BYLAWS

1997)

encourage dissemination of information within the field of

forensic sciences and to discuss problems of common interest; to

foster friendship and cooperation among forensic scientists; to

stimulate research and development of new techniques within the

field; to promote the use of standardized methodology and

presentation of conclusions; to encourage compilation of

statistical data of value in the field; to assist in maintaining

a high level of professional competence among practicing forensic

scientists, and to lend assistance to colleges and universities

in the development of forensic science and related curricula and

available for Forensic Scientists of professional competency,

integrity, and good moral character. For the purpose of

membership, a Forensic Scientist is a person who holds an earned

baccalaureate in one of the natural sciences or in an appropriate

field, whose principal business is the application of natural

science to the examination of evidence for presentation in courts

of law, and who has given expert testimony in court concerning

his examinations. The Association may receive into Associate

Membership any person employed in a Forensic Laboratory who is

actively engaged in a professional or educational pursuit which

will lead to becoming a Forensic Scientist, or any person who has

Any Forensic Scientist or any person who is employed in a

Forensic Laboratory and is engaged in a professional or

educational pursuit which will lead to becoming a Forensic

Scientist or any person who has advanced the cause of Forensic

Science in a significant manner may be elected to Associate

meeting of the Association, prior to application,

(2) be extensively endorsed in writing by a voting member, and,

(3) receive the approval of a three-fourths (3/4) majority of the

standing for at least one year,

(2) have met all the requirements of Forensic Scientist for the

two years prior to election to Regular Membership, and

(3) receive the approval of three-fourths (3/4) majority of the

this body prior to the adoption of the initial constitution

Membership Committee for Retired class who (1) has been

pensioned, and (2) is no longer working in forensic science, and

(3) has been a forensic scientist for twenty years, and (4) has

been a SAFS member for ten years at the time that retired status

is granted. The Committee may also propose for this status any

voting member of the Association who has been granted a

disability pension by his employer, and who is no longer

practicing forensic science. This classification must be

confirmed by favorable vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the voting

members present at a September business meeting. A retired member

college or university, whose major field of endeavor leads to

becoming a Forensic Scientist may be elected to a limited three

of higher learning in a program leading to becoming a forensic

scientist (satisfied by signature of faculty advisor or

department head on application),

(2) be extensively endorsed in writing by one (1) voting member,

and

(3) receive the approval of a three-fourths (3/4) majority at a

change of membership classification shall be made in writing to

the Secretary-Treasurer. The application shall set forth the

qualifications of the applicant, which must meet the requirements

of the class of membership sought. All applications and

supporting documents must be received by the Secretary-Treasurer

by June 1 prior to the September business meeting in which the

application will be voted upon. Those applications which are

prima facie complete in all respects shall, not later than June

15 of each year, be forwarded to the chairman of the Membership

Committee, which committee shall consider and make a

recommendation concerning each application to the voting members

present at the following September business meeting. Proposals

for membership or change of membership classification shall be

Association by a written request directed to the

Secretary-Treasurer of the Association. The Secretary-Treasurer

shall inform the members of the Association of each termination

written dues notice between October 1 and December 30 of each

fiscal year. Any member who shall fail to pay his annual dues by

May 1 of the second consecutive fiscal year will automatically be

dropped from membership. Any member dropped for the above reason

may be readmitted only upon the filing of a new application which

shall receive the same consideration as any other application and

which must be submitted according to the rules and regulations

governing applications. The Secretary-Treasurer shall inform the

member of the Association of such termination at the next regular

for unethical conduct, conduct detrimental to the profession of

forensic science, or conduct detrimental to the welfare of the

Association. A member or members of the Association may initiate

proceeding to expel another member for cause by petitioning in

writing to the President, who will refer the matter to the Ethics

Committee. Three-fourths (3/4) of the voting members at any

membership may be dropped from membership upon recommendation of

either the Membership Committee or any voting member provided

that the recommendation receive a favorable vote of three-fourths

(3/4) of the voting members present at any business meeting. A

member so affected shall have the right to appear at one

subsequent business meeting for the purpose of appealing the

decision of the membership. No member of the Association at the

time of adoption of this subsection (August 30, 177) shall be

April and September of each year, except that the month may be

changed as ordered by a majority of the voting members at any

business meeting. The place and date of the meetings shall be

selected in advance by the Consultant Committee, which selections

must be ratified by a majority vote of the membership at a

elected a General Program Chairman and Special Program Chairmen

for each of the specialization areas of forensic science for

which a section program is desired at the corresponding (April or

September) meeting of the following year. The Special Program

Chairmen thus elected will have total responsibility for

developing the style and content of their respective section

programs. The General Program Chairman will be responsible for

any Plenary or General Program for the meeting, and for

coordinating the efforts of the Special Program Chairmen in order

to prepare a printed program in advance of the meeting. The

General Program Chairman will function as the chairman of the

Program Committee, composed of himself, the Special Program

Chairmen, the Social Program Chairman, and volunteers from the

member of the Program Committee, will be appointed by the

President on the advice of the Consultant Committee at the time

that the meeting site is ratified by the membership. The duties

of the Social program Chairman will be to make local arrangements

for meeting rooms, room reservations, food and refreshments, and

to plan any banquets, luncheons, or other social activities for

the meeting. The social Program Chairman will also arrange for

any exhibits of scientific equipment or other items of interest

determined by the Program Committee and will be set at an amount

sufficient to cover all meeting costs. Affiliates and non-member

students enrolled in curricula leading to careers in forensic

science shall be allowed to register for the scientific program

for a fee of five dollars. Any fund balance resulting from the

meeting proceeds will revert to the Treasury of the Association.

A fund deficit may be paid from the Treasury upon authorization

President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer. Officers

shall be elected annually at the September business meeting and

shall hold office for one year or until their successors shall

have been elected and qualified. In the event of the death or

incapacitation or resignation of a President, the Vice-President

shall automatically be elevated to the office of President for

the unexpired term. In the event of the death or incapacitation

or resignation of both the President and Vice-President, the

position will be held by the Secretary-Treasurer for the

remainder of the term. All officers elected at the Fall business

meeting shall assume office upon adjournment of the general

including levying of dues, shall be the responsibility of the

majority of the voting members present at the business meeting

members, Retired members and prospective members are allowed to

attend and participate in the discussions of the business

meeting. This access to the business meeting may be limited to

voting members when discussing or voting on an application for

membership by a prospective member or an application for

promotion of an Associate member or at the discretion of the

President. The President may designate a specific seating area

meetings and appoint necessary committees. In the absence of the

President, the Vice-President shall preside. In the absence of

both, the voting members shall elect a voting member to serve as

for the recording of the minutes of all meetings and shall

receive and care for all business records and papers belonging to

the Association. He shall bill, collect and keep account of, and

properly safeguard all funds of the Association. He shall

Association shall at all reasonable times be open to inspection

and examination by any voting member. Upon vacating office for

any reason the past office holder must turn over all files,

consisting of the current President, Vice-President, and

Secretary-Treasurer, the association shall have the following

standing committees, annually appointed by the President not

later than thirty (30) days following his election to office: (a)

Membership, (b) Finance, (c) Consultant, (d) Historical, and (e)

Nominating. The functions, composition, and tenure of these

chairman, and two (2) other voting members. It shall fulfill all

requirements concerning the membership of the Association as

chairman and two (2) voting members who shall not hold any other

office or serve on any other committee of the Association while

serving in this capacity. The Finance Committee shall, not less

than once per fiscal year, inspect and/or audit all financial

five (5) past Presidents together with other voting members, if

any, as designated by the President. The Consultant Committee

shall elect its own chairman. The Consultant Committee shall

assist in all undertakings authorized by the voting members to

implement the objectives of the Association. The Consultant

Committee shall recommend a meeting site for ratification by the

membership and a Social Program Chairman for appointment by the

President at least two years in advance of each regular meeting

chairman and two (2) other voting members. The

Secretary-Treasurer shall serve as an ex-officio member. The

Historical Committee shall maintain all records, files, and

chairman and four (4) voting members. The Nominating Committee

shall be responsible for presenting nominations for President,

Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer at the September business

meeting. One year in advance of each meeting of the Association

the Nominating Committee shall present nominations for each of

the specialization areas of forensic science for which a section

Chairman and four (4) voting members. The Awards Committee shall

be responsible for selecting and preparing the awards for the

Forensic Sciences Awards, to be awarded at the discretion of the

Committee.

(2) The SAFS Outstanding Paper Award, to be awarded at the

discretion of the Committee to the person or persons presenting

the outstanding Juried Paper at each SAFS meeting.

Executive Committee and two (2) voting members appointed by the

President, shall be activated by the President when action

against a member is initiated according to the regulations as set

forth in Chapter 1, Section 5(c) of these Bylaws. If available

within the voting membership, the two appointed voting members

must be practicing the same scientific discipline as the accused.

unprofessional conduct as enumerated;

(2) allow the accused and the accuser a reasonable oppor- tunity

to be heard at to be confronted; and

(3) give a report and recommendation to the membership at the

committee shall submit to the Secretary-Treasurer all pertinent

records on which action has been completed by the voting

Association must be approved through the Executive Committee. No

member of the Executive Committee or any appointed committee

shall receive, directly or indirectly, any salary or compensation

voting members present, the order of business at the semiannual

meetings shall be as follows:

(1) Reading and Approval of Minutes

(2) Reports of Officers, Boards, and Standing Committees

(3) Reports of Special (Select or ad hod) Committees

(4) Special Orders

(5) Unfinished Business and General Orders

upon adoption by the voting members, and the previous

three-fourths (3/4) vote of the voting members present at the

September meeting, provided a quorum is present and that copies

of each proposed amendment shall have been distributed to all

voting members at least thirty (30) days in advance of the

action of the voting members present at the twenty-third regular

business meeting of the Southern Association of Forensic

Scientists held at the Jovon Hotel in Auburn, Alabama, 09

September 1976, a quorum being present. The Bylaws were amended

in Chapter I – Membership at the twenty-fifth regular business

meeting, 26 August 1977, in Chapter II – Meetings, at the

thirty-first regular meeting, 05 September 1980, in Chapter I –

Membership and Chapter IV – Committees at the thirty-seventh

regular meeting, 09 September 1983, in Chapter I – Membership at

the thirty-ninth regular meeting, 05 October 1987, in Chapter IV

– Committees at the fortieth regular meeting, 13 September 1985,

in Chapter I – Membership at the fiftieth regular meeting, 06

September 1990, and in Chapter I -Management at the sixty-fifth

regular meeting, 05 September 1997.