© 2024 — Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists

Proposed SWAFS Constitution and By-Laws Changes

The following changes to the SWAFS Constitution and By-Laws are being proposed. Membership will have 30 days to comment on any of the proposed changes, and voting is currently scheduled to take place during the conference in October. Please contact the Constitution/By-Laws committee chair Tamara Keller at tamara.keller@verizon.net to submit any comments or concerns.

1.
Article One
Section 3. Termination of Membership
B. If a member’s dues, for the current year, are not paid by the date of the last Board of Directors meeting for that year as defined in Article Twelve of these By-Laws, the member will be removed from membership by a vote of the Board of Directors no earlier than June 30th of the following year. Members will retain all privileges, however no longer ‘in-good-standing’, until dropped from membership by the Board of Directors. If a member repays all outstanding dues in arrears prior to being removed from membership by the Board of Directors, the member shall continue current membership and reclaim the status of ‘in-good-standing’, if the arrears are not greater than three (3) years. If the arrears are greater than three (3) years, then the member shall complete the new member application process.
Article Twelve
Dues and Assessments
Section 3.
Dues shall be due and payable on January 1st of each year. If not paid by the last Board of Directors meeting for that year, the member is will be considered to be in arrears and no longer ‘in- good- standing’. Members shall continue membership, however no longer ‘in-good-standing’, if the arrears are not greater than three (3) years. If the arrears become greater than three (3) years, then the member shall complete the new member application process in arrears for two (2) or more years will have their membership terminated. Members not ‘in-good-standing’ shall retain all privileges until their membership is terminated by a Board of Directors vote.

2.
Removal of Item 5 from Section 1: Nominating committee
Seeking and accepting all nominations for awards and forward them to the appropriate committee or Board of Directors for their selection process.
-This is in conflict with the BOD Article three, Section 6 that explains the process for awarding Zotter awards winners each year.

3.
Adding items to duties of BOD members
Articles Five through Ten
Adding to the duties of the first and second year BOD members
Scholarship committee consists of Chair, member at large and the 2 second-year BOD members
Admissions Committee consists of Chair, 2 members at large, and the 2 first year BOD members