WAUC Bylaws

Article 1 – Name

A. The name of this organization shall be Wisconsin All-computer Users Club, Inc., herein after known as WAUC.

Article 2 – Purposes

The purpose of WAUC shall be to provide an educational forum for people interested in learning about small computer systems. In fulfilling this purpose, WAUC shall provide educational programs for members and the public, establish and maintain a library of software, provide publications as the club shall find useful, and engage in other educational, social and charitable activities as the membership may from time to time determine. However, neither WAUC nor any group or agency acting on its behalf or under its auspices shall engage in any form of political lobbying or in activities prohibited by law.

Article 3 – Membership

Section 1. Active membership

A. Active membership may include all immediate family members residing at the same address.

B. Active membership with family members will be restricted to the right of one vote per family and one door prize per family.

Section 2. Active membership in WAUC shall be open to all individuals in agreement with WAUC’s purposes.

Section 3. Application for membership

A. Application may be made via mail to the address listed in WAUC Talk or to the Executive Board member(s) who is (are) handling memberships at a given General Meeting. Membership will be automatic upon receipt of dues and application.

Section 4. Dues

A. Active membership.

1. Annual dues shall be determined by the Executive Board and voted upon by the general membership.

2. Prorated dues for applications made between June 1 and November 1 shall be one-half the annual dues.

3. Annual dues paid in November by new members shall be applicable through December of the following year.

4. Annual dues shall be considered delinquent after the February general meeting and all WAUC benefits will be terminated.

5. Continuation of membership shall require payment of full annual dues.

6. Executive Board members shall be exempt from payment of annual dues during their term in office.

Section 5. Resignation and termination of membership.

A. A member who resigns from WAUC shall not have any dues refunded.

B. The Executive Board reserves the right to withdraw or terminate membership of any member to be found in conflict with the ideals of WAUC.

Article 4 – Executive Board

Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the following elected positions:

A. President
B. Vice-President
C. General Meeting Secretary
D. Executive Board Secretary
E. Treasurer
F. Program Chairperson

Section 2. The Executive Board shall handle the regular business of the organization.

Section 3. Meetings

A. Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be held before each scheduled general meeting or on the call of the President. Additional meetings may be called by petition of four (4) members of the Board.

Section 4. Quorum

A. A quorum for conducting the business of the Executive Board must exceed one half the number of the currently elected and serving Officers.

Article 5 – Duties of the Executive Board

A. The President shall:

1. Preside at all meetings of the Executive Board and general meetings of the organization, and at any special meetings.

2. Appoint the committee heads as needed.

3. Make interim appointments as needed with the approval of the Executive Board.

4. Sign all contracts and checks with a second authorized Executive Board officer.

5. Serve as ex-officio member of all committees with the exception of the nominating committee.

6. Call any special meetings as deemed necessary.

B. The Vice-President shall:

1. Perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President and perform such duties as are assigned by the President.

2. Sign any checks with a second authorized Executive Board officer.

C. The General Meeting Secretary shall:

1. Handle all correspondence for WAUC as directed by the Executive Board.

2. Prepare the minutes of the General meetings. Minutes of the General meeting shall appear in the following issue of WAUCtaIk.

3. Appoint a temporary substitute when he/she is ill and unable to attend a given meeting to take minutes.

D. The Executive Board Secretary shall:

1. Prepare the minutes of the Executive Board meetings. Minutes of the Executive Board meeting shall appear in the following issue of WAUCtalk.

2. Sign any checks with a second authorized Executive Board officer.

E. The Treasurer shall:

1. Be in charge of all funds of WAUC.

2. Present a current financial report monthly to the membership.

3. Sign any checks with a second authorized Executive Board officer.

4. Prepare and submit an annual budget to the Executive Board at the December Board Meeting.

5. Any purchase over $500.00 must be approved by a simple majority of the membership at a regular business meeting.

6. Maintain a card file of all club owned assets.

7. Maintain the membership roster.

8. Submit financial records for an annual audit.

F. Program Chairperson shall:

1. Ensure that presenters are available for the general meetings.

2. All presenters will be approved by the Executive Board.

Section 5. Terms of Office

A. Officers shall be elected, in November, for a term of one year, to serve from the time of installation through the succeeding installation of officers the following year. Officers may serve more than one term.

B. Committee chairpersons shall serve through the end of the membership year, or until the need for the committee has been satisfied.

Article 6. Non-elected positions

Section 1. The President shall appoint members to the following non-elected positions:

A. Software Librarian
B. WAUCtalk editor
C. Webmaster
D. BoardWAUC Monitor

Section 2. Duties of Non-elected positions

A. Software Librarian shall:

1. Make available for sale at the general meetings a disk of the month containing shareware or freeware.

2. The librarian shall not knowingly sell copyrighted or pirated software.

3. The cost of the disk of the month shall be set by the Executive Board.

4. WAUC shall provide the librarian all necessary materials required to produce the disk of the month.

B. WAUCtalk editor shall:

1. Produce a monthly newsletter called WAUCtalk.

2. Have a WAUCtalk newsletter printed for the Executive Board meeting

3. WAUC shall provide the costs and necessary materials required to produce the WAUCtalk newsletter.

C. The Webmaster shall:

1. Maintain and update the Wisconsin All-computer Users Club website named http://www.wauc.us

D. The BoardWAUC Monitor shall:

1. Oversee and monitor the WAUC, Yahoo listserv.

Section 3. Committees

A. Committees of WAUC may include, but not be limited to:

1. Nominating
2. Membership
3. Entertainment
4. Special Interest Group (SIG)
5. Clean-up

B. The heads of committees shall be appointed by the President.

C. The appointments are approved by the Executive Board.

Section 4. An officer or committee chairperson who does not comply with assigned responsibilities may be relieved of office by a majority vote of the Executive Board Appointment of a replacement shall be made by the Board.

Article 7 – Elections

Section 1. Nominations

A. A ballot listing all the incumbent officers willing to run on first line.

B. Blank lines listing open offices.

C. A second blank line for write-ins.

Section 2. Election Procedure

A. Elections shall be conducted at the November meeting.

B. Nominations will be accepted from the floor provided:

1. The nominee is willing to accept the nomination.

2. There is a minimum of one nomination and two seconds.

C. Each member shall be entitled to one vote. Families voting must vote as one vote.

D. Elections shall be held by secret ballot if there is more than one candidate for an office.

Section 3. Transition of Administration

A. The December Executive Board meeting shall include both outgoing and incoming Executive Board members and committee chairpersons.

B. Upon the introduction of new business all files and material of the club are turned over to the newly installed officers.

Article 8 – Meetings

Section 1. There are two classes of attendees at all open meetings:

A. Members - Including immediate family.
B. Visitors - Limited to attending three meetings.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the President or a simple majority of the Board of Directors, or upon written notice of two thirds of the membership, the President shall call a special meeting. Notice of this special meeting shall be given to members at least seven days in advance.

Section 3. Annual Events

A. A club picnic will be held once each year.

B. A holiday party will be held once each year.

Section 4. Door prizes, raffles and software for review will be offered as available.

Section 5. A quorum for conducting business of a regular or special meeting shall not be less than 25% of the current membership.

Section 6. The installation of Officers shall be held in December at the pleasure of the incoming President.

Section 7. The November meeting will be considered the annual meeting of WAUC.

Article 9 – Conduct and Discipline

Section 1. Charges of working against the principles and purposes of WAUC may be filed with a written statement signed by five club members and sent to the Board members.

Section 2. The accused member shall be notified in writing of the charges and shall have the privilege of being present at a regular meeting of the Executive Board to respond to the charges, wherein the Executive Board will then decide what action is to be taken and notify the member by first-class mail.

Section 3. The member may be suspended for a period of three months by a two-thirds vote, or expelled by a three-fourths vote of the Executive Board.

Article 10 – Publications

Section 1. These include, but are not limited to the following:

A. Monthly printed newsletter (WAUC talk).
B. Monthly electronic newsletter (WAUC Bulletin).
C. Annual Membership Directory.

1. This will be without additional charge to paid members.

Section 2. Limited copies of the printed newsletter will be distributed to other interested parties at the direction of the Executive Board.

Article 11 – Amendments

Section 1. The bylaws may be amended or revised by an affirmative vote of two thirds of all members at a meeting designated for that purpose. Copies of proposed amendments shall be given a public reading at least one meeting prior to the time when said amendments are to be voted on. Notification of this meeting shall appear in WAUCtalk at least one month prior to the hearing.

Article 12 -- Dissolution

Section 1. A motion to dissolve WAUC must originate from the Board of Directors or in a petition signed by no less than 10% of the active members of WAUC. The motion shall state the reason for dissolution and all assets will be liquidated and distributed to the current members as follows.

A. 50 % divided between members in good standing for more then 8 years.

B. 25 % divided between members in good standing for 6-7 years.

C. 15 % divided between members in good standing for 4-5 years.

D. 10 % divided between members in good standing for 1-3 years.

Section 2. In the event of a motion for dissolution, the secretary shall certify its correctness as to form and content and shall verify that it has been properly presented.

Section 3. After certification of the motion, the President shall call a meeting of the membership within 45 days. The Secretary shall mail a notice listing the time, date, and place of the meeting along with a copy of the motion for dissolution to all WAUC active members at the address they have listed with WAUC.

Section 4. A motion to dissolve the club shall not be subject to amendment but shall only require an affirmative vote by at least four-fifths of the membership present or by proxy at a special meeting.

Section 5. In the event a motion for dissolution passes, the President and organization shall notify appropriate jurisdictions of the dissolution.

Adopted: February 1, 1984
Amended: September 13,1984, January 9, 1986, December 4, 1986, March 3, 1988, February 1, 1990. March 1, 1990, November 7, 1991, January 6, 1994 (effective February 1, 1994), August 14, 2003.