ARTICLE I.     NAME AND PURPOSE

SECTION 1.

This organization shall be named "National Association of Black Geologists and Geophysicists".  It shall be a non-profit organization, incorporated in the State of Texas, with Headquarters in Houston, Texas.  The organization shall be national in scope with regional and local chapters.  All chapters must be chartered by this parent organization.  The objectives and activities of local and regional chapters must be consistent with those of the parent organization.

SECTION 2.

The objectives of this organization shall be:

(a)    To provide and encourage continuing education in the various aspects of the geosciences.

(b)    To establish professional relationships between minority geoscientists and maintain a  current roster of  

         Blacks involved in the geosciences.

(c)    To act as a liaison between members of this organization and other geoscience organizations.

(d)    To inform minority students of career opportunities which exist in the geosciences.

(e)    To encourage minority student by providing financial aid, counseling, assistance in obtaining meaningful

        summer and permanent employment.

(f)    To help communicate job opportunities and messages between the members and industry.

ARTICLE II.     MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1.

The members of this organization shall consist of persons engaged in the professional application and development of the geological and geophysical sciences.  Various classifications of memberships and qualifications shall be instituted in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of this organization.

ARTICLE III.      OFFICERS

SECTION 1.

The officers of this organization shall be the President, President Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Parliamentarian, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer.  The tenure of these officers shall be two administrative years.

SECTION 2.

The term of office for the President shall be two administrative years but limited to two consecutive terms.  After a person has served two consecutive terms in this office, he/she cannot be re-elected to that same office within two administrative years.

SECTION 3.

The duties of the President shall be to preside at meetings, call special meetings, appoint such committees not provided for in the constitution, and, jointly with the Secretary and the Treasurer, sign all written contracts and other obligations of the organization.

SECTION 4.

The President Elect shall ensure continuity between the current leadership team and the upcoming one.  He/She shall learn the roles, procedures, responsibilities, and standards that all NABGG Presidents must have.

SECTION 5.

The Vice-President shall assume the duties and responsibilities assigned to the President in his or her absence. 

SECTION 6.

The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings, handle all correspondence, and jointly with designated members of the executive leadership team (E.L.T.), sign all written contracts and other obligations of the organization.  The Secretary assumes the role of President in the absence of both the President and the Vice-President.

SECTION 7.

The Assistant Secretary shall assist and assume the duties of the Secretary in his or her absence.

SECTION 8.

The Treasurer shall handle all monies, and jointly with the President, Secretary, or designated parties sign all written contracts.

SECTION 9.

The Assistant Treasurer shall assist and assume the duties of the Treasurer in his or her absence.

SECTION 10

The Parliamentarian shall insure orderly transaction of business in accordance with the Constitution, Bylaws, and the NABGG adapted version of Roberts's Rules of Order.

SECTION 11

The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, the Chairperson of each standing committee and the last available past President shall constitute the E.L.T.

SECTION 12

The tenure of the Executive Board shall be two administrative years.  The duties of the E.L.T. shall be to receive and pass upon applications for membership, to approve chairpersons for standing committees, to ensure that the financial and fiscal directions of the organization are available (through the E-team or via news letters) and regularly communicated to the general body while conducting the general supervision of organizational affairs.

SECTION 13

All elected officers and chairpersons of the committees may be impeached from office under conditions stated in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE IV.      ADMINISTRATIVE YEAR

SECTION 1.

An administrative year shall start when the E.L.T takes office to the exact date the following calendar year.

ARTICLE V.            BYLAWS

SECTION 1.

The Bylaws, consisting of article as appended hereto and hereby adopted, may be amended, enlarged, or reduced as provided for in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI.                 AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1.

Amendments to the constitution may be proposed at any time by petition signed by at least ten (10) persons or 10% of the voting members, whichever is greater.  Adoption of such amendments shall be by e-communication, mail or ballot in which approval is given at least two-thirds (2.3) of the total-voting members.  All amendment proposals shall be made through the use of an NABGG approved proposal process, as outlined by parliamentarian procedures.

ARTICLE I.     MEETINGS

SECTION 1.

General membership meetings shall be at the discretion of the E.L.T at a designated time and place selected by the Executive Board.  All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with acceptable proposed NABGG parliamentarian procedures.

SECTION 2.

A quorum of membership must be present to legally conduct the business of the organization.  A quorum shall consist of one-third (1/3) of the membership including two members of the Executive board.  In the event a quorum is not present, the business maybe conducted subject to subsequent ratification by a quorum.

ARTICLE II.     MEMBERSHIP CLASSIFICATIONS

SECTION 1.

Membership in this organization shall consist of the following classifications:

(a)   Professional    

(b)   Associate        

(c)    Emeritus          

(d)   Teacher           

(e)   Student            

SECTION 2.

Unless otherwise explicitly stated in these Bylaws, the term "voting member" shall refer to all the above named classes.  Only members who are financial shall hold office, vote on matters submitted to the membership, sponsor membership applications and publish his or her affiliation with this organization.

SECTION 3.

Senior Members:  To be eligible for senior membership, an applicant must hold a Bachelor's or higher degree in geology, geophysics or related science from an accredited college or university.  Candidates for senior membership must also be currently, or have been engaged in the practice or teaching of geology, or geophysics for not less than three (3) years.

SECTION 4.

Junior Members:  An applicant must be currently engaged in and have three (3) months to three years of experience in the practicing or teaching of geology or geophysics.  Credit for experience may be counted as follows:  Master's Degree - one (1) year, Doctoral Degree-two (2) years.  The Executive Board retains the right to waive experience requirements.

SECTION 5.

Emeritus Members:  The Executive Board shall have the authority to transfer a senior member to Emeritus status. When a Senior member in good standing reaches sixty-five (65) years of age or a Senior Associate member who has been practicing or teaching geology or geophysics for a total of thirty (30) years, including time spent in military service, he/she is eligible to be considered by the Executive board for Emeritus classification.  The Executive Board shall have the authority to waive age and experience requirements for transfer to Emeritus membership in cases of unusual circumstances.  Emeritus members shall be entitled to all privileges as Senior members in this organization.

SECTION 6.

Associate Members:  Any person engaged in geology or geophysics who is a graduate of an accredited four (4) year college or university.

SECTION 7.

Student Members:  To be eligible for student membership, an applicant must be a graduate or undergraduate student currently majoring in the geosciences, or related discipline at and accredited university or college and in good academic standing with his/her institution.

SECTION 8.     

Corporate Members:  Businesses having an active interest in supporting the objectives of this organization.

SECTION 9.

Honorary Members:  To be eligible for Honorary Membership, an individual must have demonstrated willingness to assist the organization in accomplishing its goals and objectives by supporting programs and functions initiated by this organization.  The Executive board will determine this.

SECTION 10.

Membership Applicants:  A candidate for admission to Senior, Junior, Associate or Student membership must complete an application form.

The E.L.T. shall review all submitted applications for accuracy prior to admition into the organization.  Students shall keep the membership committee informed of any changes of status (undergraduate, graduate, or graduated and working…). 

SECTION 11.

Resignation:  Any member of the organization may resign at any time.  Such resignation shall be in writing and shall be accepted by the E.L.T.

SECTION 12.

Termination of Membership Rights:  Any member who resigns or forfeits his membership by non-payment of dues, unless expelled for ethical reasons, may be re-instated by a majority vote of the E.L.T

ARTICLE III.     ELECTION OF OFFICERS

SECTION 1.

Nomination of the officers shall be done by submitting a name and contact information of the nominee to the E-committee on or before the date set and posted by that committee.  The submissions can be done via electronic mail or regular mail.

All nominees shall have their information and platform on the internet for members to view and decide.  All nominees for office must be voting members of the organization.

SECTION 2.

Voting shall be done via electronic mail or regular mail.  To be counted and official all votes shall be sent prior to the deadline set by the E-committee.

SECTION 3.

Ballots shall be made available on the official NABGG website, and through regular mail no later than one month prior to the annual meeting.  To be counted, all ballots shall be mailed prior to dates set by the E-committee or submitted the day of by the voting member.

SECTION 4.

The President Elect shall be voted into office every off year.

SECTION 5.

All elected officers and appointed chairpersons of committees are expected to conduct designated duties efficiently and participate in all conference calls.  Failure to execute duties can result in removal from office by the E.L.T.

SECTION 6.

All elected officers and chairpersons of all committees may be impeached from office for the following reason:

(a)   Negligence in conducting assigned and general business of the organization after a warning.

(b)   Unprofessional conduct.

(c)    Disruption of the objectives of this organization.

The E.L.T. shall notify the accused member of intention to proceed against him/her.  After a petition is presented and signed by at least ten (10) persons or 10% of the voting members, whichever is greater. Appointed committee members can be removed by the E.L.T. without needed input from the general body.  An ad hoc Board of Hearing shall be put together once the petition is presented.  The Board of Hearing shall hear charges and present a defense against the member.  The member will have an opportunity to appear in person with representation.  The judgement of the Board of Hearing will then be submitted to the membership for final action.  The member may be replaced [sic] two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members voting.  Once impeached from office, a member may not hold any office for a length of time determined by the E.L.T.

ARTICLE IV.     FINACIAL AFFAIRS

SECTION 1.

All financial records shall be audited annually by an internal and/or external agency as specified by the E.L.T. before the first Thursday in April.  Subsequent financial reports of the preceding quarter the E-committee and/or by mail to the membership no later than two (2) weeks after the first Thursday of each quarter (July, October, January, and April).

SECTION 2.

All elected officers must be bonded.

SECTION 3.

All checks shall require two signatures - the Treasurer’s and either the President's, the Secretary’s or the Assistant Secretary’s.

SECTION 4.

Professional                         $50.00

Associate                             $50.00

Emeritus                              $25.00

Teacher                                $25.00

Student                                $10.00

ARTICLE V.      COMMITTEES

SECTION 1.

There shall be the following standing committees within the Organization:  Program Committee, Outreach Committee, By Laws Committee, Convention Committee, E-Commerce Committee, NPC Committee, Membership Committee, Education and Scholarship Committee.

SECTION 2.

The President shall be responsible for appointing the Chairpersons for these committees with a two-thirds (2/3) approval of the E.L.T.  Each chairperson shall appoint the members of his or her committee.

SECTION 3.

If a chairperson of a standing committee is elected to an office, he or she shall resign from that committee and the president shall appoint another member of the Organization to complete the unexpired term.

SECTION 4.

Any committee chairperson or member may be removed or replaced by a new appointee with two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the E.L.T.

SECTION 5.

The annual term of service for all committee members shall terminate at the end of each administrative year.

ARTICLE VI.     AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS

SECTION 1.

Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed at any time by petition signed by at least ten (10) persons or 10% of the voting members, whichever is greater.

SECTION 2.

Amendments shall be proposed according to proposed the NABGG parliamentarian procedures.

ARTICLE VII.     DISSOLUTION OF ORGANIZATION

SECTION 1.

In the event it should be deemed advisable to dissolve this Organization all assets at the time of dissolution shall be donated to a non-profit organization qualifying under IRS Tax Code 501 C (3), as designated by the E.L.T.