CCSG AIG - By-Laws

By-Laws

Article I

Name

The name of this organization shall be the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments Alumni Interest Group (CCSG AIG) of the Pennsylvania State University. For naming convention in this document, and elsewhere, the CCSG AIG shall be referred to as the AIG or the Group.
Article II

Purpose

The purpose of the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments Alumni Interest Group shall be:
1. To foster Penn State pride among CCSG alumni and Commonwealth Campus students, faculty and staff;
2. To support the endeavors of the Penn State Alumni Association by connecting CCSG alumni to their respective home campuses, CCSG, and the University as a whole;
3. To provide a forum for CCSG alumni to communicate with one another, as well as to meet with current CCSG campus members and staff to further the vision and goals of CCSG.
Article III

Membership

There shall be two classes of membership in the CCSG AIG: General Members and Honorary Members. General Members shall include all former members of the Council of Commonwealth tudent Governments, or past incarnations of the organization. Honorary Members shall be nominated by any General Member and granted membership by the AIG Board of Directors.

Membership shall be established by the following criteria:
1. General Members
  - Individuals who graduated from the Pennsylvania State University as members of CCSG in the roles of either Council member, committee member, or central staff member shall be rovided with automatic General Member status in the AIG;
  - Individuals who were members of CCSG in the roles of either Council member, committee member, or staff member for at least one full academic year prior to their departure from the University and/or resignation or disaffiliation with CCSG shall be eligible for General Member status;
    1. To obtain General Member status, an individual must submit a formal written request to the AIG Board of Directors, or be nominated by a current General Member;
    2. A 2/3 vote of the AIG Board of Directors is required to grant General Member status to an individual under these circumstances.
2. Honorary Members
  - The designation of Honorary Member may be granted to those University alumni, faculty or staff with a special interest in the promotion of the health and well-being of the Commonwealth locations.
    1. To obtain Honorary Member status, an individual must be nominated by a member of the AIG Board of Directors;
    2. A 2/3 vote of the AIG Board of Directors is required to grant Honorary Member status to an individual under these circumstances.
Article IV

Board Of Directors - Overview
1. All affairs of the CCSG AIG shall be conducted by the AIG Board of Directors (referred to as the Board), consisting of the following members:
  1. Seven (7) voting members, who shall be elected at-large by the members of the AIG, will comprise the Executive Board of the AIG Board of Directors:
    1. President
    2. Vice President
    3. Secretary
    4. Treasurer
    5. Parliamentarian
    6. Two (2) At-Large Board Members
  2. The immediate past President of the AIG (serving in the capacity as an Associate Board member), who shall also have voting privileges;
  3. Three (3) ex-officio, non-voting individuals, serving in the capacity as Associate Board members:
    1. The immediate past President of the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments;
    2. The current President of the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, or his/her designated representative;
    3. The current Council of Commonwealth Student Governments advisor.
2. The seven Executive members of the Board of Directors shall be elected to a two-year term of office. Refer to Article IX - Election Protocol for AIG Board of Directors.
3. Terms of office for all members (Executive and Associate) of the Board of Directors shall commence no later than two weeks after the notification of the election results to the AIG membership.
4. Executive members of the Board of Directors who fail to attend an “acceptable and reasonable” number of meetings (including AIG-sponsored events, AIG Board meetings, and conference calls) each year and/or fail to contribute substantially in their role on the Board, and to the organization, may be removed from their position. Refer to Article VI - Board of Directors - Removal From Office.
5. Executive and Associate members of the AIG Board of Directors shall serve without compensation for their time and service to the organization.
6. No voting member of the AIG Board of Directors may be elected to the same position for more than two consecutive terms.
7. The AIG Board of Directors shall oversee the establishment, work and, if necessary, disbanding of all committees in the organization.
Article V

Board Of Directors - Executive Members
1. The Executive members of the AIG Board of Directors shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian. Additionally, two (2) at-large member seats retain Executive member privileges.
2. The duties of the Executive members of the AIG Board of Directors are as follows:
  1. The President shall be the chief operational officer of the organization, provide direction and vision for the organization, be the primary spokesperson, maintain direct lines of communication with the Penn State Alumni Association, and preside over all meetings of the AIG Board of Directors and of the organization.
  2. The Vice President shall coordinate the affairs and activities of the organization's committees and projects. The Vice President will also assume the duties of the President in his/her absence, and assume the role of President should it be vacated mid-term.
  3. The Secretary shall keep the records of the organization and record/distribute all correspondence for the organization. The Secretary is also responsible for maintaining accurate and timely minutes of all meetings (Board of Directors meetings, conference calls) of the organization, its committees and projects.
  4. The Treasurer shall have custody and control of the organization's funds, and will establish/maintain a depositary account for the placement of these funds. The Treasurer will also maintain complete and accurate records for the organization and present a financial report twice-yearly at meetings of the organization.
  5. The Parliamentarian shall conduct all formal meetings of the AIG and the Board of Directors, employing a relaxed form of Robert's Rules of Order. The Parliamentarian will coordinate with the Board President to establish meeting agendas, timelines and locations.
  6. The At-Large Board Member positions (two) will serve in the capacity to assist the Board in achieving the goals set out for the term. Said activities can include, but are not limited to, the following: assisting/heading AIG committees; serving in the capacity of a vacant Board role; spearheading special projects as determined by the Board.
Article VI

Board Of Directors - Removal From Office
1. Executive members of the AIG Board of Directors serve at the pleasure of the organization, and are therefore accountable to the organization and their fellow Board members. Associate members of the AIG Board of Directors are guaranteed term positions for the individuals outlined in Article IV, but can be relinquished or transferred to a properly-designated individual, as noted.
2. Executive members of the Board of Directors who fail to attend an “acceptable and reasonable” number of meetings (including AIG-sponsored events, AIG Board meetings, and conference calls) each year and/or fail to contribute substantially in their role on the Board, and to the organization, may be removed from their position.
3. Procedures for removal:
  1. A written request for removal of a Board member must come from another Board member and be sent to the Board President, providing information to support the request. Information to support this can include, but is not limited to, the following:
    - Gross neglect of elected duties;
    - Lack of participation in events/meetings/conference calls;
    - Consistently-missed deadlines;
    - Lack of progress on assigned projects;
    - Misuse of organization funds
  2. Within 48 hours (two calendar days) of receipt of such a written request, the Board President must notify, in writing, said Board member of the request for removal and inform that individual of their duty to provide a rebuttal (information to the contrary), in writing, within 72 hours (three calendar days). Also, within 48 hours (two calendar days) of receipt of such a written request, the Board President must notify the remainder of the Executive Board members of the request for removal.
  3. Upon receipt of a rebuttal, the Board President will provide this information to the other Executive Board members. The Board President must also convene a special meeting of the Executive Board (whether in-person or via conference call) within one week (seven calendar days) to present the issue to the AIG Board for resolution.
  4. During this special meeting, the Board President shall convey the allegations against the individual to the rest of the Board. The individual, in turn, will have the opportunity to provide a rebuttal. A period of discussion will follow in which the Executive Board members will determine if there is sufficient evidence to move forward with removal procedures.
    - If it is found that removal procedures are not warranted, the matter will be considered resolved. Removal procedures can not be brought against the same Board member for the next 60 calendar days.
    - If it is found that removal procedures are warranted, a majority vote (one more than half) of the Executive Board will be needed to carry out this action.
      1. If a majority in favor of removal is not achieved, the matter of removal will be considered closed. Removal procedures can not be brought against the same Board member for the next 60 calendar days.
      2. If a majority in favor of removal is achieved, the individual Board member will relinquish their position effective immediately, and will forward any AIG-related documentation/information to the Board President within seven calendar days (one week).
4. If any officer position becomes vacant during the calendar year, the Board of Directors shall elect a new officer from other current members of the Board, or open elections to the full AIG membership. If open elections are held, the procedures used for general AIG Board elections will take precedence. See Article IX - Election Protocol for AIG Board of Directors.
5. The newly-appointed/elected Board member shall serve for the remainder of the vacated term, not a full two-year cycle.
Article VII

Board Of Directors - Meetings
1. There shall be, at a minimum, two regularly-scheduled in-person meetings of the full Board of Directors per calendar year. These meetings are open to all CCSG members and CCSG alumni.
2. To maintain communication and progress during the year, regularly-scheduled conference calls via telephone will occur. The Board President shall develop a schedule for these conference calls.
3. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by, or at the request of, the Board President. In his/her absence, the Vice President or a total of any five Board members (Executive or Associate) in office at that time may call for a special meeting.
4. At meetings of the Board of Directors, quorum (one more than half of the voting Board members) shall be necessary to transact business.
5. The actions of a majority of the Board members present at a meeting at which quorum is established shall constitute an official act of the CCSG AIG Board of Directors.
6. A relaxed form of Robert's Rules of Order shall serve as the guiding method of parliamentary procedure for all meetings of the AIG Board of Directors and the AIG in general. The relaxed guidelines will be determined jointly by the Parliamentarian and the President of the Board.
Article VIII

AIG Member Meetings
1. The annual CCSG AIG all-member meeting will be held on a date and at a location set by the AIG Board of Directors. Written notice of the date and location shall be conveyed to the membership by the Secretary at least one month in advance of the meeting.
2. Any action decided upon by a majority of the members present at the annual meeting shall constitute an official act of the CCSG AIG.

Article IX

Election Protocol For AIG Board Of Directors

Executive Board members of the AIG are elected to a two-year term, commencing in the spring (March/April) of odd-numbered calendar years.
No Executive Board member of the AIG Board of Directors may be elected to the same position for more than two consecutive terms.
Only registered and dues-paying members of the Penn State Alumni Association may run for, and hold, elected office in the CCSG AIG.

The following tables provide a template for an election schedule, as well as specific actions and responsible parties to conduct an election:

Table 1 - Template for CCSG AIG Board Elections
Template - CCSG AIG Board Election Schedule
Date(s)	Action
End of 1st full week of March	Election guidelines and instructions sent to full AIG membership via email or website
2nd and 3rd full weeks of March	Candidate announcement period
End of 3rd full week of March	Candidates' statements (five-sentence maximum) due to AIG Board President by close of business
End of 3rd full week of March	List of candidates and supporting statements sent to AIG membership via email or website
4th full week of March	Voting via email for next CCSG AIG Board
End of 1st full week of April	Election results announced via email and website
End of 3rd full week of April	New CCSG AIG Board members assume roles

Table 2 - Template for CCSG AIG Board Election Actions and Responsibilities
Template - CCSG AIG Board Election Actions and Responsible Parties
Action	Responsible Party
Election guidelines and instructions sent to AIG membership via email and website	Current AIG President
Candidate announcement period - candidates notify current AIG President of intent to run	Candidates
Candidates' five-sentence statement of intent to run for office due to current AIG President by close of business, 3rd week of March	Candidates
List of candidates and statements sent to AIG membership via email and website	Current AIG President
Designation of election proctors to collect email/website vote tallies	Current AIG President and election proctors
Voting via email for next AIG Board	AIG general membership
Election results announced via email and website	Current AIG President and election proctors
Transition of new AIG Board members into elected roles	Outgoing and incoming AIG Board members

All Board positions will be filled by the highest number of votes received for that specific position, depending upon the number of candidates running for each position.
In the event of a tie, a separate run-off election will be conducted at the direction of the current AIG Board President prior to the newly-elected AIG Board taking office.
If a position is left vacant after an election, due to a lack of candidates, the duties of that position will either be absorbed by other elected Board members, or an elected At-Large Board member will be designated to that position. This will be at the discretion of the incoming Board President.
If a position is left vacant during the course of a two-year term, due to removal or resignation, the Board President will inform the general AIG membership and accept nominations to fill the vacancy. Upon receipt of nominations, the AIG Board of Directors shall select, by majority vote, the candidate to fill the vacancy. (NOTE: Should the Board President vacate his/her position mid-term, the Board Vice President will automatically assume the role of Board President and conduct the vacancy-filling process listed.)

Article X

CCSG AIG Funding, Expenses, And Reimbursements
1. Annually (every July), the CCSG AIG receives an allotment from the Penn State Alumni Association. This allotment is used for all AIG activities - events, meetings, mailings. The AIG Board Treasurer is responsible for requesting, depositing, and tracking this allotment every year.
2. Currently, the CCSG AIG does not charge membership dues.
3. To conduct events and meetings for the AIG, it may be necessary to expend an AIG memberís individual funds and then seek reimbursement from the organization. The following should be adhered to when expending individualís funds and seeking reimbursement:
  1. The individual must obtain written or verbal permission from the AIG Board President or AIG Board Treasurer to expend funds that will later be reimbursed by the organization. An estimate of the proposed expended amount must also be disclosed.
  2. The item(s) purchased by the individual must be related to a CCSG AIG-sponsored or endorsed event/occurrence.
  3. Original receipts must accompany the request for reimbursement from the individual. Should the requested reimbursement amount vary greatly from the original estimate provided by the individual, it is at the discretion of the AIG Board to determine which of the two amounts will be reimbursed.
  4. The following is a list of reimbursable expenditures:
    - Food and beverages (non-alcoholic) for picnics, meetings, events
    - Park permits for events
    - Decorations for events and meetings
    - Postage for mailings
    - Printing costs
    - Registration fees for Penn State Alumni Association-sponsored training and conferences
    - Other items, deemed by the AIG Board, on a case-by-case basis
  5. The following items are not considered reimbursable expenditures:
    - Alcoholic beverages
    - Car mileage
    - Hotel room rentals for conferences
    - Telephone charges
    - Expenses for any item purchased that were not originally submitted to the AIG Board for consideration
    - Other items, deemed by the AIG Board, on a case-by-case basis
Article XI

Amendments
1. The AIG Board of Directors shall have the power to alter, amend, or repeal this Constitution and By-Laws document, or adopt new documents, for the greater good of the organization. Any such action requires two-thirds approval of the Executive Board members.
2. The CCSG AIG Constitution and By-Laws (and any subsequent amendments) must not be in conflict with or violation of the Constitution of the Penn State Alumni Association, the CCSG Constitution, or the rules and regulations for this AIG and similar AIG organizations as established by the Executive Board of the Penn State Alumni Council.

By-Laws

Name

Purpose

Membership

Board Of Directors - Overview

Board Of Directors - Executive Members

Board Of Directors - Removal From Office

Board Of Directors - Meetings

AIG Member Meetings

Election Protocol For AIG Board Of Directors

CCSG AIG Funding, Expenses, And Reimbursements

Amendments