Constitution and Bylaws of
Parkside Communication Alumni Association
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
CONSTITUTION
Article I: Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be Parkside Communication Alumni Association.
Article II: Purpose
Section 1. The purpose of this organization is to encourage and coordinate the connection of University of Wisconsin-Parkside Communication alumni with each other, with faculty, and with students.
Section 2: This organization shall abide by all applicable policies set forth by UW-Parkside.
Article III: Membership
Section 1: All persons who are graduates of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside with a major in Communication are eligible to become members.
Section 2: This organization shall not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, age, or sexual orientation.
Article IV: Officers
Section 1: The elected officers of PCAA shall be President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Information Officer.
Article V: Executive Board, Committees, Advisor
Section 1: Together the officers shall serve as the Executive Board, to jointly manage the organization’s day-to-day needs.
Section 2: The President shall appoint ad hoc committees and chairs as these become necessary.
Section 3: The Executive Board shall choose a single Communication faculty member to serve as Advisor and Liaison to the Communication department.
Article VI: Meetings
Section 1. The members of PCAA shall meet at such hour and place as the Executive Committee may designate, for the purpose of electing Officers, considering reports of the affairs of PCAA, and transacting such business as may be properly brought before the meeting.
Section 2. Special meetings of the members PCAA shall be held whenever called by the Executive Committee.
Article VII: Quorum
Section 1: A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of a simple majority of the current officers, whether present at a meeting or represented by proxy.
Article VIII: Election of officers
Section 1: Officers shall normally be elected to serve for a term of one year.
Article IX: Amendments of Constitution
Section 1. This constitution may be brought up for revision only if such a possibility has been publicly announced (through the PCAA website) at least 30 days in advance.
Section 2: This constitution may be amended if a two-thirds vote of the entire membership of PCAA present at a meeting, or represented by proxy, votes for the amendment.
Section 3. A copy of the Constitution as accepted by PCAA shall be kept by the Vice President and posted to the PCAA website.
BYLAWS
Article I: Membership classifications
Section 1. Eligible member: someone who has graduated from UWP with a major in Communication.
Section 2. Member: an eligible member who has chosen to join PCAA.
Section 3. Officer: a member who has been elected to one of these positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Information Officer. Officers will normally be drawn from the set of members and serve for a period of one year.
Section 4. Executive Committee: the set of current officers.
Section 5. Committee member: a member who has been asked and agreed to serve on a committee, whether ad hoc or long term. Committee members will normally be drawn from the set of members and serve for a period of one year.
Section 6. Committee chair: a committee member who has been asked and agreed to serve as the coordinator of that committee, organizing meetings, ensuring that tasks are completed, and reporting to the Executive Committee. Committee chairs will normally be drawn from the set of members and serve for a period of one year.
Article II: Duties of Officers and Executive Committee
Section 1. President: The President is the public face of PCAA, representing the group to the wider community, and university; chairs the Executive Committee; runs all meetings of the Executive Committee and membership; and is in charge of maintaining the group as a viable organization. The President appoints ad hoc committee chairs and members.
Section 2. Vice President: The Vice President works with the President to ensure the viability of the organization, and takes the primary role as event planner for PCAA meetings and other events.
Section 3: Secretary: The Secretary takes minutes at the annual meetings, posts them to the website, and brings them to the next meeting for approval. The Secretary takes minutes at the Executive Committee meetings and brings them to the next meeting for approval.
Section 4: Treasurer: The Treasurer collects any funds raised for any purpose and deposits them in the PCAA account at UWP, providing an annual statement of income and expenses to the Executive Committee.
Section 5: Information Officer: The Information Officer works with the Advisor to ensure that the PCAA website and database are maintained and up to date.
Article III: Standing Committees
Section 1: PCAA has one standing committee at this time: the Nominating Committee.
Section 2: If the tasks of any ad hoc Committee established by the President continue beyond one year, that Committee shall also become a standing committee.
Article IV: Frequency of Meetings
Section 1: The members of PCAA shall normally meet twice each year.
Section 2: If, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, a bi-annual meeting cannot be conveniently held, it shall be empowered to hold only one meeting for the year.
Article V: Quorum
Section 1: A quorum of the membership shall consist of a simple majority of members who have joined, whether present at a meeting or represented by proxy.
Article VI: Notice of Meetings
Section 1. Notice of the time and place of all meetings, whether regular meetings or special meetings, shall be posted on the PCAA website with not less than 30 days advance notice.
Article VII: Elections
Section 1: To establish the organization, officers shall be elected from students about to graduate in Spring 2007, to serve for a period of not more than one year.
Section 2: Future officers shall be elected by the members on an annual basis, at the spring meeting. Installation shall occur at the meeting.
Section 3: All members of PCAA shall be eligible to run for office.
Section 4: The Nominating Committee shall be made up of the Executive Committee plus at least one additional member of PCAA. The President shall chair the Nominating Committee.
Section 5: Chairs and members of ad hoc committees shall be appointed by the President. Chairs and members of standing committees shall be appointed by the Executive Committee. If a standing committee continues to have reason to function beyond 2 years, the chair and members shall be elected by the membership of PCAA.
Section 6: Any vacancy occurring among the officers between biennial meetings shall be filled in the following manner:
a. The office of President shall be assumed by an elected officer only (to be offered in this order: Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Information Officer).
b. In the absence or resignation of a Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, or Information Officer, the President shall appoint a replacement.
Section 7: The Officers shall have full charge of the property and business of PCAA, with full power and authority to conduct all necessary business.
Section 8: All resignations shall be made in writing and addressed to the President.
Article IX: Fiscal Year
Section 1: The fiscal year shall match that of UWP, running July 1 to June 30.
Article X: Parliamentary Procedure
Section 1: The parliamentary procedure authority shall be Robert’s Rules of Order.
Article XI: Amendments of Bylaws
Section 1. The Bylaws may be brought up for revision only if such a possibility has been publicly announced (through the PCAA website) at least 30 days in advance.
Section 2: The Bylaws may be amended only if a two-thirds vote of the membership of PCAA present at a meeting, or represented by proxy, votes for the amendment.
Section 3. A copy of the Bylaws as accepted by PCAA shall be kept by the Vice President and posted to the PCAA website.