Thank You Notes

Bylaws of an Alpha Phi Omega CHAPTER-BASED Alumni Association

Originally drafted by Patrick Flanagan, Tau Chapter Alumni Secretary, Fall 2009

Ratified on _______________ with/without revisions

Last amended 11/23/09

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of this organization is the Tau Chapter Alumni Association of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity.

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE

The purpose of this association shall be to promote the principles of Alpha Phi Omega among the alumni members of the Tau Chapter. This association also will assist the chapter’s alumni relations. This association also will attempt to aid the Tau Chapter at the University of Florida upon request by the chapter.

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership in this association is open to all alumni, advisory, and honorary members of Tau Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega who are duly registered in the National Office. All second semester graduating seniors of the chapter are also eligible for membership in the association.

Section 2. All alumni and advisory members of the chapter are eligible to be voting members of the association. Only voting members may hold association office. Only voting members are eligible to vote at association meetings.

Section 3. Non-voting members of the association may neither vote at association meetings nor hold association office, but they may attend all association functions and possess association equipment. Honorary members of the chapter, and alumni and advisory members, who have not paid their dues, are non-voting members of the association.

Section 4. Membership may be granted to alumni members of Alpha Phi Omega chapters other than the chapter by a majority vote of the voting members present at an association meeting.

Section 5. The alumni organization shall not grant any form of membership that does not comply with the above standards.

Section 6. The alumni organization shall apply to the National Alumni Relations and Internal Volunteer Development Director for formal recognition.

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

Section 1. The elected officers of the association are a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. All of the officers listed in Article IV, Section 1 shall be elected. Other officers, and/or committees are appointed by the president and approved by the elected officers who, when meeting collectively, shall be called the Executive Board.

Section 2. The president supervises and represents the association, and sees that its duties and obligations are fulfilled; presides at all association and Executive Board meetings; ensures that the alumni operations are in conformity with the principles set forth in the National Bylaws, the Standard Chapter Articles of Association, and these Bylaws; and appoints and removes all non-elected officers and committees, subject to the approval of the Executive Board. The president is an ex-officio member of all committees. If the president is temporarily unable to carry out these aforementioned duties, the order of succession is listed in Article IV, Section 1.

Section 3. The vice president shall be responsible for the duties of the president if the president is absent or unable to perform them. The vice president shall serve as an assistant to the president. The vice president’s duties include coordinating alumni reunions and association meetings.

Section 4. The secretary shall be responsible for carrying out all necessary association correspondence and keeping records of all association and Executive Board meetings. In addition, the secretary shall ascertain that meetings are conducted in accordance with the procedures listed in Article VI, keep association property, act as a historian for the organization, and install new officers following elections.

Section 5. The treasurer shall be responsible for collecting dues and donations, dispensing funds from the treasury as needed, keeping an accurate financial record of treasury balances and transactions, submitting form 990N to the IRS annually and keeping an archive of all financial contracts and agreements.

Section 6. The officers of this alumni organization shall be elected annually at the annual meeting and serve for one year. An officer may succeed himself/herself. Nominees do not have to be present at this meeting to run for or hold office.

Section 7. It is recommended that the association have brothers fill the offices of newsletter and/or Web site editor, service/fellowship coordinator, and regional coordinators for small geographic regions. Their specific duties shall be prescribed at the time of their appointment.

Section 8. All officers shall, in addition to their stated duties, perform such duties as their offices or the alumni organization may require.

ARTICLE V

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. The Executive Board consists of all current elected officers association, and the chapter alumni secretary. If no alumni secretary has been appointed, the chapter president will serve in that capacity.

Section 2. Executive Board meetings are called by the president or vice president. Other members will be given sufficient notice of the meeting. Quorum consists of one-half of the board members.

Section 3. The Executive Board may exercise any power of the association in the period between association meetings whenever a question cannot be brought before the association in a timely manner.

Section 4. The association may overrule the Executive Board by a majority vote of the voting members present and voting at an association meeting.

Section 5. The Executive Board must hold at least two meetings per calendar year. A meeting held at the conclusion of the annual regular meeting, and an online meeting or a phone conference meeting are sufficient to uphold this clause.

ARTICLE VI

MEETINGS

Section 1. This alumni association shall have one regular meeting per calendar year.

Section 2. Other special meetings shall be called upon the written request of a member, or at the discretion of the Executive Board. Adequate notice of such meetings shall be provided to the organization members.

Section 3. A quorum shall consist of any fraction over two-fifths of the voting members, and shall be assumed present unless challenged. No business shall be conducted unless a quorum is present.

Section 4. Only voting members shall be allowed to vote at meetings. Proxy or absentee voting shall be allowed for alumni organization officer elections and for unamended bylaw proposals. Nominations sent by proxy must be seconded on the meeting floor.

Section 5. The president shall conduct meetings in an orderly manner, using common sense. Use of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be avoided.

Section 6. Any member may appeal the decision of the chair. Such an appeal will be upheld by a majority vote of the voting members present.

ARTICLE VII

FINANCES

Section 1. There will be no dues.  Tau Chapter will approve funds to be spent on alumni association events on a case-by-case basis.

Section 2. The Association shall be run on a nonprofit basis.

ARTICLE VIII

SUSPENSION

Section 1. Suspension of a voting member shall require a two-thirds vote at an alumni organization meeting. The suspension charges are to be given to the Executive Board; the brother will then be given an opportunity to answer the charges. The Executive Board will then vote whether to recommend suspension to the alumni organization. Such a recommendation shall be presented at the next regular organization meeting, where the brother under consideration for suspension, shall be allowed to answer the charges filed against him/her. No proxy or absentee ballots are permitted.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the voting members of the alumni organization, at a regular alumni organization meeting, provided that the amendment was proposed with sufficient notice to all members.

Section 2. Certain sections of these bylaws may be temporarily suspended by a two-thirds vote of the voting members present at an association meeting.

Section 3. These bylaws shall become effective upon acceptance by a vote of two-thirds of the alumni present and voting at a regular alumni organization meeting.