ASSOCIATION OF KOREAN AGRICULTURAL, BIOLOGICAL, AND FOOD ENGINEERS (AKABFE)
COMMUNITY OF ASABE
October 2013
SECTION 1. AKABFE MISSION STATEMENT
The Association of Korean Agricultural, Biological, and Food Engineers (AKABFE), which hereafter shall be referred to as the “Association,” was established on July 30, 2012, in Dallas, Texas, USA.
The Association’s mission is to (1) promote information exchange and networking among agricultural, biological, and food engineers who are interested in the development of agricultural and biological science and technology in the Republic of Korea; (2) foster those programs sponsored by universities, organizations and institutions that are dedicated to educational and research exchange between the Republic of Korea and the United States of America; (3) facilitate the transfer of technology to and from Korea; and (4) encourage professional development among members within the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).
SECTION 2. OBJECTIVES: The specific objectives shall be as follows:
2.1. To increase the level of service to members of the Association and the international community—especially to those who have interests in the Republic of Korea—and to enhance the image of the ASABE internationally.
2.2. To facilitate information exchange and networking by providing forums for individuals interested in the development of agricultural, biological and food engineering technology in Korea.
2.3. To provide a higher level of service to educational institutions and related industries in Korea in order to increase recognition, enhance collaborations among the various fields related to the profession and increase networking and the exchange of expertise.
SECTION 3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1. The membership shall consist of Full Members and Student Members.
3.2. Any graduate of a recognized engineering program shall be granted Full Membership. Full Members should be qualified to conduct engineering research and development, product design and application, administration or the teaching of agricultural, biological and food engineering.
3.3. Any undergraduate or graduate student registered in a recognized engineering program shall be eligible to join as a Student Member.
3.4. Every person admitted to the Association shall also be considered a member of the ASABE.
SECTION 4. ORGANIZATION
4.1. ASSEMBLY: The Member Assembly shall be the authoritative governing body of the Association. There shall be two types of Member Assembly: the Annual Meeting and the Special Meeting.
4.2. EXECUTIVE BOARD: The Executive Board shall consist of President, Vice President (President-Elect), Past President, and two Secretaries (who will also be candidates for Vice President). Every two (2) years, the voting members shall elect a Vice President, and two new Secretaries.
4.3. PRESIDENT: The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association and preside over the Executive Board and Annual meetings, perform other specified duties and exercise other authorities as delegated by the Executive Board. During his/her term, the President, if he/she so chooses, may appoint special committees, an additional Secretary and other special assistants to aid in the affairs of the Association. The President will ensure that programs, meetings, and other activities of the Association are properly planned and executed. The President shall guarantee that the Board officers and each committee are carrying out their appointed functions. The President shall serve for a term of two (2) years.
4.4. VICE PRESIDENT: The Vice President shall assist the President in formulating plans and the appointing of Committee chairpersons during the President’s tenure. The Vice President shall generally serve as the chairperson of the Annual Meeting Committee and shall perform the duties of the President in the President’s absence. The Vice President shall serve for a term of two (2) years. After serving one term, the Vice President shall succeed to the position of President.
4.5. SECRETARIES: There shall be two Secretaries, one for the U. S. and one for Korea. The Secretaries shall collaboratively keep the minutes of all meetings of the Association, maintain membership records, update the Association’s directory and perform all other duties pertaining to the office of the Secretary. They shall serve on the Publication Committee and be responsible for the Society’s newsletters and other publications. These Secretaries shall serve for a term of two (2) years. After serving one term, one of the Secretaries will be elected to the position of Vice President.
4.6. PAST PRESIDENT: The Past President shall assist the current President in performing all aspects of the current President’s duties. The Past President shall also assist the Nomination Committee in completing the slate of nominees from which the Members will elect the Association’s officers.
4.7. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE: There shall be one U. S. Student Representative and one Korea Student Representative. They shall participate in and aid in all aspects of the Association’s activities.
4.8. TECHNICAL COMMITTEES: On an as-needed basis, Technical Committees shall be formed by groups of members who share a particular professional interest.
SECTION 5. ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS 2.
5.1. A Vice President (President-Elect) and two Secretaries-Elect shall be elected at the Association’s annual meeting by the approval of at least 50% of the attendees, one year in advance of the term in which they are to serve. Nominations shall be submitted to both Secretaries two months before the annual meeting. In the event of a tie, the Executive Board shall break the tie by a simple-majority vote. Election results shall be conveyed to the candidates and to all members and also presented at the Annual Meeting for recognition.
5.2. The President, Vice President, and Secretaries shall each serve a two-year term. The Executive Board shall have the power to fill Board vacancies by appointment, and all such appointed officers will serve until the next election.
5.3. All members of the Executive Board shall assume their respective positions at the close of the previous Board’s final Board meeting.
SECTION 6. DUES AND FEES
6.1. The annual dues for membership shall be as provided in the Bylaws. The Executive Board may, by a three-fourths ballot vote of its members, change the existing schedule of annual dues.
6.2. The Executive Board may approve a waiving of the fees or dues of any member by a simple-majority vote.
SECTION 7. AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
7.1. At any business meeting of the Association, any voting member entitled to vote may propose, in writing, an amendment to the Constitution, provided that the proposed amendment bears the written endorsement of at least one-third of the active membership.
Such proposed amendment shall not be voted on for adoption at that meeting but shall be open to discussion and modification and to a vote as to whether (either in its original or some modified form) it shall be mailed electronically to all the Association’s members.
If the members present at the meeting shall so decide (with not less than ten voting in favor thereof), then the Secretary shall e-mail to each member entitled to vote, at least sixty days prior to the next business meeting of the Association, a copy of the proposed amendment as it has been so decided upon by the said vote, accompanied by any comment the Executive Board may elect to make.
The adoption of the amendment shall require a vote in its favor of two-thirds of the votes cast.
The President of the Association, following the close of the ballot, shall announce the result, and if the amendment is adopted, it shall thereupon take effect.
7.2. This set of Bylaws shall go into effect upon an announcement that the Bylaws have been approved by at least two thirds of the members voting. ange of expertise.