The Constitution of the
Institute On Lake Superior Geology

Article I - Name
The name of the organization shall be the “Institute on Lake Superior Geology”.

 

Article II - Objectives
The objectives of this organization are:

A. To provide a means whereby geologists in the Great Lakes region may exchange ideas and scientific data.
B. To promote better understanding of the geology of the Lake Superior region.
C. To plan and conduct geological field trips.

 

Article III - Status
No part of the income of the organization shall insure to the benefit of any member or individual. In the event of dissolution, the assets of the organization shall be distributed to _________ (some tax free organization).
(To avoid Federal and State income taxes, the organization should be not only “scientific” or “educational”, but also “non-profit”)
Minn. Stat. Anno. 290.01, subd. 4
Minn. Stat. Anno. 290.05(9)
1954 Internal Revenue Code s.501(c)(3)

 

Article IV - Membership
The membership of the organization shall consist of persons who have registered for an annual meeting within the past three years, and those who indicate interest in being a member according to guidelines approved by the Board of Directors.

 

Article V - Meetings
The organization shall meet once a year. The place and exact date of each meeting will be designated by the Board of Directors.

 

Article VI - Directors
The Board of Directors shall consist of the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and the last three past Chairs; but if the board should at any time consist of fewer than six persons, by reason of unwillingness or inability of any of the above persons to serve as directors, the vacancies on the board may be filled by the Chair so as to bring the membership of the board to six members.

 

Article VII - Officers
The officers of this organization shall be a Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer.

A. The Chair shall be elected each year by the Board of Directors, who shall give due consideration to the wishes of any group that may be promoting the next annual meeting. Their term of office as Chair will terminate at the close of the annual meeting over which they preside, or when their successor shall have been appointed. They will then serve for a period of three years as a member of the Board of Directors.
B. The Secretary shall be elected at the annual meeting. Their term of office shall be four years, or until their successor shall have been appointed.
C. The Treasurer shall be elected at the annual meeting. Their term of office shall be four years, or until their successor shall have been appointed.
The terms of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be staggered so that there will always be a two year overlap between the two.

 

Article VIII - Amendments
This constitution may be amended by a majority vote (majority of those voting) of the membership of the organization.

(Last amended by the Board—May 6, 2004)

BY-LAWS

1. Duties of the Officers and Directors
   1. It shall be the duty of the Annual Chair to:
      1. Preside at the annual meeting.
      2. Appoint all committees needed for the organization of the annual meeting.
      3. Assume complete responsibility for the organization and financing of the annual meeting over which they preside.
   2. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to:
      1. Keep accurate attendance records of all annual meetings.
      2. Keep accurate records of all meetings of, and correspondence between, the board of directors.
   3. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer
      1. Hold all funds that may accrue as profits from annual meetings or field trips and to make these funds available for the organization and operation of future meetings as required.
   4. It shall be the duty of the board of directors to plan locations of annual meetings and to advise on the organization and financing of all meetings.

2. Duties and Expenses
   1. Regular membership dues of $5.00 or less on an annual basis shall be assessed each member as determined by the board of directors.
   2. Registration fees for the annual meetings shall be determined by the Chair in consultation with the board of directors. The registration fees can include expenses to cover operations outside of the annual meeting as determined by the board of directors. It is strongly recommended that registration fees be kept at a minimum to encourage attendance of students.

3. Rules of Order

   The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applicable.

4. Amendments

   These by-laws may be amended by a majority vote (majority of those voting) of the membership of the organization; provided that such modifications shall not conflict with the constitution as presently adopted or subsequently amended.

   Minor modifications made on May 22, 2024 to remove gender specific language

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