Classmates, Widows
and Ex-Cadets Constitution
Exec Board
List Servers Deceased
CONSTITUTION
OF THE CLASS OF 1957 ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE 1. Name. The name of this organization is the United States Military Academy (USMA) Class of 1957 ("the Class"). 2. Description. The Class is a nonprofit, self-sustaining private organization that will exist until the death of its last Regular Member. It is not an instrument of the United States government. It is administered by individuals, elected and appointed; and who are not acting in any capacity as officers, employees, or agents of the United States government. The Class is a completely independent organization; and is not controlled or directed by the Association of Graduates (AOG) of the United States Military Academy. 3. Purpose. The Class exists to perpetuate the association of its members, begun as cadets; and to support and further the ideals of USMA: Duty-Honor-Country. This Constitution establishes the system for governing the Class and administering Class affairs; and the method for communicating (through Class officers) with USMA and the AOG.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP 1. Regular Members. All living graduates of the Class are Regular Members. 2. Associate Members. All persons who were members of the Class when the Class was accepted into the Corps of Cadets or who were thereafter assigned to the Class from an earlier class (but who are not Regular Members of the Class or a later class), and whose membership has been approved by the Executive Board (Article III, Section 1; and Article IV) upon the nomination of a Regular Member, are Associate Members. All widows of Regular and Associate Members are Associate Members. All Associate Members as of the date this Constitution is adopted continue to be Associate Members. Associate Members have all rights of Regular Members, except voting on Class matters and holding elected Class officer positions. 3. Withdrawal of Membership. Any member of the Class may withdraw from this organization. Such withdrawal will be effective upon receipt by the Executive Board of a letter of resignation from the member.
ARTICLE III: OFFICERS 1. Regular Officers. The Regular Officers of the Class are the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Scribe, and Information Systems Officer. All seven of these Regular Officers, plus any elected Regional Group Representative(s) (Article III, Section 1h), serve as the voting members of the Executive Board (“the Board”) of the Class. They perform the following duties:
2. Terms. Regular Officers shall hold office for five years: from 30 days after their election until 30 days after the next election, or until 30 days after their successors are elected, unless they resign, die, or become incapacitated. Any Regular Officer wishing to resign is to submit his resignation to the Board. Each Regional Group Representative shall hold office from the time of his election until 30 days after the next quinquennial (five-year) election of the Regular Officers, or until he is replaced by that Regional Group, whichever occurs first. 3. Vacancies. If the President resigns, dies, or becomes incapacitated, the First Vice President shall assume that office for the remainder of the term and the Second Vice President shall assume the office of the First Vice President for the remainder of the term. If the First Vice President resigns, dies, or becomes incapacitated, the Second Vice President shall assume that office for the remainder of the term. The Board shall fill any other Regular Officer vacancies for a term ending 30 days after the next quinquennial reunion election, at which time a new Regular Officer will be elected. 4. Nominations. A Nominating Committee, appointed by the Board, shall be announced by e-mail to the Class list and posted on the Class home page and by postal mail for those who do not have email. The membership of the Nominating Committee must be representative of the service and geographical distributions of the Class. The Board shall simultaneously announce that additional nominations, endorsed by at least twelve Regular Members, may be sent to the Nominating Committee by a specific date for inclusion on the ballot. The Nominating Committee shall place on the slate any properly endorsed nomination received from the Class for a position, and may nominate its own candidate for the same position. Every candidate must be a Regular Member of the Class. All nominees must have agreed to serve if elected. The Board shall announce the full slate on a ballot sent to Class members by postal and electronic mail at least 60 days before the quinquennial reunion business meeting. The ballot will include a space for a write-in candidate for each office.
5. Elections.
ARTICLE IV: EXECUTIVE BOARD 1. Responsibilities. The Board shall supervise the affairs of the Class between its business meetings, appoint any necessary committees, make recommendations to the Class, and perform other duties specified in this Constitution. The Board is responsible for organizing Class activities and directing the use of Class funds. The Board is subject to Class referendum decisions, and shall take no action in conflict with those decisions. 2. Meetings. The Board, coordinated by the President, shall fix the time and manner of its own meetings, which may be held in person or by electronic means. Each of the seven Regular Officers and each Regional Group Representative is entitled to one vote on any issue, policy or proposal. Sixty percent of the total number of Board members constitute a quorum; and decisions require a majority vote of those participating in the meeting when a quorum exists. 3. Special Meeting. If a Class issue is raised by a petition filed by five percent of the Regular Members, the Board shall meet promptly, discuss and vote on the issue, and report its decision to the petitioners by electronic or postal mail. Such a decision may be overturned by a referendum vote under Article V. 4. Regional Groups. Regional Groups may structure and maintain their own organizations (independent of the Board) for local or regional activities. They are encouraged: to elect a representative to the Board if they meet the stated criteria (Article III, Section 1h); and to inform and coordinate with the Board about activities that may affect or be of interest to other members of the Class.
ARTICLE V: REFERENDUM 1. Initiation. A Class-wide referendum on any Class business or action may be initiated by the Board, or by a petition to the Board from ten percent of the Regular Members. 2. Procedure. The Board shall conduct the referendum within 60 days after it receives a petition, and shall allow 60 days for voting by electronic or postal mail. A majority of the votes cast will decide any issue except an amendment to this Constitution (see Article VIII).
ARTICLE VI: CLASS FUNDS 1. Gift Fund. The Class may maintain a Class Gift Fund with the AOG for the purpose of providing gifts to USMA. The Treasurer in conjunction with the AOG will administer this fund. Gifts to USMA from this fund must be approved by Class referendum in accordance with Article V, and be acceptable to the USMA Superintendent. 2. Other funds. The Class may also establish one or more administrative funds within the AOG or elsewhere for funding the administrative affairs of the Class. The Treasurer shall administer such funds under the direction of the Board. 3. Audit. The President shall obtain an audit of Class funds annually, and upon a change of Treasurer; and shall present the audit report to the Board for adoption. Each audit is to be performed by a qualified Regular Member who is completely independent of the Executive Board. The report will be made available to any Class member upon request.
ARTICLE VII: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Class in all cases to which they apply and are consistent with this Constitution.
ARTICLE VIII: ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT 1. Adoption. Adoption of this Constitution requires approval by two-thirds of the votes cast in response to a mail ballot, sixty days having been allowed for voting; and shall be announced to the Class. 2. Amendment. Any Regular Member may propose an amendment to this Constitution by presenting it to the Board in writing, together with an explanation of the amendment’s purpose. If the Board determines that the amendment will be voted on, the Board shall present the proposed amendment, together with its recommendations and a ballot, to the Regular Members, 60 days being allowed for the vote. If the Board declines to present the proposed amendment for a vote, the referendum process in Article V may be used to require a vote. Acceptance by two-thirds of the votes cast in person and by absentee ballot will be required for approval of an amendment.
ARTICLE IX: DISSOLUTION 1. Reduced Future Requirements. As the Class ages, certain requirements of this Constitution may be changed. The Article II, Section 2 requirements are waived when the total number of living Regular Members decreases to about 40. From that time forward, Associate Members may vote and may be elected to any Regular Officer positions except President, First Vice President and Second Vice President. Further, the Nominating Committee requirements for the President, First Vice President and Second Vice President positions should also be revised. 2. Disposition Planning. When the Class size has decreased to about 20 members, the Board should have proposed, and the Class adopted (per Article VIII, Section 2), appropriate amendments to this Constitution that address:
3. Final Disposal of Assets. Upon the death of the last surviving Regular Member, the Class organization shall be dissolved and all remaining Class assets shall become the property of the AOG.
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