WVSPS Constitution

Preamble

Recognizing that the service to the public and the land surveying profession is a fundamental obligation of the Professional Land Surveyor, the West Virginia Association of Land Surveyors, Inc. hereby dedicates itself to promotion and protection of the profession of land surveying as a social and economic influence vital to the welfare of the community and the State of West Virginia.

Article I

Name

Section 2. The Association is incorporated as a non-profit organization under the laws of the State of West Virginia.

Section 3. The Association subscribes to and supports the Code of Ethics promulgated under the authority of Chapter 30, Artical 13-A of the West Virginia Code as expanded by the Association and appended hereto.

Article II

Objectives

Section 1. The objective of this Association shall be:

a.   Advance and promote the public welfare.

b.   Advance the professional, social and economic interests of the surveying profession.

c.   Strive throughout the profession to make licensing more meaningful in terms of acknowledgment of individual achievement in surveying as reflected by education and practice, and encourage all qualified surveyors to seek legal status through licensing.

d.   Unite all qualified surveyors of the state in one organization.

e.   Stimulate and develop professional concepts among all surveyors.

f.   Encourage self education and self improvement, motivating practicing surveyors to upgrade and expand their competence by continuing study.

g.   Develop the civic consciousness of members of the surveying profession and serve the public good by support of, and cooperation with, the governor and other public officials.

h.   Represent the surveying profession in legislative matters.

i.   Promote high standards of surveying education.

j.   Cultivate public appreciation for the work of the surveyor through improved public relations and provide a forum for effective exchange and advancement of knowledge of matters of concern to the profession.

k.   Assist well qualified and properly motivated young people in obtaining reliable information concerning the profession of land surveying.

l.   Establish and preserve high standards of ethical conduct and practice.

Article III

Chapters

Section 1. The membership of the Association may be organized into chapters. The Board of Directors may issue charters, define their geographical boundaries, and dissolve or declare them inactive.

Each chapter formed shall have a minimum of five (5) voting members. All qualified members of each chapter shall be members of the Association and are encouraged to be members of the American Congress of Surveying and Mapping. (ACSM)

Section 2. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to make rules and regulations for, and decisions affecting, the chartering, combining or dissolving of chapters.

Section 3. Each chapter shall adopt such bylaws operation as it may deem proper, providing that nothing contained therein shall conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.

Section 4. Chapters shall engage only in such activities as are consistent with professional ideals and ethics. Such activities shall be restricted to the area for which the chapter is chartered, except as the Board may authorize.

Section 5. In all matters of local concern not covered by this Constitution and Bylaws, chapters shall contain full autonomy, but may call upon the Association for advice, counsel and assistance.

Section 6. Each active chapter shall be represented on the boardand on the committees of the Association as provided in the Constution and Bylaws.

Section 7. No chapter shall contract any debt or obligation on behalf of the Association unless expressly authorized by the Board.

Section 8. The fiscal and administrative years of the chapter shall be concurrent with those of the association.

Section 9. Student members in colleges and universities may be organized into student chapters, as provided for in the Bylaws.

Article IV

Membership

Section 1. The membership shall consist of Licensed Members, Associate Members, Student Members, Individual Members, Institutional Affiliate, Sustaining Members, Retired Members, Charter Members and Correspondence Members, who shall abide by the Constitution and Bylaws and the Code of Ethics and who shall be subject to election, discipline, suspension or termination as provided in the Bylaws.

Section 2. Licensed Member.  Any person who is licensed to practice land surveying in the State of West Virginia is eligible to become a Licensed Member of the Association. Past WVSPS Members may also become Licensed Members, effective by grandfathering, no later than January 1, 1986.

Section 3. Associate Member. Any person with an associative interest in the profession of surveying and mapping, such as party chief, chainman, rodman, photogrammetrist, professionally qualified in mathematical, physical or applied sciences or engineering sciences, the criteria for which shall be determined and approved by the Board of Directors, may become an Associate Member of the Association.

Section 4. Student Member. Any person pursuing a course of study on a full-time basis leading to a career in the profession of surveying and/or mapping may become a Student Member.

Section 5. Individual Affiliate Member. Members of other allied professions or occupations, such as lawyers, real estate brokers and engineers who might not otherwise qualify for membership in the Association may become Individual Affiliate Members.

Section 6. Institutional Affiliate. Professional or technical organizations with interests kindred to the Association, such as law firms, land surveying firms and engineering firms may affiliate with the Association.

Section 7. Sustaining Members. Any commercial or professional institution or individual interested or engaged in surveying and mapping, the manufacture of instruments or equipment for this work, or reproduction or compilation of maps may become a Sustaining Member.

Section 8. Correspondence Member. Any person living out of the state of West Virginia may become a Correspondence Member. This member will only receive the "West Virginia Surveyor" newsletter and will have no voting privileges.

Section 9. Retired Member. Any Licensed Member in good standing who has attained the age of 65 and who, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, has retired from the active practice of Land Surveying and has continually and actively participated in the Association may become a Retired Member.

Section 10. Charter Member. A member of any class who joined WVSPS prior to May 4, 1969, or had applications pending on file and/or as of May 3, 1969, is a Charter Member.

Section 11. These members are eligible to vote: Licensed Member, Associate Member, Student Member, Retired Member, Charter Member and any Sustaining individual holding land surveying license.

Only Licensed Members may hold the office of President, President-Elect, Vice President, Director-at-Large, and Chapter Representatives.

Article V

Dues and Fees

Section 1. Application fees shall be:

Section 2. The dues for membership in the Association shall be as follows:

Section 3. Fees and dues shall be payable to the West Virginia Society of Professional Surveyors or WVSPS and be sent or taken to the Association office on or before January 31. Dues shall cover the period from January 1 to December 31.

Section 4. Special assessments shall require approval of 2/3 vote of the voting members. All members will be given the opportunity to vote. The 2/3 favorable vote must be taken from the votes cast.

Section 5. Contributions and donations may be accepted by the Association.

Article VI

Administration

Section 1. The association shall be administered by a Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board. The Board shall determine all questions of policy and shall administer the affairs of the Association under this Constitution and the provisions of the law under which it is incorporated.

Section 2. The Board shall consist of the officers, six (6) Directors-At-Large and one (1) representative from each Chapter and practice division granted a charter by the Association.

Section 3. A majority of the Board Members shall constitute a quorum. An affirmative vote of a majority of the Board Members present at any regular or duly called meeting shall be required to pass any motion not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association. The President shall vote only when necessary to break a tie.

Section 4. The Board shall have authority to decide upon any question by means of a letter ballot directed to all members of the Board. Procedures for determining a vote by letter ballot shall be specified in the Bylaws, a majority of the votes cast within the stipulated time shall decide the question submitted to ballot.

Section 5. The Board shall direct the investment and care of funds for the Association and shall adopt an annual budget and make appropriations for other specific purposes.

Section 6. No members of the Board shall receive a salary or compensation from the Association, except for expenses incurred in behalf of the association as approved by the Board.

Section 7. The Board shall consider all questions brought before it involving the rights and standing of members, and all questions of ethics.

Section 8. There shall be a Executive Committee of the Board consisting of the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, and Immediate Past President.; Within the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws, the Executive Committee shall act for the Board between Board meetings, provided that such action is not inconsistent with Board policy. All acts of the Executive Committee shall be reported to the Board.

Article VII

Officers

Section 1. The officers of the Association shall consist of the President, President-Elect and Immediate Past President.

Section 2. The President-Elect and Vice President shall be elected for a term of one year.  The President-Elect shall automatically assume the Presidency for the year following his election.  The Directors-At-Large shall be elected for a term of two (2) years.

Section 3. The Board may appoint an Executive Director, Secretary and/or treasurer and may define the duties and fix compensation of the positions.

Section 4. Eligibility to nomination, election or retention of a position as an elected officer of the Association shall be contingent upon residence or employment in the State of West Virginia.

Section 5. The duties of the officers shall be defined in the Bylaws.

Section 6. Persons handling money may be bonded at the expense of the Association, for such amount as may be determined by the Board.

Section 7. The officers and directors shall take office, and the President-Elect elected the previous year shall become President, at the end of the Annual Convention.

Section 8. In the event the President become unable to serve, he shall be succeeded by the President-Elect. A vacancy occurring in any other position shall be filled by the Board, with the exception of representatives of chapters and practice divisions. Such vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term of the person being replaced.

Article VIII

Nominations and Election of Officers

Section 1. Nominations for elected officers shall be made by the Nominating Committee and may be made by petition signed by 10 percent of the members eligible to vote.

Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall have the most recent available Past President as its chairman and other past presidents as members.

Section 3. After canvassing each chapter for suggested nominees, the Nominating Committee shall offer one or more nominations for each office, no one of whom shall be a member of the Nominating Committee.

Section 4. The Nominating Committee shall report the name of the nominees to the Board at the January Board meeting, additional nominations by the Board or by petition may also be considered at this time. These additional nominations may include members of the Nomination Committee. The ballot will be prepared and given to the Executive Director or Secretary, who will transmit the same to the members on or before February 1.

Section 5. Election of officers shall be made annually by a plurality vote on individual letter ballots sent to all voting members of the Association in good standing.

Article IX

Meetings

Section 1. The Association shall hold an Annual Meeting at such time and place as may be selected by the Board, which meeting shall be open to all members, their guests and exhibitors.

Section 2. Special meetings of the Association shall be called by the President on a two-thirds vote of the Board or upon petition by thirty (30) members of the Association, or ten (10) percent of the membership, whichever is the small amount.

Article X

Headquarters

Section 1. The location of the Headquarters of this Association shall be determined by the Board.

Article XI

Committees

Section 1. Such committees as may be appropriate shall be established as provided by the Bylaws.

Section 2. The duties of the committees shall be defined by the Board.

Article XII

Practice Divisions

Section 1. The Board of Directors may sanction the creation or order the dissolution of practice divisions as provided by the Bylaws.

Article XIII

Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by: (a) a majority vote of the entire Board, (b) by a petition signed by not less than fifteen (15) percent of the members of the Association who are eligible to vote, or (c) by a majority vote of the Board members present, provided that the text of the proposed amendment shall have been mailed to the members of the Board not less than (30) days prior to the day when the amendment shall be considered. Amendments submitted by petition shall be reviewed by the Board before being submitted to the Executive Director or Secretary for ballot. The finds of this review may be transmitted to the members at the discretion of the Board.

Section 2. Proposed amendments to the Constitution, together with a letter ballot, shall be mailed to each member eligible to vote. Ballots shall be returned not later than (20) days after their mailing.

Section 3. An amendment shall become effective only upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast by the eligible members, provided that at least twenty-five (25) percent of the eligible members have voted.

Article XIV

Bylaws

Section 1. The Board shall prepare and adopt a series of Bylaws which shall govern all procedures under this Constitution, including those of the Board and of the Committees.
The Bylaws may be amended by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Board present at a meeting, provided that the text of the proposed amendment shall be mailed to the Board at least forty-five (45) days before the meeting at which the vote on the amendment will be taken.

Article XV

Effective Date

Section 1. This Constitution shall become effective upon its adoption in the manner prescribed for voting on amendments and thereupon the previous Constitution and prior amendments thereto are repealed.