Draft Constitution of the London Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society (OAS)

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the London Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society, hereinafter referred to as “the Chapter.”

Article II: Purpose

The purpose of the Chapter is to:

1. Support the mission and objectives of the Ontario Archaeological Society (OAS) at the local level;
2. Promote interest in and understanding of archaeology in London and surrounding regions and to make information (site specific or research related publications including analysis, interpretation and conservation efforts) available to the public and readily communicated;
3. Provide a forum for members to meet, discuss, and share archaeological knowledge local and abroad and findings keeping current on recent and relevant research;
4. Encourage ethical archaeological practices in accordance with OAS standards;
5. Collaborate with Indigenous and descendant communities, Ministry liaisons, archaeological institutions, museums, community partners, and academic institutions to support respectful and inclusive archaeology;
6. Advocate for the protection and preservation of local archaeological sites and heritage;
7. Further archaeological professional practice and provide a model for others to advance overall cultural interest promoting engagement of the public highlighting the importance of archaeology and its value to community.

Article III: Membership

Section 1: Eligibility

Membership is open to all current members of the Ontario Archaeological Society who express interest in participating in the activities of the London Chapter. 

Section 2: Categories

There is a fee associated for all members at different rates under distinct categories:

$5.00: Student Membership (OAS members currently enrolled in an academic institution full time)
$18.00: Individual Membership (OAS members who actively participate in Chapter activities.)
$21.00: Institutional Membership (membership as part of an organization ie. Museums, Universities, Cultural resource management firms, Historical societies or heritage organizations)
$300.00: Lifetime Member
$0.00:  Indigenous Membership (OAS members of Indigenous identity)
$0.00 (Exempt from fees): Honorary Members: Individuals recognized for their exceptional contribution to the field of archaeology by the main body of OAS

Memberships are to be renewed annually and are valid from the 1st of January until the last day of December that year. 

Membership fees can modified once voted upon by members of the board through a majority vote and shall be reflected in the following fiscal year unless noted otherwise.

Section 3: Rights and Responsibilities

• Voting rights are extended to all OAS members in good standing who are members of the Chapter.
• All members are able to participate in any meetings held and may submit nominations for elected positions and are eligible to be elected themselves if in good standing with the Chapter.
• Executive members may refuse membership for individuals as the OAS may as well on the whole (as per the OAS Constitution) and have the right to terminate existing memberships.
• Members must abide by the Chapter’s Code of Conduct and the OAS ethical principles and guidelines (https://ontarioarchaeology.org/the-organization/policies/).

Article IV: Executive Committee

Section 1: Officers

The Executive Committee must consist of and are to be elected in their respective roles:

• President
• Secretary/Vice President (may serve as both or either)
• Treasurer

The above roles are required and must be filled in order for the Chapter to continue to operate.

Optional roles that may are appointed by the existing board: 

• Directors at Large – The following roles may be filled but are not required in order for the executive committee to operate and are not limited to the following roles:
  • Website/Video Editing
  • Communications/Social Media and Public Outreach/Events and Promotion
  • Research/KEWA Editor
  • Indigenous Liaison
  • Student/Representative & Western University Liaison

Section 2: Duties

• President: Presides over meetings, represents the Chapter, liaises with the OAS.
  • Those in the role of President must:
    • Call meetings to order and preside over all meetings held.
    • Prepare the agenda for Executive meetings.
    • Liaise with OAS on the whole and represent the Chapter and its values/best interest whether in public, at meetings, and interaction with other organizations and Indigenous or descendant communities. 
    • help in assembling events held through the Chapter–whether special seminars/workshops/lectures or ones planned by outside organizations but attended by the Chapter.
    • assisting the Treasurer to ensure financial viability of the chapter and maintaining funds for operations. 
    • where possible being part of any sub-committees to ensure above board procedural practices. 
    • Be present for the majority of lectures and community events and in the event not able to attend, have the Vice President serving in their stead.
  • It is the duty of presidents past to share information they think is vital to the continuance of the chapter and to work in the best interest of the chapter by guiding and advising any members new to the role of President, assisting in the transition. Any information that cannot be shared during the year of transference shall be committed to written form and kept as part of records to the best of the former president’s ability. Furthermore information pertaining to the chapter should be kept on the Chapter’s online storage (ie. Google Drive) rather than kept on a personal drive/folder to ensure equal access and foster the shared responsibilities of the executive members. 
• Vice President/Secretary: Assists the President and acts as President in their absence. Those in this role maintain records and documentation pertaining to communications, take minutes for executive board meetings, and manage correspondence (providing signatures with approval from the President).
• Treasurer: Manages finances by keeping the books of account orderly, keeps record of membership dues paid to OAS and the Chapter, and prepares an annual financial report. Annual fiscal report/statement of finances should be created by the Treasurer to be shared with the OAS main body executives. The main purpose of this role is to maintain memberships and finances to keep the Chapter operating. 
• Shared Responsibilities for all executives: 
  • Plan and assist with lecture series, community outreach, and programming/committee creation for new initiatives.
  • Delegate tasks to other members if tasks require more than just one person’s assistance or that member is sick/absent with the President being made aware of any changes.
  • Engage with and follow through on items identified in the Chapter’s strategic plan.  

Section 3: Terms and Elections

• Special Elections: May be called by the President or by petition of at least 10% of current membership (quorum). Quorum must be reached for approval of any elected roles. Voting shall be by majority of voting members. All members of the Chapter hold the right to vote. 
• Nominations shall be submitted for board members to vote upon on an ongoing basis or from the floor with consent. Directors at Large can be appointed in their roles via nominations on a needs basis or in the event one director is not able to fulfill their duties. We accept nominations from any member who would like to be nominated provided they are in good standing with the OAS Chapter and main body.  
• Voting may be held through online forum ballots and are not required to be conducted in person. 
• Each year constitutes a term in an appointed executive role (elected roles differ as mentioned below) starting at the beginning of the year (January 1st).
• Term limits are held in place at 5 year maximum with a maximum of two consecutive terms held for the following roles: President and Treasurer.
• Elections shall be held on the 4th year of the term to name the President elect who will not be instated until the end of the term and plan for succession to be established. Those who served as President in the year prior must stay on as a voting member for one year following the end of their former term.
• In the event the president is unable to fulfill their duties the vice president takes on that role until a special election is made. In the event of a vacancy of any other executive position, a new member may be selected by the Executive board to fill that position for the remainder of the term. 
• Presidents are held to maintain and uphold the charter of the OAS and may make decisions with broad consensus found through monthly meetings with a formal vote requiring a seconding of motions.
• Any person who plans to discontinue their role or shift into an alternative role within the executive must inform the current President of their intent before the years end (December 31st of that year). The board must be informed if any plan to step down prior to the end of a term is initiated. 

Article V: Meetings

1. General Meetings: Held during September to April and open to all members.
2. Special Meetings: Events hosted in community or in tandem with outside organizations. 
3. Executive Meetings: Held monthly with board members present or when deemed necessary between monthly held meetings. All chapter members are permitted to join the executive meetings. These meetings are held to discuss old business from previous meetings and tracking completion of past actionable items as well as allotting time for new business/upcoming initiatives.
   1. Majority executive members must be present to have meetings proceed (no less than half of the executive team) and to reach an accord on planning.
   2. Executives must endeavor to make all monthly meetings-with more than four missed annually without informing the President prior may merit dismissal of that board member from their executive role.
   3. All motions proposed should be first and seconded by separate executive members and those who object given the space to be heard for explanation. Meetings are to follow the guiding principles or Robert’s Rules of Order to the degree they do not interfere with any guidelines written by the OAS main body. 
   4. Minutes are to be approved from the previous meeting and agenda approved by two chapter executives in order to be carried forward. 
   5. All agenda and meeting minutes are available upon request.

Article VI: Finances

1. The Chapter shall operate as a non-profit entity in accordance with the financial policies of the Ontario Archaeological Society.
2. Funds shall be used solely for Chapter operations, events, and outreach.
3. The Treasurer shall present an annual budget and financial report.
4. Any fundraising or grant applications must be approved by the Executive Committee.

Article VII: Code of Conduct and Ethics

All members must:

1. Comply with the OAS Statement of Ethical Principles and Chapter’s External (for all members and those in attendance of events through the chapter) and Internal Code of Conduct (for executive members)
2. Promote respectful and inclusive engagement, particularly with Indigenous and descendant communities.
3. Refrain from unauthorized excavation or artifact collection.
4. Report discoveries to appropriate provincial and community authorities.
5. It is the duty of members to stay informed on changing regulatory practices and legislation that pertains to archaeological practice. 

Internal Code of Conduct is intended for voting board members of the Chapter:

·       All members shall abide by all current laws that pertain to archaeological treatment of materials, standards and practices (grave disturbance, looting, duty to report sites, etc). In order to foster trust of the public, board members are to act in the interest of predominant archaeological rhetoric and comply with local legalities in place. No one shall appraise, profit by sale of, or acquire illegally any legacy collections or engage in illicit trade of known archaeological materials unless it is being ethically examined with supervision of a licensed archaeologist.

·       All members of the board and members on the whole shall report knowledge of violations of this code. There are to be no repercussions for those that report abuses of this code of conduct and all claims will be examined thoroughly in order to validate or disallow their authenticity. Allegations should be examined within a reasonable amount of time (no more than 7 days) and acted upon in addition.

·       Releasing information pertaining to specific site information that is not held in reports/made publically known previously (ie through KEWA or publications)  is strictly prohibited. 

·        Members are to act in an honest and forthright manner and avoid any misleading or vague information that may lead to false information regarding the archaeological research/sites. 

·         The Board expects of itself and its members ethical, professional and lawful conduct. This commitment includes proper use of authority and appropriate decorum in group and individual behaviours when acting as board members.

·         Board presidents, when acting as presidents, are expected to consider and represent the interests of OAS and its community as a whole in preference to any other interest which a president may also have or represent.

·         Board presidents shall not attempt to exercise individual authority over the organization except as explicitly set forth by majority vote from the board.

·         Board members shall acquaint themselves with the incorporating documents of the Chapter: any policies and governance materials. Policies and governance materials should be examined upon new main body policies or within at least 5 years since last created/updated.

   Article VIII: Committees

Ad hoc or standing committees may be formed by an Executive board member to manage specific tasks or projects, such as:

• Event Planning
• OAS Symposium planning
• Publications and Communications
• Site Stewardship
• Education and Outreach

Chairs of each committee should be selected by an executive who holds the right to delegate tasks for completion as part of the committee and ask to report progress to the board at any time. Committee chairs report any updates to an executive, hold and bring to order the committee’s meeting and its respective agenda, and at the completion of the committee’s goal, provide documentation regarding updates and project status. Any matter dealing with financial or governance matters must be approved by an executive and brought to the board for discussion at the executive meeting with sufficient notice This is done to ensure that any large changes are to be shared with all members of the chapter with ample time for feedback. 

Article IX: Amendments

1. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by written petition signed by at least 10 members.
2. Amendments must be circulated to members prior.
3. Adoption of amendments requires a two-thirds vote of voting members present and quorum (10% of current membership) achieved. 
4. The current constitution (2025) is permitted to allow amendments from board members should a majority vote favour any modifications and should be considered on an ongoing basis. Any proposals for amendments should be made in writing to the current chapter executives for their consideration. Motions will be made in favour/against at the next available Executive meeting and must meet two-thirds majority in order for adoption of proposed changes. Quorum must be achieved by members for an amendment to go through. The constitution solely pertains to the London Chapter’s interest and may not apply to outside chapters.
5. Governance and chapter procedures are to be in congruence with the greater Ontario Archaeological Society’s Constitution and may not differ from its overall principles. The Chapter and its members are subject to the main body OAS bylaws. 

Article X: Dissolution

Upon dissolution of the Chapter, any remaining funds or assets shall be transferred to the Ontario Archaeological Society. The chapter treasurer will at this point no longer have signing authority as this will be assumed by the OAS main body’s Treasurer and President.