PREAMBLE

The Ichthyologists naturally developed from the good fellowship engendered during the planning and managing of the Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers held at Boston in 1931. They developed a set of by-laws and a spirit unique in the annals of chemical engineering.

The present members desire to preserve this spirit of the organization and, in addition to good fellowship among the members, to encourage active participation in the affairs of the AIChE, of engineering in general, and of society as a whole.

In order to effectuate these aims and to encourage and promote wider participation by the Members in the affairs of the Ichthyologists, the original By-Laws are revised, as follows.

Article I-NAME

Section 1.
The formal name of this organization shall be the Boston Section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. It shall be known informally as the Ichthyologists.

Section 2.
Members shall be known as Fish.

Article II-MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.
Members (of all grades) of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) living within a reasonable distance of Boston shall be members of the Ichthyologists and will be sent notices of all meetings, if they indicate a desire to receive them. They should complain if they don't.

Section 2.
Non-members of the AIChE acceptable to the Ichthyologists may become Fish but may not hold elective office.

Section 3.
There shall be four classes of Fish: (A) Active, (I) Ichthyoid, (S) Sedentary, and (H) Honorary.
(A) Active members shall be limited to AIChE members who pay Ichthyologists dues.
(I) Ichthyoid membership shall be limited to those who pay Ichthyologists dues to the Shark but who are not members of the AIChE. Ichthyoid members shall be urged to become members of the AIChE within some reasonable period of time, such as two years.
(S) Sedentary Fish need not pay dues but may receive notices if interested and may attend meetings occasionally if they desire.
(H) Fish shall automatically achieve Honorary membership upon buying one round of refreshments for all Fish present at any regular meeting. Honorary membership shall lapse after six months.

Section 4.
In these By-Laws no inference is made to sex in the spirit of expediency (See Appendix I). After all, both fish genders* are essential to the preservation of all species of finny life.

*Reference: American Scientist, Volume 72, p. 128ff.

Article III-MEETINGS

Section 1.
Meetings shall be held occasionally as determined by the Executive Committee. Five or six meetings each year shall be considered par.

Section 2.
The order of business shall be varied to avoid monotony at all costs.

Section 3.
A quorum shall consist of those present and in their right minds but shall in no case be less than thirty members.

Article IV-OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES

Section 1.
The officers of the Ichthyologists shall be the Kingfish (chairman), the Mackerel (vice- chairman), the Smelt (secretary and assistant treasurer), and the Shark (treasurer).

Section 2.
The Kingfish may not succeed himself in office. He shall be responsible for dragging members from the preliminary meeting room to the table before the food is cold. He shall stop all arguments before the speaker is presented (and afterwards if he deems it necessary). In general, he shall run the show.

Section 3.
The Mackerel may not succeed himself in office since (in general) it is hoped and expected that he will have learned enough to be Kingfish. His main duty shall be to introduce the speakers at meetings.

Section 4.
The Smelt shall be encouraged to succeed himself in office a reasonable number of times (at least once) provided only that he be closely enough related to the Sucker family. He shall keep such records as deemed absolutely necessary, report meetings to "Chemical Engineering Progress," mail notices and (as assistant treasurer) collect dues. He may pay a reasonable amount for stenographic assistance in such work and be reimbursed by the Shark. He shall turn all monies over to the Shark for hoarding. By virtue of his title as assistant treasurer he shall be empowered to draw checks, if the Shark is not available. At the end of each year, he shall, with the cooperation of the Shark, make a brief report to the Secretary of the AIChE covering the past year's activities and reporting the names of new officers.

Section 5.
The Shark shall preferably serve for at least two years, shall maintain a bank account, and shall draw checks for payment of justified charges. He will be expected to object to all requests for payment at least once. He shall be responsible for all financial records and shall be custodian of all funds. Approval of the Executive Committee will be required for payments other than those concerned with regular meetings or those specifically provided for in these By-Laws.

Article V-COMMITTEES

Section 1.
The Executive Committee shall consist of the four officers, the Flounder (Program Chairman), and the Chief Xiphias (the immediate past Kingfish), if he survives. Its duty is to advise anyone who will accept advice. Such decisions as have to be made will be its responsibility.

Section 2.
The Program Committee shall consist of the Flounder, appointed by the Executive Committee, and any Fish that may be netted by him before the first meeting of each year. It shall be responsible for obtaining guest speakers and all other arrangements in connection with all meetings.

Section 3.
The Nominating Committee shall be appointed at the start of each year and shall consist of the Kingfish, the immediate past Kingfish, and two members appointed by the Kingfish, after due consultation with the membership and approval of the Executive Committee. Objections from the floor at any meeting based on evidence of packing the Committee will be recognized. it shall have the duties of nominating a slate of new officers for the following year and of nominating and supporting local members for offices and committees in the AIChE and other organizations .

Section 4.
Any other necessary or unnecessary committees shall be appointed by the Kingfish.

Article VI-ELECTIONS

Section 1.
Elections shall be held at the last regular meeting of each year.

Section 2.
The Nominating Committee shall present a complete slate of officers known to be willing to be sentenced for the following year. Additional nominations may be made from the floor.

Section 3.
There shall be no loud yelling, railroading of candidates, or other unethical tactics. Lobbying by the Kingfish for reelection in defiance of the By-Laws shall be frowned upon especially.

Section 4.
Should there be no nominations from the floor, a voice vote for a single ballot to be cast by the Smelt shall be taken. If there is more than one candidate for an office, election shall be by secret ballot for that office and the Smelt can take care of the rest.

Section 5.
The new officers shall be installed in full tradition and panoply immediately after the elections.

Section 6.
If the Kingfish quits, the Mackerel shall take over. Any other vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the Executive Committee. If they all quit, a new election shall take place automatically.

Article VII-FISCAL YEAR, MEETING YEAR, AND DUES

Section 1.
The fiscal year officially shall start on January 1, but unofficially and in the hearts of all good ichthyologists everywhere and forever shall start on October 7, which is Hervey Skinner's birthday--and Bill Flood's birthday.

Section 2.
The meeting year shall start sometime between May 31 and September 30.

Section 3.
Dues for Active members shall be set until changed by a majority vote of the members at two consecutive regular meetings. Preferably, the Smelt shall have included in the notice for these meetings a statement that the vote is to be taken.

Section 4.
The Smelt shall notify all members once only per year of the dues and of the fact that no further notices of meetings will be sent except upon request. He shall keep a list of paid members. New members entering the area during the year shall receive the same notice that other members received at the start of the year, as well as a copy of these By-Laws.

Article VIII-RECORDS AND PUBLICATIONS

Section 1.
An absolute minimum of records shall be kept.

Section 2.
There shall be no publications other than the periodic emanations from the Smelt and Shark.

Article IX-OBLIGATIONS

Section 1.
The Constitution of the AIChE shall be the final authority in all arguments, if it applies.

Section 2.
Such obligations as may be incurred shall be met.

Section 3.
The ichthyologists shall not have authority to act for or in the name of the AIChE nor to incur financial obligations in the name of the AIChE.

Section 4.
The AIChE shall not have the authority to act for or in the name of the Ichthyologists nor to incur financial obligations in the name of the Ichthyologists.

Article X-COUNCIL

Section 1.
The officers and directors of National AIChE shall formally be known as Council and informally as the Ictaluridae (catfishes), Big C, Big Cats, or some other suitably flippant epithet.

Section 2.
Common cause with and against the Ictaluridae is expected to further the spirit of good fellowship prevailing among the Ichthyologists and with Council.

Section 3.
Whenever convenient all Fish shall maintain a watch on Boston Harbor and inform the fish in Lexington and Concord of the approach of the Ictaluridae--one if by Van and two if by J. C.

Section 4.
In order to present an image more compatible with Council, should a decree from Council require a reply, the Kingfish, whenever possible, shall appoint an ad hoc committee to prepare an Aquatic Impact Statement on the effect of Council's input on the lifestyle of the Ichthyologists and to draft a reply for interfacing with Council. Maximum utilization of computerized data processing shall be implemented for Ichthyo-Council interfacing. Replies to Council may but are not required to consist partly or entirely of computer systems error messages--GIGO. The Smelt shall inform Council that an ad hoc committee has been appointed and that an answer may be expected within a few years.

Section 5.
At all times at least one Fish in the Ichthyologists is required but not expected to understand what Section 4 of this Article means, translate communications from Council, and, upon request from Council translate the Ichthyologists' reply.

Section 6.
It is appropriate for this Article to be amended whenever these By-Laws are amended to keep the Ictaluridae on their dorsals.

Article XI-ORDERS OF THE ICHTHYOLOGISTS

Section 1.
The Order of Xiphias (swordfish) shall be made up of all past Kingfish plus Ted Weaver (who suggested the idea in 1956). Members shall be entitled to wear the insignia of the Order. Each retiring Kingfish shall be duly received into the order at the time he relinquishes his symbol of office.

Section 2.
Members of the Order of Xiphias shall have the following duties and obligations to the Ichthyologists as individuals and as a group.
(a) They shall pointedly deflate all blowfish and any other Fish who take themselves too seriously.
(b) They shall fill empty seats at the head table in reverse order of seniority.
(c) They Shall have sole authority to award membership in other Orders of the Ichthyologists as discussed in Section 3.

Section 3.
Membership in special Orders of the Ichthyologists shall be awarded by decision of at least three members of the Order of Xiphias in recognition of outstanding achievement or especially meritorious service by chemical engineers to the profession and to the society in general. Appropriate new Orders may be created on the spur of the moment.

Article XII-ARCHIVES

Section 1.
The Archives of the Ichthyologists shall consist of the By-Laws and other important and trivial documents and Articles pertaining to the Ichthyologists.

Section 2.
The Archives shall be kept by the Coelacanth (living fossil) because he was born in the year the original by-laws were approved, or some other Fish until lost or discarded.

Section 3.
The Archives may be displayed at regular and irregular meetings and at AIChE National and Annual Meetings--especially those which the AIChE is willing to take the chance to let the Ichthyologists host. Profits from the sales of Ichthyologists By-Laws, Histories, and other paraphernalia during all National meetings in Boston will be matched by National. This is appropriate since the Tide Pool of Ichthyology is the major draw that makes Boston meetings so popular, successful, and profitable to AIChE National.

Article XIII-TRADITIONS

Section 1.
Meetings shall be held on Friday whenever possible since it has always been that way.

Section 2.
While guest speakers may discuss subjects related to chemical engineering. this is by no means to be the rule and speakers should be selected for their ability to talk on matters of general interest. Members wishing to sit through highly technical talks may, with the blessings and the assistance of the Executive Committee, organize symposia or lectures other than at regular meetings.

Section 3.
In general, long-winded arguments on controversial issues shall not be permitted during a meeting. Since there is ordinarily a whole weekend ahead members may continue arguments indefinitely after the meeting is adjourned. The Kingfish shall see to it that incipient arguments are nipped in the bud.

Section 4.
Continuous effort shall be made by the members to see to it that a spirit consonant with the name "Ichthyologists" is maintained and developed so that good fellowship shall always prevail.

Section 5.
An effort is to be made to have one social evening each year at which spouses, sweethearts, etc. shall be welcome, and for which a special effort shall be made to drag out those members whose schedules do not permit regular attendance at meetings.

Section 6.
One meeting each year, if convenient, shall entail an affinity for Old-Timers and another for Guppies.

Section 7.
A round of drinks shall be the penalty for an Officer Fish who forgets to wear his badge of office to a meeting, or for a Kingfish who forgets to introduce a member of the Order of Xiphias present at a meeting.

Section 8.
Insofar as possible, notices and other emanations from the Smelt shall be written in the same general high level of informality employed at all meetings.

Section 9.
These By-Laws and all future revisions thereof shall have appended thereto a copy of the original By-Laws of 1938 to assure that future Fish will have a basic knowledge of the spirit of the original group.

Article XIV-AMENDMENTS

Section 1.
Amendments may be proposed by any member who thinks this vehicle is imperfect. To have his proposal considered, he must inveigle a majority vote at the meeting at which the proposal is made or forever hold his peace. If passed, then a two-thirds vote at the subsequent meeting will be required for final acceptance. This will give the opposition time to pack the meeting. If he misses on this, the Fish may have one more chance to sneak through a two-thirds vote at the following meeting. Initiative is up to the proposer, not the Kingfish.

Article XV-DISSOLUTION

Section 1.
Upon the dissolution of the ichthyologists any assets of the Ichthyologists remaining thereafter shall be conveyed to such organization then existent, within or without the territory of the Ichthyologists, dedicated to the perpetuation of objectives similar to those of the AIChE, or to the AIChE so long as whichever organization selected by the Executive Committee of the ichthyologists at the time of dissolution shall be exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as amended or under such successor provisions of the code as may be in effect at the time of the dissolution of the Ichthyologists.

Fine Print: Any comments or complaints will not be tolerated. You may end up sleeping with the fishes.