CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
OF
THE CENTRAL STATES ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC. AMENDED March 13th, 2004
ARTICLE I. Name
The name of the organization shall be THE CENTRAL STATES ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES, INCORPORATED, here after called the C.S.A.S. The C.S.A.S. shall be a
non-profit organization, with no paid officers or employees.
The organization shall operate under this Constitution and By-laws which shall be in full force and binding on the member societies from the time of its adoption. Upon adoption, the
Secretary/Treasurer shall notify all member societies that this Constitution and By-laws are
in effect. All previous Constitutions and By-laws shall be null and void.
ARTICLE II. Purposes
To encourage the study and preservation of Indian history and archaeology in the central
states area of the United States.
To develop a better understanding among students and collectors of archaeological material
professional and non-professional, as well as museums, and institutions of learning; and to
further this understanding by providing a means of publishing articles of interest by both
professional and amateur archaeologists.
To promote a constructive public attitude toward archaeology in general, and the
preservation of Indian artifacts and the cultural heritage of the United States.
To further the proper and orderly recording and preservation of archaeological information
and material.
To promote legislation favorable to this organization or the general interest in archaeology
and the hobby of collecting Indian artifacts.
To publish and distribute the results of archaeological investigations and discoveries of
interest to the members.
To publish and distribute an archaeological Journal to aid in the aforementioned purposes
and objectives.
ARTICLE III. Membership
1. One amateur archaeological society from each state may make application for membership
in the C.S.A.S. Such application shall be made in writing to the Secretary/Treasurer of
the C.S.A.S. and shall include a statement that the membership of the applicant society will
subscribe to and abide by the purposes and objectives of the Society as set forth in
Article II.
The Board of Directors shall have the authority and responsibility to accept or reject any
such application for membership at the annual meeting, or at a called meeting specified for
that purpose. Effective date of acceptance will be January 1st, following the date of
acceptance by the Board of Directors of the C.S.A.S.
Each member society shall have two delegates on the Board of Directors of the C.S.A.S.
Each delegate shall have one vote. In the event a member society's delegation is unable to
attend the annual Board of Directors meeting they may authorize a sister society to act as
their proxy. Provided this proxy authorization is in writing, and is presented to the C.S.A.S.
President at least 24 hours prior to the meeting of the Board Of Directors, and is subject to the
Presidents' approval. Each attending delegate is limited to only one additional proxy vote.
Any society that is represented by only one delegate has only one vote, unless the
President has been supplied with a written proxy from the second delegate of that society
who was unable to attend. Only state society delegates may secure may secure proxy
votes. C.S.A.S. officers may not secure proxy votes unless they are also representing
their state as a delegate.
A member society may withdraw its membership in the C.S.A.S. by submitting written
notice of its intention to withdraw to the Board of Directors at the annual meeting; said
withdrawal shall become effective on the following December 31st.
A member society may be expelled from membership in the C.S.A.S. by a three-fourths, (3/4)
vote of the Board of Directors at the annual business meeting, or a called meeting specified
for that purpose; said expulsion to become effective on the following December 31st.
ARTICLE IV. Election of Officers
The elected officers of the C.S.A.S. shall be:
President
1st vice-president
2nd vice-president
Secretary/Treasurer
Editor-in-Chief
Business Manager
and Librarian.
The election of officers shall be held at the annual business meeting to be held on a
weekend during May or June each year. The President shall notify all delegates at least
four weeks in advance of the meeting.
The candidate receiving the majority of votes cast shall be duly elected. If no one candidate
receives a majority on the first ballot, the two candidates receiving the most votes shall be
voted upon in the second ballot. Election shall be by secret ballot if so requested by at least
one delegate.
All elected and appointed officers shall serve for a term of one year, beginning on the date
of the election and ending with the following election.
The President and vice-presidents shall be elected by the Board of Directors of the C.S.A.S.
the President and vice-presidents may not succeed themselves more than once.
The President shall appoint a nominating committee of at least three members prior to the
annual meeting; this committee shall present a slate of nominees to the Board of Directors
at the annual meeting. Nominations may also be made from the floor.
The President may appoint committees deemed necessary, subject to the approval of
the Board of Directors.
All non-delegate officers shall be non-voting members of the Board of Directors.
In case of a vacancy in any of the above mentioned offices, the President shall make a
temporary appointment, the appointee shall serve until the next election.
ARTICLE V. Duties of Officers
It shall be the duty of the President to call meetings of the Board of Directors, conduct
all regular and special meetings as presiding officer, appoint regular and standing
committees, and serve as the responsible head of the organization. The President shall be a
non-voting member of all committees. The President may appoint a position of
Parliamentarian to preside at each annual business meeting. The Parliamentarian shall
be supplied with the latest revision of Robert Rules of Order at C.S.A.S. expense. The
Parliamentarian shall receive a stipend for travel expenses to the annual business
meeting.
It shall be the duty of the 1st vice-president to act in the absence of the President, and
the 2nd vice-president in the absence of both.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary/Treasurer to conduct the essential correspondence of
the C.S.A.S. as expeditiously as possible and to record and keep a permanent record of the
minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors. Copies of the minutes shall be published in
C.S.A.S. Journal at the earliest possible date. The minutes shall be read, amended, and
approved at the next meeting of the Board of Directors. The Secretary/Treasurer shall
administer the funds remitted to the C.S.A.S. and make payment of bills incurred in the
operation of the C.S.A.S.; shall submit a financial report to the Board of Directors at the
annual meeting, and shall invest surplus funds of the C.S.A.S. in a chartered bank or insured
savings and loan association. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be bonded in the amount of
$25,000.00 with the cost of the bond being paid from funds of the C.S.A.S.
It shall be the duty of the Business Manager to maintain a file of all the current members of
the member societies of the C.S.A.S. The Business Manager shall call for individual
members assessments from each society not less than once each quarter, and membership
lists shall be forwarded to them with an accompanying check to pay for the assessment on
each member submitted. All moneys shall be forwarded to the Secretary/Treasurer within
ten days. The membership list shall be maintained for the sole purpose of mailing the
Journal and addressing any other correspondence pertaining to the societies. The Business
Manager may employ necessary help to handle maintenance and addressing of Journals and
correspondence, subject to the approval of the Publishing and Finance Committee.
The Business Manager shall supply the Editor-in-Chief with a list of officers, a summary of
the Board of Directors meetings, and any other business items to be printed in the Journal in
sufficient time for publishing. The Business Manager shall act as a coordinator for
the meetings of the member societies and supply a list of meeting locations and dates to the
Editor-in-Chief for publishing in the Journal. The Business Manager shall serve as a
member of the Publishing and Finance Committee and as a non-voting member of the Board
of Directors.
The Editor-in-Chief shall publish a quarterly Journal consisting of items of interest to
members which pertain to the objectives and purposes of this society as outlined in
Article II. The Editor-in Chief shall be advised by the Publishing and Finance Committee
and may appoint a staff to help them in their publishing duties with a concurrence of the
Publishing and Finance Committee. Their postage and other expenses shall be submitted to
the Business Manager after each publication to obtain reimbursement from the Secretary/
Treasurer. Expenses other than normal for publication of the Journal shall be approved by
the Publishing and Finance Committee prior to reimbursement from the Secretary/Treasurer.
The Editor-in Chief shall be a non-voting member of the Board of Directors.
The Librarian shall maintain a depository for all the C.S.A.S. publications. The Librarian
will submit an up-to-date list of publications available for sale in the Journal. Upon receipt
of an order, The Librarian will package and mail any publication available for sale from
the C.S.A.S. Receipts from sales shall be turned over to the Secretary/Treasurer each quarter
and reimbursement for packaging and postage expenses shall be accounted for at that time.
All costs of maintaining the depository, such as insurance, shall be paid by the C.S.A.S. The
Librarian shall be a non-voting member of the Board of Directors.
The Publishing and Finance Committee shall be appointed by the President. The duties
of this standing committee are to review and approve all publications of the Society and to
guide and advise the President, Editor-in-Chief, Business Manager, Secretary/Treasurer, and
Librarian on any other business that may come up during the year which cannot be delayed
for a meeting of the Board of Directors. The Publishing and Finance committee may along
with a majority of the elected executive officers of the C.S.A.S. authorize funds to be spent
on behalf of the C.S.A.S. during the fiscal year. The Publishing and Finance Committee
shall conduct an annual audit of the C.S.A.S. books. This audit shall be conducted prior to
the Board of Directors Meeting.
n the event of the dissolution of the C.S.A.S., after paying all liabilities, the organization
shall dispose of all assets exclusively (for the purposes of the corporation as stated in
Article II. #1 through #7 ), to educational or scientific institutions that qualify as
United States Internal Revenue tax exempt organizations.
The C.S.A.S. Board of Directors may when it deems necessary authorize a travel expense
stipend for those executive officers of the C.S.A.S. who are required to travel out of state to
attend the annual business meeting. In addition a member of the Publishing and Finance
Committee shall also be given a stipend when necessary for travel in order to conduct the
annual audit.
Any C.S.A.S. officer that is convicted of a felony while in office or abuses the status and
Privileges of his/her office may be removed from that office. An Executive Board consisting of the Publishing and Finance Committee, and other remaining elected C.S.A.S. Officers shall review said officers' conduct and determine if dismissal from office is necessary. A simple majority vote of the executive Board is required for dismissal. The dismissed officer has thirty calendar days to return all C.S.A.S. property in good condition or face criminal charges. The acting President shall appoint a temporary replacement until the next business meeting.
Any major decisions/problems that arise in any officers' position shall be reported
to the President and /or the 1st Vice-President within twenty-four hours. The President
shall consult with the Executive Board to deem what steps must be take to rectify the
problem. The officer shall not make any major decisions without prior apprval from the
President and the Executive Board. Major decisions/problems are defined as occurance or
situations that are beyond the natural everyday function of that office and which may
have a negative financial and/or legal impact on the C.S.A.S.
ARTICLE VI. Amendments to the By-laws
These by-laws may be amended by a majority vote of the C.S.A.S. delegates at a meeting
of the Board of Directors, provided that the proposed amendment shall have been presented
to the Board of Directors at a previous meeting, or shall have been received by the Board of
Directors at least four weeks prior to the meeting.
The amendment, or amendments, will be in force and binding upon the member societies
when adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors
ARTICLE VII. Fees and Dues.
The C.S.A.S. shall derive it financial support from the following sources:
An assessment determined by the Board of Directors for each contributing and active
member of the C.S.A.S.
From sales of publications.
From donations, bequests and contributions.
The amount of the assessment for active and contributing members shall be the same for
all member societies.
ARTICLE VIII. General Regulation.
Any phase of parliamentary procedure, or any question of operation and activities of
the C.S.A.S. not specified or clearly provided for in the Constitution, By-Laws or
Amendments shall be resolved according to common practice as covered in the latest edition
of Robert's Rules of Order
