Constitution

The name of this society shall be the Huntsville Electro-optical Society. This society shall function concurrently as a section of the Optical Society of America (OSA) and as a working group of The Society of Photo- Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

It is the aim and purpose of this society to stimulate the knowledge of optics and the engineering of optical systems, to promote the mutual interests of its members and encourage free discussions of problems and discoveries among investigators of optical problems, designers, manufacturers, and users of optical apparatus.

The officers of this society shall be a president, a vice president, who shall be designated as president elect, a secretary, a treasurer, and an executive council consisting of the above officers, the retiring president of the society, who shall be designated as the past-president, the chairman of the program committee, as defined below (by-laws III-3) and four members at large who shall also be members of the program committee. All officers of this society shall be members of either the National Optical Society of America or the Society Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Membership in the society shall be either honorary, regular or corporate.

Both nationally known persons and local members shall be selected as the principal speaker for the formal section meetings. From time to time, at the discretion of the executive council, the society will endeavor to conduct national or international symposia in Huntsville, in conjunction with sponsorship of one or both of the national societies with which this society is affiliated. HEOS members shall take the lead in organizing such symposia, and the symposia shall be of specific interest to the Huntsville professional community. National society members from geographic locations outside of Huntsville with professional interest in the symposia topics shall be invited to participate in the organization and conduct of such meetings. Logistical and financial aspects of such meetings shall be administered by the sponsoring national society(s). Local meetings may also be held from time to time featuring symposia with short papers and presentations by local members for exchange of information of local interest. These meetings may also feature student papers and may be used to promote interest in the field of optics among the several local universities that feature optics curriculum.

After recommendation by two-thirds of the executive council, this constitution shall be amended when any proposed amendment is favored by three-fourths of all members voting upon it. A copy of every proposed amendment shall be directed to each member of the society at least ten days before the vote is taken.

By Laws

By-law I: Membership

Section 1. Eligibility. Any person or corporation interested in advancement of optics and/or closely allied sciences and in the welfare of this society shall be eligible for membership.

Section 2. Honorary Membership. Any person who has been eminent in the advancement of optics or closely allied sciences is eligible for honorary membership in the society. Election to honorary membership will be by unanimous vote of all members of the executive council. At no time shall the number of honorary members exceed 5 or 2% of the membership of the society, whichever is larger. Honorary members shall pay no dues, but shall be eligible to hold office, vote and participate in all activities, duties and privileges of the society.

Section 3. Regular Membership. Any person interested in the advancement of optics and/or closely allied sciences and in the welfare of this society shall be eligible for regular membership. Regular members shall pay dues at rates set by the executive council. Yearly and multi-year rates (at a discount to the yearly rate) will be set by the executive council as needed to assure the financial viability of the society.

Section 4. Corporate Membership. Any corporation interested in the advancement of optics and/or closely allied sciences and in the welfare of this society shall be eligible for corporate membership. Corporate member due rates shall be set by the executive council as needed to assure financial viability of the society.

Section 5. Application for Membership. Applications for membership in this society shall state the candidates name, position, and qualifications for membership and must be signed by a member of the society, with the first year's dues.

Section 6. Election to Membership. Applicants who are members of either the Optical Society of America or the Society of Photo- Optical Instrumentation Engineers shall be admitted to membership in the society upon submission of their application and payment of dues. Applicants who are non- members of either society shall be admitted to membership when admission is approved by a majority of the executive council.

Section 7. Duties and Privileges. All honorary and regular members shall have the right to vote at elections, to attend meetings of the society and to hold office, except as specified in By-law III.

Section 8. Termination of Membership. Membership in this society may be terminated by action of a majority of the executive council. If a member fails to pay his dues by the first day of October for the fiscal year for which said dues apply, he shall be served with a bill for dues accompanied by a copy of this section of the by-laws. If the arrears of said member remain unpaid by the first day of November of that fiscal year, said member shall be suspended from membership. A member suspended by reason of failure to pay dues may be reinstated by affirmative action of the executive council upon payment of the dues for the current fiscal year.

By-law II: Collections and Disbursements

Section 1. Dues. Each regular member shall contribute dues annually, or at their discretion may pay the multi-year rate to maintain membership over a period of years. Corporate members will pay annually at a rate set by the executive council. Honorary members shall pay no dues.

Section 2. Disbursements. Disbursements to meet the normal expenses of the society such as postage, typing and printing of meeting announcements shall be made on the authority of the treasurer. The treasurer is authorized to buy a meal for any invited speaker. Other disbursements shall be within the limitations of the budget approved by a majority of the executive council.

Section 3. Salaries. All officers shall serve without salary.

Section 4. Ownership of Society Property. The society shall not be operated for profit and its entire properties as such, and facilities shall be devoted to the purposes for which it is organized as set forth in the constitution and by-laws as the same, from time to time, may be amended. No member shall have any right to or any share of interest in any of the property or assets of the society. The funds of the society shall be maintained in bank account in the City of Huntsville, Alabama, under the name of the society. The authorized signature for this account shall be that of the treasurer.

Section 5. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the society shall be from July 1 of one year to June 30 of the following year.

By-law III: Officers

Section 1. Regular Officers. The duties of the president, vice president-president elect, secretary, treasurer and chairman of the program committee shall be the usual ones pertaining to such offices. The president shall be a member of all committees defined in Section 4 of this by-law. The secretary and treasurer shall make reports to the society at its annual business meetings. The treasurer's report shall be audited by two members of the society appointed by the retiring president for that purpose. The retiring secretary shall transmit to the Executive Secretary of the Optical Society of America and the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers after the annual business meeting and before the end of that fiscal year, a resume of the activities of the Huntsville Electro-Optical Society for the year past, including the program of meetings and the names of officers elected for the coming year.

The president shall appoint two officers to represent the interests of the national Optical Society of American and two officers to represent the interests of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. The appointments will become effective upon approval of a majority of the officers of the society. The names of the appointees shall be included in the resume of the activities of the society transmitted by the retiring secretary to the Executive Secretary of the Optical Society of America and the Society of the Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Section 2. Executive Council. The executive council shall direct all affairs and activities of the society not otherwise provided for and by the constitution as well as perform those specific duties assigned to it by the constitution or by vote of the society. The executive council shall be composed of the regular officers of the society, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Program Committee - Plant Representatives. The Chairman of the program committee shall appoint several members to serve as the program committee. All such appointments shall receive prior approval by the president of the society. The members of the program committee shall be distributed, insofar as possible, among the major scientific laboratories and industries of Huntsville, Alabama. The members of the program committee shall be considered "Plant representatives." In addition to assisting the chairman of the program committee, each plant representative shall, within his plant, solicit new members, publicize the meetings of the society, and otherwise promote the interests of the society.

Section 4. Committees. The president shall appoint committees from time to time which, in his opinion, will further the aims of the society.

Section 5 : Form a Board of Directors. To ensure the perpetuation of the society and improve continuity from year to year, a board of directors for the society is hereby established. The board of directors shall consist of all active past presidents of HEOS and its predecessor organizations (Huntsville section of the OSA, and HEOSWG). The board of directors shall elect a chairman each year from its membership. This board shall provide advise and guidance to the executive council, assure continuity of operations during transitions occurring as the result of elections and shall otherwise assure society effectiveness and perpetuation. This board shall be independent of the executive council, and shall hold meetings as needed to perform its function. A minimum of one meeting each year will be held for the purpose of electing a chairman, for discussion of recent conduct of the society, and to develop a consensus on needs of the society and advise and guidance to be given to the executive council. The required meeting shall take place after the annual meeting in which new officers are installed, and prior to the first regular meeting of the new year. The chairman of the board of directors shall serve as a member of the executive council, and in this position shall represent the board to the executive council for the purpose of providing guidance and direction to the societies elected officers. In the event that president or other elected officials of the society become unable or unwilling to perform their responsibilities because of illness, transfer to other locations, or for any other reason, this board by 2/3 majority of a sitting quorum shall replace officers by appointment and/or otherwise reformulate the executive council for the remainder of the officer's term (s), and thereby assure continuing operation of the society.

By-law IV: Election of Officers

Section 1. Eligibility. Officers shall be elected from the membership of the society. The president shall be ineligible for election to a second successive term. However, the retiring past- president may be elected to the office of vice president-president elect. Other officers may be re- elected to successive terms. All elected officers shall be members of at least one of the parent national organizations, i. e. members of either the Optical Society of America or the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Section 2. Time of Election and Assumption of Duties. Officers shall be elected by mail ballot prior to the annual business meeting. They shall assume office on July 1. The retiring vice president- president elect shall assume the office of president at that time and the retiring president shall assume the office of past-president.

Section 3. Mode of Election. Mode of Election. The president shall appoint a nominating committee of three members. This committee shall place in nomination, with the permission of each nominee, at least one, but not more than two names for vice president-president elect, for secretary, treasurer and for program chairman. The slate of candidates placed in nomination by the nominating committee and a list of eligible candidates shall be mailed to reach each member on or before March 21. Additional candidates may be nominated, with the permission of each nominee, by a petition signed by at least five members of the society. Such petitions shall be received by the secretary before April 1. Notice of all nominations and ballot shall be mailed to each member of the society in April. The ballots shall be counted by the secretary and at least one other officer during the first week in May.

Section 4. Term of Office. All officers shall serve for a period of one year unless re-elected. No person shall hold more than one office at a time.

Section 5. Vacancies. Any vacant office shall be filled by a majority vote of the executive council.

By-law V: Meetings

Section 1. Meetings of the Society. Meetings of the society shall be held on a bi-monthly basis nominally. Additional meetings may be held from time to time if recommended by the president or approved by a majority of the executive council. As a goal six regular meetings shall be held each year. The annual business meeting of the society shall be held in conjunction with the Society of the Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers Symposium.

Section 2. Meetings of the Executive Council. The president shall call meetings of the executive council as he deems necessary. Ordinarily, such meetings shall be held before or after the close of the regularly scheduled meetings.

Section 3. Quorum. Society members shall be advised by mail at least one week prior to the next meeting of all business matters to be voted on at that meeting. A quorum necessary for transaction of business shall be those members present at that meeting and a majority vote of those voting members present shall be necessary to approve any business matter . A quorum for an executive council meeting shall be 50% of the council members, and any action of this council must be approved by a majority of council members present at that meeting.

By-law VI: Demise of the society

Section 1. Membership. In the event that the number of dues paying members of this society falls below 10, the society may be disbanded by a majority vote of all surviving members.

Section 2. Ownership of Society Property. In the event that this society disbands, all property and assets of this society shall be divided between the Optical Society of America and the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

By-law VII: Revision of By-laws

After recommendation by a majority of the entire executive council, by-laws may be enacted, suspended or amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any meeting of the society.