Rutgers University – SC&IAA Constitution and By-Laws
ARTICLE I – NAME
This organization shall be known as the School of Communication and Information Alumni Association, informally known as the SC&I Alumni Association (SC&IAA). It succeeds and assumes the assets and obligations of the organization known as the Graduate Alumni of the School of Communication, Information, and Library Studies. In the below articles, SC&IAA may also be referred to as the Association.
ARTICLE II – PURPOSES
The purpose of this Association shall be to promote and perpetuate amity and understanding among and between students, faculty, and alumni; to promote understanding among students, faculty, and alumni in their various professions in libraries, information science, and the communication and speech arts; to advance networking and communication pathways between students, faculty and alumni; to support and enable School of Communication and Information graduates in maintaining high levels of professionalism; to enhance scholastic and social fellowship among graduates; to encourage scholastic and intellectual growth among graduates; to mobilize alumni as may be appropriate; to cooperate with other Alumni Associations in promoting the goals of Rutgers University, and to support the programs and activities of the School of Communication and Information (SC&I).
Article III – Diversity and Inclusion
SC&IAA aims to recruit a diverse and inclusive group of leaders to serve as executive members, as representative members, and as at-large members. The Association will strive to expand its inclusivity by incorporating new technologies and engagement methods to reach as many alumni as possible. SC&IAA shares a key goal of the Rutgers University Alumni Association, which is to work at engaging a diverse alumni base in all its activities. SC&IAA believes in cultivating engagement through outreach strategies that encompass diverse constituencies including, but not limited to: genders, ethnicities, disabilities, geographies, demographics, academics, recent and milestone graduates, and undergraduate and graduate degrees.
ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in the SC&I Alumni Association is open to graduates, faculty, and recipients of honorary degrees from all programs offered by SC&I since its establishment in 1983, graduates of the Graduate School of Library Service, the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, or the Library Service program of Douglass College; graduates from Livingston College that majored or minored in Communication or Journalism; graduates from any New Brunswick college with a major or minor in Communication, Journalism or Speech.
Section 2. Association membership may be extended by the Executive Committee to those persons interested in SC&I and in the programs of the Association. Other persons wishing to join the SC&I Alumni Association may be permitted to do so at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE V – OFFICERS
Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee. They shall appoint all committees or shall delegate to the chairperson this responsibility, and they are an ex-officio member of each committee.
Section 2. The Vice President (President-Elect) shall preside in the absence of the President. Should the office of President become vacant, they shall succeed to the office of President for the remainder of the unexpired term and continue in that office for the period to which they were elected. The Vice President will oversee all membership initiatives.
Section 3. The Secretary shall prepare minutes and maintain records of all meetings.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall expedite all expenditures of funds, maintain records of finances and prepare periodic financial reports.
Section 5. The following shall serve as voting members of the Executive Committee by direct election of the membership at the annual meeting: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and ten members-at-large. The 10 member-at-large positions should be filled with at least one representative from each of the School of Communication and Information degree programs: Master of Communication and Information Science Program, Master of Library and Information Studies program, Ph.D. in Communication, Information, and Library Studies program, and the undergraduate programs. Should any position become vacant, the President may appoint a person to serve in the interim.
Section 6. The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall serve terms of one year and may be re-elected. An officer may serve no more than three consecutive years in one office, with the exception of the Treasurer. Due to the complexities in reassigning the account information, the Treasurer position may be held consecutively for longer than three years. The ten members-at-large shall serve terms of two years on a staggered basis and may be re-elected.
Section 7. Any above officer position may be split with responsibilities shared between two members allowing for a Co-president, Co-vice president, Co-treasurer, and Co-secretary.
ARTICLE VI – FUNCTION OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Executive Committee as described in Article IV shall conduct the business of the Association.
Section 2. The following shall serve on the Executive Committee by virtue of previously determined positions: immediate Past President; Dean of SC&I or his/her designee as Faculty Liaison (ex-officio); the SC&I Director of Development (ex-officio); and a representative of the student associations (designated by the Dean of SC&I).
Section 3. A majority of the voting members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VII – COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Nominating Committee for new officers and members-at-large shall consist of three members, with the Past President or his/her appointee serving as Chairperson. The Committee will prepare a slate of officers prior to the annual meeting. Ten members in good standing may petition for the addition of other nominees.
Section 2. The Events Committee (formerly known as the Program Committee) should consist of five members. The Chairperson will be appointed from the membership of the Executive Committee. The Committee will be responsible for the events programing and other activities assigned to it by the Executive Committee.
Section 3. The By-Laws and Constitution Committee will consist of four members and will be appointed from the membership of the Executive Committee. The Committee will deal in a timely and effective manner with necessary changes The Committee will meet at least every two years to review timeliness of the By-Laws.
Section 4. Communication Committee will steer communication and promotion for our association while taking the take lead on updating our media platforms.
Section 5. Engagement Committee will encourage both student and alumni engagement in the association while evaluating past techniques and exploring new ideas.
Section 6. Strategic Planning Committee will lead strategic planning goals for our association and liaise with RUAA and SC&I leadership.
Section 7. Additional committees may be appointed by the President.
ARTICLE VIII – MEETINGS
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once every other month from September to May. The Executive Committee may vote electronically.
Section 2. If deemed necessary, the President [and/] or a majority of the Executive Committee shall call for a special meeting.
Section 3. An open Annual Meeting shall be held; members in good standing are eligible to vote at this meeting. Notification of the date of the Annual Meeting shall be announced via the SC&I Alumni Association website, email, and social media prior to the annual meeting.
ARTICLE IX – FINANCES
Section 1. Invoices, receipts and any publications related to the SC&I Alumni Association will be paid by the Treasurer.
ARTICLE X- REVISION
Section 1. Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be proposed to the membership in writing or at any regular meeting. Publication of proposed amendments will appear on the SC&I Alumni Association webpage at least one month prior to the vote for their adoption.
Section 2. A majority vote, in the affirmative, of members in attendance at the annual meeting will be necessary for the amendment to be enacted.
ARTICLE XI – CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
Except as provided by the Constitution and By-Laws, Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised) shall govern the meetings of the SC&I Alumni Association.
ARTICLE XII – ADOPTION
This Constitution and By-Laws will be adopted by a majority vote of members in attendance at the annual meeting.
ARTICLE XIII – DISSOLUTION
Section 1. The Executive Committee may propose dissolution of the Association by submitting to membership a resolution to dissolve. The resolution shall be ratified by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the ballots returned. In the event of dissolution, the assets of the Association shall become property of the Rutgers University Foundation or its successor.
Section 2. This Association may be merged with another Alumni Association of Rutgers University by a two-thirds vote of the membership. In the event of merger, the assets of the Association shall become property of the merged Association.
Section 3. In the event that this Association conducts no business and has no meetings for a period of two academic years, it shall be considered dissolved and the assets shall be distributed in the manner described in Section 1.
Association Bi-laws Established: May 1995
Association Bi-laws Revised:
Spring 2007
November 2009
August 2014
June 2021
November 2021