BYLAWS of SYMRA SOCIETY
(reviewed October 2013)
I. Regular Members. There shall be twenty-five regular members. Both men and women are eligible for membership.
II. Associate Members. A regular member may elect to become an associate member. Also, a regular member who resigns from Symra Society for good reason and who later, becauseof changed circumstances, wishes to rejoin, may apply for associate membership. Associate members have none of the duties of regular members, pay no dues, and do not have the right to vote. They are entitled to attend regular meetings, and bring guests, by signing up in advance and reimbursing the host for the cost of the meal
Ill. Honorary Members. Symra Society honors persons of exceptional achievement in Scandinavian and Norwegian-American life and letters by election to honorary membership. Any memberof Symra Society may propose to the executive committee of Symra Society a candidate for honorary membership. An honorary member has none of the duties of a regular member, but has theright when present in the Decorah community to attend, as a guest of Symra Society, any and all meetings of the society.
IV. Leave of Absence. A regular member who leaves the Decorah community or an extended period shall write the president of Symra Society requesting a leave of absence.
V. Election of New Members. All members of Symra Society are elected according to the procedure described in this article. Membership in Symra Society is by invitation. At any regularmeeting attended only by members, and with a quorum present, candidates are nominated from among persons who have earlier attended society meetings as guests or speakers. All voting fornew members is by secret ballot. The two top nominees on the first ballot become the nominees for the second round of voting; in case of a tie, all first- and second-place nominees shall beincluded in the second round. The second round determines the primary and secondary invitee. The third round confirms the invitee: each invitee must receive a positive vote of four-fifths of themembers present before invitation to membership will be extended. The original nominator is responsible for making a verbal invitation to membership within a reasonable time. The invitee shallhave one week thereafter to make written acceptance. If the primary invitee does not accept, the original nominator of the secondary invitee initiates the same procedure of notification. If more· than one opening for membership exists, a separate nominating procedure is required for each opening.
VI. Officers. Symra Society elects officers by ballot at the annual business meeting: namely, a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Program Committee of threemembers. Candidates for office are nominated by trial ballots. The four officers and the chair of the program committee constitute the Executive Committee. The former president shall be an exofficio member of the program committee and act as its chair and be its convener.
VII. Meetings. Symra Society shall meet once each month from September through May. The October meeting is the annual business meeting, which only regular members may attend. Changes in meeting date may be made by the executive committee
VIII. Attendance. Regular members are normally expected to attend at least one-half of the regular meetings each year. If a member does not do so in a given year, the matter should be reviewed and resolved bythe executive committee after consultation with the member concerned. (Adopted 05/16/86)
IX. Hosts. In rotation as established by the secretary, regular members serve as hosts for dinner, at a place of the host's choosing. The host pays for the dinner, subject to reimbursement as provided inArticles II, Ill, and X.
X. Guests. By prior arrangement with the host, members may invite guests, with the understanding that the host is to be reimbursed for the guest's dinner. Invited speakers who are not members of thesociety, along with a spouse, partner, or friend, are the guests of the society.
XI. Syttende Mai Banquet. The final meeting of the year, on or about May 17, is the Syttende Mai Banquet. All members serve as joint hosts. Guests include members' spouses, local former members, thespouses of former members, honorary members who happen to be in the Decorah community, and persons from the Decorah community who have presented programs during the year.
XII. Dues. The annual membership dues for each forthcoming year are established at the annual business meeting by majority vote of those present. Deliberation opens with the recommendation of theTreasurer for the past year. Payment to the Treasurer is due by the fourth meeting of the year.
XIII. Quorum and Resolutions. Resolutions may be passed by· majority vote at any regular meeting if a quorum of members is present. The quorum for resolutions and all other business is two-thirds of themembership.
XIV. Donations. Donations to worthy causes from the Heritage Fund must never exceed the annual interest from that fund. (Adopted 03/20/87)
XV. Amendment of the Bylaws. These bylaws may be changed or amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds majority of the total membership, provided a written proposal for such amendment hasbeen received at the last previous meeting. These bylaws supersede all previous bylaws of Symra Society.