Western Section American Society of Animal Science Constitution
(Revised, October 2021)
To be ratified at 2022 WSASAS Business Meeting
The Section and Its Purposes
Name: This Section will be known as the WESTERN SECTION OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL SCIENCE (Western Section).
Mission: Western Section shall further the mission outlined in Article I, Section 2, of the Constitution of the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), with a specific mission that Western Section shall "advance animal agriculture research and education in Western North America by providing a forum to develop and communicate scientific and technical knowledge to enhance economic and ecological sustainability."
Activities: The activities of Western Section will include those of ASAS as outlined in Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution of ASAS. Additionally, Western Section will: 1) hold a sectional meeting, 2) promote recognition of members through awards, 3) hold an annual Western Section Business Meeting and 4) instigate other activities as defined by the board of directors or the membership that will further the mission of Western Section and/or ASAS.
Membership
Eligibility: Persons who are members of the parent organization (ASAS) are eligible for membership in the Western Section.
Members of ASAS that reside in or are associated with organizations in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming are automatically considered Western 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 Western 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: Aquascalientes, Chihuahua, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora are automatically considered Western 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 Western 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 Canada in the following provinces: Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan are automatically considered Western 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 Western Section should request this change or addition through the national office of ASAS.]
Eligibility for Elective Office, Awards, and Graduate Student Paper Competition: Any member who is located in the geographical region designated by the Bylaws of ASAS as part of the Western Section will be automatically eligible for election to office in the Western Section and nomination for Western Section awards unless that individual has chosen to be considered a member of another geographical section of ASAS in accordance with ASAS National Bylaws regarding sectional membership. Any member who is not in the geographical region outlined as part of the Western Section by the ASAS National Bylaws regarding membership, but who has chosen to be a member of the Western Section according to ASAS bylaws regarding sectional membership, will be eligible for election to office and nomination for awards in the Western Section after a period of four years of membership in the Western Section. Graduate Student members located in the geographical region designated as part of the Western Section are eligible for participation in the Graduate Student Paper Competition. Graduate students outside the geographical region outlined as part of the Western Section by the ASAS National Bylaws regarding membership will be eligible to participate in the Graduate Student Paper Competition provided that individual has chosen to be considered a member of the Western Section in accordance with ASAS National Bylaws regarding sectional membership at the time of abstract submission.
Membership Dues: Membership dues will be fixed by the Board of Directors of the ASAS, as described in the ASAS Constitution and Bylaws.
Executive Body
Offices and Board of Directors: The Officers will be the President, President-Elect, and Secretary-Treasurer. The Officials will be the Past-President, Advisory and Coordinating Committee Chair, Industry Director, National ASAS Director-Western Section, and first- and second-year Graduate Student Representatives. The Officers and Officials will serve as the Western Section Board of Directors.
Terms of Office: Terms of office become effective at the end of the Western Section Annual Business Meeting in the year of election, appointment, or term completion (i.e., offices of President).
The term of office for an Officer will be three years, beginning as the Secretary-Treasurer for the first year, rotating to President-Elect for the second year, and ending as President for the third year.
The terms of office for Officials will be one year for the Past President (immediately following office of President) and Advisory and Coordinating Committee Chair, two years for the Graduate Student Representatives, and three years for the Industry Director and National ASAS Director-Western Section.
In the absence of other provisions for succession, all Officers and Officials will serve until successors are duly elected or appointed. The 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 and Officials: The President will chair the annual business meeting and Board of Directors, monitor all standing committees, coordinate Western Section planning with the ASAS Chief Operations Officer, and perform such other duties that are customarily required of a president.
The President-Elect will assume the duties of the President when the President is unable to act, appoint all succedent standing committees.
The Secretary-Treasurer will record and post minutes from Board of Directors meetings and the annual business meeting, work in collaboration with the ASAS Chief Executive Officer to prepare, monitor and post the annual budget and financial reports, serve as annual meeting location coordinator, work with the ASAS headquarters programing staff to coordinate the annual meeting program and proceedings publication, and assist the President in preparing and posting Board of Directors agendas, membership correspondences, and Western Section notices.
The Past President will chair the Nominating, Awards and Necrology Committees, coordinate elections with ASAS Chief Operations Officer, and report committee recommendations and results to the Board of Directors.
The Industry Director will advocate the needs of the industry to the Board of Directors, chair the Young Scholar Recognition Committee, coordinate the Applied Animal Science Paper Award, and coordinate and monitor Western Section Strategic Planning.
The National ASAS Director-Western Section will serve on the ASAS National Board, advocate the purpose and needs of Western Section to the ASAS National Board, and communicate decisions and actions of the ASAS National Board to the Board of Directors.
The first- and second-year Western Section Graduate Student Directors will advocate the needs of the Western Section graduate student membership to the Board of Directors, serve on the Young Scholar Recognition Committee, assist the President-Elect in coordinating annual meeting graduate student activities, and assist the Nominating Committee in soliciting the membership for potential Graduate Student Director candidates.
The Advisory and Coordinating Chair will receive assignments from the Board of Directors, convene committee meetings throughout the year as needed, and communicate committee recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Advisory and Coordinating Chair will assist the President-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer with location and program preparations.
Election of Officers and Officials
All offices are rotated starting with the Secretary/Treasurer, President Elect and President. The Advisory and Coordinating Committee Chair is elected by membership and rotates to the Secretary/Treasurer starting at the term of office for Officers
Elections will be conducted by electronic ballot at least three months before a term of office is to become effective. The Nominating Committee will recommend potential candidates for Chair of the Advising and Coordinating Committee. The Board of Directors will finalize the list of candidates and forward the names to the ASAS Chief Operations Officer to be placed on the electronic ballot. The ASAS Business Office will conduct the election. To be elected, a nominee must receive a majority of the votes from the Western Section membership. The ASAS Chief Operations Officer and Past President will tabulate and certify the results of all elections. The Board of Directors will vote to break any ties that might occur.
In the event that an office is vacated, the Board of Directors will appoint a replacement for the remainder of the year or term.
Meetings
The Western Section will hold a sectional meeting. The Board of Directors will be responsible for the program and other necessary arrangements for the Western Section Meeting. The Board of Directors will have the authority to cancel a Western Section Meeting if circumstances make such action necessary or desirable and will have the authority to set a registration fee. There will be a Western Section Business Meeting held annually, at a time and place to be selected by the Board of Directors. The members in attendance at the annual business meeting will constitute a quorum for transacting business of the Western Section.
Committees
Standing committees, special committees, and program committees will be appointed as considered necessary by the President. The President will be responsible for notifying persons selected of their appointments to committees and for making replacements in the event that selected persons are unable to serve.
Changes to the Constitution
Amendments proposed to the Constitution of the Western Section may originate from the Western Section Board of Directors or may be proposed by a petition signed by at least 10 members of the Western Section. The Secretary-Treasurer must notify the membership of the Western Section of proposed changes at least 30 days before action on such changes can be taken. Changes to the Constitution can be approved by mail and/or electronic ballot or by a vote at the annual Business Meeting of the Western Section. A change will be approved only if two-thirds of the mail and/or electronic ballots returned approve the change or if two-thirds of the members in attendance at the annual business meeting approve the change by vote.
