Constitution:

Preamble

Recognizing that service to the public, to the state and to the profession is a fundamental obligation of the professional engineer, the Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers does hereby dedicate itself to the promotion and protection of the profession of engineering as a social and economic influence vital to the welfare of the community, the State of Wisconsin, the United States of America and all mankind.

Article I - Name

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the WISCONSIN SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS, hereinafter called the Society.

Section 2. The Society is incorporated as a nonprofit organization under the laws of the State of Wisconsin.

Section 3. The Society is a member state society of the National Society of Professional Engineers, a national organization of like aims and purposes, hereinafter called the National Society or NSPE.

Section 4. The Society subscribes to and supports the Code of Ethics of the NSPE.

Article II - Objectives

Section 1. The objectives of this Society shall be:

1. Advance and promote the public welfare.
2. Advance the professional, social and economic interests of the profession.
3. Strive throughout the profession to make registration more meaningful in terms of acknowledgment of individual achievement in engineering as reflected by education and practice, and encourage all qualified engineers to seek legal status through registration.
4. Unite all qualified engineers of the state in one organization.
5. Stimulate and develop professional concepts among all engineers.
6. Advance self-education, self-improvement and continuing study to upgrade and expand the practicing engineer's competence.
7. Develop the civic consciousness of members of the engineering profession, and serve the public good by support of, and cooperation with, public officials.
8. Represent the engineering profession in legislative matters in the interests of the state and the profession.
9. Promote high standards of engineering education.
10. Cultivate public appreciation for the work of the engineer through improved public relations, and provide a forum for effective exchange and advancement of knowledge of matters of concern to the profession.
11. Assist well-qualified and properly-motivated young people in obtaining reliable information concerning the profession of engineering.
12. Establish and preserve high standards of ethical conduct and practice by members of the profession.

Article III - Membership

Section 1. Membership in the Society shall be designated within one of the following grades: Licensed Member, Member (EI/EIT), Member (ABET Graduate), or Student Member. All members of the Society shall also be members of the National Society.

Section 2. All members other than Student Members shall have voting privileges in the Society.

Section 3. Only Licensed Members may hold the offices of president and president-elect, at the State level: and, Licensed Members or Members may hold other elected offices.

Section 4. Membership grade definition

1. Licensed Member- Engineers licensed in the United States or a United States Territory (Professional Engineer) or holders of an equivalent licensure from another country.
2. Member - A Member shall be defined as a person who:
   (1) Is an EI (Engineer Intern)/EIT (Engineer-in-Training) or holder of an equivalent credential from another country.
   (2) Is a Graduate of a Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET)-accredited engineering program, or the international equivalent.
3. Student Member - Students in ABET-accredited engineering programs, or the international equivalent.

Section 5: A member shall become eligible for Life Membership or Retired (formerly Privileged) Membership for the purpose of reduction or waiver of dues. Eligibility for Life Membership and Retired Membership, and application requirements of, shall be established by the National Society.

Section 6. Should the licensure of a member be revoked for any reason, the person shall automatically cease to be a member of the Society. If the licensure should lapse, except in the case of Life or Retired Members, the member will be reclassified to Member grade, if eligible.

Article IV - Administration

Section I. The Officers of Society shall consist of the President, President-Elect, three Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, the National Delegate, and the latest living resident Past President
Section 2. The Board shall consist of the following persons:

1. Most recent living past president residing in Wisconsin;
2. The elective officers of the Society;
3. One state director elected by each local chapter from its members, or in the absence of the state director, an elected officer of the chapter's board, as designated by the local chapter president;
4. The chairman of each qualifying practice division or an elected officer of the practice division board as designated by the chairman of the practice division.
5. National Delegate to the NSPE House of Delegates;
6. Young Engineer Representative.

Section 3. A majority of the Board members shall constitute a quorum. An affirmative vote of a majority of the Board members present at any regular or duly called meeting shall be required to pass any motion not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society. The president shall vote only when necessary to break a tie.

Section 4. The Board shall have authority to decide upon any question by means of a letter ballot directed to all members of the Board. Procedures for determining a vote by letter ballot shall be specified in the Bylaws, and a majority of the votes cast within the stipulated time shall decide the question submitted to ballot.

Section 5. The Board shall direct the investment and care of funds for the Society and shall adopt an annual budget and make appropriations for other specific purposes.

Section 6. No member of the Board shall receive a salary or compensation from the Society, except for expenses incurred in behalf of the Society as approved by the Board.

Section 7. The Board may appoint an executive director, and fix compensation and define the duties of the position. The executive director shall not be a member of the Board, but may be a member of the Society.

Section 8. There shall be an Executive Committee of the Board consisting of the President, President-Elect, three Vice-Presidents, Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer and National Delegate. Within the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws, the Executive Committee shall act for the Board between Board meetings provided that such action is not inconsistent with Board policy. All acts of the Executive Committee shall be reported to the Board. A majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Section 9. In the event the president becomes unable to serve, the president-elect shall succeed to the office of the president. The office of president-elect shall remain vacant until the next Annual Meeting, at which meeting a president for the following year shall be elected.

Section 10. A state director may resign at any time or may be removed by members of a local chapter at any special meeting of the chapter called for that purpose. Vacancies in such positions caused for any reason shall be filled by the board of the local chapter in which the vacancy occurs and the person so appointed shall serve the unexpired term of the person being replaced. A vacancy occurring in any other position shall be filled by election of the Board, with the exception of the chairman of each practice division who shall be selected by that division. Any vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term of the Board member being replaced.

Section 11. The Society may discipline a member for cause as provided in the Bylaws. In disciplinary matters which transcend the boundaries of the State of Wisconsin, the Board may:

1. Authorize joint action with other state societies;
2. Waive jurisdiction to another state society; or
3. Request the assistance of the National Society where, in the Board's judgment, the circumstances warrant.

Article V - Officers

Section 1. The officers of the Society shall consist of the president, president-elect, three vice presidents, secretary, treasurer, the national director(s), and the latest living resident past president.

Section 2. The Society shall be represented on the House of Delegates of the National Society by a National Delegate.

Section 3. The president-elect, vice presidents, secretary and treasurer shall be elected for a term of one year. The President-Elect shall automatically assume the Presidency for the year following the election. The National Delegate shall be elected for a term of two years

Section 4. The Vice-Presidents, the Secretary, and the Treasurer may not serve in that capacity for more than three successive one-year terms. The National Delegate may not serve in that capacity for more than two successive two-year terms. No two elective offices may be held simultaneously by the same person.

Section 5. Eligibility to nomination, election or retention of a position as an elective officer of the Society shall be contingent upon residence or employment in the state.

Section 6. The duties of the officers shall be defined in the Bylaws.

Section 7. The treasurer and such other officers as the Board may determine shall be bonded, at the expense of the Society, for such amount as may be determined by the Board.

Section 8. The elective officers and directors shall take office, and the president-elect elected the previous year shall become president, on July 1 following their election, and shall hold office until their successors have been duly elected and installed.

Article VI - Nomination And Election Of Officers

Section 1. The Board shall annually appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of the following:

1. The most recent past president residing in Wisconsin;
2. The most recent past national director residing in Wisconsin and not eligible for reelection; and,
3. Four members at large selected by the president who should endeavor to maintain a balance between the practice divisions and geographical areas of the state.

   The past president member of the Nominating Committee shall serve as chair. No Society officer, other than the past president, shall be eligible for membership on the committee and the committee shall not nominate one of its members for an office.

Section 2. Committee members, other than the most recent past national director residing in Wisconsin, shall be eligible to serve no more than two consecutive terms, and a committee member having served shall not be eligible to serve on the committee again for three years thereafter excluding the final year of service. The secretary shall advise the Board of members not eligible to serve on the committee.

Section 3. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of nominees for the offices of president-elect, three vice presidents, national director(s), secretary and treasurer for the ensuing administrative year, to be reported to the membership as provided in the Bylaws.

Section 4. Additional nominations, which may include members of the Nominating Committee, shall be placed on the official ballot upon petition of twenty-five (25) or more members having voting privileges. The petition must be filed with the secretary by the date specified in the Bylaws.

Section 5. Election of officers shall be made annually by plurality vote by all members in good standing having voting privileges in the Society.

Article VII - Headquarters

Section 1. The Headquarters of the Society shall be located in a location as designated by the Board.

Article VIII - Meeting

Section 1. The Society shall hold an Annual Meeting at such time and place as may be selected by the Board, which shall be open to all members and their guests.

Section 2. Special meetings of the Society shall be called by the president on a two-thirds vote of the Board or upon petition by 50 members of the Society, or 10 percent of the membership, whichever is the smaller number.

Article IX - Committees

Section 1. Such committees as may be appropriate to accomplish the Society's objectives shall be established as provided in the Bylaws.

Section 2. The duties of committees shall be defined by the Board.

Article X - Practice Divisions

Section 1. To further the objectives of the Society, establishment of practice divisions is authorized.

Section 2. The Board may sanction the creation or order the dissolution of practice divisions as provided in the Bylaws.

Article XI - Chapters

Section 1. The membership of the Society may be organized into chapters. The Board may authorize and charter such chapters, defining geographical boundaries as may best serve the members of the Society. Each chapter thus formed shall have a minimum of 10 voting members. All qualified members of each chapter shall be members of the Society and the National Society.

Section 2. The Board shall have authority to make rules and regulations for and decisions affecting the chartering, combining or dissolving of chapters.

Section 3. Each chapter chartered by the Society shall adopt such bylaws for its operation as it may deem proper; provided that nothing contained therein shall conflict with or contravene the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society. Such bylaws and any changes thereto are subject to approval of the Board.

Section 4. Chapters shall engage only in such activities as are consistent with professional ideal and ethics. Such activities shall be restricted to the area for which the chapter is chartered, except as the Board may authorize.

Section 5. In all matters of local concern not covered by this Constitution and Bylaws, chapters shall retain full autonomy, but may call upon the Society and NSPE for advice, counsel and assistance.

Section 6. Each chapter shall be represented on the Board as provided in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society.

Section 7. No chapter shall contract any debt or obligation on behalf of the Society unless expressly authorized by the Board.

Section 8. The fiscal and administrative years of the chapters shall be concurrent with those of the Society.

Section 9. Student members in engineering colleges and universities may be organized into student chapters, as provided in the Bylaws.

Article XII - Dues and Fees

Section 1. The dues and fees of the Society shall be determined by the Board and shall include a subscription to the state publications.

Section 2. The procedure for billing and collecting of dues and fees shall be determined by the Board and stated in the Bylaws.

Section 3. The schedule and conditions for dues and fees payment, delinquency, dropping from membership and reinstatement shall be determined by the Board and stated in the Bylaws.

Article XIII - Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by:

1. a majority vote of the entire Board;
2. by a petition signed by not less than 15 percent of the members of this Society who are eligible to vote on constitutional changes; or
3. by a majority vote of the Board members present, provided that the text of the proposed amendment have been communicated by mail or email to the members of the Board not less than 20 before the meeting at which the vote on the amendment is to take place. Amendments submitted by petition shall be reviewed by the Board before being submitted to members for voting. The findings of this review may be transmitted to the members at the discretion of the Board.

Section 2. The Constitution of this Society may be amended by a vote of the majority of the members present in person or by proxy at any meeting of members providing notice of the amendment is given in the notice of the meeting at which such action is taken.

Article XIV - Bylaws

Section 1. The Board shall prepare and adopt a series of Bylaws which shall govern all procedures under this Constitution, including those of the Board and of the Society's committees.

Section 2. The Bylaws may be amended by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Board present at a meeting provided that the text of the proposed amendment has been communicated by mail or email to the members of the Board not less than 20 days before the meeting at which the vote on the amendment is to take place.

Article XV - Effective Date

Section 1. This Constitution shall become effective upon its adoption in the manner prescribed for voting on amendments and thereupon the previous Constitution and prior amendments thereto are repealed. Adopted 10-8-88 Last Amended 5-5-00

Constitution last revised 02/18/06.