Constitution and Bylaws

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY RETIREES ASSOCIATION

This version of the Constitution and Bylaws was approved by the membership on December 7, 2002.
Amended on April 5, 2003, December 6, 2003, April 14, 2007 and April 4, 2009

CONSTITUTION

Article I. Name. The name of this organization is the University of Missouri-Kansas City Retirees Association (UMKCRA).

Article II. Purpose. The purpose of this association is to promote the needs, interests and welfare of all retired UMKC staff and faculty and to actively support the mission and goals of the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Missouri System.

Article III. Membership. 
Section 1. Regular Member. Any retired employee or surviving spouse of a deceased retiree of the University of Missouri-Kansas City may become a Regular Member of the Association by paying annual dues. A Regular Member shall be entitled to vote, hold office, and participate in the affairs of the Association and to receive all its mailings.

Section 2. Life Member. A person who is a Regular Member or is qualified to be a Regular Member who pays the life membership fee is a Life Member. A Life Member is not subject to annual dues. On the death of a life member, a surviving spouse may assume the life membership.

Section 3.Pre-retirement Member Any active employee of the University of Missouri - Kansas City over the age of 55 and eligible for retirement from UMKC may become a Pre-retirement member of the Association by paying annual dues. A Pre-retirement Member shall be entitled to vote, serve on the Board of Directors, participate in the affairs of the Association and receive all its mailings. To avoid conflict of interest issues, a Pre-retirement Member may not hold the office of President of the Association.

Section 4. Associate Member An individual who retired from an institution of higher education other than UMKC, who wants to participate in the affairs of the Association and to receive all its mailings may become an Associate Member upon application to and approval by the Membership Committee. An Associate Member pays annual dues, is entitled to vote, but may not be an officer or member of the Board. An Associate Member who pays the life membership fee is a Life Associate Member. A Life Associate Member is not subject to annual dues.

Section 5. Honorary Member. An individual whom the Association wishes to honor may be awarded an Honorary Membership. Honorary Members may participate in the affairs of the Association and receive Association mailings. Honorary Members pay no dues and are not entitled to vote or hold office.

Section 6. Eligibility Questions about eligibility of an individual for any category of membership shall be determined by the Membership Committee with approval by the Board of Directors.

Section 7. Membership Year and Fiscal Year. The membership year and the fiscal year shall be concurrent, beginning January 1 and ending December 31.

Section 8. Membership Dues. Dues of the association shall be recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by a majority of the members present and voting at a meeting of the Association. Dues for members who join after Jan. 1 in a year shall be pro-rated monthly.

Article IV. Meetings of the Association.
Section 1. There shall be a reception and luncheon meeting of the Association members in April and December of each year. Business matters may be conducted at these meetings, and there shall be an election of officers and Board members at the December meeting.

Section 2. Special meetings of the Association may be called by the Board of Directors on its own initiative or by petition signed by at least one-fourth of the members of the Association entitled to vote to consider a matter which shall have been stated in the petition

Section 3. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of the members in attendance at an Association meeting. A majority of those present and voting shall determine business matters and elections.

Article V. The Board of Directors.
Section 1. There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of the four officers, nine elected members of the Association and non-elected members as herein specified. Elected Board members shall serve terms of three years. In addition, each president, after completion of the term of office, shall serve as a non-elected but voting member of the Board for three years. Such non-elected members are eligible for nomination to an elected director or officer position, after completing the three year non-elected term. Further, the President may appoint a Corresponding Secretary, an Historian, a Newsletter Editor and a Web Manager who may sit with the Board and participate in Board discussions without vote. The term of office for Board members shall begin January 1st following the December elections.

Section 2. Vacancies which may occur, other than that of President, shall be filled by appointment made by the President with approval of the Board of Directors. Such appointments shall run through the unexpired term of the vacated position.

Section 3. There shall be at least one Board meeting in each quarter of the calendar year. In addition, special meetings may be called by the President or by the written request of a majority of the Board of Directors.

Section 4. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A majority of those voting shall determine the business matters before the Board.

Article VI. Officers of the Association.
Section 1. The officers of the Association shall be the President, the Vice President/President Elect, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

Section 2. The President and the Vice President/President Elect shall each serve a term of one year. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall each serve a term of two years. The terms of office for officers shall begin January 1st following the December elections. The President, after completing the term of office, shall serve as a non-elected but voting member of the Board for three years.

Section 3. The duties and responsibilities of the officers shall be as outlined in the Bylaws.

Article VII. Committees. 
There shall be standing committees as provided in the Bylaws and such ad hoc committees as shall be determined by the President or created at the request of the Board of Directors.

Article VIII. Amendments.
The Constitution, Bylaws and other official documents of the association may be amended by a majority of the membership attending an Association meeting provided that members have been notified of the proposed amendment(s) at least twenty-one days in advance of such vote. Such amendments shall be moved by the Board of Directors.

Article IX. Dissolution. 
In the event of the dissolution of the Association all remaining funds shall be transferred to the scholarship funds of the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

BYLAWS

Section 1. Responsibilities.
The Board of Directors shall 
A. direct activities of the Association between meetings;
B. formulate and recommend policies of the Association;
C. negotiate with any group or organization in the interest of the Association;
D. establish policies for expenditure of Association funds;
E. perform such other duties as may properly pertain to the activities of the Association
or as may be provided in the Constitution or Bylaws.

The President shall 
A. establish the agenda for, and preside at, the meetings of the Association and of the
Board of Directors; 
B. appoint members of all committees and be an ex officio member of all committees
except the Nominations Committee; 
C. appoint the Chairperson of all committees except the Finance, Nominations, and 
Recognition Committees;
D. appoint a member of the Board of Directors to serve as Chairperson of the
Membership Committee;
E. foster programs and activities to accomplish the purpose of the Association and
provide leadership for the officers and committees; 
F. arrange for the writing, printing, and mailing of all Association newsletters,
notices and other communications;
G. provide leadership in efforts to recruit and retain members of the Association;
H. create necessary ad hoc or special committees and assign specific duties to Board
members;
I. serve three years as a voting member of the Board, after completing the term of
Office;
J. assure that the financial records of the Association be audited in conformance 
with University practices every year.

The Vice-President/President Elect shall
A. fulfill such responsibilities as may be agreed upon by the President and the Vice-
President, or as designated by the President in the event that agreement is not reached;
B. assume the responsibilities of the President in his/her absence;
C. be a member of the Program Committee.

The Secretary shall
A. be responsible for the records of the Association and shall maintain permanent records
of the Association and the Board of Directors; 
B. keep a current membership list with addresses and telephone numbers; 
C. record and publish minutes of Board and Association meetings; 
D. register members at Association luncheons and provide name tags;
E. keep on file a copy of the current Association Constitution and Bylaws.

The Treasurer shall
A. receive, record, deposit, and disburse as appropriate, all Association funds;
B. create and maintain appropriate financial records;
C. recommend appropriate fund depositories for funds;
D. provide appropriate financial reports to the Board and Association;
E. chair the Finance Committee.

The Historian shall 
A. deposit copies of all official UMKCRA documents with the UMKC Archives once a 
year;
B. assist the Web Manager by maintaining the accuracy of the UMKCRA Website
Archives.

The Newsletter Editor shall 
A. assist the officers in preparing and mailing of all Association newsletters, notices and
Announcements;
B. assist the Web Manager by maintaining the accuracy, currency and relevance of
the news pages and copies of the newsletters on the UMKRA Website.

The Corresponding Secretary shall assist the officers by preparing and mailing all Association correspondence.

The Web Manager shall oversee the content and format of the Association web site.

Section 2. Committees.
As provided above, committee members shall be appointed by the President with notification to the Board of Directors. Committee functions shall be as established in the Bylaws, or as appropriate, by the President, with notification to the Board of Directors and to the committee members as they assume their duties. The Chairperson of each committee shall summarize quarterly committee activities in a written report to the President before each regular Board meeting.

Section 3. Standing Committees.
Each Standing Committee shall 
i) have at least three members, including the Chairperson, who shall provide the agenda for and preside over at least one meeting each quarter;
ii) maintain a Procedures Guide which details the ways in which the committee discharges its responsibilities;
iii) send newsworthy articles about committee activities to the Communications Committee for inclusion in UMKCRA Newsletters and for posting on the website.

A. Benefits Committee
Members: The Chairperson and at least two other members appointed by the 
President
Charge: Become an information resource for all matters related to benefits
available to UMKC retirees
Tasks: The Committee shall
a) provide UMKC retirees with current information about benefits and contact information
b) schedule a Retirees Benefits presentation on campus preceding the annual University Benefits Change Period
c) continually monitor the status of Pension Plans, Health Plans, System-wide and UMKC specific benefits and alert retirees to important changes
d) identify and advocate desirable changes in benefits available to UMKC retirees
e) maintain the accuracy, currency and relevance of the information under the Benefits tab on the UMKCRA website
f) represent retirees at University wide meetings concerning retirement benefits whenever possible

B. Communications Committee
Members: The Chairperson and at least two other members appointed by the
President; and, in addition, the Web Manager and the Newsletter
Editor are voting members
Charge: Establish and maintain the flow of information concerning
UMKCRA to its members and other interested parties
Tasks: The Committee shall
a) oversee the development and maintenance of the UMKCRA Website and coordinate the distribution of the UMKCRA Newsletter in printed form on a regular schedule at least four times a year
b) determine the general content of the UMKCRA Website and the Newsletter, while the Web Manager and the Newsletter Editor shall determine the specific content of those media and take appropriate actions to implement those determinations
c) continuously publish newsworthy articles on the website, and periodically assemble appropriate articles into the printed newsletter for distribution as noted above
d) work with the UMKCRA Historian to establish and maintain an on-line Archive for the Association

C. Finance Committee
Members: The Association Treasurer is the Chairperson and at least two other
members appointed by the President
Charge: Be the financial information advisors to UMKCRA
Tasks: The Committee shall
a) assist the Treasurer in managing UMKCRA funds
b) stay up to date on UMKC and UM System financial practices
c) provide financial advice in response to proposed initiatives from the President or the Board of Directors

D. Membership Committee
Members: The Chairperson and at least two other members appointed by the 
President
Charge: Proactively address all matters related to UMKCRA membership
Tasks: The Committee shall
a) organize recruiting efforts
b) maintain accurate membership records
c) prepare and distribute appropriate literature about UMKCRA membership
d) maintain the accuracy, currency and relevance of the information under the Membership tab on the UMKCRA website

E. Nominations Committee
Members: The immediate past President is the chairperson and at least two
other members appointed by the President
Charge: Prepare a slate of candidates to fill the open elected positions each
year 
Tasks: The Committee shall
a) solicit candidates for each open position
b) distribute the slate of candidates to the UMKCRA members at least 21 days before the election date
c) ensure an equitable distribution between faculty and staff retirees

F. Program Committee
Members: The Chairperson and at least three other members appointed by the
President
Charge: Manage all program activities, maintain an UMKCRA calendar and
coordinate UMKCRA volunteering
Tasks: The Committee shall
a) provide arrangements and logistics for all program events
b) schedule social and educational events each year
c) coordinate UMKCRA events with other university and community entities, as necessary
d) create, maintain and distribute a current calendar of UMKCRA events 
e) coordinate all UMKCRA volunteering activities 
f) maintain the accuracy, currency and relevance of the information under the News and Activities, Volunteering and Calendar tabs on the UMKCRA website

G. Recognition Committee
Members: The immediate past President is the chairperson and at least three
other members appointed by the President
Charge: Prepare a list of retirees deserving recognition by the Association
for their outstanding contributions to 1) the effective operation of 
UMKCRA, 2) the welfare of all retirees in the UM System or 3) the
UMKC-Kansas City community
Tasks: The Committee shall
a) solicit nominations from Association members
b) submit an approved list of nominees to the Board
c) prepare a Certificate of Recognition for Board 
selected nominees to be delivered at the April 
luncheon
d) add awardees' names to the Wall of Recognition in
the Administrative Center