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Emerita/Emeritus Society Retired Faculty Serving the Future

By-Laws

Approved by the Advisory Board April 18, 2007

Approved by the President and Provost of Washington State University April 20, 2007

 

ARTICLE I – NAME

Section 1.  The name of this organization shall be The Washington State University Emeritus Society.

Section 2.  Hereinafter, the Emeritus Society shall be referred to as the Society, and Washington State University shall be referred to as the University.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

Section 1.  The Emeritus Society seeks to enhance the relationship between the University and its emeritus faculty for the benefit of Washington State University’s land grant mission and for the greater welfare of its emeriti.

Section 2.  In fulfilling this purpose, the Society shall have the following objectives:

  1. To provide its own membership with opportunities for research and interdisciplinary education, for artistic and avocational pursuits, and for collegial interaction.
  2. To provide the University with such support and service most appropriately tendered by emeritus faculty, including teaching and lecturing, career counseling for students and younger faculty, and active liaison with the Washington State University Alumni Association.
  3. To help enhance the University’s public presence in the larger community by establishing and maintaining connections with community groups, social organizations, and educational institutions.  Members will also be available to assist the University Foundation in its activities.
  4. To facilitate the internationalization of the University.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  Regular membership in the Society is open to all faculty (as defined by the faculty manual and including clinical faculty) who have retired from employment at the University and wish to maintain an active relationship with the University.

Section 2.  Associate membership in the Society is open to retired faculty from other colleges and universities.

Section 3.  All regular members are eligible to vote on all matters submitted to the Society membership. 

ARTICLE IV – ORGANIZATION

Section 1.  The Society is an entity operating within the administrative and budgetary purview of the Office of the President of the University.

Section 2.  The Society is subject to the Bylaws of the University.

Section 3.  The Society shall be administered by a Secretary.

Section 4.  There shall be an Advisory Board responsible for providing advice and guidance to the Secretary in the administration of the activities of The Society.

Section 5.  There shall be four permanent standing committees of the Society:

  1. University Affairs Committee
  2. Community Affairs Committee
  3. Collegial Support Committee
  4. Development Committee

Section 6.  The Advisory Board shall consist of:

  1. the Chairs of each of the Standing Committees established to accomplish the purposes listed in Article II, Section 2 above
  2. the Chairs and the Secretary will all be members of the Society
  3. three other members appointed by the Secretary, at least one of whom will be an active (non-retired) member of the University faculty.

Section 7.  A majority of the Advisory Board present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Section 8.  The Society will operate on the University calendar (1 July through 30 June).

ARTICLE V – OFFICERS

Section 1.  The Officers of the Society shall be:

  1. The Secretary
  2. The Administrative Assistant

Section 2.  Duties of the Secretary:

  1. Preside at regular and special meetings of the Society Advisory Board.
  2. Serve as the official representative of the Society in the University Administration.
  3. Represent the Society at regional and national meetings of emeritus organizations.
  4. Serve as the spokesperson for the Society in community public relations.
  5. Provide leadership for Society programs and activities.
  6. Appoint such committees (including their chairs) as are necessary to implement the objectives of the Society.
  7. Hire such staff persons as shall be necessary for carrying out the Society’s programs.
  8. Provide leadership in development and fund-raising on behalf of the Society.
  9. Submit an Annual Report of the activities of the Society to the Office of the President.

Section 3.  The Administrative Assistant shall:

  1. Maintain procedural records and correspondence of the Society.
    1. Record and distribute the minutes of meetings of the Advisory Board.
    2. Notify committee members, and members of the Society at large, of meetings, programs, and events.
  2. Maintain all financial records of the Society.
    1. Supervise the receipt and disbursement of funds as ordered by the Secretary and Advisory Board.
    2. Prepare and transmit the University administration a yearly income and expense statement for the Society. 

ARTICLE VI – NOMINATION AND SELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1.  The Secretary of the Society shall be appointed by the President of the University for a three-year renewable term, normally from a list of at least three candidates submitted by the Advisory Board by May 31st of the last year of the sitting Secretary’s term.

Section 2.  Removal of the Secretary, other than by the President of the University, shall be by a two-thirds (2/3)vote of the full membership of the Advisory Board, or by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes received from the full membership of the Society.

Section 3.  The Administrative Assistant of the Society shall be appointed by the Secretary of the Society.

Section 4.  Chairs of committees shall be elected by the members.

Section 5.  The terms of all officers of the Society shall commence on August 16, the start of the academic calendar of the University.

ARTICLE VII – FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Section 1.  Members will be encouraged to help defray operating expenses of the Society through a modest annual tax-deductible contribution through the University Foundation.

Section 2.  The Secretary shall each year remind the membership of this recommendation.

Section 3.  The University will fund the salary of the Administrative Assistant, the expenses of the office of the Society and the expenses of the Secretary.
 

ARTICLE VIII – MEETINGS

Section 1.  Meetings of the Advisory Board will occur at least twice each year: once in the fall (August 16 – December 31) and again in the spring (January 1 – May 15).

Section 2.  Meetings of the Advisory Board may be called by the Secretary, by the Chair of a committee, or by a majority of the members of the Advisory Board.

Section 3.  A majority of the existing members of the Advisory Board shall constitute a quorum.

Section 4.  Meetings of committees shall be called by their chairs or by the Secretary.

Section 5.  The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the transaction of business at meetings of the Advisory Board.

ARTICLE IX – MISCELLANEOUS

Section 1:  Communications.  The Society shall develop, maintain, and promulgate various means of communicating with its membership, including a Newsletter, an e-mail data base, and an Internet web page.

Section 2:  Insignia.  The Society shall develop a unique identifying “logo” or symbol to mark its various communications media.

ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS

Section 1.  Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed either by a majority of the Advisory Board or by a vote of twenty percent (20%) of votes received from the full regular membership of the Society.

Section 2.  The Advisory Board shall publish any proposed amendments to these Bylaws to the membership at least 30 days in advance of a vote on them.

Section 3.  Amendments shall be voted on by the entire membership of the Society; a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of votes received from the full regular membership of the Society is required for approval.

Section 4.  All amendments to these Bylaws become effective only after approval by the President of the University.