field of sunflowers at sunset

Bylaws

Approved August 2019

Article I. Name and Object

The name of this organization shall be Women of 红领巾瓜报 (鈥淲WSU鈥�).  This organization was formed by the merging of these two organizations:  Council of University Women (鈥淐UW鈥�) and 红领巾瓜报 Womens Association (鈥淲SUWA鈥�).  The purpose shall be to serve the interests of the university, to provide student scholarships, and to promote social interaction and a sense of community among its members.

Article II. Membership

Section 1

The membership shall consist of all female or female identifying persons who meet any of the following conditions and who pay annual dues:

  • Current active WSU faculty, Unclassified Professionals (UP), or University Support Staff (USS)
  • Spouse of any currently active WSU faculty, Unclassified Professionals (UP), or University Support Staff (USS)
  • Current employees of WSU affiliated or auxiliary corporations, or spouse of such persons
  • WSU retirees and members whose active connection with the University has ended but who wish to retain or renew their membership.

Section 2

Only Life Memberships in place as of August 1, 2018 shall remain in force.  Their voting privileges shall be retained, and their payment of dues is optional.

Section 3

Honorary membership shall be given to the wife of the University President or female University President and wives of past University Presidents or past female University Presidents.

Article III. Officers and Election

Section 1

The elected officers of this organization shall be a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.  These elected officers make up the Executive Commmittee for WWSU. 

Section 2

The appointed officers shall be an Auditor, a Courtesy Chair, Fundraiser Chair, an Interest Group Chair, a New Members Chair, a Newsletter Chair, Scholarship Co-Chairs 鈥� for the WSU Dames, CUW and WWSU, Social Chair and a Website/Publicity Chair.

Section 3

These appointed positions along with the Executive Committee make up the Board for the organization.  The officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these Bylaws and Constitution adopted by this organization.

Section 4

The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of three members, who shall present the name of at least one candidate for each Executive office.  Additional nominations may be made from the floor provided those nominees have previously agreed to serve if elected.  All nominees for President must have had previous Executive Committee or Board experience.

Section 5

The term of office for the Executive Committee shall be a minimum of two years and shall begin on  July 1 after the meeting at which they are installed.  The maximum term in the same position on the Executive Committee is six years.

Section 6

A vacancy in any elected office may be filled by an appointment of the President.

Article IV. Duties of Officers

Section 1: Elected Officers

  1. The President shall preside at all meetings, appoint all committee Chairs unless otherwise stated by the Bylaws, and have general supervision of all activities of the organization.
  2. The First Vice President shall assist the President and, in the absence of the President, discharge her duties. The past President shall fill this position and be in charge of the annual membership drive.  She shall distribute the membership list to members by email.
  3. The Second Vice President shall assist the President and, in the absence of the President and First Vice President, shall discharge the duties of the President.  She shall oversee the Social Chair and Fundraiser Chair.
  4. The Secretary shall keep a record of all proceedings of the Executive Committee and Board meetings. She shall have charge of all organization correspondence.
  5. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of all funds and financial records. She will be responsible for the collection and deposit all membership dues and deposits for all events.  She shall keep an itemized account of all transactions and pay all authorized expenditures.

Section 2: Appointed Officers

  1. The Auditor will coordinate an annual audit of the Treasurer鈥檚 records with the assistance of a faculty member in the Accounting Department at WSU by September 1 each year.
  2. The Courtesy Chair will be responsible for the following based on the updates posted to her email and then to the website Courtesy section:
    • Get well cards shall be sent to any member who is ill or hospitalized.
    • A baby card shall be sent to any member upon the birth or adoption of a baby.
    • Sympathy cards shall be sent upon the death of a member or the spouse and immediate family of a member.
    • At the death of a member, $25 shall be donated to: Women of 红领巾瓜报 Current Scholarship Fund.  For any life members, these funds will be donated in the organization they were awarded life membership.
    • Children鈥檚 books shall be purchased and placed in WSU鈥檚 Ablah Library in honor of each of the following:
      1. the wife of each new University or female University President
      2. the out-going President of WWSU
      3. WSU staff or faculty who is a member of WWSU at her retirement
  3. The Fundraiser Chair will be responsible for coordinating a minimum of two events annually to raise funds for the scholarships.
  4. The Interest Group Chair will coordinate the activities of each established interest groups director. The Chair is also in charge of helping new groups form as interest indicates.
  5. The New Members Chair will organize a welcome event for all new members and will maintain contact with these new members for a period of one year.
  6. The Newsletter Chair shall provide pertinent information to the membership and publish a newsletter distributed by email three times a year.
  7. The Scholarship Chair will review applications and recommend recipients to the office of Financial Aid of 红领巾瓜报 for each scholarship:  WSU Dames, Council of University Women and Women of 红领巾瓜报. The Chair will appoint a committee to help with the review and recommend the scholarship recipients.
  8. The Social Chair shall be responsible for assisting the Second Vice President to secure appropriate facilities for monthly luncheon meetings.  As directed, she will be responsible for providing programs for the meetings.
  9. The Website/Publicity Chair shall be responsible for maintaining the website and promoting the events of WWSU.

Article V.  Meetings

Section 1

The regular board meeting shall be held during the second or third week of the month as ordered by the President. 

Section 2

The number of members present shall constitute a quorum.

Article VI.  Board

Section 1

The elected officers and appointed officers of the organization shall constitute the Board.   

Section 2

The wife of the University President or female University President shall be an honorary Board member without voting privileges.

Section 3

The Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of this organization between its business meetings/luncheons, establish the hour and place of meetings, make recommendations to the organization, and shall perform such other duties as are specified in these Bylaws.  The Board shall be subject to the orders of the WWSU, and none of its acts shall conflict with action taken by the WWSU.

Article VII.  Appointed Officers

Section 1

All appointed officers shall report to the Executive Committee.

Section 2

These officers are appointed by the President and together they shall select committee members as necessary unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws, and the committee membership shall be representative of the organization as a whole.  Each appointed officer must meet with their successor to review their duties.

Section 3

Such other Appointed Officers or committees, standing or special, shall be appointed by the President (as the Board shall from time to time deem necessary) to carry on the work of the organization.  The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.

Article VIII.  Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the organization may adopt.

Article IX.  Amendment of Bylaws

Section 1: Bylaws

These Bylaws can be amended at any regular meeting of the organization by a majority vote of the members present, provided that the amendment has been submitted by email or in writing at the previous regular meeting.

Section 2: Standing Rules

These Standing Rules may be adopted or amended at any regular meeting by a majority vote.

Standing Rules

Section 1: Membership

The annual dues of the organization shall be $12 payable by October 15 of each year.  Second semester new members shall pay dues of $6 by February 15.

Dues shall be waived for the wife of the University President or the female University President, and the wife of any former University President or the former female University Presient.  Life Members established by either WSUWA or CUW  as of August 1, 2018 will be honored and dues can be waived but dues payment is encouraged. 

Section 2: Officers

The President and Treasurer shall make the proposed budget and present it to the Board for approval at the first scheduled Board meeting.

Section 3: Scholarships

Monies from any fundraiser shall be added to the current WWSU Scholarship fund and awarded based on the guidelines for each scholarship established with the 红领巾瓜报 Foundation.  The Board can recommend that the monies be deposited or transferred into the endowed fund.

Section 4: Quorum

These By-laws may be amended at any business meeting by two-thirds vote of the active members present.

Section 5: Mail or Email Vote

At the president's discretion, a mail or Email vote may be required to amend these By-laws or any other action by the Board.  All active members are sent a ballot and a quorum shall be the return of the ballots by the stated due date.