ASABE MEETINGS COUNCIL BYLAWS

Revised July 20, 2006

ARTICLE 1 – PURPOSE

A. The Meetings Council shall promote, manage and approve all technical meetings and conferences of the Society. The council shall serve as a focal group for the organization and execution of the ASABE International Meeting and oversee technical meetings and conferences.

B. The specific objectives and responsibilities shall be to:

1. Solicit, evaluate and schedule the technical papers that are consistent with the goals and objectives developed for the Society’s meetings and to solidify a cogent overall meeting package.

2. Consider innovative techniques and formats that enhance the Society’s international meeting activities and attendee’s educational opportunities. Review, evaluate, and implement (as appropriate) policies, procedures and strategies for future ASABE International Meetings.

3. Evaluate requests and opportunities from emerging interest groups within the Society and allied interests of the Society to participate in the International Meetings of the Society.

4. Develop meeting policy and provide general supervision of all technical meetings and conferences of the Society within the guidelines established by the Board of Trustees.

5. Take final action on meetings issues brought to it by the committees serving in their respective areas of responsibilities and carry out specific administrative duties and responsibilities assigned to it by the Board of Trustees.

6. Receive and act upon all requests for Society endorsement and financial participation in meetings, and report each such action to the Board of Trustees.

7. Establish, instruct, supervise and receive reports of meetings committees as needed and dissolve committees when assignments are completed or their usefulness otherwise ended.

8. Provide and exchange information regarding the activities of the Meetings Council.

9. Inform the Board of Trustees of the Council’s actions by distribution of meeting minutes and provide reports at their meetings.

10. Establish formats for International Meetings, including allocation of time blocks for all events coordinated by each of the planning groups as well as other special interest groups, based upon reports and requests for space.

11. Establish and distribute a schedule of deadlines for the International Meeting.

12. Establish liaison with technical, membership and professional committees to ensure effective and timely scheduling. Handle scheduling conflicts, session substitutions, or last-minute deviations from the schedule of deadlines.

13. Establish and monitor a meeting evaluation program to better identify the needs and perceptions of members regarding International meetings and conferences.

ARTICLE 2 – MEMBERSHIP

A. The membership of the Meetings Council shall consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, Past Chair, (Vice Chair Elect) and one representative from each of the technical/institute/groups and students, and one representative from any unit desiring representation. The ASABE Director of Meetings and Conferences shall serve as an ex officio member and secretary of the Meetings Council. With the consent of the Council membership, the Chair may also appoint a maximum of three additional members to the Meetings Council to gain the expertise of these additional members.

B. Units sending representatives to the Meetings Council are encouraged to elect representatives to three-year terms, and to elect experienced representatives. Efforts should be made not to have all representatives elected all in one year but be staggered so there is a mix of experienced and new members.

C. The Chair, Vice Chair and Past Chair shall form an Executive Committee and shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Council, between meetings, after seeking input from Council members. The ASABE Director of Meetings and Conferences shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee.

D. The Council may, by two-thirds vote, declare any position vacant due to the failure of a Council member, from inability or otherwise, to perform the duties of his/her office. The Council shall there upon request a new representative be appointed from the unit or group represented or, at their request, appoint a new representative to serve the remainder of the term.

ARTICLE 3 – OFFICERS

A. The officers shall serve two-year terms with the Vice Chair elected by the Council and succeeding to Chair and Past Chair.

B. Duties of the Chair:

1. Make all appointments required within the Council, and appoint all required liaison representatives to committees or other organizations that relate to the activities of the Council.

2. Cooperate with ASABE Headquarters staff in timely settings of times and places for Council meetings.

3. Provide an agenda to each Council member 2 – 4 weeks prior to each meeting.

4. Perform such duties as are requested by the Board of Trustees

5. Carry out Council decisions directly or by appropriate delegation.

6. Arrange for timely replacement of retiring or resigning Council members.

7. Arrange for an orderly transfer of the Chair’s files at the close of the Chair’s term.

C. Duties of the Vice Chair:

1. Assist the Chair in arranging and conducting Council meetings.

2. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee.

3. Assume the duties of the Chair in the event of absence or resignation of the Chair.

4. Coordinate and finalize the development of the technical program for the Annual International Meeting in coordination with headquarters staff and the various division program coordinators.

D. Duties of the Secretary: (The Meetings and Conferences Department Director)

1. Keep the minutes of the Meetings Council meetings and distribute copies to all committee members. Maintain a file at ASABE Headquarters.

2. Maintain a file of the Meetings Council bylaws and amendments and provide updated copy to each new committee member.

3. Maintain a file of minutes of all subgroup committee meetings and bylaws of same.

4. Handle correspondence related to Meetings Council activities.

5. Arrange locations for all committee meetings; distribute agenda to all committee members along with reports.

6. Facilitate and assist the vice chair in the development of the call for papers, in coordinating the activities of session organizers and division program chairs and in finalizing and printing of the program.

E. Vice Chair Elect:

The Vice Chair Elect will be elected at a Council meeting, during the Annual International Meeting, one year prior to when the term of office begins. The Chair will obtain nominations from Council members for the position of Vice Chair Elect. The Vice Chair Elect will assist the Vice Chair as requested by the Vice Chair.

ARTICLE 4 – CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

A. MEETINGS. Meetings of the Meetings Council shall be held during the Annual International Meeting of the Society and otherwise at the call of its Chair. Robert’s Rules of Order will prevail unless modified by these bylaws. All meetings shall be open to visitors except at the discretion of the Chair. Meetings at times other than the annual meeting may be conducted by electronic conferencing means. Two meetings shall be held at the Annual International Meeting with the first one held prior to committee/group/institute/technical meetings and the second one after all committee/group/institute/technical meetings are completed and before the ASABE Board of Trustees final meeting.

B. PROXIES. Any voting member has the right to appoint, in writing, a proxy to attend the committee meetings with full voting privileges. All proxies shall be introduced to the Chair before the meeting.

C. QUORUM. A quorum shall consist of 50% of the committee’s voting membership.

D. VOTING. All matters except amendments to the bylaws shall be decided by a simple majority vote of members and proxies present at the meeting.

ARTICLE 5- CHANGES TO BYLAWS

A. Changes in the bylaws may be discussed at any Council meeting. Passage requires two-thirds majority vote in writing of the Council membership within 30 days after receiving the written proposed revision.

B. Amended bylaws are to be submitted to the Board of Trustees for review for consistence with the Society Constitution and Bylaws.