CONSTITUTION OF THE CORPUS CHRISTI BRANCH, TEXAS SECTION, ASCE

ARTICLE I - NAME AND GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS 

  

Section 1: This organization shall be known as the Corpus Christi Branch of the Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. 

  

Section 2: The area covered by this Branch includes the Counties of Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Calhoun, Duval, Goliad, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Webb, and Zapata.

  

ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVES 

  

The objectives of the Corpus Christi Branch shall be: 

  

(a) To advance engineering knowledge and practice.

  

(b) To cultivate friendly relations among all engineers.

  

(c) To promote the maintenance of high professional standards.

  

(d) To cooperate in all areas of mutual concern with engineering and other professional societies.

  

(e) To provide a practical avenue of contact between the individual members and the Section and the national organization.

  

(f) To promote the distribution of technical and professional information for the continual improvement of the competence of the membership.

  

(g) Provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas, information and knowledge among all Civil Engineers, including students of the profession.

  

(h) Stress the practice of the profession in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

  

(i) Insure that the voice of the Civil Engineers is heard in the community affairs of Texas, particularly in connection with the formulation of public policies relating to the development, use and protection of man's environment.

  

(j) Achieve standards of compensation for Civil Engineering practice which will attract to the profession persons with the high caliber and ability required for the solution of the problems with which the profession deals.

  

(k) Expand the public awareness and appreciation of Civil Engineers and their capabilities.

  

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP 

  

Section 1: All members of the American Society of Civil Engineers of all grades whose addresses are within the jurisdiction of the Corpus Christi Branch as defined by the Texas Section shall be Assigned Members of the Branch. 

  

Section 2: All Assigned Members subscribing to the Constitution and By Laws of the Corpus Christi Branch and Texas Section as evidenced by the payment of current dues of the Branch and Section shall be Subscribing Members of the Branch.

  

Section 3: Only Subscribing Members shall have the right to vote, hold office, to serve on committees or to represent the Branch in an official capacity.

  

ARTICLE IV - DUES 

  

The amount of annual dues shall be as provided in the By Laws. Branch dues along with Section and National dues shall be collected in accordance with the current policy of the American Society of Civil Engineers. 

  

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS 

  

Section 1: The officers of this Branch shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Director to the Texas Section. Only Subscribing Members of the Texas Section and local Branch shall be eligible to hold office.

  

Section 2: The officers listed in Section 1 above, together with the latest resident Past President, shall constitute the Board of Direction.

  

Section 3: The management of the business and affairs of this branch shall be vested in the Board of Direction.

  

Section 4: All officers shall be elected by majority vote of the ballots in hand at the annual meeting of the Branch in June.

  

Section 5: The term of office of all officers, with the exception of the State Director, shall be one year, commencing with their installation into office at the June meeting. The term of office of the State Director shall be two years from the date of his installation at the June meeting in even numbered years.

  

Section 6: A vacancy in the office of the President shall be filled by the Vice President for the unexpired term. The Board of Direction shall fill any vacancy in the offices of Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer or State Director for the unexpired term.

  

Section 7: Neither the President nor the Vice President shall be eligible to succeed himself in his respective office except upon serving out an unexpired term.

  

ARTICLE VI - MEETINGS 

  

Section 1: The Branch shall hold regular monthly meetings as provided by the By Laws. The meeting during the month of June shall be the annual meeting, at which officers for the ensuing year shall be elected, annual reports of officers and committee chairmen presented, and new officers installed.

  

Section 2: The presence of one officer and ten Subscribing Members shall constitute a quorum at a regular meeting. The requirements for a quorum shall be the same for any called Branch meeting.

  

Section 3: The Board of Direction shall hold at least two meetings per year as provided in the By Laws.

  

Section 4: The presence of a majority of members of the Board of Direction shall constitute a quorum at a Board meeting. The requirements for a quorum shall be the same for any called Board meeting.

  

Section 5: Other meetings may be called at the discretion of the President or Board of Direction, as deemed necessary.

  

ARTICLE VII - FISCAL YEAR 

  

The fiscal year of the Branch shall commence on July 1st.

  

ARTICLE VIII - ADMINISTRATION 

  

Section 1: The management of the Branch and administration of its business, affairs and property shall be vested in the Board of Direction, subject to the Constitution and By Laws of the Branch.

  

Section 2: The Board of Direction shall provide By Laws which shall prescribe regulations for the administration of the Branch. 

  

ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS 

  

Section 1: A two thirds majority of the votes cast shall be necessary to amend this Constitution, provided that the total number of voters shall not be less than thirty percent (30%) of the entire voting membership of the Branch, and provided that such amendments shall have received the approval of the Board of Direction of the Texas Section prior to their adoption.

  

Section 2: Any proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be presented to the membership at a regular meeting of the Branch for discussion at least one month prior to being voted upon. Ballots shall be distributed to members at least 30 days prior to votes being cast. 

  

Section 3: Upon receipt of a petition to amend the Constitution and/or By Laws signed by ten members in good standing, the Board of Direction shall take immediate action on the petition in accordance with this Article.

  

Section 4: All revisions or amendments to the constitution and/or By Laws shall become effective immediately upon their affirmative vote by the membership and upon approval of the Board of Direction of the Texas Section.

  

Section 5: The By Laws may be amended by the Board of Direction, in conformity with this constitution at any properly constituted meeting of the Board of Direction, by a two-thirds majority vote, provided that a written notice of such proposed amendment shall have been given at a previous Board meeting and the Secretary shall have distributed a copy of the proposed amendment to each of the members at least 30 days in advance of the meeting at which action thereon is to be taken.

  

Section 6: Upon receipt of a petition for a change in the By Laws which has been signed by ten subscribing members of the Branch, the Board shall take immediate action. The Board shall meeting within 15 days of receipt of the petition. The Secretary shall distribute the petition to the Board members prior to the meeting. Within 30 days, the Board shall reconvene to vote upon the petition. If the Board rejects the petition, such petition shall be submitted to the membership. The membership shall then cast votes one month after receipt of the petition in accordance with the procedures outlined in Section 1 of this Article.

  

Section 7: By Laws shall become effective immediately upon approval by the Board of Direction or affirmative vote of the membership.

  

ARTICLE X - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY 

  

The proceedings of meetings of the Board of Direction and of the general membership of the Branch shall be governed by this Constitution and By Laws, the pertinent directives of the Texas Section and/or American Society of Civil Engineers, and in all points not in conflict with the above or not covered by the above, by the latest revision of Robert's Rules of Order.

  

ARTICLE XI - DISSOLUTION 

  

Upon the dissolution of the Corpus Christi Branch of the Texas Section, the assets remaining after the payment of the debts of the Corpus Christi Branch shall be distributed to the Texas Section for its exclusive use in carrying out its objectives and purposes.

  

This Constitution approved by the general membership of the Corpus Christi Branch at its duly constituted meeting on June 13, 1989, at Corpus Christi, Texas.

  

This Constitution approved by the Board of Direction of the Texas Section on September 28, 1989 at Austin, Texas.

  

BYLAWS OF THE CORPUS CHRISTI BRANCH TEXAS SECTION AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

  

ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP 

  

Section 1: All subscribing Members of the Texas Section who reside in the Corpus Christi Branch area shall be members of the Branch.

  

Section 2: There shall be no entrance fee.

  

Section 3: Life Members shall be exempt from payment of dues.

  

Section 4: Any Subscribing Member whose dues are more than twelve (12) months in arrears shall cease to be a Subscribing Member of this Branch, but may be reinstated by the Secretary upon resumption of the payment of dues.

  

ARTICLE II - MEETINGS 

  

The Branch shall meet on the third Thursday of each month until changed by the general membership, except the months of February, July, August and December except that the time of a regular meeting may be changed when deemed appropriate by the Board of Direction. Such changes will be made on a time to time basis and will not affect the date of following regular meetings.

  

The President may call a special meeting at any time he deems necessary and proper, and shall give at least one week's advance notice to the membership of such meeting. Only the business for which such special meeting is called may be transacted.

  

ARTICLE III - NOMINATING 

  

Section 1: The Branch President shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three members at the regular meeting in September with the approval of the Board of Direction. The members of the Nominating Committee shall be members in good standing.

  

Section 2: This committee shall function throughout the entire year and shall have the responsibility of recognizing the qualities of leadership and devotion to the aims of the American Society of Civil Engineers in members of the Corpus Christi Branch and of nominating members possessing these qualities to office in the Corpus Christi Branch. It shall select a slate of officers for the local Branch and shall submit nominations to the Texas Section or to American Society of Civil Engineers when requested by them. Each nominee for any office must give his consent to serve if elected. The slate of officers for the local Branch shall be submitted to the Secretary at the regular April meeting.

  

Section 3: The Secretary shall send a letter ballot containing the list of nominees and a space for write-in votes for each office to each Subscribing Member at least twenty (20) days prior to the annual meeting in June.

  

Section 4: Ballots returned to the Secretary up to the time of the counting shall be opened and counted at the annual meeting in June by three tellers appointed by the President. The candidate receiving the largest number of votes in each instance shall be declared elected. In the event of a tie, the membership present shall be polled to decide the winner.

  

Section 5: The newly elected officers shall be installed at the annual meeting in June.

  

ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES 

  

Section 1: The committees of the Corpus Christi Branch shall consist of standing committees and task committees. All committees of the Corpus Christi Branch shall consist of standing committees and task committees. All committees shall be appointed by the President annually immediately following installation of officers. Committee membership shall be those which are concerned with special tasks, such as ethics, audit and finance, etc., and shall function as appointed, except for required replacements, until the specific purpose for which the committee was appointed is completed and the committee is discharged.

  

Section 2: Standing Committees and their duties and responsibilities are: 

  

Nominating Committee: The makeup and duties of this committee are set out in Article III of these By Laws.

  

Program Committee: The Vice President shall be chairman of the Program Committee. This committee will select program material in consonance with the objectives.

  

Membership Committee: The committee shall be responsible for all matters affecting membership, attendance, retention and prospective members. The vice chairman of this committee shall be charged with the responsibility of getting reservations for dinner meetings or other functions where reservations are required.

  

Public Relations: This committee shall be responsible for placing before the public all matters relating to the Branch and the Civil Engineering profession where appropriate. Correspondence and coordination with other technical and professional societies are assigned to this committee.

  

Awards Committee: Matters pertaining to papers to be entered in contests authorized by the Branch, Section or American Society of Civil Engineers, sponsorship of the Science Fair, and such similar matters are assigned to the Committee.

  

History and Heritage: This committee is charged with the duty of recording and disseminating historical information on American Civil Engineering. Its aims are:

  

(a) To bring to the public an increased understanding of the civil Engineering Profession and its significant contributions to the advancement of civilization.

  

(b) To stimulate professional pride among civil engineers.

  

(c) To provide orientation to student with respect to the idealism and tradition of the Civil Engineering Profession.

  

(d) The committee may also administer the preparation of biographical information for use at award of Life Membership Certificates and for reports to headquarters after the death of a member.

  

Auditing Committee: This committee serves to assure the branch that its financial activities are considered in a proper manner and that the canvassing of all ballots is correct.

  

Professional Practice Committee: This committee gives attention to problems confronting engineers in the practice of their profession with particular regard to ethical, business, legal and administrative matters not specifically assigned to other committees of the branch, including the relationship of such practice to public bodies, other local engineering groups and individuals.

  

Education Committee: The Education Committee acts as a catalyst to promote the availability of engineering educational opportunities matching the needs and desires of members of the branch. The accelerating pace of technological advances and the increasing complexity of interaction with other technical fields requires continuous study of new material if the Civil Engineer is to maintain his position of professional leadership. It is the role of the Education Committee to recognize and determine the needs and to develop the means whereby the practicing professional can obtain the knowledge required to discharge demands placed on him in civil engineering today.

  

Section 3: The President, with the approval of the Board of Direction, may appoint such other committees from time to time as he deems in the best interests of the Corpus Christi Branch.

  

These Bylaws approved by the general membership of the Corpus Christi Branch at its duly constituted meeting on May 18, 1971, at Corpus Christi, Texas.

  

These Bylaws approved by the Board of Direction of the Texas Section on April 5, 1973 at Austin, Texas.