting members to approve amendments to the Articles.

1/4/94 Board consists of at least 5 and at most 7 elected directors and one appointed honorary director.

1/4/94 Min. number of votes for board election is the greater of 30% of voting members present and 25% of voting members.

1/4/94 Any member of the society can become an officer upon ob the board.

1/4/94 Nomination for the presidency will be accepted only from the newly elected members of the board of directors and is elected by the majority of votes.

1/4/94 Membership fee was reduced to $36/year for the professional members, $12/year for the student members, and none for the affiliate members.

12/95 Membership fee was waived for all except a one time application fee of $25 for the professional and affiliate members.

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Board Responsibilities

President & Chairman of the Board

Overall responsibility for SIP. Responsible for coordination, facilitation of, & assistance to the directors. Perform the duties of the directors as backup. Sign checks. Collect & archive SIP's documents. Record minutes of the board & monthly meetings. Update & publish member/guest/mail lists. Prepare labels for monthly flyers.

Director of Legal and Organizational Affairs

Upkeep the bylaws & foster their implementation. Coordinate & chair the election process. Establish membership approval guidelines. Establish scholarship process guidelines.

Director of Financial Affairs

Collect & deposit membership dues, general meeting admission fees, & other funds. Prepare quarterly financial reports & review the SIP's financial status with the board. Coordinate monthly meeting registration. Prepare tax documents.

Director of Membership

Collect resumes & applications. Coordinate membership committee and the approval process. Prepare & update membership profile & membership cards. Contact members for membership renewal.

Director of Technical Activities

Schedule & invite speakers. Send invitation & follow-up letters to speakers. Coordinate with the speaker to maximize the quality of the presentation. Prepare the speaker's biography & abstract, & the lecture's announcements (monthly flyers). Introduce the speaker & announce the future speakers. Contact professional societies for speaker exchange possibility.

Director of Public Relations

Establish & maintain contact with other societies for PR purposes. Coordinate the selection process for awards & scholarships. Contact guests & others for new membership.

Director of Fund-Raising

Coordinate fund-raising events. Coordinate contributions by members & others. Contact businesses for sponsoring the monthly meetings. Coordinate membership involvement.

Director of Social Activities

Arrange & coordinate board & monthly meetings. Arrange & coordinate social activities.

Director of Media Affairs & Publications

Coordinate the media relations & activities. Contact the media for monthly announcements & meeting summary. Coordinate activities associated with the newsletter. Collect & process SIP's incoming mail.

(Form 5.13, 2/95)

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Nomination

Requirements for the nomination to an office are as follows:

1) Candidates must have the knowledge of the content of the SIP's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.

2) Candidates for the President must first be elected as Board Members AND have served either in the current or in one of the previous Boards of Elected Directors.

3) Candidates for the Board of Directors must have been active members for at least 3 months prior to the election.