Applications for Chapter Charter will be considered by AAZK Board of Directors from members of AAZK who wish to organize at recognized zoological parks and aquariums, animal care facilities or University/College. These institutions and facilities are defined as:

<strong>Recognized Zoological Park and Aquarium</strong> – permanent establishments open to, and administered for the public; primarily, to provide education, recreation, and cultural enjoyment through the exhibition, conservation and preservation of captive wildlife.

<strong>Animal Care Facility</strong> – an organized and stationary institution set up by the State or municipal government or local administrations, public trusts, or registered scientific societies which own and maintain captive wild animals under the direction of professional staff, provides appropriate care for the purpose of conservation and breeding of threatened and endangered animals, scientific studies, and exhibits to the public for the purposes of education and recreation on a regular, scheduled basis.

<strong>University/College</strong> - a permanent institution of higher learning providing facilities for teaching and research and authorized to grant academic degrees.

<em>The following guidelines shall be followed as procedure for chapter formation:</em>

Discuss with others at the institution or facility some of the reasons and goals that interest you in starting an AAZK Chapter.

As a professional courtesy, arrange a meeting with the administration at the facility to discuss the formation of an AAZK Chapter. Approaching your administration with goals and purposes will reinforce the image of professionalism and may help to develop cooperation and communication between chapter and management. For chapters intending to obtain charter at the University/College level, a Student Advisor is required.

Contact the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) AAZK, Inc. for all pertinent materials for formulating an AAZK Chapter. Upon completion of preliminary events the proposed Executive Officers of the Chapter shall apply to AAZK Administrative Office for Chapter Charter. The application, in the form of a letter, shall be signed by the proposed Executive Officers or Student Advisor and returned to Administrative Office with a copy of the proposed Constitution and Bylaws of the Chapter. The application form for Chapter EIN for IRS purposes (Authorization for inclusion in the IRS Group Exemption Letter) shall be submitted upon Board approval of the request to initiate an AAZK Chapter.

The application letter shall include:
<ul>
	<li>The request to form an AAZK Chapter</li>
	<li>The formal (proposed) name of the AAZK Chapter</li>
	<li>Contact information or the proposed Chapter: Address, Phone and email</li>
	<li>The primary facility associated with the proposed AAZK Chapter</li>
	<li>A list of the proposed AAZK Chapter Officers and their Officer Titles</li>
</ul>
The application for Charter for the AAZK chapter will take approximately thirty (30) days to process. It is mandatory that no one in the organizing group, publicly or officially represent themselves or the group as being an official chapter of the AAZK until the application has been approved and an official Charter is conveyed from the Administrative Office. This is to protect individuals in the organizing group, as well as, AAZK from any legal action.

In order for an AAZK Chapter to exist and function, it must have a Constitution which includes a Statement of Purpose and operating Bylaws. A required and approved Constitution is included in the AAZK Chapter Formation package which will be sent to the applying chapter by the Administrative Office. This Constitution must be adopted in accordance with AAZK requirements and IRS compliance. The local chapter Bylaws can be drafted and customized to meet the specific needs of the AAZK Chapter.

Note the following specifics:
<ul>
	<li>All members of the local chapter must be paid members of AAZK or the AAZK Chapter shall list the non-AAZK members on the Chapter Roster included in the Re-charter materials and those Chapter members shall be subject to a surcharge fee conveyed by AAZK. This includes any student advisors.</li>
	<li>AAZK chapters shall abide by the Bylaws of the parent organization.</li>
	<li>Re-chartering and required reporting are mandatory and are the responsibility of chapter officers.</li>
</ul>
Formation meetings shall operate under Robert's Rules of Order.

Approved and chartered AAZK Chapters shall provide and maintain with the Administrative Office of this Association electronic contact information for all officers of the Chapter.