BY-LAWS
OF THE COUNCIL FOR MINNESOTA
ARCHAEOLOGY, INC.
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Purpose |
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Membership |
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Board of Directors |
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Officers |
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Finances |
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Elections |
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Meetings |
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Ethics and Membership Committee |
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Professional Ethics |
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Amendments |
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Article I. Purpose
Section 1. The purpose of the Council for Minnesota Archaeology, Inc. shall be to promote archaeological research and interpretation within the State of Minnesota through 1) stimulation, encouragement and support of scientific archaeological field research, 2) the initiation of responsible action to conserve and preserve archaeological resources, 3) engaging in and supporting others in the interpretation and dissemination of the results of scientific archaeological research, and 4) providing a corporate entity representing the community of scholars who conduct archaeological research within the State of Minnesota.
Article II. Membership
Section 1. Regular Membership in the Council for Minnesota Archaeology, Inc. shall be limited to individuals with an active involvement or an on-going research interest in Minnesota archaeology. In addition, they must possess a post-graduate degree with a specialization in archaeology or the equivalent in knowledge and understanding of archaeological methods and theory as demonstrated by field performance and/or publications. The President of the Minnesota Archaeological Society and the Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council or their designated representatives shall be regular members during their terms in office in those organizations. Individuals who meet the requirements stated above and who express a desire to become regular members and are nominated for membership by a member in good standing shall, on recommendation by the Ethics and Membership Committee, and by a favorable vote by the members present, at a duly called meeting, become regular voting members of the Council. This shall be for a two year probationary period. At the end of this time, the Ethics and Membership Committee shall review the members' adherence to the ethics and standards of the Council, and, if satisfactory, recommend permanent membership.
Section 2. Research Associate
Membership shall be limited to a) those individuals associated with non-Minnesota
institutions who are engaged in archaeological research pertinent to or within
the State of Minnesota and/or b) those individuals with professional status in
allied fields such as ethnology, history, botany, zoology and geology whose
research interests bear upon the problems of Minnesota archaeology, and/or c)
individuals with a Bachelors Degree and active in Minnesota archaeological
research who do not otherwise qualify for membership. Individuals who meet
these requirements shall be offered a Research Associate Membership upon 1)
nomination by a member in good standing, 2) recommendation of the Ethics and
Membership committee and 3) a favorable vote of the majority of members at a
duly called meeting. Such membership shall be for a two year period which upon
the recommendation of the Ethics and Membership Committee can be renewed an
indefinite number of times. Associate members may not hold office, may not
vote, but can serve on all council committees.
Section 3. Institutional Membership.
All or any public and/or private educational, scientific research or
governmental institutions with the State of minnesota which normally employ
professional archaeologist, or are engaged in the interpretation of Minnesota
archaeology, shall be invited to institutional membership. Such institutions
shall be assessed an initial membership fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00)
and shall be invited to sustain their membership for an annual fee to be
determined by the Board of Directors. Institutions do not have voting
privileges but will receive without additional costs all archaeological
publications of the Council for Minnesota Archaeology, Inc.
Section 4. Termination of
Membership. Regular voting members shall be terminated by voluntary resignation
in writing or by a three-quarters (3/4) vote of the membership present at a
duly called meeting. Five (5) or more members of the Corporation may petition
the Board of Directors to vote upon the termination of membership of any
individual member. Research Associate Membership shall be terminated by
voluntary resignation in writing or by action of the Regular Membership
following the procedures described for termination of a Regular Member.
Section 5. Charter Members. Founding
or charter Regular Members of the corporation are:
1. Alan Brew, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Bemidji State College.
2. Leland R. Cooper, Professor Emeritus, Hamline University and Curator of
Archaeology, The Science Museum of Minnesota.
3. Warren Gladisch, President, Minnesota Archaeological Society.
4. Christina Harrison, Lecturer in Anthropology, Carleton College.
5. Vernon Helmen, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Hamline University.
6. Elden Johnson, Professor of Anthropology and State Archaeologist, University
of Minnesota.
7. Richard Lane, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, St. Cloud State College.
8. David Nystuen, Archaeologist, Minnesota Historical Society.
9. Jan E. Streiff, Senior Laboratory Technician, University of Minnesota.
10. Charles Watrall, Visiting Assistant Professor, Macalester College.
11. Robert Wheeler, Assistant Director, Minnesota Historical Society.
12. Lloyd A. Wilford, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of
Minnesota.
13. Alan Woolworth, Chief, Department of Archaeology, Minnesota Historical
Society.
Section 6. Dues. Individual members
shall pay annual dues in an amount to be established by the body. Payment shall
be due by February 1st of each year. Non-payment of dues shall be grounds for
termination of membership.
Article III. Board of Directors
Section 1. Composition. The management and control of property and affairs of this Corporation shall be entrusted to a Board of Directors consisting of five (5) members, including: the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary-Treasurer, the Editor, and the immediate past-President. The President of this Corporation shall also serve as the chairman of the Board. During the initial period of the existence of the Corporation, the Board of Directors shall consist of the four incorporators who shall serve until regular officers are elected by a majority of members present at a duly called meeting. At that same meeting, the seat on the Board of Directors subsequently to be filled by the immediate past-President shall be filled by a Regular Member elected by a majority of the members present. Any premature vacancies on the Board shall be filled on an interim basis by the affirmative vote of the remaining members of the Board.
Section 2. Powers of the Board. a)
The Board of Directors shall have the power to conduct the affairs of the
Corporation subject to ratification by the regular membership, and such power
shall include the right to delegate part of its authority to the President when
the Board is not in session or to an executive committee for actions when the
Board is not in session. b) The Board of Directors shall have the power to
create such permanent and special committees as are deemed necessary. The
chairman of the such committees shall be appointed by the President. Committee
members may be appointed by the President or by the chairman if the President
shall so direct. c) The Board of Directors shall have the power to employ staff
for the operation of facilities and/or the conduct of administrative routine
and to set the rate of compensation and conditions of employment.
Section 3. Meetings of the Board. a)
A regular annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be
held in each year following the regular annual meeting of the members of the
Corporation. b) Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called at any
time upon written request of any Director. The Secretary-Treasurer shall give
not less than one (1) day's notice of the time, place, and purpose of such
meeting personally, by mail, by telephone, or by telegraph. Whenever all of the
Directors are present or shall sign a Waiver of Notice of such special meeting,
such special meeting may be held without notice.
Section 4. Action of the Board. A
majority of the Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business. If and when the Directors shall severally or collectively consent in
writing to any action to be taken by the Corporation, such action shall be
considered a valid corporate action.
Article IV. Officers
Section 1. The officers of the Corporation shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary-Treasurer, and an Editor; the President, Vice-President, and the Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected for a term of two (2) years and may be re-elected to the same office for one (1) additional term. The Editor shall be elected for a two (2) year term and may be re-elected to that office without restriction. Each officer of the Corporation shall represent a different public or private institution of the State of Minnesota and each shall hold office until their successor is elected and qualified. Newly elected officers shall attend the first meeting of the Board of Directors subsequent to their election, but shall not be entitled to vote at that Board meeting. The retiring President shall preside at that meeting, and, together with the other retiring officers, shall have voting privileges. The final official act of the retiring President shall be to turn over the chair of the Board of Directors to the newly appointed President. The Board of Directors may appoint interim officers to fill premature vacancies and/or such other officers and agents as they shall see fit, who shall hold their offices according to their contracts or until others are elected or appointed in their stead.
Section 2. The President shall be
the chief executive of the Corporation and, as such, shall preside over all
meetings of the members or Directors and shall see that all orders and
resolutions of the members and/or the Board of Directors are carried into
effect. He shall represent the Corporation in all actions of the Corporation.
Section 3. The Vice-President shall
perform the duties of the President in the event of his absence or incapacity
and shall assist the President.
Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer
shall maintain complete corporate records, shall have custody of all moneys and
properties of the Corporation, shall keep regular books of account, and shall
notify members and Directors of the time and place of regular and special
meetings called by the President.
Section 5. The Editor shall be
responsible for all publications of the Corporation and for soliciting the
necessary reports and articles required for such publications as directed by
the Board of Directors.
Section 6. All elected or appointed
officers and Directors shall familiarize themselves with the articles of
incorporation and the bylaws of the Corporation upon their election or
appointment to office.
Article V. Finances
Section 1. The moneys of the Corporation shall be deposited in the name of the Corporation in such bank or trust company as the Board of Directors shall designate and shall be drawn out by checks, drafts, or other orders for the payment of money, signed by such person or persons as shall be designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. All deeds, mortgages,
releases, leases, and other instruments of conveyance, contracts, and other
instruments of the Corporation authorized by the Board of Directors shall be
executed on behalf of the Corporation and in its name by the office or officers
of the Corporation thereunto authorized by the Board of Directors.
Article VI. Elections
Section 1. Prior to the regular annual meeting, the Board of Directors shall select a nominating committee and shall instruct it to prepare a list of candidates for vacancies to be filled at the election that will have agreed to serve the full term of the office or seat for which they are nominated if so elected. The report of the nominating committee shall constitute the initial phase of the election proceedings. Other nominations shall be accepted from the floor.
Section 2. A majority of members
present and voting or voting by proxy shall constitute an election.
Article VII. Meetings
Section 1. Regular Membership Meetings. At least one regular annual meeting of the membership shall be held. A full order of business agenda shall be presented at the regular annual meeting and abbreviated agendas may be offered at other meetings.
Section 2. Special Meetings. Special
meetings of the whole regular membership may be called by the President or upon
request of the Board of Directors or by the request of four (4) members in good
standing.
Section 3. Notification of Meetings.
Written notice of the time and place of all regular and special meetings of the
Corporation shall be given or sent to all members by the Secretary-Treasurer at
least thirty (30) days in advance of the date fixed for such meetings.
Section 4. A majority of the votes
entitled to be cast by the members present or voting by proxy at a meeting at
which a quorum is present shall be necessary for the adoption of any matter
voted upon by the members. A minimum of ten (10) voting members present at a
duly called meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Article VIII. Ethics and Membership Committee
Section 1. The Ethics and Membership Committee shall be a standing committee, consisting of a permanent chairman who shall be the Vice-President of the Council and one member appointed each year by the President of the Council for a three (3) year term, to make a total of four (4) members.
Section 2. The duties of the Ethics
and Membership Committee shall consist of: 1) the review of membership
nominations; 2) the review of membership renewals; 3) the review of members for
permanent member status; and 4) the examination of written allegations of
unethical archaeological behavior by Council members. The results of such
review and examinations are to be submitted to the Council at a regular meeting
with written recommendations for appropriate action.
Section 3. Allegations of unethical
archaeological behavior are to be submitted in writing to the Ethics and
Membership Committee which within thirty (30) days, must seek a written
explanation from the alleged offender. After examination, if the Committee
feels that the allegations are warranted, it will further investigate and
submit recommendations for a course of action, in writing, including all
documentation submitted to it, at the next meeting of the CMA. The Committee
may recommend any of the three following courses of action: 1) a letter of
warning to the offender; 2) a formal vote of censure by the CMA against the
offender; and/or 3) dismissal from the CMA. Action by the Council on the first
two courses of action requires a majority vote of the members present at a
regular meeting, while action on the third course requires a three-fourths
(3/4) vote of the members present at a regular meeting. The results of the
action taken by the CMA are to be published in the Newsletter.
Article IX. Professional Ethics
Section 1. Conserve the total resource base. Only those surveys and excavations should be initiated which are scientifically justified in terms of analysis or preservation of archaeological data; once initiated, research should be carried to completion, including publication.
Section 2. Become knowledgeable
concerning available data relevant to an investigation prior to its initiation.
This includes clear responsibility to communicate directly with those
colleagues who may have prior research interests in and information related to
the proposed research. To respect the research interest of other archaeologists
concerning sites or areas where they have an ongoing and current research
program, and original data they have developed or are actively developing. Such
data should not be utilized without appropriate citation or recognition. Such
colleagues have an obligation to provide access to such data as is consistent
with the conservation of the resource and the development of knowledge. Where
Federal, state, and local law has promulgated procedures pertinent to an area,
it is expected that the archaeologist will become acquainted with these and
comply with them appropriately in planning and executing research.
Section 3. Neither formally propose
nor initiate a research project which cannot be carried to a satisfactory
scientific conclusion because the prerequisites of appropriate training or
background of the archaeologist, because sufficient funds, time, or personnel,
or because responsible and realistic conditions established by a grantor,
contractor, or other agent cannot be met.
Section 4. Adhere to high scientific
standards of field research in order that maximum data be generated consistent
with all relevant circumstances. Archaeological research depends on systematic
collection of material objects together with adequate records of the
circumstances of the finds and relationships among objects and their
surroundings. Value attaches to objects so collected because of their status as
documents, but it is not intrinsic. Therefore, collecting practices which
destroy data and thus prevent attainment of the scholarly goals of archaeology
are to be censured. Field techniques aim at preserving all recoverable
information by means of adequate records. Although archaeologists may choose to
take only a limited sample from a site, any collection made should endeavor to
include all classes of data. Certain basic field records must be kept,
including the following: (1) A map of the site showing the surface features of
the site and environs as well as the location and extent of the digging. (2)
Detailed written records and maps of burials, houses, and other structural or
natural features, known or assumed to have significance in the cultural history
of the site. (3) Stratigraphic relationships where present must be noted and
the data preserved either through separation in natural soil layers or by
arbitrary levels established during digging. (4) A catalogue of all the
specimens found indicating their location, stratum of origin, and cultural
association. Specimens should be labeled, numbered, and catalogued to preserve
their identity as scientific data. (5) Photographs, drawings, and other
documentation necessary to clarify the technique of the work and the context
and associations of the finds should be made.
Section 5. Complete reports on
research undertaken within the period of time contracted for and if there is
none established, within a reasonable period. Normally failure to complete a
report within ten years of the completion of field research is construed as
nullifying one's sole scientific right to the data from a research project and
all data should be made accessible to other competent archaeologists.
Section 6. Be sensitive to and
respect the concerns and interests of women and ethnic groups and strive toward
developing mutual understanding of the cultural history of such groups.
Section 7. Recognize a commitment to
represent the profession and its results to the public in a responsible manner.
Section 8. Discourage, and, if
possible, prevent destruction of archaeological sites, or portions of sites for
the purpose of acquiring materials for other than scientific purposes.
Section 9. A member should exercise
reasonable efforts to keep informed and knowledgeable about developments in
that member's field of specialization.
Section 10. Take those necessary
measures to insure that all artifacts and accompanying data are deposited in a
qualified institution or that other equally satisfactory provisions are made
for proper curation, for the availability of the artifacts and data to other
archaeologists, and, as appropriate, to the public. Proper curation includes
adequate security, permanent and adequate facilities, and personnel qualified
to conserve the artifacts and associated data.
Article X. Amendments
Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended, repealed, or altered,
in whole or in part, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present in
person or voting by proxy at any regular or special meeting of the members
provided that the members were notified of the purpose of the meeting not less
than thirty (30) days in advance of the date fixed for such meeting. Section 2.
Proposed amendments may be submitted to the members by: a) the President; b)
the Board of Directors; or, c) five (5) members in good standing.
Copyright 2009 Council for Minnesota Archaeology,
Inc.