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CONSTITUTION OF THE DARTMOUTH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
PREAMBLE
In the name of fellowship and with fierce love for Dartmouth College, we
the alumni of Dartmouth College do establish an alumni constitution that
gives voice to all men and women of Dartmouth, provides for a
democratically elected and broadly representative alumni governance
system, and affirms individual participation in the choice of alumni and
College leadership. Its purpose is to invigorate and encourage alumni
participation from every quarter, facilitate the exchange of ideas and
opinions between alumni and the College, strengthen alumni institutions,
and maintain and nurture the historic role alumni have held in the life of the
College. By this constitution, the partnership between Dartmouth and her
alumni stands strong. All alumni are welcome, all shall be heard, and all
may serve.
ARTICLE I: NAME AND MISSION
1.1 The name of the Association shall be the Dartmouth Alumni and
Alumnae Association.
1.2 The Association shall be dedicated to connecting and engaging all
Dartmouth alumni and alumnae (hereinafter “alumni”) and to
nurturing strong lifelong bonds between the College and members of
the Dartmouth family. The Association shall seek to promote the
welfare and educational goals of Dartmouth and maintain a mutually
beneficial relationship between the College and its alumni.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP
2.1 The following shall become members of the Association and as such
shall be entitled to vote on all matters coming before the Association
for a vote:
Every person who has ever matriculated as a full-time undergraduate
or graduate student in pursuit of a Dartmouth degree at the College
or at the Medical School, the Thayer School of Engineering, or the
Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, on the normal
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commencement date for his or her matriculated class, or four years
after the date of matriculation, whichever comes first.
2.2 Persons who have received an honorary degree from Dartmouth, or
have been officially adopted by a Dartmouth class, or have been
voted honorary membership by the Association shall be honorary
members of the Association but shall not be entitled to vote, hold
office, or be nominated as alumni trustees.
ARTICLE III: ORGANIZATION; ASSOCIATION YEAR
3.1 The mission of the Association shall be pursued primarily through
the operation of one overarching organization with two primary
bodies: an Assembly and an Alumni Liaison Board.
3.2 The Association year shall be consistent with the College’s
academic year.
ARTICLE IV: THE ASSOCIATION
4.1 Officers:
4.1.1 Succession of Officers: The officers of the Association shall
be a President, a President-Elect, an Immediate Past
President, and a Secretary. The first three of these offices
shall be held in a consecutive three-year sequence in which
the President-Elect (elected by members of the Association)
shall serve in the first year after his or her election, with
primary responsibility as Chair of the Assembly; shall
automatically succeed in the second year following his or
her election to President of the Association; and in the third
year following his or her election shall succeed to Immediate
Past President, with primary responsibility as Chair of the
Alumni Liaison Board. Except for the Secretary: each term
of office shall be one year and each officer shall be a voting
member of the Association. Each officer shall perform the
duties usually associated with his or her office not
inconsistent with this Constitution.
4.1.2 Responsibilities of Officers:
4.1.2.1 President -- The President shall be the chief executive
officer of the Association, shall preside at all meetings
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of the Association, and shall chair the Balloting
Committee.
4.1.2.2 President-Elect -- In the absence of the President, the
President-Elect shall perform the duties of the
President. The President-Elect shall be the chief
operating officer of the Association and shall serve as
Chair of the Assembly.
4.1.2.3 Immediate Past President -- The Immediate Past
President shall serve as Chair of the Alumni Liaison
Board and shall chair the Constitution Review
Committee, when such committee is convened under
Article X.
4.1.2.4 Secretary -- The Secretary shall record the
proceedings of the Association, the Assembly, and the
Alumni Liaison Board, and shall perform such other
duties as may be required of him or her under this
Constitution.
4.2 Election of Officers; Eligibility:
4.2.1 President-Elect Eligibility: At the time of his or her
election, the President-Elect shall be a person (i) who is then
a member of the Assembly, or (ii) who is no longer a
member of the Assembly but who was a member of the
Assembly in the immediately preceding year. A person
elected President-Elect may run for President-Elect again
after a period of not less than nine years following the
conclusion of his or her service as an officer of the
Association.
4.2.2 Nominating Committee Process: Any Association member
(including a member of the committee) may propose one or
more names of voting members of the Association who meet
the eligibility requirements under Section 4.2.1 (including
himself or herself and including persons seeking nomination
by petition) for consideration for nomination as a candidate
for the office of President-Elect by submitting the name(s)
of the member(s) in writing to the committee at least 45
days prior to the date of the committee meeting at which the
Nominating Committee candidate or candidates for the
office of President-Elect (the “Nominating Committee
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President-Elect Slate”) will be selected. The committee
shall: (i) review and evaluate the qualifications of
Association members proposed for nomination for the
position of President-Elect under this Section 4.2.2; (ii) at its
discretion, review and evaluate the qualifications of any or
all persons who have submitted a Statement of Intent under
Section 4.2.3; and (iii) select no more than two candidates
for nomination for President-Elect, which candidate or
candidates shall constitute the Nominating Committee
President-Elect Slate.
4.2.3 Statement of Intent to Petition: No later than 45 days prior
to the date of the Nominating Committee meeting at which
the Nominating Committee President-Elect Slate will be
selected, any Association member (including a member of
the Nominating Committee) who intends to seek nomination
by petition and who meets the eligibility requirements under
Section 4.2.1 shall notify the committee of his or her intent
to do so (“Statement of Intent”).
4.2.4 Notification of Nominating Committee President-Elect
Slate: Within three days of its selection under Section 4.2.3,
the committee shall announce by posting on the Alumni
Association web site and by other form of notice approved
by the committee the name or names of the persons on the
Nominating Committee President-Elect Slate.
4.2.5 Petition Process: Any person who has submitted a valid
Statement of Intent may qualify for nomination by petition
by filing with the Secretary, within 60 days after the
committee provides notice of the Nominating Committee
President-Elect Slate, a petition signed by one-half of one
percent of the voting members of the Association or by 20
members of the Assembly, nominating the person as a
candidate for President-Elect, subject to his or her agreement
to serve if elected.
4.2.6 Designation of Candidates: The Nominating Committee
President-Elect Slate and the persons who have qualified to
run by petition shall be designated as candidates for
President-Elect. The Nominating Committee shall arrange
for the prompt notification to the Association members of
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the candidates, by publication in the Alumni Magazine or
other form of written notice approved by the committee, and
by posting on the Alumni Association web site and through
other appropriate means.
4.2.7 Balloting Procedure: The Secretary shall as soon as
practicable after the announcement of candidates under
Section 4.2.6 send to each voting member of the
Association, by mail or other appropriate means, an official
ballot and related materials containing the name(s) of the
candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee and the
name(s) of candidates nominated by petition and such other
information as shall be required by the nomination
guidelines and the Balloting Committee. Candidates shall
be identified on the ballot as nominated by petition or as
nominated by the Nominating Committee, as the case may
be. No vote by proxy shall be allowed in voting for
President-Elect, and all ballots must be postmarked (or
received by the Balloting Committee, if cast electronically)
by the April 30th before commencement unless another date
is specified by the Balloting Committee.
4.2.8 Determination of President-Elect: In accordance with
procedures adopted by the Balloting Committee, the voting
process to select the President-Elect shall be as follows:
4.2.8.1 Elections with no more than two candidates: each
voting member of the Association may cast a vote for
one candidate on the ballot, and the candidate receiving
the greater number of votes shall be the President-Elect.
4.2.8.2 Elections with three or more candidates: each voting
member of the Association may vote by ranking his or
her First Choice and Second Choice. In the first round of
counting, voters’ First Choice votes shall be tallied. If a
candidate receives a majority of the First Choice votes
cast, that candidate shall be the President-Elect. If no
candidate receives a majority of the First Choice votes
cast, the candidate receiving the fewest First Choice
votes shall be eliminated from the counting. The Second
Choice votes designated on the ballots naming the
eliminated candidate as the First Choice shall then be
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counted as additional First Choice votes cast for the
remaining candidates. This process of eliminating the
candidate receiving the fewest First Choice votes and
counting the ballots for his or her supporters’ Second
Choice as First Choice votes shall continue until a
candidate receives a majority of First Choice votes cast.
4.2.9 Related Matters: All ballots shall be preserved by the
Secretary for one year or such longer period as any issue
relating to the election is pending. The Secretary shall refer
to the Balloting Committee all matters respecting votes of
doubtful validity.
4.2.10 Secretary: The office of Secretary shall be held ex officio by
the Vice President for Alumni Relations of the College or
his or her designee, but he or she shall not be entitled to vote
solely by reason of holding such ex officio office.
4.3 Annual Meeting:
4.3.1 Meeting Logistics: Each year, the Association shall hold a
meeting to which all members shall be invited and which
shall serve as an opportunity for the expression of alumni
sentiment. The timing and location of the meeting shall have
the intention of generating high levels of alumni
participation.
4.3.2 Meeting Agenda: The President of the Association shall
preside over the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, the
leadership of the Association, the Assembly, and the Alumni
Liaison Board shall report to the membership on the
activities of their respective bodies, and the membership
shall have an opportunity to present information and views
concerning the activities and direction of such bodies and
the College. Representatives of the Board of Trustees shall
be invited to attend and participate.
4.3.3 Report of Meeting Results: The Alumni Liaison Board shall
report on what transpired at the annual meeting to the Board
of Trustees, the Assembly, and the College Administration.
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4.4 Committees of the Association:
4.4.1 Nominating Committee --
4.4.1.1 The Nominating Committee shall consist of 12
members of the Association selected for three-year
staggered terms as follows:
• six members elected by the Assembly (two
elected each year); and
• six members elected by a vote of all voting
members of the Association (two elected each
year).
4.4.1.2 The Nominating Committee shall elect its own chair,
who shall serve as chair for one year. The chair may
be a 13th member of the committee if elected for the
year following his or her third year on the committee.
Following the end of his or her term as chair, he or
she shall continue to serve as a member of the
committee for the longer of the balance of his or her
term on the committee or one year. If such member
serves after the expiration of his or her term on the
committee, such member shall be a 14th member of
the committee if the next succeeding chair has
completed his or her third year on the committee and
is serving as the 13th member of the committee, as
provided herein.
4.4.1.3 The Nominating Committee shall:
• nominate candidates for alumni trustee, President-
Elect, at-large members of the Alumni Liaison
Board, and at-large members of the Assembly, all
of whom shall be voted on by all voting members
of the Association;
• nominate candidates for the Nominating
Committee and Balloting Committee, in each
instance one half of whom shall be Assembly
members and shall be elected by the Assembly and
one half of whom shall be non-Assembly members
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and shall be elected by all voting members of the
Association; the number of such nominated
candidates in each instance shall be two times the
number of candidates to be elected;
• appoint persons to the Constitution Review
Committee;
• appoint persons as alumni representatives to other
alumni organizations (such as the editorial board
of the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine and certain
boards of overseers) as may be requested by those
organizations; and
• appoint members of the Assembly representing the
51st and subsequent reunion classes.
4.4.2 Balloting Committee --
4.4.2.1 The Balloting Committee shall consist of six members
of the Association selected for three-year staggered
terms as follows:
• three members elected by the Assembly (one
elected each year); and
• three members elected by vote of all voting
members of the Association (one elected each
year).
4.4.2.2 The President shall serve as chair of the Balloting
Committee, serving ex officio as a seventh voting
member.
4.4.2.3 Subject to Article VIII, the Balloting Committee shall
oversee the voting process for all matters submitted to
a vote of all voting members of the Association. Its
functions shall include: promulgation of election
guidelines and procedures; preparation and
distribution of ballots; overseeing the opening,
counting, and recording of votes; overseeing the
petition process, where applicable; and acting as a
board of final decision on all questions concerning
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votes cast. The Secretary shall publish the results of
balloting and certify the record of elections for alumni
trustee nomination to the Board of Trustees before the
Board’s meeting at commencement.
ARTICLE V: THE ASSEMBLY
5.1 The Assembly shall serve as an extension of the College’s executive
alumni relations function by: seeking avenues to increase alumni
participation; assisting in alumni recognition and recommendations
concerning honorary degrees; providing feedback for College
communications and alumni relations efforts; and supporting class,
club, and affiliated group endeavors. As a representative forum, the
Assembly shall also serve as a resource for the Alumni Liaison
Board, assisting the Alumni Liaison Board in its role as a
communications link between alumni and the College.
5.2 Membership:
5.2.1 The following shall be voting members of the Assembly:
5.2.1.1 The President-Elect, the President, and the Immediate
Past President;
5.2.1.2 The chair and immediate past chair of the Association
Nominating Committee, if not otherwise members of
the Assembly;
5.2.1.3 Twenty-one at-large members, elected for three-year
terms, as follows:
• Five members elected by a vote of all voting
members of the Association each year; and
• Two members granted Assembly membership each
year by virtue of their election as at-large members
of the Alumni Liaison Board;
5.2.1.4 Fifty-five representatives of classes, as follows:
• First 50 Reunion Classes: One person elected by
each of the most recent 50 graduated classes of the
College; each person so elected shall have a threeAlumni
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year term or such lesser term that his or her class is
so represented; and
• 51st and Subsequent Reunion Classes: Five
persons appointed at-large, for staggered threeyear
terms, by the Nominating Committee from
nominations submitted by the presidents of the 51st
and subsequent reunion classes;
5.2.1.5 Twenty-one representatives of regional alumni
organizations, as follows:
• One representative elected for a term of three years
by the respective members of each of ten
metropolitan districts designated by the Club
Officers Association; the terms of such 10
representatives shall be staggered; and
• Eleven at-large regional representatives appointed
by the Club Officers Association for staggered
three-year terms;
5.2.1.6 One representative appointed by each of the following
alumni groups for staggered three-year terms: Tuck
School Alumni; Arts & Sciences Graduate Programs
Alumni; Medical School Alumni; and Thayer School
Alumni;
5.2.1.7 One representative elected by the District Enrollment
Directors for a three-year term;
5.2.1.8 Three representatives appointed by the Class Officers
Association and three representatives appointed by the
Club Officers Association, for staggered three-year
terms;
5.2.1.9 Two representatives of each Affiliated Alumni Group
that has been officially recognized by the College’s
Office of Alumni Relations, such representatives to be
selected for staggered three-year terms by each such
Affiliated Alumni Group. (As of July 2005, the
officially recognized Affiliated Alumni Groups were
the Asian-Pacific American Alumni Association,
Black Alumni of Dartmouth Association, Dartmouth
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Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Alumnae/i
Association and Native American Alumni
Association.); and
5.2.1.10 Any persons elected to the ALB pursuant to Section
6.2.2 whose terms of ALB service extend beyond
their terms of Assembly service.
5.2.2 The Assembly shall also have the following non-voting
members:
5.2.2.1 One person selected by the General Faculty of the
College, from its own members, for a two-year term;
and
5.2.2.2 Four undergraduates nominated by the Student
Assembly and elected by the Association’s Assembly;
two such students shall be nominated and elected each
year during the spring term of their sophomore year,
for two-year terms comprising their junior and senior
years.
5.3 Annual Election of At-Large Assembly Members: Nominees for
annual election as at-large members of the Assembly shall be
nominated as follows:
5.3.1 Five persons nominated by the Nominating Committee,
pursuant to Section 4.4.1.3; and
5.3.2 Any person who, pursuant to procedures adopted by the
Balloting Committee, files with the Secretary a petition
signed by 50 voting members of the Association.
5.4 Responsibilities: The Assembly shall:
5.4.1 elect one half of the Association Nominating Committee and
one half of the Association Balloting Committee;
5.4.2 appoint Assembly committees that may include but shall not
be limited to: Awards, Academic Affairs, Alumni
Continuing Education, Athletics, Communications,
Enrollment and Admissions, Honorary Degrees, Student
Life, and Young Alumni; such committees may include
persons who are not Assembly members;
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5.4.3 meet at least twice each year, at the call of the chair, to
receive reports of Assembly committees and conduct such
other business as may come before the Assembly;
5.4.4 report on Assembly activities at the annual meeting of the
Association;
5.4.5 elect representatives to the Alumni Liaison Board (see
Article VI); and
5.4.6 act on proposed Constitutional amendments (see Article X).
5.5 Election of Representatives to Alumni Liaison Board: The
Assembly shall annually elect two of its members to serve as
representatives to the Alumni Liaison Board for three-year terms.
Nominees for election shall be nominated as follows:
5.5.1 Two persons nominated by the Nominating Committee; and
5.5.2 Any Assembly member who, pursuant to procedures
adopted by the Balloting Committee, files with the Secretary
a petition signed by 20 members of the Assembly.
5.6 Eligibility for Future Assembly Service: An Association member
who has completed his or her service on the Assembly may run for
election to the Assembly again after a period of not less than nine
years following the conclusion of his or her service as an Assembly
member. For purposes of this Section 5.6, past service on the
Alumni Council shall be deemed to be service on the Assembly.
ARTICLE VI: THE ALUMNI LIAISON BOARD
6.1 Purpose: The Alumni Liaison Board (hereinafter sometimes
referred to as “ALB”) shall seek to heighten, broaden, simplify, and
increase communication among Dartmouth alumni, the Board of
Trustees, and the College Administration.
6.2 Membership: The ALB shall consist of 15 members as follows:
6.2.1 Six at-large members elected by a vote of all voting
members of the Association for three-year staggered terms
(two elected each year); persons so elected to the ALB shall
be members of the Assembly ex officio;
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6.2.2 Six Assembly members elected by the Assembly, for threeyear
staggered terms (two elected each year pursuant to
Section 5.5); persons so elected to the ALB shall be
members of the Assembly ex officio if and to the extent that
their terms of ALB service extend beyond their terms of
Assembly service;
6.2.3 The President of the Association ex officio, as a voting
member;
6.2.4 The President-Elect of the Association ex officio, as a voting
member; and
6.2.5 The Immediate Past President ex officio, as a voting member
and Chair.
6.3 Annual Election of At-Large ALB Members: Nominees for annual
election as at-large members of the ALB shall be nominated as
follows:
6.3.1 Two persons nominated by the Nominating Committee; and
6.3.2 Any person who, pursuant to procedures adopted by the
Balloting Committee, files with the Secretary a petition
signed by 50 voting members of the Association.
6.4 Responsibilities: The ALB shall have the following responsibilities:
6.4.1 To solicit information from all alumni through, for example,
town meetings, surveys, interviews, and other opiniongathering
tools, and through communication with the
Assembly;
6.4.2 To use the annual meeting of the Association as a channel
for communication of alumni information and views
(pursuant to Section 4.3.2);
6.4.3 To relate the information so obtained to the Board of
Trustees and the College Administration as part of an
ongoing process of dialogue and support for the College;
and
6.4.4 To report on ALB activities to the alumni on an ongoing
basis and, in particular, at the annual meeting of the
Association.
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6.5 Eligibility for Future ALB Service: An Association member who
has completed his or her service on the ALB may run for election to
the ALB again after a period of not less than nine years following
the conclusion of his or her service as an ALB member.
ARTICLE VII: THE ALUMNI TRUSTEE NOMINATION PROCESS
7.1 Vacancies in Alumni Trustee Positions: In the event of an actual or
anticipated vacancy in an alumni trustee seat on the Board of
Trustees by the expiration of a stated term or the creation of a new
alumni trustee seat by the Board of Trustees, the Association shall
select a nominee for such vacancy under the procedures set forth in
this Article.
7.2 Notice of Vacancy; Announcement of Nomination Process: The
Nominating Committee shall give advance notice to Association
members, by publication in the Alumni Magazine or other form of
written notice approved by the committee, and by posting on the
Alumni Association web site and through other appropriate means,
of the procedure for nomination of candidates for alumni trustee by
the Nominating Committee (the “Nominating Committee Trustee
Slate”) and the procedure for nomination by petition, as described
herein. Such notice shall specify the date of the Nominating
Committee meeting at which the Nominating Committee Trustee
Slate will be selected, and shall be given at least 120 days prior to
that date.
7.3 Statement of Intent to Petition: No later than 45 days prior to the
date of the Nominating Committee meeting at which the Nominating
Committee Trustee Slate will be selected, any Association member
(including a member of the Nominating Committee) who intends to
seek nomination by petition shall notify the committee of his or her
intent to do so (“Statement of Intent”).
7.4 Nominating Committee Process: Any Association member
(including a member of the committee) may propose one or more
names of voting members of the Association (including himself or
herself and including persons seeking nomination by petition) for
consideration for nomination as a candidate for alumni trustee by
submitting the name(s) of the member(s) in writing to the committee
at least 45 days prior to the date of the committee meeting at which
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the Nominating Committee Trustee Slate will be selected. The
committee shall: (i) review and evaluate the qualifications of
Association members proposed for nomination for the position of
alumni trustee under this Section 7.4; (ii) at its discretion, review
and evaluate the qualifications of any or all persons who have
submitted a Statement of Intent under Section 7.3; and (iii) select no
more than two candidates for nomination for each alumni trustee
vacancy, which candidate or candidates shall constitute the
Nominating Committee Trustee Slate.
7.5 Notification of Nominating Committee Trustee Slate: Within three
days of its selection under Section 7.4, the committee shall announce
by posting on the Alumni Association web site and by other form of
notice approved by the committee the name or names of the persons
on the Nominating Committee Trustee Slate.
7.6 Petition Process: Any person who has submitted a Statement of
Intent may qualify for nomination by petition by filing with the
Secretary, within 60 days after the committee provides notice of the
Nominating Committee Trustee Slate, a petition signed by one
percent of the voting members of the Association, nominating the
person as a candidate for alumni trustee, subject to his or her
agreement to serve if elected.
7.7 Designation of Candidates: The Nominating Committee Trustee
Slate and the persons who have qualified to run by petition shall be
designated as candidates for nomination as alumni trustee. The
Nominating Committee shall arrange for the prompt notification to
the Association members of the candidates, by publication in the
Alumni Magazine or other form of written notice approved by the
committee, and by posting on the Alumni Association web site and
through other appropriate means.
7.8 Balloting Procedure: The Secretary shall as soon as practicable after
the announcement of candidates under Section 7.7 send to each
voting member of the Association, by mail or other appropriate
means, an official ballot and related materials containing the
name(s) of the candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee
and the name(s) of the candidates nominated by petition and such
other information as shall be required by the nomination guidelines
and the Balloting Committee. Candidates shall be identified on the
ballot as nominated by petition or as nominated by the Nominating
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Committee, as the case may be. No vote by proxy shall be allowed
in voting for alumni trustees, and all ballots must be postmarked (or
received by the Balloting Committee, if cast electronically) by the
April 30th before commencement unless another date is specified by
the Balloting Committee.
7.9 Determination of Nominee: In accordance with procedures adopted
by the Balloting Committee, the voting process to select a nominee
for alumni trustee, where there is a single vacancy, shall be as
follows:
7.9.1 Elections with no more than two candidates: each voting
member of the Association may cast a vote for one
candidate on the ballot, and the candidate receiving the
greater number of votes shall be the nominee of the
Association for the office of alumni trustee.
7.9.2 Elections with three or more candidates: each voting
member of the Association may vote by ranking his or her
First Choice and Second Choice. In the first round of
counting, voters’ First Choice votes shall be tallied. If a
candidate receives a majority of the First Choice votes cast,
that candidate shall be the nominee of the Association for
the office of alumni trustee. If no candidate receives a
majority of the First Choice votes cast, the candidate
receiving the fewest First Choice votes shall be eliminated
from the counting. The Second Choice votes designated on
the ballots naming the eliminated candidate as the First
Choice shall then be counted as additional First Choice votes
cast for the remaining candidates. This process of
eliminating the candidate receiving the fewest First Choice
votes and counting the ballots for his or her supporters’
Second Choice as First Choice votes shall continue until a
candidate receives a majority of First Choice votes cast.
7.10 Procedure for Two or More Vacancies: Should two or more
vacancies exist in alumni trusteeships at the same time, (i) a single
balloting contest involving all candidates selected by the
Nominating Committee and any petition candidates shall be held,
and (ii) the process for filling one vacancy shall be followed, except
that after one candidate has received a majority of First Choice votes
(thereby becoming the nominee for one alumni trusteeship) all of the
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ballots shall be tabulated over again, this time ignoring any First
Choice votes cast for the nominated candidate. (Example: if after a
round of voting Smith receives a majority of First Choice ballots and
becomes the nominee for one vacancy, ballots naming Smith as First
Choice will instead be counted for those voters’ Second Choice.)
7.11 Related Matters: All ballots shall be preserved by the Secretary for
one year or such longer period as any issue relating to the election is
pending. The Secretary shall in no case communicate the state of
the ballot to any person before its announcement to the Board of
Trustees, and shall refer to the Balloting Committee all matters
respecting votes of doubtful validity.
7.12 Other Alumni Trustee Vacancies: If a vacancy occurs in the office
of alumni trustee otherwise than by the expiration of a stated term or
the creation of a new alumni trustee seat by the Board of Trustees,
and not more than one year remains in the unexpired term of such
alumni trustee at the time such vacancy is created, the Assembly,
upon nomination(s) made by the Nominating Committee, shall
nominate an Association member to fill the vacancy for the
unexpired term at any regular meeting of the Assembly or any
special meeting thereof called by the President. The Balloting
Committee shall decide on such further procedures to be followed in
selecting a nominee for such vacancy or vacancies. If more than one
year remains in the unexpired term of such alumni trustee at the time
such vacancy is created, a nominee to fill the vacancy for the
unexpired term shall be selected by special election conducted in
accordance with Article VII.
ARTICLE VIII: RULES OF PROCEDURE AND VOTING
PROCEDURES
8.1 For all matters submitted to Association vote, voting shall be by
individuals casting a vote by their choice of mail ballot, electronic
ballot, or such other media as shall be determined by the Balloting
Committee.
8.2 To the extent not otherwise inconsistent with this Constitution, the
Assembly, the ALB, and each of the committees established
hereunder shall have authority to adopt, by a majority vote, rules of
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procedure including, but not limited to, rules concerning methods of
voting and quorums, if any.
ARTICLE IX: VACANCIES
9.1 In the event of a vacancy in the office of President-Elect, the
Nominating Committee shall fill such vacancy for the balance of the
term, at which time the office of President shall be filled by special
election conducted in accordance with Article IV.
9.2 In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the President-
Elect shall assume the duties of President for the balance of the term
while continuing to perform the duties of President-Elect.
9.3 In the event of a vacancy in the office of Immediate Past President,
the President shall assume the duties of Immediate Past President for
the balance of the term while continuing to perform the duties of
President.
9.4 In the event of a vacancy in the office of Secretary that results from
a vacancy in the position of Vice President for Alumni Relations, the
President of the College shall designate a person to perform the
duties of Secretary until the position of Vice President for Alumni
Relations has been filled.
9.5 Vacancies occurring in other positions under this Constitution shall
be filled by the organizations or bodies that originally filled them.
Any person selected to fill any such vacancy shall serve in such
position for the balance of the term of the person whose vacancy he
or she is filling.
ARTICLE X: REVIEW OF CONSTITUTION
10.1 To ensure the ongoing currency and effectiveness of the alumni
governance system, the Immediate Past President may from time to
time, and in no event less often than once every five years, convene
a Constitution Review Committee to consider possible revisions to
this Constitution. The Constitution Review Committee shall consist
of the Immediate Past President and the following persons appointed
by the Nominating Committee: two members of the Assembly; two
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members of the ALB; and two members of the Association who are
not members of the Assembly or the ALB. The Immediate Past
President shall chair the committee.
10.2 The Secretary shall notify the members of the Association that a
Constitution Review Committee has been convened and shall invite
all Association members to participate in the review process by
submitting comments and suggestions to the Constitution Review
Committee.
10.3 The Constitution Review Committee shall prepare, and shall
promptly submit to the President and the Secretary, a written report
of its findings and recommendations. The Secretary shall inform
Association members of the results of the review and shall post the
Constitution Review Committee’s report on the Alumni Association
web site and through other appropriate means.
ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION
11.1 Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed as follows:
11.1.1 By the Constitution Review Committee; or
11.1.2 By any member of the Assembly; or
11.1.3 By any one percent of the voting members of the
Association who file a proposed amendment that also
identifies the amendment’s sponsor(s) over their own
signatures with the Secretary.
11.2 A proposed amendment is adopted if it is approved by a two-thirds
vote of Assembly members present and voting followed by a twothirds
vote of all Association members who cast votes through all
appropriate means.
11.3 A proposed amendment that is approved by a majority but less than
two-thirds of Assembly members present and voting shall be
submitted to Association vote, subject to the prior written approval
of a majority of the sponsors of such amendment, with its failure to
receive two-thirds approval by the Assembly noted in the voting
materials, and shall be adopted if it is approved by a two-thirds vote
of all Association members who cast votes through all appropriate
means.
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11.4 Defeated amendments may be proposed again at any time in
accordance with the requirements set forth elsewhere in this Article
XI.
ARTICLE XII: EFFECTIVE DATE; TRANSITION PROVISIONS
12.1 Effective Date: This Constitution, if adopted in the manner provided
under Article XIII, shall take effect on July 1, 2007 (the “Effective
Date”). (The period between the date of adoption and the Effective
Date shall be referred to herein as the “Transition Year.”) To
achieve an orderly transition, the following shall take place:
12.2 Officers:
12.2.1 On the Effective Date, the following persons holding office
as of June 30, 2007 shall assume the offices indicated and
shall hold such offices until their successors are duly elected
under this Constitution:
Officeholders as of June 30,
2007:
Offices Under This
Constitution:
President of the Alumni
Council
President of the
Association
President-Elect of the
Alumni Council
President-Elect of the
Association and Chair of
the Assembly
President of the Association
of Alumni
Immediate Past President
of the Association and
Chair of the ALB
12.3 Assembly:
12.3.1 Directly Elected Members: During the Transition Year,
pursuant to nomination procedures and election procedures
established by the Transition Committee created pursuant to
Section 12.7, an election among Association members shall
be held to select the 15 at-large members of the Assembly
who are directly elected (see Section 5.2.1.3). Staggered
terms shall be established by having one third of the
Assembly members so elected assigned a one-year term, one
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third assigned a two-year term, and one third assigned a
three-year term, such terms to be determined by lot under
procedures established by the Balloting Committee.
Thereafter, all at-large Assembly members who are directly
elected shall be elected to serve three-year terms.
12.3.2 ALB Representatives: With respect to the six members of
the Assembly granted membership by virtue of their election
as at-large members of the ALB, such membership shall be
effective concurrent with such members’ election to the
ALB (see Section 12.4.1).
12.3.3 Class and Organizational Representatives: During the
Transition Year, classes and organizations entitled to elect
representatives to the Assembly shall communicate their
selections to the President. Such selections shall become
effective on July 1, 2007. Staggered terms shall be
established by having one third of such representatives
assigned a one-year term, one third assigned a two-year
term, and one-third assigned a three-year year term, such
terms to be determined under procedures established by the
Transition Committee.
12.4 Alumni Liaison Board:
12.4.1 Directly Elected Members: During the Transition Year,
pursuant to nomination procedures established by the
Nominating Committee and election procedures established
by the Balloting Committee, an election among Association
members shall be held to select the six at-large members of
the ALB who are directly elected (see Section 6.2.1).
Staggered terms shall be established by having one third of
the ALB members so elected assigned a one-year term, one
third assigned a two-year term, and one third assigned a
three-year term, such terms to be determined by lot under
procedures established by the Balloting Committee.
Thereafter, all ALB members so elected shall be elected to
serve three-year terms.
12.4.2 Assembly-Elected Members: With respect to the six
members of the ALB to be elected by the Assembly, such
election shall take place as soon as practical after the
Assembly has first convened. Staggered terms shall be
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established by having one third of the initial group of ALB
members elected by the Assembly assigned a one-year term,
one third assigned a two-year term, and one third assigned a
three-year term, such terms to be determined by lot under
procedures established by the Balloting Committee.
Thereafter, all ALB members so elected shall be elected to
serve three-year terms.
12.5 Nominating Committee:
12.5.1 During the Transition Year, the Alumni Council shall select
the initial members of the Nominating Committee to take
office on the Effective Date. Six shall be persons who are
members of the Alumni Council Nominating Committee
immediately prior to the Effective Date; six shall be other
Association members.
12.5.2 Staggered terms shall be established by having one-third of
such initial members (equally divided between members
then serving on the predecessor committee and new
members) assigned a one-year term, one third assigned a
two-year term, and one third assigned a three-year term,
such terms to be determined under procedures established by
the Transition Committee.
12.6 Balloting Committee:
12.6.1 During the Transition Year, the Nominating Committee
shall select the initial members of the Balloting Committee
to take office on the Effective Date. No more than three
such persons shall be either members of the Alumni Council
immediately prior to the Effective Date or initial Assembly
members.
12.6.2 Staggered terms shall be established by having one-third of
such initial members (equally divided between members
then serving on the Alumni Council or Assembly and other
members) assigned a one-year term, one third assigned a
two-year term, and one third assigned a three-year term,
such terms to be determined by lot under procedures
established by the Balloting Committee.
12.7 Transition Committee:
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12.7.1 During the Transition Year, the members of the Association
Executive Committee as such is constituted immediately
before the Effective Date, in consultation with the members
of the Alumni Governance Task Force (as of December 31,
2005), shall constitute a Transition Committee which is
authorized to take such actions, consistent with this
Constitution, as are appropriate to address unforeseen
transition issues and to achieve an orderly transition from
the previous alumni governance system.
ARTICLE XIII: ADOPTION
The effectiveness of this Constitution is conditioned upon its approval by a
two-thirds vote of Association members voting through all appropriate
means. Such vote shall be conducted in a manner consistent with the
Association’s procedures applicable to the election of alumni trustees under
this Constitution.