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Adopted by Membership of Referendum 9 September 1980
Amended by Referendum 13 March 1985
Revised by Referendum 1 November 1996
Revised by Referendum 9 October 2009
Revised by Referendum 30 March 2017
ARTICLE 1: STATE SOCIETY COMPOSITION
This organization is a unit of the Society of American Foresters (the Society) and shall be known as the "Michigan Society of American Foresters." The Michigan Society of American Foresters is comprised of all the counties within the state of Michigan.
Every member of the Society in good standing is entitled to membership in the state society where the member’s principal home or residence is located. If the member's place of business and professional affiliations lie within the territory of another state society, the member may become a member of that state’s society by written notification to the national office. An individual may be a voting member of and be eligible for office holding in only one state society.
Only voting members in good standing, as defined in the Society's bylaws, including student members, shall be entitled to vote on any question before the state society. Other members may attend any meeting of the state society and take part in the discussions, but shall have no vote.
Membership in the state society may be terminated by (1) voluntary resignation, (2) failure to pay dues, (3) expulsion from the Society for unprofessional conduct, (4) death, or (5) transfer of residence to another state society.
Rates and schedules for Society membership dues and fees shall be established by the Society Board of Directors after consultation with the membership of the House of Society Delegates. Similarly, the State Board shall establish state membership dues and fees after consultation with state society members.
The annual dues of the state society shall be due upon receipt of the invoice. With the exception of Student Members who shall not be assessed, dues shall be collected by the Society concurrently with the collection of national dues and transmitted to the Treasurer of the state society. The Treasurer shall remit to each Chapter amounts as determined by the State Board after consultation with state society members.
ARTICLE 3: OFFICERS AND DUTIES
The officers of the state society shall include a Chair, a Vice Chair, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and
such other officers as may be found necessary. Officers shall be voting members of the Society
and the state society for the duration of their terms. Term of office for Chair and Vice Chair shall
be for two calendar years and commence on January 1.
Chair and Vice-Chair are elected to a two year term every other year. The Secretary and
Treasurer may be elected or appointed by the Board. The Secretary and Treasurer may be the
same person.
The Chair shall be responsible for developing and continuing state society activities during the
term of office and for organizing the membership toward meeting the objectives. The Chair shall
preside at meetings of the state society; serve as chair of the Board and as ex-officio member of
all other committees; oversee the business affairs; appoint, with the approval of the Board, the
standing committees and other special committees; act as the official delegate to the House of
Society Delegates; and perform other duties commonly expected of the office.
The Vice Chair shall assist the chair in conducting the affairs of the society. In the absence of the
Chair, the Vice Chair shall perform all duties required of the Chair.
The Secretary shall conduct state society elections and referendums; keep minutes of state
society meetings; announce meetings; compile meeting agendas and informational materials;
and maintain records of the organization. The Secretary or another officer as described by the
Board shall also conduct all state society elections and referendums which are not conducted by
the national office of the Society.
The Treasurer shall be a custodian of the state society's accounting records and accounts; receive
and deposit all moneys and disburse all moneys authorized by the State Board. Annually and at
other times when requested, the Treasurer shall furnish a report of the state society's financial
status including an income and expense statement for the year's operations and a balance sheet.
The State Board may conduct special elections if necessary to fill Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary
and/or Treasurer positions if vacated before the term expires.
Nominations made by the Nominating Committee (see Article 5) shall be transmitted to the
Chair with a copy to the Secretary. Nominations by the membership at large shall be included
on the ballot.
Election of officers shall be by ballot. Elections may be conducted by electronic or paper ballot. A provision will be made for those members who are not connected to the internet so they are
able to vote when an electronic ballot is used. The Secretary shall request from the national
office a list of members not receiving an electronic ballot and send those members a paper
ballot.
The outcome of all elections shall be determined by a plurality or simple majority of those
voting. In the case of a tie vote, a run-off election shall be held within one month. The Executive
Committee (see Article 5) shall promptly certify the results of the election to the State Board and
all candidates for office. The membership shall be informed of the election results as soon as
possible.
ARTICLE 5: BOARD AND COMMITTEES
STATE SOCIETY BOARD. The state society board (herein the State Board) shall consist of the
Executive Committee, chapter chairs and other committee member chairs. Additional at-large
members, appointed by the Chair with approval of the State Board, may also be included. The
State Board shall give general supervision to the affairs and interests of the state society and its
contacts with the national Society; shall control the expenditure of all funds; and approve the
place, date and program of all meetings. The State Board shall approve or disapprove proposed
appointments by the Chair; advise the Chair on all matters which the Chair presents to the
committee; and act for the state society on urgent matters which require immediate action
between state society meetings. Committee business may be transacted by electronic or mail
ballot but at least one committee meeting shall be held annually. The Executive Committee shall
fill by appointment the unexpired term of any Board member.
The State Board shall oversee the following functions of the MSAF, as needed. Ad hoc
committees, chairpersons, appointees, or other structures may be formed to address specific
functions. Board functions are not limited to these listed.
A. Nominations and Ballot Counting. The board or its committee shall nominate from eligible
State Society members at least two candidates for each elective office, obtain agreement to serve
if elected from each nominee, and send the nominations and agreements to serve to the
Secretary or other designated officer. If, for any reason, a nominee is found by the Secretary to
be ineligible, the board or its committee shall provide another nomination in a timely manner
for the election period. The board or its committee shall assemble at the time and manner set by
the Secretary to count ballots and shall certify the results of elections to the Chair and board.
B. Finances. The board or its committee, the State Society Treasurer, and Chapter Treasurers
shall act to provide continuity in terms of financial matters for State Society. The board or its
committee shall annually review the State Society budget and financial records. Annual budgets
and financial reports shall be voted upon by the board. Formal audits conducted by an
individual or business external to the State Board shall be requested as needed.
C. Education Fund. The board or its committee shall secure donations for raffles, with proceeds
distributed according to the board’s direction. The board shall consider and/or develop funding
proposals and will fund projects from the Education Fund.
D. Policy. The board or its committee shall identify policy issues and determine and implement
appropriate actions, consistent with National SAF policies, such as drafting letters, formulating
position statements, making recommendations for action, and other tools to represent the
interests of forestry and the State Society. The board or its committee shall work with other
organizations where appropriate. It shall be responsible for reviewing forest policies, forest
policy issues, and position statements referred to or originating with the State Society. The
board shall be responsible for internal and external dissemination of State Society position
statements.
E. Communications. The board or its committee shall work with all aspects of State Society
communications needs, including such duties as news coverage for all activities of the State
Society, distribution of State Society policies and position statements, communications efforts
within the State Society and with other organizations, outreach to various publics, and shall
maintain the State Society’s website.
F. Awards. The board or its committee shall identify and recommend eligible candidates who
may receive the various State or National Society awards.
G. Science and Technology. The board or its committee shall identify science and technology
needs as necessary. The needs shall be acted upon in coordination with the National SAF, its
Working Groups, its Science and Technology board, and interested partners both within and
outside SAF units.
H. Continuing Forestry Education. The board shall appoint a coordinator to assist in
determining SAF Continuing Forestry Education credits for conferences and events both within
and without SAF units, and for requirements associated with the SAF Certified Forester
program.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, Vice Chair,
Secretary and Treasurer of the state society. The Chair acts as chair of the committee. The
Executive Committee shall be designated to handle essential business of the Society as delegated
by the State Board. The Executive Committee shall promptly notify the State Board and/or
membership, as appropriate, of any actions taken. Any actions taken by the Executive
Committee shall be subject to review by the State Board or the membership as a whole, as
appropriate.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE. This committee shall nominate from eligible state society
members at least two candidates for each elective office, obtain agreement to serve if elected
from each nominee, and send the nominations and agreements to serve to the Secretary or other
officer.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES, and other appointments authorized by the Board, shall be appointed
by the Chair. Coordinators and Committees may be appointed to serve functions necessary to
the support society functions, such as: Communication, Policy, Science/Technology, Auditing,
Finance, Continuing Forestry Education, and Membership; the Michigan Forester Editor;
and/or the Awards Chair. Each officer shall serve a two-year term with an option to renew. Coordinators or Committee Chairs serve on the State Board.
Other appointments may include liaisons to universities, colleges, other educational,
professional, natural resource or conservation groups their boards, committees or work groups.
CHAPTERS. A Chapter within the State Society may be authorized by the Board upon written
petition of 15 or more voting members resident in an area where a strong local organization may
be effected. The boundaries of a Chapter shall be established by the Board. Where a viable
Chapter can be sustained only by including members from both sides of a state boundary, the
Chapter shall be affiliated with the state society where a majority of the Chapter members
reside.
A Chapter shall hold at least one meeting each year to retain its authorization and be governed
by a set of officers as described for the Michigan Society or affiliated state society.
The authorization for a Chapter may be rescinded by the Board.
Chapters may adopt bylaws subject to the approval of the Board, provided that no part thereof
shall conflict with the bylaws of the Society.
A Chapter shall report promptly to the state society Chair the election of Chapter officers, the
adoption of Chapter bylaws and amendments thereto, and shall report at least once a year on the
activities of the Chapter. Actions or recommendations of a Chapter on Society affairs will be
transmitted to the state society for recommendation to the Council.
The state society is authorized to appropriate funds to the Chapter for the conduct of its
business.
STUDENT CHAPTERS. A Student Chapter may be authorized within the Michigan Society by
the Board upon written petition at an institution designated as SAF-accredited or as a candidate
institution for accreditation or an SAF-recognized forest technician training program.
Student Chapters shall be composed of Student Members and other interested students.
Student Chapter officers shall be elected according to the student chapter bylaws.
Student Chapter officers shall be students or graduate students who are members of the Society.
At least one business meeting consisting of no less than five percent of the voting membership
shall be held during the year to consider business of sufficient importance to require careful
consideration by the membership at large.
Other meetings as needed shall be scheduled by the Chair, with the approval of the Board, and
may be open to friends of members and other interested persons for the exchange of ideas on
subjects of interest to the profession of forestry.
Important business matters that cannot be delayed until the next business meeting may be
submitted to the voting membership by electronic or paper ballot.
Any officer may be removed from office for reason of misconduct, incompetence, or neglect of duty provided such removal is approved by majority vote of all members voting in a referendum within the voting boundaries of that unit (such as a chapter or state society). Such a ballot may be initiated by the Board on its own volition or it shall be required to conduct such a ballot if it receives a petition setting forth the points of contention by voting members of the state society.
ARTICLE 9: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
The Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of members voting. Proposed amendments shall be submitted to all voting members at least four weeks in advance of the date set for counting the ballots. Amendments shall be effective immediately upon their approval unless otherwise provided. Voting may take place by electronic and/or post (mail) ballot.
The state society shall adopt the Society Code of Ethics governing the ethical conduct of its members. Unethical conduct by a member is conduct that violates the Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics shall be published at least annually or posted on the state society’s website.
No substantial part of the activities of The Corporation shall involve propaganda, or attempts to
influence legislation.
No activities shall involve participation, or intervention, in any political campaign of any
candidate for public office.
None of the net earnings of The Corporation shall inure to the benefit of The Corporation’s
board of directors, officers, or other private individual members. However, this provision shall
not limit the ability to use net earnings, or other assets, in the furtherance of The Corporation’s
mission, to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered, or to reimburse expenses
incurred on behalf of The Corporation.
A volunteer member of the board of directors of The Corporation shall not be held personally
liable to The Corporation, or its members, for any monetary damages for a breach in the
director’s fiduciary duty. This shall not limit liability for acts or omissions not in good faith, or
that involve intentional misconduct, or a knowing violation of the law.
In the event of the dissolution of The Corporation and after paying all liabilities, the board of
directors shall distribute the assets of The Corporation to another organization(s) with a similar
mission, or one or more charitable or educational nonprofit organizations.
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Forest in the Upper Peninsula. Comments, questions,
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Last update of this page was 4 April 2017 .
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