Purdue Club of Pittsburgh
Club Constitution & Bylaws

    Constitution
    Bylaws

The following Articles have been adopted by the Purdue Club of Pittsburgh, as its Constitution, with the intent that it will govern the Club’s activities in the future.

Article One – Name

The name of this organization is The Purdue Club of Pittsburgh.

Article Two – Purpose

The purposes of The Purdue Club of Pittsburgh are to provide an opportunity for fellowship among the local alumni, friends and students of Purdue University and to promote the interests of Purdue in the regional area.

Article Three – Membership

All graduates of any campus of Purdue University, and all persons who have attended Purdue University, or had family members attend Purdue University, or have shown a vital interest in Purdue University shall be eligible for membership in The Purdue Club of Pittsburgh. Any such person shall become a member upon the payment of dues in the amount established in Article Four of this Constitution. The Club shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion or sexual orientation.

Article Four – Dues

Annual dues for the Club shall be $15 per person or $25 per household, and shall be payable in advance. Dues shall cover the period from January 1st through December 31st, unless otherwise agreed by the directors of the Club.

Article Five – Officers and Directors

The directors of The Purdue Club of Pittsburgh (Club) shall serve on a board of no more than seven (7) persons, which shall include the President and the Vice President of the Club.

The Board of Directors shall be responsible for establishing policies, and shall plan events, appoint committee chairmen, and provide assistance to the President, as necessary. Directors shall be elected by the general membership of the Club to serve terms of two years each, and shall be elected on a staggered schedule to ensure that the Club has the benefit of experienced leadership at all times.

The directors shall provide a mechanism by which the general membership of the Club can elect a slate of officers to fill the following positions, and any other positions they deem to be necessary for the efficient operation of the Club:

President – The President will preside at all meetings and will serve as the chief executive officer of the Club.

Vice President – The Vice President will serve in the absence of the President and, if so accepted, shall be the president-elect of the Club.

Secretary – The Secretary will record the minutes of all meetings and shall maintain the official role of Club members.

Treasurer – The Treasurer will be responsible for handling all money, dues, receipts and payment of all bills for the Club and for establishing and maintaining the financial accounts and records for the Club.

Membership Director – The Membership Director will be responsible for organizing membership drives, for forming a membership committee, and for coordination with Purdue alumni and students as these efforts may relate to membership in the Club.

To be eligible to serve on the Board of Directors of the Club or as a Club officer, a candidate must be a member in good standing of the Purdue Alumni Association (PAA). The Board of Directors will consist of the above five (5) officers, plus the Web Master and one Director-at-Large, who need not be officers of the Club.

The passing of Club resolutions, rules, business matters, by-laws, and amendments will require the simple majority vote of the full Board of Directors, namely four (4) votes to pass or fail.

Article Six – Meetings

Business meetings shall be held at least twice per year, usually in February and August if possible, and at such additional times as the Board of Directors shall deem necessary. One meeting per year shall be designated as the annual meeting for the election of officers and directors.

Article Seven – Amendments and By-Laws

This Constitution may be amended and by-laws may be established at any time by a majority vote of the Board of Directors of the Club.

Article Eight - Dissolution

Upon unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, and following written notification to all the members of the Club who are in good standing, the Club may be dissolved. However, upon dissolution of the Club all funds under control of the Club shall be distributed to Purdue University's General Scholarship Fund within thirty (30) days of the dissolution date.

Adopted: August 22, 2001
Amended: February 12, 2003

    Bylaws

The following By Laws have been adopted by the Purdue Club of Pittsburgh, as amended on the date noted below in February, 2003, with the intent that they shall serve to clarify the club's Constitution and that they shall govern the club's activities in the future.

1. Meetings

1.1 The club shall hold regular monthly meetings, at a nominated time and location to be chosen by the majority vote of the Board of Directors.

1.2 All club members will be informed and encouraged to participate in these meetings by notifying them in advance via the club's web site, via emails, by mailings, and by circulation of the club's activities list.

1.3 Business meetings shall be held at least twice per year, as described in the Constitution.

2. Activities

2.1 The club shall prepare and maintain an annual list of its activities and events, which shall be posted and maintained in all of its official communications, including on the Club's web site, in emails, at club events, and in direct mailings to its members.

2.2 Activities shall be added or deleted from the list by majority vote of the Board.

2.3 The primary responsibility for preparing and maintaining the annual Activities List shall rest with the Vice President, although individual activities may be coordinated by other directors or by regular club members, as assigned by the Vice President or as designated by vote of the directors at the club's regular meetings.

2.4 Activities or events with a special purpose, such as fund-raising for the scholarship program or activities to be held for charitable purposes shall be so designated in advance of the event, and be approved by the Board of Directors.

2.5 All net proceeds from the club's activities shall be deposited by the Treasurer into the general fund which shall be used for paying operating expenses of the club, except for designated scholarship program fund-raising activities or events, or voluntary donations to the scholarship fund, which proceeds shall be deposited and maintained in a separate, dedicated account.

3. Financial Accounts

3.1 The club shall open and maintain a financial (checking) account at a reputable local financial institution (bank), which will be designated for use as its general fund, and which shall be used to pay for all operating and miscellaneous expenses.

3.2 The responsibility for maintaining the club's financial accounts and for providing regular statements to the Board of Directors shall rest with the Treasurer, although at all times two directors of the club must have full access to the club's accounts.

3.3 Receipts must be presented for any expenses incurred by any member before they are considered to be legitimate expenses to be paid by the club.

3.3.1 Out of pocket expenses incurred by club directors, or by other club members on behalf of the club, shall be submitted with their receipts and an approved Expense Form to the Treasurer for reimbursement.

3.3.2 Expense receipts from club directors may be submitted directly to the Treasurer along with a signed Expense Form, while expenses from regular club members will require the approval of a club director, plus the Treasurer prior to being reimbursed.

3.4 Financial accounts may be opened or closed only by majority vote of the full Board of Directors.

3.5 Separate accounts may be required to handle special purpose funds, such as the scholarship fund. Separate accounting by the Treasurer is required for any special purpose funds, and these funds shall not be commingled with any other funds, including the general fund.

3.6 The Club's annual accounting period shall begin on January 1st and and on December 31st each year.

4. Elections

4.1 Elections shall be held for each club director's office every two years, as follows:

4.1.1 In odd-numbered years the following positions shall be elected: President, Membership Director, Secretary and Web Master.

4.1.2 In even-numbered years the following positions shall be elected: Vice-President, Treasurer and Director-at-Large.

4.1.3 Odd or even numbered years refer to the year in which the director is up for election.

4.1.4 Terms shall be for two years and there are no term limits, unless otherwise stated in the club's Constitution.

4.3 Votes for elections may by cast by any club member in good standing.

4.3.1 A member in good standing is one who has paid their dues to the club for that year, and who has also paid their dues to the Purdue Alumni Association, and who has otherwise not been censured or banned from participating in the club's activities by the Board of Directors.

4.3.2 Votes may be cast either electronically via the club's web site, or manually by mailing in the paper ballot.

4.3.3 Paper ballots shall be published in the club's newsletter to all active members at least one month in advance of the election cut-off date.

4.3.4 All votes received either electronically or by paper ballot shall be tabulated by the Election Committee, who will include the Web master and Secretary in even-numbered years and the Vice-president and Director-at-Large in odd numbered years..

4.3.5 Vote tabulations are to be kept confidential by the Election Committee until after the election at which time the official results of the elections shall be posted on the club's web site on the second Tuesday of November. Results will also be announced in person at the regular meeting of the club on the second Wednesday of November.

4.5 Nominating procedures for elections of directors shall be as follows:

4.5.1 Consideration for office is open to any member in good standing.

4.5.2 On or before the second Thursday of August each year (i.e. the day after the club's semi-annual business meeting) the President will appoint a Nominating Committee, consisting of at least two persons at least one of whom shall be a director of the club who is not up for election that year. The other may be any member in good standing.

4.5.3 Also, by the second Thursday of August, the Web master will make a call via the web site and by email to all members in good standing requesting their nominations for the offices which are open to election that year. The names of the directors who are running for election (or re-election) will be posted. Other members in good standing will be encouraged to run for office if they so desire.

4.5.4 At the regular club meeting in September, the Nominating Committee shall report the results of any nominations received by that date. If no nominations for other persons have been received for those offices which are up for election that year, then the Web Master will post the slate of directors and the names of the current directors on the web site and will also send emails to all members in good standing reminding members that these office are open for nominations.

4.5.5 If by the regular club meeting in October, there are still no other nominations received, then both the electronic and the paper election ballots (including those sent out with the club's Fall newsletter) will show the current director's name and a second space provided against that office for a "write-in" candidate. However, if one or more nominations have been received and the member running for office has been verified by the Secretary as a member in good standing, then that person's name will be posted against that office in addition to that of the incumbent, along with a space for a write-in candidate as well.

4.5.6 Elections shall then be held, in accordance with the procedures described in Articles 4.1 through 4.3 above.

4.7 Newly elected directors will officially take office effective on January 1st of the year following their election and will be presented to the club membership at the annual membership dinner party held in January.

Adopted: February 12, 2003