University of Southern Indiana Alumni Association >> Stay Informed

BYLAWS
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE I
Association

Section 1.01. Name. The name of this Association shall be the University of Southern Indiana Alumni Association. (Hereinafter referred to as “Association” or USI Alumni Association.”)

Section 1.02. Mission. We, the Alumni of the University of Southern Indiana, in order to foster and more fully realize the ideals of the University; to stimulate and encourage the loyalty of all sons and daughters of the University by acquainting them fully with the progress and needs of their Alma Mater; to assist in interpreting the University, its work, and its services to the community, state and nation, and to unite ourselves in closer bonds of fellowship and mutual assistance.

Section 1.03. Membership. All graduates and former students of the University of Southern Indiana shall be considered "Alumni" and members of this Association. Active Members shall be those who have made a $25 minimum contribution to the University of Southern Indiana Annual Fund or to a specific University program that they designate. Only Active Members shall be eligible to hold office or to vote.

Section 1.04. Graduating Class Membership. Graduating class members will receive a complimentary one-year Association membership. In addition if they live in Indiana and want an official USI License Plate, the $25 scholarship contribution for the plate will be waived. To remain active following the initial membership year, graduates must contribute a minimum $25 donation annually to the USI Annual Fund or to a specific University program that they designate.

Section 1.05 Associate Member. Associate members shall be those friends of the University who may belong to the Association but may not hold office or vote. Anyone making an annual $25 minimum contribution to the University of Southern Indiana Annual Fund or to a specific University fund that they designate shall be an associate member.

Section 1.06 Honorary Member. Honorary members shall be those persons who may be elected to such membership by the Alumni Council but may not hold office or vote unless they qualify under Section 1.03.

ARTICLE II
Council

Section 2.01 Governance. The management of affairs of the Association shall be vested in the USI Alumni Council. (Hereinafter referred to as “Council” or “Alumni Council.”) The Association policies, programs, and budget shall be administered by the Director and Assistant Director of Alumni and Volunteer Services.

Section 2.02 Alumni Council Membership. There shall be an Alumni Council in which the voting rights of the general membership shall be vested. The Council will have no more than twenty-one (21) members; including the Immediate Past President. Additional members of the Council not included in the (21) members are the Alumni Association Representative to the USI Board of Trustees, the Alumni Chapter Presidents, and the President of the Student Alumni Association (or an elected student representative can serve in this capacity instead of the SAA President). The additional members of the Council are entitled to a vote.

Section 2.03 Advisory Members. Advisory Members of the Council include the President of the University; Vice Presidents; Associate Vice President for Student Affairs; Director of Alumni & Volunteer Services; Director of Development; Assistant Director of Alumni & Volunteer Services; and the Assistant Director of Development, Annual Giving. The Advisory Members shall not be entitled to a vote.

Section 2.04 Election and Term. A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Association President to prepare a slate of active member nominees for election by the membership at the annual meeting of the Association. Members of the Council are elected for terms of three (3) years. No member shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms. Newly-elected members shall take office July 1. One-third of the Council will be newly-elected each year.

Section 2.05 Vacancies. In the event a member resigns or for any reason becomes unable to serve, the Nominating Committee shall nominate a candidate to serve for the remaining term of the post so vacated for approval and confirmation by the Council.

Section 2.06. Attendance. When a member of the Council is absent from two consecutive meetings, the Secretary shall contact the member prior to the third meeting to determine the member’s intent to serve. The President may request a letter of resignation from the member.

Section 2.07. Duties of the Alumni Council. The duties of the Council shall be:

A. To adopt Bylaws governing the Association.

B. To adopt an annual budget of the Association.

C. To hear an annual report from the President of the Association, the Director of Alumni and Volunteer Services, and the Treasurer.

D. To elect officers of the Alumni Association from the active membership of the Association.

E. To conduct the business of the Association, establish goals, and further the development of the Association.

ARTICLE III
Meetings

Section 3.01 Regular Meetings. The Alumni Council shall meet bi-monthly for the purpose of implementing Association activities and programs. The Council membership shall be notified in writing at least ten (10) days prior to any such meeting. A simple majority of the Alumni Council members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 3.02. Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of the Association is held in May each year. Those members of the Association present at the annual meeting shall constitute a quorum. The calls for the meeting shall be mailed to each member at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. At the meeting, the Association President will report to the members on the activities of the group since the previous annual meeting; the Secretary will conduct the election of new Council members; and such other business will be transacted as has been published in the call for the meeting.

Section 3.03. Special Meetings. A special meeting may be called at any time by the Association President, Advisory Members, or Executive Committee. The President or Executive Committee decides the exact time and place of the meeting and sends notice to Council members no less than two (2 days) prior to the date of the meeting.

ARTICLE IV
Officers

Section 4.01. Number and Qualifications. The officers of the Association shall be a President, a President Elect, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and Immediate Past President. The President Elect shall assume duties as President the following term.

Section 4.02 Duties/Executive Committee. The officers of the Alumni Association shall serve on the Executive Committee to act on behalf of the Association between meetings. Duties of officers shall include:

A. President. The President shall preside at Council meetings, serve as Vice Chair for Alumni on the USI Foundation Board of Directors, represent the Association at public events, and perform the other duties inherent to the office.

B. President Elect. The President Elect shall assist the President with his/her duties, serve as President in the President’s absence, and serve as a Director on the USI Foundation Board of Directors.

C. Secretary. The Secretary shall be responsible for recording and preserving the minutes of all Council meetings and monitoring Alumni Council member attendance.

D. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for informing the Council of the financial status of the Association.

E. Immediate Past President. The Immediate Past President will serve as a Director on the USI Foundation Board of Directors.

Section 4.03. Election and Term. The Alumni Council shall elect officers for the coming year from its membership at its regular meeting immediately preceding the annual meeting. Each officer shall be elected to serve a one (1) year term. The newly-elected officers shall take office July l.

Section 4.04. Vacancies. In the event an officer resigns or for any reason becomes unable to serve, the position shall be filled by the Council. Any officer so elected shall hold office until the last day of June.

ARTICLE V
Committees

Section 5.01. Committees. All committees shall serve for the duration of the year and its members may include any member of the Alumni Association.

Section 5.02. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers of the Association and shall act on behalf of the Association between meetings. The Director of Alumni and Volunteer Services shall be a member of the committee with no voting rights.

Section 5.03 Standing Committees. There shall be such standing committees established as may be deemed necessary by the Association President and the Council Members.

Section 5.04. Nominating Committee. There shall be a Nominating Committee appointed by the President of the Association, whose function shall include preparing a single slate of candidates for the various elective positions of the Association and Council.

Section 5.05 Special Committees. Special committees shall be appointed as needed by the Council. There may be any number of special committees representing activities of the Association.

ARTICLE VI
Fiscal Policy

Section 6.01 Fiscal Year. The Alumni Association shall operate on an administrative year and a fiscal year which begins on the first (1^st) day of July and ends on the thirtieth (30^th) day of June. The Association funds shall be under the supervision of the Director of Alumni and Volunteer Services.

ARTICLE VII
Alumni Chapters and Constituent Groups

Section 7.01. Alumni Chapters and Constituent Groups. Alumni Chapters and Constituent Groups may be formed along academic, geographic, or special-interest lines, although they need not be restricted to one of these categories. For approval of Alumni Chapter and Constituent Group status, the group shall submit Bylaws and Articles of Association with the USI Alumni Association. Final approval of Alumni Chapter and Constituent Group status is granted by the USI Alumni Council.

ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous

Section 8.01. Amendments to Bylaws. The Bylaws may be amended by a simple majority of those attending any regular meeting of the Alumni Council provided that the proposed amendment(s) shall have been distributed to the membership of Council at least five (5) days prior to consideration.

Section 8.02. Parliamentary Procedure. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by the Bylaws.