Great Plains Chapter - SHRM
Bylaws
Updated 3/29/06

Article 1
Name and Affiliation

Section 1.1: Name. The name of our Chapter is Great Plains Chapter - SHRM, Lawton, Oklahoma.

Section 1.2: Affiliation. The Great Plains Chapter - SHRM is affiliated with the Society for Human Resource Management (herein referred to as SHRM).

Section 1.3: Relationships. The Chapter is a separate legal entity from SHRM. It shall not be deemed to be an agency or instrumentality of SHRM or of a State Council, and SHRM shall not be deemed to be an agency or instrumentality of the Chapter. The Chapter shall not hold itself out to the public as an agent of SHRM without express written consent of SHRM. The Chapter shall not contract in the name of SHRM without the express written consent of SHRM.

Article 2
Purpose

The purposes of this Chapter, as a non-profit organization, are:

i.   to provide a forum for the personal and professional development of
     our members;

ii.   to provide an opportunity to develop leadership, managerial, public
     speaking and group decision-making skills;

iii.  to provide an arena for the development of trust relationships where
     common problems can be discussed and deliberated;

iv.  to provide an opportunity to focus on current human resource
     management issues of importance to our members;

v.   to provide a focus for legislative attention to state and national
     human resource management issues;

vi.  to provide valuable information gathering and dissemination channels;

vii.  to provide a pool of human resource management leaders for
      perpetuation of the Chapter and of SHRM;

viii.  to serve as an important vehicle for introducing human resource
       management professionals to SHRM;

ix.   to serve as a source of new members for SHRM; and

x.    to serve as part of the two-way channel of communications
       between SHRM and the individual members.

The Chapter supports the purposes of SHRM, which are to promote the use of sound and ethical human resource management practices in the profession and:

a.   to be a recognized world leader in human resource management;

b.   to provide high-quality, dynamic and responsive programs and
      service to our customers with interests in human resource
      management;

c.    to be the voice of the profession on human resource management
      issues;

d.   to facilitate the development and guide the direction of the human
      resource profession; and

e.   to establish, monitor and update standards for the profession.

Article 3
Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Chapter shall be the calendar year.

Article 4
Membership

Section 4.1: Qualifications for Membership. The qualifications for membership in the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM shall be as stated in Sections 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4 of this Article. To achieve the mission of the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM there shall be no discrimination in individual memberships because of race, religion, sex, age, national origin or handicap. Memberships are individual and are not transferable to other individuals.

Section 4.2: Professional Members. Membership shall be limited to (a) those individuals actively engaged in bona fide human resources administration (at the exempt level) for at least three years and who devote at least 50% of their time to personnel, human resources or industrial relations functions; (b) faculty members holding an assistant, associate or full professor rank in personnel, human resources or industrial relations or their specialized phases at an accredited college or university and who posses at least three years of responsible experience at this level of teaching; (c) full-time consultants with at least 3 years experience in the field of human resources management. Members of this class have the right to vote and may hold office in the Chapter.

Section 4.3: General Members. Individuals who are engaged in the profession of human resource management in an exempt position but do not meet the requirements of Professional Membership. General Members may vote and hold any office at the local level except the elected positions of President and President-Elect.

Section 4.4: Student Members. Individuals who are actively enrolled in human resources degree programs at the college or university level. Student Members may not vote and may not hold office in the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM.

Section 4.5: Application for Membership. Application for membership shall be on the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM application form. New members shall be afforded full membership rights from the date of application approval by the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM elected officers.

Section 4.6: Voting. Each Professional and General Member of the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM shall have the right to cast one vote on each matter brought before a vote of the members. Student Members shall have no right to vote. Vote shall be judged by a Presidential appointee.

Section 4.7: Dues. Annual membership dues shall be established for the next year by the Board of Directors prior to the mailing of renewal notices.

Article 5
Members Meetings

Section 5.1: Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the members shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month or as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 5.2: Annual Meetings. The annual meetings of the members for electing directors and officers and conducting other appropriate business shall be held at a time determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 5.3: Special Meetings. Special meetings of members shall be held on call of the President, the Board of Directors or by members having one-twentieth of the votes entitled to be cast at such meetings.

Section 5.4: Notice of Meetings. Notice of all special and annual meetings shall be given to all members at least ten days prior to the meetings. Notice of regular meeting shall be given to all members at least seven days prior to the meetings.

Section 5.5: Quorum. One-tenth of the membership must be present in person or by proxy, to constitute a quorum. The vote of the majority of the members present or represented by proxy at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be necessary for the adoption of any matter voted on by the members.

Article 6
Board of Directors

Section 6.1: Number. The Board of Directors shall consist of all elected officers plus those appointed by the elected officers.

Section 6.2: Qualifications. All candidates for the Board of Directors must be Professional or General members of the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM in good standing at the time of nomination or appointment. Per SHRM Bylaws, the President must be a current member in good standing with SHRM throughout the duration of his/her term of office. Board members may not be elected to serve more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same position.

Section 6.3: Election - Term of Office. Directors shall be elected by the members at the annual meeting of the membership from the proposed slate of the nominating committee appointed by the Board of Directors at the beginning of each election year. Each elected Director shall assume office on January1st following his/her election and shall hold office for one year or until his/her successor is elected and takes office. A Director may succeed himself/herself no more than once.

Section 6.4: Vacancies. Any vacancy in the Board may be filled for the unexpired term by the President with consent by the Board of Directors.

Section 6.5: Quorum. A simple majority of the total Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The act of a majority of the Directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors.

Section 6.6: Board of Directors' Responsibilities. The Board of Directors shall transact all business of the Chapter except as prescribed otherwise in the Article of Incorporation or Bylaws. A Member in good standing may request the President to place on the agenda of the next regular meeting any action taken by the Board of Directors.

Section 6.7: Removal of Director and Officer. Any director or officer may be removed from office, with or without cause, upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the entire Board of Directors at a duly constituted Board of Directors meeting.

Article 7
Duties and Responsibilities

Section 7.1: The President. The President shall preside at the meetings of the members and of the Board. He/she shall direct the Chapter and have charge and supervision of the affairs and business of the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM. He/she shall maintain liaison and be a current member in good standing with SHRM. The President or his/her designated appointee must attend all state council meetings.

Section 7.2: The President-Elect. The President-Elect, at the request of the President, or in his/her absence or disability, may perform any of the duties of the President. He/she shall have such other powers and perform such other liaison duties as the Board or the President may determine. He/she shall encourage membership growth and shall maintain the official membership roster of the Chapter. The Great Plains Chapter - SHRM requires the President-Elect to be a current member in good standing with SHRM.

Section 7.3: The Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial affairs of the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM. These responsibilities shall include financial reports to the Board and arrangements for the annual examination audit of the accounts as may be required by the Board. He/she shall be responsible for membership billing. He/she shall also perform such other duties as the President may determine.

Section 7.4: The Secretary. The Secretary shall be responsible for recording minutes of all meetings of the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM, shall be responsible for making all members aware of such meetings, and shall be responsible for coordinating the activities related to the Chapter's newsletter.

Article 8
Core Leaders

Section 8.1: Core Leader Organization. Appointments of Core Leaders are the sole responsibility of the President. The Core Leader and the President will seek interested members to participate in activities. Special Committees or task forces may be organized by the President to meet particular Great Plains Chapter - SHRM needs.

Section 8.2: Core Leader Activity. Core Leaders are established to provide Great Plains Chapter - SHRM with special ongoing services such as Programs, Membership Communications, Legislative Affairs, Professional Development, Student Chapter Affairs, Public Relations, etc.

Article 9
Electronic Voting

Mail of electronic ballots can be used for the election of Directors provided the Chapter has had at least one in-person meeting that year.

Article 10 
Statement of Ethics

Great Plains Chapter - SHRM adopts SHRM's Code of Ethical and Professional Standards in Human Resource Management for members of the Association in order to promote and maintain the highest standards among our members. Each member shall honor, respect and support the purposes of this Chapter and of SHRM.

The Great Plains Chapter - SHRM shall not be represented as advocating or endorsing any issue unless approved by the Board of Directors.  No member shall actively solicit business from any other member at Chapter meetings without the approval from the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM Board of Directors.

Article 11
Parliamentary Procedure

Meetings of the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM shall be governed by the rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order (newly revised) in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are consistent with the Law and the Bylaws of the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM.

Article 12
Amendment of Bylaws

The Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum exists and in which required notice has been met, provided that no such amendment shall be effective unless and until approved by the SHRM President/CEO or his/her designee as being in furtherance of the purposes of the SHRM and not in conflict with SHRM bylaws. Any motion to amend the bylaws shall clearly state that it is not effective unless and until approved by the SHRM President/CEO or his/her designee.

Article 13
Chapter Dissolution

In the event of the chapter's dissolution, the remaining monies in the Treasury, after Great Plains Chapter - SHRM expenses have been paid, will be contributed to the SHRM Foundation.

Article 14
Withdrawal of Affiliated Chapter Status

Affiliated chapter status may be withdrawn by the President/CEO of SHRM or his/her designee as a representative of the SHRM Board of Directors upon finding that the activities of the Chapter are inconsistent with or contrary to the best interests of SHRM. Prior to withdrawal of such status, the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM shall have an opportunity to review a written statement of the reasons for such proposed withdrawal and an opportunity to provide the SHRM Board of Directors with a written response to such a proposal within a thirty (3) day period. In addition, when the Great Plains Chapter - SHRM fails to maintain the required affiliation standards as set forth by the SHRM Board of Directors, it is subject to immediate disaffiliation by SHRM. After withdrawal of Chapter status, the SHRM Board of Directors may cause a new Chapter to be created, or, with the consent of the President/CEO of SHRM and the consent of the body which has had Chapter status withdrawn, may re-confer Chapter status upon such body.

Article 15
Terms Used

As used in these Bylaws, feminine or neuter pronouns shall be substituted for those of the masculine form, and the plurals shall be substituted for the singular number in any place where the context may require such substitution or substitutions.