Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the
BYLAWS
I: NAME AND
A: Name
The name of the organization
is the “Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the
B:
The mission of OLLI is to use
the university community to challenge minds and stimulate spirits of people 50
years of age or older. It offers learning activities designed to enhance
understanding of the world—its historic, cultural and social aspects—using
a variety of non-credit academic learning formats. These generally
consist of lectures, study groups and educational travel.
C: Relationship to the
1.
OLLI is a self
directed, volunteer membership organization aligned to the
2.
The Director appoints
the Associate Director of Social Work & Community Programs for the
3.
The
a.
Regular use of the
b.
Occasional use of
auxiliary services of
4.
Staff members of OLLI
are employees of the
5.
OLLI selects and
hires staff members, in accordance with position classifications and descriptions
and administrative procedures of the
D: Relationship to the Osher Foundation
1.
Funding was
received in 2006 from the Osher Foundation in the form of a grant.
2.
OLLI strives to
achieve the requirements and goals outlined in the grant proposal including
adopting the name change to OLLI and striving to expand membership.
3.
Additional
requests for grants may be made to the Osher Foundation in the future.
E: Fiscal Year
The fiscal year is from July
1 to June 30 to conform to that of the
II: MEMBERSHIP
A: Eligibility for Membership
Membership is open to anyone
age 50 or older. Membership is granted after completion and receipt of a
membership application and payment of annual dues.
B: Annual Dues and Fees
1. Members are
assessed annual dues. The amount for dues is established by a majority vote of
the Board of Directors.
2. Additional
fees are charged for lecture series, study groups, educational travel and other
OLLI programs.
3. Dues and
fees may be paid by scholarship subject to policies established by the Board of
Directors.
4. Dues are
non-refundable. Fees are non-refundable except upon cancellation of the event.
C: Rights of Members
1.
Members are
entitled to participate in all activities of OLLI, subject to payment of any
specific fees for lecture series, study groups, educational travel and other
activities.
2. Members are eligible to vote to elect Board members
and Officers.
D: Meeting of Members
1.
The Board will schedule
an annual meeting of members to elect Board of Directors and Officers and for
other business as the Board finds necessary.
2.
The meeting is
usually held in May. Notice of the meeting will be made at least 30 days prior
to the date of the meeting. Additional meetings may be called as needed by the President.
III: BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
A: Role of Board of Directors
1.
The Board is responsible
for overall policy and direction of OLLI.
It delegates responsibilities for day-to day operations to the staff and
committees.
2.
The Board shall
have not more than 18 members.
3.
Members receive
no compensation other than reasonable reimbursement of expenses.
4.
All Board members
are elected except the Associate Director of the
B: Financial Responsibility
1.
The Board
establishes a financial plan and annual budget.
2.
The Board authorizes
all expenditures except for limits set and delegated to the Executive
Committee.
3.
The Board authorizes
the hiring of full and part-time staff.
4.
The Board
establishes annual dues and authorizes fees.
C: Terms
1.
The four Officers
and the Chairs of Standing Committees shall serve as members of the Board
during their terms of office.
2.
All other elected
Board members shall serve two-year terms.
3.
Members elected
by the Board to replace Board members who have resigned or are unable to
complete their terms shall serve the remainder of the term of the member they
have replaced.
4.
The Associate Director
of the
5.
The immediate
past president serves as a member of the Board for an additional year without
re-election.
D: Officers
The four Officers of OLLI shall
be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Each is elected to serve
a one year term.
1.
President
a: Acts as the chief executive officer for all OLLI
operations.
b: Develops
agendas and presides over all meetings of the Board.
c:
Presides over the activities of the Executive Committee.
d:
Facilitates the implementation of decisions of the Board.
e: Presides at general meetings of members.
2. Vice-President
a: Acts for the President in his/her absence.
b: Fulfills other leadership responsibilities as
assigned by the President.
3. Secretary
Prepares
and makes available minutes of the meetings of the Board in a timely manner.
4. Treasurer
a: Proposes an annual budget for board approval.
b: Reviews and monitors all OLLI accounts.
c: Reports on financial conditions of OLLI at Board
meetings and membership meetings.
E: Meetings of the Board
1. The Board
meets bimonthly. Additional meetings may be scheduled on an as-needed basis by
the President. Meetings may be canceled by the President, provided the Board
meets at least four times annually.
2. Board members
will be notified of a meeting at least two weeks before the date of the
meeting.
3. A quorum is
required to hold a Board meeting. A quorum consists of a majority of the
members of the Board.
4. Minutes of
the Board meetings are to be kept by the Secretary and constitute a record of the
activities of the Board.
5.
Roberts Rules
of Order guides the conduct of all
Board meeting unless other procedures are specified by the President.
F: Elections
1.
Prior to each
annual meeting, the President appoints, usually in November, one Board member
to be Chair of the Nominating Committee. This Chair in collaboration with the
President selects members of the Committee. The Committee identifies at least
one candidate from among active members to fill elected open board and officer
positions and verifies the willingness of each nominee to serve if elected.
2.
All active members
are eligible for these positions. An active member is any member who has
participated in the activities of OLLI for at least one year.
3.
Recommendations
by the Nominating Committee are then reviewed and approved by the Board.
4.
Members are
notified of the slate of candidates at least three weeks prior to the annual
meeting.
5.
The election is
held during the annual meeting. Any OLLI member may also submit nominations of
consenting active members at the annual meeting prior to the election.
6.
The Nominating
Committee carries out the election process. Candidates are elected by a
majority of members present at the meeting.
7.
Elected Board members
and Officers begin serving immediately upon election.
G: Resignations and Vacancies
1.
A Board member
may resign at any time by giving written notice to the President.
2.
A Board member absent
from Board meetings without excuse may be removed by majority vote of the
remaining Board.
3.
A Board member
may be removed for reasons specified by the Board by a three-fourths vote of
the remaining Board members.
4.
The President may
nominate replacements, subject to majority approval of the Board, to serve
until the next annual election.
IV: COMMITTEES
A: Committee Formation
The Board of Directors may
create committees as needed and of a permanent or temporary nature to carry out
the activities of OLLI.
B: Standing
Committees
1. The Board
has established the following permanent Standing Committees: Curriculum Committee, Study Group
Committee, Newsletter Committee, Educational Travel
Committee, and Marketing/Publicity Committee.
2. The Board
approves the selection of the Chair of each Standing Committee.
3. The Chair of
each Standing Committee serves a one year term.
4. The Chair of
each of these Standing Committees is nominated to serve on the Board of Directors.
5. The Board
may establish additional permanent Standing Committees, at which time the Board
will determine if the Chair of the committee is to be nominated as a Board
member.
C: Executive Committee
The four Officers of OLLI constitute
the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee has all the powers and
authority of the Board of Directors in the intervals between meetings except:
1.
The power to
amend the articles of incorporation.
2.
Authorization of
individual expenditures above limits established by the Board.
D: Ad-hoc Committees/Subcommittees
1. The
Curriculum Committee has three permanent subcommittees:
Lecture Subcommittee, Study Group Subcommittee, and Travel Subcommittee.
2. Any Officer or Chair of a Standing
Committee, in addition to the Board itself, may establish additional ad-hoc committees
or sub-committees in order to carry out OLLI activities. The appointer shall
specify the purpose and duration of each ad-hoc committee or sub-committee.
V: AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended
by two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors and approval by the majority
of members in attendance at the annual meeting.
VI:
CERTIFICATION
These Bylaws were approved by
a two-thirds majority vote at the meeting of the Board of Directors on
Amendments
to “Section IV:
Committees” were approved by a
two-thirds majority vote at the meeting of the Board of Directors on January
16, 2008 and by
a majority of the membership in attendance at the annual meeting on
May 8, 2008.