USAO - Alumni Association - Constitution

USAO Alumni Association

Constitution and Bylaws

Approved by revision and effective on:

March 3, 2008

USAO Alumni Association

1727 W. Alabama

Chickasha, OK 73018-5322

CONSTITUTION

Approved by revision and effective

on March 3, 2008

ARTICLE I

Name

Section 1. This organization shall be known as the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Alumni Association.

ARTICLE 2

Purpose

Section 1. The purpose of the association shall be to perpetuate and promote the interests of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma; to provide leadership for the alumni to unite in their efforts to support and to strengthen the University; to disseminate information that will keep the alumni well informed about the University and the association; to encourage students to apply for admission to the University; and to take other action as may be deemed beneficial for the advancement of the University and the association.

ARTICLE 3

Membership

Section 1. All persons who have attended Oklahoma College for Women, Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts and/or the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma are eligible to become active members of the association with vote. Active members (life members and those who have paid annual dues) are eligible to vote.

Section 2. Any active member of the association is eligible to hold office.

Section 3. Honorary membership (without vote) is open to former and present faculty members of the University who are non-graduates.

ARTICLE 4

Meetings

Section 1. The annual business meeting of the association shall be held at the University on Alumni Day.

ARTICLE 5

Board Elections

Section 1. Every two years the president of the association shall appoint a nominating committee of five active board members. They will meet prior to January 1 of the even years to nominate 30 persons. If available, seven (7) names will be nominated from each of the four districts, their title will be ‘DIRECTORS’, who possess the qualities required to serve on the USAO Alumni Board of Directors. Additionally two (2) names will be presented for the office of president.

Section 2. The DIRECTORS will be selected proportionately from the four Oklahoma districts created of Oklahoma Counties shown on the enclosed map. These boundaries are approximately formed by Interstate 35 and Interstate 40 dividing the state into four districts: The Northeast district being District 1, the Southeast district being District 2, the Southwest district being District 3 and the Northwest district being District 4. No district can have more than a third of the total directors nominated to become directors. Oklahoma County will be totally in District 4.

Section 3. A referendum ballot with those names will be mailed to each eligible USAO Alumni member, who shall vote for only five (5) names from each district and one name for president. Returned ballots must be in the Alumni Office within two weeks of the date of mailing to be eligible for counting. Ballots which are not legible or correctly marked will be voided. The expiration date must be printed on the ballot. The five (5) names from each district and one name for president which received a plurality of votes, for a total of 21 names will become the new board.

Section 4. New directors and president of the association shall take office immediately following the annual November business meeting of the association. At the first meeting the newly elected directors will select a vice president, secretary and any other officers as needed, by a majority vote, who shall serve as EXECUTIVE OFFICERS for a TERM DECIDED (not to exceed two (2) years or the next referendum election.)

Section 5. The office of PAST PRESIDENT will be filled by the previous board’s president. The past presidents duties will be to provide continuity and aid in continuing the projects previously started by the board.

Section 6. Any openings created by a director leaving the board, who is NOT serving as an EXECUTIVE OFFICER can be appointed by the president, for the remainder of the term. Any opening caused by an EXECUTIVE OFFICER leaving the board will be filled for the remainder of the term by majority vote of the boards’ DIRECTORS.

Section 7. The two (2) top ‘executive officers’ cannot be faculty, staff, or administrators of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma to preclude any possible conflicts of interest, either to the alumni or the university.

ARTICLE 6

Duties and Requirements of Directors

Section 1. Attendance--Any Director or Executive Director who misses three (3) successive meetings of the board will be removed from the board.

Section 2. Quorum--A majority of one over, one half of the total number of board members, including at least one Executive Officer; shall constitute a quorum of the alumni board.

Section 3. The general management of the affairs of the Association is entrusted to the officers under guidelines established by the executive board of directors.

Section 4. The board of directors shall meet during Homecoming weekend prior to the annual business meeting. Each new board will set four (4) dates to meet and conduct business each year.

Section 5. All board members must be duly notified twelve (12) days before all regular and three (3) days before all special called meetings.

ARTICLE 7

Finance

Section 1. The dues of this association (covering the fiscal year July 1-June 30) shall be $35.00 for active members. Life membership shall be $250.00, payable in a lump sum, or it may be paid in five payments of $50.00 for five consecutive years.

Section 2. The treasurer shall disburse the money of the association only upon the receipt of the standard University purchase authorization form and the signed receipt by the appropriate official and the association president or authorized representative of the association president.

Section 3. The Fiscal year for accounting, tax reporting and auditing purposes will be July 1 to June 30.

ARTICLE 8

Executive Director

Section 1. The Director of Alumni Affairs, as appointed by the USAO Board of Regents, shall manage the day to day affairs of the association office; shall implement policies and programs adopted by the executive board; shall be the liaison officer between the University and the association; shall maintain necessary records, including the roster of membership; shall act as coordinator of arrangements for the holding of the annual meetings, special meetings and social affairs; shall be an ex-officio member of the executive board and all association committees (without power of vote), and shall perform any other service or activity characteristic of the office in response to the direction of the University President or executive board.

ARTICLE 9

Government

Section 1. Bylaws may be enacted or amendments to the constitution adopted by a majority of votes returned in a mail ballot.

Section 2. Such amendments or bylaws may be proposed by the board itself or by a petition signed by twenty active members. On the presentation of a petition signed by twenty or more active members, the executive board shall submit to the membership by mail ballot any question for action by the association. Such petition may provide for, or the board in submitting the question may offer, alternative proposal(s). The ballot to be considered must be in the Alumni Office within two weeks of the date of mailing the question. The expiration date must be printed on the ballot.

Section 3. Robert’s Rules of Order (Newly Revised) shall govern the proceedings.

ARTICLE 10

Revocation

Section 1. This document supersedes any previous constitution and all provisions and amendments thereof, and shall become effective immediately upon adoption by the membership.

ARTICLE 11

Effective Date

Section 1. The constitution herein shall become effective upon the date it is adopted by the membership.

BYLAWS

ARTICLE 1

Officers

Section 1. Officers.

PRESIDENT: The president shall have served a term on the executive board; shall serve as the chief officer of the association and as chairman of the executive board; shall preside at all meetings of the membership and the executive board; shall generate interest in and support for association purposes; shall appoint all committees as deemed necessary; shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except nominating; shall appoint alumni representatives to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Board of Regents and other organizations as deemed necessary; shall give the casting vote in case of tie; and shall make a full report of association activities and accomplishments at the annual business meeting.

VICE-PRESIDENT: The vice-president shall perform the duties of the president at any meeting of the membership or executive board at which the president is absent; shall be chairman of the membership committee; and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the president of the executive board. In the event of a presidential vacancy, the vice-president shall serve as successor.

SECRETARY: The secretary shall be responsible for seeing that minutes are kept of all membership and executive board meetings, and that a permanent book of such minutes is maintained at the headquarters office of the association, and shall assist the president in matters of necessary correspondence.

TREASURER: The treasurer, who shall be bonded, shall be responsible for the control, safety and proper disbursement of funds of the association; shall make a financial report at the membership and executive board meetings; personally or by the chairman of the finance committee; and shall present such records to the auditing committee one month after the annual business meeting.

PAST PRESIDENT: The past president shall act as an advisor to the board with voting privileges and shall perform other duties as assigned by the president and executive board.

ARTICLE 2

Standing Committees

Section 1. Standing committees of this association shall be:

Auditing. The auditing committee shall receive from the treasurer the books of the association for the annual audit one month after the annual business meeting, and shall complete the audit before the next executive board meeting.

Finance – Budget. The finance committee shall prepare the budget for the association, presenting it to the executive board for the association, presenting it to the executive board for their approval before June of the budget year.

Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame committee shall have the full responsibility for the Alumni Hall of Fame awards, including soliciting nominations, evaluation and selection of the recipients of this award, under guidelines established by the executive board.

Legislative. The legislative committee shall keep the Executive board informed of pending legislation which could be advantageous or detrimental to USAO so that the executive board can lend support where needed. The representative to HEACO shall be the chairman of the legislative committee.

Membership. The membership committee shall promote membership by working with district directors to inform alumni of the need for membership support. This may be done through area meetings, workshops and dissemination of information to the directors.

Money Management.

The purpose of this Committee is to manage the funds of the USAO Alumni Association funds from endowments, cash, gifts and the associations operating money, excluding off book expenses paid by the University for Shared Infrastructure.

Nominating. The nomination committee shall meet prior to January 1 of the even years and nominate at least two candidates for each place on the Executive Board.

Public Relations. The public relations committee shall disseminate information about the alumni, the association, and the University through normal University channels. They shall correlate information with other alumni committees which would be advantageous to the association and to the University.

Scholarship. The scholarship committee shall establish guidelines for the alumni scholarships, shall publicize the availability of scholarships (through normal University channels) and shall evaluate candidates and award scholarships where applicable.

Section 2. The chairman of the auditing committee shall also be a member of the finance (budget) committee.

Section 3. Other committees may be appointed by the president as required for the efficient operation of the association. Members serving on these committees shall be appointed by the respective chairmen.