Constitution

CONSTITUTION of the Society of Punjabi Engineers and Technologists British Columbia

• The name of the Society shall be the SOCIETY OF PUNJABI ENGINEERS AND TECHNOLOGISTS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (hereinafter to be called the Society)
• The purposes of this Society are:
  • to promote the Engineering profession in the Punjabi community and the general community at large.
  • to promote the Punjabi culture in the Engineering profession and the general community at large.
  • to provide assistance to students, new graduating engineers and new immigrant engineers in the areas of professional guidance and career development.
  • to assist Punjabi Engineers and Technologists to integrate into the mainstream Engineering profession and community.
  • to provide a forum for social and professional contact.
  • to foster a spirit of fellowship amongst its members.
  • to co-operate with other existing societies in Canada or elsewhere whose purposes and principles are of a professional nature and similar to those to which this Society is dedicated.
• In the event of dissolution or winding up of the organization all its remaining assets, after payment of liabilities, shall be distributed in accordance with a resolution of the Board of Directors to one or more recognized charitable organizations in Canada, whose purposes and principles are of a similar nature to those to which this Society is dedicated.
• All purposes of the Society shall be organized and operated exclusively on a non-profit basis.
• No member serving on the Board of Directors of the Society shall be remunerated for acting on the Board, but he or she may be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily and reasonably incurred by him or her while engaged in the affairs of the Society.
• No part of the income of the Society shall be payable or otherwise available for the personal benefit of any proprietor, member, director or officer.
• Paragraphs 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the Constitution are unalterable.

BY-LAWS of the Society of Punjabi Engineers and Technologists British Columbia

1. Interpretation

• In these Bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires:
  • Society Act means the Society Act of the Province of British Columbia;
  • term means the time between the annual general meeting and the immediate next annual general meeting;
  • Board means the Board of Directors of the Society.
• Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa; and words importing a male person include a female person and a corporation.

2. Membership criteria, Rights and Obligations

• An Active Member of the society shall consist of and be confined to persons who:
  • have an Engineering Degree from a University or College, or have an Engineering related Technical Diploma, or are currently enrolled as a student in an Engineering related program;
  • support the objectives of this Society;
  • are of 18 years of age or older; and
  • have been an Associate Member of the Society for a period of one year.
• An Active Member in good standing shall have the privilege to vote at all general, annual, special, social or ordinary meetings of the Society.
• An Associate Member of the society shall consist of and be confined to persons who:An Associate Member of the society shall consist of and be confined to persons who:
  • are new members to the Society.
  • have an Engineering Degree from a University or College, or have an Engineering related Technical Diploma, or are currently enrolled as a student in an Engineering related program; and
  • support the objectives of this Society.
• An Associate Member has the right to participate in all social and cultural activites, but does not have the right to vote at any general, annual, special or ordinary meeting of the Society.
• A Special Member of the society shall consist of and be confined to persons who:
  • are spouses or children of Active or Associate Members who are interested in promoting the objectives of this Society; or
  • display a contribution to the community or profession shall be considered honorary members as decided upon by the Board.
• A Special Member has the right to participate in social and cultural activites, but does not have the right to vote at any general, annual, special or ordinary meeting of the Society.
• A person may apply to the directors for membership in the society and on acceptance by the directors shall be a member.

3. Registration of new members and removal or expulsion of Existing members

• Membership fees for Active Members are free of cost.
• Membership fees for student members of the Society (either Active or Associate Members) are $15.00 due annually on or before the Annual General Meeting of each year.
• Special Members are not required to pay any membership dues
• The Board reserves the right to review or verify the educational credentials of a new member of the Society.
• A person shall cease to become a member of the Society:
  • upon submitting his or her resignation in writing to the Membership Director of the Society;
  • upon failure to pay the annual membership dues; or
  • by reason of expulsion from the Society pursuant to Section 3.8 hereof.
• Any Active or Associate Member who ceases to become a member of the Society shall be considered a new member upon rejoining the Society, and must therefore serve as an Associate Member for a period of one year before becoming an Active Member.
• Any Active, Associate or Special Member who acts against the aims and objectives of this Society shall have his membership revoked by the Board of Directors after due investigation.
• If the Board of Directors passes a resolution to remove one or more persons from membership, then the Board shall cause notice in writing to be sent or delivered to such member advising him or her of the reasons for removal and giving such member fifteen (15) days in which to make representations to the Board. The Board shall meet to hear the representations of the grieved member before making a final decision as to whether such member should be removed from the membership.
• Any person who is removed from the membership may only be reinstated upon approval of the Board.
• Members who withdraw from the Society or are expelled from the Society shall not be eligible for a refund of any dues paid.
• All members are in good standing except a member who has failed to pay his current membership fee owing and shall cease to be in good standing so long as the debt remains unpaid.

4. Management

• The management of the Society shall be under the control of the Board of Directors consisting of the following 11 Officers:
  • President
  • Vice President
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Membership Director
  • Social Activities Director
  • Technical Activities Director
  • Public Relations Director
  • Industry Relations Directo
  • Director at Large
  • Student Activities Chair
• Only Active Members of the Society shall be permitted to serve as Officers on the Board.
• The Student Activities Chair shall only be occupied by a student in an Engineering related program at a University, College or Technical Institute at the time of his or her election.
• The Board of Directors shall have full control and management of the affairs of the Society.
• Individual members of the Board shall perform duties herein after specified and such other duties as are usually incidental to their office.
• The Board shall have the power to appoint, dismiss and/or replace standing committees and sub-committees as and when the business of the society warrants it.

5. Officers, Chairs and their Dutie

• The Officers and their respective duties are as follows:
  • President
    • shall be the chief executive officer of the Society
    • shall cause the rules of the Society to be enforced;
    • shall call general, special and board meetings;
    • shall preside over all of the meetings of the Society and of the Board;
    • shall ensure the decisions of the Society and its Board are carried out
    • shall act for the Treasurer in his or her absence or inability to carry out his or her responsibilties; and
    • shall have the authority to cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie at Board meetings
  • Vice-President
    • shall act for the President in his or her absence or inability to carry out his or her responsibilities;
    • shall assist the President in the activities of the Society whenever called upon to do so; and
    • shall be responsible for overseeing and assisting the activities of standing committes or sub-commities of the Society.
  • Secretary
    • shall conduct all general correspondence of the Society;
    • shall convene meetings of the Board; and
    • shall maintain and record the minutes of all the meetings
  • Treasurer
    • shall have charge of and keep accounts thereof and shall pay into the bank accounts of the society such monies as received by him/her;
    • shall keep records of all funds received and disbursed and of all debits;
    • shall report to the Board of Directors when required to furnish a statement and produce all the books showing all the accounts;
    • shall prepare a yearly financial statement duly audited to be submitted to the members of the Society; and
    • shall at the end of the year file a tax return for the fiscal year with Revenue Canada.
  • Membership Director
    • shall maintain and update the membership list for Active, Associate and Special members;
    • shall be responsible for the orientation of new members; and
    • shall be responsible for encouraging new members to the Society.
  • Social Activities Director
    • shall plan and organize social events or meetings for the Society; and
    • shall maintain contact with other cultural societies in British Columbia.
    • Social Activities Director
      • shall plan and organize social events or meetings for the Society; and
      • shall maintain contact with other cultural societies in British Columbia.
    • Technical Activities Director
      • shall plan and organize technical events or meetings for the Society; and
      • shall maintain contact with other technical and professional societies and universities in British Columbia
    • Public Relations Director
      • shall be responsible for any publications that may be printed with the Society’s name on it;
      • shall act as a liaison between the media and the Society; and
      • shall work to publicize the objectives and events of the Society
    • Industry Relations Director
      • shall act as a liaison between the industry and the Society;
      • shall assist new graduating members and new immigrant members in job placement opportunities; and
      • shall assist new graduating members and new immigrant members in professional guidance and career development.
    • Director at Large
      • shall assist the other officers on the Board in their activities; and
      • shall be assigned duties as decided upon by the Board.
    • Student Activities Chair
      • shall act as a liaison between the student members in the Society and the Board;
      • shall plan and organize events or meetings for the student members of the Society;
      • shall work to promote the objectives of the Society at universities, colleges or technical institutes in British Columbia; and
      • shall represent the Society at seminars, meetings or other cultural activities taking place at universities, colleges or technical institutes in British Columbia.
  • The Officers on the Board shall:
    • act honestly, in good faith and in the best interest of Society.
    • exercise the care, diligence and skill of a reasonable and prudent person in exercising power and performing functions as a member of the Board.

6. Elections

• The Officers on the Board of Directors shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Society to be held in the first week of February of each year.
• Only Active Members will be permitted to contest for the Officer positions on the Board of Directors.
• Only students who are Active Members and are enrolled in an Engineering program at a University, College or Technical Institute in British Columbia shall be permitted to contest for the Student Activities Chair position on the Board.
• All officers on the Board shall hold office for a period of two years with the exception of the President, the Secretary, and the Student Activities Chair whose terms are for one year.
• Elections for the President’s position, the Secretary’s position and the Student Activities Chair shall take place each year. Elections for the remaining 8 positions on the Board shall take place in alternating years. The following positions will be contested for through elections in even-numbered years: Vice-President, Social Activities Director, Industry Relations Director and Director at Large. The following positions will be contested for through elections in odd-numbered years: Treasurer, Membership Director, Technical Activities Director, and Public Relations Director.
• Only Active Members in good standing shall have the right to vote for the Officer positions on the Board of Directors.
• Nominations for the Officer positions shall be submitted to the Board atleast fourteen (14) days prior to the Annual General Meeting. Nominations must be submitted in writing to the Board with the signatures of the candidate and three (3) Active Members in good standing.
• Election shall be by secret ballot.
• Proxy voting is not permitted.
• The newly elected Board of Directors shall assume responsibilities on election day at the annual general meeting.
• All elected members of the Board of Directors shall:
  • not have been convicted of an indictable offense under the Criminal Code of Canada; and
  • be a member in good standing at the time of his or her election
• A retiring Board member may run for re-election and serve on the Board as many times as he or she wishes, but may not serve on the Board for four (4) consecutive years.
• Any member serving on the Board of Directors or any sub-committee may resign therefrom by giving fifteen (15) days advance written notice.
• Any officer who resigns from the Board, may not contest for an officer position on the Board for a period of two years.
• Any member serving on the Board of Directors can be removed from the Board by a petition signed by seventy-five percent (75%) of the Active Members.
• Any vacancy on the Board of Directors occurring during the normal term by reason of death, resignation or otherwise shall be filled through nomination by the Board.
• In accordance with article 5 of the constitution, no member serving on the Board shall be remunerated for acting on the board, but he or she may be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily and reasonably incurred by him or her while engaged in the affairs of the Society

7. Meetings

• The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in the first week of February of each year. The Board of Directors shall inform all Active and Associate members of the date, time and place of the annual general meeting by written notice at least thirty days before the annual general meeting. Only Active and Associate Members are permitted to attend the Annual General Meeting.
• A Membership Meeting of the Society may be called whenever the Board deems it necessary.
• Membership meetings shall be called by the President by written notice at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting.
• A Special Meeting of the general body of the Society shall be called at the written request of ten (10) percent of the Active Members in good standing. Notice for such meetings shall be issued within twenty-one (21) days of such a request and shall state the reasons for calling such a meeting.
• Only Active Members in good standing shall be permitted to vote at any annual, membership or special meetings.
• At any annual, membership or special meeting, a resolution put to vote at the meeting shall be decided on by a show of hands.
• The minutes of each meeting, whether annual, membership or special meeting, shall be read at the next meeting.
• One-Third (1/3) of the Active Membership, or thirty (30) Active Members in good standing, whichever is greater, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.
• If a quorum is not present at a properly called meeting, it shall be adjourned for one week.
• A special resolution requires three-quarters (3/4) majority of all the members of the Society.
• Social meetings of the Society for the purpose of professional, social, sports or cultural activities shall be arranged by the Board
• The medium of language to be used in any meeting (annual general meeting, membership meeting, special meeting or social meeting) may be either or all of English, French and Punjabi.
• A person may attend Society meetings provided he or she is willing to conduct him/her self in accordance with this constitution and the Code of Ethics as outlined by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC) and the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia (ASTTBC).

8. Funds, Assets and Appropriations

• For the purpose of carrying out its objectives, the Society may raise or secure money in such a manner as it thinks fit and in particular by the issue of debentures, but this power shall be exercised only with the sanction of a special resolution of all members of the Society.
• The income and property of the Society whencesoever derived shall be applied towards the promotion of its objectives and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly to the members of the Society.
• All cheques shall be signed by the Treasurer and co-signed by either the President or Vice-President, however in the absence of the Treasurer, another member of the Board shall be appointed temporarily for the purpose of signing the cheques with the Board’s approval.
• The books and accounts of the Society shall be audited by a qualified individual chosen by the Board as the Board sees fit. The audited accounts shall be presented at the annual general meeting in January of each year.
• The term of the auditors shall cease along with the term of the appointing Board at the end of the Annual General Meeting of each year.
• The books and accounts of the Society shall be available for inspection by members of the Society at the Annual General Meeting provided for herein, or at a Board meeting upon giving thirty (30) days prior notice in writing by ten (10) Active Members in good standing.
• The fiscal year of the society is January 1st to December 31st.

9. Board Meetings

• The meetings of the Board shall be held as often as necessary, but at least once every two months and shall be called by the President by five (5) days written or verbal notice to the rest of the Board Members.
• The President of the Society shall be the chairman of all the Board meetings, unless the Board decides otherwise.
• All Board Members, with the exception of the President, shall have one vote in Board Meetings. The President does not vote in Board decisions except in the event of a tie amongst the Officers present at the Board meeting.
• All resolutions of the Board shall be passed if they are approved by the majority of the Board Members present at the meeting.
• A special meeting of the Board may be called upon the request of six members of the Board; provided they request the President in writing to call such a meeting and state the nature of the business to be brought to the meeting.
• The Board shall have the power to form or appoint sub-committees from the membership of the Society for the conduct of specific purposes. Such sub-committees shall be dissolved by the Board or automatically stand dissolved after fulfillment of such specific purpose.
• The quorum for a Board meeting or a sub-committee meeting shall be fifty percent (50%) of the members of the Board or sub-committee.

10. Custody And use of the Society seal

• The Society shall have a seal and it shall be kept in the custody of the President or Treasurer of the Society. The seal shall be fixed to all the instruments and any documents issued by the President or Treasurer or as approved by the Board.

11. Altering, Rescinding & Adding by-laws

• These by-laws may be rescinded, altered or added to by a special resolution at any properly called meeting of the general body.
• Any amendment to the by-laws of the Society shall be proposed in writing by the Board of Directors or by at least twenty (20) members in two years good standing.
• A motion to amendment may be carried only by a three-quarters (3/4) majority of members at a properly called meeting of the general body.
• No amendment to by-laws will be considered as passed until three-quarters (3/4) of members present in the general body meeting vote in its favour.

12. Miscellaneous

• In the absence of any clear directive in these Bylaws, Robert’s Rules of Order shall apply to the proceedings of both the Board and Annual General Meetings.
• On being admitted to membership, each member is entitled to a single copy of the constitution of the Society upon request.
• Any member of the Board is prohibited from taking improper advantage of his or her office
• Pamphlets or circulars (other than those issued by the Board) shall not be circulated at any Society meeting (annual, membership special, or social meetings) without the prior permission of the Secretary.
• No one shall be allowed to make any collection at any Society meeting without the prior permission of the Secretary.
• The headings used herein are for guidance only.