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Bylaws

Alumni Association Membership

  1. The basic terms of membership are listed in the Alumni Association Constitution and can be altered only through Constitutional amendment.
  2. Membership in the Association is not contingent upon payment of dues.

Alumni Association Board Membership

  1. The Alumni Board shall consist of not less than twenty (20) and not more than twenty- five (25) members elected by the Board as provided hereafter. The Executive Director of the Alumni Association and the Board’s Treasurer shall serve as non-voting, ex-officio members of the Board. Each elected member of the Board present at a meeting of the Board shall be entitled to one vote. Voting by proxy is not permitted.
  2. At the fall meeting each year, a Nominating Committee shall be formed from among Alumni Board members. The size and composition of each year’s Nominating Committee shall be proposed by the Executive Committee of the Alumni Board. Each year’s Nominating Committee shall establish a procedure for developing a list of candidates for the board and begin implementing that plan. Other Board members and network leaders may be consulted during this process.
  3. In selecting nominees for election to the Board, the Nominating Committee shall consider several criteria, including the following:
    • Geographic diversity;
    • Diversity of age/gender/race/ethnicity/national origin/church affiliation;
    • The particular talents (e.g., area of expertise) of the nominee;
    • The service previously provided by the nominee to the Association in general or the local network in particular; and
    • The benefit to be realized from the selection of a nominee from a geographic area not represented on the Board.
  4. At the spring meeting each year, the Board shall elect new Board members from the nominees presented by the Nominating Committee or from any additional candidates that may be presented by current Alumni Board members.
  5. In addition to proposing future members of the Alumni Board, the Nominating Committee shall also be charged with establishing procedures and developing a list of Alumni Trustee candidates for Alumni Board consideration when these candidates are requested by the Board of Trustees.
  6. Members of the Alumni Board shall be elected to a three-year, once-renewable term. If an elected Board member resigns or is removed from the Board, the Board shall appoint a replacement after consulting with the appropriate network leadership, if any. If the replacement member is appointed to fill a term of office one year or less, the replacement member shall be eligible for re-election upon expiration of the term.
  7. The Treasurer of the Board shall be an employee of Calvin University's financial services office or their designated representative.
  8. One Calvin student, who is a member of the K4L leadership, may be seated at a regularly scheduled Board session as a voting member. K4L will notify the CAA who will be seated, and the staff will ensure the preparation of that student. The student may sit on any committee of interest to K4L or recommended by the CAA.

Alumni Association Board Meetings

  1. The Board will meet up to three (3) times a year: fall, winter, or spring. Meetings can be held in person or virtually.
  2. All Board meetings are open to Calvin University alumni. Guests should notify the Board in advance of their intention to attend.
  3. The official meeting of the Calvin Alumni Association International is to be held on Homecoming each year. This session will include a report on the Board’s activities.
  4. A quorum at any meeting of the Board consists of a majority of the Board members.

Alumni Association Board Responsibilities

  1. The mandate of the Board is to further the purpose of the Association: connect alumni, strengthen the university, and inspire alumni to answer God’s call. Specifically the Board is engaged in the following:
  • determining and reviewing the purpose, mission, and direction of the Association;
  • establishing, reviewing, and revising the programs of the Association;
  • reviewing and approving the finances of the Association;
  • advising the university on matters of mutual interest;
  • supporting the alumni networks;
  • selecting Board members and officers; and
  • actively promoting the Association and Calvin University.
  • A Board member should represent Calvin University in a positive and enthusiastic way, both at Board meetings and within her/his home community, region and group. This includes assisting the efforts of university offices such as admissions, communications and marketing, development, financial aid and the Career Center.
  • Board members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled Board meetings.
  • Newly elected alumni on the Board are expected to attend an orientation session conducted by the Executive Director of the Alumni Association prior to her/his first Board meeting.
  • Board members are generally expected to serve on two (2) committees of the Board each year.
  • Board members are expected to help maintain and enhance alumni networks by contacting, encouraging, and supporting chapter officers in her/his region and by assisting the Executive Director of the Alumni Association in convening groups of alumni in their region for the establishment of programming and network support where appropriate.
  • Any Board member and/or officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the Board at any regularly scheduled meeting. A unanimous vote of the Executive Committee may allow such a vote to happen when the board is not in session. Grounds for removal include, but is not limited to, absence from two (2) consecutive meetings of the Board without consent of the Board.
  • Alumni Association Board Officers

    1. The elected officers of the Board are the President, Vice President, and Secretary.
    2. The duties of the officers are as follows:
      • The President of the Board serves for one (1) year. The President may be re-elected to consecutive years of service until his or her board service ends. The President presides at all regular Board and Executive Committee meetings, exercises a general executive control of the affairs of the Association, represents the Association at official university functions, and performs duties delegated to the President by the Board.
      • The Vice President is elected by the Board to serve as Vice President for one (1) year and can be re-elected to consecutive years of service until his or her board service ends. In the absence of the President, the Vice President will fulfill the duties of President. The Vice President is also responsible for reviewing and maintaining the long-range goals of the Association and performs duties delegated to the Vice President by the President or the Board.
      • The Secretary is elected by the Board to serve a one (1) year term. The Secretary may be re-elected to consecutive years of service until his or her board service ends. The Secretary will record the proceedings of all Board and Executive Committee meetings and promptly return such to the Alumni Association Executive Director for distribution. The Secretary also performs duties delegated to the Secretary by the President or the Board.
    3. The officers will be chosen by a vote of board members at the spring meeting.
    4. No Board member will be eligible to serve as an officer unless she/he has been on the Board for at least one (1) year.
    5. The officers of the Board, along with the Executive Director of the Alumni Association, will constitute the Executive Committee.

    Alumni Association Board Committees and Representations

    1. The standing committees of the Alumni Association are the following:
      • Executive
      • Nominating
    2. Recommended advisory committees of the Alumni Association could be, but are not limited to, the following:
      • Admissions
      • Careers
      • Development
      • Faculty Engagement
      • Awards
      • Finance
      • Communications
      • Student Support
    3. Standing and advisory committees are subject to change in accordance with Alumni Association goals. Detailed descriptions of these committees are available from the Alumni Office.
    4. The Executive Committee has general supervision of the affairs of the Association between meetings of the Board. This committee is empowered to act on behalf of the Board, but may not take action inconsistent with a prior act of the Board, alter Bylaws, or conduct major business reserved for the Board.

    Networks

    1. Networks may be organized in regions where there are sufficient numbers of alumni to support a network organization or by special interest groups when there is a demonstrated need.
    2. Networks will be recognized by the Board as a result of the establishment of a functioning regional or interest area committee as defined in the Association's "Guidelines for Calvin University Alumni Networks."
    3. A committee or contact area may petition the Association to be formally recognized as a Network. Official recognition will be given through a vote of the Board at any regular meeting.