American Congress on Surveying and Mapping

Bylaws of Operation and Procedure

ARTICLE I      Name:

The name of this organization shall be the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM).

ARTICLE II    Membership:

Membership of ACSM shall be of the types as set forth below.

A.     “Member Organizations” are national organizations that comply with all of the criteria for ACSM membership as hereinafter set forth in Article IV A which have been admitted into full membership in ACSM and which are represented by  voting Delegates (herein called the “Delegate”) and an alternate Delegate (herein called the “Alternate”).

B.     “Associate Organizations” are organizations that comply with all of the criteria for ACSM membership as hereinafter set forth in Article IV B, but which have been admitted to limited membership rather than full membership in ACSM and whose Representatives shall not be classified as Delegates and do not have voting privileges.

C.     “Sustaining Organizations” are commercial or professional institutions that comply with all the criteria for ACSM membership as herein set forth in Article IV C, but which have been admitted to limited membership rather than full membership in ACSM and whose Representatives shall not be classified as Delegates and do not have voting privileges.

ARTICLE III   Purpose:

A.   The purpose of ACSM shall be to advance the sciences of surveying, mapping, geographic information and related fields, in furtherance of the public welfare and in the interests of those who use surveys, maps, spatial information and those who make them, and to establish a central source of reference for its member organizations and the public. 

B.   ACSM will coordinate common interest for the benefit of the members, such as Conferences, Governmental Affairs, Society Outreach and Public Awareness.

C.   ACSM will speak on the national and international level as the collective voice of the professions embodied within ACSM to enhance awareness of their value to the public.

D.   To contribute to education in the use of surveys and maps, and to encourage the further development of national spatial information programs.

E.   To encourage improvement of university curricula for the teaching of all branches of surveying, cartography and geographic information sciences both in the technological sciences and the professional philosophies.

ARTICLE IV    Criteria for Membership:

A.   To be considered as a Member Organization in ACSM, an organization shall meet the following criteria:

1.         Be a national professional organization, representing some or all of the Surveying, Mapping, Geographic Information, Photogrametry, Remote Sensing, and related spatial sciences.

2.         Be a formally structured organization with bylaws and national officers elected by its membership.

            3.         Be comprised of individual members or member firms.

4.         Be recognized as a 501(c) organization by the Internal Revenue Service or equivalent from another nation.

5.         Have a history of effectively and successfully working with other organizations and shall express a willingness to participate in ACSM under current ACSM Bylaws of Operation and Procedure, including payment of fees and dues.

 

B.   To be considered as an Associate Organization in ACSM, an organization shall be any national professional or technical organization having interests that are kindred to ACSM’s purpose as defined in Article III.

C.   To be considered a Sustaining Organization in ACSM, an organization shall be a governmental agency, commercial or professional institution engaged in the surveying, mapping, geographic information, photogrametry, remote sensing, and related spatial sciences, the manufacture or sale of instruments or equipment for this work, or the reproduction or compilations of maps and charts, and be a member of the Sustaining Organization Council.

 

ARTICLE V     Member Organizations:

            A.         Initial ACSM Member Organizations are:

1.   American Association for Geodetic Surveying (AAGS)

2.   Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS)                                     

3.   Geographic and Land Information Society (GLIS)

4.   National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS, Inc)

            B.         Initial ACSM Associate Organizations:

1.   Council of Sections

                C.         Initial Sustaining Organizations:

                  1.   Sustaining Organization Council

                   

ARTICLE VI      Finances, Fees, and Dues:

A.  ACSM shall operate on a calendar year fiscal basis.

B.  Dues shall be determined at each Annual Business Meeting or from time to time by the Delegates subject to the authorization of the organizations that they represent. 

C.   Fees shall be negotiated for contracted services with each organization.

      Funds from dues and fees, the sale of documents published by ACSM and from conferences, seminars or other activities shall finance the operation of ACSM.

D.     An objective of ACSM shall be to maintain a reserve equal to one year’s projected expenses.

 

ARTICLE VII Non-Payment of Dues and Fees:

If any Organization becomes delinquent in its fees and dues to ACSM for a period of six months after being payable, unless a special waiver with penalties and interest is granted by the Delegates, then such organization may no longer be considered a Member of ACSM.

ARTICLE VIII         Withdrawal from ACSM

An Organization can withdraw from ACSM upon a two year advance notice to the Organization.  All dues and fees must remain current for the two year period prior to withdrawal.

ARTICLE IX  Reinstatement of Organizations:

In the event an Organization is released or withdraws from ACSM, it may be reinstated by a written expression of interest from its President, the satisfaction of conditions determined by the Delegates, and a two thirds affirmative vote by secret written ballot of all of the ACSM Delegates.  There would have to be a more formal agreement between ACSM and the MO’s.  ACSM would have to request a “no opting out” policy for at least five year increments.  This would allow for better planning on the part of ACSM as far as staffing, activity planning and financial planning are concerned.

ARTICLE X   Delegates:

Two Delegates shall represent each Member Organization within ACSM. By January 1 of each year, every Member Organization shall notify the ACSM Executive Director in writing of the names and addresses of its Delegates and Alternate. A Delegate shall be a member of the Member Organization they represent and should be in a position of leadership in the Member Organization so as to facilitate efficient liaison and policy coordination between ACSM and the Member Organization.

ARTICLE XI  Alternate Delegates:

Each Member Organization shall appoint an Alternate. An Alternate, shall meet all the same qualifications as a Delegate.  An Alternate may attend all ACSM functions and shall only exercise the voting and other rights of the Delegate in the Delegate’s absence.

ARTICLE XII Representative:

One Representative may represent each Associate Organization and Sustaining Organization within ACSM.  By January 1 of each year the organization shall notify the ACSM Executive Director of its Representative.  Representatives can attend all ACSM meetings, but will not have voting privileges.

ARTICLE XIII            Officers Elections and Terms:

A.   Officers shall consist of a Chairman, a Chairman-Elect, a Treasurer and a non-voting Secretary. The office of Chairman Elect shall be filled in turn each year from one of the Delegates of the Member Organizations, as chosen by the Member Organization, through a rotation plan established by the Delegates.

B.   The Nominee for Chairman-Elect shall be a Delegate and shall have served as a Delegate or Alternate within the immediately preceding five years. The Chairman Elect shall automatically succeed to the office of Chairman at the end of the one-year term as Chairman Elect.

C.   The Treasurer shall be elected from the Delegates. The Treasurer will be elected for a three-year term. 

ARTICLE XIV           Chairman:

When a Delegate becomes Chairman, they will cease to be a Delegate, and the Member Organization shall fill the resulting vacancy with an appointed Delegate or Alternate. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings, issue the call for meetings, establish the agenda, and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Delegates. The authorized expenses of the Chairman shall be reimbursed from ACSM funds.  The Chairman shall vote only in the case of a tie.

ARTICLE XV            Chairman-Elect:

The Chairman Elect shall perform the duties of the Chairman in the absence or inability of the Chairman to serve and such other responsibilities as are assigned by the Chairman.

 

ARTICLE XVI     Treasurer:

The Treasurer shall perform the following duties:

            A.  Receive all funds

            B.  Maintain a financial record of all receipts and payments

      C.  Regularly report the financial status of ACSM to its member organizations and file such other reports or documents as may be required by the Delegates

      D.  Monitor payment of all bills and accounts.  Payments shall be based on vouchers and may be certified by the Chairman as approved for payment

            E.  Maintain accounts established in a bank, or other depository approved by ACSM for       the receipt and disbursement of funds

ARTICLE XVII          Secretary:

The Executive Director of ACSM shall act as the non-voting Secretary and perform the following duties:

            A.  Compile, distribute, and maintain a current ACSM roster of Delegates and Alternates

            B.  Prepare and distribute notices of meetings, agendas with supporting information, and     other information of interest to all persons listed on the roster

            C.  Prepare and distribute minutes of ACSM meetings to all persons listed on the roster

            D.  Act as teller to open, tabulate and announce the results of all secret written ballots by   the Delegates

ARTICLE XVIII  ACSM Staff:

ACSM shall retain an Executive Director and staff to carry out responsibilities and duties, such as association management, support, meeting planning, financial management, special events, and such other services, as specified by contract.

ARTICLE XIX           ACSM Fellows:

A fellow is a level of honorary acknowledgement of service to ACSM.  Fellow Members will remain ACSM Fellows.  New Fellow members will be nominated by their Member Organization and accepted by ACSM at a regular meeting.

ARTICLE XX            ACSM Life Members:

A  Life Member of ACSM is a level of honorary acknowledgement of service to ACSM.  Life Members of Member Organizations will remain Life Members of ACSM.  New Life Members will be nominated by their Member Organization and accepted by ACSM at a regular meeting.

ARTICLE XXI           ACSM Honorary Members:

An Honorary Member of ACSM is a level of honorary acknowledgement of service to ACSM.  Honorary Members of Member Organizations will remain Honorary Members of ACSM.  New Honorary Members will be nominated by their Member Organization and accepted by ACSM at a regular meeting.

ARTICLE XXII          Student Members:

Students shall be members of all Member Organizations.  Any dues and/or expenses for membership and/or publications will be equally distributed among the Member Organizations.

ARTICLE XXIII         Counsel:

If deemed appropriate, ACSM may retain Counsel (legal or otherwise) to provide advice and assistance in the pursuit of its objectives.

ARTICLE XXIV        ACSM Meetings:

Two regular meetings of ACSM shall be held each year at such time and at such place as determined by the Delegates.

A.      The first regular meeting of each calendar year shall be the "Annual Business Meeting."

B.      The Chairman shall hold special meetings upon the call of the Chairman or the Secretary upon authorization.

C.     Costs of attendance at meetings shall be borne by the Member Organizations, Associate Organizations, or Sustaining Organizations for their Delegates, Alternates, and Representatives; however, the authorized expenses of the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary shall be paid from ACSM funds.

D.     ACSM may meet in Executive Session to discuss personnel matters and such other matters as may be included in a motion for Executive Session, which shall be adopted by a majority of the Delegates. Such motion may designate such persons other than Delegates who are authorized to participate in such Executive Session.

E.      ACSM meetings shall be principally intended to foster discussion among the Officers, Delegates and Alternates and formulate and implement ACSM policies and purposes. The Chairman may recognize any person to provide information and background on issues under discussion.

F.      ACSM meetings will operate under “Robert’s Rules of Order”, version as determined by the Chairman.

 

ARTICLE XXV         Procedures for Admitting New Members:

The following procedures shall apply in considering organizations for membership in ACSM:

A.         ACSM may consider for membership any organization from which it receives a request, signed by its Leader, expressing interest in becoming a member of ACSM, documenting that all criteria for membership as set forth herein are met, and providing such other information as may be appropriate or helpful in evaluating the application.

B.         The proposed new membership shall be discussed at a regular or special meeting. If desired, a representative from the new organization may be invited to a portion of the meeting to ask and answer questions.

C.         A two-thirds affirmative vote by secret written ballot of the total number of Delegates shall be required at a meeting for acceptance of the new organization.

ARTICLE XXVI        Purchasing and Contracting:

ACSM, within the constraints of the approved budget and upon the authorization of the Delegates, may purchase or enter into contracts for goods, supplies or services, including legal, accounting and other advisory services.

ARTICLE XXVII       Authority:

            A.         Adoption of Policy Positions: 

ACSM shall undertake action only through two-thirds vote of total number of Delegates in accordance with its purpose as defined in Article III on behalf of the Member Organizations. Each Member Organization or Associate Organization reserves the right to express separate views or take independent action when it is not in agreement with a proposed course of action.

      B.         Decision Making on Administrative Matters:

A two-thirds vote of delegates present shall decide all issues, providing a quorum is present at the time of the vote. A quorum on non‑policy matters shall be two‑thirds of the total number of Delegates.

            C.         Decision Making on Budget Matters:

A two-thirds vote of the total number of Delegates shall be required for budget approval and for unbudgeted extraordinary expenditures over $10,000 or an expenditure of cash reserves rather than from annual income.

ARTICLE XXVIII      Committees:

ACSM may determine from time to time the need to establish a committee or committees to effect policy or for a specific purpose to benefit the member organizations. These committees and their charges shall be established by the Chairman with concurrence of the Delegates and shall remain in place until such time as their charges are fulfilled, changed, or re-directed.

ARTICLE XXIX        ACSM Affiliations:

ACSM from time to time may affiliate with other organizations as authorized by the Delegates. The Delegates of ACSM shall select any representation to the organization.  The Representatives shall be a full member of a Member Organization.

ARTICLE XXX         Indemnification:

A:   ACSM shall indemnify each Delegate and Alternate, as described herein, each of its officers, as described herein, and each of its employees for the defense of civil or criminal actions or proceedings as hereinafter provided and notwithstanding any provision in these Bylaws, in a manner and to the extent permitted by applicable law.

B:   ACSM shall indemnify each of its Delegates, Alternates, officers and employees as aforesaid, from and against any and all judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement, and reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and necessarily incurred or imposed as a result of such action or proceeding or any appeal therein, imposed upon or asserted against him or her by reason of being or having been such a Delegate or officer and acting within the scope of his or her official duties, but only when the determination shall have been made judicially or in the manner herein provided that he or she acted in good faith for a purpose which he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of ACSM that his or her conduct was not committed in bad faith, was not the result of active or deliberate dishonesty and did not result in him or her actually receiving an improper personal benefit in money, services, or property, and, in the case of a criminal action or proceeding, in addition, that he or she had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. The Delegates or their Alternates shall make this determination should a Delegate be involved.

ARTICLE XXXI        Dissolution of ACSM:

In the event of the dissolution of ACSM, assets shall revert to a trust fund for scholarships or fellowships as may be derived from interest on the capital by investment and administration by some foundation with a dedicated interest in advancing the sciences of surveying and mapping. Such trusteeship shall be designated by the dissolving Delegates or by an executor appointed by court order in the event such provision was not made prior to the dissolution.

ARTICLE XXXII       Amendments:

These Bylaws of Operation and Procedure may be amended at any duly called meeting with a two thirds vote by secret written ballot of the total number of Delegates.

 

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