CONSTITUTION OF THE PROFESSORS EMERITI ASSOCIATION AT UNIVERSITY OF UTAH

(Ratified May 1, 1984)

Amended May 1994, April 2000, May 2015, April 2022, May 2025

Article I. Name

The name of this organization shall be The Professors Emeriti Association at University of Utah.

Article II. Purposes

Keeping clearly in mind that decisions as to appointing persons to emeritus status and granting privileges and concessions to emeriti and other retirees are made by the faculty and/or administration of the University and not by the Professors Emeriti Association, the purposes of this Association shall be:

Section 1. To bring together in educational, social, cultural, and recreational activities the members of the Association and their guests;

Section 2. To promote activities intended to enhance the welfare of Association members;

Section 3. To cooperate with the University administration in sponsoring and participating in activities that may be useful in furthering the purposes of the University.

Article III. Membership

Section 1. The Association shall have two categories of membership: Regular and Honorary.

Section 2. Regular Membership in the Association shall be open to retired faculty members and administrative officers (and their spouses) who have been granted emeritus status by the University.

Section 3. Honorary Membership in the Association shall be open to non-emeriti retired faculty and administrative officers (and their spouses) who have rendered meritorious service to the Association or to the University and have been approved by the membership according to the bylaws. Honorary Association membership does not mean honorary emeritus status. Emeritus status can only be awarded by the University.

Article IV. Officers

Section 1. The elected officers of the Association shall be president, president elect, immediate past president, secretary, treasurer, activities and volunteer coordinator, newsletter editor, membership and program facilitator and luncheon coordinator(s). As a group they shall be known as the Executive Board.

Section 2. The president elect shall succeed to the office of president. The president shall succeed to the office of immediate past president. All other officers shall be nominated and elected as specified in the bylaws.

Section 3. The duties of the officers shall be specified in the bylaws.

Section 4. In the event of the incapacity of an officer, or failure of one to perform assigned duties the Executive Board shall, at its discretion, select a replacement or establish a nominating and election procedure for so doing.

Section 5. All regular and honorary members shall be eligible to hold office.

Article V. Committees

Section 1. Such committees as are deemed necessary shall be established as specified in Article VI, section 1 of the bylaws. Section 2. The president shall be an ex officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.

Article VI. Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to this constitution may be initiated by the Executive Board or by individual members. Those initiated by individual members may be endorsed by the signature of three or more members and presented to the president or the secretary. Any proposed amendment approved by a majority of the Executive Board for presentation to the membership shall be presented for vote at the next most feasible meeting of the Association.

Section 2. Amendments which receive a two-thirds majority of the membership present and voting shall be considered adopted and shall be added to the constitution.

BYLAWS

Article I. Membership

Section 1. The Association shall have two categories of membership: Regular and Honorary. Section 2. Regular members shall be those specified in Article III, section 2 of the Constitution.

Section 3. Honorary members shall be those specified in Article III, section 3 of the Constitution, i.e. non-emeriti faculty members and administrative officers (and their spouses) who have rendered meritorious service to the Association or to the University – and who, after first having been approved by a majority vote of the Executive Board, have received a majority vote of approval of members present at a regular Association meeting. Honorary Association membership does not mean honorary emeritus status. Emeritus status can only be awarded by the University.

Section 4. All members of the Association shall be eligible to vote on all items of business brought before the membership.

Article II. Finances

Section 1. The Executive Board shall determine the amount of annual membership dues.

Section 2. Membership dues shall be paid at the annual October meeting of the Association or as soon as possible thereafter. Section 3. The Executive Board shall decide how the annual budget shall be expended. The Board shall supervise all expenditures. Section 4. Failure to pay dues shall not constitute grounds for loss of membership.

Article III. Meetings

Section 1. The Association shall hold meetings at such times and places as designated by the Executive Board. Written notices of such meetings shall be sent by electronic mail to members.

Section 2. Meetings shall be open to all members and their guests.

Section 3. Those members present at a duly noticed meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 4. The Executive Board shall function as a committee-of–the-whole to make plans and to arrange for programs and the agenda for all Association meetings.

Article IV. Elections

Section 1. A nominating committee of three or more members shall be appointed annually by the president. The committee shall present the names of one or more members as nominees for each elective office excepting that of president and immediate past president. Additional nominations may be made from the floor. No member shall be nominated without his/her consent.

Section 2. Elections shall be conducted by voice vote, showing of hands or by secret ballot according to the preference of the voting membership.

Article V. Tenure of Office

Section 1. Officers shall serve for one year, but are eligible for reelection.

Section 2. Association officers shall assume office on July 1 of each year, although events planned for the Association during the months of July and August may be directed by whichever group of officers plans those events or by both groups.

Article VI. Duties of Officers

Section 1. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Board and all meetings of the Association. With the approval of the Executive Board, the president may appoint standing and ad hoc committees. The president shall receive whatever written reports are presented by other officers and committees, implement the work of the Association, promote public relations, and represent the Association to the University administration and other organizations.

Section 2. The president elect shall assume the duties of the president in the latter’s absence or at the latter’s request. The president elect shall perform additional duties as asked to do so by the president or by the Executive Board.

Section 3. The secretary shall record minutes of all Executive Board meetings. All minutes shall be duplicated, with one copy for the archives and one for the president. At the discretion of the Executive Board, the secretary may be responsible for various kinds of correspondence such as resolutions and others as deemed advisable or necessary. The secretary shall assemble all minutes and other Association records and summarize them as directed by the University Archivist. On or before July1 of each year, the secretary shall deliver these assembled records to the University Archivist for permanent custody.

Section 4. The treasurer shall collect all monies paid by members for dues and special events. These monies shall be added to the budget account provided to the Association by the University administration. In collaboration with the account executive appointed by the University, the treasurer shall facilitate the disbursement of the monies in the Association account. The treasurer shall submit a report of the Association’s financial status in the final Newsletter of the year. At the discretion of the president, the treasurer shall make a summary report at the annual October meeting relative to expenditures during the past year and a forecast of possible expenditures for the ensuing year.

Section 5. The activities and volunteer coordinator(s) shall arrange activities, cultural and otherwise, of interest to members. This position may be held by one or two elected officers.

Section 6. The immediate past president shall serve in whatever capacities the immediate past president’s abilities and experience warrant or as requested by other members of the Executive Board. The immediate past president shall be a voting member of the Board.

Section 7. The newsletter editor produces the publication of a newsletter monthly from September to April. Material for the newsletter is furnished by responsible members of the Board and other available resources. An electronic draft shall be sent to Board members for review prior to final publication; however, the final copy is the responsibility of the newsletter editor. The revised copy of the newsletter is then forwarded to appropriate offices of the University for electronic distribution.

Section 8. The membership and program facilitator oversees keeping the Emeriti membership list up-to-date. Included in this position is an effort to create informational programing that highlights benefits of membership and University involvement opportunities.

Interfacing with University facilities includes program reservations and technical support. Other duties may be assigned as appropriate by the president.

Section 9. The luncheon coordinator(s) shall plan and coordinate speaker luncheons, manage reservations, name tag and special menu choices, coordinate with the catering service about head counts and lunch requests, and coordinate with the Association’s Treasurer about any payments made that did not go directly to the Treasurer in advance. Other duties may be assigned as appropriate by the president.

Article VII. Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to these bylaws may be initiated by the Executive Board or by individual members of the Association.

Section 2. Amendments to these bylaws shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present and voting at any regular meeting of the Association.

Enabling Clauses

It is proposed that the constitution and bylaws here proposed become effective upon ratification by a vote of a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting at the meeting when they are presented for action to the membership. Upon ratification, they shall supersede any previous Association constitution or bylaws.

Upon ratification of this constitution and these bylaws, the Executive Board is authorized to make any minor stylistic changes deemed necessary for clarification but not for alteration of the substance of the constitution and bylaws as ratified. Members of the Association who desire to suggest such stylistic changes should submit them in writing to the Association secretary or president.