Constitution and Bylaws

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I -NAME

The name of this organization shall be Harrisonites, Incorporated

ARTICLE II- PURPOSES

To hold Harrison reunions as the organization deems necessary

To promote the continuation of love and spiritual fellowship among Harrison students.

To provide social and wholesome recreation for its members

To contribute to the improvement of the community

To promote cultural enrichment

ARTICLE III -MEMBERSHIP

Section 1-Alumni

Any person who was a paid supporter of Harrison Reunion '77, or graduated

from Harrison High School in the years of 1935-1975, and/or attended any one of grades 7 thru 12 at Harrison High School, is eligible for membership upon payment of dues. (8/13)

Section II- Associate Membership:

Non-Harrisonites shall be eligible for associate membership upon recommendation by a member, voted upon and accepted by the Board of Directors, and upon payment of dues.

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ARTICLE IV -OFFICERS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES

Section I- Officers

The officers of this organization shall be President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Assistant Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter, Historian, Chaplain, and Parliamentarian. The officers shall be elected by the organization, with the exception of the Parliamentarian. The Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors and shall have the same privileges as the other elected officers. The President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer shall reside in the vicinity of Blytheville, Arkansas. (08/07)

Section II- Board Directors

There shall be a representative body known as the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall consist of the National Officers, Immediate Past President (08/17) and state or city representatives of chartered chapters. (08/07)

Section III-City/State Representatives

A City or State shall be entitled to one representative for each (12) twelve or fractional part of (12) twelve paid members.

Section III A: Election of Representatives

City or State representatives shall be elected by City or State chapters during local chapter elections.

Section IV- Election of Representatives

The Class Representative shall report class news, deaths, and directory changes and updates to the Corresponding Secretary and President. The Class Representative shall serve on the Board of Directors as membership recruiter for the class and have a number of non-voting classmates assist in the liaison function (08/13) (08/17).

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ARTICLE V NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section I- Nomination Procedure

The Nomination Committee shall present the slate of officers to the Board of Directors and membership during the Executive Board meeting in a session prior to the election.

Section II- Election of Officers

The method of voting for National Officers shall be by secret ballot at the business meeting of the reunion with the Election Committee responsible for the ballot count (08/17).

Section III-Eligibility Requirements

Candidates for National Office shall be alumni of Harrison. Candidates shall be financially active with the National Chapter at the time of their nomination. If candidates reside in an area where there is a local or state chapter, candidates shall be financially active with the local or state chapter.

Section IV-Local/State Officers

Candidates for election in the local chapters shall meet the same eligibility requirements of national officers.

ARTICLE VI -DUTIES AND TERMS OF OFFICERS

Section I-Terms of office

Terms of office shall be for two (2) consecutive reunions (4 years) and will begin immediately after election and installation. (08/13)

Section II-Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall be the governing body of the organization. The Board shall act on all business of the organization.

Section III- City and State Representatives

City and State Representatives shall conduct their meeting and report the wishes of their delegates to the Board of Directors and/or the membership.

The Representatives shall communicate with members within their city/state and co-ordinate activities pertaining to the organization. The Representative may/can select as many assistants as deemed necessary. (09/17)

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The Representatives shall serve as members of the Board of Directors during the Executive Board meeting of the Reunion.

Section IV-President

The President shall preside at all meetings and shall call meetings as needed. The President shall appoint committees as necessary and serve as an ex-officio member. The President shall be familiar with the Constitution and By-Laws. The President shall sign checks.

Section V-First Vice-President

The First Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in his/her absence or resignation.

Section VI-Second Vice President

The Second Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in the absence or resignation of the President and First Vice-President.

Section VII-Recording Secretary

The Recording Secretary shall keep accurate records of all meetings and business transactions. The Recording Secretary shall sign checks.

Section VIII-Assistant Secretary

The Assistant Secretary shall perform the duties of the Recording Secretary in his/her absence.

Section IX-Corresponding Secretary

The Corresponding Secretary shall take care of all correspondence.

Section X-Treasurer

The Treasurer shall receive and deposit all monies in the bank and give financial reports at all meetings. Checks require two (2) signatures and cash received must have two (2) signatures on the receipts. The Treasurer, President and Recording Secretary are eligible to sign both documents (08/17).

Section XI-Reporter

The Reporter shall be responsible for all news media releases.

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Section XII-Chaplain

The Chaplain shall provide spiritual inspiration and guidance to the organization. The Chaplain shall set the tone for the meetings or events by providing prayer, invocation or meditation.

Section XIII-Historian

The Historian shall keep records of the activities of the organization. These records may be pictorial and written.

Section XIV-Parliamentarian

The Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President and shall upon request settle controversial questions of parliamentary procedure. This person shall have a reasonable knowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order.

ARTICLE VII-VACANCIES-LIMITATION OF TENURE

Section I-Vacancies of Office

When vacancies occur between National Meetings, they shall be filled by appointments by the National President with the approval of the Board of Directors. If the vacancy is the Presidency, that office will be filled by other elected officers in descending order beginning with First Vice President (08/17).

Section II-Limitation of Tenure

There is no term limit on elected officers.

ARTICLE VIII-QUORUM

A quorum shall consist of three (3) elected officers and the members present. (08/07)

ARTICLE IX-COMMITTEES

The standing committees shall be: Membership, Nomination, Elections, Constitution and By-Laws, Reunion, Scholarship. (08/13)

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ARTICLE X-MEETINGS

Section I-National Meetings

Executive Meetings shall be held during the reunion year. The time set for the meeting shall be one day prior to the official reunion activities. (8/13)

Section II-Reunion Meetings and Agenda

Business Meetings shall be held during the reunion. Reunion business, the election of officers and class representatives will be conducted at this meeting. (08/07)

The agenda shall include, but not be limited to:

A Report from the National President

Reports from standing committees

A Report of the financial operations, income and expenditures of

the previous reunion.

When time does not allow a final report of these officers or committees; then it shall be the responsibility of the National President, Board of Directors, National Treasurer and the Reunion Committee to submit a written report to the National Correspondence Secretary or National Reporter for publication. The written report shall be published no later than (60) days following the reunion.

Section III-Reunion Guests

Special guests during the reunion shall be all teachers of the eligible membership. These teachers shall be non-paying guests.

Persons eligible for membership under the provision of the constitution may not participate as guests. Other guests must pay a specified fee and be accompanied by a member.

Members are encouraged to refrain from inviting people who might cause embarrassment to anyone or to the organization.

Members are responsible for the behavior of their invited guest.

ARTICLE XI : Dues and Fees

Twelve-dollar dues will be assessed with the reunion fee. Dues may be increased by a majority vote of members present during the reunion business meeting. (08/13)

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The President, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer's Reunion Fee Will Be waived bi-annually with the exception of their National Membership Dues.

8/19

ARTICLE XII- FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year shall be October 15 –October 14 of the following year. (08/17)

ARTICLE XIII- DURATION

This organization shall be perpetual, but in the event it is dissolved, all monies, valuables, properties, etc. owned by the organization, and/or proceeds derived from the sale of any properties, shall be distributed in the form of scholarships to black high school graduates or in the form of donations to one or several of the predominately black organizations in Blytheville.

Recipients of scholarships and donations shall be voted on at the time of dissolvement by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XIV CHARTER MEMBERS-BOARD EMERITUS

Section I -Charter Members

Charter members shall include all paid participants in Harrison Reunion '77. A permanent plaque in their honor, that includes the names of the charter committee members, shall be placed in designated building at the AAMOD/Harrison building with each committee member’s name inscribed.

Section II-Board Emeritus

The original Harrison Reunion '77 committee shall be Board Members Emeritus.

HARRISON REUNION '77 COMMITTEE

*Gene Henton, Co-Chairman *Hurley Margerum, Co-Chairman

Faye Maxine Williams- Ford, Secretary/Treasurer

Jimmie Wallace -Cage Lucretia Horne –McDonald

*Robert Campbell *Olivia Kimbrough-Riley

Sellarstine McClair-Campbell Charles Sanders

*Juanita Jones-Davis *Bobby Strickland

*Mamie Bowers-Davis *Earlene McCoy-Strickland

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*Era Shipp-Floyd *Jeff Walls

Mae Lee Greenberry-Stringer Russell Ware

*Charles King Vivion Brown-Ware

Ollie Bush-Lofton *Lillie Johnson-Warren

*Walter Greene *Zella White

*Dorothy Wilson

*DECEASED

ARTICLE XV-AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the constitution shall be presented in writing to the Board of Directors or the Constitution and By-Laws Committee, (60) sixty days before the regular meeting of the organization and voted upon at the next national meeting. Proposed amendments shall be published to city or state chapters at least 30 days before the convening of the national meeting. Amendments to the constitution shall require a 2/3 vote of the paid membership present and voting. (8/13)

ARTICLE XVI-REMITTANCES TO NATIONAL CHAPTER

Each and every remittance to the National Chapter of Harrisonites, Inc. shall be paid by money order or certified check. All monies shall be transmitted to the National Treasurer within 30 days of receipt.

Membership dues paid in cash during on site reunion registration must be accountable by a receipt from the Reunion Treasurer or National Treasurer only.

ARTICLE XVII- AUDIT OF THE NATIONAL CHAPTER

The books of the National Chapter shall be audited by an auditing committee of Harrisonites within 30 days of the close of each fiscal year. The audit committee

may include any Harrisonites excluding the National President and the National Treasurer. The audit committee shall consist of a body of five (5), appointed by the National President with the approval of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XVIII- ACCOUNTING FOR NATIONAL FUNDS

Persons authorized to expend the funds of the National Chapter shall account for such upon request and at the end of each fiscal year according to procedures

established by the Board of Directors. All income and expenditures of the National

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Chapter must be verified by receipts, and the National Treasurer shall be responsible for submitting to the National Chapter, at the National meeting, a written report of all income and expenses of the National Chapter.

ARTICLE XIX- EXPENSES TO BE PAID BY NATIONAL CHAPTER

The National Chapter shall be responsible for the general fiscal operations of the organization including but not limited to the following:

Maintenance of a safety deposit box to house charters, deeds and other legal documents.

Maintenance of an official post office box.

Purchase of general supplies needed for standard operations of the chapter; stationery, receipt books, publications, etc.

Maintenance of a checking and or savings account. (08/13)

Housing for the National President during the National meeting shall be paid by the National Chapter on a per diem basis (Allowance of so much per day).

ARTICLE XX-CITY AND STATE ORGANIZATIONS

Section I –Establishment of Local Chapters

City or State organization may establish local chapters of Harrisonites, provided that:

(1) The proposed city or state organization must submit a letter of

chapter request to the National Board of Directors for a charter

approval;

(2) A minimum of five (5) Harrisonites are required to request a

chapter as charter members

(3) The proposed city or state organization must submit a local

Constitution and By-Laws that is approved by the

National Constitution Committee and the Board of Directors before

a charter is granted.

(4) Any chapter that reorganize must follow the above guidelines.

(9/29)

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Section II- Naming of Local Chapters

Local chapters shall be named for the city or state in which the chapter is to be located, and all local chapters’ last names shall be known as alumni association of Harrisonites.

Example: Blytheville Alumni Association of Harrisonites

Michigan State Alumni Association of Harrisonites

Section III-Local Chapter Responsibilities

(1) Recruit Harrisonites and associates for National and local

membership;

(2) To hold local meetings as the chapter deems necessary;

(3) The National Chapter shall be free of all legal and physical

responsibilities of the local chapter.

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