Assyrian
Academic Society
(Chicago, Illinois USA)
Bylaws
Preamble
The recent increase in the size of the
Assyrian population in Illinois has brought to the area thousands of educated individuals,
many of whom are university graduates. It is those individuals that the Assyrian
community at large looks upon as the core that is most capable of promoting the need for
further education and scientific pursuits, creating a more profound language and cultural
awareness, and nurturing a more realistic and constructive sense of identity.
Therefore, in an effort to render the work and mission of this group more well-organized
and successful, the initiation of an entity in the form of a society to unite all
university graduates is deemed indispensable.
By-laws
Article I - Name:
The name of this Society shall be "Assyrian
Academic Society", hereinafter, referred to as "A.A.S."
Article II - Organization:
A.A.S. is a non-profit
organization without any political orientation, that is democratic in structure and
professional in nature, organized under the laws of the state of Illinois.
Article III - Location:
Article IV - Purpose:
Article V - Membership:
Section 1 - Qualification:
- The applicant must be of good character
and law abiding, attending full time university or college, or has obtained an Associate
degree or higher.
- The applicant must believe in the purpose
of the A.A.S., abide by its by-laws, and all the resolutions and decisions taken by
the A.A.S., defend them, and have the linguistic, educational and professional
capabilities to implement them.
- The applicant must fill out a membership
application and be sponsored by two voting members.
- The applicant must undergo a three month
probation at the end of which he will attain full membership status with the approval of
two thirds (2/3) of the members of the board of directors.
- The applicant must provide evidence of
academic status upon request.
- The applicant must take the membership
oath.
- The applicant must pay membership dues.
Section 2 - Classification:
- Regular Member: A regular member is
any person who has obtained at least an Associate Degree or higher degree from an
accredited college, university or institute of higher education-or a student who has
completed at least two years of college level work and is currently continuing his/her
education.
- Student Member: A student member is
any student who is currently enrolled at freshman or sophomore level classes at an
accredited college, university or a student in a graduate level of higher education.
- Honorary Member: Honorary
membership shall be granted to any person who has significant achievement in science or
arts that has brought publicity and prestige to the Assyrian and human society at large.
- Voting Member: A regular, Student,
or an Honorary member who is in good standing.
Section 3 - Membership Dues:
Membership dues are set and reviewed
annually by the board of directors. Membership dues shall be published in the
membership application.
Section 4 - Privileges:
- A Regular Member, a Student Member or an
Honorary Member has the right to vote in general body meetings upon acceptance as a member
in the A.A.S. provided that he/she is in good standing.
- A voting member has the right to
participate in electing members of the Board of Advisors and Board of Directors, through
secret ballot.
- A regular member or an honorary member
that is qualified according to Article VI Section 2 or Article VII Section 3 respectively
and is in good standing has the right to be nominated or nominate him/herself to the Board
of Advisors or Directors.
- Every member can attend all general body
meetings, and make suggestions he/she deems necessary for fulfilling the objectives of the
A.A.S.
Section 5 - Meetings:
A) Regular General Body Meeting
The regular general body meeting shall be
called once every three (3) months at a prescribed date and place with two (2) weeks
notice.
B) Special General Body Meeting
A minimum of fifteen (15) of the voting
members have the right to call a special meeting through the Board of Directors with at
least ten (10) day notice.
Section 6 - The Annual General Body
Meeting:
- The annual general body meeting shall be
held during the month of October, once a year, with at least one month notice.
- The annual general body meeting shall
formulate the outlines of the A.A.S. policy.
- The annual general body meeting evaluates
the activities and resolutions of the Board of Advisors and the Board of Directors for the
preceding year.
- The annual general body meeting may make
amendments to the constitution, provided that all members shall be notified of the
proposed amendments at least fifteen (15) days in advance.
- The annual general body meeting elects
members of the Board of Advisors and Board of Directors through secret ballot.
- All decisions of the general body meeting
are taken by the majority vote, with the exception of the amendments to the constitution
and by-laws, which require an affirmative vote of two thirds (2/3) of the members present
voting.
Section 7 - Quorum:
The quorum of the membership meeting will
be formed with the presence of the majority of voting members.
Section 8 - Proxy:
Members may vote by proxy at the annual
general body meeting provided that it is in writing.
Section 9 - Resignation:
- Every member has the right to resign, as
he/she had joined voluntarily without necessarily being obligated to mention the reason/s
for his/her resignation. All resignations must be submitted in writing to the
executive committee.
- Every member is considered resigned if
he/she delays his/her dues more than one year.
- No member can be admitted more than once
after he/she had resigned.
Section 10 - Disciplinary Action:
- Penalties shall be applied by two thirds
(2/3) affirmative vote of the Board of Directors. Penalties are enforced only after
giving the member the right to defend him/herself.
- Penalties are applied against any member
who deliberately violates or fails to abide by the by-laws of the A.A.S. or whose
character is questioned.
- If a penalty is to be enforced against a
member, the member concerned has no right to vote.
- Penalties may be implemented in the
following sequence:
- Notice
- Warning
- Suspension
- Expulsion
- Members using A.A.S. funds,
property or stationary for their own private interest, will face immediate expulsion by
the Board of Directors.
- An expelled member cannot be readmitted at
all.
Article VI - Board of Advisors:
Section 1 - Size:
The number of members of the Board of
Advisors of the A.A.S. shall be seven (7).
Section 2 - Qualification:
The A.A.S. is committed to a
policy of fair representation on the Board of Advisors. Members of the Board shall
share the mission and goals of the A.A.S. A nominee for the Board shall be a
regular member-who has attained at least a bachelor degree from an accredited institution,
or an honorary member of the A.A.S. in good standing for at least one year.
Section 3 - Elections:
Members of the Board of Advisors shall be
elected for a one year term at the annual general body meeting. No advisor will
serve more than three (3) consecutive years.
Section 4 - Powers and Duties:
- The Board of Advisors shall offer
administrative guidance to the Board of Directors and advise the staff in the various
program areas. They will monitor the program's effectiveness, review and evaluate
procedures on a regular basis.
- The Board of Advisors communicates with
the funding sources, community leaders, and other interested parties about the programs
planned.
- The Board of Advisors may call on a
special general body meeting when deemed necessary to discuss important and urgent
matters.
- Board of Advisors shall hold a meeting no
later than 2 weeks after the general elections to select a chairperson for their Board and
assign all remaining elected advisors to assist and guide a standing committee
chairperson.
Section 5 - Meetings of the Board of
Advisors:
A) Regular Board Meeting
Members of the Board of Advisors shall
meet on a regular basis at least once every two months, with at least two (2) weeks
notice.
B) Special Board Meeting
Two or more members of the Board of
Advisors may call on a special board meeting when deemed necessary to discuss urgent
matters. The notice of such meeting shall be served not less than one week.
Section 6 - Quorum:
At all meetings of the Board of Advisors,
each advisor will be entitled to cast one vote on any motion coming before the meeting.
The presence of a majority of the Board of Advisors will constitute a quorum at any
meeting.
Section 7 - Proxy:
Proxy voting will not be permitted in any
meeting of the Board of Advisors.
Article VII - Board of Directors:
Section 1 - Size:
The Board of Directors shall be nine (9)
in number. This can only be changed by two third (2/3) affirmative vote from the
general body. This number cannot be reduced to fewer than four members.
Section 2 - Composition:
The Board of Directors of A.A.S.
shall hold the following offices:
- President
- Vice President
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- Five Committee Chairpersons
Section 3 - Qualification:
- A nominee for the office of the president
and the vice-president shall be a regular member in good standing for two years, at least
twenty five years old, and has obtained a bachelor degree or higher form an accredited
institution.
- A nominee for the Board of Directors with
the exception of the president and the vice-president shall be a regular member who has
obtained a bachelor degree or higher from an accredited institution, and is in good
standing for at least six months.
Section 4 - Elections:
- The Board of Directors will be elected for
a one year term by the voting members present at the annual general body meeting through a
secret ballot.
- Any vacancy, with the exception of the
post of the President, occurring in the Board of directors shall be filled by a member who
is elected by the voting members present at the first general body meeting which shall
convene immediately afterwards.
Section 5 - Powers of the Board of
Directors:
- The Board of Directors shall meet
regularly. Every member of the Board of Directors may call an emergency meeting of
the Board of Directors if it is deemed necessary, specifying therefore, the reason for
that.
- The Board of Directors shall call for the
annual general body meeting, designating its time and place.
- The Board of Directors shall call for
regular general body meetings, as well as emergency body meetings whenever it deems them
necessary.
- The Board of Directors has the right to
form temporary specialized committees, which should report directly to the Board of
Directors.
- The Board of Directors is the only body
with the authority to establish chapters whenever it finds them necessary.
- The Board of Directors may assign a
specific responsibility to any member if it considers him/her eligible and willing to
assume the assignment.
- The Board of Directors is in charge of
approving the policy and the content of its origin or its newsletter.
- The resolution of the Board of Directors
must be taken with the majority of the votes of the committee members present.
- If a member of the Board of Directors
fails to participate in two successive meetings without a valid reason, a written warning
shall be issued to him. If he still fails to attend the next meeting he will be
automatically relieved of his post.
Section 6 - Duties of the President:
- The President shall preside over the Board
of Directors and the A.A.S. general body meetings.
- The President shall prepare an agenda for
each meeting.
- The President shall see that all
resolutions and recommendations of the A.A.S. are carried out thoroughly.
- The President or any officer authorized by
him shall sign all deeds, titles and other documents relative to the A.A.S.
business.
Section 7 - Duties of the
vice-president:
- The vice-president shall assume the duties
of the President in the absence of the President or his/her inability to perform his/her
duties.
- The vice-president shall perform duties
that may be assigned to him/her by the president or by the Executive Committee.
Section 8 - Duties of the Secretary:
- The Secretary shall record and maintain
all minutes of the meetings of the A.A.S. in English.
- The Secretary shall be the custodian of
the corporate seal.
- The Secretary shall be the custodian of
all A.A.S. records and documents kept at the head office of the A.A.S.
- The Secretary shall send notices of all
Board of Directors meetings and the general body meetings.
- The Secretary shall handle all
correspondence required for conducting official business.
Section 9 - Duties of the Treasurer:
- The Treasurer shall act as the chairperson
of the Finance Committee.
- The Treasurer shall maintain checking and
savings accounts in the name of the A.A.S. with accredited financial institutions.
- The Treasurer shall be the sole custodian
of the A.A.S. funds and shall oversee all A.A.S. income and expenditures.
- The treasurer shall cosign with the
President or any other authorized officer any disbursement checks.
- The treasure shall keep proper books of
accounting showing the accurate financial status of the A.A.S.
- The treasurer shall report to the Board of
Directors and the general body at regular meetings on the financial status of the A.A.S.
Section 10 - Duties of Committee
Chairperson:
- Each Chairperson shall act as the
Chairperson of the appropriate standing committee and will select as many members deemed
necessary to carry out various functions.
- The Chairperson of each committee shall
form as many sub-committees needed to assist in conducting programs and projects which
will fulfill the objectives of the organization, with the approval of the Executive
Committee.
Section 11 - Meetings of the Board of
Directors:
- Regular Directors Meeting: The
Board of Directors shall meet regularly at a prescribed date and place.
- Emergency Directors Meeting: An
emergency meeting may be called at the request of a member of the Board of Directors if
necessary.
Section 12 - Quorum:
At all meetings of the Board of
Directors, each member will be entitled to cast one vote on any motion coming before the
meeting. The presence of a majority of the Board of Directors will constitute a
quorum at any meeting.
Section 13 - Proxy:
Proxy voting will not be permitted in any
meeting of the Board of Directors.
Article VIII - Standing Committees:
Section 1 - Name and Number:
The Standing Committees of the A.A.S. shall be six
(6), as follows:
- Membership, by-laws & Constitution.
- Publication, Language, History &
Cultural.
- Professional counseling, Educational &
Scientific guidance.
- Public relations.
- Finance
- Ways and Means
Section 2 - Composition:
Standing Committee members may vary in
number as deemed necessary by their respective Chairperson.
Section 3 - Duties of Standing
Committees:
- Membership, by-laws & Constitution
Committee: It shall examine the membership applications, verify requirements,
and present them to the Board of Directors. It shall supervise, monitor, and conduct
the annual body meetings. It shall monitor the proper implementation of the by-laws
by the Board of Directors. It shall coordinate and submit to the Board of Directors
all proposals made by the members before the amendment of the by-laws.
- Publication, Language, History &
Cultural Committee: It shall issue a specialized periodical in arts and sciences
to reflect the major academic activities of the A.A.S.. It shall publish and
encourage the publication or reprinting of all materials relevant to our scientific,
cultural, and ethnic awareness. It shall maintain the right to issue newsletter or
other publications that serve the objectives of the A.A.S. It shall promote
the teaching of the Assyrian (Aramaic) language by all possible means in the light of
modern methodology for language teaching. It shall encourage research in our
language, history and culture. It shall enhance and deepen the awareness of our
children and youth in the areas pertinent to their origin, culture and identity. It
shall establish a library with emphasis on Assyrian culture and heritage.
- Professional counseling, Educational
& Scientific guidance committee: It shall provide the A.A.S. members
and the Assyrian community with all possible professional information and experience in
various fields of knowledge through personal interviews, public lectures, and group
workshops. It shall promote objective thinking and systematic approaches to all
problems relevant to education and science. It shall encourage further pursuit of
knowledge in modern science, technology, and liberal arts especially among our children
and youth. It shall arrange and sponsor lectures, seminars and conferences. It
shall encourage and support the participation of the A.A.S. in local, national and
international workshops, seminars and conferences.
- Public relations committee:
It shall publicize the existence of the A.A.S. and promote the best type of working
relationships with Assyrian and non-Assyrian institutions and organizations that share
with A.A.S. the same or similar objectives. It shall arrange and sponsor
gathering and mass media programs that serve the continuity and growth of the A.A.S. as
an institution of the Assyrian community.
- Finance Committee: It shall
be responsible for maintaining a system of internal safeguard accounting controls with the
objectives of providing reasonable assurance that A.A.S. assets are safeguarded
against material loss from unauthorized use or disposition, and that authorized
transactions are properly recorded to permit the preparation of accurate financial data.
However, limitation exist in any system of internal control based on a recognition
that the cost of the system should not exceed its benefits.
- Ways and Means Committee: It
shall seek funding and grants from private and government institutions for various
programs that are beneficial to the community and the A.A.S. This committee
shall assist other committees in projects that will require elaborate planning and
funding. It shall investigate, recommend, and outline due process of long term
projects that the A.A.S. is planning to carry out.
Section 4 - Meetings:
Standing Committees may individually
decide on the frequency of their meetings, based on expedient nature or urgency of the
work entrusted to their case.
Article IX - Financing:
Section 1 - Fiscal Year:
The fiscal year of the A.A.S shall
commence on the first day of each year.
Section 2 - General Funds:
- A.A.S. is financed by regular dues from
members which will constitute a flexible source of income available to the organization.
- Other sources besides dues may serve to
capitalize the organization such as gifts and bequests from donors, securities,
investment, profits from business enterprises such as publications, fund raising, grants,
charitable contributions, and income from various social activities.
Article X - Amendments:
Any amendments or revisions in the
Constitution or in the by-laws of the A.A.S. shall become valid by two thirds (2/3)
affirmative vote of the members present at the annual general body meeting, provided that
the proposed amendments or revisions had been presented in writing to the by-laws
committee at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual general body meeting.
Article XI - Seal:
The seal of the A.A.S. shall be in
circular form in the center of which shall appear the year of incorporation of the A.A.S.
and a design of roseate in conjunction with the word " Assyrian Academic Society.".
A facsimile of such seal may, if the Board of Directors so directs, constitute the
emblem or insignia for use by the A.A.S. and its members in conduction with their
business, subject to such rules and regulations governing the use of same as Board of
directors may adopt.
Article XII - Oath:
The Oath of the A.A.S. shall be
the following:-
"I swear by my honor and
dignity that I shall do my utmost to bring about the success of the Assyrian Academic
Society.
Article XIII - Dissolution:
The annual general body meeting is the
only authorized body to dissolve the A.A.S. and dispose of its properties by two
thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the annual general body meeting. In the event that
this A.A.S. is dissolved, its assets shall, after payment and settlement of all its
debts and liabilities, be disposed of. Disposition and or donation of the net assets
of this A.A.S. shall be made only to one or more Assyrian organizations, which
operate exclusively for charitable, educational, cultural or scientific purposes and which
are qualified as non-profit tax exempt organizations under section 501 (c) 3 of the
Internal Revenue Service.