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COH Alumni Society ConstitutionBylaws

Article I - Name
The name of this organization is The Ohio State University College of Humanities Alumni Society, hereafter referred to as the Society. It shall be an integral part of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc., the official alumni organization of The Ohio State University.

Article II - Purpose
The Society exists to promote the value of a liberal arts education, to involve the alumni in the mission of the College of Humanities to provide opportunities for fellowship and intellectual inquiry, to raise money for the College of Humanities, and to further professional relationships among the alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends of the College. The Society will also promote and support the mission of The Ohio State University Alumni Society.

Article III - Membership
Section I: Membership is open to graduates of the College of Humanities; individuals meeting OSU Alumni Association membership requirements; and current, retired, and emeritus members of the faculty.

Section 2: Individuals who by their interest and activity have distinguished themselves by their work for the Society may be entitled to honorary membership by special action of the Board of Governors of the Society.

Individuals who express an interest in membership in the Society may be granted associate membership in the Society. Associate members may not hold office or vote on matters of the Society.

Article IV - Board of Governors
Section 1: Board of Governors shall consist of:

1. Twelve to 16 members elected to the board by the members of the Society as outlined in Article IX.
2. The President/CEO of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc., or his or her designee as an ex officio voting member.
3. The Dean of the College of Humanities as an ex officio voting member.
4. The Coordinator of Alumni and Public Relations of the College of Humanities as an ex officio voting member and an ex officio member of all other committees.
5. The Director of Development of the College of Humanities as an ex officio voting member and an ex officio member of the College Development Committee.
6. The College of Humanities representative to The Ohio State University Alumni Advisory Council as an ex officio voting member.
7. Three to four student representatives selected by the board to serve as ex officio voting members.
8. A first-year alumni member as an ex officio voting member who shall be to the extent practicable the student representative from the preceding year.
9. An emeritus faculty member.

Section 2: All elected members of the Board of Governors must be members of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc.

Section 3: The Board of Governors shall have full power to fill all vacancies.

Section 4: The Government of the Society and the direction of its activities shall be vested in the Board of Governors.

Section 5: The Board of Governors shall hold at least two meetings a year and others at the discretion of the President.

Section 6: A meeting of the Board of Governors must be called by the President of the Society upon written request of at least three members of the Board of Governors.

Section 7: Dues may be as established by the Board of Governors.

Article V - Officers
Section 1: The officers of the Society shall be a President, President-Elect, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, all of whom must hold membership in The Ohio State University Alumni Association. Inc.

Section 2: The duties of the officers shall be those enumerated in Article VI of this document and may be assigned by the Board of Governors.

Section 3: Board officers will be elected from among the current Board members for two-year terms, but may serve until their successors have been elected and qualified.

Article VI - Duties of Officers

Section I: President

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society, shall be chairperson of the Board of Governors, shall facilitate the work/duties of the other officers, and shall be a member of the College Development Committee and an ex officio member of all other committees.

Section 2: President-Elect

In the absence or disability of the President, or at the request of the President, the President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President. If the office of President becomes vacant, the President-Elect shall become President for the unexpired term. If the President-Elect is unable or unwilling to move into the vacated President position, a special election may be held by the Board to fill the position. The President-Elect shall be a member of the Board of Governors and serve as the Chair of the Meetings and Programs Committee. The President-Elect assumes the role of President at the end of the President’s term.

Section 3: Secretary

The Secretary shall be a member of the Board of Governors. The Secretary shall send out all notices of meetings, shall take minutes of all meetings, and shall send reports of all meetings and activities of the Society to the President/CEO of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc. The Secretary shall assist the President and shall be an ex officio member of all Society standing committees.

Section 4: Treasurer

The Treasurer shall supervise all receipts and expenditures and shall be the ex officio member of the Meetings and Programs Committee in charge of handling financial arrangements for the meetings. If dues are charged, the Treasurer shall collect and disburse them subject to the approval of the Board of Governors. The Treasurer shall be a member of the Board of Governors and serve as the Chair of the College Development Committee.

Article VII - Membership Meetings
Section 1: At least one membership meeting must be held each year in the autumn. Failure to comply with this provision shall make the Society charter subject to revocation by The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc.

Section 2: There shall be such other meetings each year as the President, with the approval of the Board of Governors of the Society, deems desirable.

Section 3: The President of the Society must call a membership meeting upon the written request of five percent of the members of the Society. Upon failure of the President to call such a meeting within ten days of such request, the meeting may be called by any other officer or member of the Board of Governors, or by the petitioning members. In such instance, the President/CEO or his or her designee of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc., shall be notified, and the President/CEO shall send due notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting to all members of the Society.

Section 4: Where this constitution fails to provide authority for procedure, Roberts Rules of Order shall be used.

Article VIII - Committees
Section 1: The President of the Society shall appoint the following standing committees with the approval of the Board of Governors:

1. Meetings and Programs: It shall be the function of this committee to organize the meetings of the Society and other Humanities alumni events, plan the program, obtain the publicity for them, and to get notification by mail or phone, or both, to the alumni of the Society. The committee shall be chaired by the President-Elect.
2. Membership: It shall be the duty of this committee to check the names of all eligible for membership with the President/CEO or his or her designee of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc., and to use all means possible to encourage non-members to do their share in furthering the interests of the College of Humanities by joining the College of Humanities Alumni Society. The Committee will also encourage membership in The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc. The committee shall be chaired by the Secretary.
3. College Development: It shall be the function of this committee to promote scholarships and raise money for the College of Humanities, and work with the Dean, the Director of Development, and the Coordinator of Alumni Relations of the College of Humanities on public relations, development, promotion of College scholarship, and other matters in the College with an external focus. The committee shall be chaired by the Treasurer.

Section 2: The President of the Society, with the approval of the Board of Governors, shall appoint such additional committees as in the President’s judgment the interests of the Society may require, and may prescribe the duties of such committees.

Article IX - Elections and Voting
Members of the Board of Governors shall be elected each year at the annual meeting and shall hold office until their successors have been elected and qualified. The terms will be staggered. Board members shall be elected for three-year terms, with a limit of two successive terms. Elections will be held at the annual meeting to replace board members whose terms have expired. The Board of Governors of the Society will select the officers.

When it is inexpedient or inconvenient to call a meeting for the transaction of business, matters to be acted upon may be submitted to members of the Board by mail or electronically communicated, either directly or through the President or a designee, and may be voted upon by the method selected above.

Article X - Bylaws
The Board is permitted to establish By-laws at any regular board meeting of the Society, a quorum being present, by a two-thirds vote of all board members present, provided that notice of such proposed By-law shall have been mailed to each board member at least ten days for such meeting. No amendment or addition to the By-laws can be made which is not in harmony with the Society constitution.

Article XI - Adoption
This constitution shall be officially adopted upon its approval by a majority vote of the members of the Society in winter 2008. It shall take effect upon the granting of the charter of the Board of Directors of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc., authorizing its functioning as one of the official alumni constituent societies of The Ohio State University.

Article XII - Amendments
This constitution may be amended by a majority vote of all members present at any duly-called meeting of the members of the Society. No amendments shall take effect until duly approved by the Board of Directors of The Ohio State University Alumni Association.

Adopted 9/7/91

HUMAS_Constitution2004
Updated Autumn 2004
Revised 2/16/05
HUMASConstitutionDraft2005-1
Revised 3/1/05
Revised 3/2/05

COH Alumni Society
Bylaws of the Board of GovernorsConstitution

Article I: Name and Purpose
The name, object, and qualifications for membership in The Ohio State University College of Humanities Alumni Society (hereafter referred to as "HUMAS") are set forth in the Constitution of HUMAS approved by its voting membership on September 7, 1991.

The College of Humanities is comprised of the following units: The Departments of African American and African Studies, Comparative Studies, East Asian Languages and Literatures, English, French and Italian, Germanic Languages and Literatures, Greek and Latin, History, Linguistics, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Philosophy, Slavic and East European Languages and Literatures, Spanish and Portuguese, and Women's Studies; and the following interdisciplinary centers - African American and African Studies Community Extension Center, the Center for Epigraphical Studies, the Center for Folklore Studies, the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, the Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing, the Foreign Language Center, and the Melton Center for Jewish Studies.

Article II: Management
Section 2.1 The management and direction of HUMAS and its activities shall be vested in a Board of Governors, twelve elected by the membership of Society as outlined in Article IX of the Constitution.

Section 2.2 All elected members of the Board of Governors shall be at least eighteen years of age and members of both The Ohio State University Alumni Association and HUMAS.

Section 2.3 The Board of Governors shall have and exercise all the powers necessary to manage and direct the work and policy of HUMAS. No contract, debt, or obligation shall be binding unless contracted under the authority of the Board of Governors.

Section 2.4 The Board of Governors shall have the power to fill all vacancies occurring in its number between annual elections. All such vacancies shall be filled by first recommending names to the Board Nomination Committee for screening and recommendation to the Board of Governors.

Section 2.5 HUMAS, through its Board of Governors, may hold or dispose of such property, real or personal, as may be given, devised, or bequeathed to it or entrusted to its care and keeping, and may purchase, acquire, and dispose of such property as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of HUMAS.

Section 2.6 The Board of Governors shall have the control and management of the property of HUMAS.

Section 2.7 The Board of Governors shall have the power and authority to remove from office any officer who is not performing his or her duties as described in the Constitution. Such officer shall be notified of the proposed action and the basis for such action by regular mail, mailed at least 14 days prior to the meeting where removal is to be discussed, and shall have an opportunity to respond.

Article III: Meetings/Notice/Quorum
Section 3.1 The Board of Governors shall meet biannually at the time and place it shall determine and shall also meet in special session as soon as practicable upon the written request of at least three Board members. The Board may also meet at the discretion of the President.

Section 3.2 Notice for all meetings shall be provided at least fourteen days in advance of the meeting date. Notice shall be effective on the date of posting.

Section 3.3 One third of the membership of the Board of Governors shall constitute a quorum.

Article IV: Officers and Their Duties
Section 4.1 The officers of HUMAS, as elected by the Board of Governors, shall be a President, President-Elect, a Secretary, and a Treasurer each of whom must be an elected member of the Board of Governors of HUMAS and a member of The Ohio State University Alumni Association.

Section 4.2 All officers shall hold office for a term of two years or until their successor is elected and qualified. The President and President-Elect may serve only one consecutive term in the same office. The Secretary and Treasurer may serve for any number of consecutive terms.

Section 4.3 The duties of the officers shall be as provided in Article VI of the Constitution.

Article V: Committees
Section 5.1 In addition to the standing committees described in Article VIII of the Constitution, there shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the President of HUMAS, the President-Elect, the Secretary of HUMAS, the Treasurer of HUMAS, the Dean of the College, Director of Development, and the Coordinator of Alumni and Public Relations for the College of Humanities. The Executive Committee shall act for the Board of Governors in the interim between Board meetings, but it shall not have the power to reconsider or reverse any action or policy of the Board. The President or any two members of the Executive Committee may call meetings at any time giving the purpose of the meeting and four days' notice to the remaining members thereof. Three members shall constitute a quorum.

Section 5.2 There shall also be a Board Nominating Committee of five Board members appointed by the President of HUMAS and including the Coordinator of Alumni and Public Relations of the College of Humanities. The Board Nominating Committee shall receive names from any member of HUMAS and shall make recommendations to the Board of Governors.

Section 5.3 The President of HUMAS, with the approval of the Board of Governors, may appoint such additional committees as may be needed to facilitate the management and direction of HUMAS, and may prescribe the duties of such committees.

Section 5.4 The Board may invite non-Board members to serve on committees.

Section 5.5 All committees shall report on their progress and activities at each Board meeting and their reports shall be reflected in the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Governors.

Article VI: Elections
Section 6.1 The annual selection of Governors shall be held at the autumn annual membership meeting.

Section 6.2 Terms of office of the Board of Governors shall begin immediately following their election at the autumn meeting.

Section 6.3 The Board Nominating Committee shall solicit and receive names of candidates for Board membership from HUMAS members throughout the year and shall screen such candidates for their interest and shall make recommendations to the Board of Governors at the first meeting of the Board in each calendar year. At that meeting the Board will prepare a list of approved candidates.

Section 6.4 At least one month prior to the autumn annual membership meeting, the Board Nominating Committee shall prepare and make available to HUMAS members a final ballot and a brief biographical sketch of each of the approved candidates together with notice of the fall annual membership meeting. HUMAS members shall be entitled to vote in person at the annual meeting.

Section 6.5 The Board Nominating Committee shall be responsible for oversight of the voting process.

Section 6.6 The annual election of officers shall be held at the first regular meeting of the Board of Governors after the annual election by HUMAS membership. The Board shall elect by ballot from the elected members of their own number the officers of HUMAS.

Section 6.7 Terms of office for officers shall begin immediately following election.

Section 6.8 In the event that an officer's term on the Board of Governors shall expire before their term of office, said officer shall continue to be an ex officio voting member of the Board of Governors and shall continue in office until his or her term of office expires.

HUMAS_Bylaws2004
Updated Autumn 2004
Updated February 2005
HUMAS_BylawsDraft2005-1, 3/1/05
Revised 3/2/05