By Laws & Constitution

ARTICLE I - NAME AND OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION

1. This association shall be known as the “Camden Alumni Association.”

2. The objectives of this Association shall be as follows:
to form a permanent organization of the alumni of Camden High School and Camden Central School;
to maintain and promote the loyalty of the alumni to Camden Central School, and to promote the interests of Camden Central School generally;
to provide for the mutual enjoyment and entertainment of its members;
to hold meetings and social gatherings for the better realization of such purpose; and
to provide a scholarship award(s) to deserving student(s) of the current graduating class of CCS.

3. The Association shall grant scholarship awards to deserving Camden graduates each year. The number and amount of the awards shall: be determined according to the balance in the Scholarship Fund; be announced by the Association by January 15; and apply to the current graduating class.


ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP

1. The membership of this Association shall consist of all those persons who have been awarded a high school diploma or a New York State Regents diploma upon completion of the high school course at Camden High School or Camden Central School, or previous students of the Camden Schools who have earned a Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED). Active membership shall be defined as any member whose membership dues are paid up to the current expiration date. The membership expiration date shall be the date of the Annual Meeting of the Association.

2. The Association Board may elect honorary members by a unanimous vote of the Board. Honorary members shall be exempt from the payment of dues. Honorary members shall be entitled to all of the privileges of regular members except that they shall not have the right to vote at meetings or to hold office

3. The annual dues shall be fixed by the Board with approval of the membership, and shall be payable in advance, or on the date of the annual meeting of the membership. A statement of dues shall be sent to each member with the notice of the annual meeting.

4. The purpose of membership dues is to provide operating funds to conduct the business of the Association.


ARTICLE III - GOVERNMENT

1. The general management of the affairs, funds, and property of the Association shall be vested in the Alumni Association Board.

2. The fiscal year of the Association shall be from June 1 through May 31.

3. The officers of the Board shall consist of: President; Vice-President; 2nd Vice-President; Secretary; Treasurer; Immediate Past President; Registrar; Alumni Scholarship Chairperson; and nine directors.

4. The duties of the President shall be:
* to carry out tasks determined by the Board;
* to preside at all meetings of the members, and at all meetings of the Board;
* to appoint committees as deemed necessary by the President; the Board; or by the members at an annual meeting or at a special meeting;
* be a member ex-officio, with right to vote, of all committees except the nominating committee.

5. In the event of the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall perform the President’s duties, and in the event of the absence of both the President and Vice-President, the 2nd Vice-President shall preside and assume the duties of the President.

6. The duties of the Vice-President shall be:
* to carry out tasks assigned by the Board or President;
* to perform the duties of President, in the absence of the President;
* to organize the Annual Meeting and Banquet, in cooperation with the President and the Registrar.

7. The duties of the 2nd Vice-President shall be:
* to carry out tasks assigned by the Board or President;
* to perform the duties of the President in the absence of both the President and Vice-President;
* to carry out plans, as determined by the Board, to increase the active membership, in cooperation with the Registrar.

8. The duties of the Secretary shall be:
* carry out tasks assigned by the Board or the President;
* to give notice of all meetings of the members of the Association, and all meetings of the Board, and to keep a record of their proceedings;
* to conduct all correspondence;
* to prepare an annual report of the transactions and condition of the Association for submission to the annual meeting.

9. The duties of the Treasurer shall be:
* to carry out tasks assigned by the Board or the President;
* to develop an annual Association budget, in cooperation with the President;
* to maintain custody of all moneys of the Association;
* to deposit all moneys in the name of the Association in bank accounts as the Board shall designate;
* to disburse money for all Board-approved budgetary expenditures on order of the President;
* to keep regular and accurate financial accounts of Association receipts and disbursements;
* to submit such records when requested by the Board;
* to give an itemized statement of the Association’s financial status at the annual meeting of the members.
* to update the signature cards for all bank accounts as needed by obtaining the signatures of the current President and Treasurer as co-signers for all accounts.

10. The duties of the Registrar shall be:
* to carry out tasks assigned by the Board or the President;
* to maintain an up to date record of all active and inactive members of the Association;
* to perform the registration tasks for the Association Annual Meeting and Banquet;
* to assist the Vice President in the process of organizing and conducting the Annual Meeting and Banquet;
* to increase active membership in the Association, in cooperation with the 2nd Vice President and Membership Directors;

11. The Duties of the Alumni Scholarship Chairperson shall be:
* to carry out the tasks assigned by the Board or the President;
* to solicit donations to the Alumni Scholarship Fund, in cooperation with the Immediate Past President;
* to maintain a record of donations to the Alumni Scholarship Fund;
* to convene and preside over the Scholarship Committee, as an ex-officio member;
* to determine whether each scholarship recipient qualifies for payment;
* to notify the Treasurer of qualified scholarship recipient names so that the Treasurer can make payments by October 1.

12. The duties of Immediate Past President shall be:
* to carry out tasks assigned by the Board or the President;
* to honor the outgoing President when the President’s term is completed;
* to sit on the Alumni Scholarship Committee as a voting member;
* to assist the Alumni Scholarship Chairperson in carrying out the duties of the office;

13. The duties of Board Directors shall be:
* to carry out tasks assigned by the Board or the President;
* to participate on one of three sub-committees: Banquet and Annual Meeting, Scholarship, or Membership, and assist the respective presiding sub-committee officer in carrying out the functions of that sub-committee. No three directors from the same “class” of directors (see Article V, Section 3) shall serve on the same sub-committee.


ARTICLE IV- MEETINGS

1. The annual meeting of the membership shall be held on a Saturday prior to commencement weekend at an hour and place to be determined at the annual meeting in June. Notice of the time and place of the meeting shall be mailed to all active members at their last recorded addresses not less than ten, nor more than sixty, days before the date of the meeting, and also by causing a copy of the notice to be published at least twice in a newspaper having general circulation in Oneida County, the first publication to be not more than sixty days prior to the meeting and the second publication to be not less than ten days before the meeting.

2. Special meetings of the membership may be called by the Board whenever they shall consider it necessary. Upon the written request of twenty active members of the Association, the Board shall convene a special meeting. Notice shall be given in the same manner as the notice of an annual meeting. No business other than that specified in the notice of meeting shall be transacted at a special meeting. At all meetings of the membership, either regular or special, ten active members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If a quorum shall not be present, the presiding officer may adjourn the meeting to a day and hour fixed by him/her.

3. Meetings of membership may be held at any place in Oneida County or any adjoining county.

4. All meetings shall be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order. At the Annual Meeting of the Membership, the order of business shall be as follows:
a. Presentation of the minutes of the previous Annual Meeting for information and approval;
b. Presentation of Reports of Officers;
c. Presentation of Reports of Committees;
d. Election of Officers and Directors;
e. Unfinished business;
f. New business.

5. Meetings of the Board shall be called by the President whenever the President shall consider it necessary, or by the Secretary upon request of any two members of the Board. An annual organization meeting of the Board shall be held as soon as convenient after the Annual Meeting of the membership, but must be completed by January 1. Notice of all meetings of the Board shall be given by mailing notice to each Board member at the last recorded address for each at least five days before such meeting, or in the alternative, notice may be given to each Board member personally, or by telephone two days before such meeting.

6. Nine members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

7. Meetings of the Association Board may be held at any place within Oneida County.


ARTICLE V - ELECTION OF OFFICERS

1. During the month of January or February each year, but no later than February 15, the President shall appoint a nominating committee of three active members, none of whom shall be a member of the Board. It shall be the duty of the nominating committee to nominate candidates for offices to be filled at the next annual meeting.

2. The Officers of the Association shall be elected by ballot that shall be mailed to active members with the announcement of the Annual Meeting and Banquet. Provisions for write-in candidates shall be included on the ballot. Election outcomes shall be determined by a simple majority of the ballots cast for a given candidate. In the event of a tie, the outcome shall be determined by vote of the Board.

3. The directors shall be divided into three classes. At the first annual meeting, three directors shall be elected to serve for one year, three directors for two years, and three directors for three years. Upon the expiration of the terms of each class of directors, three new directors shall be elected to succeed them for full terms of three years, and thereafter the terms of all directors shall be three years.

4. The terms of office for officers of the Association shall be:
* President: two years, succeeding from the office of Vice-President;
* Vice-President: two years, succeeding from the office of 2nd Vice President;
* 2nd Vice President: two years, shall succeed to the office of Vice President;
* Secretary: one year, no term limit;
* Treasurer: one year, no term limit;
* Registrar: one year, no term limit;
* Alumni Scholarship Chairperson : one year, no term limit;
* Immediate Past President: serves two years after completing the Presidency.

5. All newly elected, or continuing, officers shall be installed at the Annual Meeting and commence their terms at that time.

6. If a vacancy shall occur among the officers of the Association Board, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Board, and the appointed person shall hold office until the date that term of office expires. A vacancy of office due to inactivity of an Officer for a period of one year shall result in the termination of the person’s term. This action shall be taken by the Board, with replacement as stated above.


ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

1. The foregoing bylaws may be amended only by a majority vote of the active members present at an annual meeting, or by a majority vote of the active members present at a special meeting provided that the notice of such special meeting contains a description of the proposed amendment.


ARTICLE VII - AMENDMENTS

1. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Association is organized exclusively for one or more of the following purposes: religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, as specified in section 501, c (3) of the Internal revenue Code of 1954, and shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an association exempt from Federal Income Tax under section 501 c (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. Accepted: 02/28/1978

2. No part of the net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of any members, trustee, director, officer of the association, or any private individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the association), and no member, trustee, officer of the association or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the Association’s assets on dissolution of the Association. Accepted: 02/28/1978

3. No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided by Internal Revenue Code section 501 h) or participating in, or intervening in (including the publication or distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Accepted: 02/28/1978

4. In the event of dissolution, all of the remaining assets and property of the Association shall after necessary expenses thereof be distributed to such organizations as shall qualify under section 501 c (3) of the Internal revenue Code of 1954, as amended , or to another organization to be used in such manner as in the judgment of a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York will best accomplish the general purpose for which this association was formed. Accepted: 02/28/1978

5. A Scholarship Committee shall consist of the President; the Immediate Past President; and five (5) other active members of the Association. The Alumni Scholarship Chairperson shall also be a member of the Committee Ex Officio (without the power to vote). The five active members shall be appointed to the Committee by the Scholarship Chairperson in cooperation with the President and Immediate Past President.

It shall be the responsibility of the Scholarship Committee to establish the selection criteria by which scholarship grants are awarded, subject to approval of the Association Board. Selection criteria shall be approved prior to the public announcement of a new round of scholarship competition, and shall be included in the public announcement.

The Committee shall, by majority vote, select the scholarship recipients from the applications submitted by qualified members of the current graduating class.

The President shall have the power to convene the Scholarship Committee in sufficient time to hold three (3) scholarship meetings, if deemed necessary, to review the applications.

Camden Alumni Association Bylaws ratified January 12, 2004. Prepared by WJH.