SDASA

CONSTITUTION

of the San Diego Chapter

of the American Statistical Association

ARTICLE I
NAME

This organization shall be known as the San Diego Chapter of the American Statistical Association and shall also be identified by the acronym SDASA.

ARTICLE II
PURPOSE

The primary purpose of this Chapter shall be to sponsor educational, professional, and scientific activities that benefit professional statisticians and students of statistics in the San Diego area. Furthermore, this Chapter shall foster communication between the statistical community and other scientific organizations and the general public. Finally, as a chartered unit within the national organization, this Chapter shall share the purposes of the American Statistical Association (ASA), as defined in that Association's Constitution.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP

Membership is open to persons who are interested in the American Statistical Association.

1. Types of Membership: This Chapter offers three types of memberships: full, local and student members. Full members are those who are current members of the national organization. Local members are current chapter members who are not members of the national organization. Student members are members who are currently registered as full-time students in a local college or university.

2. Membership Standing: To maintain good standing, members must be current in their dues status. The Chapter Secretary will be responsible for monitoring membership standing (e.g., notifying a member of a change in his/her standing, etc.).

3. Application for Membership: An application for Chapter membership may be initiated through the Chapter Secretary or through national ASA and will be handled by the Chapter Treasurer.

ARTICLE IV
CHAPTER OFFICERS

1. Chapter Officers: There shall be eight Chapter officers. Seven of the officers shall be elected by a vote of the Chapter's members. Terms of office for elected Chapter officers are defined in Article VII. Chapter officers must be current members of the Chapter throughout their term of office. The Chapter officers are listed below:

Immediate Past President

President

President-elect

Vice President, Academic Affairs

Vice President, Professional Affairs

Secretary

Treasurer

Chapter Representative

Four of the above officers will be required to maintain current full member status: President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Chapter Representative.

2. The Chapter Representative to the ASA Council of Chapters: The seven elected Chapter-wide officers shall, by a majority vote, appoint a Chapter Representative to the ASA Council of Chapters. The ASA Council of Chapters shall prescribe the Chapter Representative's term of office.

3. The Chapter Secretary will serve as the Chapter Newsletter Editor.

ARTICLE V
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers of the Chapter (President, President-elect, Vice President-Academic Affairs, Vice President-Professional Affairs, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Immediate Past President), the Council of Chapters Representative and the Chairs of each of the Standing Committees. The President normally serves as the Chair of the Executive Committee. In the absence of the President, the Immediate Past-President serves as the Committee's Chair. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the general management of the affairs of the Chapter and its relations with the national association. The Executive Committee shall perform such duties as are set forth in this Constitution and it shall coordinate the operating and the administrative activities of the organization. Meetings shall be held upon the call of the Chair of this Committee. Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be by simple majority vote of all Committee members eligible to vote. A majority of the voting members of this Committee shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VI
NOMINATION AND ELECTION PROCEDURES

Each year, by September 1, the Chapter's Standing Committee on Nominations and Elections (described in Article IX) shall provide a slate of candidates for those offices that are scheduled for election in that year. The standard method of communication to Chapter members is by electronic mail (e-mail). The slate of candidates will be sent by e-mail to all members along with the notice of the Annual Business Meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the Annual Business Meeting. Without undue delay after the Annual Business Meeting, the Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee shall e-mail to the membership a ballot that includes the floor nominations and space for write-ins. The e-mail ballots shall be returned to the Chair of the Committee on Nominations and Elections who shall arrange for that committee to tally the votes and announce the election results to the membership. Should no candidate have a majority, a runoff will be held between the two candidates who received the largest number of votes. An e-mail ballot shall decide this runoff in the same manner as the first election.

In the event that an elected Chapter officer resigns or, for any reason, vacates his/her office before the end of the term, the Executive Committee shall decide, by a majority vote, on one of two options: (a) have the Standing Committee on Nominations and Elections conduct a special election to fill the vacant office for the balance of the unexpired term; (b) appoint a qualified Chapter member to the vacated office for the balance of the unexpired term.

ARTICLE VII
REGULAR AND SPECIAL TERMS OF OFFICE

For winners of regular elections and runoffs to decide regular elections, terms of office for newly elected officers shall begin on July 1, following their election. The regular election year and term of office for each Chapter officer is presented below.

Chapter President: A new Chapter President will be elected in every even numbered year. The winner of the presidential election will serve for one year as President Elect before becoming the Chapter President. The term of office for Chapter President is two years. The outgoing President serves as Immediate Past President for two years and, during that period, serves as President in the absence of the current Chapter President.

Chapter Vice Presidents: Both Chapter Vice Presidents will stand for election on odd numbered years and will be elected to two-year terms. After leaving office, a Chapter Vice President becomes eligible for re-election to the same office only after a two-year hiatus.

Secretary: The Chapter Secretary will stand for election in even numbered years and will be elected to a two-year term. A Chapter Secretary cannot serve more than two terms in succession. Two years after leaving the office, a former Secretary is again eligible for re-election to the same office.

Treasurer: The Chapter Treasurer will stand for election in even numbered years and will be elected to a two-year term. A Chapter Treasurer cannot serve more than two terms in succession. Two years after leaving the office, a former Treasurer is again eligible for re-election to the same office.

In the case of a special election (described in Article VI), the term of office shall begin as soon as the standing Committee on Nominations and Elections determines the winning candidate. The Executive Committee shall then be responsible for making a ruling on the re-election privileges of any officer elected by special election.

ARTICLE VIII
ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

Every year, usually in the fall, the Chapter shall convene a Business Meeting open to all Chapter members. The Executive Committee shall set the specific date, time, and place of this Annual Business Meeting of the Chapter and then inform the Chapter membership in a timely fashion.

ARTICLE IX
STANDING COMMITTEES

Nominations and Elections: The Standing Committee on Nominations and Elections shall be comprised of three regular Chapter members that are not members of the Executive Committee. Committee members shall be appointed to three-year terms by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. The terms of the members of this Committee shall be staggered so that only one member is appointed per year. Each year, normally at the Chapter's Annual Business Meeting, this Committee shall designate one of its members as its chair for the following calendar year. This Standing Committee shall be responsible for developing an election slate for each annual election and for conducting the election, for counting the votes, and for informing the membership about election results.

Other Committees: Aside from the Standing Committee on Nominations and Elections, the Executive

Committee may, by majority vote, establish or dissolve an ad hoc committee at any time. The President shall have the responsibility of appointing the chair of any ad hoc committee.

ARTICLE X
FINANCE

1. Fiscal Year: Chapter financial affairs are determined on a fiscal year basis. The fiscal year is defined to be from July 1 to the following June 30.

2. Chapter Dues: Following a two-week e-mail notice to the Chapter membership, the Executive Committee may consider changing the amounts of the annual Chapter dues. Once notice has been given, the amount of annual Chapter dues or special assessments shall be determined in either of two ways: (a) by a vote of the Executive Committee in an open meeting where any Chapter member may address the Committee; (b) by a majority vote of the membership who are current in their dues. Chapter dues for all members shall be the same within each type of membership.

3. Payment of Dues: Chapter dues become due and payable when application for membership in the Chapter is accepted. Thereafter, chapter dues may either be paid as part of a member's payment of national ASA dues or paid locally to the Chapter Treasurer.

4. Audit Plan: In every even numbered year, or any other time that a new Treasurer takes office, the President shall appoint a special committee to audit the Treasurer's books. Following its audit, this special committee shall prepare a written report of the findings. The audit report will be submitted to the Executive Committee no later than 20 days before the year's Annual Business Meeting where it will be presented to the membership.

ARTICLE XI
CONCERNING THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

1. Structural Compatibility: Any and all provisions of the Constitution and by-laws of the American Statistical Association take precedence over the provisions of this Chapter's Constitution. Any and all provisions of this Chapter's Constitution, or any amendments thereto, should comply with the provisions of the Constitution and by-laws of the American Statistical Association.

2. Reporting: A copy of this Constitution and all subsequent amendments thereto shall be filed with the Secretary of the American Statistical Association within one month of adoption.

ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENT PROCEDURES

1. Proposing an Amendment: An amendment to this Constitution may be proposed by a petition signed by not less than ten members in good standing or by resolution of the Executive Committee.

2. Adoption Procedures: The adoption of an amendment to this Constitution requires an e-mail ballot of the Chapter's Full and Local (excluding Student) members. The Secretary shall e-mail, to every member in good standing, a copy of the exact wording of each proposed amendment together with an official voting form no less than 14 days prior to the deadline for receiving the voter's e-mail ballot. The Chapter's standing Committee on Nominations and Elections shall receive and count the ballots and shall report the vote to the Chapter's President.

3. Adoption Criterion: Adoption of any amendment shall require at least a two-thirds vote of the official e-mail ballots received by the published deadline.

ARTICLE XIII
CHAPTER DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution of the San Diego Chapter, the officers shall, after paying or making provision for payment and discharge of all liabilities of the San Diego Chapter, distribute all of the remaining net assets of said chapter to the American Statistical Association exclusively for charitable, scientific, literary, and/or educational purposes. The American Statistical Association is an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE XIV
RATIFICATION OF THIS CONSTITUTION

1. Informing the Chapter Membership: The proposed form of this Constitution will be presented for consideration at the Chapter's next business meeting. Following that presentation, all members will receive a copy of the complete text of the proposed Constitution. The membership will receive advance e-mail notice of these agenda items prior to the meeting.

2. Ratification Procedure: As soon as possible, the Chapter Secretary will send an e-mail ballot on the question of ratification to all full and local members of the chapter. To be counted, these ballots must be received by the Chair of the Chapter's Committee on Nominations and Elections within thirty (30) days. The Chapter's standing Committee on Nominations and Elections shall count the valid ballots and shall report the vote to the Chapter membership.

3. Ratification Criterion: If at least two thirds of the valid votes cast, according to the procedure described above, favor ratification, then the proposed Chapter Constitution shall be deemed ratified. A report of such ratification will then be appended to this Article as a permanent record.

4. Contingency Plan: Should this Constitution fail to be ratified, the standing Chapter President shall be responsible for redrafting the Constitution and submitting the revised form for Chapter ratification.

5. Informing the National Association: When a Chapter Constitution has been ratified, the Chapter President shall so inform the President of the American Statistical Association, the Secretary of the American Statistical Association, and the Chair of the ASA Council of Chapters.