School of Criminal Justice Alumni Association Bylaws
ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Michigan State University School of Criminal Justice Alumni Association, which shall be hereinafter referred to as Athe Association".
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
The purposes of the Association are to promote the welfare and interests of Michigan State University and the School of Criminal Justice and to foster a spirit of loyalty and fraternalism among the alumni and friends of Michigan State University. The objectives of the Association are exclusively educational and charitable. The Association will endeavor to:
- provide a framework for alumni of a common interest to meet formally or informally, for educational, professional and social purposes;
- provide an advisory service to the School of Criminal Justice, to the University, and to the criminal justice alumni;
- stimulate continued interest in and financial support for the work of the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University;
- recognize the achievements and accomplishments of its members and others in the field of criminal justice;
- become involved in placement programs for its members and students; and
- act as mentors and/or provide other assistance in an advisory capacity to students of criminal justice.
The Association shall be a Constituent group of the Michigan State University Alumni Association and shall consist of members as described in Article IV.ARTICLE III - ORGANIZATION
Regional chapters of the Association may be formed with the approval of the Association Board and will be affiliated with the Association.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
Regular Membership
(1) Qualifications: All graduates of the School of Criminal Justice shall be eligible to become Regular Members.- Rights: A Regular Member in good standing shall have the right to attend all meetings of the Association, to have voice and suffrage therein, and to be eligible for any office, honor, or privilege within the Association, except as restricted elsewhere in these Bylaws.
- Dues: Regular Membership in good standing shall be on an annual basis. Payment of membership dues to the Michigan State University Alumni Association, designating the School of Criminal Justice Alumni Association as the constituency to which the alumnus wishes to belong, qualifies alumni for membership in the School of Criminal Justice Alumni Association. Membership will be based on combined annual dues for both the national Michigan State University Alumni Association and the Association. Annual dues for Regular Membership shall be determined from time to time by the Michigan State University Alumni Association.
- Qualifications: All non-alumni friends of the School who have shown a continuing and vital interest shall be eligible for Associate Memberships.
- Rights: An Associate Member in good standing shall have the right to attend all meetings of the Association, to have voice therein and to be eligible for any honor or privilege within the Association.
- Dues: Associate Membership in good standing shall be on an annual basis. Payment of membership dues to the Michigan State University Alumni Association, designating the School of Criminal Justice Alumni Association as the constituency to which the member wishes to belong, qualifies them for membership in the School of Criminal Justice Alumni Association. Membership will be based on combined annual dues for both the national Michigan State University Alumni Association and the Association. Annual dues for Associate Membership shall be determined from time to time by the Michigan State University Alumni Association.
Associate Membership
Life Membership A Life Membership, paid to the Michigan State University Alumni Association, shall be honored by the Association. Honorary Membership Honorary Members shall be those who, by virtue of office, accomplishments or outstanding contributions to the field of criminal justice have been selected by the Association Board of Directors. Honorary Members shall have the same constituent association rights and privileges as Alumni Members except they may neither vote nor serve on the Board and shall not require the payment of dues.Complimentary Membership Complimentary Members shall be those first year alumni from the School of Criminal Justice who are also complimentary members of the Michigan State University Alumni Association.Status of Membership A member shall be in "good standing" if he/she has paid dues within the previous year. Past unpaid dues are not accountable. A member not in "good standing" shall have no right of suffrage nor shall he/she be eligible to hold office.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
The Association shall be governed by a board of Directors composed of fifteen (15) eligible Association members.
The term of office for each Director shall be four years from December 1 of the year elected to November 30 of the fourth year. No Director shall be eligible for re-election to the Board for at least one year following the expiration of two four-year terms.
The Officers of the Association shall be a President and a Vice-President elected from among the members of the Board. The officers’ terms of office shall be two years starting on December 1 of the year elected.
In the event a vacancy occurs in the Office of the President, the Vice-President shall fill the unexpired term. In the event a vacancy occurs in any other office, the Board shall elect another Board member to fill the unexpired term. Between annual elections the President, by appointment, may fill all vacancies on the Board for the unexpired term created by the vacancy. Any person who has filled the remainder of the term of another person shall be eligible for immediate re-election in his/her own right.
A Board member who does not attend at least two consecutive regularly scheduled meetings, unless excused by the President, may be removed from office by a majority vote of Board members present at a regularly scheduled meeting.
To conduct business, a quorum shall consist of a majority of the members of the Board. All actions of the Board shall be by a majority vote of the Board members present, except as provided in the following paragraph and in Article IX.
A Board member shall not be allowed to have a representative to attend in his/her place. Proxy voting, as described below, may be permitted if a quorum is not present for a meeting. Within ten (10) days of a meeting in which a quorum was not present, Board members unable to attend the meeting shall be sent a packet of issues needing a decision discussed at the Board meeting. The packet information will include a synopsis of the discussions both for and against the issue, the question to be voted upon, the number of votes for and against the issue already recorded, and a ballot. The ballot is to be returned to the School of Criminal Justice within ten (10) days of its receipt. Once ballots are returned, the recording secretary will tally up the votes from the meeting and the ballots. Board members will be notified by mail or e-mail of the outcome of any such vote.
The immediate past President of the Association shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Board for a period of two years if elected to serve as President during his/her last two years as a Board member.
ARTICLE VI - ELECTIONS
A nominating committee of three Board members shall be appointed by the President by February 1 of each year to select a slate of candidates for the Board. Nominees shall be solicited from the regular membership. The nominating committee shall present the names of at least on nominee per vacancy to the Board by June 1 of each year, with election by the Board prior to November 1. At least one-third of the Board shall be elected each year.
Vitae of all candidates for election to the Board of Directors shall be mailed or e-mailed to all members of the Board of Directors in advance of the meeting where the election is to occur.
ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS
An annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held in the fall of each year prior to November 1. Additional meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or by six or more of the Directors, but only if notice in writing has been mailed or e-mailed to each Director at least two weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
Meetings of the membership of the Criminal Justice Alumni Association may be scheduled as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
Meetings of the membership may be held informally from time to time as mutual interest and accessibility allows.
ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES
There shall be such Standing Committees as designated by the Board. The President shall appoint the Committee members and its chair. With the approval of the Board, the President may appoint ad hoc Committees.
ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS
These Articles of Association may be adopted, amended, or deleted as necessary by majority vote of the entire Board of Directors. Proposed revisions or additions to the Articles of Association and Bylaws shall also be mailed or e-mailed to all members of the Board of Directors at least two weeks in advance of the meeting at which such revisions or additions are to be enacted.
ARTICLE X - ANNUAL REPORT
The Board of Directors of the School of Criminal Justice Alumni Association, through its President, shall submit an annual report to the Secretary of the Board of the Michigan State University Alumni Association by the date they shall determine.
The Annual Report shall include at least the following:
- Accomplishments of past year
- Future Planning
- Overview of budget for fiscal year
- New listing of all board members
- Current set of bylaws
Amended September 16, 1977
Amended May 9, 1980
Amended May 6, 1988
Amended October 22, 1999
Amended October 3, 2008