Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Alumni Association of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the ALS Alumni Association.
Article II: Mission and Objectives
Section A: Mission Statement: The ALS Alumni Association exists to promote fellowship and leadership among alumni and students and to advance the teaching, research, and extension functions of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Section B: Objectives: The Association and its volunteer leadership seek to accomplish this by:
1. Providing a network for alumni to be active in the affairs of the college.
2. Assisting with the recruitment, recognition, and placement of well-
qualified students and alumni.
3. Representing the interests of the college to the general public.
4. Keeping alumni membership informed of research, technology, and
new developments.
5. Providing an accurate reflection of community concerns to college
leadership.
6. Providing opportunities for social interaction and the celebration of
college memories for alumni.
Article III: Membership
Section A: Former students, faculty, staff and friends of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University shall be members upon the payment of dues.
Section B: The amount of dues required for membership shall be established by the Board of Directors.
Section C: Any person who is in arrears in payment of dues or assessments can be dropped from membership after two (2) renewal notifications have been mailed.
Article IV: The Alumni Board of Directors
Section A: There shall be a Board of Directors of the Alumni Association of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University consisting of up to 33 members: 28 Directors selected to represent geographic districts and/or serving at-large positions, plus 2 undergraduate students, 1 graduate student, 1 faculty member, and the Immediate Past President of the Association (if his/her term as Director has ended). All Directors, except student directors, must be members of the Alumni Association at the time of their election and tenure on the Board. Directors shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Association.
Section B: The representative of the faculty shall be nominated by the Dean of the College, shall serve a two-year term, and shall be eligible for one additional term. Two undergraduate students and one graduate student shall be members of the Board of Directors and shall serve a two-year term.
Section C: Terms of Directors shall be for three years and begin in June. A voting member of the Alumni Board of Directors shall serve no more than two full consecutive terms. Members may return to the Board following a one (1) year absence.
Section D: Duties of the Board of Directors shall be:
1. Taking action to best meet the objectives of the Association and
College, within the meaning of this constitution, as a total Board, or by
delegation to various committees.
2. Arranging the time, place, and program for the Annual Meeting.
3. Assuming responsibility for the business of the Association in the
interval between regular annual meetings, and handling any such
other business as the Association requires within budget and bylaw
limitations.
Section E: A majority of the Alumni Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
Section F: Vacancies: The Board of Directors may appoint a Director until such time as a replacement is elected at the Annual Meeting. The Board may use a vacancy during a three-year term to establish a new three-year term (versus filling an unexpired term) to bring a balance of term expirations on the Board. Faculty will be recommended by the Dean.
Section G: Ex officio (non-voting) members of the Board shall include the College’s Director of Alumni Affairs; the College’s Dean (or his/her representative) and a Development Liaison as appointed by the College’s Dean.
Section H: Attendance: The Board of Directors may replace a Director to complete the term of any Director absent from three (3) or more consecutive meetings of the Board.
Section I: Removal of Directors: A majority vote by the Board of Directors in attendance may suspend and/or remove any Director or Directors at any time at the Board’s discretion should the Board in exercising its discretion determine it to be in the best interests of the Association. Prior to this vote, the Director shall be notified.
Article V: Officers
Section A: The officers of the Alumni Association of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University shall be a president, two vice presidents, secretary, and treasurer.
Section B: Officers shall be members of the Board of Directors.
Section C: Other officers shall be appointed by the Board of Directors as they deem necessary. Such officers shall hold office terms to be prescribed by the Board, and shall have the powers and perform such duties as shall be determined by the Board or in these Bylaws.
Section D: Officers shall be elected annually by a simple majority of the Board of Directors following the Annual Meeting and shall take office immediately.
Section E: Officers shall hold office for one year or until their successors are elected.
Section F: An Officer of the Board may be elected by a simple majority of the Board of Directors should such a vacancy occur.
Section G: The president of the Alumni Association or his/her designee shall serve on the Cornell Alumni Federation Board of Directors.
Section H: Removal of Officers: A majority vote by the Board of Directors in attendance may suspend and/or remove any Officer at any time at the Board’s discretion should the Board in exercising its discretion determine it to be in the best interests of the Association.
Section I: An officer shall automatically lose officer status if removed as a Director.
Article VI: Meetings
Section A: There shall be an Annual Meeting of the Alumni Association of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University called for the purpose of electing Directors at a time and place to be decided at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
1. Quorum at Annual Meetings: The presence, in person or by proxy, of
at least one hundred (100) active members shall be necessary to
constitute a quorum.
2. Voting at Annual Meetings: Votes may be tendered either in person,
or by proxy, on a form approved by the Board of Directors.
Section B: Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at least two (2) times per year. Notice of regular meetings shall be given to each Director not less than ten (10) days nor more than forty (40) days before the meeting.
Section C: Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called at any time by the president or by a majority of the Board of Directors. Notice of each such meeting, stating the purpose for which the same is called, shall be given to each member of the Board not less than ten (10) days prior to such a meeting.
The ten (10) day notice may be waived in an emergency at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
Article VII: Committees
Section A: The president of the Alumni Association of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University shall appoint a nominating committee at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting. The committee shall:
1. Make nominations at the Annual Meeting to fill expired terms and any
vacancies on the Alumni Board of Directors.
2. Present a slate of officers for the coming year at the Board’s
reorganization meeting immediately following the Association’s Annual
Meeting.
3. Make interim Director appointments.
Section B: The president shall appoint an auditing committee to audit the books at the close of the fiscal year.
Section C: Such other committees shall be appointed by the president as directed by the members of the Alumni Board of Directors.
Section D: The president shall be an ex officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.
Section E: The Executive Committee:
1. The executive committee shall comprise the president, the immediate
past president, two vice presidents, the secretary, the treasurer, and
others as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
2. The executive committee shall conduct the business of the Alumni
Association of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell
University as directed by the Board of Directors and the members at
an Annual Meeting.
3. A majority of the executive committee in attendance shall constitute a
quorum.
4. It shall be the responsibility of the executive committee to oversee the
administration of the Association. It shall carry on the business of the
Association in the interim between meetings of the Board. Such
authority shall include the power to approve expenditures not already
included in the budget or previously approved by the Board of
Directors up to a total of one thousand dollars ($1,000) in the interim
between two (2) consecutive meetings of the Board. It shall appoint a
replacement for a vacant director position until the subsequent
nominations.
Section F: The Past Presidents Council:
1. A Council, comprised of past presidents of the Alumni Association,
shall advise and assist the Association with its interests. The Council
shall be without formal structure.
2. The Council may be invited once per year to sit with the Board of
Directors.
Article VIII: Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the Association, all assets of the Association shall revert to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University.
Article IX: Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Alumni Association of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution and Bylaws and any special rules of order that may be adopted.
Article X: Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws
This Constitution and Bylaws can be amended at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors by a two-thirds vote of those present, provided the proposed amendment shall have been placed in the hands of the Board of Directors at least sixty (60) days prior to said meeting, for consideration by the Alumni Board and for insertion in the call for meeting. An amendment shall be submitted by a member of the Board of Directors.
Adopted February 9, 1916
Amended February 14, 1917
February 14, 1940
February 11, 1941
June 15, 1974
June 11, 1977
June 10, 1978
June 14, 1980
November 15, 2002
Edited March 25, 1979
March 29, 1980
July 26, 1982
Revised October 9, 1987
April 6, 1991
October 9, 1992
April 3, 1993
June 11, 1993
April 8, 1994
June 10, 1994