Hydrology Bylaws

November 27, 2001

CANADIAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION HYDROLOGY SECTION

Download a PDF version: Hydrology Bylaws

Bylaws

1. NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Hydrology Section of the Canadian Geophysical Union.

Hydrology is a geophysical science concerned with physical and geochemical processes intrinsic to the cycling of continental waters. It deals with the properties of water, its transport and storage in solid, liquid or vapour form in the Geosphere, and with the influence of biological and human activity on these forms of water in the Biosphere.

The Hydrology Section will address itself to questions within the context of geophysical science.

2. OBJECTIVES

To further the aims and objectives of the Canadian Geophysical Union within the field of hydrology by:

1. promoting hydrology as a geophysical science;

2. advancing the understanding and application of hydrology and related sciences;

3. initiating and participating in research and education programmes in hydrology;

4. promoting national and international cooperation among scientific and engineering organizations working in hydrology; and

5. disseminating research results and knowledge to the public through scientific discussion, meetings and conferences, publications and other means of information and technology transfer.

3. MEMBERSHIP

1. Types of memberships are as defined in the by-laws of the Canadian Geophysical Union (hereafter called the Union).

2. Members of the Section are members of the Union who indicate they wish to be registered as members of the Hydrology Section.

3. All Sectional members eligible to hold office in the Union are eligible to be officers of the Section.

4. OFFICERS AND ADMINISTRATION

1. Executive Officers: The Executive Officers shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, two Members-at-large, and the Past-President. The Executive shall manage the property and affairs of the Section. At the Annual Meeting the Executive shall submit to the members a report, which shall include the report of the Secretary Treasurer

2. Term of Office: A Term-of-Office shall be two years duration without honorarium. All Executive officers shall be elected to one term-of-office. The President is not eligible for re-election. Any other officer shall be eligible for re-election for no more than two consecutive terms in the same office, except the Treasurer who may serve for one additional term. If the Office of President becomes vacant, the Vice-President will assume that office. If the Vice-President is unable to do so, the Executive can appoint an eligible member for the balance of the term. If any other executive position becomes vacant the remaining Executive can appoint an eligible member for the balance of the term. If all executive positions become vacant the Union executive shall appoint an interim President, Secretary and Treasurer until the next scheduled election of Executive officers.

3. Duties of the Section President: The President shall preside at meetings of the Section. The President shall appoint, as sanctioned by the Executive chairpersons of special interest, ad hoc committees and task groups formed to further the Section programmes. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees formed under the authority of the Executive. The President shall be a voting member of the Union Council and may authorize an alternate from the Executive to attend and vote.

4. Duties of the Section Vice-President: Normally the Vice-President shall be the programme chair for the Annual Meeting of the Section. The Vice-President will assume the duties and powers of the President if the latter is absent or incapacitated. The Vice-President shall also have such powers or duties as assigned by the President.

5. Duties of the Section Secretary: The Secretary is responsible for the preparation and safe storage of the Minutes of Section and Executive meetings; the filing and storage of all official correspondence; maintaining up-to-date listings of members of committees and task forces; maintaining the website for the Section. The Secretary shall send out notices of nomination and of all meetings of the Section and of the Executive Committee. The Secretary will perform other duties as required by the President.

6. Duties of the Section Treasurer: The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining up-to-date listing of general members, keeping and maintaining financial records of such transactions as are required by the Executive of the Section and the Union, and submitting an annual financial summary to the Executive. The Treasurer will perform other duties as required by the President. The fiscal year shall be defined by the Union by-laws.

7. Duties of the Section Members-at-large: These officers will undertake such duties and responsibilities as are assigned by the President and sanctioned by the Executive.

8.Duties of the Section Past-President: The Past-President shall participate in Executive meetings and provide information on past activities of the Section to ensure continuity of the Section.

5. STANDING COMMITTEES

1. Committees may be formed to pursue special interests or specialities or to support regional initiatives of the Section. A committee and Chairperson may be proposed by the President and sanctioned by the Executive at any Executive meeting, but must be endorsed by Section members at the subsequent general meeting. Chairpersons of Committees shall report directly to the Executive and attend meetings at the request of the President.

6. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS OF OFFICERS
6.1 At least two months prior to the annual general meeting, the outgoing President will strike and chair a Nominating Committee comprising a minimum of two past-Presidents. In years where this minimum is not available, positions on the Nominating Committee may be filled by past, and not currently incumbent, CGU-HS executive members. The Committee will send out to the general membership of the CGU-HS, a call for nominations to the Executive positions. All nominations must agree in writing to stand for nominations. The Nominating Committee will then determine by a process of a simple majority vote among the two appointed members, a slate of final nominees (one for each executive position). The Chair of the Nominating Committee is required to cast a vote only in the case of a tie vote among the other two committee members.

7. MEETINGS

1. The Section may hold as many meetings or executive meetings as deemed necessary or desirable by the Executive.

2. Executive Meetings: The Executive shall invite to their meetings those members of the Section or Union considered necessary. The practice of inviting representatives from related professional societies to attend Executive and other meetings of the Section, as an effective means of liaison, is to be followed when deemed useful by the Executive. A quorum for business meetings of the Executive is three.

3. Annual General Meeting: The Executive must hold an Annual General Meeting at the Annual Meeting of the Union, that is open to all interested members of the Section or Union. The date and location of this meeting must be announced to the membership of the section 30 days prior to the meeting.

8. CONFERENCES

1. Conference convenors shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive. Convenors are responsible for the entire conference programme content, appointing conference chairpersons, and for all liaison necessary with the Union, and especially with conferences held concurrently with other Sections in the Union.

2. The Section may sponsor or support Conferences organized and managed by others which further the objectives of the Section and/or the Union.

9. PUBLICATIONS

1. The Section may publish a newsletter or other material. Financing of such communications will be in accordance with Union by-laws and administrative practices.

10. AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS

1. The by-laws of the Section and any subsequent amendments shall be approved by a majority vote of the Union’s Executive.

2. Any Member of the Section must propose to the Executive new by-laws or amendments to existing by-laws in writing. All such proposals, with recommendation of the Executive, will be placed before the Annual Meeting of the Section for a vote where a simple majority carries.

11. CONDUCT OF MEETINGS

1. Robert’s Rules of Order shall be followed except where a by-law of the Section 7 or the Union specifies otherwise.

12. DISSOLUTION

1. If the Section ceases to be active and the Union Executive is unable to re-establish it, all assets and records shall go to the Union.