Bylaws

Article I –Name

   The Name of this organization is The Ohio State University Retirees Association, hereafter referred to as OSURA.

Article II – Affiliation 

   OSURA shall be considered a special interest society within, and an integral part of, The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc.  (hereafter referred to as the Alumni Association).  The Alumni Association is the official alumni organization of The Ohio State University (hereafter referred to as the University). 

Section 1: OSURA will promote and support the mission of the Alumni Association. 

Section 2: The Alumni Association’s commitment to OSURA is outlined in the Charter as agreed to by OSURA and the Alumni Association.                                                                                                                                 

Article III – Purpose    

The purpose of OSURA is to enhance the well-being of its members through educational and cultural programs and/or experiences that provide:

  1. educational, social and recreational activities;
  2. information of importance to the member’s status as a retiree of the University;
  3. information about ways of maintaining and improving the member’s health condition and economic status and financial condition;
  4. opportunities for members to maintain a relationship with and service to the University; and
  5.  information assistance to a surviving spouse/partner or family in case of death.

Article IV – Membership and Donations

Section 1- Active Members

A retiree of the University or of an affiliated organization as recognized by the University shall become an Active Member by making a donation to OSURA at the minimum annual or at the minimum Lifetime membership level.

Section 2 – Associate Members

Retirees from places other than the University who have an interest in and can contribute to the purpose of OSURA can be eligible for an Associate Membership.  Also, individuals who are within one year of retirement from the University are eligible to become Associate Members.  Associate Members must be approved by the Membership Committee and must make a donation to OSURA at the minimum annual membership level to retain their memberships.  Associate Members do not have the right to vote or hold any position requiring membership on the Executive Board. The Executive Board will hereafter be referred to as the Board.

Section 3 – Spouses/Partners

  1. The spouse or partner of an Active Member or of an Associate Member is automatically an Active Member or an Associate Member, respectively.
  2. The surviving spouse/partner of an Active Member or Associate Member may continue membership.  If the Active Member maintained lifetime membership, lifetime membership shall carry over for the surviving spouse/partner.
  3. The surviving spouse/partner of an Inactive Member is eligible to become an Active Member.

Section 4 –Membership Donations

The Board sets the level of minimum donation required for Active membership status.  Active members make either an annual donation to OSURA or a donation at the Lifetime membership level.

Section 5 – Inactive Members

Retirees of the University or of affiliated organization as recognized by the University, along with their spouses/partners, who are not current in their donation to OSURA, shall be classified as Inactive Members.  Inactive Members shall have none of the rights and privileges of Active Members.

Article V – Officers

Section 1 –The Officers

     The officers of OSURA shall consist of President, Vice President (who is also the President-Elect), Secretary, Treasurer and Immediate Past President, all of whom must be Active Members of OSURA.

Section 2 – Length of Term

     The Vice President / President-Elect, shall be elected by the membership for a one-year term as Vice President and shall serve the subsequent year as President.  The Secretary and the Treasurer shall be elected by the membership for a two-year term.  The Secretary shall be elected in the even-numbered years and the Treasurer shall be elected in the odd-numbered years.   The Immediate Past President shall serve a one-year term following the year of his or her presidency.  The terms of office shall begin on July 1.  All officers are eligible to serve additional terms.

Article VI – Duties of the Officers

Section 1:  President 

   The President shall preside at all general meetings of OSURA and of the  Board, appoint the chairpersons of all committees with the approval of the Board, serve as an ex officio member of all committees, with the exception of the Nominating Committee,  and perform duties as usually pertain to the office.

Section 2: Vice President

   In the absence or disability of the President, or at the request of the President, the Vice President shall perform the duties of the President.  If the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall become President for the unexpired term.  The Vice President is the President-Elect. The Vice President shall serve as an ex officio member of all committees and perform the duties as usually pertain to the office.

Section 3:  Secretary

   The Secretary shall send out notices of the Board and general membership meetings and keep minutes of these meetings.  The Secretary shall send reports of these meetings and the activities of OSURA to the Alumni Association. The Secretary shall have the custody of the names and addresses of those retirees who become Active or Associate Members of OSURA and shall notify the Alumni Association of any updates or changes that OSURA might receive. OSURA shall not release the membership list for political, personal or commercial purposes. 

Section 4: Treasurer    

   The Treasurer shall supervise all receipts and expenditures of OSURA in keeping with an appropriate system of control over the financial resources of the organization.    The Treasurer shall oversee the preparation and distribution of monthly financial reports.  The Treasurer shall obtain and record the information necessary for monthly financial reports to the Board and the Finance Committee. The Treasurer shall disburse funds subject to the approval of the Board and its established policies.  As requested, the Treasurer shall complete and submit annual financial forms to the Alumni Association.  Additionally, he or she shall complete and submit any documents that may be required by the Internal Revenue Service.

Section 5: Immediate Past President 

   The Immediate Past President shall work with the President to further the objectives of OSURA.  The Immediate Past President shall officiate at Board meetings in the absence of the President and the Vice President.

Article VII – The Board

Section 1:  Composition

   The Board, all of whom must be Active Members of OSURA, shall consist of:

  1. the officers named in Article V;
  2. the Historian(s);
  3. the Chairpersons of the following Standing Committees: Benefits, Bylaws, Communications, Conference Planning, Cultural Arts, Finance, Friendship, Membership, Social, Special Interest Groups Coordinating and Travel.  A committee chairperson may designate another member of his or her committee to serve as the Board member representing the committee;
  4. six members-at-large elected to the Board by the membership of OSURA;
  5. ex officio members, without a Board vote include:
  • active OSURA members, appointed by the president with approval of the Board including liaisons to the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio, to the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and to other organizations that impact university retirees:
  • the President/CEO of the Alumni Association, or designee;
  • the staff designee from the University Office of Human Resources responsible to work with OSURA.

        An individual may hold more than one membership position, but may have only one vote.

Section 2:  Duties of the Board

   The duties of the Board include:

  1. to hold regular meetings (the President being empowered to call special meetings);
  2. to receive and review secretarial and financial reports;
  3. to develop policies for the planning and promotion of programs and activities;
  4. to have general supervision of the affairs of OSURA between meetings of the membership, to fix the date, time and location of meetings, to make recommendations to the membership, and to perform such duties as are authorized by the membership. No action of the Board shall conflict with actions taken by the membership at a meeting of the membership;  
  5. to elect a successor to any member of the Board who is unable to serve;
  6. to appoint a Historian or Co-Historian(s) who shall serve an indefinite term.
  7. to determine the minimum donation required for annual and lifetime membership.

        Section 3:   Challenges to the Actions of the Board

           Any action of the Board that is challenged in writing by at least twenty members must either be rescinded by the Board or submitted to the membership for a vote.  The returns shall be tabulated within six weeks.  Approval of the Board’s action requires the approval of the majority of the returns.

Section 4:  Quorum

     A majority of the members of the Board constitute a quorum for a Board meeting.

Article VIII – Meetings 

There shall be one Annual Meeting of the OSURA membership.  Other membership meetings may be called by the President or the Board.  Twenty-five active members constitute a quorum for all meetings of the membership.

Article IX – Committees

Section 1:  Standing Committees

             The Standing Committees are:  Benefits, Bylaws, Communications, Conference Planning, Cultural Arts, Finance, Friendship, Membership, Social, Special Interests Groups Coordinating and Travel.  The duties of the Standing Committees are described in the OSURA Operating Manual.  The Standing Committee chairpersons shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board for a three-year term and they are eligible to serve additional terms.

Section 2:  Nominating Committee

  1. The Nominating Committee shall have five members, each of whom shall be an Active Member. Two members shall be from the Board and the other three shall be from the general membership, who shall all be elected at the first Board Meeting of the calendar year.
  2. The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of officers and the ballot to the membership in May.
  3. Ballots shall be returned to the Nominating Committee for determining the outcome of the election. The Membership shall be notified of the results prior to July 1.

   Section 3:  Special Committees

             Special committees may be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board.

Article X – Elections

   Elections will be held each year to select officers, in accordance with the length of term as described in Article V, Section 2, and to select three members-at-large, who are elected for a two-year term.   The Nominating Committee is responsible for conducting the election process which generally begins in January and concludes prior to July 1.

Article XI – Parliamentary Authority

   The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, is the parliamentary authority for OSURA.   

Article XII– Amendments 

Section 1:  General provisions

   These bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the membership by a majority vote of the members present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted at a preceding meeting or in a notice communicated to all members of OSURA not less than one month prior to the vote.

     Section 2: Limits to the Authority of the Board    

    Any act or resolution of the Board that either changes the Bylaws or clearly implies the consent of a majority of the members must be submitted to the members at a meeting of the membership or by mail or electronic ballot.

Article XIII – Dissolution

   In the event that The Ohio State University Retirees Association should cease to exist, all funds remaining after payment of just debts shall be transferred to The Ohio State University Development Fund for deposit in The Ohio State University Retirees Association Endowment Fund, Account #605420.

 

Adopted:  August 17, 2016.  Revised September 20, 2017, Revised August7, 2020, Revised June 30, 2021.