Amended 11-05-2002

BY-LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES CONSORTIUM OF SOIL SCIENCE ASSOCIATIONS

Article I.  Name

The name of the consortium shall be “United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations”.  The letters USCSSA may be used as the official acronym of the consortium.

Article II. Purpose of the Consortium

Section 1.0 -- The purpose of the Consortium is to promote communications between, and visibility of, State Professional Soil Scientists Societies/Associations and similar organizations in the United States on common soil science issues; including soil interpretations, acquisitions, applications of soil survey data, and outreach to general public and elected decision-makers and to focus on the wise use of science-based information for protection and management of the Nation’s soil resources.

Section 2.0 -- Major activities areas will include: 1) enhancing communications and networking among Societies/Associations; 2) outreach to general public and decision makers; 3) concern for technical issues of policy, application, operations and science; 4) listing of available training and workshops; 5) listing of potential Soil Scientists available for consulting services and 6) professional recognition.

The United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations has excellent communication potential to have significant impact on informing elected local, state, and federal official decision makers in managing a most important national natural resource — the soil.

Article III. Membership

Membership will be open to all State Soil Societies/Associations, National Society of Consulting Soil Scientists, Association of Women Soil Scientists and other interested organizations as approved by the Council and Advisory Group. The attached list includes the names of all Chartered State Soil Societies/Associations and similar organizations supporting this Consortium.

Section 1.0 --The overall management of the Consortium will be initiated and promoted by a Council and an Advisory Group collectively working together as a team. The membership is as follows:

Section 2.0 -- Council

The Council consists of two State Soil Scientists Societies / Associations representatives (normally the President) from each of the four Regional National Cooperative Soil Survey Regions and a representative of the Association of Women Soil Scientists, and National Society of Consulting Soil Scientists.  The four Regions are the Northeast, North Central, South and West.

The current and next future host state for each of the four National Cooperative Soil Survey Regional Conferences will automatically be the Council member representatives for that region.  If the designated state to host a Regional National Cooperative Soil Survey Conference does not have a State Soil Society/Association then it will be the responsibility of the State Soil Societies/Associations in that Region to select a State Soil Society/ Association representative from their Region to serve on the Council.

Membership of the Council from the four National Cooperative Soil Survey Work Planning Conferences for 2002 will consist a representative from the following state societies:

Northeast
Empire State Pedologists (2002 host state) - 2 year membership
2004  host state - 2 year membership

North Central
Wisconsin Society Professional Soil Scientists (2002 host state) - 2 year membership
2004 host state -- 2 year membership

South
Georgia Soil Classifiers Association (2002 host state) - 2 year membership
2004 host state -- 2 year membership

West *
Oregon Society of Soil Scientists - 2 year membership
2004 host state -- 2 year membership

*Colorado, the host state for the West Regional Cooperative Conference in 2002 does not have a State Soil Society/Association. Recommend the State Society from Oregon represent the West Region for 2002.

Section 3.0 --  The Council will provide guidance and direction for the Advisory Group and United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations.

Section 4.0 --  The membership of the Council will select a chairperson to preside in conducting the business of the Council.

Section 5.0 -- Advisory Group

The Advisory Group will included those interested individuals and/or organizations willing to make a special contribution in supporting the Goals and Objectives of the United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations.

The following organizations will have the opportunity to have a standing member on this Advisory Group are the Association of Women Soil Scientists and National Society of Consulting Soil Scientists. The Advisory Group will select a Chairperson from their membership.

Section 6.0 -- The Advisory Group will provide a major supporting role in assisting with all phases of coordination, organization and web site development. The Advisory Group will support the Council and State Soil Society/Associations as appropriate in ensuring the United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations is a productive and successful joint framework.

Section 7.0 – The Council and Advisory Group will post all pertain information about their activities on the Consortium web site.

Article V. Meetings

Section I -- The Council will formally meet with their respective regional societies/associations during each biannual Regional National Cooperative Soil Survey Work Planning Conference in even years.  All Council members and Advisory Group will meet on odd years at the SSSA annual meeting.

Regional/national teleconferences will be held as appropriate to conduct the business of the Consortium. Opportunity shall be provided during these meetings for discussion of items the membership may wish to have brought before the Council.

Section 2 -- The Advisory Group will function largely through teleconference and email communications to support the Council and goals of the Consortium.

Article VI. Committees and Work Groups

Section 1.0 -- Committees and work groups of the Consortium will be determined by the Council and Advisory Group to assist in conducting business.  Each committee or work group will have a chairperson.

Section 2.0 -- Each committee/work group will commonly conduct its work by email, teleconference and correspondence among committee/work group members.

Section 3.0 -- Each established committee/work group will post on the Consortium web site pertinent information such as the purpose of the committee/work group, the members, the chair person, expected duration of the new committee/work group and etc.

Section 4.0 -- The minutes of meetings, summaries, and results of all committee/work groups shall posted on the Consortium web site.

Article VII. Consortium Web Site

Section 1.0 -- The Consortium will maintain a web site that will include membership, official contact and officers for each State Soil Society / Association, Goals and Objectives, Minutes of meetings, What’s New and other pertinent information desired to be shared between the individual state and national groups.

Section 2.0 -- All members of the Consortium will have a responsibility to provide input for the Consortium web site; including up-to-date contact information; timely reporting of educational opportunities; and other information relevant to the membership, in keeping with the goals and objectives of the organization.  The Advisory Group will be responsible for taking a lead role in coordination and maintaining a current web site.

Addendum to Article 3.0
Chartered Membership of the United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations

1. Professional Soil Classifiers Association of Alabama
2. State Board of Registration for Professional Soil Classifiers - Alabama
3. Alaska/Yukon Society of Professional Soil Scientists
4. Arkansas Association of Professional Soil Classifiers
5. Professional Soil Scientists Association of California
6. Florida Association of Environmental Soil Scientists
7. Soil Science Society of Georgia
8. Idaho Soil Scientists Association
9. Illinois Soil Classifiers Association
10. Indiana Association of Professional Soil Classifiers
11. Indiana Registry of Soil Scientists Board
12. Professional Soil Classifiers of Iowa
13. Kansas Association of Professional Soil Classifiers
14. Kentucky Association of Soil Classifiers
15. Maine Association of Professional Soil Scientists
16. Mid-Atlantic Association of Professional Soil Scientists
17. Soil Classifiers Association of Michigan
18. Minnesota Association of Professional Soil Scientists
19. Professional Soil Classifiers Association of Mississippi
20. Missouri Association of Professional Soil Scientists
21. National Society of Consulting Soil Scientists
22. Nebraska Society of Professional Soil Scientists
23. New Hampshire Association of Natural Resource Scientists
24. Society of Soil Scientists of Northern New England
25. New Jersey Association of Professional Soil Scientists
26. New Mexico Soil Science Society
27. Empire State Pedologists
28. Soil Science Society of North Carolina
29. North Carolina Board for Licensing Soil Scientists
30. Professional Soil Classifiers Association of North Dakota
31. Association of Ohio Pedologists
32. Professional Soil Scientists Association of Oklahoma
33. Oregon Society of Soil Scientists
34. Pennsylvania Association of Professional Soil Scientists
35. Soil Science Society of South Carolina
36. South Carolina Land Resources Commission
37. Professional Soil Scientists Association of South Dakota
38. Society of Soil Scientists of Southern New England
39. Soil Scientists Association of Tennessee
40. Professional Soil Scientists Association of Texas
41. Utah Society of Soil Scientists
42. Virginia Association of Professional Soil Scientists
43. Washington Society of Professional Soil Scientists
44. West Virginia Association of Professional Soil Scientists
45. Wisconsin Society of Professional Soil Scientists
46. Association of Women Soil Scientists