Southern Section Constitution and Bylaws

CONSTITUTION

August 2021

The Society and Its Purposes

Name

This society shall be known as the Southern Section of the American Society of Animal Science.

Mission

The mission of the society shall be (a) to afford opportunity for the exchange of ideas in the field of interest of the society, (b) to bring about improvement and unification of methods of research, instruction and extension in animal science, (c) to arrange for desirable cooperation and for the avoidance of undesirable duplication in investigational work, (d) to make recommendations relative to the adoption of new practices, (e) to publish and disseminate educational and scientific material of value to members and other workers in the animal science field and (f) to perform other activities consistent with the goals of the American Society of Animal Science.

Membership

Eligibility

All persons interested in research, instruction or extension in animal science or in the production, processing, marketing, servicing or use of livestock or livestock products shall be eligible for membership.

Officials

Officers

The officers of the society shall consist of President, President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, and Secretary/Treasurer-Elect. These, with the immediate Past President, the National Director, and the Senior and Junior Graduate Student Representatives, shall constitute the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors. The voting members of the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors shall be the President, Past President, President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, Secretary/Treasurer-Elect, the National Director and the Senior Graduate Student Representative.

Term of Office

The term of office shall be for approximately one year effective at the end of the Southern Section Annual Business Meeting in which elected and continuing through the next Southern Section Annual Business Meeting. The National Director shall be for a three-year term. The Graduate Student Representatives shall be for a two-year term.  The Executive Director shall participate as a non-voting member.

General Duties

• The President shall serve as chair of the business meeting and ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors. S/He shall appoint all standing committees and perform such other duties as are usually required of a president. S/He shall represent the Southern Section at the Southern Section Regional Meetings and the Southern Section Annual Business Meetings and will be a member of the Boards of Directors as defined by this organization.
• The President-Elect shall be responsible for arranging for special programs, such as symposia, awards programs, etc., requested by and/or approved by the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors, and should remind award committee chairs of their duties and deadlines. In case the President is unable to act, s/he shall assume the duties of the President.
• The Secretary/Treasurer shall:
  • Coordinate with the Secretary/Treasurer-Elect the recording of the minutes of the Southern Section Business and ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors meetings. The official set of minutes of all meetings will be passed on from one Secretary to the next. Copies of the minutes of the Southern Section Annual Business Meeting will be distributed at the next Southern Section Annual Business Meeting.
  • Monitor financial records for the Southern Section of the American Society of Animal Science. These financial records shall include a permanent roll of the paid-up members for each year. Report on financial status to the membership at the annual business meeting.
  • Be responsible for sending out notices of meetings and requests for papers to be considered for the annual meeting and taking care of correspondence, etc. The following dates are suggested in regard to the January meeting:
    • Send call for abstracts of papers to be considered for the annual meeting announcement, awards solicitation and related materials on or before September 1.
    • Request abstracts of papers through the American Society of Animal Science through the abstract submission system adapted for the Southern Section to be received by the Secretary/Treasurer by mid-October. Distribute abstracts through the web-based system to appropriate program committee chairs, along with instructions regarding duties and how to access the web site for abstract review.
    • Prepare, with assistance of program committees, the program for the annual meeting of the Southern Section. The abstracts should be organized by section. Distribute copies of the program to the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors for review and approval in early December.
    • Write and prepare final draft of minutes of the meeting in which his/her successor is elected, and complete other business before turning over the records to the newly elected Secretary/Treasurer.
  • The Secretary/Treasurer-Elect shall assist the Secretary/Treasurer as needed particularly in recording of minutes of meetings and teleconferences of the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors and the general business meeting of the Southern Section.
  • The National Director shall represent the Southern Section as a member of the ASAS Board of Directors.
  • The Graduate Student Representatives shall provide a graduate student perspective to ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors deliberations throughout the term of service and assist in identifying opportunities to enhance the Southern Section ASAS annual meeting experience for graduate students and other participants.

Election of Officers

Each year, the Secretary/Treasurer-Elect will become Secretary/Treasurer, the Secretary/Treasurer will become President-Elect, the President-Elect will become President, and the President will become the Past President for the following year. Each year, a Secretary/Treasurer-Elect and a Graduate Student Representative will be elected by an electronic ballot that shall be sent to members in the Fall, prior to the Southern Section Annual Business Meeting at which time the office is assumed. Members of the nominating committee, appointed by the President, shall be given a list of the officers for the previous 10 years and will recommend two candidates for the office of Secretary/Treasurer-Elect and every third year, also will recommend two candidates for the office of National Director.  Nominees should represent widespread geographical and discipline involvement. For Graduate Student Representative, the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors will serve as the nominating committee and will solicit names from the membership according to developed guidelines and ultimately select two candidates to be placed on the ballot.  The ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors will review all nominations and authorize the Secretary/Treasurer to prepare and send the ballot to the membership. The ballot will be returned to the National ASAS office, and the results will be tabulated and reported to the Southern Section President. To be counted, ballots must be received by the date indicated on the ballot. To be elected, a nominee must receive a majority of the ballots returned.  In the first year of the two-year term the Graduate Student Representative is referred to as the Junior Representative.  In the second year of the two-year term the Graduate Student Representative is referred to as the Senior Representative.

Meetings

General Society Meetings

The Southern Section shall hold a sectional meeting at a time and place to be selected by the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors. The ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors will be responsible for a program and other necessary arrangements for the meeting. The ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors shall have the authority to cancel an annual meeting if circumstances make such action necessary or desirable. The Southern Section shall hold an annual Business Meeting and the members in attendance at the business meeting shall constitute a quorum for transacting business. 

BYLAWS

Membership

Persons who are members of the parent organization (ASAS) are eligible for membership in the Southern Section.

Members of ASAS that reside in or are associated with organizations in the United States in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are automatically considered Southern Section ASAS members unless they indicate differently. [NOTE: Members of ASAS that reside in or are associated with organizations outside the areas specified above who wish to be members of the Southern Section should request this change or addition through the national office of ASAS.]

Members of ASAS that reside in or are associated with organizations in Mexico in the following regions: Campeche, Chiapas, Coahulla, Hidalgo, Morelos, Nueva Leon, Oaxaca, Potosi, Puebla, Quereteo, San Luis, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tiaxacala, Vera Cruz, Yucatan and Zactecas are automatically considered Southern Section ASAS members unless they indicate differently. [NOTE: Members of ASAS that reside in or are associated with organizations outside the areas specified above who wish to be members of the Southern Section should request this change or addition through the national office of ASAS.]

Principles of Ethical Conduct. To ensure integrity of the American Society of Animal Science, its members must respect and adhere to high fundamental ethical standards. Members of the Society must be morally accountable for scholarly activity, follow the highest principles in scientific conduct, and humanely treat and maintain animals in our care.  Furthermore, members should avoid situations in which personal achievement may give the appearance of violating professional objectivity.

Accusations of a violation of ethics against any ASAS member must be brought to the attention of the National and Southern Section Presidents of ASAS.  The Presidents shall notify the accused within ten working days after receipt of the charges made against him or her. This notification will be in writing.  The accused will then have the opportunity to defend himself/herself in writing to address those accusations.  The defendant must respond within 30 days of receipt of the Presidents’ letters.  The President can appoint an ad hoc committee to address this change, and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors.  The Board will make a final decision.

Any member who shall be found guilty of an offense not in keeping with the dignity and honor of the Society may be expelled by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Board of Directors, which shall receive and weigh evidence for and against the member accused.  The member shall have the right of appeal to the Society at its next Annual Business Meeting. It shall require a majority vote of members present overrule the decision of the Board of Directors.

Subscriptions

Nonmember subscriptions to the Journal of Animal Science must purchased through the current JAS publishing company. Subscriptions will be for the current year of January through December.

Election of Officers

Balloting for Elective Officers and Directors-at-Large, and Graduate Directors shall be by mail or electronically prior to the Southern Section Annual Business Meeting. Nominating committees appointed by the President and approved by the Board, shall nominate two candidates for Secretary-Treasurer Elect and each of the Directors-at-Large and Graduate Directors. The ballot shall be provided to the membership at least 60 days prior to the Southern Section Annual Business Meeting and shall provide space for write-ins. The ballots will be counted by the Business Office Staff for purposes of providing notification to the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors of the results of the election. The President shall notify candidates of the election results. A majority of votes shall be required for election. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, the two candidates receiving the highest numbers of votes shall be voted upon at the Southern Section Annual Business Meeting.

The ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors shall fill, for the unexpired terms, all vacancies in elective positions. The President of the Society shall fill all vacancies in appointive positions.

Duties of Officers

The Officers of the Society shall each perform the duties usually incumbent upon their respective offices. The ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors will act as the governing body of the ASAS Southern Section in routine matters in the intervals between Board meetings. In questions of parliamentary procedure, the provisions of Robert's Rules of Order shall apply. The President-Elect, in consultation with the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors, shall appoint such committees as necessary. The committees will report to the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors.

Changes in the Bylaws

A proposed amendment to the Bylaws may originate from the ASAS Southern Section Board of Directors or by petition signed by 25 members. Proposed amendments shall be provided to the membership 60 days prior to the Southern Section Annual Business Meeting for balloting. Balloting may be at the annual business meeting, by mail, or electronically. To be counted, votes must be received by the Business Office at least 14 days before the Southern Section Annual Business Meeting. A majority of the ballots cast shall be required for the adoption of an amendment to the Bylaws.