CCC-Bylaws

BYLAWS of the CHESAPEAKE CYTOMETRY CONSORTIUM

Article I  NAME

Section 1.  The name of the organization shall be the Chesapeake Cytometry Consortium referred to herein as the “Group.”

Article II  OBJECT

Section 1.  The object of the Group is to encourage original investigation in cytometry, for both research and clinical goals.

Section 2.  The object of the Group shall be pursued in a non-profit-making manner conforming to the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, 1986, and as may be amended.

Section 3.  The activities of the Group shall be appropriate to the accomplishment of the object and shall be conducted in accordance with the Bylaws of the Group.

Article III  MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  The membership of the Group shall consist of individuals actively engaged in scientific or clinical research utilizing flow or image cytometry.

Section 2.  No person shall be refused membership on any level nor admission to meetings open to interested non-members on the basis of age, sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, marital status, religion, physical handicap or lawful political affiliation.  No member shall be refused rights or privileges granted under these bylaws on the basis of age, sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, marital status, religion, physical handicap, or lawful political affiliation.

Article IV  ELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section l.  Each nomination for election as Member shall:  (i) be made in writing, (ii) present evidence of the eligibility of the nominee, and (iii) be signed by at least two active members of the Group as nominator and seconder.  Such written nominations shall be sent to the Secretary of the Group and transmitted by him to the Group President.

Section 2.  The election of candidates to membership in the Group shall be effected by action of the Admission Committee and unanimous approval by the Committee shall be necessary for such election.

Article V  OFFICERS

Section 1.  Officers must be active members of the Group and shall consist of a President, a President-elect, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, and such other officers as the Executive Committee may from time to time deem appropriate.

Section 2. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Group, chair meetings of the Executive Committee, appoint Chairmen of the standing committees, and, in general, perform the duties pertaining to the office of President.  The President-elect shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President.  Upon expiration of the term of the President, the President-elect shall succeed to the office of President.  The Secretary shall maintain the roll of active members, notify members of Group meetings, record minutes of Group and Executive Committee meetings, take care of correspondence. The Treasurer shall keep the financial records of the Group and disburse funds as authorized by the Executive Committee.

Section 3. Terms of office shall commence on the first day of July following the election.  Each shall be a twelve-month period except for a Secretary who is elected for a two year term.

Section 4.  If a vacancy occurs in the Office of the President, the President-elect shall assume the office of President and shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term and the succeeding term.  If a vacancy occurs in the office of the President-elect, the immediate past President shall assume the duties, but not the office, until the next annual election, at which both a President and a President-elect shall be elected.  A vacancy in the office of the Secretary or the Treasurer shall be filled by Presidential appointment until a successor is elected at the next annual election.  If for any reason the offices of President and President-elect are vacant at the same time, the immediate past President shall assume the office and duties of the President until such time as the Executive Committee calls for a special election for the purpose of choosing a President and a President-elect.

Article VI  ANNUAL ELECTIONS

Section 1.  The Nomination Committee shall nominate one or more qualified members of the Group for each elective office.  The number of nominees for each office shall be dictated by the Executive Committee.  Along with these nominees,  three members shall be nominated to serve on the Admission Committee.  All nominees must consent to serve, if elected.

Section 2.  When only one member is nominated for Secretary and agreement is reached with the Nomination Committee, that name shall be placed on the ballot for a two year term of office.

Section 3.  The Nomination Committee shall submit its report to the President who shall call for an election by presenting the Secretary with the list of nominees.  Should the President fail to call for an election within thirteen months of the commencement of his term, the Nomination Committee may do so on its own authority, nominating two consenting members for each post and, generally, running the election.  Elected officers under these conditions shall assume office on election and serve until the following last of June.

Section 4.  Nominations from the membership shall be accepted after the first of January.  Written consent must be obtained from such nominees and forwarded to the Secretary along with his name and business affiliation over the signatures of at least five active members.  If the nominee meets all requirements for office, his name shall be placed on the forthcoming ballot.

Section 5.  The Secretary shall be responsible for preparation of the mail ballot in which the candidates’ names and affiliations appear in an orderly manner.  Each active member shall be sent one copy of this ballot with instructions for voting.  On return, the Secretary shall ascertain proper individual balloting and shall deliver the  ballots to the Executive Committee who shall be responsible for determining the results of the election.  On demand, the Executive Committee may repeat this determination.

Section 6.  An affirmative vote of a quorum of voting members shall be required for election of officers.  In the balloting for members of the Admission Committee, the voting members shall vote for three of the nominees.  The three nominees receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected.

Section 7.  All voting for election of officers and members of the Admission Committee shall be by written ballot.

Article VII  STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1.  The standing committees of the Group shall include Executive, Admission, Program and Nomination.  Each standing committee is to report at least once a year at a Group meeting on its activities and everything referred to it during the year and at regular intervals to the Executive Committee.

Section 2.  The Executive Committee shall consist of the President as Chairman together with the President-elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the immediate Past President, and other Standing Committee members. The Executive Committee shall have authority to act for the Group in a manner consistent with the Bylaws of the Group.

Section 3.  The Admission Committee shall consist of the Secretary as ex officio chairman and three members of the Group elected by ballot at the annual election of the Group officers.  Interim vacancies shall be filled through appointments by the Executive Committee.

Section 4.  The Program Committee shall consist of President-elect as ex officio chairman, the President as ex officio member, together with as many members of the Group deemed required and appointed by the chairman to assist.  The Program Committee shall plan and make all arrangements for the programs of the Group.

Section 5.  The Nomination Committee shall be appointed at least six months before the end of the year.  It shall consist of at least two Group members with the President-elect as an ex officio member.

Section 6. Other committees shall be appointed as the Executive Committee may deem appropriate.

Article VIII  MEETINGS, NOTICES AND QUORUM

Section 1.  The year of the Group shall generally be construed to be the academic year unless specified otherwise.

Section 2.  There shall be at least four meetings a year, one of which, preferably the final, shall be a business meeting with annual committee reports given.  Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee, by petition signed by one-tenth of the active members of the Group, or by the Nomination Committee acting under the provisions of Article VI, Section 3 of these Bylaws.

Section 3.  The membership shall be informed of each Group meeting by written notice sent at least two weeks prior to the meeting.

Section 4.  At any Group meeting, the members present shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 5.  All meetings not designated business meetings may be open to interested non-members if so indicated by the Executive Committee.

Article IX  ORDER OF BUSINESS

Section 1.  The order of business at all business meetings shall be (i) reading of the minutes of the previous meeting, (ii) reports of officers, (iii) reports of standing committees, (iv) reports of special committees, (v) unfinished business, (vi) new business, (vii) adjournment.

Section 2.  Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall be the final authority on questions of procedure and parliamentary law not covered by these Bylaws.

Section 3.  A summary report of the financial status of the Group shall be made at least annually to the membership by the Treasurer in such form as approved by the Executive Committee.