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Faculty Women's Association

Bylaws

Faculty Women’s Association Bylaws

Article 1: Name

The name of the organization is the BYU Faculty Women's Association, hereinafter referred to as the Association.

Article 2: Mission Statement

The purposes of the Association are:

  1. To support the mission of Brigham Young University;
  2. To promote solidarity and a sense of community among its members;
  3. To improve the quality of professional life for faculty women on the Brigham Young University campus; and
  4. Increase awareness of and sensitivity to gender issues at Brigham Young University.

Article 3: Specific Goals

The Association will:

  1. Encourage and support women through the rank and continuing faculty status processes;
  2. Promote recognition of the accomplishments of women faculty;
  3. Encourage fellowship and communication among members;
  4. Cooperate in attaining mutual goals with any campus entities designed to focus on women's issues (e.g. Women's Studies Program and Women's Services and Resources);
  5. Evaluate and recommend methods to promote equity for women in the workplace environment at Brigham Young University;
  6. Promote positive relations with the administration and faculty-at-large; and
  7. Sponsor programs, projects, workshops, and educational activities to support the mission statement of the association.

Article 4: Membership

Section 1. Categories of Members:

  1. Active membership is open to women faculty and women administrators at BYU. Active membership is determined by the payment of dues.
  2. Associate membership may include all other interested faculty, including retired women and men faculty who support women and women's issues at BYU. Associate membership is determined by the payment of dues.

Section 2. Rights and Privileges:

a. Active members may:

  1. Vote in all Association elections;
  2. Be nominated for and serve as an officer of the Association or on committees;
  3. Attend all meetings and functions of the Association; and
  4. Receive the newsletter and other Association publications or notices.

b. Associate members may:

  1. Attend meetings and functions of the Association by invitation;
  2. Receive the newsletter and other Association publications or notices if they have their names placed on the mailing list.

Section 3. Annual Dues:

a. The membership year shall be from June 1-May 31.
b. The dues amount is set by the FWA Board.
c. Membership is contingent on the payment of dues.

Article 5: Elected Officers

Section 1. All elected officers shall be Active members (Article 4; Section 2a) of the Association and shall abide by the mission statement of Brigham Young University. The elected officers shall consist of the President, a Vice President/President-elect, a Past President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, an Historian, and a Newsletter Editor. They shall be referred to hereafter as the Executive Board.

Section 2. The officers shall be elected by ballots distributed to Active members. The election shall take place in March/April of each year. New officers shall assume their duties at the beginning of the Summer Term according to the nomination and election procedures.

Section 3. The incumbent Vice President/President-Elect shall serve as President of the Association and the President shall serve as Past President during the succeeding year. All other elected officers will serve a term of two years (see Article 8.2 for detail on elections). The Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and Newsletter Editor may be re-elected to the same office in succeeding years to a maximum of two terms (four years).

Section 4. Board vacancies of elected officers that arise between annual elections will be appointed by the President with the exception of the President and Vice President/ President-Elect. The appointed officers will serve with the approval of other elected officials until the next annual election. If a vacancy occurs in the President’s position, the Vice President will assume the President’s duties for the remainder of the term and then continue in that office for her elected term. If a vacancy occurs in the Vice President’s position, a special election will be held to fill the vacancy.

Article 6: Appointed Officers

Section 1. Appointed officers, including the Part-time Representative, the Communications Coordinator, the Archivist, and chairs of ad hoc committees, shall be Active members.

Section 2. Each appointed officer shall be appointed for one year by the incoming President. Appointed officers may be reappointed in succeeding years.

Section 3. Board vacancies of the appointed officers that arise between annual elections will be appointed by the President to serve until the next President takes office.

Article 7: FWA Board

Section 1. The board consists of both elected and appointed officers.

Section 2. The Executive Board consists of elected officers who have voting privileges.

Section 3. Appointed officers are non-voting members of the board.

Article 8: Duties of Elected and Appointed Officers

Section 1. The President shall:

a. Call and preside at all Association and Board meetings;
b. Function as official spokesperson for the Association;
c. Fill vacancies that arise between annual elections on the Board of the Association, until the next annual election, with the exception of the Vice President/ President-elect; and
d. Perform all other duties that usually pertain to the office of the President that are not in conflict with the duties and powers granted other officers of the Association.

Section 2. The Vice President/ President-Elect shall:

a. In the absence of the President, preside at all meetings and perform other duties of the President;
b. Be responsible for overseeing the annual Association Retreat;
c. Be responsible for the annual service project; and
d. Perform other duties as assigned by the President.

Section 3. The Past President shall:

a. Supervise the nominations and election procedures;
b. Supervise the nominations and selection of FWA award winners;
c. Serve as the Parliamentarian and advise officers on parliamentary procedures; and
d. Perform other duties as assigned by the President.

Section 4. The Secretary shall:

a. Keep minutes of the business transacted by the Executive Board, send copies of the minutes to each member of the Board, and, after approval by the President, send a final copy of the minutes to the Historian for the permanent records maintained in the Association archives;
b. Schedule functions and keep a master calendar for the Association; and
c. Perform other duties as assigned by the President.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall:

a. Be responsible for the general funds of the Association and for such special funds as may from time to time be placed in her custody or control by order of the Executive Board;
b. Maintain all financial records of the Association, receive all monies payable to the Association, and disburse funds in payment of Association expenditures;
c. Prepare an estimated annual budget for consideration by the Executive Board;
d. Make financial reports to the Executive Board or to the Association membership under the direction of the President; and
e. Maintain the membership list and notify members of dues renewal.

Section 6. The Newsletter Editor shall:

a. Be responsible for publishing a periodic newsletter for the membership of the Association;
b. Coordinate other publications of the Association as assigned by the President or the Executive Board; and
c. Have joint responsibility with the Communications Coordinator for publicizing Association events.

Section 7. The Historian shall:

a.Keep a record of the Association events and activities, which will be deposited in the Association archives at the Harold B. Lee Library; and
b.Coordinate social media updates.

Section 8. The Communications Coordinator shall publicize Association events and facilitate other communication between the Board and members.

Section 9. Appointed board members shall participate, along with the elected officers, in planning and implementing the annual Association Retreat and perform other duties as assigned by the President and Executive Board.

Article 9: Nominations and Elections

Section 1. The Past President shall be responsible for elections and may appoint a committee as needed (with the past president as chair).

Section 2. Each year, the Elections Committee shall seek to nominate two (2) candidates for the position of Vice President/President Elect and other vacant positions. Candidates for Secretary and Newsletter Editor will be nominated in odd-numbered years, and candidates for Treasurer and Historian in even-numbered years. Nominees must be active members. The Committee shall obtain the consent of each nominee to stand for election. Members of the Election Committee may not be nominated as a candidate.

Section 3. The Elections Committee shall obtain biographical information about each candidate and prepare an official ballot to be distributed to all voting members, allowing for write-in candidates.

Section 4. The ballots shall be returned to the Past President and shall be tabulated before the FWA Retreat. Those candidates who receive a plurality of the votes cast are elected. Tie votes shall be resolved by the Elections Committee, who shall employ a means of chance to select the winner.

Section 5. In the event of a vacancy of President, the President Elect shall succeed to that office, then continue in that office for her elected term. Any vacancies occurring in other elective offices except Vice President/President Elect (Article 5 Section 4) before expiration of the regular term shall be filled for the balance of the term through appointment by the President and approval by the Executive Board.

Article 10: Committees

Section 1. The Executive Board may establish committees and appoint chairs for those committees to further the work of the Association. The Executive Board shall define the duties of each committee.

Section 2. Each committee shall keep the Executive Board apprised of activities and submit a year-end report of activities to the Historian.

Article 11: Amendments

Section 1. Proposed amendment(s) to the bylaws may be initiated by at least three members of the Executive board or upon receipt by the Executive Board of a petition signed by 20 percent of the current active members of the Association.

Section 2. Proposed amendment(s), and a ballot, shall be distributed to all members at least thirty (30) days before the vote is to be counted or taken in a meeting.

Section 3. Proposed amendment(s) to the bylaws may be adopted by a majority vote of active members. Members may vote either by mail, electronically, or in person at a general Association meeting. If the proposed amendment(s) receive a majority vote, they shall become effective immediately.

Revised May 2015