HERS at BSU Bylaws

Approved May 13, 2005

I. MISSION AND GOALS

A. Mission

HERS at BSU is a Bridgewater State University organization dedicated to the continuing professional development of HERS alumnae at BSU, to promoting professional development opportunities on the BSU campus and beyond, and to strengthening and supporting the national HERS organization and its programs and goals.

B. Goals

  1. To strengthen the network of BSU women who have attended regional and national HERS programs
  2. To identify and encourage BSU women who might benefit from regional and national HERS programs and recommend potential participants to BSU's vice presidents and president
  3. To provide continuing professional development opportunities for HERS/BSU alumnae
  4. To use the expertise of HERS/BSU alumnae to provide professional development opportunities for faculty, administrators, staff and students at BSU
  5. to collaborate with other BSU organizations and groups engaged in diversity-related initiatives working towards creating a more democratic academic and social environment on the BSU campus
  6. To strengthen the national HERS organization through networking and presentations at regional conferences and advice to HERS staff
  7. To raise private funds to support HERS programs locally and nationally

II. STRUCTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION

A. Members

  1. Membership is open to those currently employed at/retired from BSU who have participated or taught in a HERS program or programs or served as a consultant to or director of the HERS organization. All persons eligible for membership will be invited to join HERS at BSU. Persons must respond affirmatively to become members and be carried on the membership list.
  2. Affiliate membership is open to those formerly employed at BSU who have attended or taught in a HERS program or programs or served as a consultant to or director of the HERS organization. All persons eligible for affiliate membership will be invited to join. Those eligible must respond in the affirmatively to be carried on the affiliate membership list.

B. Officers

  1. Elected Officers
    The elected officers of HERS at BSU shall be the President; the President Elect/Program Chair; the Secretary; and the Treasurer. Elections shall be held bi-yearly at the Annual Meeting (in May). The President and the President Elect/Program Chair shall serve two-year terms. The President may serve more than one two-year term, but not consecutive terms. At the conclusion of the two-year term, the President shall rotate out of office and the President-Elect/Program Chair shall begin a two-year term as President. The Secretary and the Treasurer may serve up to two consecutive two-year terms.
  2. President's Liaison
    A "President's Liason" will be appointed by the President of BSU to serve as a link between HERS-BSU and the BSU President's office. This officer serves without limit as requested by the president.
  3. Responsibilities of Officers
    1. President
    • Overall responsibility for the development and effective functioning of HERS at BSU
    • Overall responsibility for the development and effective functioning of all committees and task groups
    • Chairs HERS at BSU meetings, schedules meetings (in consultation with the Executive Committee), sends out notices, sets the agenda (in consultation with the Executive Committee)
    • Ensures that minutes of meetings are kept, distributed and preserved
    • With the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, annually appoints or re-appoints the members of all committees and task groups
    • Receives reports from all HERS at BSU committees and task groups and moves business forward as appropriate
    1. President-Elect/Program Committee Chair
    • Serves as a member of the Executive Committee
    • Overall responsibility for the development and effective functioning of the HERS at BSU Program Committee
    • Chairs the Program Committee
    • Schedules meetings of the Program Committee, sends out notices of meetings, ensures that minutes of meetings are kept, distributed and preserved
    • Ensures responsible leadership for all events sponsored or co-sponsored by HERS at BSU and that all HERS at BSU events are conducted with a high level of professionalism and quality
    • Rotates into HERS at BSU presidency at the conclusion of the president's two-year term.
    1. Secretary
    • Serves as a member of the Executive Committee
    • Sends out notices of meetings if requested by the President
    • Keeps minutes of the meetings of HERS at BSU and its Executive Committee, ensures that minutes are kept, distributed and preserved
    • Chairs the Communications Committee, schedules meetings, sends out notices, ensures that minutes are kept, distributed and preserved
    • Ensures that the databases of HERS at BSU members and HERS at BSU affiliate members are up to date and accurate
    • With the President's Office Liaison, ensures the development and maintenance of a website for HERS at BSU
    1. Treasurer
    • Serves as a member of the Executive Committee
    • Chairs the Fund Raising Committee, schedules meetings, sends out notices, ensures that minutes are kept, distributed and preserved
    • With the Executive Committee and the President's Office Liaison, develops each spring a budget for HERS at BSU
    • Monitors HERS at BSU accounts and expenditures throughout the year
    • With the approval of the Executive Committee, signs off on any distributions from the HERS at BSU restricted fund (private gifts)
    1. President's Office Liaison
    • Serves as a member of the Executive Committee
    • Represents the BSU President on the Executive Committee
    • With the Executive Committee, ensures the collection of nominations for participation in HERS regional and nation programs, and ensures that these nominations reach BSU vice presidents and the BSU President no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of spring break (annually)
    • With the Secretary and the Communications Committee, ensures the maintenance of the HERS at BSU website and the currency of HERS listserves and membership databases
    • With the Executive Committee and the BSU President, develops each spring an annual budget for HERS at BSU and monitors BSU/HERS accounts and expenditures throughout the year
    • With the approval of the Executive Committee, signs off on any distributions from the HERS at BSU restricted fund (private gifts)
    • Keeps the BSU president informed of HERS at BSU activities and suggests ways in which the college can support HERS at BSU goals and HERS at BSU can support college goals
    1. Resignations
    • Any officer may resign at any time. The Executive Committee will determine whether the position will be filled by election at the next Annual Meeting (in May) or whether a special election will be held prior to the next Annual Meeting.
    • Any committee member may resign at any time. At the request of the Committee Chair, the Executive Committee may make an interim appointment or may fill the position for the next academic year
    1. Removals
    • Any elected officer may be removed by the unanimous vote of the remaining members of the Executive Committee for continuous failure to carry out the responsibilities of office. The Executive Committee may make an interim appointment and will fill the position by election for the next academic year.
    • Any committee member who continuously fails to attend committee meetings or carry out assigned responsibilities will be replaced in the next academic year.

C. Meetings

  • Business meetings of HERS at BSU shall be held at least once per semester. Every effort should be made to combine business meetings with programs and/or opportunities for networking.
  • The Annual meeting of HERS at BSU shall be held in May.
  • The HERS at BSU Executive Committee shall meet at least twice per semester.

D. Committees

  1. Executive Committee

    The Executive Committee of HERS at BSU serves as "steering committee" for the organization. Voting membership includes the President, the President-Elect/Program Committee Chair, the Secretary; the Treasurer; and the President's Liaison. Additional non-voting members or affiliate members may be invited to join Executive Committee meetings from time to time for specific purposes. At least three members of the Executive Committee must be present at any official meeting of the Executive Committee. The HERS at BSU President will work with the Executive Committee to develop the agenda and meeting schedule for the Executive Committee. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
  • Develop a rolling three-year plan for the HERS at BSU organization and present it to the membership for approval at a regularly-scheduled business meeting
  • Ensure that the HERS President solicits self-nominations and nominations for all HERS at BSU committees and task groups to serve for the upcoming academic year
  • No later than June 15, on an annual basis, ensure that the HERS President appoints members to all HERS at BSU committees and task groups for the upcoming academic year. The advice and consent of the Executive Committee is a required part of the appointment process.
  • In September, on an annual basis, review the schedule of programs and activities for the upcoming year.
  • No later than January, on an annual basis, begin to urge appropriate BSU faculty and administrators to consider participation in HERS regional and national programs. Solicit self-nominations and nominations. Review nominations, answer questions, and encourage those nominated to put their names forward. Ensure that nominations of persons ready and willing to attend HERS regional and national programs are forwarded to BSU's vice presidents and president no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of spring break.
  • By May 1, on an annual basis, collect annual reports on the year's activities and report to the membership at the Annual Meeting (May).
  • Review and evaluate the work of all HERS at BSU committees and task groups at least annually to determine whether any existing groups should be consolidated or eliminated and/or whether any new groups should be added.
  1. Program Committee

    The Program Committee shall be chaired by the President-Elect/Program Committee Chair. In consultation with the Executive Committee, the President shall appoint no fewer than six members to the Program Committee. Members shall be drawn from HERS at BSU member faculty and administrators in roughly equal proportions. The Program Committee is responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring all programs sponsored or co-sponsored by HERS at BSU. The President-Elect/Program Committee Chair will work with the Program Committee to develop the agenda and meeting schedule for the Program Committee. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
  • To provide continuing networking and professional development opportunities for HERS at BSU alumnae
  • To use the expertise of HERS at BSU alumnae to provide professional development opportunities for faculty, administrators, staff and students at BSU
  • to work with and support other BSU organizations and groups engaged in diversity initiatives
  • To consider the feasibility of developing larger regional groupings of HERS alumnae in Massachusetts and beyond
  • To ensure that HERS at BSU alumnae present and network on behalf of HERS programs when attending national and regional conferences

    The Program Committee will monitor and evaluate all programs on an annual basis and present an "Annual Report" on the year's activities to the HERS at BSU President by May 1 of each year. The report will include Committee recommendations and suggestions for future programs.
  1. Nominations Committee

    The Nominations Committee shall consist of three HERS at BSU members (including at least one faculty and at least one administrator) appointed by the HERS at BSU president with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee using the self-nominations/nominations process described above. The Nominations Committee will convene bi-yearly (or as needed) to prepare a slate of nominations for officers (elections to be held at the Annual Meeting in May).

  2. Communications Committee

    The Communications Committee shall consist of at least three HERS at BSU members (including at least one faculty member and at least one administrator, ideally an administrator who can serve as liaison to BSU's Public Affairs office) appointed by the HERS/BSU president with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee using the self-nominations/nominations process described above. The Secretary schedules meetings and serves as Chair. The President's Liaison serves ex officio as member of the Communications Committee. The Communications Committee will convene at least once each semester. Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
  • Review the HERS at BSU website and update as necessary
  • Review the currency of HERS at BSU list serves and membership databases
  • Review communication patterns within the HERS at BSU organization and make suggestions for improvement

    The Communications Committee will present an “Annual Report” on the year's activity to the HERS at BSU President by May 1 of each year. The report will include Committee recommendations and suggestions for future work.
  1. Fund Raising Committee

    The Fund Raising Committee will consist of at least three persons (including at least one faculty member and at least one administrator, ideally an administrator who can serve as liaison to BSU's Development office) appointed by the HERS at BSU President with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee using the self-nominations/nominations process described above. The Treasurer will schedule meetings of the Fund Raising Committee and serve as Chair. The President's Liaison serves ex officio as member of the Fund-Raising Committee. The Fund Raising Committee will convene at least once each semester. Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
  • Raise private funds to support HERS programs locally and nationally

    The Fund Raising Committee will present an "Annual Report" on the year's activity to the HERS at BSU President by May 1 of each year. The report will include the Committee recommendations and suggestions for future work.

E. Decision-Making Procedures, Executive Committee Decision-Making Procedures, Elections, Amendments to the Bylaws

a. Organizational Decisions

  1. Except as otherwise specified in this document, HERS/BSU decisions will generally be made by consensus at regularly-scheduled/announced meetings of the HERS at BSU membership.
  2. If opinion is divided and the presiding officer believes a vote is necessary, the vote will carry if a majority of those attending the meeting vote in the affirmative.

b. Executive Committee Decisions

  1. To the extent possible, Executive Committee decisions will generally be made by consensus at regularly-scheduled/announced meetings of the Executive Committee.
  2. If opinion is divided and the presiding officer believes a vote is necessary, three votes in the affirmative are required to carry the motion.

c. Elections

  1. Election of officers will take place at the Annual Meeting (in May). For the purpose of electing officers, a quorum must be present at the meeting. A quorum is one-third of the registered members of HERS at BSU. Officers may be presented individually or as a slate. The vote may be taken individually or for the slate. If a quorum is present, a majority of those attending the meeting is required for election.

d. Amendments to the Bylaws

Proposed amendments to the Bylaws must be announced in advance of a regularly-scheduled business meeting. Votes on amendments to the bylaws require a quorum (one-third of the registered members of HERS at BSU) to be present at the meeting. If a quorum is present, a majority of those attending the meeting is required to approve the amendment.

Last Modified: November 16, 2010