Constitution

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY RETIREES ASSOCIATION

PREAMBLE

Vision

The Ohio State University Retirees Association aspires to become the most effective organization possible to help members attain optimum satisfaction in their retirement years.

 

Mission

OSURA provides a variety of services that enrich the lives of its members and benefit the university and the greater community.

 

Goals

  • To provide a wide range of activities, including: educational, informational, cultural, social, travel, and volunteer opportunities.
  • To monitor and share information on benefits affecting health and life style choices.
  • To increase
  • To advance all modes of communication with its members, as well as the university and greater community, via the OSURA’s Newsletter, Membership Directory, web site, and other appropriate avenues.
  • To assist and serve The Ohio State University in accomplishing its mission and goals.
  • To encourage and create opportunities for retirees to help other retirees.
  • To develop further the OSURA’s endowments.
  • To be an efficient retiree organization.

Article I – Name

The name of this organization is The Ohio State University Retirees Association (OSURA), hereafter referred to as the Society.

Article II – Affiliation 

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

Section 1: The Society will promote and support the mission of the Association.

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

Article III – Purpose

The purpose of the Society is to enhance the well-being of its members through pertinent educational, social, recreational and cultural programs and/or experiences to promote service and fellowship.

Article IV – Membership and Dues

Section 1:  All retired employees of The Ohio State University and their spouses or partners are members.  Others may join as Associate Members as described in the Society’s Bylaws.

Section 2:  Dues may be as established by the Executive Board.

Article V ‑ Officers

The officers of the Society shall consist of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Immediate Past President, all of whom must be Regular Members of the Society as described in its Bylaws.

Article VI ‑ Duties of Officers

Section 1:  President:  The President shall preside at all general meetings of the Society, and shall be chairperson of the Executive Board as well as an ex officio member of all committees.

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 be an ex officio member of all committees.

Section 3:  Secretary:  The Secretary shall have custody of the names and addresses of those retirees who become Regular or Associate Members of the Society.  The Secretary shall notify the Association of any updates or changes the Society might receive.  The Society shall not release the membership list for political, personal or commercial purposes.  Any person violating this policy is subject to expulsion from office by the Board of Directors of the Association.  Release of the list shall be made only on approval of the Association, subject to the constitution of the Association.

Section 4:  Treasurer:  The Treasurer shall supervise all receipts and expenditures of the Society.  If dues are charged, the Treasurer shall work with the Association staff to obtain the necessary reports to provide updates to the Executive Board.  The Treasurer shall disburse funds subject to the approval of the Executive Board.  As requested, the Treasurer shall complete and submit annual financial forms to the 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:  Shall work with the President to further the objectives of the Society.

Article VII – Executive Board

Section 1:  Executive Board, all of whom must be Regular Members of the Society, as designated by the Bylaws, shall consist of:

  1. The officers as named in Article V.
  2. The Historian(s).
  3. The committee chairpersons designated in the Bylaws as being members of the Executive Board.
  4. Six members at large elected to the board by the membership of the Society as outlined in Article X.
  5. The President/CEO of the Association, or the President/CEO’s designee, as an ex officio, without a vote.
  6. The staff designee from the Office of Human Resources responsible to work with the Society, as an ex officio, without a vote.

Section 2:  The Executive Board shall have full power to fill all vacancies.

Section 3:  The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the business of the Society between meetings of the membership.

Section 4:  The Executive Board shall hold at minimum two meetings per year and others at the discretion of the President or upon written request of at least three members of the Executive Board.  Quorum for executive board meetings are defined in the Bylaws.

Article VIII – Membership Meetings

Section 1: There shall be one Annual Meeting of the Society membership.  Other meetings may be called by the President or the Executive Board.  Twenty-five members constitute a quorum for all membership meetings.

Section 2:  The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, is the guide for questions of procedure not otherwise stated in this Constitution.

Article IX ‑ Committees

In addition to the Standing Committees as defined by the Bylaws, the President of the Society, with the approval of the Executive Board, may appoint additional committees that are in the best interests of the Society and may prescribe the duties of such committees.

Article X ‑ Elections

The election of officers and members at large shall be conducted each year under the direction of the Executive Board in accordance with the Bylaws.

Article XI – Authority to Establish Bylaws

The Society is permitted to establish bylaws for the organization.  The Bylaws and amendments to the Bylaws require a majority vote of the total votes cast by Regular Members in a manner decided by the Executive Board of the Society.  No amendment or addition to the Bylaws can be made which is not in harmony with the Society constitution or is contrary to the constitution of the Association.

Article XII- Amendments

This constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the total votes cast by Regular Members in a manner decided upon by the Executive Board of the Society.  No amendments shall take effect until duly approved by the Board of Directors of the Association.

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