South Dakota Optometric Society Bylaws
South Dakota Optometric Society Bylaws
ARTICLE I
Membership and Qualification
- Section 1. Any optometrist licensed and whose license is in good standing in the State of South Dakota may become a member of the South Dakota Optometric Society, Inc.
- Section 2. In good standing defined: In good standing for purposes of Section 1, shall mean that the member’s license is not under suspension or subject to revocation by the State Board of Optometric Examiners and that all license and other fees or charges assessed by the State Board are paid through the current year.
- Section 3. To become a member of this Society, an optometrist must be licensed in good standing to practice in the State of South Dakota. An application for membership must be accompanied by one-half (1/2) of the dues and special assessments for the current fiscal year. The applicant must be approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors of the Society.
- Section 4. An active member in good standing shall be eligible to participate in all Society functions.
- Section 5. Membership certificates shall not be transferable or assignable. All certificates shall be signed by the President and the Secretary.
- Section 6. Each active member in good standing shall have one vote at all meetings. The vote will be in person, not by proxy.
- Section 7. The principles of professional conduct of the member shall be governed by the code of ethics and standards adopted by the Board of Directors of the Society.
ARTICLE II
Dues and Assessments
- Section 1. The annual Society dues shall be recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by the membership at the annual meeting. The Society Board of Directors shall establish such classes of membership as it deems necessary and proper. The fiscal year and method of payment of dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors
- Section 2. Any special assessment deemed necessary by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership present at a meeting must be paid in the manner designated by two-thirds (2/3) of the membership present at the meeting. Any members not fulfilling these obligations shall be considered delinquent, and their membership shall be automatically suspended.
- Section 3. Members of this Society who because of non-payment of dues or other indebtedness to the Society have had their memberships suspended, may be reinstated by an application for reinstatement submitted to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors for cause may waive all or any part of any such indebtedness in consideration of reinstatement of the member.
ARTICLE III
Officers, Elections, Duties
- Section 1. The elective officers of this Societ y shall consist of a President, President-Elect and Treasurer, who, together with the Past-President, and the Directors from the four districts as now exist within the SDOS organization, and who serve for three-year terms, shall constitute the Board of Directors of the Society. The district Directors shall be elected by the membership at the annual or any special membership meeting based on nominations from their respective districts or nominations from the floor. The SDOS nominating committee shall be composed of the present president and the past two presidents of the SDOS. The nominating committee shall stagger the terms of the nominees of the first Directors by lot for the initial terms. The administrative director shall be appointed by the Board and serve ex-officio, as secretary of the Society and the Board of Directors.
- Each of the district Directors shall appoint subject to approval of the SDOS Board of Directors a membership chairperson, legislative chairperson, and such other officers and committees as may be desirable. It is the purpose and goal of the districts to promote and strengthen optometry regionally within the state and develop leadership for the state organization Board of Directors.
- The president, president-elect, and treasurer shall be elected annually at the annual meeting to serve for a period of two (2) years and until their successors are elected and qualified and shall be selected from the body of membership of the society.
- The term of office of all elective officers and directors shall begin immediately prior to the adjournment of the meeting at which they are elected. The Board of Directors shall serve as corporate executive committee for purposes of conducting the business of the corporation between the meetings of the members.
- Every Board Member is required to send a substitute from his district to any SDOS meeting that he/she cannot attend. Any Board Member not represented at one meeting may be subject to replacement by the Board.
- Section 2. Vacancies occurring in the elective offices shall be filled by the Board to be effective until the next succeeding election by the Society.
- Section 3. All elections shall be by ballot cast personally by members present at the meeting. Any candidate receiving a majority of the votes shall be declared elected. No proxies shall be recognized. Unless otherwise ordered by the Society, nominations of candidates for the several offices shall be made at the regular annual meeting and no person so nominated shall be voted for at the election. No person may be nominated for more than one office except as may otherwise be provided by the members.
- A majority vote of all members present shall be required to elect, and in case of no candidate having a majority on any ballot, the person receiving the fewest votes on such ballot shall be dropped, and at each succeeding ballot, the same procedure shall be followed until an election is had.
- The election shall take place at the time of the annual meeting as set by the Board of Directors.
- Section 4. The president of the Society shall be its executive officer and by virtue of his office shall be a member of the Board of Directors and shall be chairman of the Board. He shall preside at all meetings of the Society and of the Board, and shall appoint all members of committees unless otherwise expressly provided. He shall sign all documents as the good of the Society demands, or as the Board of Directors may authorize or require.
- Section 5. The President-elect shall, in the case of death, absence, resignation, disqualification, refusal or neglect of the President to discharge the duties incumbent upon him, preside and fill the duties of said office until the next succeeding election.
- Section 6. The Treasurer shall be the Society accounting and fiscal agent, and shall attend all sessions of the Society and meetings of the Board of Directors and keep such books and accounts as may be necessary for the fulfillment of his duties.
- The Treasurer shall, in the case of the death, absence, resignation, disqualification, refusal or neglect of the President and President-elect to discharge the duties incumbent upon them, preside and fill the duties of said office until action is taken by the Board or the next succeeding election, whichever first occurs.
- The Treasurer shall be the custodian of all the money, funds and securities of the Society and shall cause them to be deposited in a reputable financial institution under the state or federal supervision.
- As approved by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall pay out of the funds he holds in his possession and under his control, all authorized Society bills and obligations. He shall keep a complete and accurate record of all monies received and disbursed by him and shall submit a statement at the annual meeting of the Society for audit and submit a report at any time when directed to do so by the Board.
- Section 7. The Board of Directors shall have full power during the interim of the Society meetings, except to change the Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws, and shall be charged with the whole management of the Society affairs. The Board shall supervise the purchase of all books, paraphernalia, printed matter, fixtures, supplies and other property necessary for the use of the Society or any of its officers or agents in the con duct of its affairs.
- A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Board of Directors may engage such professional assistance as needed to attend generally to the affairs of the Society and fix the necessary compensation.
ARTICLE IV
Committees
- Section 1. The nomination committee shall consist of the present president and the past two presidents of the SDOS consistent with Article III, Section 1. Its duty shall be to nominate the candidates for President, President-elect, Treasurer and submit the names to the annual convention.
- Section 2. The credentials committee shall consist of three members who shall be appointed by the President. Its duties will be to certify all members entitled to vote at the annual meeting and such other duties as may be determined by the President.
- Section 3. The President may establish such other commit tees as determined necessary to conduct the affairs of the Society.
ARTICLE V
Society Meetings
- Section 1. A regular meeting of the Society shall be held annually at a time and place designated by the Board of Directors.
- Section 2. Special meetings of the Society may be requested and called for by the President or by the Board of Directors, or may be called by the request in writing of at least twenty-five (25) percent of the active members in good standing, which requests must be filed with the Secretary not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date fixed in such request for such meeting. The Secretary will give notice of such special meeting by mailing the members a notice of such meeting, which notice shall be so mailed at least ten (10) days prior to the date of such meeting.
- Section 3. The call and notice of special meeting shall specifically set forth the purpose or purposes thereof. In cases of a special meeting called for the transaction of any specified business, no other business other than that for which it was called shall be transacted.
- Section 4. Only those who are bona fide active members in good standing of the Society may be admitted to the assembly room during regular or called meetings, unless by a majority vote of assent by active members in session, but only active members in good standing shall be permitted to vote at any meeting of the Society, or otherwise, except as otherwise expressly provided.
- Section 5. One-third (1/3) of the active members of the Society shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the majority of the members present shall control.
- Section 6. Unless otherwise provided by law, whenever any notice is required to be given by or to any member or director of the Society under the provisions of these By-Laws, the Articles of Incorporation, statute or otherwise, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed to be equivalent to the giving of said notice.
ARTICLE VI
RULES OF ORDER
- Section 1. Roberts Rules of Order shall govern all questions of order and regularity where the same do not conflict with statute, the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws or other rules and regulations adopted by this Society.
ARTICLE VII
Expense and Reimbursement
- Section 1. When an officer, delegate, committee chairman, member or agent of the Society is authorized to attend any special business in the interest of the Society, this person shall be paid in accordance with a travel policy established by the SDOS Board of Directors. Travel for all SDOS Board meetings may be reimbursed with the exception of Spring and Fall Convention meetings.
ARTICLE VIII
Amendments
- Section 1. These by laws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership registered at the annual meeting, providing such changes are mailed to membership at least two (2) weeks prior to the annual meeting. If such notice is not mailed to the membership, it will require a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the membership registered at the annual meeting to amend these By-Laws.
Adopted by the membership at the 1975 annual meeting in Spearfish, South Dakota on April 27, 1975.
- Amendments to the By-laws made on September 26, 1987.
- Amendments to the By-laws made on April 7-8, 1988
- Amendments to the By-laws made on April 19-20, 1990
- Amendments to the By-laws made on September 26-27, 1991
- Amendments to the By-laws made on April 19, 1996
- Amendments to the By-laws made on April 18, 1997
- Amendments to the By-laws made on September 13, 2012