Bylaws:

GERS Constitution and By-Laws

Amended December 2005

• Name: The name of this organization shall be the Gulf Estuarine Research Society (GERS).

• Purpose: The purpose of this non-profit organization shall be to bring together, exclusively for educational purposes, persons interested in estuarine and coastal problems centering on the Gulf of Mexico region.

• Affiliation: GERS shall maintain an affiliation with the Estuarine Research Federation (ERF) and shall be subject to the by-laws of that organization. Membership in GERS does not confer membership in ERF or vice versa.

• Membership: There shall be three categories of membership in GERS.

1. REGULAR members are persons whose professional activities are consistent with the purpose of the organization.
2. STUDENT members are persons whose interests are consistent with the purpose of the organization and who are currently enrolled in a college or university as verified by a faculty member. Student members shall have all rights and privileges of regular members.
3. HONORARY members are persons whose outstanding contributions in estuarine research have been recognized by nomination of the Executive Committee and ratification by a two-thirds majority of those regular members present and voting at a meeting. Honorary members are elected for life and do not pay dues.

• Dues: Dues of $20 per calendar year are payable in January to the Secretary-Treasurer following the close of the annual accounting period in December 31.

• Meetings: Meetings shall be held annually or at the discretion of the Executive Committee. The biennial meeting of the Estuarine Research Federation shall constitute a meeting of GERS.

• Officers and Terms: The officers of the Society shall consist of President, President-Elect, Past-President, and Secretary-Treasurer; all shall serve for two years. Any vacant office may be filled for the remaining portion of its term by the Executive Committee. Terms of the offices shall coincide with the dates of the ERF biennial conferences.

• Duties of the Officers:

The PRESIDENT shall preside at all meetings of the membership and of the Executive Committee and shall appoint, with approval of the Executive Committee, committees to perform Society functions and business as necessary. The President, or a representative shall serve as a member of the Governing Board of the ERF. The President shall maintain
written records of the activities of the Society and shall forward all such records to the incoming President in a timely manner. The President shall involve the President-Elect in the process of fulfilling these responsibilities and obligations to the fullest extent possible. The President shall serve as Past-President in the term immediately following the term as President.

The PRESIDENT-ELECT shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the President. The President-Elect shall work with the President in the process of fulfilling the routine responsibilities and obligations of the office of President, including assisting with the development and implementation of Society programs and events. The President-Elect shall serve as President in the term immediately following the term as President-Elect.

The PAST-PRESIDENT shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the President-Elect, and shall advice the President and President-Elect on the development and implementation of Society programs and events as a conveyor of institutional memory.

The SECRETARY-TREASURER shall collect, disburse, and account for all moneys; issue notices and keep minutes of the meetings; maintain and up-to-date list of the membership, and; maintain and have available copies of the constitution and by-laws for the membership. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain written records of the finances and membership of the Society and shall forward all such records to the incoming Secretary-Treasurer in a timely manner.

Executive Committee Membership: The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers of the Society, the immediate Past-President, and the Member(s)-at-Large; the latter officers are appointed by the President and approved by the other Officers. There shall be no more than two Member(s)-at-Large serving simultaneously.

Duties of the Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall be responsible for initiating and formulating programs of activities, approving temporary committees, and preparing a list of nominations of incoming Officers.

Announcements and newsletter items will be posted to the membership by email.

The Member(s)-at-Large shall serve as an informal liaison between the Society and the greater scientific community of the Gulf of Mexico region. A Member-at-Large shall serve as host and program chair for an annual Society meeting.

Nominations of Officers: Members shall be nominated for the offices of President-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer by the general membership through 30 June of odd-numbered years. Additional nominations may be made by the Executive Committee during this time.

Election of Officers: Names of nominees and information concerning their qualifications shall be circulated by email along with a ballot, no later than 31 July of odd-numbered years. Provision shall be made on the ballot for write-in candidates. Deadline for receipt of the ballots shall be 31 August. Election shall be by majority of the returned ballots. In case of a tie, the President shall cast the deciding vote.

Amendments: Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws shall be submitted to the Executive Committee and circulated to all members by email at least 4 weeks prior to balloting. Adoption shall be by a two-thirds vote of the voting membership via returned, mailed ballots.

Dissolution: In event of dissolution, any assets of GERS shall be distributed to a fund, foundation, or corporation organized and operated exclusively for the purposes specified in Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.