BY-LAWS of the VERTICAL SECTION of the National Speleological Society
1) DEFINITION OF PURPOSE:
The purpose of the VERTICAL SECTION ("SECTION") of the National Speleological Society, subject to the conditions and limitations imposed by the Articles of Incorporation and by law, shall be:
(A) To educate the members and the public, and to promote interest, in the study and science of Speleology, and to advance the protection of caves and their natural contents, and to promote fellowship among those interested therein, by performing as a Section of the National Speleological Society ("NSS");
(B) To encourage the development of safe vertical caving techniques and their application in the exploration of vertical caves.
2) MEMBERSHIP:
(A) General Requirements: - Membership in the Vertical Section is open to all individuals demonstrating an interest in the objectives of the organization and agreeing to abide by its tenets. Membership shall not be denied due to race, sex, religious affiliation, or national origin.
(B) Membership Classifications:
(i) FULL REGULAR MEMBER: Full membership is limited to members of the NSS, who have paid current dues to both the SECTION and the NSS. Full regular members will receive all rights and benefits of SECTION membership. Regular members can vote and hold office.
(ii) SUBSCRIBER: Non-NSS members, or groups, who have paid Subscriber's dues are entitled only to receive a subscription to SECTION publications.
(C) Annual Dues: - Dues for all membership classes shall be set by the Executive Committee, subject to approval by a majority vote of the members present at the annual SECTION meeting. The Executive Committee (or its delegates) shall endeavor to notify all members when their dues are due. Such notice may be oral or written and which notice, if not given, shall not relieve any member of the obligation to timely pay dues.
3) TRUSTEES:
The Board of Trustees shall have the same membership as the Executive Committee and, for purposes of qualification, election, term of office, vacancies, powers, and duties, shall be synonymous with the Executive Committee.
4) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
The affairs of the SECTION shall be governed by an Executive Committee, as designated in Article IV of the CONSTITUTION of the SECTION.
(A) An Executive Committee member must remain a member of the SECTION to remain on the Committee.
(B) Primary Duties & Responsibilities of Officers:
(i) ALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- maintain a complete listing of duties of each Officer, to be available to new or prospective Committee members to guide them in fulfilling their requirements of office;
- perform other duties as required or designated by the members of the Committee;
- shall conduct all business of the SECTION in a fair and impartial manner; and
- shall maintain open communications with both Committee and SECTION members, as well as other interested parties, as needed to conduct the business of the SECTION.
(ii) CHAIRMAN:
- preside over all meetings of the SECTION;
- lead the Executive Committee in the conduct of all business; and
- ensure the proper conduct of all business of the SECTION.
(iii) SECRETARY-TREASURER:
- tape record the proceedings of all meetings;
- keep, read, and distribute minutes of all meetings of the SECTION;
- shall distribute the Minutes of all SECTION meetings to the Committee members within thirty (30) days;
- answer inquiries and prepare the general correspondence of the SECTION;
- have charge, custody, and responsibility for all funds of the SECTION;
- maintain the SECTION's bank account(s);
- disburse funds as required to conduct the proper business of the SECTION;
- maintain an accurate, up-to-date ledger of all financial transactions of the SECTION's funds;
- maintain an up-to-date listing of the SECTION's members, subscribers, and exchanges;
- maintain records and audits of prior years; and
- prepare the annual Secretary's Report, Treasurer's Report, and Report to the NSS Internal Organization Committee, in a timely fashion.
(iv) EDITOR:
- assemble, prepare, edit, publish in electronic format, and distribute NYLON HIGHWAY;
- shall publish at least one issue of NYLON HIGHWAY annually;
- arrange for suitable printing of the "Annual Volume" hardcopy of each issue of the NYLON HIGHWAY, if sales exist to warrant such a printing;
- maintain and distribute a library of back issues;
- shall publish the Minutes of all SECTION meetings exactly as received from the Secretary-Treasurer, as they represent the only record of meeting business;
- shall avoid derogatory and/or political articles;
- shall send controversial articles to at least one other Executive Committee member before printing for review and recommendation as to the appropriateness for publication;
- maintain an accurate, up-to-date ledger of all financial transactions pertinent to the Editor's office; and
- submit all receipts for expenditures annually to the Secretary-Treasurer.
(v) AT-LARGE MEMBERS:
- provide necessary assistance to the Chairman, Secretary-Treasurer, and Editor in the conduct of SECTION business; and
- conduct the business of any Committee member who becomes incapacitated during the year.
(vi) CONTEST COORDINATOR:
- conduct the vertical contests, as designated by the Executive Committee, pursuant to Section 5)(C) of these By-Laws; and
- provide necessary assistance to the Chairman, Secretary-Treasurer, and Editor in the conduct of SECTION business.
(vii) VERTICAL TECHNIQUES WORKSHOP COORDINATOR:
- conduct the vertical techniques workshop, as designated by the Executive Committee, pursuant to Section 5)(D) of these By-Laws; and
- provide necessary assistance to the Chairman, Secretary-Treasurer, and Editor in the conduct of SECTION business.
(viii) EDUCATION COORDINATOR:
- compile educational materials and conduct special training workshops, as designated by the Executive Committee, pursuant to Section 5)(E) of these By-Laws; and
- provide necessary assistance to the Chairman, Secretary-Treasurer, and Editor in the conduct of SECTION business.
(C) Election of Officers: - Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected as designated in Article IV of the CONSTITUTION of the SECTION.
(i) Nominations: - The Executive Committee, or a Nominating Committee appointed by the Executive Committee, will search for qualified applicants for the offices of the Executive Committee from within the SECTION membership. Only Full members are permitted to hold office. Open nominations will be accepted from the floor prior to the elections at the Annual SECTION meeting. Nominees must consent to having their name placed in nomination.
(ii) Terms of Office: - shall run until closure of the annual meeting at the NSS Convention. Terms and Duties of officers elected at the meeting will not commence until after that meeting.
(iii) Order of Election: - Elections for the Secretary-Treasurer and the Editor will be held first. Elections for the At-Large Committee Members will then be held, with unsuccessful candidates from the first contests eligible to run.
(iv) Chairman: - The Chairman shall be selected by secret, written ballot, by the new Executive Committee from the At-Large Committee Members.
(D) Removal/Resignation of Officers: - Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Executive Committee, to the Chairman, or to the Secretary-Treasurer of the SECTION. Any such resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of such notice or at any later time specified therein and, unless otherwise specified in that notice, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any officer may be removed with or without cause by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the full membership of the SECTION present at a regular meeting, provided that removal is specified in advance of the meeting as a purpose of that meeting.
(E) Vacancies: - Offices that become vacant during the year between meetings shall remain vacant until the next election. Duties of the vacated office shall be assumed by the remaining officers.
5) SPECIAL COMMITTEES:
(A) Convention Vertical Coordinator: - The Executive Committee will appoint annually a Coordinator for the NSS Convention. Any suitable SECTION member may be selected for this position. The duties of the Convention Vertical Coordinator shall include inspecting the site of the next NSS Convention and communicating with both the NSS Convention Committee and the various VERTICAL SECTION event chairpersons to ensure that proper facilities and equipment are available for all SECTION activities and that the event chairpersons are adequately informed about facilities, etc.
(B) SECTION Representatives: - The Executive Committee may appoint interested members in good standing as VERTICAL SECTION Representatives. Representatives are expected to attend regional meetings and other local events to talk to vertical cavers and to sell SECTION memberships and back issues of NYLON HIGHWAY. Representatives are appointed and dismissed by the Executive Committee, acting as a whole, and may resign at any time by notifying the Committee.
(C) Vertical Contest Committee: - The Vertical Contest Committee will have complete authority over, and responsibility for, the annual NSS Convention vertical contests, subject to the following conditions:
(i) The VERTICAL SECTION Executive Committee will elect the Contest Committee Coordinator annually.
(ii) The Contest Committee Coordinator will appoint the other members of the Contest Committee annually.
(iii) All procedures developed by the Vertical Contest Committee are subject to approval by the Executive Committee.
The functions of the Vertical Contest Committee will include, but not be limited to, establishing and publishing the rules of the contest, organizing and running each annual contest, publishing the results of each contest, and maintaining complete contest records.
(D) Vertical Techniques Workshop Committee: - The SECTION may organize and hold a Vertical Techniques Workshop at the annual NSS Convention. This Workshop is to give novice participants hands-on experience with basic vertical practices. It also provides SECTION members an opportunity to improve their own instructional skills.
(i) The VERTICAL SECTION Executive Committee will elect the Vertical Techniques Workshop Coordinator annually.
(ii) The Vertical Techniques Workshop Coordinator will plan, organize, and conduct the Workshop. The Coordinator will appoint qualified SECTION members to serve as instructors for the Workshop.
(iii) All procedures and curricula developed for the Vertical Techniques Workshop are subject to approval by the Executive Committee.
(E) Vertical Training Committee: The VERTICAL SECTION shall establish a recommended standard written lesson plan for use in training novice ropework classes. An additional plan will be established for intermediate ropework classes. The VERTICAL SECTION Executive Committee will elect the Education Coordinator annually.
6) CONDUCT & PRACTICES:
(A) Officers and Trustees of the SECTION shall serve without compensation.
(B) National Speleological Society: - The "Policy for Internal Organizations" as approved by the Board of Governors of the National Speleological Society shall (as provided by Article VII(A) of the NSS By-Laws) determine the privileges and responsibilities of this Section vis-à-vis the NSS and its affiliates to the extent, but only to the extent, that the provisions of that Policy are not inconsistent with state laws or with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and its regulations as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended.
(C) The SECTION will use all legal avenues available to urge producers of speleo equipment to ensure that all their products are safe.
(D) The VERTICAL SECTION does not endorse equipment.
(E) Advertisements are allowed in the NYLON HIGHWAY, provided that all potential advertisers are treated fairly, no advertiser is allowed more than one page of ad per issue, and all ads are clearly distinguishable as such.
(F) All VERTICAL SECTION contest lengths shall be in meters.
(G) Any purchase of over $100.00 or a purchase that might be considered controversial in regards to SECTION activities must be approved by the SECTION's Executive Committee.
7) AWARDS:
The VERTICAL SECTION shall, as it sees fit, present an award to a person, persons, or group for outstanding contributions to the development of vertical technology and/or techniques. The SECTION Executive Committee will decide the recipient of this award, to be presented at the annual NSS Convention awards banquet.
8) FISCAL YEAR and AUDIT:
The SECTION's Fiscal Year shall run from June 1 to May 31. The Executive Committee shall conduct an audit of the Treasurer's accounting of the SECTION's finances after the close of the Fiscal Year, no later than the end of the NSS Convention. The Audit Committee shall consist of the Treasurer and at least one other qualified individual, as appointed by the Chairman. Results of the audit will be reported in the next available issue of NYLON HIGHWAY.