BYLAWS
* The AAS Bylaws were revised in 2019. *
Section I: Dues
Membership dues are payable January 1 and delinquent after March 31 annually, excluding life memberships.
Membership Dues (US/International)
Annual Associate (under 18 years)
$ 15.00/$ 19.00
Annual Individual
$ 25.00/$ 25.00
Annual Family
$ 30.00/$ 30.00
Annual Institutional
$ 50.00/$ 55.00
Annual Sustaining (Individual)
$ 35.00/$ 35.00
Annual Sustaining (Joint)
$ 40.00/$ 40.00
Life (Individual) $500.00/$600.00
Life (Joint) $600.00/$700.00
Section II: Officers of the Society
Officers shall be elected for one year by majority vote of the members present at the Annual State Meeting. An officer may be elected to succeed himself/herself for one additional term. Once every six years the Society nominates three potential Representatives to the Alabama Historical Commission. The nomination takes place at the Winter meeting of the fifth year and the three names are sent to the Governor of the State of Alabama, who appoints one of those individuals to serve the subsequent six-year term.
President
First Vice President
Second Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Assistant Treasurer
Journal Editor
Assistant Journal Editor (3)
Website Manager
Alabama Historical Commission Representative
Newsletter Editor
Assistant Newsletter Editor (2)
Section III: Duties of the Officers
A. President
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and the Board of Directors, and shall exercise the customary authority of the office. The President shall bring before the Board of Directors matters requiring its attention and shall present to the Society any business that the Board of Directors determines shall be so presented. The President shall present a review of the status of the Society at the Annual State Meeting. The President shall appoint committees as prescribed in the Articles of the Constitution and Bylaws and as authorized by action taken in Annual State Meetings or called meetings. These appointments shall be made and presented at the first Board of Directors meeting of the operating year. The President may call special meetings according to the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws.
B. First Vice President
The First Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President and shall also have the duties as defined in Section IV (B) of the Bylaws.
C. Second Vice President
The Second Vice President shall preside in the absence of both the President and the First Vice President and shall also have the duties as defined in Section IV (F) of the Bylaws.
D. Secretary
The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Society and of the Board of Directors and shall maintain current records of the Society. Historical material shall be transferred to the Archives Committee. A current list of all officers, directors, members of committees, and presidents of all chapters shall be maintained together with their address and telephone number. A copy of this list will be furnished to the Newsletter Editor for publication as early in the operating year as possible. The Secretary will provide a copy of the Bylaws and the Constitution to each of the officers, directors, committee chairs, and chapter presidents at the beginning of the operating year.
E. Treasurer
The Treasurer shall have charge of all monies of the Society from any source. The Treasurer shall deposit or handle these monies only in a manner prescribed by the Board of Directors. An up-to-date file shall be maintained on members of the Society, plus the type of membership. The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of the Society in books and records, which shall be at all times open to the inspection of the officers and the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall report on finances at the Annual State Meeting or report in whole or in part at other meetings as requested.
F. Assistant Treasurer
The Assistant Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer in the assigned duties as described in Section III (E) of these Bylaws.
G. Newsletter Editor
The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for the collection, editing, printing, and distributing of the Society newsletter, which is devoted to news and business of the Society; and short articles, notes, and reviews related to archaeology. Two Assistant Editors shall be elected to assist the Newsletter Editor with the responsibility of producing the bi-monthly newsletter.
H. Journal Editor
The Journal Editor shall have the responsibility of acquiring suitable materials, editing, printing, and publishing the Society's journal, which is devoted to archaeology of Alabama and the Southeastern United States. Three Assistant Editors for the journal shall be elected to assist the Journal Editor in the many tasks of producing the journal.
I. Website Manager
The Website Manager/Photographer shall maintain the official website of the Society at www.alabamaarchaeology.org.
J. Alabama Historical Commission Representative
The Society's representative to the Alabama Historical Commission shall serve for a six-year term and represent the Society at the Alabama Historical Commission's meetings as directed by the Board of Directors. The Alabama Historical Commission Representative shall keep the Society fully informed as to the plans, projects, and activities of the Alabama Historical Commission.
Section IV: Regular Committees of the Society
A. Nominating Committee
A Nominating Committee appointed by the President shall consist of no less than three members, who shall draw up a slate of nominees for the offices to be filled. The Nominating Committee shall attempt to create a balance between professional and non-professional archaeologists as nominees.
B. Program Committee
A Program Committee appointed by the President shall arrange the details for the meetings, including the securing of a program and facilities for carrying out the meetings. The First Vice President shall act as chair of this committee and serve ex officio for the following year.
C. Archaeological Resources Committee
An Archaeological Resources Committee shall be appointed by the President and shall consist of six members with approval by the Board of Directors for a period of three years, one-third to be appointed each year. This committee shall take steps leading to the identification of sites, materials and/or artifacts worthy of preservation, excavation and documentation, and shall accomplish these tasks with the approval of the Board of Directors. This committee shall also be responsible for the administration of the Society’s Research Grant Award and the Society’s Scholarship program.
D. Publications Committee
A Publications Committee will be comprised of three members appointed by the President for three years, one appointment each year, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. It shall be the duty of the Publications Committee to recommend to the Board of Directors matters of general policy pertaining to the printing and publishing of the journal and all other publications issued by the Society. It shall study costs and recommend to the Board of Directors suggested budgets for such periodicals and publications as necessary. The Journal Editor is a permanent member of this committee.
E. Archives Committee
An Archives Committee comprised of three members shall be appointed by the President for a period of three years, one appointed each year, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. It shall be the duty of the Archives Committee to collect and preserve historical data for the Society.
F. Publicity Committee
A Publicity Committee shall be appointed by the President each year and shall be responsible for promotion of the Society through news items distributed to the news media of Alabama and neighboring states. The Second Vice President shall act as chair of this committee.
G. Finance Committee
A Finance Committee shall be appointed by the President. The committee shall be composed of four members, one of which will be the Treasurer. The remaining three members shall be appointed for a term of three years, one appointed each year subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. It shall be the duty of the Finance Committee to maintain an overview of the Society's financial status; assist the Treasurer in developing the annual budget; review the dues structure and any need for dues adjustments or special fund-raising projects; and conduct a year-end audit of the Society's finances.
H. Public Education and Outreach Committee
A Public Education and Outreach Committee shall be appointed by the President and shall consist of three members with the approval of the Board of Directors for a period of three years, one to be appointed each year. The committee shall take steps to promote among the general public a better understanding of Alabama’s archaeology and its findings in order to encourage conservation and stewardship of Alabama’s archaeological sites and collections. This committee shall be responsible for the administration of the Society’s Public Education Grant Award.
Section V: Chapters and Affiliations
A. Subsidiary autonomous regional chapters of the Society may be established. Their policies must be in accord with those of this Society. Non-members of this Society may be permitted to join chapters, but may not vote or hold office in this Society. Chapters can only elect officers from the members of this Society.
B. A petition for the establishment of such a chapter, signed by the members in good standing of the Society in the area prescribed and accompanied by a proposed constitution shall be submitted to the Board of Directors. A minimum of five adult members of the State Society shall be required to petition for a chapter. The Board of Directors shall act upon a duly submitted petition within six months from the date of receipt.
C. Chapter affiliation may be dissolved by the Board of Directors if, in the Board's opinion, the chapter becomes inactive or the chapter's actions are inconsistent with the Society's objectives or for other good cause.
D. The Society may, upon favorable vote of the Board of Directors, affiliate or discontinue affiliation with other state archaeological societies on a regional or national basis.
Section VI: Board Member Voting
All Board Members shall have a vote on all matters brought before the Society, except the presiding officer, who may vote only to break a tie.
Section VII: Fund Allocation
To provide the Board of Directors adequate time to review proposed fund allocations, requests for expenditure of funds exceeding $ 500.00 must be presented to the Board for consideration at a regular Board of Directors meeting, and may not be voted upon until the next regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting. Projects may not be subdivided to circumvent the objectives of this Section.
Section VIII: Alabama Archaeological Society Research Grant Awards
A. Purpose, Philosophy, and Eligibility
The Alabama Archaeological Society will grant an award of up to $500 each year to an archaeological research project. Awards will be made in harmony with the objectives of the Society, as stated in Article III of the Constitution of the Alabama Archaeological Society. The intent of the Research Grant program is to assist in field, laboratory, museum, or library research projects that will lead to (a) the advancement of scientific knowledge of Alabama’s past through publication of results, and (b) a greater public appreciation of Alabama archaeology through public dissemination of results other than by scientific publication. Grant proposals will be judged on both criteria, and no proposal will be funded that does not explicitly address both criteria.
Any current member of the Society is eligible to apply for a Research Grant. The project director or their appointee will be required to contribute a presentation of the project results at the winter meeting of the Society following the award.
B. Procedures for Application
Applications for Research Grants will be solicited in the Stones & Bones Newsletter, together with proposal guidelines, the deadline for submission of proposals, and the name, mailing address, and e-mail address of the current Chair of the Archaeological Resources Committee. Research Grant proposals are to be submitted to the Archaeological Resources Committee Chair by the deadline announced by the committee. Each proposal should consist of a cover letter addressed to the Committee Chair, a two-page, single-spaced project narrative, and a one-page budget. Electronic submission of these materials is encouraged. The cover letter must clearly identify the person or persons responsible for the project and their institutional or chapter affiliations, if any, together with pertinent contact information. The project narrative must clearly identify the project’s significance, expected outcome, schedule, and plans for the dissemination of results. The narrative should specify in what manner the project will advance scientific knowledge of Alabama’s past, and in what manner the project will enhance the public appreciation of Alabama’s archaeological heritage. The project budget must specify the amount requested, up to $500. If the total project budget is greater than the amount requested, the total budget should be presented in full, together with an explanation of the specific support role or roles to be played by the Research Grant award, and a listing of other funding sources proposed in support of the project.
C. Procedures for Evaluation
The evaluation procedure will be as follows. Copies of all proposals submitted by the deadline will be distributed by the Archaeological Resources Committee Chair to a subcommittee of three Committee members appointed by the Chair. This subcommittee will review the proposals, and will report rankings of the proposals to the Chair, using a ranking method to be determined by the Chair. Based on this information and the concurrence of the Archaeological Resources Committee Chair, the Chair will formulate a recommendation for consideration by the Board of Directors. The Chair will present a summary of this annual process, together with a motion that the recommended proposal be accepted for funding at a monetary level up to $500 to be recommended by the Chair. The Board of Directors will vote on this motion, and an announcement of the recipient will be made at the winter general meeting of the Society.
D. Funding of Research Grants
Funding for Research Grants will come from contributions to the Edward C. Mahan Research Fund. All donors to the Mahan Fund will be listed in the Stones & Bones newsletter unless a contributor wishes to remain anonymous. The Archaeological Resources Committee will insure that funds are solicited in the Stones & Bones newsletter or other media, and will initiate fund drives as needed to reach or exceed a $500 Mahan Fund balance by the winter meeting of each year. In the event that the Mahan Fund balance is less than $500 at the time of the December meeting, the Board of Directors may vote to fund the nominated proposal at any level up to the current balance. Alternatively, the Board of Directors may vote not to award the grant in that year due to a shortage in the Mahan Fund. Any amount in the Mahan Fund balance exceeding that granted in a given year will be applied toward future awards. No more than one award may be granted in a given year.
Section IX. Alabama Archaeological Society Scholarships
A. Purpose, Philosophy, and Eligibility
The Alabama Archaeological Society will award up to two Alabama Archaeological Society Scholarships per year. The monetary amount of these scholarships will not exceed $500 in sum, for all scholarships awarded in a given year. The purpose of these scholarships is to lend support to outstanding students in the field of archaeology who are actively pursuing academic degrees at baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral levels within the State. The intent of allowing up to two such awards per year is to provide for the support of academic programs at both the baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate levels in the State. Nominees must be currently enrolled as full-time students in a degree program. Sponsors must make a case that their nominees exhibit the potential for making permanent, significant contributions to the field of archaeology.
By granting scholarships, the Society wishes to identify and reward exceptional current students of archaeology in the State. Indications of academic merit, in the form of grade point averages, standardized test scores, honors, achievements in field or laboratory research, papers worthy of publication, or similar measures should be in evidence. Nominees need not be currently involved in a research project, nor must they, or their sponsors, submit a research proposal. It is expected that awarded Scholarship funds will be applied by the winners to the expenses of completing their degree program. Nominated students must be current members of the Alabama Archaeological Society.
B. Procedures for Application
Applications for Alabama Archaeological Society Scholarships will be solicited in the Stones & Bones Newsletter, together with nomination guidelines, the deadline for submission of nominations, and the name, mailing address, and e-mail address of the current Chair of the Archaeological Resources Committee. Scholarship nominations are to be submitted to the Archaeological Resources Committee Chair by the deadline announced by the committee. Each eligible student nominee must have an academic sponsor, who must submit the nomination on the student’s behalf. In no case should the nominated student submit any portion of the nomination directly to the committee. The nomination must take the form of a letter addressed to the Chair of the Archaeological Resources Committee. Electronic submission of the nomination letter is encouraged. The letter must clearly identify both the nominee and the academic sponsor, and must include pertinent contact information for both. The nomination letter must indicate the academic degree being sought, and progress made to date toward that degree. The letter should include and discuss all of the information necessary for the committee to evaluate the nominee. No transcripts, reports of standardized tests, copies of written work, nor additional letters of support should be included with the letter of nomination by the academic sponsor. Rather, the sponsor should summarize the academic credentials and achievements of the nominee in the body of the nomination letter.
C. Procedures for Evaluation
The evaluation procedure will be as follows. Copies of all nominations submitted by the deadline will be distributed by the Archaeological Resources Committee Chair to a subcommittee of three Committee members appointed by the Chair. This subcommittee will review the nominations, and will rank these using a ranking method to be determined by the Chair. Nominees seeking baccalaureate and post baccalaureate degrees will be ranked separately. Based on this information and the concurrence of the Archaeological Resources Committee Chair, the Chair will formulate a recommendation for consideration by the Board of Directors. The Chair may recommend two Scholarships at $250 each at the baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate levels. In that case the names of the nominees recommended for each Scholarship will be included in the recommendation to the Board of Directors. Alternatively, should deserving nominees be lacking at either degree level, the Chair has the option of recommending one $500 Scholarship to be awarded to the highest ranking nominee at any level. The Chair will present a summary of this annual process, together with a motion that the recommended nomination(s) be accepted and the Board of Directors will vote on this motion. An announcement of the Alabama Archaeological Society Scholarship recipient(s) will be made at the winter general meeting of the Society, where they or their representative will receive a framed certificate or plaque commemorating the award.
D. Funding of Alabama Archaeological Society Scholarships
Funding for Research Grants will come from contributions to the Steven and Christine Wimberly Scholarship Fund. All donors to the Wimberly Fund will be listed in the Stones & Bones newsletter unless a contributor wishes to remain anonymous. The Archaeological Resources Committee will insure that funds are solicited in the Stones & Bones newsletter or other media, and will initiate fund drives as needed to reach or exceed a $500 Wimberly Fund balance by the winter meeting of each year. In the event that the Wimberly Fund balance is less than $500 at the time of the winter meeting, the Board of Directors may vote not to award the Scholarships in that year due to the shortage. Any amount in the Wimberly Fund balance exceeding that awarded in a given year will be applied toward future awards.
Section X: AAS Public Education Grant Awards
A. Purpose, Philosophy, and Eligibility
The Alabama Archaeological Society will award up to $500 each year to a public education project. The intent of the Public Education Grant is to provide financial encouragement to deserving projects that (a) promote a better understanding of Alabama Archaeology and its findings among the general public or in Alabama’s classrooms, and (b) clearly promote the conservation of Alabama’s archaeological sites and/or collections. Grant proposals will be judged on both criteria, and no proposal will be funded that does not explicitly address both criteria. Eligible projects must also be in harmony with the objectives of the Society, as stated in Article III of the Constitution of the Alabama Archaeological Society
Any current member of the Society is eligible to apply for a Public Education Grant. Upon completion of the funded project, the project director will be required to provide a brief summary of the project suitable for the Society’s newsletter, evidence that the funded project was accomplished within a twelve month period after the announcement of the award, and a written evaluation of the project’s effectiveness in meeting the goal(s) proposed in the application.
B. Procedures for Application
Applications for Public Education Grants will be solicited in the Stones & Bones Newsletter, together with proposal guidelines, the deadline for submission of proposals, and the name, mailing address, and e-mail address of the current Chair of the Public Education Committee. The Public Education committee may solicit applications through additional media if they so desire. Public Education Grant proposals are to be submitted to the Public Committee Chair by the deadline announced by the committee. Each proposal should consist of a cover letter addressed to the Committee Chair, a two-page, single-spaced project narrative, and a one-page budget. Electronic submission of these materials is encouraged.
The cover letter must clearly identify the person or persons responsible for the project and their institutional or chapter affiliations, if any, together with pertinent contact information. Applicants should offer evidence of their ability to communicate with the segment of the public they are proposing to target, and if their project proposes to generate materials for classrooms, the applicant must demonstrate a familiarity with state and/or local curriculum requirements.
The project narrative must clearly identify the goal of the project, the audience(s) that will be targeted, the estimated number of individuals who will participate in the project, the products or programs that will be created, and a schedule. The narrative should address the grant criteria and should specify in what manner the project outcomes will be measured and evaluated for effectiveness.
The project budget must specify the amount requested, up to $500. If the total project budget is greater than the amount requested, the total budget should be presented in full, together with an explanation of the specific support role or roles to be played by the A.A.S. funds, and a listing of other funding sources proposed in support of the project.
C. Procedures for Selection
The selection procedure will be as follows. Copies of all proposals submitted by the deadline will be distributed by the Public Education Chair to the larger committee. The committee will review the proposals, and will report rankings of the proposals to the Chair, using a ranking method to be determined by the Chair. Based on this information and the concurrence of the Public Education Chair, the Chair will formulate a recommendation for consideration by the Board of Directors. The Chair will present a summary of this annual process, together with a motion that the recommended proposal be accepted for funding at a monetary level up to $500 to be recommended by the Chair. The Board of Directors will vote on this motion, and an announcement of the recipient will be made at the Society’s winter general membership meeting.
D. Funding of Public Education Grants
Funding for Public Education Grants will come from contributions to the Public Education Fund. All donors to the Public Education Fund will be listed in the Stones & Bones newsletter unless a contributor wishes to remain anonymous. The Public Education Committee will insure that funds are solicited in the Stones & Bones newsletter or other media, and will initiate fund drives as needed to reach or exceed a $500 Fund balance by the winter meeting of each year. In the event that the Public Education Fund balance is less than $500 at the time of the December meeting, the Board of Directors may vote to fund the nominated proposal at any level up to the current balance. Alternatively, the Board of Directors may vote not to award the grant in that year due to a shortage in the Fund. Any amount in the Public Education Fund balance exceeding that granted in a given year will be applied toward future awards. More than one award may be granted in a given year, but the total awarded each year may not exceed $500.
E. Evaluation
The Public Education Committee will monitor the progress of award recipients, and at the end of each fiscal year, the Committee will prepare a brief report for the Board of Directors that summarizes and evaluates the Public Education project(s) completed during that year. This report will also briefly summarize the committee’s own fund raising, grant promotion, and grant selection activities.
SECTION XI: Bylaws Revisions
Amendments to these Bylaws may be made at any membership meeting of the Corporation, annual or special, by a simple majority vote of those present with notice of the proposed amendment to be sent to each voting member at least fifteen (15) days prior to such meeting.