Bylaws

The name of the organization shall be The William L. Reese II, PhD Emeritus Center at the University at Albany (“Emeritus Center” for short).

The purpose of the Emeritus Center is to encourage emeriti to continue research, teaching, and university service, with a strong sense of community. Encouraging the University to provide support in terms of space for those efforts is part of this purpose. In addition, the Emeritus Center will strive to provide programs of interest to the larger community and to contribute to the enhancement of the programs and education efforts at the University at Albany.

Membership in this organization shall be open to all persons granted emeritus status by the University at Albany; or, on request, to emeriti from any other State University of New York campus.

Honorary Membership: The Board may grant Honorary Membership to people who provide services to the Emeritus Center at the Board’s behest.

The business of this organization shall be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of members in two personnel categories: Representative Members and At-Large Members.

The Representative Members category includes emeriti from the various schools/colleges and library and from the University’s administrative divisions. Both groups are listed below.

The College of Arts & Sciences will have three Representatives, one from each of the three academic discipline groupings: Humanities & Fine Arts, Social & Behavioral Sciences, and Physical & Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The other Colleges/Schools and Library will each have one Representative. Appointments will be made by the Dean of each College/School/Library.

Each of the University’s administrative divisions (e.g. Student Affairs, Finance and Administration, University Advancement, Research, Academic Affairs, etc.) will have one Representative member, appointed by the respective Vice President.

The At-Large Members category is open to all emeriti. The number of At-Large members shall be no more than six.

Members in the Administrative and Professional categories and those serving At-Large shall be elected in accordance with Emeritus Center’s election procedures.

The Directors shall serve for a term of two years. Officers shall by virtue of their office be members of the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors shall have the control and management of the affairs and business of this organization. Such Board of Directors shall only act in the name of the organization when it shall be convened by its President after due notice to all the Directors of such meeting.

A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum and the meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held regularly.

Each Board member shall have one vote and such voting may not be done by proxy. All votes shall be by show of hands unless a majority of the Board elects another method.

The Board of Directors may make such rules and regulations covering its meetings as it may in its discretion determine necessary.

Board meetings shall be allowed to use electronic communications according to procedures approved by the Board.

Vacancies in the Board of Directors shall be filled by a vote of the majority of the remaining members of the Board of Directors for the balance of the term.

The officers of the organization shall be as follows:

President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Program Director
Communications Director
Hospitality Director
The Emeritus Center Board shall nominate and elect the officers of the organization.

The President shall preside at all meetings. S/he shall by virtue of her/his office be Chair of the Board of Directors. S/he shall present at each meeting of the organization a report on the work of the organization. S/he shall make individual appointments, as well as appointing all committees, temporary or permanent, as may be necessary to the operation of the organization. The Board may override such appointments. S/he shall see that all books, reports and certificates are properly kept and filed.

The Vice President shall in the event of the absence or inability of the President to exercise her/his office, become Acting President of the organization with all the rights, privileges and powers as if s/he had been the duly elected President.

The Treasure shall have the care and custody of all monies belonging to the organization and shall be solely responsible for such monies or securities of the organization. S/he shall exercise all duties incident to the office of Treasurer.

The Secretary shall keep the minutes and records of the organization. It shall be her/his duty to file any certificate required by any statute, federal or state. S/he shall give and serve all notices to members of this organization as necessary. S/he shall keep full records of the Minutes of the organization. S/he shall present to the membership at any meetings any communication addressed to her/him as Secretary of the organization. S/he shall submit to the Board of Directors any communications which shall be addressed to her/him as Secretary of the organization. S/he shall attend to all correspondence of the organization and shall exercise all duties incident to the office of Secretary.

The Program Director shall oversee, coordinate, and implement all the Emeritus Center Programs, in close consultation with Board members who, as a whole, function as the Program Committee.

The Communications Director shall promote the Emeritus Centers’ activities, transmit news of interest to its members, and maintain an automated directory of emeriti’s email addresses.

The Hospitality Director shall plan refreshments at Emeritus Center events.

No officer shall for reason of her/his office be entitled to receive any salary or compensation.

At a minimum, one membership meeting of this organization shall be held every two years. The Secretary shall send to all members, at their addresses as they appear in the membership list, a notice that includes the time and place of such meeting.

Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall take place at a time and place determined by the Board.

Any member of the Board can request a special meeting of the Board for a specific purpose. Such a request must be made to the President in writing. The request shall state the reasons for the meeting and the business to be transacted. The President shall decide whether the matter is sufficiently urgent to call a special meeting. S/he shall decide on the date of the meeting. No other business may be transacted at such special meeting without the unanimous consent of all present.

At all meetings, except for the election of Officers and Directors, all votes shall be by show of hands. The election of Directors (including Officers) shall be by secret ballot. All members may nominate or self-nominate Directors (including Officers). All motions will carry at a simple majority.

At any regular or special meeting, if a majority so requests, any question may be voted upon by secret ballot.

Approval of the Minutes of the preceding meeting.

Reports of Officers
Reports of Committees
Old and Unfinished Business
New Business
Adjournment

These By-Laws may be altered, amended, repealed or added to by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.