Las Vegas Women in Communications

WIC BYLAWS
Open Bylaws as a printable .pdf

STANDING RULES - WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS

Dues. Dues are paid annually in September or are prorated in the month you join. The dues are as follows for the different classes of membership:
A. Active Membership Dues. Active Membership dues are $75 annually.
B. Student Membership Dues. Student Membership dues are $10.00.
C. Honorary Membership Dues. No dues are charged to Honorary Members.
Meetings of Board of Directors Open. All meetings of the Board of Directors are open to the entire membership. Non-Board members may attend as observers and may comment on the business when called upon to do so by the President. Non-Board members may present information or questions to the Board of Directors if request to do so is made to the President or any Board member prior to a Board of Directors meeting.
Roster. Permission must be obtained from the Board of Directors before the Roster of the Organization may be used for any purpose other than the business of the Organization. Under no circumstance shall a list of members of the Organization be furnished to anyone for the purpose of advertising or soliciting business, except by special permission of the Board of Directors. Any member who uses or permits the use of the Roster without permission shall subject her/himself to expulsion from the membership by the Board of Directors.
Decorum. The Organization shall be non-partisan, non-sectarian and non-profit. The non-partisan, non-sectarian, non-profit provisions shall in no way prevent the Organization from taking a stand on any public issue, not only regarding communications, but also in general, upon adoption by the Board of Directors. It also does not preclude the Organization from supporting or opposing any legislation which affects the community in general, as well as communications, or which affects the communications industry as a whole.

BYLAWS OF WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be Las Vegas Women in Communications dba Women in Communications hereinafter called the Organization.

ARTICLE II. OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

The objectives and policies of the Organization shall be to:
* Provide a networking forum to promote the open exchange of ideas
* Recruit and maintain an active membership of professionals
* Provide educational and employment opportunities to members
* Recognize the efforts and talents of outstanding individuals and companies
* Raise scholarship funds for UNLV communications and marketing students
* Support WICs student chapter, Association of Students in Communications

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

SECTION A. CLASSIFICATION AND QUALIFICATIONS. There shall be (3) classifications of membership.

Active Members. Active Membership shall be open to those who are engaged in communications or its allied fields, or who are actively seeking employment in communications or its allied fields. Active members may vote and hold office.
Student Members. Student Membership shall be open to those students of communications or its allied fields. Student members have all the rights and privileges of membership except those of voting and holding office.
Honorary Membership. Honorary Memberships are a lifetime position that may be conferred by a majority vote of the Board of Directors in recognition of noteworthy community service as described in a written recommendation. Honorary members shall have all rights and privileges of membership except those of voting and holding office. An honorary member who chooses to run for office must return to active member status and pay annual dues.

SECTION B. APPLICATIONS

Applications for membership shall be accompanied by necessary dues as set forth in the Standing Rules.
A majority vote of the Board of Directors shall elect to membership.

SECTION C. STATUS OF MEMBERS

Good Standing. A member in good standing is one who pays required dues and fees, participates in the activities of the Organization, and maintains regular attendance.
Resignations. All resignations shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors.
Delinquency. A member whose dues are three (3) months in arrears shall be considered delinquent and so reported to the Board of Directors. Any member so reported may be dropped from membership and shall be advised by written notice. The Board of Directors may, for sufficient cause, extend the time of payment.
Reinstatement. A former member may be reinstated at the discretion of the Board of Directors upon payment of necessary dues.

ARTICLE IV. FINANCING

SECTION A. DUES.
The dues for the different classes of members shall be set forth in the Standing Rules. Dues are paid annually in September or are prorated in the month you join.

SECTION B. FISCAL YEAR.
The fiscal year of the Organization shall begin the first day of March and end the last day of February of the following year.

ARTICLE V. ELECTION AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS

SECTION C. NOMINATIONS.

Nominating Committee.
The Nominating Committee shall consist of a maximum of two (2) members in good standing who shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Committee shall be formed in December, or as designated by the Board of Directors. The Committee shall elect one of its members as Chairman. This is the only Committee on which the President may not serve ex-officio.
Nominations.
The Nominating Committee shall meet at the request of its Chairman and shall name one candidate for each elected office. This slate shall be submitted to the general membership in January or as designated by the Board of Directors. At the January meeting, nominations from the floor, by the general membership, shall be in order. Consent of the nominees must be obtained. Final nominations from the floor may be submitted at the February luncheon.

SECTION D. ELECTIONS.

Elections shall take place in February, or as designated by the Board of Directors. A separate election is to be held for each office. A majority vote of the membership in attendance shall be necessary for election to an office. Election shall be by ballot, except when there is only one nominee for each office, in which case the election may be by voice vote.

SECTION E. TERM.
Officers and directors shall hold office for a term of one year, or until their successors are elected, beginning March 1.

SECTION F. VACANCIES.
A vacancy in any office or directorship may be filled by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

SECTION G. DUTIES OF ELECTED OFFICERS

President. It shall be the duty of the President to:
- be the chief executive of the Organization and exercise all the functions of the organization
- preside at all meetings of the general membership and of the Board of Directors
- serve ex-officio on all committees, except the Nominating Committee
- sign written contracts and obligations of the Organization which have been approved by the Board of Directors
- serve as an advisory member of the Board of Directors for one (1) year following the conclusion of the term as President
President-Elect. It shall be the duty of the President-Elect to:
- act in the absence of the President
- sign, in the absence of the President written contracts and obligations of the Organization which have been approved by the Board of Directors
- coordinate EMA Silent Auction
- oversee Raffle appointee
Vice-President. It shall be the duty of the Vice President to:
- solicit and secure EMA sponsorships
- oversee EMA Program Book Ad Sales appointee
Secretary / Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the Secretary / Treasurer to:
- record all business transacted at meetings of the Board of Directors, and keep the minutes in a permanent file
- fax or e mail minutes of meetings to the Board of Directors within 5 working days of the meeting
- update the Bylaws as approved by the Board of Directors
- coordinate printing of Organization letterhead, envelopes, membership materials, and luncheon name tags etc. as needed
- ensure the review of monthly bills and statement at each board meeting

SECTION H. DUTIES OF APPOINTED DIRECTORS

Luncheon Director. It shall be the duty of the Luncheon Director to:
- serve as liaison with luncheon location
- update phone system script monthly and retrieve phone rsvp’s
- email members reminder of luncheon and retrieve email rsvp’s
- handle luncheon and event check-in
- oversee RSVP calling committee
- provide list of no-shows for billing
Speaker Director. It shall be the duty of the Speaker Director to:
- arrange for one guest speaker per meeting
- solicit and secure Speaker Sponsors
Special Events Director. It shall be the duty of the Special Events Director to:
- coordinate Installation Luncheon and Holiday party
- coordinate membership mixers
- solicit and secure sponsors for membership mixers
- serve on Electronic Media Awards Committee
Publicity Director. It shall be the duty of the Publicity Director to:
- submit publicity notices of luncheons and information about the Organization
- provide regularly updated information to Internet designer
- oversee EMA Publicity
Bookkeeper. It shall be the duty of the Bookkeeper to:
- supervise the collection and banking of all monies of the Organization, the disbursements of which shall be by check signed by one (1) of the following: President or President Elect.
- perform all Bookkeeping duties to present a monthly income and expense statement of the Organization at the Board meeting
- successfully complete a LV Metropolitan Police Dept. background check
- Keep mail box key and check mailbox weekly
- bill members and firms for assessments other than dues and no-shows
- be present at check in for luncheons and special events
Job Bank Director. It shall be the duty of the Job Bank Director to:

coordinate the Job Bank for members in need of jobs with jobs available in the field

Scholarship Director. It shall be the duty of the Scholarship Director to:
- serve as liaison between the Board, General Membership, UNLV and ASC student chapter
- coordinate the application process for prospective scholarship recipients and scholarship luncheon
- coordinate Mentor and Intern program
- solicit and secure Student Lunch Sponsors
Membership Director. It shall be the duty of the Membership Director to:
- handle all membership calls
- fax membership information to inquiries; welcome new members
- oversee Star Member appointee
Electronic Media Awards Co-Directors. It shall be the duty of the EMA Director to:
- both directors are responsible for production of event
- coordinate Venue, Event Night, Judging, Hosts & Show Production
- oversee appointees for Silent Auction, Call for Entries, Ticket sales, Awards, and Script for show
WIC Database Director. It shall be the duty of the Database Director to:
- Keep an active, updated database of WIC/ASC members, applications and dues paid or owed
- Prepare and issue membership dues invoices monthly
- Prepare and issue no show invoices monthly
- Provide files for membership roster and new member list for newsletter
- Provide files for newsletter mailing to mailing company and coordinate mailing of newsletter
- Produce Member Directory PDF files, and email to members. Mail printed versions as requested by fax
- Provide membership list and e mail addresses monthly to Luncheon Director for luncheon Rsvp’s
- Print labels for WIC mailings and Board approved events/announcements for outside organizations
- Provide list of new members to Secretary for inclusion in the minutes and approval by the Board
Newsletter Director
- be editor-in-chief of the Organization newsletter
- oversee Newsletter Ad Sales appointee

SECTION I. DUTIES OF APPOINTED OFFICERS

Auditor. The duties of the Auditor shall be to:
- render an annual financial statements of the Organization
- file corporate returns with the IRS
Parliamentarian. The duties of the Parliamentarian shall be to:
- advise the President on parliamentary procedures when requested
- furnish parliamentary advice when the Organization's Bylaws or Standing Rules are to be amended
Historian. The duties of the Historian shall be to:
- keep the organization scrapbook
- update the official history of the organization, to be approved by the Board of Directors

ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS

SECTION A. REGULAR MEETINGS.
Regular meetings of the general membership shall be held monthly on the second Thursday of the month, or at the direction of the Board of Directors.

SECTION B. SPECIAL MEETINGS.
Special meetings may be called by the President or by the Board of Directors. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call. Except in emergency, at least five (5) days notice shall be given.

SECTION C. ANNUAL MEETING.
The February meeting shall be the annual meeting at which time elections shall be held.

SECTION D. QUORUM.
A majority of the members of the Organization shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VII. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION A. COMPOSITION.
The Board of Directors of the Organization shall consist of the elected officers and appointed directors.

SECTION B. MEETINGS.

Regular meetings. A schedule of regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be set up by the Board within thirty (30) days after the annual election. These meetings will be held a minimum of once monthly.
Special meetings. Special meetings may be called by the Board of Directors. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call. Except in emergency, at least three (3) days notice shall be given.

SECTION C. QUORUM.
A majority of the members of the Organization shall constitute a quorum.

SECTION D. POWERS AND DUTIES.
It shall be the power and duty of the Board of Directors to:

perform all duties imposed upon it by the Bylaws and Standing Rules;
exercise the assigned powers of the Organization, conduct its business, control its acquired properties and establish regulations and policies consistent with the Bylaws and Standing Rules to govern the Organization;
have full and final authority over all expenditures of funds by the Organization, its membership, and its committees;
ratify appointments made by the President;
receive and act upon all resolutions before they are submitted to the general membership;
recommend to the membership for approval the amount of dues, fees and assessments to be paid by the members of the Organization;
designate, set policies for, and approve prior to printing, any official publication for the Organization;
have the authority to join or participate in plans, programs or other activities of other organizations whenever a community of interests makes such actions advisable or necessary;
recommend amendments to the Bylaws and Standing Rules as needed, subject to the approval of the membership.

SECTION E. REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
Any officer or director who is absent from three (3) regular meetings of the Board of Directors will forfeit the office and the vacancy will be filled by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. In addition any officer or director can be removed from their position by a majority vote of the board of directors.

SECTION F. ADDITION OR MODIFICATION OF BOARD POSITION
Additional Board positions may be created or responsibilities of existing positions may be modified at the discretion of the Board of Directors and must be approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VIII. COMMITTEES

SECTION A. The Board of Directors has the authority to create such committees as are necessary, and to approve the committee appointments made by the President.

ARTICLE IX. NON-PROFIT PROVISIONS

SECTION A. DISSOLUTION.
Upon the dissolution of the Organization, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the organization, the remaining assets shall be distributed to a non-profit fund, foundation or corporation, which has established tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c) 4 of the Internal Revenue Code.

SECTION B. EARNINGS.
No part of the net earnings of the Organization shall ever inure to or be to the benefit of or be distributed to its members, trustees, officers, directors, or other private persons, except that the Organization shall be empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distribution in furtherance of the exempt purpose for which it was formed.

SECTION C. ACTIVITIES.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of these Bylaws, the Organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by an association exempt from Federal Income Tax and Under Section 501 (c) 4 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

ARTICLE X. OFFICER OR DIRECTOR LIABILITY

SECTION A.
Except for acts or omissions of an officer or director which involve intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law, an officer or director shall not be personally liable for monetary damages sought by a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding or any costs or expenses of such party arising from any act or omission of an officer or director in her official capacity.

ARTICLE XI. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order - Newly Revised shall govern the Organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any Special Rules of Order the Organization may adopt.

ARTICLE XII. AMENDMENTS

These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the general membership by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership in attendance, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting.