Regional Chapter Memberships
Section 1. Regional Chapters – A Regional Chapter shall be considered for chapter status by the Society at the request of at least 15 professionals who qualify for membership in the Society, of which at least five are currently regular members, student members, emeritus members, or members of other special membership classes of the Society as designated by the Board of Directors, and reside within a specified geographical location. The Chapter shall have nonvoting representation, for all Society business, within the Society Board of Directors through a Chapter Delegate. The Chapter’s purpose is to promote the goals and purposes of the Society with specific attention focused on local issues. A Chapter shall be chartered after the submission for approval of a set of bylaws by the officers of the proposed Chapter to the Board of Directors Initial approval shall be granted for a period of three years, and full approval granted after a review and acceptance of a progress report by the Board of Directors The status of each Chapter and its affiliation with the Society will be reviewed by the Board of Directors at least once every five years. If a Chapter ceases to function, it can be terminated or placed in an inactive category by the Board of Directors Regional Chapters may have individual Chapter members who are not fully paid members of the Society in regular, student, emeritus, or special classes designated by the Board of Directors for a period not to exceed two years in duration, after which period they must become Society members to retain membership in the Chapter. Such members may participate fully in the Regional Chapter, but members in Regional Chapters who are not regular, student, emeritus, or other special class members of the Society may not vote and will not have subscriptions to the Society journal. The Chapter shall determine appropriate Chapter dues for its members (in national or regional currency).
Section 1.1 Election and Qualifications of Chapter Delegates – Regional Chapters shall maintain a Chapter Delegate to represent the Chapter to the Society’s Board of Directors The process for election or appointment of the Regional Chapter Delegate shall be described in the Chapter’s Bylaws. A member of the Chapter currently serving on the Board of Directors may serve as the Chapter Delegate. Chapter Delegates should be knowledgeable of government, academic, and private sector exposure science activities in the region where the Chapter is located.
Section 1.2 Duties of Chapter Delegates – Chapter Delegates shall communicate Society activities throughout their region to academic institutions, government, and the private sector; shall work towards establishing or maintaining regional chapters; shall communicate exposure assessment activities in their region to the Society Board of Directors, where appropriate; shall submit newsworthy items to the Society; and shall submit a brief summary of Chapter activities annually to the Society Board of Directors Chapter Delegates shall participate on the Board of Directors as non-voting delegates.
Section 1.3 Rights of the Chapter – The Chapter can request of the Board of Directors:
a. to have a booth at the Society General Scientific Meeting, if exhibitor space is available at the meeting, to promote its activities and members without a fee;
b. request support of the Society Board of Directors in identifying and seeking funds from non-profit and governmental agencies for its activities or for its members to travel to the Society General Scientific Meeting; and
c. to have information or links concerning its chapter posted on the Society web site.
