Construction Specifications Institute Inc

“The bylaws were amended in 2016 to clarify terminology throughout, as well as to more clearly define the composition of the board of directors and officers, and their expected roles with the organization.”

“The institute has several classes of membership for individuals, comprised of professional, emerging professional, student, retired, emeritus, distinguished/honorary, and lifetime. Firms or corporations are not eligible for membership. Professional members: professional membership is available to technically experienced individuals whose primary function is (i) to author, manage, or communicate building information; (ii) to create, interpret, or use construction documents; or (iii) to educate, support, or assist the construction industry. Professional members are eligible to vote and to hold any office in the institute. Emerging professional members: emerging professional membership is available to individuals who are prospective professional members, but who do not currently meet the technical requirements for full professional membership. Emerging professional members may petition for professional membership at any time; however, emerging professional status will be upgraded to professional status at the end of the third year after election as an emerging professional member. Emerging professional members are not eligible to vote in institute elections or to hold elective office in the institute. Student members: student membership is available to full time students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in a construction industry curriculum in an educational institution. Student members are not eligible to vote or to hold elective office in the institute. Retired members: retired member status can be granted by the institute to individuals who are no longer engaged in income-producing activities, have reached the age of sixty-five years, who have been professional members in good standing in the institute for the past consecutive five years, and who have been recommended for such change in status by their chapters, or if unaffiliated with a chapter, by documented application to the secretary of the institute. Retired members maintain their eligibility to vote and to hold any office in the institute. Members emeritus: emeritus status can be granted by the institute to individuals who have been professional members in good standing in the institute for the past consecutive fifteen years, who have reached the age of seventy years, and who have been recommended for such change in status by their chapters, or if unaffiliated with a chapter, by documented application to the secretary of the institute. Members emeritus maintain their eligibility to vote and to hold any office in the institute. Lifetime members: lifetime membership is bestowed to former presidents of the institute, who will automatically become qualified upon completion of their term of office as president. Lifetime members maintain their eligibility to vote and to hold any office in the institute.”

“The institute's board of directors shall consist of its officers, one member from each geographical region, and two directors-at-large, all of whom shall be elected to the board as follows. Nomination process: the institute has established a nominating committee which consists of seven members - one from each of five regions on a rotating basis among all the regions, and two appointed board members. Regarding nomination of directors, not later than november 1 of the administrative year in which the term of the director expires the following june 30, the respective region's nominating committee shall submit not more than four qualified members of that region as nominees for director. The secretary shall validate the names submitted by the region nominating committees as the nominees to appear on the election ballot for the office of director of that particular region. Nominations of officers (except president) and directors-at-large shall be made by the nominating committee and may be made by written petition of voting members. In order to be considered valid, each nominating petition must be submitted to the secretary, on the prescribed form, sent by trackable delivery service, and be received at the institute office during the month of december. Each nomination shall be by separate petition, signed by not less than two percent of the voting members from each of four regions based upon the previous june 30 membership. Each petition must be accompanied by full information required by the board and by a signed statement from the proposed nominee indicating a willingness to serve. The nominating committee shall make one or more nominations each for the offices of president-elect, vice presidents, secretary or treasurer, and director-at-large as their terms expire, and submit its nominations to the secretary during the month of december. All nominees for officers and directors-at-large must be voting members in good standing of the institute. Balloting process: for officers and directors-at-large, the secretary shall send an election ballot during february to all voting members (on the institute's record as of january 1) listing the names of all duly validated nominees for officers and directors-at-large. For directors, the secretary shall send an election ballot during february to all voting members (on the institute's record as of january 1) of that particular region in which the director's term will expire on the following june 30. The ballot shall list the names of not more than four validated nominees for each director. The balloting shall close four weeks after the ballot has been sent from the institute. The voter shall have the right to substitute any name or names of members of the institute for a corresponding number of nominees on the ballot for officers and director, provided that the voter, when substituting a name for a nominee for director, shall substitute only the name of a member of the same region. Each election ballot shall be validated and counted by an election service provider, and the results validated by the institute's tellers committee. In the case of two nominees for a single office, election shall be by majority vote; and in the case of more than two nominees, by a plurality of the votes cast. In case two or more nominees receive the same number of votes, the election shall be determined by lot. The tellers shall certify the results of the ballot to the secretary. The results of the ballot shall be published.”

“The institute will hold an annual membership meeting for the transaction of its business. One hundred voting members in good standing who represent at least forty chapters of the institute shall constitute a quorum. In addition, special membership meetings may be called whenever the board of directors deems it necessary, or upon the written request of the presidents of any forty chapters to the president of the institute. Proposals for amendments to the institute's bylaws may be made by the board or submitted to the board in a petition, accompanied with detailed justification for the proposed changes, and signed by not less than one percent of the members of the institute who are members from not less than twenty percent of the chapters of the institute. Such percentages shall be based on the total number of members and chapters as of the date the petition is received by the secretary of the institute. The board, through the secretary, shall send the proposed amendments to the voting members of the institute. Proposed amendments initiated by petition shall include the proponents' rationale and the board's recommendation. A two-thirds affirmative vote of the valid ballots returned shall be required, and received in the institute office four weeks after the ballot has been sent to amend these bylaws.”

“The institute's form 990 is reviewed by the cfo, and is available to the entire board prior to filing.”

“At the beginning of each fiscal year, all board members must sign the csi code of conduct agreement, which sets forth the position of the institute on the management of the following: conflict of interest; confidentiality; misconduct; dishonesty; anti-fraud; antitrust; whistleblower; ethics; sexual and other harassment; and discrimination, to name a few. Employees agree to these policies upon their date of hire and signify their agreement by signing a document that acknowledges receipt of the employee handbook, in which these policies are communicated. Employees must sign any subsequent agreements as policies are changed and as the handbook is updated.”

“The board utilizes an evaluation and compensation committee to determine the appropriate compensation for the executive director & ceo. The committee looks at compensation surveys and studies, and comparable information for similar associations. The executive director & ceo has a written employment contract. The executive director & ceo's compensation also requires board approval. All other staff compensation is approved by the board indirectly via the annual budget process, in which the compensation is presented to the board in a lump-sum as part of the total budgeted operating expenses. The board does not evaluate or approve any individual staff compensation except for the executive director & ceo.”

“The institute posts its bylaws and various policies, including its conflict of interest policy, on its website (www.csinet.org). The institute makes its form 990 and audited financial statements available upon request.”

“Equity in earnings bsd 193,371.”

“The audit oversight process has not changed from the prior year.”