SECTION I: PURPOSES
1. The general purposes of the American Institute for Conservation of
Historic and Artistic Works, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "AIC") are
to further the purposes as set forth in Article Third of the Articles of
Incorporation. AIC is the national membership organization of conservation
professionals that advances the practice and promotes the importance of
the preservation of cultural property.
2. The specific purposes of the AIC are to:
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(a) Advance knowledge by encouraging education, study, and research
of all subjects related to the preservation of cultural property; promote
proficiency and skill in the practice of conservation; provide
opportunities for continuing professional education; publish and
disseminate technical and professional information; and improve
conservation approaches and methods needed to protect, conserve, and care
for cultural property.
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(b) Establish, maintain, and promote the Code of Ethics and
Guidelines for Practice for all conservation professionals and oppose any
influences which would tend to lower such standards.
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(c) Publish, sell, circulate, and distribute books, magazines,
publications, literature, films, and magnetic tapes and to organize and
otherwise participate in exhibitions dealing with the conservation of
Historic and Artistic Works.
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(d) Promote the awareness of conservation among related
professionals and the general public.
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(e) Foster effective communication and collaboration with all other
professionals involved in the guardianship and preservation of cultural
property.
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(f) Serve as an advocate for conservation to federal, state, and
local government agencies and other organizations.
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(g) Solicit funds and receive donations and legacies.
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(h) Take all action necessary or desirable in order to effectuate
any of the purposes of the AIC provided that such action is in conformity
with the provisions of Title 29, Chapter 10 of the D.C. Code and Section
501 (c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. 3. Notwithstanding the
aforementioned objectives, general and specific, the Corporation shall not
support with its funds or other resources any undertaking which would
impose upon it and its members any finding or conclusion that the
Corporation were other than a professional business league within the
meaning of Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
SECTION II: MEMBERSHIPS
1. Membership shall be open to any person who has shown an interest in
the purposes for which the AIC is organized, without regard to race,
gender, age, color, religion, disability status, sexual orientation,
marital status, ethnic or national origin. In this text "he" and related
pronouns are used in the classical sense to denote the person male or
female.
2. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Membership Committee
consisting of Fellows and Professional Associates. The classes of
membership and the election or appointment and the qualifications of each
class shall be as follows:
- ASSOCIATES
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3. (a) Any person who shall have shown an interest in the purposes
for which the AIC is organized shall be eligible for election as an
Associate. The initial Associates of the AIC shall be the existing
Associates of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and
Artistic Works-American Group (hereinafter referred to as IIC-AG) in good
standing, residing in North, South, and Central America as of the date of
the adoption of these bylaws, and who do not become Fellows or
Professional Associates pursuant to sections 4 and 5 below. (b) Every
application for membership as an Associate shall be made in writing on a
form to be supplied by and returned to the AIC National Office. Election
to the AIC membership as an Associate shall be approved upon receipt of
the completed form and upon payment of the filing fee and the annual dues
for one year. (c) An Associate shall have the right to vote only with
respect to changes in his or her dues and the places at which general
meetings shall be held. (d) An Associate shall have the right to attend
meetings, participate in discussions and serve on committees in a
non-voting capacity.
- PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATES
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4. (a) Any person who may be considered able through training,
knowledge or professional experience, to further the work of conservation,
in accordance with the purposes for which the AIC is established, and who
shall have shown a commitment to these purposes shall be eligible for
election as a Professional Associate. (b) Application as a Professional
Associate of AIC shall be made in writing and endorsed by three Fellows or
Professional Associates on a form to be approved from time to time by the
Membership Committee and shall be supported by such evidence, examinations
and investigations as the Membership Committee may require of the
knowledge, skill and experience of the proposed Professional Associate,
and of his fitness to further the purposes of the AIC. (c) If the
Membership Committee is satisfied as to the fitness of a proposed
Professional Associate and he wishes to be elected as such, the Membership
Committee shall declare him to be elected. (d) Professional Associates
must agree in writing to abide by the AIC Code of Ethics and Standards of
Practice. (e) Professional Associates shall have the same voting rights as
Fellows.
- FELLOWS
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5. (a) Any person who may be considered able through training,
knowledge or professional experience, to further the work of conservation
in accordance with the purposes for which the AIC is established, and who
shall have shown a commitment to these purposes shall be eligible for
election as a Fellow. (b) The initial Fellows of the AIC shall be those
members of the IIC-AG in good standing who are professional conservators,
scientists or educators in the field of conservation, and who sign a
pledge to abide by and uphold the Murray Pease Report and the Code of
Ethics for Art Conservators. Application for Fellowships will be received
on a form to be approved by the Board of Directors. These completed
applications must be received by the Board within one year after filing
the Articles of Incorporation. (c) Fellows must demonstrate adherence to
the AIC Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. (d) Applications as a
Fellow of AIC other than as provided in Section 5(b) above shall be made
in writing and endorsed by five Fellows on a form to be approved from time
to time by the Membership Committee and shall be supported by such
evidence, examinations and investigations as the Membership Committee may
require of the knowledge, skill and experience of the proposed Fellow, and
of his fitness to further the purposes of the AIC. (e) If the Membership
Committee is satisfied as to the qualifications and fitness of a proposed
Fellow, it shall notify all Fellows of its intent to elect a Fellow and
shall allow thirty days for comment thereon by any Fellow. Upon the
expiration of such thirty days and after consideration of any such
comments, the Membership Committee may declare the applicant elected to
Fellowship. (f) Fellows are entitled to vote on the following: (1)
Election of members of the Board of Directors; (2) Amendments to the
Bylaws (in accordance with section VII of the Bylaws); (3) Changes of
dues; (4) Selection of meeting sites, and other issues on which a vote is
requested by the Board of Directors.
- HONORARY MEMBERS
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6. (a) The Board of Directors may from time to time in its absolute
discretion confer Honorary Membership upon persons whose distinguished
contributions to the field of Conservation warrant such designation.
Honorary Members shall not be required to pay any fees, dues or
assessments. (b) Honorary Members shall retain the voting rights and
entitlements they held prior to their designation as Honorary Members.
- INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS
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7. (a) Any corporate body, organization or association which shall
have shown an interest in the purposes for which the AIC is established
shall be eligible for election as an Institutional Member. The initial
Institutional Members of the AIC shall be the existing Institutional
Members of IIC-AG in good standing located in North, South, and Central
America as of the date of the adoption of these bylaws. (b) Applicants for
Institutional Membership should obtain the appropriate form from the
office of the AIC. Membership in this category is granted upon receipt by
the AIC office of both the completed application and the applicable fees.
(c) An Institutional Member shall have no right to vote.
- BYLAWS ENFORCEMENT
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8. Any person or institution whose application for membership has
been denied by the Membership Committee may appeal such denial by filing a
petition for review with the President of the AIC within thirty (30) days
after receipt of notice of such denial. The Board of Directors shall
appoint a Membership Review Committee consisting of five (5) Fellows at
least three of whom shall be Directors and two of whom shall have the same
specialty as the Appellant. No member of the Membership Committee shall
also be a member of the Membership Review Committee. The Membership Review
Committee shall review and consider the evidence presented to the
Membership Committee and shall uphold such decision unless it shall find
such decision arbitrary, capricious or an abuse of discretion.
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9. Dues of each class of membership or assessments may be
determined by a majority vote at a general meeting. Dues increases of less
than 5% will be approved by a majority vote of the AIC Board. Such dues or
assessments will be used only to carry on the purposes defined in Section
I. Funds accumulated from these dues or assessments or from grants, gifts
or bequests made specifically to the AIC will be held in account and will
be administered by the Treasurer of the AIC.
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10. Any Fellow, Professional Associate, Associate or Institutional
Member of the AIC may resign by writing to the Secretary of the AIC
specifying the date on which the resignation shall be effective. Any such
resignation will not release the resigning Fellow, Professional Associate,
Associate or Institutional Members from any authorized dues, assessments,
or other obligations owing to the AIC prior to the date of resignation.
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11. Following the failure by a Fellow, Professional Associate,
Associate or Institutional Member to pay dues in advance for the fiscal
year, he shall be notified in writing of his delinquency in payment of
dues by the Treasurer. Any member so notified and failing to respond shall
be considered as having willfully forfeited his membership in the
organization if payment is not received within thirty (30) days from the
date of mailing of such notice by the Treasurer. Upon payment of current
membership dues, any former member whose membership has been forfeited for
nonpayment of dues shall be reinstated in the same class of membership as
that held by said former member. However, if five (5) years have elapsed
from the date for such forfeiture, said former Professional Associate or
Fellow must apply for membership through the current Membership Committee.
Associates and Institutional Members need only file the necessary forms
and fees as stated above.
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12. Allegations of unethical conduct should be reported in writing
to the President of the AIC. Upon receipt of such written allegations the
President of the AIC shall within thirty (30) days of receipt of said
complaint notify the alleged offender(s) in writing of the charges and
shall forward the complaint to the Chair of the Ethics and Standards
Committee (as described in Section VI,2,b.) with a request that it
determine whether or not the complaint merits investigation. If the Ethics
and Standards Committee determines that the matter requires investigation
it shall give written notice of its intent to investigate stating with
specificity the issues under investigation and setting forth a timetable
for the production of evidence. Both the accused and the complainant shall
receive the notice and shall be entitled to give written and, at the
committee's discretion, oral testimony, and to provide other evidence for
the Ethics and Standards Committee which shall, in turn, present such
evidence to the AIC Board of Directors. After receipt and consideration
of the evidence provided by the Ethics and Standards Committee, the AIC
Board of Directors will render a written decision containing its opinion
and setting forth sanctions, if any, necessary to protect the integrity of
the AIC. Such decision shall be made within sixty (60) days of receipt of
all evidence. Such decision is subject to appeal to the Appeals Committee
(as a standing committee described in Section VI, 2, c.). Such appeal
must be requested in writing within thirty (30) days of receipt of the
written decision by the AIC Board. Only the member whose conduct is
alleged to be unethical may appeal the decision of the AIC Board. The
Appeals Committee shall base its decision solely upon the evidence
produced and presented to the AIC Board which shall furnish it to the
Appeals Committee within fifteen (15) days of receipt of said request for
appeal. The Appeals Committee will enter its decision affirming, reversing
or modifying the Board's decision and will return its decision within
sixty (60) days to the Board for appropriate action. All correspondence
regarding such alleged unethical conduct shall be held in strictest
confidence by each individual involved.
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13. Only Professional Associate and Fellow members are entitled to
use the name of AIC or their membership status within AIC in advertising
or in representing themselves to the public as professional conservation
practitioners.
SECTION III: DIRECTORS AND
OFFICERS
1. The Board of Directors shall consist of eight people: President,
Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and four Directors all elected by
the Fellows and the Professional Associates of the AIC. Each Board member
may be either a Professional Associate or a Fellow except the President
and Vice-President who shall be Fellows. At least one Director shall be a
Professional Associate. The management and control of the AIC shall be
vested in the Board of Directors.
2. The officers of the AIC shall be a President, Vice-President,
Secretary, and Treasurer, elected by the Fellows and Professional
Associates of AIC. During the 1991 elections, the nominees to be officers
of the AIC shall be classified as follows: The President and
Vice-President shall hold office for a term of two years; the Secretary
and Treasurer shall hold office for a term of one year. During the 1992
elections, the nominees to be Secretary and Treasurer shall hold office
for a term of two years. During all elections thereafter, only two of the
officers shall be elected annually by the Fellows and Professional
Associates to serve a term of two years. Officers shall hold office for a
term ending at the adjournment of the second succeeding General Meeting
and until their successors are elected and qualified. Elected and
qualified successors shall take office immediately following the General
Meeting. All officers of the AIC shall have such duties as customarily
pertain to their respective offices, and in addition such other duties as
may be delegated to them from time to time by the President.
3. The President and Vice-President shall be eligible to serve no more
that two consecutive terms of office.
4. Directors shall hold office for a term of three years. Their term
ends at the adjournment of the third succeeding General Meeting and until
their successors are elected and qualified. Elected and qualified
successors shall take office immediately following the General Meeting.
During the 1993 elections, two nominees to be Directors shall be elected
so that the number of Directors can be expanded to four. During elections
thereafter, nominees to be Directors shall be elected to fill those terms
expiring.
5. Should a vacancy occur, the AIC Board of Directors shall appoint an
interim Board member. This interim member shall serve until the
adjournment of the next General Meeting and may be nominated to stand
election to fulfill the remainder of the vacating Board member's term.
Interim service shall not count toward term limits of Board members.
6. Should the Director who is a Professional Associate become a Fellow
while in office, said Director will complete the remainder of the elected
term. However, another Professional Associate shall be elected as a
Director at the earliest possible election.
SECTION IV MEETINGS
1. General Meetings of the AIC will be held annually at a time and
place recommended by the Board of Directors. The time and place will be
announced in writing not less that thirty (30) days in advance of such
meetings by the Secretary. If a General Meeting shall not have been called
within fourteen (14) months after the last General Meeting, a General
Meeting may be called by ten percent (10%) of the Fellows and Professional
Associates. Only Fellows, Professional Associates (as provided in Section
II, 4(e) and Associates (as provided in Section II, 3(d) actually present
may vote at a General Meeting. Special meetings may be called by the
President by writing to all members of the AIC, giving not less than (30)
days notice of such meetings. Fellows and Professional Associates may
vote by proxy at a special meeting. Notice of a special meeting shall
specify the purpose of the meeting and proxy forms will be provided.
2. The Fellows and Professional Associates present at any meeting
(excluding proxies in the case of a special meeting) which has been
announced in accordance with the provisions of paragraph I of this section
shall constitute a quorum, provided that the number is not less than ten.
The vote of a majority of a quorum shall constitute the vote of the AIC,
except as provided in Section VII.
- PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
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The rules contained in the current edition of Roberts Rules of
Order Newly Revised shall govern the Institute in all cases to which they
are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws
and any special rules of order the Institute may adopt.
SECTION V: ELECTIONS
1. The Nominating Committee will name one or more candidates for each
elective office and confirm each candidate's willingness and eligibility
to serve if elected.
2. The Nominating Committee shall invite in due time other nominations
in writing from the membership-at-large.
3. No further nominations will be accepted after a date three months
before the stated date of the General Meeting. At a time two months or
more in advance of the General Meeting, the names of the nominees for
office will be published to the membership by the Nominating Committee. At
the time of the publication of the completed slate, ballots for election
will be circulated, and Fellows and Professional Associates may vote on
the election of Directors and Officers. Completed ballots must be returned
to the AIC office, postmarked not less than 30 days prior to the date of
the General Meeting.
SECTION VI: DIVISIONS AND DEPARTMENTS
1. The Board of Directors may establish divisions and departments of
the AIC as it may determine to be desirable and may make such regulations
for the management of same and may discontinue same as it may from time to
time determine.
2. There shall be four Standing Committees of the AIC no member of
which may also be on the AIC Board of Directors. These shall be the: (a)
Membership Committee consisting of not fewer than three members who are
Fellows and not more than one Professional Associate for the purposes of
processing membership applications. (b) Ethics and Standards Committee
consisting of five members including at least three Fellows and no more
than two Professional Associates. (c) Appeals Committee consisting of not
fewer than three AIC Fellows appointed by the Board of Directors. The
three Fellows of said Appeals Committee shall serve for six (6) years each
with a new Fellow to be appointed every other year at the last meeting of
the AIC Board of Directors before the General Meeting; except that in
1985, the Board of Directors shall appoint three Fellows, one to serve a
term of one year, a second to serve a term of three years, and a third to
serve a term of five years. When considering an appeal, the Fellows of the
Appeals Committee shall appoint two additional members who shall be full
voting members and who shall have the same specialty as the member(s)
whose conduct is alleged to be unethical. One of said additional members
must be a Professional Associate if the accused is a Professional
Associate. The terms of the two additional members shall expire upon
completion of the appeals process for which they were appointed. Should a
vacancy occur before a term has expired, the Board of Directors shall
appoint a new member to serve out the remaining portion of the term.
Members of the Appeals Committee may be removed for cause only. The sole
purpose of the Appeals Committee shall be to hear appeals of all actions
of the AIC Board of Directors taken pursuant to Section II, 12. (d)
Nominating Committee consisting of three members, one of whom may be a
Professional Associate or Associate, for the purpose of presenting a slate
of candidates for the annual election of Directors and Officers. At the
General Meeting to be held in 1990, three nominees to be members of the
Nominating Committee shall be classified as follows: one nominee shall be
elected to a term of one year; a second nominee shall be elected to a term
of two years; a third nominee shall be elected to a term of three years.
At all General Meetings thereafter only one Nominating Committee member
shall be elected annually by the Fellows and Professional Associates to
serve a term of three years. Should a vacancy occur, the AIC Board of
Directors shall appoint an interim member of the same membership category
as the vacating Nominating Committee member. This interim member shall
serve until elections are held at the next General Meeting and may be
nominated to stand election to fulfill the remainder of the vacating
member's term. The committee shall be chaired in its first year by the
member elected to a one year term and in the second year by the member
elected to a two year term. In subsequent years, the chair shall be the
senior member of the committee.
3. The Board of Directors may establish special committees of the AIC
Board as it may determine to be desirable and may make such regulations
for the management of same and may discontinue same as it may from time to
time determine.
SECTION VII: AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended, added to, or repealed by a vote of not
less than two thirds of the Fellows and Professional Associates present in
person at a General meeting announced in accordance with the provisions of
Section IV, paragraph 1, provided that notice of such changes has been
furnished in writing to said membership. Section VIII: Fiscal Year The
fiscal year of the organization shall commence on January 1.
As amended June 8, 1995. |
