Bylaws of the HUUmanists Association NFP
ADOPTED AT THE UUA GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2001 CLEVELAND, OH
Article I-Name
The name of this corporation shall henceforth be "HUUmanists."
Article II-Purposes
Section 1: The purpose of HUUmanists is to enhance, promote, practice and enjoy humanism in liberal religion, and to provide a continental organization for those who consider themselves humanists within the UUA.
Section 2: To this end, HUUmanists shall:
- defend and protect freedom of thought in Unitarian Universalism;
- arrange programs, forums and lectures;
- encourage humanist writing to give voice to humanistic values;
- publish the semi-annual journal Religious Humanism and an occasional newsletter The Communicator;
- encourage the establishment of local humanist groups;
- maintain a humanist presence on the intemet; and
- hold discussion groups, seminars, workshops and conferences at various times and places.
Article III-Membership
Section 1: Membership shall be open to all who consider themselves humanists and are in sympathy with the purposes of HUUmanists. Although HUUmanists is an independent affiliate organization of the American Unitarian Association (UUA), we welcome members of other humanist organizations as well as those with no other affiliation who want to support humanism within the UUA.
Section 2: Membership shall be awarded and maintained upon receipt of annual dues, the amount to be set every two years by the Board of Directors.
Section 3: Membership may be revoked by action of the Board of Directors.
Section 4: Members in good standing shall be eligible to vote at the annual meeting and any special meetings called by the Board.
Article IV-Officers and Board of Directors
Section 1: The officers shall be a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer.
- Officers must be members in good standing.
- Officers shall be members of the Board of Directors, with full vote.
- Terms of office shall be two years, with the vice-president and treasurer elected in odd years, and the president and secretary elected in even years.
- Officers may serve a maximum of three terms, excepting any partial term served until the next scheduled election for the office.
- The Board of Directors shall fill any vacancies in offices.
- The officers shall constitute an executive committee which shall serve between board meetings and perform such duties as assigned by the board. A majority of officers shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2: In addition to the officers, there shall be six members-at-large of the Board of Directors. The Journal editor and the immediate past president shall be ex-officio members of the Board, without vote.
- Terms of the members-at-large shall be three years.
- Board members-at-large shall serve a maximum of two terms.
- Two members-at-large shall be elected each year.
- Vacancies on the Board may be filled by the Executive Committee until the next annual election.
- A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
- The Board of Directors shall meet once each year during the General Assembly of the UUA.
- If the annual meeting of the Board lacks a quorum, or if there is a need to conduct business between annual meetings, decisions may be made by response from a majority of the members of the Board via conference call, mail, or electronic mail.
Section 2: The Board shall be responsible for establishing the budget and expending funds; conducting the business of the corporation; and appointing committees and hiring staff as necessary.
Article V-Committees
Section 1: Standing committees shall be a Finance Committee and a Membership Committee.
- The Finance committee shall assist the treasurer and develop a proposed budget to be brought to the Board each year.
- The Membership Committee shall reach out to UUA ministers and laity and other potential members, and help create and support local Humanist groups.
Section 2: The Board of Directors may establish other committees as they consider appropriate to the purposes and activities of HUUmanists.
Section 3: There shall be a Nominating Committee consisting of three members.
- Members of the Nominating Committee shall be selected by the Board of Trustees. The Board will select a new member each year, and fill vacancies.
- Members of the Nominating Committee shall serve three years.
- The Nominating Committee shall present a single slate of candidates for the positions to be filled at the Annual Business Meeting of the membership. Additional nominations may be made from the floor.
Article VI-Meetings
Section 1: The President shall establish the time and place for the annual business meetings of the Board of Directors and the Corporation, both to be held during the UUA General Assembly. Notice of time, place and purpose of the meetings shall be sent to the Board and the membership at least 20 days before the start of the General Assembly.
- Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee or by petition of 10% of the membership. Time, place and purpose of special meetings shall be determined by the Executive Committee and notice shall be sent to the membership by the Secretary at least 20 days before the meeting.
- Voting at membership meetings shall be reserved for members in good standing.
- A quorum at membership meetings shall be 20 members or 10% of the membership, whichever is larger.
- The most recent edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall be used to guide parliamentary procedure at all meetings.
Article VI-Amendments
Section 1: Amendments to these By-Laws may be introduced by the Board of Directors or by petition of 10% of the membership.
- Amendments may be voted upon and adopted at the regular annual business meeting of the Corporation.
- Adoption of amendments requires a 2/3 vote of members in good standing present at a meeting which has a legal quorum.
- Advance notice in writing, with the complete text of the proposed amendment, shall be included in the notice of the business meeting at which they are to be adopted.
Article VII-General Provisions
Section 1: HUUmanists shall be incorporated in the state of Illinois under the General Not for Profit Corporation Act.
Section 2: HUUmanists shall be an independent affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Affiliation with other organizations is encouraged and may be made by negotiation of the Board of Directors on authorization by members in annual meeting.
Section 3: HUUmanists may employ office and other staff as deemed necessary and allowed within the constraints of the budget.
Section 4: The publications of HUUmanists shall be undertaken by the Editor, who may be a paid employee. Publications will also be overseen by an Editorial Advisory Board of a minimum of three persons, to be appointed by the Board of Directors in consultation with the Editor.
Section 5: The fiscal year shall coincide with that of the UUA, beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the following calendar year.
Section 6: Should HUUmanists cease to function and the membership vote to disband, any assets of this corporation will be transferred to the Unitarian Universalist Association, for the purpose of promoting humanism within the UUA.
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