The University of Texas Marine Science Institute Green Team's Bylaws
Article I: Name and Purpose
Section 1 – Name: The name of the organization shall be UTMSI Green Team. It shall be a volunteer organization and operate under the rules and regulations of the University of Texas.
Section 2 – Purpose: The purpose of the UTMSI Green Team is to provide faculty, staff and students in the Marine Science Department an opportunity to discuss environmental issues that affect their department, building/grounds and nearby community. The team will work to develop solutions to these problems that will result in a more eco-friendly and sustainable working environment.
Article II: Membership
Section 1 – Membership Eligibility: Any individual affiliated with the University of Texas Marine Science Institute or the surrounding community are invited and encouraged to participate as active members of the UTMSI Green Team.
Section 2 – Rights of Membership: Each member shall be eligible to one vote for elections and all other efforts requiring member approval (i.e., funding requests greater than $50)
Section 3 – Resignation and Termination: Any member that chooses to resign from the UTMSI Green Team may do so by emailing their resignation to the Secretary.
Section 4 – Non-voting Membership: Any member of the UTMSI Green Team can serve as a non-voting member if that is their wish. To enroll as a non-voting member, simply send your request to the Secretary.
Article III: Meetings of Members
Section 1 – Monthly Meetings: Regular meetings of the Green Team members will be held at 12:00PM on the first Wednesday of each odd month (i.e., Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sept, Nov) on the UTMSI campus. Deviations from this schedule will not require a vote of members but will be communicated to all members at least one week prior to the scheduled date or one week prior to the actual meeting date, whichever occurs first.
Section 2 – Special Meetings: Special meetings may be requested by any member of the Executive Committee but must be approved among the members of the Executive Committee by a majority vote. An effort will be made to notify members of special meetings at least one week prior to their scheduled date, but a minimum 24-hour notification is required.
Section 3 – Notice of Meetings: All meeting notices will be distributed via email in an effort to reduce paper waste. Reminders for regular meetings will be sent prior to the day of the meeting, and members will be notified of special meetings a week prior to their scheduled date, unless circumstances dictate otherwise. However, regardless of circumstances, notices of special meetings must be distributed via email a minimum of 24 hours prior to the meeting.
Section 4 – Quorum: The members present at any properly announced meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Section 5 – Voting: All issues to be voted on shall be decided by a simple majority of those present at the meeting in which the vote takes place or by a simply majority of members participating in an online survey. When possible, voting will occur outside of meetings via SurveyMonkey in order to maximize the usefulness of each monthly meeting and increase participation in the voting process. All electronic voting will be held open for a minimum of 72 business hours. Members who do not respond to electronic voting requests within this time period will be counted as if they were not present for the vote.
Article IV: Executive Committee
Section 1 – Role, Size and Compensation: The Executive Committee is responsible for overall policy, planning, and direction of the UTMSI Green Team. The Executive Committee shall have positions for four members. Only individuals employed by or studying at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute are eligible for nomination to serve on the Executive Committee. Members of the Executive Committee are volunteers and shall receive no compensation for their work. Reimbursement of expenses is not considered compensation.
Section 2 – Terms: All members of the Executive Committee shall serve two-year terms but are eligible for re-election for up to three consecutive terms. Terms for members of the Executive Committee shall run from January 1 through December 31 of the following year.
Section 3 – Board Elections: New members of the Executive Committee shall be elected (or re-elected) by a simple majority vote of the UTMSI Green Team.
Section 4 – Election Procedures: Nominations for new members to the Executive Committee will be accepted at the regular November meeting. Voting will occur via SurveyMonkey before the regular December meeting. Ballots for the Executive Board will remain open for five business days to ensure members ample opportunity to express their opinion. Results will be reported to the overall membership via email and will be shared a second time at the regular December meeting.
Section 5 – Officers and Duties: There shall be four officers on the Executive Committee. They will consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Their duties are as follows:
The President shall convene all meetings and shall preside at each meeting. If the President is unable to perform these duties, they must arrange for a substitute from within the Executive Committee. Executive Committee members should be contacted in the following order: Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer.
The Vice President shall serve as acting-President if the President is unable to perform his/her duties. The Vice President shall also serve as the volunteer organizer for any programs implemented by the UTMSI Green Team
The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping and distributing meeting minutes and assisting the President in administering elections and other voting measures. The Secretary shall also be responsible for sending meeting announcements, managing the UTMSI Green Team email list, and updating the membership roster.
The Treasurer will be responsible for communicating with the administrators involved in ongoing projects/activities that require financing by the Green Team. The Treasurer shall maintain an up-to-date balance for all accounts and have this information available for regular meetings. The Treasurer is also responsible for compiling a list of all monthly funding requests greater than $50 and distributing this list to the Green Team members for a vote.
Section 8 – Vacancies: If an Executive Committee member chooses to resign their position, they are responsible for notifying the other members of the Executive Committee. When a vacancy exists mid-term on the Executive Committee, any member of the Executive Committee can request and receive nominations for the vacant position at the next regular meeting. In order to expedite the process for filling Executive Committee vacancies, members will vote on the nominated candidates at the same meeting in which nominations are made. A simple majority vote of members present is required for approval.
Section 9 – Resignation and Termination: Resignation from the Executive Committee must be in writing/email and received by the other members of the Executive Committee. A member of the Executive Committee may be removed by a two-thirds vote. The vote will be conducted via SurveyMonkey, but a minimum of 15 members must participate in the voting process for the request to be approved. Members will be allowed five business days to vote. If 15 votes are not received, the request will be denied. Results of the survey will be reported at the next regular meeting. Requests to remove a member of the Executive Committee must be submitted in writing to the Secretary.
Article V: Committees
Section 1 – Committee Formation: The UTMSI Green Team may create or dissolve committees ( as needed. All participation in committees is voluntary and members are free to volunteer for as many committees as they deem appropriate.
Section 2 – Executive Committee: The Executive Committee is limited in membership and shall consist of four elected officers (see Article 4, Section 7). The primary duties of the Executive Committee will be administrative and advisory. However, they do hold the power to call special meetings and to approve funding requests under $50.
Section 3 – Special Committees: Special committees will be formed as needed in order to fulfill the mission of the UTMSI Green Team. Each special committee will be led by at least one member of the Green Team. At a minimum, an effort should be made to keep the following special committees active:
Section 1 – Funding Request: UTMSI Green Team members may request money from the Green Team budget for upcoming/ongoing projects and activities. The request must be submitted to the Treasurer within five business days following a regular monthly meeting. The Treasurer is responsible for compiling a list of funding requests greater than $50 every month and distributing this list to Green Team members via SurveyMonkey. If a funding request is under $50, a vote is not required of all Green Team members and the request may be handled by the Executive Committee.
Section 2 – Approval: A simple majority vote is needed to approve funding requests greater than $50 and no minimum number of votes is required. A simple majority vote of the Executive Committee is needed to approve funding requests under $50.
Article VII: Amendments
Section 1 – Amendments: The bylaws may be amended when necessary by a two-thirds majority vote of the UTMSI Green Team members. Proposed amendments will be voted on via SurveyMonkey, and a minimum of 10 members must participate in the voting process for the request to be approved. Members will be allowed five business days to vote. If 10 votes are not received, the requested amendment will be denied. Proposed amendments should be submitted to the Secretary for distribution. However, distribution will not occur until after a regular monthly meeting has been held. This will allow adequate opportunity and time for discussion.
Article VIII: Certification
Section 1 – Certification Process: These bylaws will be distributed by the Secretary via email. Green Team members will be allowed to review the bylaws until the next regular meeting. A two-thirds vote of members present will be required for approval of the bylaws.
Section 2 – Certification: These bylaws were approved at a meeting of the UTMSI Green Team by a two-thirds majority vote on January 8, 2014.
Section 1 – Name: The name of the organization shall be UTMSI Green Team. It shall be a volunteer organization and operate under the rules and regulations of the University of Texas.
Section 2 – Purpose: The purpose of the UTMSI Green Team is to provide faculty, staff and students in the Marine Science Department an opportunity to discuss environmental issues that affect their department, building/grounds and nearby community. The team will work to develop solutions to these problems that will result in a more eco-friendly and sustainable working environment.
Article II: Membership
Section 1 – Membership Eligibility: Any individual affiliated with the University of Texas Marine Science Institute or the surrounding community are invited and encouraged to participate as active members of the UTMSI Green Team.
Section 2 – Rights of Membership: Each member shall be eligible to one vote for elections and all other efforts requiring member approval (i.e., funding requests greater than $50)
Section 3 – Resignation and Termination: Any member that chooses to resign from the UTMSI Green Team may do so by emailing their resignation to the Secretary.
Section 4 – Non-voting Membership: Any member of the UTMSI Green Team can serve as a non-voting member if that is their wish. To enroll as a non-voting member, simply send your request to the Secretary.
Article III: Meetings of Members
Section 1 – Monthly Meetings: Regular meetings of the Green Team members will be held at 12:00PM on the first Wednesday of each odd month (i.e., Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sept, Nov) on the UTMSI campus. Deviations from this schedule will not require a vote of members but will be communicated to all members at least one week prior to the scheduled date or one week prior to the actual meeting date, whichever occurs first.
Section 2 – Special Meetings: Special meetings may be requested by any member of the Executive Committee but must be approved among the members of the Executive Committee by a majority vote. An effort will be made to notify members of special meetings at least one week prior to their scheduled date, but a minimum 24-hour notification is required.
Section 3 – Notice of Meetings: All meeting notices will be distributed via email in an effort to reduce paper waste. Reminders for regular meetings will be sent prior to the day of the meeting, and members will be notified of special meetings a week prior to their scheduled date, unless circumstances dictate otherwise. However, regardless of circumstances, notices of special meetings must be distributed via email a minimum of 24 hours prior to the meeting.
Section 4 – Quorum: The members present at any properly announced meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Section 5 – Voting: All issues to be voted on shall be decided by a simple majority of those present at the meeting in which the vote takes place or by a simply majority of members participating in an online survey. When possible, voting will occur outside of meetings via SurveyMonkey in order to maximize the usefulness of each monthly meeting and increase participation in the voting process. All electronic voting will be held open for a minimum of 72 business hours. Members who do not respond to electronic voting requests within this time period will be counted as if they were not present for the vote.
Article IV: Executive Committee
Section 1 – Role, Size and Compensation: The Executive Committee is responsible for overall policy, planning, and direction of the UTMSI Green Team. The Executive Committee shall have positions for four members. Only individuals employed by or studying at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute are eligible for nomination to serve on the Executive Committee. Members of the Executive Committee are volunteers and shall receive no compensation for their work. Reimbursement of expenses is not considered compensation.
Section 2 – Terms: All members of the Executive Committee shall serve two-year terms but are eligible for re-election for up to three consecutive terms. Terms for members of the Executive Committee shall run from January 1 through December 31 of the following year.
Section 3 – Board Elections: New members of the Executive Committee shall be elected (or re-elected) by a simple majority vote of the UTMSI Green Team.
Section 4 – Election Procedures: Nominations for new members to the Executive Committee will be accepted at the regular November meeting. Voting will occur via SurveyMonkey before the regular December meeting. Ballots for the Executive Board will remain open for five business days to ensure members ample opportunity to express their opinion. Results will be reported to the overall membership via email and will be shared a second time at the regular December meeting.
Section 5 – Officers and Duties: There shall be four officers on the Executive Committee. They will consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Their duties are as follows:
The President shall convene all meetings and shall preside at each meeting. If the President is unable to perform these duties, they must arrange for a substitute from within the Executive Committee. Executive Committee members should be contacted in the following order: Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer.
The Vice President shall serve as acting-President if the President is unable to perform his/her duties. The Vice President shall also serve as the volunteer organizer for any programs implemented by the UTMSI Green Team
The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping and distributing meeting minutes and assisting the President in administering elections and other voting measures. The Secretary shall also be responsible for sending meeting announcements, managing the UTMSI Green Team email list, and updating the membership roster.
The Treasurer will be responsible for communicating with the administrators involved in ongoing projects/activities that require financing by the Green Team. The Treasurer shall maintain an up-to-date balance for all accounts and have this information available for regular meetings. The Treasurer is also responsible for compiling a list of all monthly funding requests greater than $50 and distributing this list to the Green Team members for a vote.
Section 8 – Vacancies: If an Executive Committee member chooses to resign their position, they are responsible for notifying the other members of the Executive Committee. When a vacancy exists mid-term on the Executive Committee, any member of the Executive Committee can request and receive nominations for the vacant position at the next regular meeting. In order to expedite the process for filling Executive Committee vacancies, members will vote on the nominated candidates at the same meeting in which nominations are made. A simple majority vote of members present is required for approval.
Section 9 – Resignation and Termination: Resignation from the Executive Committee must be in writing/email and received by the other members of the Executive Committee. A member of the Executive Committee may be removed by a two-thirds vote. The vote will be conducted via SurveyMonkey, but a minimum of 15 members must participate in the voting process for the request to be approved. Members will be allowed five business days to vote. If 15 votes are not received, the request will be denied. Results of the survey will be reported at the next regular meeting. Requests to remove a member of the Executive Committee must be submitted in writing to the Secretary.
Article V: Committees
Section 1 – Committee Formation: The UTMSI Green Team may create or dissolve committees ( as needed. All participation in committees is voluntary and members are free to volunteer for as many committees as they deem appropriate.
Section 2 – Executive Committee: The Executive Committee is limited in membership and shall consist of four elected officers (see Article 4, Section 7). The primary duties of the Executive Committee will be administrative and advisory. However, they do hold the power to call special meetings and to approve funding requests under $50.
Section 3 – Special Committees: Special committees will be formed as needed in order to fulfill the mission of the UTMSI Green Team. Each special committee will be led by at least one member of the Green Team. At a minimum, an effort should be made to keep the following special committees active:
- Fundraising
- Recruiting
- Social Media (Facebook)
- Website
- Green Team Bikes
- Recycling (Glass, Batteries, Cork, Toner/Ink)
- Environmental Hero Award
- Partnership with Keep Port Aransas Beautiful
- Jetty Clean-ups
- Reusable Coffee Mugs
Section 1 – Funding Request: UTMSI Green Team members may request money from the Green Team budget for upcoming/ongoing projects and activities. The request must be submitted to the Treasurer within five business days following a regular monthly meeting. The Treasurer is responsible for compiling a list of funding requests greater than $50 every month and distributing this list to Green Team members via SurveyMonkey. If a funding request is under $50, a vote is not required of all Green Team members and the request may be handled by the Executive Committee.
Section 2 – Approval: A simple majority vote is needed to approve funding requests greater than $50 and no minimum number of votes is required. A simple majority vote of the Executive Committee is needed to approve funding requests under $50.
Article VII: Amendments
Section 1 – Amendments: The bylaws may be amended when necessary by a two-thirds majority vote of the UTMSI Green Team members. Proposed amendments will be voted on via SurveyMonkey, and a minimum of 10 members must participate in the voting process for the request to be approved. Members will be allowed five business days to vote. If 10 votes are not received, the requested amendment will be denied. Proposed amendments should be submitted to the Secretary for distribution. However, distribution will not occur until after a regular monthly meeting has been held. This will allow adequate opportunity and time for discussion.
Article VIII: Certification
Section 1 – Certification Process: These bylaws will be distributed by the Secretary via email. Green Team members will be allowed to review the bylaws until the next regular meeting. A two-thirds vote of members present will be required for approval of the bylaws.
Section 2 – Certification: These bylaws were approved at a meeting of the UTMSI Green Team by a two-thirds majority vote on January 8, 2014.