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Club Bylaws
ART. I
Election of Directors and Officers
Sec. 1. The club shall elect officers for each Rotary year -
a president (as provided in Art. I, Sec. 3), president-elect, vice president, vice president - information technology,
secretary, treasurer, and sergeant at arms - and eight directors. The Rotary year for the club shall be from July 1st to June 30th.
Sec. 2. A nominating committee composed of the immediate past five club presidents
still active in the club and the current president-elect shall meet on or before the first meeting of November to nominate
vice president, vice president - information technology, secretary, treasurer, and
sergeant at arms candidates (one year term) and four director candidates (two year terms)
for the next Rotary year. The nominees shall be presented to the club at least one week
before the club membership shall vote. Such vote shall be held during the annual meeting.
Additional nominations are allowed from the floor at the annual meeting. If more than one
candidate is nominated the vote shall be by ballot with the candidate for each position
receiving the majority of votes being elected. The nominating committee serving as the
tellers committee shall count ballot votes.
Sec. 3. A club member elected
to the position of vice president shall automatically be nominated to the position of
president-elect in the following Rotary year. A club member elected to the position of
president-elect shall automatically become the president in the following Rotary
year.
Sec. 4. There shall be elected
eight directors. Four directors shall be elected each Rotary year to serve two-year
terms.
Sec. 5. The directors-elect and
officers-elect shall be invited to join with the current governing body prior to taking
office for the purposes of continuity and planning. No officer-elect or director-elect who
is not a member of the current governing body shall have the right to vote during this
observation period.
Sec. 6. A vacancy on the
governing body of any elected officer or director shall be filled by action of the
remaining members of the governing body. A vacancy in the position of any officer-elect
or director-elect shall be filled by action of the remaining members of the governing
body.
ART. II
Governing
Body
Sec. 1. The governing body of
this club shall be the eight directors, president, president-elect, vice president, vice
president - information technology, secretary, treasurer, sergeant at arms, and the
immediate past president. The governing body shall be known as the
"board."
Sec. 2. Only members of the
governing body noted in Art. II, Sec. 1 shall have the power to vote in board meetings.
The decisions of the board in all club matters shall be final, subject only to an appeal
to the club in accordance with the club constitution.
Sec. 3. The board shall have
general control over all officers and committees and, for good cause, may declare any
office vacant.
ART. III
Duties
of Officers
Sec. 1. President. It shall be
the duties of the president to preside at the meetings of the club and board and to
perform such other duties as ordinarily pertain to the office of
president.
Sec. 2. President-elect. It
shall be the duties of the president-elect to serve as a member of the board, to preside
at the meetings of the club and board in the absence of the president, and to perform such
other duties as ordinarily pertain to the office of president-elect.
Sec. 3. Vice President. It
shall be the duties of the vice president to serve as a member of the board, to arrange
the weekly programs for club meetings, and to perform such other duties as may be
prescribed by the president or the board.
Sec. 4. Vice President -
Information Technology. It shall be the duties of the vice president - information
technology to coordinate the development, use, maintenance, and acquisition of club
computer hardware, software, and website technology; to coordinate the adequate backup of
all club records and computer files; and to perform such other duties as would normally
fall under the category of information technology.
Sec. 5. Secretary. It shall be
the duties of the secretary to keep the records of membership; guide the processing of
proposed members and secure new member materials; record the attendance at meetings; send
out notices of the meetings of the club, board and committees; record and preserve the
minutes of such meetings; order supplies for the club; make the required reports to RI;
and maintain club correspondence. To assist the secretary, a meeting clerk and/or a club
newsletter editor may be appointed by the president.
Sec. 6. Treasurer. It shall be
the duties of the treasurer to have custody of all funds, accounting for the same to the
club annually and at any other time upon request by the board; collect and account for
dues, meal charges, and other member financial obligations to the club and RI; and to
perform such other duties as pertain to the office of treasurer. Upon retirement from
office, the treasurer shall turn over to the incoming treasurer or to the president all
funds, books of accounts, or any other club property. To assist the treasurer, a billing
clerk and/or a meeting clerk may be appointed by the president.
Sec. 7. Sergeant-at-Arms. The
duties of sergeant-at-arms shall be such as are usually prescribed for such office and
such other duties as may be prescribed by the president or the board. The sergeant-at-arms
shall appoint an assistant sergeant-at-arms for each month. The assistant shall be
responsible for announcing guests and visiting Rotarians and providing for the
invocation.
ART. IV
Meetings
Sec. 1. Annual Meetings.
An annual meeting of this club shall be held the second Thursday in December of each
Rotary year.
Sec. 2. One-third of the
membership shall constitute a quorum at the annual or regular meetings of the club,
except as provided in the RI bylaws.
Sec. 3. The board shall set the day, time, and location of the regular weekly meetings.
Attendance requirements by members shall be in compliance with the club constitution.
Maintaining at least 60% attendance in each half of the Rotary year shall be
emphasized.
Sec. 4. Regular meetings of
the board shall be held monthly as decided by the board. Special meetings of the board
shall be called by the president, whenever deemed necessary, or upon the request of two
(2) members of the board, due notice having been given.
Sec. 5. A majority of the board
members shall constitute a quorum for regular and special board
meetings.
ART. V.
Fees and Dues
Sec. 1. An admission fee and a
new member materials fee, as set by the board, shall be paid before an applicant (except
an honorary member) can qualify as a member, except that any transferring former member of
another club or former member of this club who is accepted into membership of this club
shall not be required to pay a second admission fee.
Sec. 2. Every member shall pay
annual dues. The membership dues, as determined by Rotary International, District, and the
club board, shall be assessed quarterly and remitted when billed.
ART. VI
Method of Voting
The business of this club shall
be transacted by viva voce vote except contested elections of officers and directors, or
other elections as deemed appropriate by the board, which shall be by
ballot.
ART. VII
Avenues of Service and Committees
Sec. 1.(a) This club shall have
four avenues of service: Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, and
International Service.
(b) Each avenue of service
shall have two board members B a chair (2nd year board director) and a co-chair (1st year
board director). The co-chair shall move up to chair in his/her 2nd year. The president
shall be an ex-officio member of all avenues of service.
(c)The president shall, subject
to the approval of the board: (1) appoint committees on particular aspects of club
service, vocational service, community service, and international service as deemed
necessary; and (2) select a chair and co-chair for each committee so appointed.
(d) Each avenue of service
shall also be comprised of the chairs of each committee within the avenue of service. The
board shall establish the budget allocation for each avenue of service. The avenue of
service shall be responsible for allocating budget authority to each committee within the
avenue of service subject to ratification by the board.
(e) Each committee within
an avenue of service shall transact such business as is delegated to it by the bylaws and
such additional business as may be referred to it by the president or the board. Except
where special authority is given by the board, such committees shall not take action until
a report has been made by the avenue of service to the board and approved by the
board.
(f) The president shall,
subject to the approval of the board, have authority to appoint ad hoc committees to
conduct delegated business of the club as necessary.
Sec. 2. Club Service. Club
Service shall have committees as appointed in Sec. 1 (c), which include the following
aspects of club service: attendance, membership appraisal, membership development,
orientation, membership retention, club administration, fellowship, music, and
classification.
Sec. 3. Community Service.
Community Service shall have committees as appointed in Sec. 1 (c), which include the
following aspects of community service: human development, community
development,
partners in service, scholarships, fundraising, youth programs, and volunteer
recognition.
Sec. 4. Vocational Service.
Vocational Service shall have committees as appointed in Sec. 1 (c), which include the
following aspects of vocational service: club history, member relations, club publicity,
vocational awareness, and vocational awards.
Sec. 5. International Service.
International Service shall have committees as appointed in Sec. 1 (c), which include the
following aspects of international service: group study exchange, Rotary Foundation, world
community service, and international youth exchange.
ART. VIII
Aspects of Club Service
Sec. 1. Attendance. This
aspect includes encouraging attendance at all Rotary meetings B including attendance at
district events B by all club members. It shall especially encourage attendance at
regular meetings of other clubs when unable to attend meetings of this club; keep all
members informed on attendance requirements; promote incentives for good attendance; and
seek to ascertain and remove the conditions that contribute to unsatisfactory attendance.
Sec. 2. Membership Appraisal.
This aspect includes considering all proposals for membership from the personal side and
thoroughly investigating the character, business, social, and community standing, and
general eligibility of all persons proposed for membership and reporting their decisions
on all applications to the board.
Sec. 3. Membership
Development. This aspect includes taking positive action to bring into the club suitable
persons to fill unfilled classifications.
Sec. 4. Orientation. This
aspect includes informing prospective members about the privileges and responsibilities
of Rotary club membership; keeping members informed about the history, object, and
activities of Rotary at all levels; and overseeing the integration of new members in the
club.
Sec. 5. Membership Retention.
This aspect includes adopting activities and programs to remind members B especially new
members B of the value of Rotary membership and to encourage the maintenance of
same.
Sec. 6. Club Administration.
This aspect includes all functions required for the smooth weekly operation of the club
including the provision of meals, meeting place, mementos, work materials, and
other
appropriate items.
Sec. 7. Fellowship. This
aspect includes the promotion of acquaintances and friendship among the members,
participation by members in organized Rotary recreational and social activities, and
doing such work in pursuance of the general object of the club as may be assigned by the
president or the board.
Sec. 8. Music. This aspect
includes encouraging singing during club functions and providing song sheets, song
leaders, accompanists, and musical instruments.
Sec. 9. Classification. This
aspect includes assigning classifications to new members as well as regularly reviewing
the club roster of filled and unfilled classifications.
ART. IX
Aspects of Community Service
Sec. 1. Human Development.
This aspect includes devising and implementing plans that will guide and assist the
members of this club in dealing within the community with the welfare of all human beings
by providing assistance and support to those in need.
Sec. 2. Community Development.
This aspect includes devising and implementing plans that will guide and assist the
members of this club in working to make the community a better place to live by improving
the physical condition of the community, its facilities, and
environment.
Sec. 3. Partners in Service.
This aspect includes devising and implementing plans that will guide and assist the
members of this club in building relationships with other Rotary-sponsored organizations
within the community and in cooperating with them in service.
Sec. 4. Scholarships. This
aspect includes devising and implementing plans that will provide competitive scholarship
support for students graduating from Fayetteville high schools wishing to attend the
University of Arkansas and other scholarships as adopted by the board.
Sec. 5. Fundraising. This
aspect includes devising and implementing plans for club-sponsored fundraising activities
used to support the charitable giving of the club.
Sec. 6. Youth Programs. This
aspect includes devising and implementing plans for the support of youth activities
including Interact, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, youth sports, youth clubs, and other
activities or organizations designed to improve the social, leadership, athletic, and
scholastic skills of community youth.
Sec. 7. Volunteer Recognition.
This aspect includes devising and implementing plans to promote the recognition of the
club and club members through club, district, zone, and Rotary International awards and
recognition activities.
ART. X
Aspects of Vocational Service
Sec. 1. Club History. This
aspect includes devising and implementing plans to collect, record, research, print,
post, and otherwise share with club members and preserve for posterity the history of
this club since its inception.
Sec. 2. Member Relations. This
aspect includes devising and implementing plans, through the publication of a club
bulletin (Fayrotales), maintenance of a club bulletin board, electronic
communication, and other forms of communication, to stimulate interest and improve
attendance; announce the program of the forthcoming meeting; relate highlights of the
previous meeting and club activities; promote fellowship; contribute to the Rotary
education of all members; report news of the club, its members, and of world-wide Rotary
programs; and such other purposes as will benefit the club.
Sec. 3. Club Publicity. This
aspect includes devising and implementing plans to give the public general information
about Rotary -- its history, object, scope, and current activities -- and to secure
proper publicity for the club through all forms of media and other information
outlets.
Sec. 4. Vocational Awareness.
This aspect includes devising and implementing plans that will guide and assist the
members of this club in discharging their responsibilities in their vocational
relationships and in improving the general standards of practice in their respective
vocations. It also includes arranging club visits to places of work and classification
talks.
Sec. 5. Vocational Awards.
This aspect includes devising and implementing plans that promote the 4-Way Test
competition, the Rotary Recreational and Vocational Fellowships, and vocational ethics
awards.
ART. XI
Aspects of International Service
Sec. 1. Group Study Exchange.
This aspect includes devising and implementing plans to promote the Group Study Exchange
program including arranging host coordination, reports, and publicity.
Sec. 2. World Community
Service. This aspect includes devising and implementing plans to promote the District
Medical Supply Network or successor program and encourage and coordinate club
international projects.
Sec. 3. Rotary Foundation.
This aspect includes devising and implementing plans to promote the Rotary Foundation
including promotion of Paul Harris Fellows and Sustaining Members, the Community
Assistance Program, Humanitarian Grants, PolioPlus, Ambassadorial Scholarships,
Grants for University Teachers, and other Rotary Foundation initiatives by providing to
club members of appropriate information.
Sec. 4. International Youth Exchange.
This aspect includes devising and implementing plans to promote all phases of the International
Youth Exchange program.
ART. XII
Leave of Absence
Upon written application to the
board, setting forth good and sufficient cause, a leave of absence may be granted excusing
a member from attending club meetings and paying for meals for a specified length of time not
to exceed six months. A member must have no outstanding debts to the club to receive a leave
of absence and must continue to pay dues.
ART. XIII
Finances
Sec. 1.
The treasurer, or meeting clerk if appointed, shall deposit all funds of the club in a bank
and/or investment firm to be named by the board.
Sec. 2. All bills shall be paid
only by checks signed by the treasurer or president. The treasurer shall verify with the
president and/or Avenue of Service chair, when necessary, the obligation of the club to make
payments.
Sec. 3. An audit of all the
financial transactions of the club by a certified public accountant shall be accomplished
at the discretion of the board. Further, at the discretion of the board, a review committee
may be formed from time to time to review all financial records of the club and report to
the board.
Sec. 4. Officers and board members
having charge or control of funds shall give bond as may be required by the board for the
safe custody of the funds of the club, the cost of bond to be borne by the club.
Sec. 5. The fiscal year of
this club shall extend from 1 July to 30 June. The collection of members dues shall be
divided into four (4) quarterly payments. The payment of per capita dues and magazine
subscriptions to RI shall be made on 1 July and 1 January of each year on the basis
of the membership of the club on those dates. Magazine subscriptions for members joining
during the year are payable upon invoice from Rotary International.
Sec. 6. The cost of weekly
meals, as determined by the board, shall be assessed per capita on a per-plate basis.
Each member shall be liable for the costs of his/her meals, whether eaten or not, unless
excused by the board or unless that member has been credited with a "make-up"
at another Rotary club.
Sec. 7. At the beginning of
each fiscal year the board shall prepare or cause to be prepared a budget of estimated
income and estimated expenditures for the year, which, having been agreed to by the
board, shall stand as the limit of expenditures for the respective purposes unless
otherwise ordered by action of
the board. Once the budget is adopted, each avenue of
service shall have delegated budget authority as found in Art. VII, Sec. (1)
(d).
ART. XIV
Method of
Electing Members
Sec. 1. The name of a
prospective member proposed by an active member of the club, or another Rotary club in the
case of a former member of that club, shall be submitted to the board in writing, through
the club's secretary. The proposal for the time being shall be kept confidential except as
otherwise provided in this procedure.
Sec. 2. The board shall ensure
that the proposed member meets all the classification and membership requirements of the
club constitution. Authority to assess whether the prospective member meets all the
classification and membership requirements is delegated to the committee(s) that
include(s) these aspects
of service. Such committee(s) shall submit a report to the
board through the club secretary.
Sec. 3. Upon receipt of the
committee(s) report(s), the board may approve or disapprove the proposal within thirty
(30) days of its submission, and shall notify the proposing member, through the secretary,
of its decision. Failure to act within thirty (30) days shall be deemed an
approval.
Sec. 4. If the decision of the
board is favorable, the proposed member shall be requested to sign the membership proposal
form and to permit his or her name and proposed classification to be published to the
club.
Sec. 5. If no written
objection to the proposal, stating reasons, is received by the secretary from any member
(other than honorary) of the club within seven (7) days following publication of
information about the prospective member, that person, upon payment of the new member
materials fee and the admission fee (not an honorary member or a former Rotary member),
and completion of orientation on the purposes and history of Rotary and of the privileges
and responsibilities of membership, as prescribed
in these bylaws, shall be considered
accepted for membership. If any such objection has been filed with the board or secretary,
it shall be processed by the secretary, who shall provide the board with adequate
information to vote on this matter at its next meeting. If approved despite the objection,
the proposed
member, upon payment of the admission fee and completion of orientation,
as prescribed above, shall be considered to be accepted into
membership.
Sec. 6. Following acceptance
into membership, the president shall arrange for the formal induction of the new member;
the secretary shall issue a membership card, a club badge, and appropriate literature and
shall report the new member to RI; and the secretary shall assign the new member to a
committee. It is expected that the proposing member will assist the new member with
assimilation into the club.
ART.XV
Resolutions
No resolution or motion to
commit this club on any matter shall be considered by the club until it has been considered
by the board. Such resolutions or motions, if offered at a club meeting, shall be referred
to the board without discussion.
ART. XVI
Order of Business
The President shall have the
authority to establish the order of business for both club and board meetings. The regular
order of business for club meetings shall be:
Call to order
Patriotic
song
Pledge of Allegiance
Invocation
Fellowship song
Introduction of guests
and visiting Rotarians
Special announcements and introductions
Program
Close and adjournment
The regular order of business
for board meetings shall be:
Call to order
Reading of
minutes
Old business
Avenue reports
Officer reports
New business
Adjournment
ART. XVII
Amendments
These bylaws may be amended
at any regular meeting of the club, a quorum being present, by a two-thirds vote of all
members present, provided that notice of such proposed amendment shall have been conveyed,
either through the U.S. mail, electronic mail, facsimile transmission, or such other
method as designed to give actual notice, to each member at least ten (10) days before
such meeting. No amendment or addition to these bylaws can be made which is in conflict
with the club constitution or with the constitution and bylaws of RI.
ART. XVIII
Miscellaneous
Sec. 1. The board shall have
the authority to hire members and/or nonmembers for services rendered to the club.
Sec. 2. The board shall have
the authority to establish binding policy for the club providing such policy is not in
conflict with these bylaws, the club constitution, or the constitution and bylaws of RI.
Such policy shall only be in effect at the pleasure of the board, be published upon
adoption, and shall be maintained by the secretary in a manual of club policies and
procedures.
Sec. 3. The rules of order
for the annual meeting and resolutions and motions brought before the club shall be the
latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order.
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