New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers

(Background Document for 2007 Membership Ballot)

NJSPE Constitution
Amended Certificate of Incorporation

PREAMBLE

CONCERNED with the Public well being, and in order to safeguard life, health and property, by restricting the practice of Engineering to properly qualified persons;

AND to advance the welfare of the Engineering Profession through the establishment and observance of high ethical standards of conduct and through sponsorship of the creation and enforcement of adequate license laws and practice acts;

AND to place the control of engineering projects within the scope of such laws and acts;

AND to focus public attention upon the professional standing, functions, requirements, and accomplishments of Engineers;

AND to sponsor and promote honorable procedure tending toward recognition commensurate with the dignity and responsibility of the profession.

THE NEW JERSEY SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS, INC. has been organized and to such ends the Constitution, of which this preamble is a part, is herewith set forth.

ARTICLE I
NAME
Section 1. The name of this Society shall be “New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers, Inc.” with an official abbreviation of “NJSPE” hereinafter called the “Society” or “NJSPE.”

Section 2. The Society shall be incorporated as a non-profit organization under the laws of the State of New Jersey.

Section 3. The Society shall be a member State Society of the National Society of Professional Engineers, Inc. hereinafter abbreviated as “NSPE.”

ARTICLE II
DEDICATION AND OBJECTIVES
Section 1. This Society recognizing that service to society, to the State and to the Profession is the premise upon which individual opportunity must be built, does hereby dedicate itself as an educational institution, to the promotion and protection of the profession of engineering as a social and economic influence vital to the affairs of men and to the nation.

Section 2. The objectives of this Society shall be the advancement of the public welfare and to promote the profession of engineering together with the social and economic interests of the engineer through the means of proper education, professional training, legislation, public relations, and the establishment and development of a civic consciousness. Furthermore, to encourage and achieve these objectives through the formation of Chapters of this Society throughout the State of New Jersey working together toward this common goal.

ARTICLE III
HEADQUARTERS
Section 1. The State Headquarters of the Society. where files and records shall be kept, shall be as determined by the Board of Trustees and shall be the business address of the Society.

ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in the Society shall be designated as a Licensed Member, Member, Senior Associate member, Life member, Affiliated member, or Student member.

Section 2. (a) Licensed Member -- A Licensed Member (NSPE Grade A) shall be defined as a person holding a valid license or certificate of registration as a Professional Engineer, issued under the laws of any State, territory, possession or district of the United States, or a province or territory of Canada or an international equivalent.
(b) Senior Associate Member -- A Senior Associate Member shall be defined as a person who:

(1) Is of high moral character;
(2) Has graduated from an engineering curriculum accredited by the Engineers’ Council for Professional Development; or has graduated from an engineering curriculum prior to the establishment of professional accreditation procedures by ECPD; or has graduated from an engineering curriculum which is accredited by ECPD within six years after his graduation; or has been awarded a graduate engineering degree from a college or university which has one or more undergraduate engineering curricula accredited by ECPD;
(3) Has not less than 12 years of acceptable engineering experience;
(4) Is a member of an engineering society in a grade approved by the Board of Trustees of the Society.

All of which is acceptable to the State Society Admissions Board.
No person shall be accepted as a Senior Associate Member under the provisions of paragraph 2(b) after January 1, 1980.
Anyone eligible for Society membership under this category shall be treated as if he were in the Member category (see Section 2 (c)).
(c) Member -- A Member (NSPE Grade H) shall be defined as a person of high moral character who is:

(1) A certified Engineer-in-Training (EIT) or Engineering Intern (EI); or
(2) A graduate of an engineering curriculum accredited by the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or an international equivalent.

(e) Life member and Affiliated member -- The qualifications for Life membership and Affiliated membership shall be set forth in the Bylaws.
(f) Student member -- A Student member shall be defined as a full time undergraduate or graduate engineering student
(g) Privileged member – qualifications for Privileged member shall be set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE V
Trustees
Section 1. The business of this Society shall be conducted by a Board of Trustees which shall consist of not less than ten (10) voting members. The transaction of said business and the election of said Trustees and their terms of office shall be as set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VI
Officers
Section 1. The right to hold office shall be limited to the following classes of membership: Licensed Member, Member, and Life Member. Only Licensed Members may hold the office of President or Vice President.

Section 2. By reason of their office, the Officers of this Society shall be included as part of the Board of Trustees as set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII
VOTING RIGHTS
Section 1. All members other than Student members and Affiliated members shall have voting privileges in the Society.

ARTICLE VIII
DUES
Section 1. The amount of annual dues required to be paid for membership in this Society shall be set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE IX
SEAL
Section 1. The seal of this Society shall be as set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE X
MEETINGS
Section 1. The members of the Society shall meet at such time and place and the meetings shall be conducted in the manner as shall be set forth in the Bylaws. At least one meeting of the members shall be held in each calendar year.

ARTICLE XI
CHAPTERS
Section 1. This Society shall have Chapters organized by the Board of Trustees, Only one Chapter may be organized in any one area. One Chapter may be organized for member-residents outside the State of New Jersey. The purposes, privileges and obligations of the Chapters shall be set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE XII
STATEBOARD
Section 1. Where the privilege is so granted in the statutes governing the New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, nominees to membership to said State Board shall be in the manner prescribed by the Bylaws.

ARTICLE XIII
PRACTICE DIVISIONS
Section 1. This Society may have Practice Divisions. The purposes, privileges, and obligations of the Practice Divisions shall be as set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE XIV
STUDENT CHAPTERS
Section 1. This Society may have Student Chapters, the purposes, privileges and obligations of which shall be as set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE XV
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments to the Certificate of Incorporation shall be made in accordance with the Bylaws to be adopted and in conformity with the Statutes of the State of New Jersey and in such case made and provided.

ARTICLE XVI
BYLAWS
Section 1. This Society shall prepare and adopt a set of Bylaws which shall govern all procedures under this Constitution including those of the Board of Trustees, Chapters, Practice Divisions and Committees.

Section 2. Privileges and obligations set forth in the Statute governing this corporation, not set forth in this amended Certificate of Incorporation may be set forth in the Bylaws.