The Young Professionals Conclave (YPC) was formed in response to a brainstorming session that took place at the 2005 SRM meeting in Ft. Worth, TX. The group was organized by Dennis Phillippi and asked to address the growing membership retention concern within SRM; where were all the young professionals?

The formation of YPC was stimulated by the recognized need to pass the torch from senior, more experienced members to younger or less experienced members. The conclave is intended to ease the transition for range professionals from college to career, or for those changing careers and who may be new to the industry. The YPC will assist in bridging the generation gap within the SRM by hosting events designed for young or less experienced professionals, and by providing opportunities to network with other young professionals as well as with senior, members. This strong collaboration within the SRM will, thereby, ease the maturation process of range management and associated professions, as a whole.

To develop a continuum that maintains and/or improves information exchange and experience sharing among generations within SRM to promote strength in leadership, education, research, and stewardship of rangelands and associated resources. This mission implies three major roles:

1.) YPC is a group for individuals in transition and will assist in retaining membership of the transitional members in SRM.

2.) YPC will provide opportunities to help build relationships between new, transitional and long-time members.

3.) YPC is the initial liaison for new and transitional members seeking an active role and participation in SRM.

1.) Provide information on SRM functions and opportunities to members.

2.) Foster and provide opportunities to develop productive relationships between new, transitional and long-time members.

3.) Promote and assist with the involvement of new and transitional members into other SRM committees.

1.) President - Oversees all aspects of the YPC. The President is in charge of organizing committees within the YPC, and with ensuring YPC support at both the section and National levels. The President will assist the Advisory Council in maintenance of relationships between the parent YPC and the section YPC. The term for the office of President is one year.

2.) President Elect - Assists and supports the President as necessary. The President Elect serves as the Planning Committee Chairperson and liaison for the organization of YPC events associated with the SRM annual meetings. The President Elect will fill-in for the President as needed (attending meetings, etc.). The office of President Elect is one year, and will take the office of President the following year.

3.) Treasurer - Responsible for all financial aspects of YPC. This includes working with the President Elect and the YPC organizing committee for annual meetings. The Treasurer will serve as the chair for the Financial Committee and will be responsible for any fundraising and grant writing needed for the YPC.

There is no set term limit for the Treasurer. If the Treasurer chooses to step down within a term year then the President will select a Treasurer until elections can be held.

4.) Recorder - Responsible for recording the minutes at the annual SRM meetings and maintaining good communication between the parent YPC and the section YPC's and the parent society. The recorder will assist the different organizational committees within YPC, in organizing volunteers when needed. All recorders of the individual section YPC will submit reports to the parent YPC Recorder and the parent YPC recorder will be in charge of publishing the minutes. The Recorder will also serve as the YPC editor for information sent to the Member Resource News or any other publication as needed. The recorder will maintain a current roster of active members.

There is no set term limit for the Recorder. If the Recorder chooses to step down within a term year then the President will select a Recorder until elections can be held.

5.) Advisory Council - A panel made up of a representative from each section, and the past-president (serving as the chair). Section membership on the Advisory Council was initially appointed by the first president. Advisory Council members will help with the development and advancement of his/her section's Conclave, by conveying information from the parent society YPC to the section level YPC membership. If the past-president declines membership to the Advisory Council, member of the Advisory Council will choose a representative from their membership to serve as the chair.

The Advisory Council will collect, review, and compile issues or concerns that YPC members would like for the Conclave to express to the SRM Board of Directors. The compilation may be in the form of a position statement or an issue paper. An issue paper would present credible information highlighting research and scientific aspects on the topic, and raise questions about what is not known from those perspectives. A position statement may be drafted by any member of the general Conclave; it will then have to be voted on by the Advisory Council for final approval.

Council members will serve a two-year term. Upon completion of the 2-year term, each section representative will select a member from the same section to succeed him/her on the council.

* If an officer is unable to attend the annual SRM meeting, the President will select a replacement "proxy" who will represent the YPC at the annual meeting or any other meeting deemed necessary.

6.) Membership - YPC is dedicated to individuals transitioning to a new range career and will help provide orientation to SRM. The official list of committee membership will be the sign-in list from the annual meeting, along with anyone else who notifies the Recorder to become or remain active. It is the responsibility of those not present at annual meetings to inform the Recorder of their desire to become or remain active in the Conclave.

The YPC will work with other SRM committees on areas of mutual concern and will bring new membership issues, of shared interest, to their attention.

YPC will encourage new and transitional members to establish involvement in other SRM committees at the section and parent society levels.

• The YPC will promote the mission of the SRM and perpetuate new membership enthusiasm and participation as a group, to strengthen our individual roles as rangeland stewards.
• As YPC strives to strengthen the relationships between new, transitional and seasoned rangeland professionals and expand our knowledge as rangeland stewards we will fill a key role in meeting the mission of the SRM and assist in maintaining new and transitional membership.

The YPC will promote the mission of the SRM by strengthening our role as stewards of rangelands and perpetuate new membership enthusiasm and participation. The YPC will provide an avenue for the Society to expand the role, scope and extent of participation of range professionals, in natural resource management, by targeting the new and in-transition membership.

1). The affairs and business of the YPC, including but not necessarily limited to, the expenditure and investment of Conclave funds, any action required to advance the interests and objectives of the Conclave, shall be governed by an officer team constituted as herein before provided. Each member of the officer team shall have one vote.

2.) The officer team shall meet at the time and place of the annual meetings of the Society, as such meetings are hereinafter provided for, and at such other times and places as the officer ream shall direct, or at the call of the President. Three voting members of the officer team shall constitute a quorum, authorized to conduct business in the name of the Conclave. All meetings shall adhere to the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order unless otherwise provided for within these bylaws. Emergency actions or actions at meetings with less than a quorum can only become official upon ratification in a duly constituted officer team meeting.

3.) The officer team may choose to conduct Conclave business between regularly scheduled meetings through the use of teleconferences, electronic mail, or through other available technologies as the officer team shall direct, or at the call of the President. Written or electronic notice from the Recorder to each member of the officer team is to be made at least 7 days prior to the date of the meeting shall constitute official notice of a call for such meeting. Three voting members of the officer team shall constitute a quorum, authorized to conduct business in the name of the conclave. Minutes of such meetings shall be made available to the membership.

4.) Summaries of actions of all officer team and Advisory Council Meetings shall be published in a Society periodical within four months following the meeting(s). The official minutes shall be made available to any member upon request.

5.) A referendum election shall be initiated by the officer team or when petitioned by fifteen percent of the current members of the Conclave or by sixty-seven percent of the entire official Advisory Council. A referendum election called for by said petition shall be held within 60 days after the receipt of the petition by any member of the officer team. Ballots shall be handled in a manner similar to that for any regular election as detailed in this handbook. Passage of a referendum issue shall be by a simple majority of members voting in the election.

1.).Proposed amendments to this handbook shall be submitted to a vote of the membership, and shall be effected by an affirmative vote of two-thirds or more of the members voting.

2.) Amendments must be proposed by at least one of three methods: (1) through the Advisory Council, to the officer team in writing and bearing the signature of at least 50members eligible for voting. (2) by a majority vote of the entire officer team, or (3) by a majority vote of the entire Advisory Council. All proposed amendments, shall be submitted to a membership vote.

3.) Proposed amendments shall be e-mailed to all members, together with a printed ballot indicating a "Yes" and a "No" for the proposed amendment. The ballots received by the officer team by a specified date to be not less than 60 days from the date of mailing to the membership will be counted.

4.) A proposed amendment that receives the required two-thirds affirmative vote shall take effect immediately upon submission of the Election Committee's report to the President