Following is a summary of the proposed amendments to the Bylaws of The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. These amendments have been reviewed by the Constitution and Bylaws Committee of the House of Delegates. The amendments are in final form and have been thoroughly vetted by our legal counsel, Craig Blackstock. They were discussed, in detail, at the mid-year House of Delegates Meeting, convened in Houston, on January 17, 2009. The proposed amendments will come before the House of Delegates for consideration on June 7, 2009, in Denver. They have been proposed by resolution of the Chairman of the House of Delegates, the Chairman-Elect of the House of Delegates, the Secretary/Editor of the House of Delegates, and the Chairman of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee of the House of Delegates. You have all been made aware of most of the proposed amendments via previous e-mails and the last issue of The Delegates’ Voice. I encourage you to review and discuss the proposed amendments among your fellow Delegates, between now and June 7, and forward any comments or questions you may have.
Proposed Bylaws Changes
- Proposed additions are underscored and in Italics.
- Proposed deletions shown with strikethrough.
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 3. Active Members
Any person engaged in the practice or teaching of geology may apply for Active membership, provided the applicant holds a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctor’s Degree in geological sciences, including, but not limited to geology, geophysics, earth science, geological engineering or environmental geoscience from a college of acceptable academic standards and, in addition, has had three (3) years of experience in the practice or teaching of geology geological science. Credit for experience can be counted as follows: Master’s Degree—one (1) year; Doctor’s Degree-two (2) years. The Executive Committee may waive degree or current professional activity requirements if in its judgement an applicant has adequate professional experience and has attained standing in the profession.
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 3. Active Members
Any person engaged in the practice or teaching of geology may apply for Active membership, provided the applicant holds a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctor’s Degree in geological science from a college of acceptable academic standards and, in addition, has had three (3) years a minimum of one (1) year of experience in the practice or teaching of geology geological science. Credit for experience can be counted as follows: Master’s Degree — one (1) year; Doctor’s Degree — two (2) years. The Executive Committee may waive degree or current professional activity requirements if in its judgement an applicant has adequate professional experience and has attained standing in the profession.
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Section 8. Election to Membership
Every candidate for admission as an Active Member shall submit a formal application on an application form authorized by the Executive Committee, signed by the applicant, and endorsed by not less than three (3) individuals, at least two (2) of whom are members who are in good standing, stating the applicant’s training and experience and such other facts as the Executive Committee shall from time to time prescribe. Endorsers must have known the applicant for a minimum of one (1) year. The Executive Committee shall be the sole judge of the eligibility of the applicant for membership and the adequacy of the applicant’s qualifications; provided, however, that the Executive Committee may not waive the endorsement or professional experience requirements set out in this Article I for applicants for admission as Active Members. If the Executive Committee after due consideration, judges that the applicant’s qualifications meet the requirements of the Constitution and these Bylaws, the committee shall cause to be published in the Bulletin or by other suitable means, the applicant’s name and the names of the sponsors. If, after sixty (60) days have elapsed since such publication, no reason is presented why the applicant should not be admitted, the applicant shall be deemed eligible to Active or Associate membership, as the case may be, and shall be notified of election to membership.
An objection to the admission to membership of an applicant must be submitted by an Active Member of the Association, must be in writing, must be received by the Executive Director at the Association’s headquarters within sixty (60) days after publication of the applicant’s name, must include a full statement of the circumstances on which the objection is based, and must be signed by the member raising the objection. If, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, the objection has merit, the Executive Committee shall reconsider the application.
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 5. Honorary Members
Honorary Members shall be those Active Members of this Association who shall have contributed distinguished service to the cause of petroleum geology. Such determination shall be made by the Executive Committee. A recipient Recipients of the Sidney Powers Memorial Medal Award or the Halbouty Award shall become automatically an Honorary Member Members. Honorary Members shall not be required to pay dues, but shall have all the privileges and advantages of Active membership in the Association.
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 6. Students
Any full-time student majoring in geology or in a field of study related to or generally associated with geology at a college of acceptable academic standards may apply for Student membership. Student membership shall terminate upon termination of full-time academic enrollment.
ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 7. Associates
Any person not qualified for any other class of membership who is a graduate of a college of acceptable academic standards whose employment is associated with geology geological science, may apply for election as an Associate. The Executive Committee may waive degree requirements, if in its judgement an applicant has adequate professional experience, and has attained professional standing.
ARTICLE V. ADVISORY COUNCIL
SECTION 6. Honors and Awards
The Advisory Council shall recommend recipients for all honors and awards which may be established by the Executive Committee with the exception of the Matson Award, and the Jules Braunstein Memorial Award, the Gabriel Dengo Memorial Award, the Ziad Beydoun Memorial Award, and all student awards.
ARTICLE XIII. DUES
SECTION 3. Dues Scheduling and Billing
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(a) * * * *
(b) * * * *
(c) * * * *
(d) An Associate who has completed the degree requirements, but not the experience requirements, for Active membership shall pay one half of the regular Active membership dues for not more than four (4) years while not having satisfied such experience requirements and shall pay regular Associate dues thereafter while an Associate.
(ed) There shall be three levels of annual dues for Active Members and Associates which shall be based on gross annual personal income in United States dollars. The levels are: Level 1 – Annual income greater than $50,000; Level 2 – Annual income greater than $25,000 but notmore than $50,000; and Level 3 – Annual income of $25,000 or less. Level 2 dues shall be one-half of Level 1 dues; Level 3 dues shall be one-fourth of Level 1 dues; provided, however, that in no event shall annual dues based on any level of annual income be less than $20.00. An Active Member or an Associate whose annual income is in Level 2 or Level 3 may, at his or her option, pay dues which correspond with any higher level of annual income. The Executive Committee may provide for access to the Bulletin and the Explorer by different means for persons paying different levels of dues.
(fe) Except as required to initiate the various dues levels as set out in subsection (ed) above, that the annual change in dues for Active Members and Associates cannot exceed twenty percent (20%), and that this annual change is noncumulative; and
(gf) That a penalty to be established annually by the Executive Committee will be levied for each quarter year of delinquency beginning on July 1.
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