Membership in SNAME is governed by Title B of the SNAME By-Laws. These provisions are provided below.
B1‑1. Grades of Membership
(a) The membership of the Society shall consist of Fellows, Members, Affiliates, Associate Members, and Student Members. A special designation of “Life” before the title of several grades of membership is attainable by compliance with the requirements of paragraph B3‑2. See paragraphs B1‑7, B1‑8, B1‑9, and B1‑10 for other classes of membership.
A candidate for membership in the grade of Member, Affiliate, Associate Member, or Student Member must be approved by the Applications Committee.
(b) The Executive Director may approve a candidate for membership in the grade of Student Member.
B1‑2. Fellows
(a) The grade of Fellow shall be accorded exclusively to individuals who have made outstanding personal contributions to significant achievements in naval architecture, marine and ocean engineering, and allied engineering in the form of advances in design, research, production, operation, education and associated management. A candidate shall have attained the grade of Member and have had not less than ten (10) years of active practice following the candidate’s first professional membership in the Society (exclusive of years as a Student Member).
(b) A candidate for the grade of Fellow must be nominated by five Fellows or Members on an approved form. Nominations will be reviewed by the Fellows Committee and approved candidates will be submitted by the Fellows Committee to the Council for election.
B1‑3. Members
(a) The grade of Member may be accorded exclusively to persons having competence and important experience in naval architecture, marine engineering, ocean engineering, or another phase of engineering or science closely allied with the marine industry. A candidate who is a graduate of a recognized technical institution or other institution satisfactory to the Society shall have had not less than five years of increasingly important engineering or scientific experience indicative of growth, competency, and achievement, at least two of which shall have been in responsible charge of work. A candidate possessing a Professional Engineer’s license or equivalent will be deemed to have given evidence of engineering or scientific experience indicative of growth, competency and achievement with at least two years in responsible charge of work. Alternatively, a candidate who is not a graduate of a recognized technical institution shall have had not less than nine years of engineering or scientific experience indicative of growth, competency, and achievement, at least two of which shall have been in responsible charge of work.
(b) A candidate for the grade of Member shall submit a statement of training and experience which demonstrates that the candidate has been engaged in a responsible capacity in the marine field and sets forth the grounds upon which the application for membership is based. The statement shall be signed by three Fellows or Members, who shall certify to their personal knowledge of the candidate and of the candidate’s experience.
B1‑4. Affiliates
(a) The grade of Affiliate may be accorded to persons whose pursuits, attainments, or practical experience qualifies them to cooperate in the advancement of the objectives of the Society. A candidate shall have had a sound education and shall have not less than five years of increasingly important experience indicative of growth, competency, and achievement, at least two of which shall have been in responsible charge of work. Alternatively, a candidate who is not a graduate of a recognized institution of learning shall have had not less than nine years of increasingly important experience indicative of growth, competency, and achievement, at least two of which shall have been in responsible charge of work.
(b) A candidate for the grade of Affiliate shall submit a written statement of qualifications which shall be signed by three Fellows, Members, or Affiliates, who shall certify to their personal knowledge of the candidate and of the candidate’s experience.
B1‑5. Associate Members
(a) The grade of Associate Member may be accorded to persons whose pursuits, attainments, education, or practical experience qualifies them to cooperate in the advancements of the objectives of the Society, but who have not held a position of sufficient responsibility or lack the experience required for the grade of Member or Affiliate.
(b) Associate Members shall be eligible to transfer to the grade of Member or Affiliate after fulfilling the necessary requirements.
(c) A candidate for Associate Member shall submit to the Society a written statement of qualifications which shall be signed by two Fellows, Members, Affiliates, or Associate Members, who shall certify to their personal knowledge of the candidate and the candidate’s experience.
(d) Associate Members may not hold national office but may vote on all questions brought before the Society.
B1‑6. Student Members
(a) The grade of Student Member may be accorded to students of naval architecture, marine engineering, ocean engineering or allied branches of engineering in technical institutions recognized by the Society.
(b) A candidate for Student Member shall submit to the Society a written statement of qualifications which shall be signed by a member of any grade except Student Member who shall certify to a personal knowledge of the candidate and the student status of the candidate.
(c) Upon completion of the courses of study in a recognized technical institution and upon graduation, Student Members shall be automatically transferred to the grade of Associate Member.
(d) Student Members, except for the Student Steering Committee Representative on the Executive Committee, may not hold office, nor vote on any questions brought before the Society. Student Members may serve in voting positions in local sections, subject to Section By-Laws.
B1‑7. Honorary Members
Honorary membership may be accorded to persons of acknowledged eminence upon whom the Council may see fit to confer honorary distinction. The total number of living Honorary Members shall not exceed fifty. Society members so elected shall retain all rights and privileges of their prior grade of membership.
B1‑8. Permanent Members
Prior to November 10, 1971, the Council could, by a three‑fourths vote, elect as Permanent Members those members who had evidenced special interest in the Society and its objectives and who had contributed at least one thousand dollars either to a special fund to be administered for the objectives of the Society or toward a scholarship for the study of naval architecture, marine engineering, ocean engineering or other engineering subjects pertaining to the marine industry. Without prejudice to the standing of any Permanent Member elected or approved on, or prior to, November 10, 1971, no person shall be elected, and no successor shall be approved as Permanent Member after November 10, 1971.
B1‑9. Special Members
Prior to December 31, 1986, the Council could, by a three‑fourths vote, elect as Special Members governmental or quasi‑governmental officials whose duties and responsibilities have an important bearing on marine matters. A Special Member may retain such membership while in the office for which the Special Membership was conferred. Upon the expiration of such term of office or upon retirement from office, a Special Member shall either transfer to the grade for which qualified and pay the dues of that grade or be dropped from the rolls of the Society. Without prejudice to the standing of any Special Member elected or approved on, or prior to, December 3l, l986, no person shall be elected or approved as Special Member after December 3l, l986.
B1‑10. Reciprocal Memberships
(a) The Council may approve, for Reciprocal Membership privileges, those international engineering or scientific societies having objectives, aims, and purposes similar to those of this Society. Any member in good standing of any such international society and not residing in the United States of America or Canada may be admitted to the equivalent grade of Reciprocal Membership of this Society upon certification by the approved international engineering or scientific society.
(b) International applicants shall not be accepted nor shall the privileges of such membership be enjoyed until the application, on a special form furnished by this Society, has been certified by the Secretary of the approved international scientific society and submitted by the applicant and payment of the dues for one year has been made. Members so admitted shall be designated as Reciprocal Members, Reciprocal Affiliates, Reciprocal Associate Members, or Reciprocal Student Members. Upon payment of the annual dues as set forth in paragraph B3‑1, members so admitted shall be entitled to all the privileges of equivalent membership, except the right to vote and hold office.
(a) An entrance fee plus the current dues rate established by the Council shall be submitted with the application.
(b) No entrance fee shall be required of Student Members, Honorary Members, or any Reciprocal membership grade.
(c) No entrance fee shall be required of former members who are reinstated in accordance with paragraph B3‑8, nor members who transfer from one grade of membership to another.
B3‑1. Annual Dues
(a) Annual dues shall be payable by Fellows, Members, Affiliates, Associate Members, Student Members, and Reciprocal Members in accordance with a schedule of dues as established by the Council.
(b) Annual dues shall be payable on January first except as otherwise noted for the year of approval for membership.
(c) Those whose memberships are submitted between January first and May first shall pay full dues with the application.
(d) Those whose memberships are submitted after May first and prior to October first shall submit payment of one half the yearly dues with the application.
(e) Those who submit a membership application between October first and December thirty‑first shall pay full yearly dues with the application; however, the dues are satisfied through December thirty first of the following year.
(f) Any member sixty‑five years or older who has paid dues for twenty‑five years, will, upon specific written request, be placed in a reduced dues status as established by the Council.
B3‑2. Life Dues
Fellows, Members, Affiliates, and Associate Members may pay all future dues by making a single payment as established by the Council and by signing an agreement to conform to any future amendments to the Bylaws not involving a change in the payment of dues.
B3‑3. Exemption from Dues
Honorary Members, Special Members and Fifty‑Year Members shall not pay dues.
B3‑4. Transfers
Student Members, when transferred to the appropriate grade of membership after graduation, shall not pay additional dues in the year of transfer. Dues for the twelve months following the date of transfer shall be at the Student Member rate.
Student Members and Special Members who do not pay the dues of the grade to which transferred in accordance with paragraph B3‑1, will be dropped from the rolls of the Society in accordance with paragraph B3‑7.
B3‑5. Condition of Membership
This Bylaw eliminated October 26, 2001
B3‑6. No Rebate of Dues
Members severing their connection with the Society shall not be entitled to receive any portion of dues already paid.
B3‑7. Dues Arrears
Any member of any grade whose dues are unpaid on March first for the current year shall be so notified by the Treasurer. If dues become three months in arrears as of March thirty‑first, membership shall cease unless, upon written request, the Executive Committee shall determine, due to extenuating circumstances, to excuse such arrears for the current dues period.
B3-8. Reinstatement
A member who has resigned or whose membership has ceased for nonpayment of dues may be reinstated by the Applications Committee either:
1. By paying back dues from the year of severance of membership with reinstatement to take effect as of the year of original approval; or
2. By paying a one-time administrative fee of $50.00 with reinstatement to take effect as of the year of original approval minus the amount of years of broken membership.
Members shall have the right of exercising this option one time during the life of his or her membership; or
3. By making a new application for membership with reinstatement to take effect as of the year of re-approval.
B3‑9. Expulsion
Any member may be expelled from membership by a three‑fourths vote at a Council meeting, with a quorum present and voting, for a cause deemed prejudicial to the interest of the Society based upon the written charge of at least ten members, each of whom shall be either a Fellow, Member, Affiliate, or Associate Member. The member so charged shall have twenty days’ notice of such meeting and a statement of the charges. The member so charged may be represented by counsel and shall be entitled to call witnesses.
A certificate of membership signed by the President and Secretary shall be issued to all members except Student Members.