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College of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering

By-Laws of the Academy of CAGE (ACAGE)

(Officially Revised July 20, 1998)

I. GENERAL & PURPOSE

  • The Academy of Civil, Agricultural and Geological Engineering (CAGE) is a combination of the former Civil Engineering Department Advisory Committee, which was organized in the Fall of 1981 and the Academy of Civil Engineering which was organized in 1986. They were formed to serve as multipurpose liaisons between the Department and the Engineering profession. The Academy represents private practice, industry, and government; providing ideas, advice, critical evaluation, guidance, and general support to the CAGE Department. The Academy is action oriented and aids in developing support for engineering within the University and across the State and Nation.

  • Purpose

    The Academy purpose, in appreciation of the honor bestowed individually and collectively, will perpetuate:

    A. The strength and dedication of Civil, Agricultural and Geological Engineering through personal and professional example,

    B. The recognition of those graduates of the Department who bring honor to Civil, Agricultural and Geological Engineering as practitioners and as citizens.

    C. The encouragement of personal, corporate, foundation, and government gifts and grants of money, equipment and facilities to the New Mexico State University Foundation for the benefit of the CAGE Department.

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    II. OBJECTIVES

    A. Provide guidance and advice on such items as curriculum, career development, research, recruiting, and professionalism.

    B. Assist the CAGE Department in the development and accomplishment of departmental goals and objectives as submitted, by the CAGE Department Head, to the President of the University. 

    C. Assist the CAGE Department in acquiring funds for departmental maintenance, development, and expansion.

    D. Utilize Task Groups to concentrate efforts in specialized areas such as Faculty, Financial and Student Affairs.

    E. Maintain a list of items to be considered and pursued by the Academy Board of Directors (Board). The list will be prepared and updated annually by the CAGE Department Head in conjunction with the Department faculty. It will be used to reflect progress as viewed by the Department.

    F. Maintain a current log (of both long and short-range goals and objectives) which clearly states current status, responsibilities, and implementation strategies.The log will be maintained by the Board Secretary and updated, as needed, during each Board meeting.

    III. ORGANIZATION
    Organizational Chart as of January 1994:
    Academy Board of Directors
    CAGE Department
    FACULTY AFFAIRS TASK GROUPS
    FINANCIAL AFFAIRS TASK GROUPS
    MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
  • CE group
  • AEN group
  • GEN group
    		•
  • Buildings
  • Equipment
  • Scholarships
  • Supplies
    		•
  • Active
  • Associate
  • Distinguished
  • Honorary
    		•
    STUDENT AFFAIRS TASK GROUPS
    NOMINATING & AWARDS COMMITTEE
  • AEG / SME
  • AGC
  • ASAE
  • ASCE
  • CHI EPSILON
    		•
  • Associate Member
  • Awards
  • Board
  • Faculty
    		•
    The Academy consists of the Board of Directors (Board), at least two Committees and three Task Groups.

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    A. The Academy Board

  • The Academy Board consists of a President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Past President, and four other Board members.

    • B. Task Groups

  • Task Groups will support the Board in accomplishing Academy or Department goals and objectives. They will be formed as required and submit findings and recommendations to the Board for consideration and implementation.
  • Task Groups consists of at least one Board member (acting as Chair, liaison, or in an ex-officio capacity), a faculty member(s) and general membership as approved by the Task Group Chairs, and the Nominating and Awards Committee.
  • Board and Task Group membership is not restricted to NMSU Alumni and should be selected based on Academy needs and personnel background.
    •  

    1. Faculty Affairs Task Group(s)

  • The functions are to review departmental practices as to faculty retention, recruitment, salary and sabbaticals, and to promote contractor/industry participation, professionalism/registration and consider other items related to the faculty. The group (s) will consider and make recommendations regarding department curriculum, department goals, accreditation, short courses and seminars, engineering extension, research, and other items affecting the CAGE Department on the administrative level.A Task Group can be created for each program (CE, AEN, or GEN) within the Department.At least one (1) Board member, two (2) faculty and two (2) Associate members should serve on each Task Group.

    • 2. Financial Affairs Task Group(s)

  • Their function is to promote and generate donations, scholarships, gifts and grants for the CAGE Department. Separate groups could be developed for Buildings, Equipment, Scholarships and Supplies. At least one (1) Board member and one (1) Associate Member should serve on each Task Group.

    • 3. Student Affairs Task Group(s)

  • Their function is to consider items concerning student-school relations, career guidance, placement, registration and professionalism, registration exam preparation, employment, cooperative employment agreements, advisory for classes and other items related to the general well being of the student.A separate group could exist for each of the professional / technical / trade organizations (AEG/SME, AGC, ASAE, ASCE, XE) involved with the Department. At least one (1) Board member and two (2) Associate Members should serve on each Task Group.

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    C. Meetings of the Membership

  • An annual meeting of the membership shall be held at such time and at such place as shall be determined by the Board.
  • There shall be an Induction Ceremony for the purpose of inducting newly elected membership, and it shall usually be held in conjunction with the annual meeting at a time and place determined by the Board.
  • There may be other meetings as shall be determined either by the Board or by a petition signed by one-third of the Active Members who shall require the Board to call such a meeting.
  • Each meeting shall be announced by mail thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting.

    • D. Quorum at the Annual Meeting

  • A quorum at the annual meeting shall consist of thirty (30) percent of the Active Members or eighteen (18) Active Members, whichever is less.
  • Every act or decision made either when a majority of the membership is present or when a quorum is present shall be an act of the membership.

    • E. Board of Directors

  • The Board of Directors (Board) shall consist of eight (8) directors with two (2) elected by and from the Active Members at each annual meeting. In addition, the immediate Past President shall serve as a director.
  • At the first annual meeting of the Academy, the Active Members shall elect eight (8) directors; two (2) to serve for one (1) year, two (2) to serve for two (2) years, two (2) to serve for three (3) years, and two (2) to serve for four (4) years. Successors will be elected for four (4) year terms. The first Past-President will be the immediate Past-President of the Academy of Civil Engineering.
  • Each vacancy on the Board occurring from death or resignation shall be filled at the next annual meeting of the Academy. The Active Members will elect a Director to complete the un-expired term for each vacancy.
  • The Head and the Associate Head of the CAGE Department will serve as members ex-officio.
  • The term of Board members and officers will begin after the annual membership meeting. 

    • F. Officers

  • The officers of the Board shall be a President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Past President. They shall be elected by and from the Board promptly after the election of the Board by the Active Members. The officers shall serve one (1) year terms.
  • The officers shall have such duties as are necessary for the purposes and functions of the organization and such duties as are assigned by the Board.
  • The officers shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred, if such expenses are authorized and approved by the Board.

    • G. Committees

  • The Board shall authorize and the President shall appoint such committees as are necessary to advance the purposes and business of the Academy.
  • There shall be a Membership Committee of at least five (5) Active Members, one (1) of which shall serve as Chair, and said committee shall take such action as is necessary to comply with articles of these by-laws. At least one (1) Board member should serve on this committee.
  • There shall be a Nominating and Awards Committee of at least three (3) Active Members, who shall present a slate of candidates for election as new Board Members at the annual meeting.

    • Nominations of appropriate individuals to serve as Associate Members in the Academy can be made by members, faculty, student chapters and members of outside organizations. Additional nominations may be made by any member. There will be no vote by proxy, and a majority of the membership or of a quorum present shall elect the Board. The Committee will listen to and recommend to the Board any awards concerning the recognition of any or all members. The Past President of the Board should serve on this Committee.

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    IV. MEMBERSHIP QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE ACADEMY

    A. Members

  • Members shall be limited to living individuals who were duly elected and subject to the following conditions:
  • Each Member shall hold a degree in (civil, agricultural or geological) engineering from New Mexico State University or from a recognized engineering school granted at least 20 years prior to election. The member's degree and professional activities shall attest to his competence in (civil, agricultural or geological) engineering.
  • Each Member candidate shall receive at least a three-fourths affirmative vote of the total votes cast for election to membership.
  • The number of Members from each program shall not exceed 10% of the NMSU graduates, and not more than 2% of the NMSU graduates may be elected in each year.
  • The number of Members from (civil, agricultural or geological) engineering departments at universities other than New Mexico State University may not exceed 15% of the Academy Members and not more than three from a (civil, agricultural or geological) engineering department other than New Mexico State University may be elected in each year.
  • A Member candidate who is elected to membership shall be present for induction at the first or second induction ceremony held after his election, except that the Board may waive this requirement in the event of illness of the candidate, absence of the candidate from the country or other reasons acceptable by the Board. If this requirement is not waived by the Board, the candidate's invitation shall be withdrawn after the second induction ceremony and his status shall be the same as though he had not been elected.

    • B. Active Members

  • Active Members of the Academy are those members that have provided their suggested donation in the past year. 

    C. Honorary Members

  • Honorary Members shall be living or deceased individuals who are duly elected and subject to the following conditions:
  • Each shall have had the unanimous approval of the Board and three-fourths affirmative vote of the membership or a quorum of Active Members present at an annual meeting.
  • At no time shall the number of living Honorary Members exceed five (5) percent of the Active Members.
  • At no time shall the living Honorary Members from (civil, agricultural or geological) Engineering departments other than New Mexico State University exceed twenty (20) percent of the elected living Honorary Members.
  • A living candidate's induction to Honorary Membership shall be scheduled thirty days before the next induction ceremony following his election.Honorary Members may be inducted without being present.

    • D. Distinguished Members

  • Distinguished Members shall consist of those members who have died.

    E. Associate Members

  • Associate Members of the Academy can be any graduate of the programs of the Department.
  • Upon satisfying the minimum time requirement of 20 years (Ref. IV.A.1) an Associate Member shall be considered as having met all requirements of membership and shall be extended that distinction upon payment of such Initiation fees, Annual dues and/or donations as required.

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    V. NOMINATIONS FOR THE ACADEMY

    A. The Secretary shall receive from the Members until February 15 of each year such nominations as they shall care to make. Such nominations shall be of individuals qualified under articles of these by-laws and shall carry information which substantiates their qualifications.

    B. The Secretary shall deliver the nominations to the Chair of Membership Committee by March 1 of each year.

    C. The Membership Committee shall receive from the Secretary all nominations for Members and Associate Members. The Committee will review, determine eligibility and forward therecommended nominations to the Board by April 1 of each year.

    D. The Board shall review and certify the nominations by April 15 of each year and return those that are acceptable to the Secretary and Treasurer.

    VI. BALLOTING FOR THE ACADEMY

    A. The Secretary shall prepare a letter ballot carrying the names of all those certified as Members and Associate Members by the Board and shall deliver to each of the Active Members on or by May 1 of each year.

    B. The Membership Committee shall canvas all ballots that are received by June1 of each year.By June 15 of each year, the Committee shall declare as elected and eligible for invitation to membership those who have qualified under articles of these by-laws.

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    VII. LIMITATIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR THE ACADEMY

    A. The Board may remove from the Academy any member, but such removal may not be enacted until such time as the Board and the membership have heard the appeal of the member so recommended if such hearing is requested by the aggrieved member.

    B. The by-laws may be amended at any annual meeting at which such intention has been a part of the notice of the meeting. The amendment will be adopted if it carries the favorable recommendation of two-thirds of the Board and is approved in a secret ballot by a majority of the membership of a quorum present.

    C. The members of the Academy shall not be responsible for any indebtedness or liability incurred by or for any acts performed by any member or individual who is in attendance at any annual or special meeting, outing, or social activity of the Academy.

    VIII. FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

    A. The Academy shall be self-supporting. It shall use only those monies that are exclusively reserved for it in a University account. Said monies shall accrue from contributions made or solicited by the members.

    B. The Board shall adopt an annual budget, which shall be reported to the Active Members.This budget will providethe Head of the Department of CAGE at New Mexico State University with direction for the expenditure of monies from the account in the name of the Academy.

    C. The Officers and Board shall instruct the Treasurer in such efforts as she/he shall make annually to maintain funds in the Academy account. 

    IX. RECOGNITION AND AWARDS

    A. A plaque or certificate of membership in the Academy will be awarded to each New Member at the Induction Ceremony.

    B. A framed photograph (eight by ten inches) and a name plate of each Active Member of the Academy shall be prominently displayed in the department at New Mexico State University.

    C. A biographical sketch of one-hundred and fifty (150) words of each Member of the Academy will be maintained in the library of the Department at New Mexico State University, where it will be easily accessible to the students.

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    For more information and nomination inquiries, contact: Lydia Madrid