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BYLAWS of NEBRASKA-WESTERN IOWA MENSA (Group 680) Approved 7/18/2001 ARTICLE I - IDENTIFICATION 1. The name of this group is Nebraska-Western Iowa Mensa, hereinafter identified as NWIM. 2. NWIM is a local group of American Mensa, Ltd. (AML) and is subject to the Constitution of Mensa, the bylaws of AML and the resolutions adopted by the American Mensa Committee (AMC). ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP 1. Membership in NWIM shall be open to all members of AML in good standing in the geographical areas assigned to NWIM by the AMC, or as otherwise assigned by AML. 2. Mensa Members in good standing who are not also members of NWIM are welcome to participate in the social activities of NWIM, but may not vote or hold office in NWIM, nor may they participate in business activities of NWIM, unless they be the National Ombudsman or his surrogate, members of the AMC in the discharge of their responsibilities, or at the invitation of the Executive Committee of NWIM. 3. NWIM shall observe the preferences of members for data suppression and publication, as filed with AML, when publishing a local group roster or membership directory/register. ARTICLE III - OFFICERS AND DUTIES 1. All officers must be current members in good standing of AML and NWIM. 2. The governing body of NWIM shall be an Executive Committee (ExComm), voting members of which shall be the four elected officers — President, Vice President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer — plus the Communications Officer, who shall be appointed by the President with the concurrence of at least two other elected officers. No person shall have more than one voting position on the ExComm. 3. The ExComm shall conduct the business of NWIM, direct disbursement of group funds and, except for the office of President, shall fill vacancies caused by resignation, inability to serve, or removal as provided in Article III, Paragraph 12 of these bylaws. 4. In addition to the required appointment of the Communications Officer as a voting member of the ExComm, the President, with ExComm concurrence, may make as many other appointments as may be required for the orderly administration of the group. Such appointees may be considered members of the ExComm by virtue of their appointment and be invited to participate in ExComm deliberations, but shall not be counted for a quorum or have a vote on the ExComm. 5. The President shall be the chief executive officer of NWIM. He shall preside at business meetings, make all required and special appointments, coordinate the group activity calendar, and serve as NWIM’s principal liaison with the AMC, other local groups and the public. He shall pass along information to and from the members of NWIM in a timely fashion. He shall notify AML and the Regional Vice Chairman (RVC) for NWIM within two weeks of the results of elections and of changes of officers within the group. He shall be authorized to act for the Treasurer in cases of emergency as determined by the ExComm, and shall, by virtue of office, be a member of all committees. 6. The Vice President shall assist the President in administering the business of NWIM, shall preside in the absence of the President, and shall succeed to the office of President if that officer is unable to serve out his term. 7. The Recording Secretary shall take minutes and maintain records of all business meetings of the ExComm or group, furnishing a copy to each ExComm member and a summary to the Editor for publication in the next NWIM newsletter. 8. The Treasurer shall have custody of, and be accountable for, all NWIM funds, and shall disburse funds under the direction of the ExComm. He shall submit a semiannual financial report for publication in the NWIM newsletter; the report shall contain schedules of income, expenses and balances for all funds under NWIM control, including RG, scholarship and other special funds. The Treasurer shall also maintain a listing of all equipment owned by NWIM and shall submit to the President at least quarterly, the actual statements from banks and/or any other institutions where the group’s money is deposited or cause a statement to be sent directly to the President or another member of the ExComm so designated by the President. All NWIM accounts must be separate accounts in the name of the group, and shall have more than one signatory so that funds can be accessed in the temporary absence or incapacity of the Treasurer. 9. The Communications Officer shall be responsible for the publication and circulation of the NWIM newsletter and any other publications of the group, including electronic publications and/or a NWIM website. The Communications Officer shall, with the consent of the ExComm, appoint the Editor of the NWIM newsletter and any other necessary positions or serve in any of those positions personally. The newsletter shall contain notices of meetings and programs, required ballots, results of business meetings and elections, amendments to the bylaws and related discussions and ballots, and the semiannual financial reports. Other material may be included at editorial discretion. 10. A mediator shall be appointed by the President, with the consent of the ExComm, to mediate disputes within the group and shall be an arbitrator available to serve as a representative to a Regional Hearings Committee. The mediator may be an elected or appointed ExComm officer or a member appointed specifically for this purpose, although the duties of the mediator may not be assigned permanently to any voting officer. 11. The term of office for the elected officers shall be one year, from April 1 to March 3l, or until installation of a properly qualified successor, except in the case of resignation or removal. A replacement for an elected officer shall be considered an elected officer. 12. Elected officers may be removed from office, for cause, by unanimous vote of all other voting members of the ExComm, or by recall election. Recall may be initiated by a petition signed by at least 10% of the NWIM membership as determined by the latest membership list provided by AML, citing the reason(s) for such action and presented at a regular or special meeting of NWIM. The balloting provisions of a regular election shall apply, except that a recall election must be held within 60 days of presentation of a valid petition. Recall ballots shall be included in the NWIM newsletter or as a special mailing, and must include a statement of the petition and a statement by the officer(s) involved, if submitted. A majority of those voting shall be sufficient to effect recall. 13. Any voting officer may be removed from office for three consecutive unexcused absences at business meetings by a unanimous vote of the remaining officers. The authority to excuse absences shall be by majority vote of the other voting officers. 14. The term of office for appointed officers and positions shall not exceed the term of the current elected officers. Appointed officers serve at the pleasure of the ExComm, and may be removed by majority vote thereof, except the Communications Officer, which is a voting position governed by Article III, Paragraph 13. 15. All officers and appointees shall turn over all files, office equipment and materials pertaining to their offices to either their successor(s), to the current President, or to another member of the ExComm no later than four weeks after leaving office. 16. An annual financial review shall be conducted during April of each year. The ExComm shall appoint someone to conduct the review who was not involved in the issuing or collecting of money during the previous year. The review shall include viewing actual statements from banks and/or any other institutions where the group’s money is deposited. ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS 1. Regular meetings of NWIM may be held at such times as may be appropriate; however, a regularly scheduled business meeting and membership activity must each be held at least once a quarter. Business may be conducted at membership meetings if attended by at least 10% of the NWIM membership, including at least three voting members of the ExComm. A majority of those present shall carry any action. Notice of meetings and activities shall be published in the newsletter or sent to each member by mail. 2. Meetings of the ExComm may be held in conjunction with regularly scheduled meetings of NWIM, or as a separate event, as determined by the President. In either case, ExComm meetings shall be announced in the newsletter or notice sent to each member by mail and shall be open to all members of the group. Attendance of three voting members shall constitute a quorum, and a majority of voting members present shall carry any action, except as otherwise specified by these bylaws. 3. Special business meetings may be called by the President or by the ExComm, and shall be called upon receipt of a petition signed by at least 10% of the NWIM membership. The date, time, place and purpose of the special meeting shall be announced in the newsletter or by special mailing, and no other business than that indicated in the notice may be acted upon. 4. Telephone, mail, and E-mail actions taken by the ExComm between meetings shall be verified at the next meeting and be made a part of the minutes. ARTICLE V - ELECTIONS 1. No later than November 1 of each year, the ExComm shall appoint an Election Committee (ElecComm) consisting of three members, designating one as Chairman. Names and addresses of ElecComm members shall be published in the December newsletter or sent to the membership by mail during that month. Names and addresses of the ElecComm members may also accompany the nominated slate of candidates and the election ballots when published. The ElecComm shall be responsible for nominating one or more candidates who are willing to serve for each elected office, and for conducting the election, receiving and counting the ballots, and certifying the results in writing to the President. No member of the ElecComm shall be a current voting officer or a candidate for elective office in the forthcoming election. 2. Nominations for elective office shall be provided to the Editor no later than the deadline for the January newsletter, and shall be announced therein or sent to the membership by mail during that month. 3. Additional nominations may be made by petition signed by at least five members of NWIM and delivered to the Chairman of the ElecComm no later than the deadline for the February newsletter. 4. Ballots shall be printed in the February newsletter or sent to the membership by mail during that month. Ballot position shall be determined by lot by the chairman of the ElecComm. Ballots shall be sealed in a blank envelope, placed inside a second mailing envelope, on the outside of which the voter’s name, address and Mensa membership number must be clearly legible in the upper left hand corner. Ballots must be mailed to the Chairman of the ElecComm and be received no later than March 5 in order to be counted. 5. Date and place of the tallying of the ballots shall accompany the ballots, and the tallying may be observed by any member in good standing of NWIM. A plurality of all votes cast for each office shall constitute election; in the event of a tie vote, the Chairman of the ElecComm shall determine the outcome by a coin toss. The results of the election shall be announced at the March general meeting, if any, and in the April newsletter or sent to the membership by mail during that month. 6. If any office is uncontested, the sole candidate shall be declared elected. If all positions are uncontested, no ballots shall be printed or cast; however, the Chairman of the ElecComm must in any event certify the results, in writing, to the President, who shall, in turn, notify AML and the RVC for NWIM of the results of the election. 7. Any challenges to the election must be made in writing to the Chairman of the ElecComm no later than 30 days after the results of the election are announced to the membership and ruled on no later than 45 days after the results of the election. Any actions by the ExComm while a challenge is pending shall not be affected by the results of any such challenge. ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS 1. Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by a majority of the ExComm or by 10% of the NWIM membership. 2. Amendments shall be submitted to the AMC for approval, following which they shall be published in the next issue of the NWIM newsletter. 3. A mail ballot shall appear in the next issue of the newsletter that follows publication of the proposed amendments. Balloting deadline shall be no less than 90 days following the first publication of the proposed amendments in the newsletter. 4. To become effective, amendments to these bylaws shall require an affirmative vote of the majority of those casting valid ballots, as well as the final approval of AMC after filing of revised bylaws with the Bylaws Committee. 5. Changes/modifications to the AMC Minimum Standard Bylaws requirements that may come into effect following approval of these bylaws shall be deemed to apply to the bylaws of NWIM, whether or not actually incorporated herein. ARTICLE VII – MENSA NAME AND LOGO American Mensa, Ltd. (AML) has granted a royalty free, non-exclusive license to Nebraska-Western Iowa Mensa for the use of the mark “Mensa” and a logo, consisting of a globe over a stylized “M” within a border, in connection with the non-commercial uses of Nebraska-Western Iowa Mensa. AML retains full ownership of the mark and logo and all statutory and common law rights in the mark and logo. |
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