Berry College - Office of Alumni Relations

Constitution and Bylaws

BERRY COLLEGE AGRICULTURE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION and BYLAWS - OCTOBER 6, 1984

REVISIONS: OCTOBER 10, 1987

REVISIONS: OCTOBER 8, 1988

REVISIONS: OCTOBER 6, 1990

REVISIONS: OCTOBER 7, 2000

We, the alumni members of the Berry Agriculture Alumni Association, in order to promote improvement and increase interest among students of the Berry College Department of Agriculture and to bring about a closer relationship among individuals interested in some phase of agriculture do, in convention assembled, hereby ordain and establish this, the constitution of its government.

ARTICLE I

PRINCIPLES

SECTION 1 - Name and Affiliation

The name of this organization shall be the Berry Agriculture Alumni Association. This organization is formed as an association affiliated with the Berry Alumni Association.

SECTION 2 - Objectives

The objectives of the organization are:

To promote closer fellowship among alumni, students, and friends of the Berry College Department of Agriculture
To help improve the image of the Department.
To promote all fields of agriculture science, technology, and student work at Berry College.
To assist, promote and recommend Berry’s agriculture graduates for good employment.

ARTICLE II

MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1

The membership of this organization shall be made up of all former members of the Berry Block and Bridle Club, honorary members of the Berry Block and Bridle Club, former members of the Berry Agriculture Club, former members of Berry’s Poultry Science Club, all members of the Alpha-Zeta Club and the Pre-Vet Club, former members of Berry’s equestrian Club, and Berry’s agriculture graduates, non-graduates, and associated members.

Honorary membership may be conferred on any person actively identified with agriculture interests by a majority vote of the membership assembled at the annual meeting, recommending such a person to the Berry Agriculture Alumni Association.

SECTION 2 - Expulsions

Unbecoming conduct of a member of this association may be punished by expulsion.
Members who willfully obstruct the work of this association and whose continued presence is injurious to this association may be punished by expulsion.
No expulsion shall be made without a duly held trial before officers of this association.

ARTICLE III

ASSOCIATION OFFICERS

SECTION 1

The officers of this association ranking in order named shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Reporter, and Regional Representative.
These officers, together with the retiring past-president, shall constitute the executive council of this association.
The president and vice president of the Berry Agriculture Alumni Association shall be restricted to former Berry Students that had a major with the emphasis on Agriculture.

ARTICLE IV

EMBLEMS

The conventional emblem of this association shall be the Berry College seal encircled with the words: Berry Agriculture Alumni Association (if approved by Trustees).

ARTICLE V

MEETINGS

SECTION 1

This association shall hold two business meetings on the Berry College Campus annually; one in conjunction with Ag Week as designated by the Berry Block and Bridle Club on the campus, and the second meeting to be in connection with Mountain Day as it is scheduled. This second meeting will be considered the annual meeting at which time there will be an election of officers.

SECTION 2

Voting: Only members of this association in good standing shall be eligible to vote.
Officers: Officers shall be elected for a two-year term at the annual meeting and shall hold office for two years or until their successors are elected.

ARTICLE VI

AMENDMENTS

Amendments to this constitution may be made by a two-thirds vote of the members in good standing convened at annual meetings, provided proposed changes have been brought to the attention of all active members 30 days prior to the annual meeting.

BYLAWS

PARAGRAPH 1 - DUTIES

It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings; enforce a rigid observance of the Constitution and Bylaws of their organization; appoint committees not already provided for; see that all officers perform their official duties; inspect the result of balloting when deemed necessary; sign all orders drawn by the Secretary-Treasurer and all other official documents of the organization.
It shall be the duty of the Vice President to assume the duties of the President in the absence of that official, and to assist in the promotion of the best interests of the organization as the President may direct.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer:

To keep the minutes of all meetings; notify all members of their appointments to committees; conduct the correspondence of the organization.
To receive all money due the organization; pay all bills signed by the president; keep an accurate account of the finances of the organization, and make an annual report thereof
The Secretary-Treasurer of this association may be either a faculty or a staff member of the Berry College Agriculture Department.

4. It shall be the duty of the Reporter:

To communicate directly with the Secretary of the Berry Alumni Association and to keep that office current on all dates and activities concerning the Berry Agriculture Alumni Association. The reporter shall have charge of all publicity of club activities.
The reporter shall also have the duty of seeing that there are two newspapers published each year, one prior to Ag Week and the second prior to Mountain Day.

5. It shall be the duty of the Regional Representative to elect officers for their areas and to report to the Berry Agriculture Alumni Association. There will be one Regional Representative elected per state except the case of Georgia, which will have one representative for the north and one representative for the south. Regional Representatives are elected for a two-year term even years.

PARAGRAPH 2 - POWERS AND DUTIES

To adopt and enforce their own government, rules and regulations.
To levy and collect fees, dues, fines and accounts for the association.

PARAGRAPH 3 – DUES

Dues shall be $10.00 annually, $100.00 life membership. Dues may be changed by a majority vote at the annual meeting (Mountain Day meeting). Annual dues shall be considered paid for the year through October 30^th. Ag graduates for each year shall have complimentary membership for one year following graduation.

PARAGRAPH 4

Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the authority in questions of parliamentary procedure.

PARAGRAPH 5

The Bylaws of the Association may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members in good standing convened at the annual meeting, provided proposed changes have been brought to the attention of all active members.

PARAGRAPH 6

Upon entrance into the duties of this office, each officer shall be required to take the following oath, administered by the installing officer:

“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully perform the duties of (naming the office) and do all that I can to support the Constitution and the By-Laws of this association.”