CONSTITUTION

Article I - Name

The name of this organization shall be State University of New York Maritime College Parents Association.

Article II - Purposes

To create a better understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the cadets attending the State University of New York Maritime College. To foster a greater appreciation of the problems concerning and relating to the activities of the cadets. To contribute to funds or provide the means necessary for equipment, transportation or otherwise for the use of the cadets in any activity endorsed by the college. With the approval of the college, to do whatever is necessary for and conducive to the good and welfare of the cadets. To represent cadet parents in matters of general concern to Association members in communication and cooperation with the Administration of State University of New York Maritime College. To maintain close liaison with the Administration of State University of New York Maritime College and to lend support to their efforts in maintaining the high standards and excellence of the Maritime College. 

Article III - Membership

All parents, guardians or sponsors of cadets attending the State University of New York Maritime College shall be eligible for and become active members upon the payment of dues. Annual dues shall be an amount set annually by the Executive Board during each college year (September to May). Each membership shall be entitled to one vote. The By-Laws may provide for other classes of membership.

Article IV - Officers

The officers of this Association shall be a President, one or more Vice-Presidents, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer.

Article V - Executive Board

The Executive Board shall be made up of representatives of the four years attending the college, At-Large representatives, and the three Past Presidents in their capacity as active trustees. The fourth class attending the college shall consist of five sets, but not less than four sets of parents, guardians or sponsors representing the cadets for that year. The first, second and third class attending the college should consist of four sets, but not less than three sets of parents, guardians or sponsors representing those years, with the exception of five sets of parents, if no set of parents dropped out due to attrition.

At-Large representatives shall consist of parents, guardians or sponsors of cadets, who are completing beyond the 4 years.

The Executive Board shall consist of not less than 26 or more than 40 parents, guardians and sponsors of cadets of the four years attending the college. Single parents, guardians or sponsors of cadets are eligible to become Executive Board members. The three Past Presidents, as active trustees, will have one vote each on the Executive Board.

1. The parents of first class cadets will retire upon the students' graduation. Executive Board members whose cadet requires an extra semester or semesters to graduate will become at-large representatives at the end of their cadet's fourth year, and will retire upon the student's graduation. Executive Board members who have more than one cadet simultaneously enrolled at the college shall automatically become at-large representatives upon graduation of their eldest cadet, and will retire upon their youngest cadet's graduation.
   
2. The Executive Board shall be augmented by appointment of new members representing the fourth class by the President, with the approval of the remaining members of the Executive Board, at the beginning of the college year. Those new members representing the fourth class would be required to be within a feasible commuting distance of the college campus for full participation in all Executive Board meetings, activities and events that are held on the college campus. (Feasible commuting distance is that distance one could commute, if necessary, several times a week to the college campus.)
   

The Executive Board shall meet once each month during the college year on the college campus. 

Article VI - General Meetings

1. The General Membership Meeting of the Association shall be held during April, except when otherwise specified by the Executive Board.
   
2. On a motion before a regular meeting of the Executive Board at least one month prior to the proposed date, the date of the General Membership Meeting can, by approval of the majority of the members present, be changed to a month other than April.
   

Article VII - Special Meetings

Special Meetings of the Association shall be held at such times as directed by the President or a majority of the Executive Board.

Article VIII - Amendments

Proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws shall be submitted in writing by any active member at any General Meeting of the Association for the consideration of the Executive Board. The proposed amendment or by-law, and the recommendations of the Executive Board shall be read to the membership at the next General Meeting or a Special Meeting called for that purpose. The said proposed amendment or by-law shall be discussed and a vote taken.

Amendments if approved by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at the said meeting shall become part of the Constitution.  By-Laws if approved by a majority of the active members present at the said meeting become law. 

Article IX - Trustees

The Board of Trustees shall consist of three members composed of Past Presidents of the Association, each of whom shall serve for a term of three years. Each senior succeeding Past President is to act as Chairman of the Board for a period of one year. At the end of the college year, the senior Past President shall retire and the most recent Past President shall become a part of the Board of Trustees. In the event of the refusal, resignation or disability of any Past President to serve, the respective Past Vice-President or Recording Secretary of any such Past President shall serve for the balance of that college year.

Article X - Vacancies

Any vacancy in any office or on the Executive Board shall be filled by appointment of the President with the approval of a majority of the Executive Board. The member filling this vacancy must be within a feasible commuting distance of the college campus for full participation in all Executive Board meetings, activities and events that are held on the college campus.

Article XI - Quorum

Section I - Membership

There shall be two classes of membership to wit; Honorary and Active. Honorary Members shall be Charter Members and Past Presidents. Such members shall have voice but no vote at any meeting of the Association, nor can they hold office. Active Members - Only those persons eligible for membership whose dues have been paid shall be considered active members and entitled to vote. Trustees shall be considered active members.

Section 2 - Elections

The officers of the Association shall be elected annually by a majority vote, by show of hands, at the General Membership Meeting in April. If for any reason elections are not held as set forth herein, all officers theretofore elected shall hold such offices until such election shall be held and their successors assume their duties.

Nominating Committee: A Nominating Committee consisting of five members shall be chosen at the February meeting of the Executive Board. The Chairman and one other shall be appointed by the President and three shall be elected by the Executive Board from the floor.

Slate: The Nominating Committee shall submit the names of the nominees at the March meeting of the Executive Board.

Tellers: The President shall thereupon appoint four active members to act as Tellers at the election to be held at the General Membership Meeting in April.  Nominations from the floor: At the April General Membership Meeting of the Association, the Nominating Committee shall submit the names of the persons nominated by the Executive Board. (Those persons nominated have to be within a feasible commuting distance of the college campus, since all Executive Board meetings, activities and events are held on campus.) Upon a motion, duly seconded and approved by a majority of the active members present at said meeting, nominations from the floor may be added. The names of those persons nominated from the floor may be written in for the designated elective office. Whereupon the names nominated for each elective office will be announced and a vote, by show of hands, will take place.

Counting of the votes: The Tellers shall announce the count and persons receiving a majority of votes for each elective office shall be deemed elected. 

Section 3 - Duties of Officers

The President: shall preside at all meetings of the Association and the Executive Board; shall keep a file of all official papers and records; appoint members of all committees; cast the deciding vote in case of a tie; keep and enforce the Constitution and By-Laws and all rules and regulations of the Association; shall be the head of all functions, meetings and other activities of the Association or in which the Association is a participant. The President is empowered, together with the Treasurer, to spend up to $100 for incidentals without prior authorization by the Executive Board, and shall be authorized to sign checks in the absence of the Treasurer.

The Vice-President: shall perform the duties of the President during his/her absence or disability; shall assist the President in all proceedings of the Association and the Executive Board. In the event of the President°s resignation or disability to serve, the Vice-President shall succeed to the office of President for the balance of that college year.

The Recording Secretary: shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Association and the Executive Board; read the minutes of the previous meeting, and perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

The Corresponding Secretary: shall have charge of all mail addressed to the Association and cause same to be read at Executive Board meetings; shall keep a record of the names and addresses of all active members and officials of the Association; shah send out all notices and replies to communications and perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time; shall communicate with hospitalized cadets and make petty cash available if a need is demonstrated. This position is usually filled by the President's spouse or by a member chosen by the President.

The Treasurer: shall receive all funds of the Association and forthwith deposit same in the account of the Association in duly accredited depositories designated by the Executive Board; shall make payment only on vouchers made by duly authorized officers and approved by the President; shall be the custodian of all books of account; keep an accurate account of all monies received and disbursed and render an itemized statement at each meeting of the Association. The Treasurer is authorized to sign all checks; in his/her absence the President may assume this power. The Treasurer maintains the autonomy of the Executive Board over funds raised and distributed for specific cadet requests; at no time is a lump sum of money to be given to any department of the college for distribution to the cadets. The distribution of funds for specific cadet requests is to be designated and distributed solely by the Executive Board.

Section 4 - Books, Documents, Files and Records

These shall be kept by each of the persons designated for such purposes. At the expiration of his/her term as such custodian, he/she shall surrender all property of the Association to his/her successor. Each newly elected President shall keep records of not more than two Past Presidents preceding his/her term of office as a guide for that administration; records prior to this period shall be transferred to the college library.

Section 5 - Executive Board

The Executive Board is empowered and authorized to appropriate monies, establish funds and to take any steps or action which it, in its discretion, deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the Association. These steps or actions may not be in conflict with any of the college's activities or means of funding.

Section 6 - Board of Trustees

The members of the Board of Trustees shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of active members except that they may not hold office or be members of the Executive Board; nor can a member of the Board of Trustees become chairman of a standing committee. The Board of Trustees shall audit the books of the Treasurer at such times designated by it and reasonably convenient to the Treasurer, and audit the accounts of the administrator or administrators of any fund or funds established by the Executive Board. All such audits shall be reported to the Executive Board as soon as practicable.

Section 7 - Absences

Any officer or member of the Executive Board who shall be absent from two consecutive meetings and whose absences are unexplained will be deemed to have resigned.

Section 8 - Committees

The President shall make all appointments on or before the second regular Board Meeting of the college year so as to establish the following Executive Board Committees necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Association.

Membership: To solicit membership in the Association of all cadet parents, guardians or sponsors, and to enlist their active support of the Association.

Parents Association Loan Fund: To make loans available to any cadet on recommendation of the Dean of Students.

Calendar: To obtain photos, sports schedules and college events from appropriate college personnel, and to oversee the design, typesetting and print production of an annual College Calendar.

Recruitment: To be the liaison with the Admissions Office in securing Association volunteers to cover those college fairs which admissions personnel cannot attend.

Publicity and Public Relations: To report appropriate activities and events to newspapers and other news media; to inform the membership of matters of interest; to cooperate with Maritime College public relations personnel and assist them where-ever possible.

Clothing: To administer the procurement, on-site and mail order sales and accounting for merchandise sold by the Association.

Raffle: To arrange for the printing and mailing of the Association's annual raffle, to receive returns and to administer the results.

Budget: To formulate a yearly working budget based on estimated income and expense from prior years, to monitor the budget's status, and to submit a monthly report to the Executive Board.

Trustees: To audit the Treasurer's books at the close of the fiscal (college) year.

Ad Hoc: To perform such duties as designated by the President necessary for the promotion of the Association's purposes and goals.

Section 9 - Order of Business

• Call to order.
• Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting.
• Treasurer's report.
• Communications.
• Reports.
• Old Business.
• New Business.
• Adjournment.

Section 10 - Parents Association Loan Fund

This loan fund was established in February 1962.  An allocation of money, the amount determined by the Executive Board, is kept in a separate checking account by the Loan Fund Chairman, who provides a monthly report to the President and Treasurer. Cadets requesting a loan make an application which is reviewed by the College's Financial Aid Office. Upon approval of the application it is forwarded to the Loan Fund Chairman, who will then send a check in the amount approved to the Financial Aid Office for disbursement to the cadet. Loans are limited to ~ during any college year.

Section 11 - Parents Day (Mug Day)

Parents Day is the first Sunday after completion of the indoctrination period for the new fourth class cadets (known as Mugs). On this day the Parents Association begins its annual membership appeal by greeting the fourth class cadet parents and provides refreshments for all visitors.

Section 12 - Annual Fund Raising Activity

Activities or events through which funds are to be raised on an annual basis are to be established by the Executive Board at their first regular meeting after Parents Day. These funding activities or events are not to conflict with those employed by the college.

Section 13 - Awards

The Executive Board may establish at its discretion various scholarships and/or awards, either monetary or other types, to individual cadets, groups of cadets or cadet organizations.

Section 14 - Vote of Removal: President

On a motion by any member of the Executive Board at a regular monthly meeting, and duly seconded, a vote can be taken to remove a President from office, if it is deemed by the Board that the actions of a President are detrimental to Maritime College or the Association. A two-thirds majority vote of the Board is required.

Section 15 - Vote of Removal: Executive Board Members