George Fox University | Alumni | Alumni Board Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF THE GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Alumni Association of George Fox University.

Section 2. The purpose of the Alumni Association and its board of directors shall be to strive for the advancement of George Fox University, to assist the work of the university management through mutually beneficial relationships with alumni, and to promote the Christian faith and lifestyles with which the university is identified.

ARTICLE II: Membership

Section 1. Regular membership. Regular members shall be graduates* and former students who were full-time students for at least one full year (36 hours for the trimester system or 24 hours for the semester system), and recipients of honorary degrees from George Fox University (Friends Pacific Academy, Pacific College, George Fox College, Western Evangelical School of Religion, & Western Evangelical Seminary). Students of less than one full year and alumni of Cascade College (records transferred to Seattle Pacific University) may become members by submitting a request in writing to the director of alumni.
* Includes all postbaccalaureate degree programs.

Section 2. Associate Membership

Part a. Present and former faculty of the university and spouses of regular members shall be associate members of
this association.

Part b. Parents of present and former students may have the privilege of becoming associate members by submitting a request in writing to the director of alumni.

Part c. Associate members shall have all the privileges of regular membership except those of voting and holding office in the association.

Article III: Board of Directors

Section 1. Membership. There shall be a board of directors (hereafter referred to as the board) consisting of members selected from the regular membership. At least two members shall be selected representing the last five decades, plus a sixth decade to represent all preceding decades of the University's existence. At least two members shall be selected representing the Department of Professional Studies and two members shall be selected to represent George Fox Evangelical Seminary. Each of the following postbaccalaureate programs shall have at least one member representative: Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education, Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Counseling, and Doctor of Psychology. Additional members shall be selected to represent new postbaccalaureate level programs. Number of representatives and term of office for these nontypical programs shall be determined by the selected members of the board.

Section 2. Nomination. Nomination is open to any regular member of the association. Nominations to the board may be made by any association member. All nominations will be considered annually as position vacancies occur.

Section 3. Terms. Board members shall be selected for three-year terms. Board members may serve no more than two consecutive terms. Terms shall run July 1 through June 30 of each year. However, they may be nominated for reselection after one year out of office. Member rotation shall be developed by selecting positions each year determined by the membership matrix.

Part a. Unexpired Term Service. Members completing unexpired terms of less than 18 months shall be eligible to be re-selected for two full consecutive terms of board service to begin the first scheduled meeting following board selection.

Section 4. Traditional Undergraduate Representation.

Part a. The elected president of the traditional senior class shall serve a one-year term as an ex-officio member of the board. The term shall start in August of his/her senior year and terminate at graduation of the academic year.

Part b. The selected SAC (Student Alumni Council) chair shall serve a one-year term as ex-officio member of the board. The term shall start upon his/her election into office and terminate at the end of his/her official tenure.

Section 5: Organization and Meetings. The board shall meet quarterly, or at the call of either the president, alumni director, or a quorum of the board. In addition, the committees will convene upon the committee chairman's request.

Section 6: Quorum. A quorum for any meeting of the board shall consist of a simple majority (one more than half) of the membership.

Section 7: Responsibilities. It shall be the duty of the board to decide all matters of business that may arise between the meetings of the association and to make a report of such action to the association annually. The board will administer any and all programs and activities deemed advisable to further the purpose of this association.

Section 8: Attendance. A member of the board who is absent from two successive regular meetings without notification to the president or the director of alumni (hereafter referred to as the director) is deemed to have resigned from the board. The president or the director shall attempt to contact the member to discuss the situation before the member is replaced. The unexpired term of office shall be filled by appointment at the next board meeting.

Section 9: Committees. Every member of the board will be appointed, by the board president, to serve on at least one committee. The committees shall be the Events Committee and the Membership Committee. The Scholarship and Honors committees shall be selected annually and function on an ad hoc basis. Each committee shall have a chairperson appointed by the board president or selected by the committee. The chairperson shall be selected at the last board meeting of each year to serve as chairperson for the following year.

Part a: Events Committee. The Events Committee shall organize and direct special events of the Association such as homecoming, special events and the annual dinners for graduates.

Part b: Membership Committee. The Membership Committee shall be responsible for such things as constitutional awareness and trustee and alumni board nominations.

Part c. Scholarship Committee. The Scholarship Committee shall be responsible for solicitation and selection of recipients of financial awards given to descendants of alumni.

Part d. Honors Committee. The Honors Committee shall be responsible to nominate alumni for all special award categories.

Part e. Committee Chairs. The events chairperson will chair the Scholarship ad hoc committee. The membership chairperson will chair the Honors ad hoc committee.

Part f. Special Committees. Other special committees may be created and empowered to act by a majority of the board. These special committees shall be dissolved after completing their functions.

Part g. Subcommittees. Subcommittees may be created to represent a specific program of the university, i.e. the seminary. Alumni Board members who represent the specific program shall be members of the subcommittee. Other members of the committee shall be alumni from the specific program it represents. Subcommittees shall operate under the direction of the board.

Section 10: Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the president, president-elect, secretary, immediate past president, Membership Committee chairperson, and Events Committee chairperson. The director and assistant director shall serve as ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.

Part a. The Executive Committee, in consultation with the director, shall be responsible for preparing agendas for regular and special meetings of the board, review of director activities between board meetings, review of committee planning status, and any other business as necessary. The Executive Committee shall be empowered as the emergency decision-making agent for the board as necessary between regular scheduled meetings of the board. All actions of the Executive Committee shall be reported at the next succeeding meeting of the board. The Executive Committee is not empowered to amend the constitution of the association or amend the bylaws of the association.

ARTICLE IV: Officers

Section 1. Election. The officers of the Alumni Association shall be the president, president-elect, secretary, and immediate past president.

Part a. The officers shall be members of the board and shall be elected at the last meeting of the term year, generally the spring meeting. Those elected will confirm within 30 days and will have served at least 1 year as a member of the board.

Part b. The director and assistant director shall be ex-officio members of the board. They shall be regular members of the association hired by the university administration in consultation with the board.

Section 2: Terms of Office. The president's term of office shall be one year. The president-elect is a two-year term with the intention that the second year of service will be as president. The secretary's term of office shall be one year. The immediate past president's term of office shall be for one year immediately following the year having served as president. If the immediate past president's s board term of office has expired, the one year term of office as immediate past president will be served as ex-officio member of the Alumni Board and Executive Committee with voting privileges.

Section 3: Duties

Part a. The president shall be the presiding officer at all meetings of the Alumni Association and of the board. He/She shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

Part b. The president-elect shall assume the responsibilities of leadership in the absence of the president. The president-elect shall serve as a member of the Membership Committee and serve as chairperson in the absence of the committee chairperson.

Part c. The director shall be the official representative of the Alumni Association and shall cooperate closely with the board in all its activities. The director shall be empowered to fulfill those tasks not herein specifically delegated to the officers and committees of the Alumni Association necessary to advance the interests of the association. He/She shall act as the coordinator of the board in carrying out her/his many duties. He/She shall be subject to the call of the board, shall cooperate with the president of the university, and shall in all her/his acts and decisions be guided by their advice. He/She shall render an oral or written report to the board at each regular board meeting and a written report at the annual meeting of the Association.

Part d. The secretary shall be responsible for recording the minutes and records of all meetings of the Alumni Association, board of directors, and its Executive Committee. The minutes of each meeting shall be compiled and submitted to the director and board president within 15 days following any board meeting for review.

Part e. The director shall be responsible for maintaining accurate records of all proceedings of the Alumni Association, board of directors, and its Executive Committee. The director shall cause all minutes to be distributed to the board, the representatives elected by the association to the trustees, the vice president for University Advancement, and the president of the University within 30 days following any board meeting.

ARTICLE V: Alumni Representatives to the George Fox University Board of Trustees

Section 1: Representation. Each year the Alumni Association shall elect two members to the George Fox University board of trustees. They will serve three-year terms with a total of six persons from the Alumni Association on the Board of Trustees. There is no limitation on terms for trustees.

Section 2: Election. The Membership Committee shall select candidates, from those nominated, to be presented for approval by the Alumni Board. Election of the alumni representatives to the board of trustees shall be accomplished by the alumni board members prior to the annual Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church session. Names of elected representatives to the board of trustees shall then be given to the clerk at the Northwest Yearly Meeting for approval by the Yearly Meeting.

Section 3: Interaction. Those trustees representing the Alumni Association of the university shall receive copies of the minutes of the Board meetings. The director shall issue a general invitation to trustee representatives to attend board meetings and report after each semiannual trustee meeting.

ARTICLE VI: Board Selection Procedure

Section 1: Nominating Committee. The Membership Committee shall function as the nominating committee. It shall be appointed by the president, with the president-elect as a member of the committee. This committee shall represent to the board, for approval, not more than two names of alumni, who must have consented prior to submission of their name for nomination, for each vacancy existing on the board of this association.

Section 2: Selection. The board shall select members from the list of nominees submitted by the Membership Committee. Selection shall be in compliance with the guidelines for the composition of the board.

ARTICLE VII: Association Meetings

Section 1: Annual Meeting. There shall be an annual meeting of the association held in conjunction with a major alumni event such as homecoming. Notification of the time and place of the annual meeting shall be mailed (announce in the homecoming brochure) to each member not less than six weeks preceding the meeting.

Section 2: Special Meetings. Special meetings of the association membership may be held at the call of the president or director upon not less than three weeks notice mailed to each member at his last known address.

Section 3: Quorum. A quorum for business at association meetings shall consist of those members present at the time the meeting is called to order.

ARTICLE VIII: Dues

Section 1: There will be no regular dues.

ARTICLE IX: Annual Fund

Section 1: All unrestricted contributions to George Fox University by the regular and associate members of the Alumni Association shall be credited to the Annual Fund.

Section 2: Annual Fund Organization. The Annual Fund contributions shall be encouraged through telephone, mail, and personal solicitation and are the responsibility of the director. Personnel in the development department may administer the various fund raising programs.

ARTICLE X: Alumni Chapters

Section 1: Chapters. In geographic areas where a sufficient number of alumni reside, periodic gatherings may be organized under the supervision of the director. Where there is sufficient interest, an alumni chapter may be organized. Any and all such chapters are subject to the following provisions.

Part a. Each chapter shall select at least four people to act as a committee to originate, organize and promote activities within their geographic area.

Part b. Each chapter committee shall select a chairperson and a recording secretary to oversee and record business of their meetings, to establish communication within the area and to coordinate efforts with the director.

Part c. The chapter committee should meet at least twice each year.

Part d. A least once each year the chapter should plan some activity that includes a representative from the university such as the director.

Part e. Chapter committees should assist the director by promoting the university and its activities within their region. They should lend support to regular alumni programs such as the Annual Fund Drive, homecoming and any special representatives of the university traveling in their area such as the band, choir, athletics teams or other special ministry groups.

ARTICLE XI: Amendments

Section 1: Amendments to the constitution may be made by mail ballot prior to the annual meeting, or by the two-thirds majority vote at the annual meeting or a special meeting called by the president or director in accordance with Article VII. The proposed amendments shall be presented to the board for approval.