Bylaws
ARTICLE 1
NAME. The official name of the Section shall be “The Environmental Justice Section of the Ecological Society of America”.
ARTICLE 2
PURPOSE. The purpose of this Section is to 1) promote environmental justice, i.e. the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes and educational levels with respect to the development and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies, 2) to encourage the development, application and use of ecological research to address environmental issues, particularly those that disproportionately impact research to address environmental issues, particularly those that disproportionately impact underrepresented or low income groups, 3) to stimulate education and outreach efforts that will provide better use and understanding of ecological concepts and research by non-scientists 4) to increase participation by individuals from underrepresented groups in the Ecological Society of America and 5) to take leadership in advancing environmental justice concerns within ESA, and in the work of ESA members with other organizations engaged in EJ issues.
ARTICLE 3
ORGANIZATION. The Environmental Justice Section shall be a subdivision of the Ecological Society of America and shall be governed by the Constitution and Bylaws of that Society.
ARTICLE 4
MEMBERS. Any member of the Ecological Society may become a member of the Environmental Justice Section upon payment of the designated dues.
ARTICLE 5
OFFICERS. The Officers of the Section shall be a Chair, Vice-Chair, Past-Chair and Secretary. The Officers comprise the Coordinating Committee and may act on behalf of the Section during intervals between annual meetings. Election of Officers shall be by majority vote with a written or email ballot that is distributed to members each year. The Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary shall serve terms of two years.
ARTICLE 6
CHAIR. The Chair shall preside at the business meetings of the section, authorize expenditures of Section funds and shall work with the Coordinating Committee to promote the interests of the Section. The Chair will appoint a Webmaster and committees as necessary for specific tasks. The Chair and Vice-Chair will prepare, from nominations received from the membership, a state of candidates for positions that must be filled for the following year (the Chair and Vice-Chair shall be elected in alternate years from the Secretary). Nomination must be received by the Chair sixty days before election. The Chair will represent the Section on the Council of the Society.
ARTICLE 7
PAST CHAIR. Upon completion of the terms as Chair, this person shall serve as past chair and will serve as a member of the Coordinating Committee to promote the interests of the Section. The term of office shall be two years.
ARTICLE 8
VICE-CHAIR. The Vice-Chair shall be responsible for arranging the scientific program for all meetings and symposia (workshops, special sessions) of the section and shall assume the duties of the Chair whenever that person is unable to act. The term of office shall be two years.
ARTICLE 9
SECRETARY. The Secretary shall keep the records, accounts and files of the Section, keep the minutes of the annual meeting, maintain an up to date membership and mailing list and work with Coordinating Committee to promote the interests of the Section. The Secretary shall serve a term of two years.
ARTICLE 10
WEBMASTER. The Webmaster shall promote the section’s interests through maintaining and updating the section’s web page including notices of meetings, minutes of past meetings, the purpose of the section and the five year goals, as well as other topics that arise.
ARTICLE 11
FINANCES. The necessary expenses of the Section shall be paid from the treasury of the Society, but in no year shall the total expenses of the Section exceed the sum of the amount allotted for this purpose in the annual budget of the Society plus the amount received as donations or as dues collected by the Society on behalf of the Section. No officer of member of the Section shall have authority to incur any expenses in the name of the Society, except as specified above.
ARTICLE 12
MEETINGS. The Section shall meet with the Society at its annual meeting and may organize special meetings, workshops, and symposia at other times and places on the call of the Chair or when requested by ten members of the section. A business meeting of the Section shall be held at the annual meeting, and the members present shall constitute a quorum. Notice shall be sent to each member of the Section at least sixty days in advance of each meeting. It is understood that publication of a notice of the meeting published in the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America shall constitute adequate notice. Notice shall also be posted on the section web page.
ARTICLE 13
PUBLICATION. The annual report of the Section and its official notices shall be eligible for publication in the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America and shall be posted on the section’s web page.
ARTICLE 14
AMENDMENTS. These bylaws may be amended by two-thirds vote of the membership attending any annual meeting of the Section, provided that notice of the proposed amendment has been supplied to the members of the Section at least 60 days prior to the annual meeting date.
ARTICLE 15
REVIEW AND RENEWAL. The Purpose of the Section shall be reviewed and renewed by a vote of the membership every five years by two-thirds vote of those members present at any annual meeting of the Section, provided that notice has been given to all members sixty days in advance, or by a two-thirds vote in a ballot sent to all Section members.