Bylaws

ARTICLE I - PURPOSE

The purpose of this organization shall be to foster statistics and its applications and promote the interests of the statistical profession among all groups in the Northeastern Illinois area having an interest in or being concerned with statistical problems.
Objectives for the Chapter include:
a) Providing for professional interchange among interested statisticians from academia, industry, commerce and government.
b) Encouraging discussion of statistical problems and solutions at an early stage.
c) Encouraging newer members of the profession to prepare and discuss research and applications with their peers.

ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP

1. INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS: Any person interested in statistics in general or the organization in particular shall be eligible to apply to the Executive Committee for membership. Individual membership shall consist of the three classes of membership defined in the Constitution.
2. ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS: Institutions, corporations and other organizations interested in the objectives of the Chapter may be admitted to organizational membership by vote of the Executive Committee.
3. APPLICATION: Application for membership shall be in a manner prescribed by the Executive Committee. Applicants shall become members upon payment of the regularly scheduled dues.
4. RESIGNATION: Any member may resign from the Chapter upon written request to the Secretary. There shall be no reimbursement of dues under these circumstances. 
5. TERMINATION: Membership privileges shall be automatically suspended if a member has failed to pay his dues for ninety (90) days after the expiration of the member's dues year, unless otherwise extended for good cause by the Executive Committee. Membership may be terminated upon a finding by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all the members of the Executive Committee that a member has acted in a manner detrimental to the Chapter, provided that prior to the voting the Committee has given notice to the member describing the charges against the member, and there has been due opportunity for a response and a hearing by the Executive Committee.
6. REINSTATEMENT: A member may be reinstated upon approval by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.
7. VOTING: All regular members and associate members who have paid their current Chapter dues shall be entitled to cast one vote on matters brought before the membership.

ARTICLE III - FINANCE

1. DUES: Membership dues shall be at such rate or rates, schedule or formula as may be from time to time prescribed by the Executive Committee, payable on a calendar year basis.
2. FINANCIAL AUTHORITY: All funds of the Chapter shall be deposited with the Treasurer who shall make disbursements therefrom under direction of the Executive Committee. The Treasurer and the President, separately, shall have authority to draw checks.
3. AUDIT: Each time a new Treasurer takes office, the President shall appoint at least two members who will audit the outgoing Treasurer's books. In addition, an audit will be performed whenever a Treasurer has been reelected and three or more years have elapsed since the last audit. The Auditors shall submit a written report of their findings to the membership within three months of their appointment.
4. FISCAL YEAR: The chapter's fiscal year shall be the calendar year.

ARTICLE IV - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. MEMBERS: Executive Committee membership is defined in the Constitution.
2. POWERS AND DUTIES: The Executive Committee shall manage the business and professional conduct of the Chapter. It shall perform such duties as are set forth in the Constitution and Bylaws. It shall coordinate the operating and administrative activities of the organization.
3. MEETINGS: Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held whenever called by the President or requested by a majority of the committee members.
4. VOTING: Except as otherwise provided by the Constitution or Bylaws, decisions of the Executive Committee shall be by simple majority vote of all Committee members eligible to vote. A majority of the voting members of this Committee shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS

1. NOMINATION: The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of officers as prescribed in the Constitution. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be presented to the chapter membership at least one month prior to mail balloting or the Annual Business Meeting, whichever is appropriate. Further nominations may be made from the floor prior to election at the Annual Meeting, or nominations may be made in writing within three weeks after the announcement of the slate of
candidates prior to a mail ballot.
2. ELECTION: Election of officers shall be held at the Annual Business Meeting or by mail within one month prior to the Annual Meeting at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
3. VACANCIES IN OFFICE: Except as specifically stated in the Bylaws, the Executive Committee shall fill any vacancy on the Executive Committee which occurs between elections. If a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the President-Elect shall become President for the remainder of the current term as well as for the entirety of the succeeding term. If a vacancy occurs in the office of President and there is no President- Elect at the time when the vacancy in the Presidency occurs, the Executive Committee shall choose a President from among the voting members of the Executive Committee to serve for the remainder of the current term and an election will be held for President for the following term. If the office of President- Elect is vacated other than by succession to the office of President, the Executive Committee shall choose a President- Elect from among the members of the Committee, who will then become President for the following term. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Past President the office shall remain vacant for the remainder of that term.
4. DUTIES:
The President shall:
a) Preside at all general meetings of the members and all meetings of the Executive Committee.
b) Exercise general supervision over the interests and welfare of the Chapter.
c) Appoint committees and determine which member shall serve as its chair, except as provided otherwise by the Constitution or the Bylaws. All such appointments will be subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.
d) Be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating Committee.
e) Call all meetings of the members and of the Executive Committee.
f) Perform such other duties as normally pertain to the office of President.
The Past President shall:
a) Serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
b) Serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee.
c) Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Executive Committee.
The President-Elect shall:
a) Act in the absence or during the incapacity of the President.
b) Act as Chair of the Program Committee.
c) Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Executive Committee.
The Secretary shall:
a) Write and maintain the minutes of all general meetings of the members and meetings of the Executive Committee.
b) Prepare and submit news releases concerning chapter activities to publications of the national organization, e.g., AMSTAT NEWS and LINK.
c) Be custodian of all records and papers of the Chapter, except the records of the Treasurer or other records designated by action of the Executive Committee.
d) Keep an accurate record of names and addresses of all members. The Secretary should receive an updated record at the end of each calendar year if mailing lists are routinely maintained by another member designated by the Executive Committee.
e) Conduct mail ballots as directed by the Executive Committee.
f) Perform other duties which are normally a part of the office of Secretary and such other duties as may be assigned by the President or Executive Committee.
The Treasurer shall:
a) Receive and disburse all funds of the Chapter and deposit them in a bank as directed by the Executive Committee.
b) Report to the Executive Committee at each meeting and the members at the Annual Business Meeting.
c) Provide records for audits requested by the Executive Committee.
d) Notify members of the expiration of their dues.
e) Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or Executive Committee.
The Representative to the Association's Council of Chapters shall:
a) Serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
b) If unable to attend an Association Council Meeting, shall appoint an alternate who is a full member of the Association.
c) Perform such other duties which are normally part of the office of Representative to the Association's Council of Chapters and such other duties as may be assigned by the President or Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES

1. STANDING COMMITTEES:
a) The Arrangements Committee shall make arrangements for suitable facilities for all Chapter general meetings taking into consideration the type of meeting and the locations of chapter members.
b) The Nominating Committee is defined in the Constitution. Duties are defined in the Bylaws under Officers - Nomination.
c) The Program Committee shall plan and implement programs for the chapter's events, including general meetings. It shall be guided by the objectives as outlined in Article I of the Bylaws. It will coordinate scheduling and other implementation matters with the Arrangements Committee.
d) The Newsletter Committee is chaired by the Editor. It shall publish announcements of chapter meetings and periodically publish a Newsletter to provide information to chapter members.
e) The Community Activities Committee shall foster statistical awareness and statistical education in the local communities, especially in schools and colleges.
f) The Awards and Recognition Committee shall promote recognition of chapter member accomplishments locally, nationally and internationally.
g) The Directory Committee shall periodically publish a directory of information about members, local statisticians and the chapter.
2. SPECIAL COMMITTEES: Special Committees may be established by the President in order to carry through one project or to give voice to the Chapter in areas of special interest. Each Special Committee shall be governed by a Chair appointed by the President. The life of a Special Committee shall not exceed the term of office of the President establishing the committee without a review for its need by the Executive Committee. Special Committees established in accordance with this article may be dissolved at any time by majority vote of the Executive Committee.
3. INTEREST GROUPS: An Interest Group is a Special Committee of at least 5 Regular or Associate members, plus others, who wish to interact relative to a specific topic in statistics. The Interest Group may:
a) Organize informal discussions or meetings on their interest topic.
b) Request to sponsor a presentation at one of the chapter meetings.
c) Appoint a designated representative as a member of the Program Committee.
d) Take part in discussions of chapter business by having the Chairman of the Interest Group or a designated representative attend Executive Committee Meetings.
An Interest Group is chartered on an annual basis by submitting a Statement of Purpose to the Executive Committee, signed by at least 5 Interest Group members.

                                                                 ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS

1. ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING: An annual meeting for the election of officers and transaction of other chapter business shall be held once each year. The time and place shall be fixed by the Executive Committee and notice thereof mailed to each member at least ten (14) days before said meeting. The balloting for election of officers may be conducted by mail ballot prior to the annual
meeting if the Executive Committee so chooses.
2. GENERAL MEETINGS: The Chapter shall sponsor at least three one meetings each calendar year, including a general business meeting. General meetings covering topics of interest to all members of the Chapter may be called by the President or the Executive Committee at any time, or upon petition in writing of any ten (10) members in good standing. Notice of general meetings shall be mailed to each member at least ten (10) days prior to such meetings. The Annual Business
Meeting is also a general meeting.
3. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Executive Committee Meetings may be called by the President. Meetings shall also be called by the President upon written application of three (3) members of the Executive Committee. Notice (including purpose of the meeting) shall be given to each member of the Executive Committee at least one (1) day prior to said meeting.
4. COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Committee meetings may be called at any time by the President or its Chairman.
5. QUORUMS: At the Annual Business Meeting and general meetings of the Chapter, a quorum of the members shall not apply. At Committee Meetings, including the Executive Committee, a majority shall constitute a quorum.
6. MAIL BALLOT: At the discretion of the Executive Committee, Chapter business may also be conducted by a mail poll of the membership. A mail poll may be conducted electronically. In such cases, mail ballots shall be returned to the Secretary and a deadline for receipt of the mail ballot shall be specified in the communication to the membership. This deadline shall be at least fourteen (14) days from the date the ballot was mailed to the membership. All ballots will be anonymous. Each member is charged with the responsibility of determining that he(she) alone marks and returns a ballot. Each returned ballot will be assumed to have come from a regular or associate member in good standing. All ballots received on or before the deadline date shall be official mail ballots and shall be included in the ballot count, and no ballot received after the deadline date shall be counted.
A vote of a majority of these official mail ballots shall constitute an act of this Chapter unless specifically stated otherwise in the Constitution or Bylaws.
7. REFERENDUM: Upon petition of at least ten (10) individual members of the Chapter, any action of the Executive Committee shall be subject to a referendum of the membership. A mail ballot of the individual members shall be mailed within thirty (30) days after receipt of the petition and the will of the membership as expressed by the majority of those voting shall govern unless specifically stated otherwise in the Constitution or Bylaws.
8. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY: The current edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall be the final source of authority in all questions of parliamentary procedure when the rules are not inconsistent with the Constitution or Bylaws of the Chapter.

                                                                   ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS

The Bylaws may be amended by an affirmative two-thirds (2/3) vote of all members of the Executive Committee eligible to vote. A quorum does not apply. Notice of amendments to the Bylaws shall be sent to each voting member within fourteen (14) days following enactment.

[Bylaws approved by the Executive Committee on September 17, 2020.]