Bylaws

Bylaws of the Southern California Chapter of the Society of Toxicology

The Regional Chapter Bylaws (seen below) were last updated in 2021. Read the full text below or click the link to view a PDF version.

Southern California Regional Chapter Bylaws (revised 2021)

Article I—Name

The name of the organization shall be the Southern California Chapter of the Society of Toxicology (SCCSOT), hereinafter designated as the Regional Chapter.

Article II—Objectives and Purpose

The objectives of the Regional Chapter shall be as follows:

  1. To serve as the focal point to facilitate interactions among Society of Toxicology members from government, industry, and academia in the region.
  2. To sponsor scientific and educational programs in toxicology.
  3. To act as a resource to the Society in the region.

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. Concurrent membership with the Society of Toxicology is encouraged but not a requirement for Regional Chapter membership. Payment of Regional Chapter dues (if levied) will be required for membership.

Section 2. Full members are qualified persons who have a continuing professional interest in toxicology.

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 Officers of the Regional Chapter shall be the President, Vice President, Vice President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. There shall be three Councilors. Only Full, Associate, Retired, or Emeritus members in good standing of the Society of Toxicology and the Regional Chapter shall be eligible to serve as Officers in the Presidential or Treasurer chain.

Section 2. There shall be up to two (2) Student Representatives and up to two (2) Postdoctoral Representatives, who shall act as liaisons between the students and the postdoctoral fellows, respectively, and other members of 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 3. Officers, Councilors, and Representatives shall begin their terms of office on May 1 and extend through April.

Article V—Election of Officers, Councilors, and Representatives

Section 1. A President shall serve for a term of one year, becoming Immediate Past President for the following one (1) year. The President shall preside at all meetings.

Section 2. The Vice President shall become the President of the Regional Chapter after serving one year as Vice President. The Vice President shall serve in the absence of the President.

Section 3. A Vice President-Elect shall be elected annually by a vote of the membership and shall become the Vice President of the Regional Chapter for one year after serving one year as Vice President-Elect, becoming President and Immediate Past President in the two subsequent years. The Vice President-Elect shall serve in the absence of the President and the Vice President.

Section 4. The Secretary and Treasurer shall both be elected bi-annually by a vote of the membership for a term of two years.

Section 5. There shall be three Councilors. Two of these Councilors shall be elected by vote of the membership for a term of two years, with one Councilor being elected each year. The third Councilor shall be the Immediate Past President, who will serve a term of one year.

Section 6. Student and Postdoctoral Representatives shall be elected by a vote of the membership. The Student Representative(s) shall serve for a two-year term, and the Postdoctoral Representative(s) shall serve a one-year term.

Section 7. In the event of a vacancy in an elective office, other than the Presidency or Vice Presidency, the Regional Chapter's Executive Committee may make an appointment or may provide for a special election to fill the vacancy until the unexpired term is completed. In the event of a vacancy in the Presidency, the Vice President accedes to that office until the unexpired term of the Presidency is completed and shall serve as President the following year; similarly, the Vice President-Elect accedes to the office of Vice President, should that office become vacant, until the unexpired term of the Vice Presidency is completed and shall serve as Vice President the following year. A special election must be held to fill the office of Vice President-Elect should this office become vacant; however, the Executive Committee may make an appointment to fill the vacancy until such time that an election can be conducted.

Section 8. Elections shall be held annually by electronic ballot in the format deemed appropriate by the Society of Toxicology prior to the SOT Annual Meeting.

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 the President, Vice President, Vice President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Councilors, and Representatives. The President of the Regional Chapter shall serve as Chair of the Executive Committee. Half of the 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 Regional Chapter and of the Executive Committee and shall perform such duties as may be directed by the Executive Committee. In the President's absence, the succeeding order of Officers shall preside.

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 have fiduciary responsibilities for all monies of the Regional Chapter and shall authorize all disbursements as appropriate. The Treasurer shall transmit to the successor in office all property of the Regional Chapter in his/her possession. No funds shall be expended by or in the name of the Regional Chapter to the extent that the expenditure, if made by the Society of Toxicology, would represent use of funds for a purpose or purposes not within the Society’s exempt purposes under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 6.Any Regional Chapter funds or other property remaining at the time of termination or abandonment or dissolution of the Regional Chapter shall be turned over to the Society of Toxicology and shall become a part of the Society’s general funds.

Section 7.The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all transactions of all meetings.

Article VII—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 Executive Committee [or appointed Designee(s)] shall develop scientific and educational programs and will complete arrangements for speakers and for meeting places and provide the Secretary with the program. The Secretary will, in turn, notify the membership.

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

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 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 SOT 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 SOT Council 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.