CONSTITUTION

THE SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA

1. Name, Objectives and Organization
The Society shall be named ‘The Soil Science Society of Sri Lanka

2. Objectives:
The objectives of the Society are:

(a) to promote the advancement of Soil Science in Sri Lanka
(b) to facilitate interaction between scientists in all branches of Soil Science
(c) to disseminate knowledge pertaining to Soil Sciences

3. Organization:

(a) The Society shall consist of Life, Ordinary, Honorary, Associate and Student Members.
(b) The government body of the Society shall be an Executive Committee and constituted as hereinafter set forth
(c) The affairs of the Society shall be directed by the Executive Committee and conducted by the General Secretary and the Treasurer.

II – The Executive Committee

4. The Executive Committee shall consist of the following Office bearers:

(a) President
(b) Vice President
(c) General Secretary
(d) Treasurer
(e) Editor and six other committee members

5. The Executive Committee shall be elected from Ordinary / Life Members at the Annual Session of the Society.

6. Of the six Committee Members of the Executive Committee, the immidiate past President and immidiate past General Secretary shall be members and the others shall be elected.

7. The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt members for any specific purpose.

8. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once in every four months and as often as it is deemed necessary. Five Members shall form a quorum.

9. The Executive Committee shall

(a) Determine the time and place of, and organize, the Annual Session
(b) Organize Ordinary Meetings in pursuance of the objectives of the Society, or convene a Special Meeting where necessary
(c) Arrange excursions to various parts of Sri Lanka so as to promote a better understanding of soils and their uses and management
(d) Organize public lectures on Soil Science
(e) Undertake the publication of papers
(f) Undertake the reproduction and circulation of papers of work in Soil Science
(g) Arrange for mutual exchange of proceedings or transactions and other publications with similar societies in other countries
(h) Arrange to participate in activities in collaboration with any other organization in pursuance of the objectives of the Society, and in particular with the International Union of Soil Science
(i) Exercise all other such functions as are assigned to it as the governing body of the Society

III - Office bearers of the Society: President, Vice president, General Secretary, Treasurer and Editor

10. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee and also at the Annual Session and ordinary Meetings and on public occasions. He/She shall deliver a Presidential Address at the Annual Session during his year of office. In the event of the President being unable, from illness or other cause, to exercise the functions of his office, the Vice-President shall be empowered to discharge the duties of the President

11. It shall be competent for the General Secretary and the Treasurer in consultation with the President to act, in the name of the Society, in any matter of urgency which cannot be brought under the consideration of the Executive Committee at its next meeting.

12. The General Secretary shall control the general organization and administration, and shall be responsible to the Executive Committee for conducting the correspondence and for the general routine work, of the Society except that which relates to finance. He/she shall be responsible for the recording of the Minutes at Meetings of the Executive Committee, at the Annual Session and at Ordinary and Special Meetings of the Society.

14. The Editor shall be responsible to the Executive Committee for all technical publications of the Society. He/she shall be assisted by an Editorial Committee consisting of the President, General Secretary and four other members of the Society nominated by the General Committee.

IV- Annual Session and other Meetings of the Society

15. The Annual Session shall be organized by The Executive Committee. At least one month shall be given of the date thereof.

16. The programme for the Annual Session shall comprise :

(i) The Technical Proceedings and (ii) the Business Meeting

The technical Proceedings will consist of

(a) Address by the President
(b) Address by distinguished soil scientists
(c) Scientific transactions, which includes research papers, review papers and symposia

The Business Meeting shall include;

(a) The of the years activities by the General / Secretary
(b) Presentation of an audited statement of accounts by the Treasurer
(c) Election of Office – bearers and other committee members of the Executive Committee
(d) Election of an Honorary Auditor
(e) Provision for discussing “any other business” notice of which has been given within one month of the intimation of the date of the Annual Session

The quorum for the Business Meeting shall be one third of the total Membership of the Society

17. (a) In addition to the Annual Session and Ordinary Meetings, Special Meetings may be organized by the General Committee in pursuance of the Society’s objectives
(b) A special meeting of the society shall be convened either by the Executive Committee or on requisition signed by at least one-third of the total membership. At least two weeks’ notice shall be given for such a meeting

V- The sections

18. The work of the society shall cover all aspects of Soil Science and for convenience of scientific deliberation and discussion, there shall be such numbers of sections corresponding to the main branches of Soil Science as may from time to time be consisted by the Executive Committee with the approval for the Society at an Annual Session.

19. The following sections shall be provided for the present:

(A) Soil Geology, Soil Genesis, Soil Classification and Survey
(B) Soil Chemistry, Soil Physics, Soil Mineralogy and Soil Biology
(C) Soil Fertility, Plant Nutrition and Soil Management
(D) Soil Technology, (including soil mechanics, conservation, tillage, irrigation and drainage).
(E) Land evaluation

VI- Admission and Privileges of Members

Admission

20. Admission to membership of the society shall be made as follows:

(a) Ordinary/Life members: Persons holding a university degree who are actively engaged in pure or applied soil science research or involved in activities related to the advancement of soil science
(b) Honorary members : persons who have rendered distinguished
service to soil science
(c) Associate members: persons interested in any branch of soil science and wish to attend the Annual Session or join in the excursions
(d) Student members : Bona fide students interested soil science

21. Ordinary and Life members shall be enrolled by the Executive Committee after being duly proposed and seconded by two ordinary/life members of the society

22. Honorary membership may be conferred by the society on the recommendation of the Executive Committee

23. Associate members shall be admitted by the Executive Committee on application made

24. Student members shall be admitted by the Executive Committee on application made

Obligations:

25. Every person admitted as a member shall conform to the rules of the Society, and for any infringement thereof, shall be expelled by the General Committee

Conditions and privileges

26. The annual subscription of ordinary members shall be Rs. 100.00. Ordinary members are allowed to obtain life membership on the payment of Rs. 1000.00. Ordinary / life members shall have the right to attend all meetings of the society, to contribute papers for circulation among the society’s members, to read papers at the Annual Session or Ordinary Meetings, to take part in discussion, to vote on any matter coming up for discussion and shall be eligible to fill any office in the society

27. Associate members may obtain Associate Members’ Tickets on payment of 100.00 per year for attending meetings of the society, to submit papers through Ordinary Members for circulation or for reading at the Annual Session or ordinary Meetings and to take part in discussions for the year for which such payment has been tendered

They shall, however, not have the right to vote at any meeting, and shall not be eligible to any office in the society

28. Student members may obtain students’ Tickets on the payment of Rs. 50.00 for the same privileges as Associate Members for the year for which such payment has been made.

29. Annual subscription shall become due on the first day of January in every year and shall be paid before the end of December of the previous year. Application for membership should be accompanied by the subscription for that year. Subscriptions shall be respect of the year ending on the thrirty first of December following the actual date of payment in each case. AnY members in arrears will not be eligible to participate at the Annual Session of the Society

30. Ordinary Members who leave the country on study leave or on long leave out of the island may suspend Membership during the period provided that notice has been given to the General Secretary of the departure of such members

VII – New Rules and Amendments

31. New Rules or amendments to the Rules, shall have the approval of at least two-thirds of number of Ordinary and Life Members with paid up membership voting at the Business Meeting of the Annual Session or at a Special Meeting.