Constitution and Bylaws

Adopted: 10 February 1977
Amended: 12 June 1978, May 1983, 14 January 1985, 15 January 1990, 14 September 1992, 11 November 1994, 7 February 2000, 4 April 2005, 10 September 2007, 4 January 2010.

Article I: Name
Article II: Objectives
Article III: Membership
Article IV: Officers and Board of Directors
Article V: Duties of Officers and Board of Directors
Article VI: Awards
Article VII: Meetings
Article VIII: Committees
Article IX: Expenditures and Appropriations
Article X: Amendments

ARTICLE I: NAME (top)

Section 1.1

The name of the organization shall be the “New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers” and is herein referred to as the Chapter. The Chapter is charted by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, a not-for-profit corporation, herein referred to as the Society.

ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVES (top)

Section 2.1

The objectives of the Chapter shall be to advance the art and science of fire protection engineering and its allied fields, to maintain a high ethical standard among its members, and to foster fire protection engineering education.

Section 2.2

The Chapter shall not speak for the Society on any local or national matter without specific written authorization from the Society.

Section 2.3

The Chapter shall abide by the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP (top)

Section 3.1

There shall be six Society grades of membership (defined in the Constitution of the Society) as follows: Fellow, Honorary Member, Professional Member, Associate Member, Affiliate, and Student Member of the Society.

Section 3.1.1

No person shall be eligible for membership in the Chapter unless he/she holds membership in the Society.

Section 3.2

Chapter Supporters shall be persons from groups in related fields of endeavor or interest who do not hold Society membership but who subscribe to the objectives of the Chapter.

Section 3.3

All applications for membership to the Chapter shall be submitted to the Membership Committee Chair, who shall confirm the applicant’s membership status in the Society. After being voted upon favorably at a meeting of the Board of Directors, the applicant’s name will then be read at the next regular Chapter meeting, and members present will vote on the applicant. If approved by the majority of members present, the applicant shall then be notified, in an appropriate manner, of his/her acceptance as a Chapter member or Chapter supporter, which shall be duly entered in the Chapter records by the Treasurer.

Section 3.4

The annual dues of each Member and the annual fee of each Chapter Supporter shall be in the amount as recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by a majority vote at any two consecutive regular Meetings. Dues and fees are payable immediately upon election for a new Member or a new Chapter Supporter and for all Members/Supporters on or before the first chapter meeting of each fiscal year thereafter.

Section 3.5

Each Fellow, Honorary Member, Professional Member, Associate Member, and Affiliate is entitled to one vote in the affairs of the Chapter. Chapter Supporters and Student Members are not entitled to vote.

Section 3.6

Any member of any grade suspended from membership in the Society shall be suspended by the Chapter Treasurer, but shall be automatically reinstated if, within six months of such suspension, he or she remedies the condition for which he or she was suspended.

Section 3.7

Chapter Members or Chapter Supporters who fail to pay Chapter dues/fees within sixty days of the payment due date may be suspended by the Treasurer, regardless of said member’s good standing in the Society. Reinstatement may be made upon reapplication and payment of dues/fees.

Section 3.8

Any Fellow, Professional Member or Associate Member may, upon written request to the Secretary and upon payment of an amount which is ten times the annual dues, become a Member for Life if the individual (a) has at least a fifteen year Membership record in good standing, and (b) has reached the age of fifty.

Anyone holding any grade of membership may, upon written request to the Board of Directors and on payment of an amount which is three times the annual dues, become a Member for Life if the individual has at least a fifteen year membership record in good standing and has reached the age of sixty-four.

Following acceptance of Member for Life, no portion of the fee shall be refundable.

A Member for Life retains all voting and other privileges commensurate with the grade of his or her prior membership.

Section 3.9

Any Member of any grade or Chapter Supporter who retires from all professional income producing activity, and upon completion of the dues notice indicating “retired”, shall be exempt from paying annual dues/fees provided that they have a membership record in good standing for five years.

Section 3.10

Any Member or Chapter Supporter may be expelled from the Chapter for cause after a 2/3 vote of the Board. The Secretary shall send a letter to the individual indicating the reason he/she is to be voted upon for expulsion, and he/she may appear at the voting meeting to defend himself/herself.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS (top)

Section 4.1

Officers of the Chapter shall be: President, Vice President(s), Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary, and Assistant Secretary, all holding membership in the Society. The President and Vice President(s) shall be a Fellow, Professional Member or Associate Member. The Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary and Assistant Secretary may be an Affiliate. Honorary Members, Student Members and Chapter Supporters shall not hold a Chapter office.

Section 4.2

Officers of the Chapter shall be elected by a majority of Chapter members present at the Annual Business Meeting. Officers shall serve terms of one year or until their successors are elected. All officers shall serve without salary. The term of officers elected at the Annual Business Meeting shall commence on August 1 of the year elected.

Section 4.3

There shall be a Board of Directors which shall include the officers, the immediate Past President and four members-at-large (known as Directors) elected by the Chapter. Members-at-large shall be any grade except Student Member. Up to 50% of the members-at-large may be Chapter Supporters. The Directors shall be elected at the Annual Business Meeting in the following manner: At each Annual Business Meeting, two members-at-large shall be elected to serve a term of two years or until their successors are elected. Chairs of standing committees provided for in Article VIII shall be non-voting members of the Board of Directors, unless the chairs are officers or directors.

Section 4.4

A majority of the voting members of the Chapter’s Board of Directors shall hold the grade of Fellow, Professional Member or Associate Member in the Society.

Section 4.5

No officer (except the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary and Assistant Secretary) and no member-at-large of the Board of Directors shall serve for more than two consecutive terms in any one office.

Section 4.6

Any Member of the Board of Directors may be expelled from the Board for cause (including unacceptable amounts of meeting absences) after a 2/3 vote of the Board. The Secretary shall send a letter to the Board member indicating the reason he/she is to be voted upon for expulsion, and he/she may appear at the voting meeting to defend himself/herself. The voting rights of that Board member are suspended during that meeting.

Section 4.7

Vacancies in office may be filled until the next annual meeting by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Any person who is selected to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term of an elected officer or director is still eligible to serve for two full terms.

ARTICLE V: DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS (top)

Section 5.1

It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings and to perform other duties usual to the office. He shall call meetings of the Board of Directors at his discretion or by request of three or more members of the Board of Directors. He shall appoint the chair of standing committees provided for in Article VII, and such special committees as may be required, subject to approval of the Board of Directors as occasion may require. The President shall serve as "Ex-Officio" member of all committees. If for any reason the President is not available, the Vice President(s) shall have the powers and prerogatives of the President.

Section 5.2

It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to formulate the policies of the Chapter, conduct the ordinary business activities and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Constitution and By-Laws.

Section 5.3

It shall be a specific duty of the Board of Directors to pass upon the desirability of any action submitted to the Chapter for its consideration with respect to basic policy. Negative or advisory results will be reported immediately to the Chapter for further action.

Section 5.4

It shall be the duty of the Secretary to record all official actions of the Chapter and to perform the duties usual to the office. He shall issue all
notices of meetings, keep minutes of meetings, maintain records of electronic voting, and issue up-to-date lists of the Chapter members to the membership.

Section 5.5

It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive all monies for deposit, keep complete records of all transactions, issue notice of membership renewal, collect members’/supporters’ dues/fees and maintain a record thereof.

Section 5.6

The Board of Directors shall meet at least quarterly, but may meet as often as necessary or desirable at the discretion of the President.

Section 5.7

A majority of Chapter officers and a minimum of one member-at-large shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board of Directors. However, the majority of the Board of Directors at any such meeting shall hold the grade of Fellow, Professional Member or Associate Member.

ARTICLE VI: AWARDS (top)

Section 6.1

The Board of Directors may create an ongoing awards program to recognize both Chapter Members and Chapter Supporters. The Chapter President or the Board of Directors may present special awards as needs may arise. The Chapter President shall be a member of the awards committee.

Section 6.2

The Chapter establishes the following awards (in Section 6.4), which will be presented to the recipients at the annual business meeting. It is not the intent to present them annually, only as they are merited.

Section 6.3

Generally, the awards shall have a generic name and not a proper name (such as a past or present member of the Chapter, or other proper name).

Section 6.4

The award shall be a plaque (or other appropriate award as approved by the Board of Directors) recognizing the recipients’ achievements.

Certificate of Appreciation: The Certificate of Appreciation shall recognize Chapter Members or Supporters who, over the years, have rendered service to the Chapter in an unselfish, extraordinary manner, and have continually promoted the goals of SFPE.

Hats Off Award: The Hats Off Award is given to recognize a Chapter Member or a Chapter Supporter who, in the course of their Chapter assignment, have put forth that extra effort….walked that extra mile….to ensure that the effort expended was the absolute best.

The John V. Kelly Excellence in Government Award: The Excellence in Government Award is given in recognition to a public official’s accomplishments, contributions and achievements in the promotion of public awareness of fire protection and prevention concepts and ideals.

Engineer of the Year: The Engineer of the Year Award shall recognize Chapter Members or Chapter Supporters who are registered Professional Engineers, and in the course of their normal activities have expended extra effort to promote the goals of the SFPE and extra effort to promote the profession of Fire Protection Engineering.

Outstanding Service Award: The Outstanding Service Award shall recognize Chapter Members or Supporters who have rendered service on a Chapter committee in an unselfish, extraordinary manner above and beyond normal expectations.

President’s Award: The President’s Award shall recognize Chapter Members and Supporters who, in the course of activities during the prior fiscal year, have expended extra effort to promote the goals of SFPE and to contribute to the Fire Protection Engineering profession.

ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS (top)

Section 7.1

Meetings shall be held at least quarterly, and there should be one definite meeting being designated by the Board of Directors as the Annual Business Meeting.

Section 7.2

At the Annual Business meeting the retiring President shall present an annual report reviewing the activities of the Chapter during the past twelve months and recommending future activities. The Treasurer shall present a report showing receipts and disbursements for the past twelve months, and a statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth at the close of the elected term.

Section 7.3

In order to transact business at any meeting of the Chapter, there should be at least ten members or 10% of the total voting membership of the Chapter present (whichever is greater), including a quorum of the Board of Directors.

Section 7.4

Roberts’ Rules of Order shall govern the transaction of business in all meetings unless inconsistent with these articles.

ARTICLE VIII: COMMITTEES (top)

Section 8.1

Committees shall be of two classes: Standing Committees, which shall have a continuing function, and Special Committees appointed by the President for the execution of a particular task.

Section 8.2

The following Standing Committees and their functions are hereby established.

Program Committee: This committee shall recommend appropriate features for meetings and field trips. It shall procure qualified speakers for presentation of subjects and information on, or allied to, Fire Protection Engineering, and shall extend the courtesies of the Chapter to such speakers. This committee, in conjunction with the Communications Committee, shall issue all notices (announcements) of any special meeting.

Arrangements (Meeting) Committee: This committee shall arrange all details of meetings and Chapter activities (such as luncheons, public address system, projectors, etc.) in cooperation with the Program Committee.

Membership Committee: This committee shall solicit qualified individuals; (1) for membership in the Society, (2) individuals who are local members of the Society for Chapter membership, and (3) individuals in related fields of endeavor or interest as Chapter Supporters. The Membership Committee shall (a) screen applications for Chapter membership, (b) present to the Chapter applications for membership, (c) notify new members or supporters in writing of their acceptance and enclose a copy of the Chapter’s Constitution and By-Laws, and (d) introduce new members or supporters at a Chapter meeting.

Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members with two members elected by the membership at the annual business meeting. The immediate past president shall be the third member and shall Chair this committee. It shall be their duty to nominate a slate of officers and members-at-large for the Board of Directors, and the nominating committee for the following fiscal year.

Note: The above provision shall not preclude the nomination of any other candidate, but no member shall be eligible for election to any office unless his or her name shall have been submitted to the Secretary at least four weeks before the Annual Business Meeting, together with the signatures of five voting members of the Chapter. Nomination for officers and membership on the Board of Directors shall be mailed by the Secretary to the Chapter members at least two weeks prior to the Annual Business Meeting.

Scholarship Fund Committee: This committee shall supervise and administer such matters as the Board of Directors shall direct in conjunction with the New York Metropolitan Chapter and the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers’ Scholarship Fund.

Auditing Committee: This committee shall audit the Treasurer’s books, verify the balance and certify as to the accounts at the close of the fiscal year. The committee shall document the results of such audit in a letter to the president and make a report to the membership at the start of the following year.

Archivist Committee (Chapter Historian): This committee and the Chapter Historian shall be the curator to maintain and archive the records of the Chapter, including, but not limited to those from the President, Treasurer and Secretary. The Chapter Historian shall at least annually update the Historical Facts section of the Web page.

Communications Committee: This committee shall be responsible in notifying the Chapter membership of meetings and Chapter news. Communications shall include, but not limited to, (a) meeting notices, (b) minutes of meetings, (c) publication of the Fusible Link, and (d) posting of the Chapter ‘Constitution and By-Laws’ on the Chapter’s Web page.

ARTICLE IX: EXPENDITURES AND APPROPRIATIONS (top)

Section 9.1

No expenditure or appropriation of Chapter monies shall be authorized except by majority vote of the Board of Directors. This shall not include necessary expenditures required by the Secretary or Treasurer for stationery, postage and incidentals.

Section 9.2

The Chapter shall in no way incur financial or contractual obligations upon the Society without full written approval of the Board of Directors of the Society, nor upon the Chapter without full approval of the Board of Directors of the Chapter.

ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS (top)

Section 10.1

These articles may be amended in the following manner. Proposals for amendments shall be submitted by any Chapter Member in good standing, in writing, to the Secretary. The Secretary shall present the proposals to the Board of Directors. Any further action of the proposals requires a three-quarters affirmative vote by the Board of Directors. The tentatively approved proposals shall be distributed in writing to the membership and read at the regular meeting immediately preceding that at which the amendments are to be voted upon. Passage of the proposed amendments requires a two-thirds vote of the members present.

Section 10.2

All changes in the Chapter Constitution and By-Laws shall be submitted to the Society Board of Directors. All amendments shall become valid after approval by the Chapter membership, and after review and approval by the Society Board of Directors.