BYLAWS OF THE 
CORPUS CHRISTI BRANCH

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the Corpus Christi Branch, Texas Section, American Society of Civil Engineers.

Section 2: The objective of Corpus Christi Branch shall be the advancement of the science and profession of civil engineering through education in a manner consistent with the objectives of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Section 3: The actions of the Corpus Christi Branch shall be consistent with the provisions as set forth in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Texas Section.

Section 1: The area of the Corpus Christi Branch shall be the Counties of Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Calhoun, Duval, Goliad, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Webb, and Zapata in the state of Texas.

Section 2: All members of the American Society of Civil Engineers of all grades, who subscribe to the Bylaws of the Corpus Christi Branch and who have satisfied current dues requirements of the Section and Branch, and who are residents in the Branch area, shall be Subscribing Members of the Branch. All other members of the American Society of Civil Engineers of all grades, whose addresses are within the boundaries of the Branch, as defined above, shall be Assigned Members of the Branch.

Section 1. Branch activities shall be financed by Branch annual dues, newsletter advertising, and revenue from Branch meetings, conferences and seminars.

Section 2. There shall be no entrance fee.

Section 3. Annual Branch dues shall be $6.00. Branch dues along with Section and National dues shall be collected in accordance with the current policy of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Section 4. Members exempt from payment of Section and National dues in the Society shall be exempt from payment of Branch dues. Such exempt members shall be subscribing members.

Section 1: The officers of this Branch shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Director to the Texas Section, who with the latest resident Past-President shall constitute the Board of Directors. The management of the Branch and administration of its business, affairs and property shall be vested in the Board of Directors, subject to the Bylaws and Rules of Operation of the Branch.

Section 2: All officers, except the Director to the Texas Section, shall be elected for terms of one year. Directors to the Texas Section shall be elected for terms of two years, commencing on even-numbered years. Terms shall begin at the close of the Annual Meeting and continue until their successors are elected and assume offices.

Section 3: The Vice-President shall succeed to the office of President at the close of the Annual Meeting.

Section 4: Only subscribing members of the Branch shall be eligible for election to office.

Section 5: A vacancy in the office of the President shall be filled by the Vice-President. Other vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment by the Board of Directors.

Section 6: Neither the President nor the Vice-President shall be eligible to succeed him or herself in his or her respective office except upon serving out an unexpired term.

Section 7: The duties of officers and committee chairs shall be as outlined in the Branch Rules of Operation.

Section 1: By April 1 of each year, the Nominating Committee shall choose one or more candidates for election to each office, except the office of the President, and obtain the consent of each nominee to serve if elected.

Section 2: The Secretary shall send a letter ballot, containing the list of official nominees and a space for a write-in vote for another candidate for each office, to each subscribing member of the Branch on or before the 1st Tuesday of May of each year. Alternatively, electronic ballots may be used in lieu of letter ballots, provided that voter authenticity is verified, and provided that letter ballots be made available on an "as requested" basis. The Board of Directors shall approve methods of collecting and counting electronic ballots, as well as verification of voter authenticity.

Section 3: Ballots returned up to the designated time of counting shall be opened and counted by three tellers appointed by the President. For each office, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast shall be declared elected.

Section 1: The Branch shall hold regular monthly meetings as scheduled in the Rules of Operation. The meeting during the month of June shall be the Annual Meeting, at which officers for the ensuing year shall be installed.

Section 2: Officer and committee chair reports shall be given at the September meeting.

Section 3: The presence of one officer and ten (10) Subscribing Members shall constitute a quorum at a regular meeting. The requirements for a quorum shall be the same for any called Branch meeting.

Section 4: The Board of Directors shall hold at least two meetings per year.

Section 5: The presence of three (3) members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum at a Board meeting. The requirements for a quorum shall be the same for any called Board meeting.

Section 6: Other meetings may be called at the discretion of the President or Board of Directors, as deemed necessary.

Section 7: The proceedings of meetings of the Board of Directors and of the general membership of the Branch shall be governed by these Bylaws, the pertinent directives of the Texas Section and/or American Society of Civil Engineers, and in all points not in conflict with the above or not covered by the above, by the latest revision of Robert's Rules of Order.

Section 1: The President each year shall appoint the following committees: Programs, Membership, Nominating, Newsletter, Student-Member Liaison, Public Information, History and Heritage, Honors and Awards, Professional Practice, Education, Webmaster, and Auditing.

Section 2: The President shall appoint such other committees as are from time to time deemed necessary.

Section 1: The fiscal year of the Branch shall commence on July 1st.

Section 1: Upon receipt of a petition to amend the Bylaws or Rules of Operation signed by at least ten subscribing members in good standing, the Board of Directors shall take immediate action on the petition in accordance with this Article.

Section 2: Bylaws may be adopted or amended only by the following procedure:

1. The proposed amendment(s) to these Bylaws shall be distributed to the subscribing membership of the Branch who shall be given the opportunity to vote.
2. Any proposed amendment(s) to these Bylaws shall be presented to the membership at a regular meeting of the Branch for discussion at least 30 days prior to being voted upon. The intent to discuss the proposed amendment(s) shall be made known to the subscribing membership along with the meeting notice. Letter ballots shall be distributed to members at least 30 days prior to votes being cast. Alternatively, electronic ballots may be used in lieu of letter ballots, provided that voter authenticity is verified, and provided that letter ballots be made available on an "as requested" basis. The Board of Directors shall approve methods of collecting and counting ballots, as well as verification of voter authenticity.
3. The proposed amendment(s) must receive an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the number of subscribing members voting. Amendments shall also receive the approval of the Board of Directors of the Texas Section.

Section 3: The Rules of Operation may be adopted or amended by the Board of Directors, in conformity with these Bylaws at any scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors, by a two-thirds majority vote, so long as a quorum is present. Notice of the intent to adopt or amend the Rules of Operation shall be distributed to all Board and Committee Members at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.

Section 4: Amended Bylaws or Rules of Operation shall become effective immediately upon the affirmative vote of the membership or Board of Directors, as applicable.

Section 1: No part of the net earnings of the Branch shall inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual and no substantial part of the activities of the Branch shall be carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Branch shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.

Section 2: Upon dissolution of the Branch, the assets remaining after the payment of the debts of the Branch shall be distributed to such corporation, community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary or educational purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, which would then qualify under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended, as the Board of Directors shall have designated and in the absence of such designation they shall be conveyed to the American Society of Civil Engineers.

This Constitution approved by the general membership of the Corpus Christi Branch at its duly constituted meeting on , in Corpus Christi, Texas.

This Constitution approved by the Board of Directors of the Texas Section on _______________ in Austin, Texas.