Bylaws
NERA - THE
NEW ENGLAND REGION ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
OF
PHI THETA KAPPA INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
OF THE TWO YEAR COLLEGE
BYLAWS
PREAMBLE
We, the members of NERA – The New England Region Alumni Association of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society of the Two-Year College, do hereby associate ourselves to continue to uphold the purpose of Phi Theta Kappa; provide a continuing fellowship of Phi Theta Kappa members; and support the people, programs, and priorities of Phi Theta Kappa.
ARTICLE
I
The name of the organization shall be: NERA – The New England Region Alumni Association of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society of the Two-Year College.
ARTICLE
II
Membership
An alumnus member shall be a member of the Society who concluded active membership in good standing and who was enrolled for at least one year in a two-year college. The membership of the New England Region Alumni Association shall consist of all who meet the obligations set forth by the alumni association.
Section 1 - Active Members
A. An Active member of the New England Region Alumni Association shall be any alumnus member who maintains current fees status to the alumni association.
B. Membership is open to all qualified persons without regard to race, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation or national origin.
C. Membership in the New England Region Alumni Association is not exclusive. A member may also be a member of any other alumni association.
Section 2 - Honorary Alumni Members
A. An honorary member shall be a person who has rendered distinguished service to the alumni association and was previously inducted as an honorary member into a Phi Theta Kappa chapter.
B. Honorary members shall not have the right to vote, hold office or officially represent the Society. Nor shall honorary members be asked to pay membership fees to the alumni association.
C. Honorary alumni membership shall be placed in nomination to the general membership of the alumni association. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of members attending a general meeting may elect an honorary member.
ARTICLE
III
Officers & Duties
The officers of the association shall be: President, Executive Vice-President, three (3) Geographic Vice-Presidents (Northern Area, Central Area, and Southern Area), Secretary and Treasurer, all of whom shall be active members.
Section 1 The duties of President shall be to preside over all association meetings; enforce the by-laws; serve as chairman of the Executive Committee; appoint all necessary committees; direct the planning of the annual meeting; and call any special meetings.
Section 2 The duties of the Executive Vice-President shall be to serve as the Acting President in the absence of the President; serve as a member of the Executive Committee; assist in the planning of the annual meeting; and, be an ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 3 The duties of the Geographic Vice Presidents (Northern, Central and Southern) shall be to serve as liaisons between the alumni association and the chapters in their geographic areas; assist in the planning of the annual meeting; and, serve as members of the Executive Committee.
Section 4 The Secretary shall keep the records of all meetings; maintain a roster of members; handle all appropriate correspondence; and, serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
Section 5 The Treasurer shall collect fees; keep necessary records; ensure the Advisor is second signature on all association financial accounts, make association expenditures; render regular reports to the membership as requested; and, serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE
IV
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall consist of all elected officers. The New England Regional Coordinator and the New England Region Alumni Association Advisor(s) shall be non-voting, ex-officio, members.
Section 1 The duties of the Executive Committee shall be to handle all questions not specifically dealt with in this document; to make recommendations to the membership; and, to file an Alumni Annual Report to the Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters by the stated deadline.
Section 2 The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the chairman but at least once per year. All meetings shall be open to any member who wishes to attend.
Section 3 All decisions concerning finances and by-laws shall be advisory. Any recommendations made by the Executive Committee must be approved by a simple majority of the general membership participating in voting.
Section 4 The decision to vote on advisory proposals by mail, email, or at a regularly scheduled meeting shall be at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
Section 5 Four (4) members of this committee shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE
V
Elections
Elections shall be held at the regularly scheduled annual meeting of the association. Voting shall be by secret ballot; a simple majority of those present and voting shall constitute the choices. All officers are elected at-large.
Section 1 Term of Office
A. The term for all offices shall be for one year.
B. The office of President shall be the only office with a term limit imposed upon it. No person shall serve in the office of President for more than two consecutive
terms. If a person does serve two consecutive terms, after one year out of office, that person may then again run for President.
Section 2 Election of Officers
Elections of all officers will be held annually.
Section 3 Nomination of Officers
Nominations shall be tendered at the annual meeting by a nominating committee appointed by the President. Nominations shall also be received from the floor.
Section 4 Voting
A. Only members whose fees are current may vote.
B. Votes shall be counted by an advisor or someone appointed by the advisor. In the even that the advisor is not present, and has not appointed someone to count the votes, the Executive Committee may appoint someone to count the votes.
C. In the event of a tie, the President shall cast the deciding ballot.
D. If an office other than Executive Vice-President remains unfilled, the President and Executive Vice-President may appoint an individual after consultation with the Executive Committee.
E. Honorary members may not vote.
Section 5 Installation of Officers
Installation of officers shall take place immediately following balloting.
ARTICLE
VI
Qualifications for Officers
Section 1 All current, fees-paying members are eligible to become officers.
Section 2 Officers must be active members in good standing who meet all qualifications for membership.
Section 3 The President shall not be eligible for the office of President again for the election immediately following their second consecutive year in office.
ARTICLE
VII
Removal from Office
A two-thirds majority vote of New England Region Alumni Association members present and voting at a special or regular meeting, or by mail or E-mail ballot shall be necessary to remove an officer. An officer failing to maintain current fees-paying status within the association shall automatically forfeit office 30 days after notification is mailed to the last known address.
ARTICLE
VIII
Advisor
Section 1 The advisor(s) shall be selected by the Executive Committee with consultation with Regional Coordinator.
Section 2 An advisor shall be a member of the faculty or staff of a two-year college with an active Phi Theta Kappa Chapter, former advisor, or alumnus of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.
Section 3 The advisor(s) shall perform all duties and responsibilities as defined by the Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters.
ARTICLE
IX
Meetings
Section 1 Meetings shall be set at the discretion of the Executive Committee. An annual meeting is mandatory for the purposes of election of officers and the conducting of business. This annual meeting shall be held during the summer, unless another annual meeting is organized, but elections should be held before August 1.
Section 2 Committees and sub-committees shall be ad-hoc. These committees will select their chairs by consensus of the members of the committee. Committee meetings shall be called by the chair of the committee. Procedures at such meetings are left to the discretion of the committee chair. Reports of each meeting shall be given to the members at the following association meeting, and posted on the Alumni Association website.
ARTICLE
X
Finances
Section 1 All requests for money to be paid from association funds must be presented in writing for the approval of the Executive Committee. Approval may be obtained by mail or email from at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Executive Committee.
Section 2 All approved financial reimbursement requests must be submitted in writing to the Treasurer and must be accompanied by receipts.
Section 3 Fees may be re-set at the annual meeting. All active members must pay fees as prescribed to be on the association roster.
Section 4 The Treasurer shall collect all fees and deposit them in the designated bank account(s). If upon receipt of a fees invoice from the association, a member fails to pay within 45 calendar days from the invoice date, the Secretary shall drop that name from the active roster after notification. Reinstatement can only occur after full payment of fees.
Section 5 All accounts held in the name of the association shall be verified monthly by the President and annually by the Executive Committee followed by a written report presented to the membership by the Treasurer or President. The Treasurer will arrange to have a monthly statement from the bank holding the association account(s) to be mailed to both the Treasurer and President.
ARTICLE
XI
Quorum
Section 1 A quorum shall consist of members present at any announced meeting.
Section 2 All advisory proposals submitted to the membership by mail, upon the vote of the Executive Committee, shall become valid after receipt of a simple majority of affirmative responses from the membership within 45 calendar days.
ARTICLE
XII
Robert€™s Rules of Order
All meetings shall be conducted using Robert€™s Rules of Order as a guide publication. Any situation not covered in these bylaws, or under consideration by the Executive Committee, shall be governed by Robert€™s Rules of Order.
ARTICLE
XIII
Amendments
Amendments to these by-laws shall be submitted in writing to the President 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of those responding and voting shall be necessary for the adoption of any amendment.
Section 1 Voting on any amendments shall be by written ballot and may be administered by mail or e-mail.
Section 2 Amendments shall become effective upon the ratification by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the membership voting and with the approval of Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters. In mail voting, the process shall be considered final when, after a period of two months, two-thirds (2/3) of the returned ballots from active members are in favor of the proposed amendments. Likewise, e-mail voting will be considered final when, after a period of two weeks, two-thirds (2/3) of the returned ballots from active members are in favor of the proposed amendments.
ARTICLE
XIV
Dissolution
Section 1 The association may be dissolved one (1) year after a vote of the general membership to dissolve the association. However, any ten (10) persons eligible for membership under these by-laws, by unanimous vote, may rescind any action to dissolve the association within one (1) year of such action and call for a reorganization meeting.
Section 2 Upon a successful vote to dissolve the association, all funds in its treasury and in all its accounts shall be frozen except for payment to creditors as of that date, and shall be turned over in-full to Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters within thirty (30) days of the final dissolution of the association, with the understanding that any remaining funds would be returned to The New England Region of Phi Theta Kappa for scholarships.