Bylaws

Article I—Name

The name of this organization shall be the Allegheny-Erie Regional Chapter of the Society of Toxicology and hereinafter shall be designated as the Chapter. The Chapter’s official abbreviation will be A-E SOT.

Article II—Objectives

The objectives of the Allegheny-Erie Regional Chapter of the Society of Toxicology shall be:

1. To serve as the focal point for all toxicological interests and the members of the Society of Toxicology in the region.
2. To encourage interactions among toxicologists in government, industry, academia, and independent research institutions.
3. To sponsor scientific and educational programs in toxicology.
4. To act as a resource to the Society in region.
5. To foster a better understanding of the science of toxicology within our region, including government, industry, academia, and the public at large.
6. To recruit and train the next generation of toxicologists.

No part of the net earnings of the Regional Chapter shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the Regional Chapter shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes herein-above set forth.

No substantial part of the activities of the Regional Chapter shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation and the Regional Chapter shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

Article III—Membership

Section 1. Members of the Society of Toxicology shall become Members of the Chapter upon payment of the Chapter dues.

Section 2. Any person having a professional interest in toxicology may become a member of the Chapter upon payment of the required dues.

Section 3. Membership may be extended to full-time students attending area colleges or universities and having an interest in toxicology.

Article IV—Officers, Councilors, and Representatives

Section 1. The Chapter officers shall be a President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The President, President-Elect, Vice President and Treasurer or Secretary shall be active, associate, full, emeritus, or retired members in good standing of the Society of Toxicology and the Chapter.

Section 2. Councilors will be nominated by Chapter offices, the Nominating Committee, or by chapter members. Councilors shall be active, associate, full, emeritus, or retired members in good standing of the Society of Toxicology and the Chapter.

Section 3. There shall be two Student Representatives and two Postdoctoral Representatives, who shall act as liaisons between the students and the postdoctoral fellows, respectively, and the Executive Committee. Student and Postdoctoral Representative shall be elected from the Regional Chapter membership. Eligibility during the term requires current enrollment in a graduate program for Student Representatives and engagement in a formal mentored postdoctoral position for Postdoctoral Representatives.

Section 4. Officers, Councilors, and Representatives shall begin their terms of office following completion of the A-E SOT Chapter Annual Meeting in each year that it is held; or, on June 30 in any year the Chapter Annual meeting is not held or postponed beyond June 30.

Article V—Election of Officers

Section 1. The office of Presidency shall be for a term of one year, which begins immediately after serving as President-Elect.

Section 2. The President-Elect shall be chosen by vote of the membership for a term of one year at the conclusion of which he or she shall automatically accede to the office of the President.

Section 3. The Vice President shall be chosen by a vote of the membership for a term of one year.

Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer or Secretary and Treasurer shall be chosen by vote of the membership for a term of two years.

Section 5. There shall be five Councilors; every other year, two Councilors shall be chosen by vote of the membership for a term of two years. Two Councilors will be elected in the alternate year and will also serve for two years. The fifth Councilor shall be the immediate Past President.

Section 6. Elections shall be held annually by electronic ballot (i.e. online, email) prior to the Annual Chapter meeting.

Section 7. In the event of a vacancy in an elective office, other than the Presidency, the Chapters’ Executive Committee may make an appointment or may provide for a special election to fill the vacancy to hold until the unexpired term is completed. In the event of a vacancy in the Presidency, the President-Elect accedes to that office.

Section 8. A special election must be held to fill the office of President-Elect should the office become vacant.

Section 9. There shall be two Student and two Postdoctoral Representatives; every other year each position will be chosen by vote of the membership for a two-year term. The start of each Student and Postdoctoral Representative terms will be offset from the other to help facilitate ease of transition and duties. Eligibility during the term requires current enrollment in a graduate program for Student Representatives and engagement in a formal mentored postdoctoral position for Postdoctoral Representatives.

Article VI—Administration

Section 1. The Regional Chapter shall be governed by the Executive Committee except as otherwise herein expressly provided.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall consist of Officers, Councilors, and Representatives The President of the Chapter shall serve as chairperson of the Executive Committee. Five members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 3. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter and of the Executive Committee and shall perform such other duties as may be directed by the Executive Committee. In the President’s absence, the succeeding order of the officers shall preside. The order of succession shall be President-Elect; Vice President; Secretary-Treasurer or Secretary; and Treasurer. It is the President’s responsibility to keep in contact with developments in the field of Toxicology and guide the Chapter in the formulation of constructive activities.

Section 4. The Regional Chapter shall comply with the following provisions in order to retain its status as an authorized body within the Society of Toxicology.

1. The Regional Chapter shall provide annual reports of its activities for the current year as well as plans of programs, activities, and finances for the following year. Annual reports shall be submitted to the Society of Toxicology by the required date of each year.
2. Annual reports shall be reviewed by the SOT Council, which shall consult with the Regional Chapter as necessary.
3. Regional Chapter policy statements must be reviewed and approved by the Society of Toxicology Council prior to release.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall be custodian of all monies and dues of the Chapter and shall pay all authorized bills against the Chapter. The disbursement of all Chapter funds shall be made upon authorization by the Chapters’ Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall submit the accounts for audit by Chapter members designated by the Executive Committee of the last meeting prior to the Annual Business Meeting of the Chapter, and shall transmit to their successor in office all funds and property of the Chapter in their possession. An annual financial report shall be submitted to the Chapter in such form as may be determined by the Executive Committee.

The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all transactions of all meetings of the Chapter and of the Executive Committee; shall carry on the correspondence of the Chapter; and shall keep an accurate list of members and their status.

No funds shall be expended by or in the name of the Chapter to the extent that the expenditure, if made by the Society of Toxicology, would represent use of funds for a purpose or for purposes not within the Society’s exempt purposes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 6. Any Chapter funds or other property remaining at the time of termination or abandonment or dissolution of the Chapter shall be turned over to the Society of Toxicology and shall become a part of the Society’s general funds; no part of any such funds or property shall inure to the benefit of any member or officer of, or person associated with the Chapter.

Article VII—Meetings

Section 1. Regional Chapter meetings shall be held at least annually and as dictated by the scientific and educational programs of the Regional Chapter. The time and place of each meeting shall be established by the Program Committee and communicated to the membership at least two months before each meeting.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the President at any time, with the approval of the Executive Committee or the presentation of a petition to the President, signed by 20% of the members of the Regional Chapter in good standing.

Section 3. A quorum shall consist of 20% of the Regional Chapter members in good standing.

Section 4. Executive Committee meetings shall be held at the discretion of the President at any time during the year, provided notice of at least seven (7) days is given.

Article VIII—Dues

The dues will be established by a majority of the Executive Committee, after which they may be changed subject to vote by members of the Chapter.

Article IX—Committees

Section 1. The President-Elect shall be designated as the chairperson of the Program Committee, whose members are appointed by the President. The Program Committee will develop scientific and educational programs and will complete arrangements for speakers and for meeting places and provide the Secretary with the program, who will, in turn, notify the membership.

Section 2. The President shall appoint all other committees as required by the Bylaws and shall automatically become an ex-officio member of such committees. Members of such committees serve at the discretion of the incoming President.

Section 3. A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee to be composed of not less than three members within two months following installation of officers. The immediate Past President will serve as Chairperson of the Nominating Committee. This Committee shall nominate two persons for each elective office to be filled.

Article X—Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to these Bylaws may be presented by any member in good standing at any regular meeting of the Regional Chapter or at any special meeting called for that specific purpose. They shall be presented in writing and shall be offered to the membership present at that meeting on motion for consideration and circulation to the membership. A simple majority shall be necessary to pass the motion.

Section 2. Amendments accepted for future consideration shall be forwarded to the Regional Chapter Staff Liaison to be circulated with a ballot to all members in good standing. A two-thirds affirmation vote of the ballots returned within the specified time frame shall be necessary for adoption of any amendment.

Section 3. Amendments to these Bylaws must be approved by the Council of the Society of Toxicology before they become effective. This is done to ensure that future changes in these Bylaws will have the same force as the original, which was so approved.