BY LAWS FOR FRIENDS OF UNH WOMEN”S HOCKEY

 

Changed: July 15, 2008

ARTICLE I

Name of Organization

Section 1         This organization shall be known and incorporated as the Friends of UNH Women’s Hockey, (hereinafter referred to as the Friends), and all business shall be conducted there under.

ARTICLE II

Purpose of the Organization

Section 1         The Friends was created for the purpose of promoting and enhancing the women’s hockey program at the University of New Hampshire and to expand and strengthen opportunities for hockey fans and members of Friends

Section 2         The Friends shall pursue its purpose in conformance with the rules and regulations of all intercollegiate athletic organizations by which the UNH women’s varsity ice hockey program is governed.

Section 3         The Friends may conduct any business consistent with this Article.

ARTICLE III

Membership and Dues

Section 1         Membership in the Friends shall be open to all persons on an annual basis beginning the first day of  July with the calendar year continuing until the last day of June.

Section 2         Each member shall pay annual membership dues to the treasurer in an amount established by the Board of Directors (hereinafter the Board)  

ARTICLE IV

Board of Directors and Officers

 Section 1         The Head Coach of the UNH women’s varsity ice hockey team, or her/his designee, shall be a member of the Board.

 Section 2         The governance of the Friends shall be vested in a Board of Directors (known herein as the Board) consisting of the Head Coach or her/his designee, (known as The Adviser), the Officers of Friends and Heads of Committees.    Total membership is not to exceed 15 voting members. At-large members maybe appointed to bring the voting membership up to 15. Each such voting member of the Board is entitled to one vote for the purpose of conducting the business of the Board.  Only on the occasion of a tie vote within the Board shall the President cast a vote. Members of the board must attend 65% of all regularly scheduled meetings to maintain their voting rights. The member will have voting rights reinstated after attending two consecutive meetings or reached the 65% attendance mark.  The board may reinstate voting rights of a member in case of extenuating circumstances.   

 Section 3         The Board shall conduct business only in the presence of a quorum.  A quorum shall consist of four (4) Board members, providing that one of this number includes the President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer.  If at least one of these officers is not present, the meeting may continue but formal votes may not be taken. If a quorum is established at the commencement of a meeting, it shall be deemed to exist until that meeting is adjourned.  However, no business shall be conducted in the presence of fewer than four (4) members of the Board.

 Section 4 A     The Board shall elect from its members, at its regular monthly meeting in May, the following officers:  President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary.  They shall assume their respective offices immediately upon their election and shall serve for one (1) year, or until their successor is duly elected.

                          The officers’ duties are as follows:

                          The Adviser – Shall advise and direct the Friends so that the purpose of the organization is fulfilled. The Advisor has the authority to supersede the decisions of the Board when it is deemed that these decisions may run contrary to the best interests of the Team, the Friends, or University. Such reversals of the Board will be explained immediately or no later than the next regular meeting

                          President – Preside and serve as the chairperson at all meetings of the Organization, excepting committee meetings.  The President and the Advisor are the sole persons authorized to commit and legally bind the Organization by signature.  The President may so contract only with the approval of the Board.  The President shall inform the Board of any binding decisions prior to implementation.  

                          Vice President – In the absence and at the request of President, performs the duties of the President, and other duties as assigned by the President.

                          Treasurer – Collect and disburse the assets of the Organization, keep detailed account thereof, and make monthly reports to the Board of his or her activities.  All disbursements shall be by check and only upon prior approval of the Board if in excess of five hundred dollars ($500).  All disbursements on behalf of the Friends of UNH Women’s Hockey must be made using procedures and methods as established by the UNH comptroller’s office.

                          Secretary – Act as recorder of the proceedings of all meetings of the Board and send and retain a copy of all correspondence.  The Secretary shall make a written report to the Board of the minutes of the immediately preceding meeting of the Board within 30 days. 

 Section 4 B     The Board shall appointee Committee Heads for the following committees. These positions may be decided by elections if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the Friends

                                       Alumni – To coordinate activities that maintain contact with and request assistance of former players. This will include activities that allow alumnae to interact with each other and with the Team.

                                      Membership – To coordinate activities required to keep and attract members to the Friends. This may include membership drive, interaction with current memberships and other activities

                                      Reception – To coordinate activities required to bring about receptions and banquets, to include scheduling, purchasing supplies and enlisting and overseeing volunteers.

                                      Parent – To coordinate activities required to introduce the parents to the organization and to one another, and to assist them in obtaining information that will aid them in a smooth transition into the UNH community.

                                       Promotions – To coordinate interaction between UNH and the community at large for the purpose of promoting the Team and the Friends. Coordinate raffles.

                                      Merchandising – To coordinate activities required to purchase and sell items that will be used to promote the Team and provide funds for the Friends.                            

Section 5         All members of the Friends shall be allowed attendance at the meetings of the Board.  They shall be permitted to participate in the general debate, but only designated voting members shall have the right to vote on Friends business, with the exception that all members may vote during Officer Elections and to change the By Laws of the organization.  All members my submit proposals to the president for discussion.  

Section 6         The Board shall, from time to time, review, debate, and, if needed, revise these By-Laws.  All Amendments must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members in the presence of a quorum.

Section 7         A majority vote of the Board shall constitute its approval unless otherwise provided herein.

Section 8         The Board may relieve a member of his or her duties only upon unanimous vote of its members in the presence of a quorum. 

Section 9         All vacancies on the board shall be filled as quickly as possible.  All such vacancies shall be filled at a regular monthly meeting of the Board by act of any Board member placing the candidate’s name into nomination and the Board’s majority vote.

 ARTICLE V

Committees 

Section 1         The Board may establish committees to facilitate the activities of the Friends.  All committees are investigative and organizational in nature and shall secure approval of the Board before financially committing the Friends. 

Section 2         All understandings that a committee, or any of its members, shall reach with other organizations shall be represented to the other party as being contingent upon approval of the Board.  Following such approval, a letter to the other party shall confirm the agreement.  The Secretary, at the behest of the President, shall be responsible for such correspondence. 

ARTICLE VI

Meetings of the Board

Section 1         Meetings will be scheduled for the third Tuesday of each Month. The meeting in May shall include the election of Officers. The Board my request additional meetings or schedule the regular meeting at a different date, as required.

All members of the Friends shall be allowed to vote for Officers.

Section 2         Minutes of each meeting shall be kept by the Secretary or her/his designee. They shall be distributed to members by email before the next meeting when possible. They will be approved automatically at the start of the next meeting unless a request is made for a change. (This may be done by email or at the beginning of the meeting)  

Section 3         All votes will take place at regular meetings, except when circumstances dictate a time-sensitive vote.  In that case, the President or her/his designee shall poll the Board via email and/or phone or any other means that will satisfy the deadline. At least two thirds of the board must cast a vote to be valid. A majority vote shall prevail.

Section 4         The procedure for election to the Board of Directors shall be as follows:

A.    Names are placed in nomination by any member of the Friends.

B.    In the case of more then one nominee per position, a paper ballot will be used for the election.

C.    Upon completion of the election of the Board, exclusive of the position held by the Advisor, any further business pertinent to the annual meeting shall be addressed prior to the adjournment of said meeting.

D.    Immediately following the close of the annual meeting, the newly elected Board shall hold its regular monthly meeting and elect its officers forthwith.

ARTICLE VII

Finances

Section 1         The Friends will utilize its funds to meet the goals of the organization.

Section 2         A balance of $2500 shall be kept in reserve at all times. This reserve may only be spent on items related to fundraising. If the balance is lower than $2500 then monies will not be spent for other proposes until the balance exceeds $2500 and only those funds above $2500 shall be used.  

ARTICLE VIII

Dissolution of the Friends

 Section 1         Upon dissolution of the Friends of UNH Hockey, the assets will be transferred to the UNH Women’s Hockey Program.

 

ACHEMENT I

Rules for running meetings

 While the Friends recognize the need for Rules of Order, it is felt that using Roberts Rules of Order is too cumbersome to use in such a small organization. However, in order to ensure order during Board Meetings, the Friends will use the following rules.

 

  1. The meeting will be run by the Chairperson.
  2. The Chair will make sure that minutes are being kept.
  3. The Chair will control the order of discussion items and votes.
  4. Attendees will be recognized before speaking.
  5. If needed, the Chair will limit the time each person may speak.
  6. The Chair will let all persons speak before allowing someone to speak again.
  7. The Chair may allow a person to answer questions during a discussion; this does not constitute a turn to speak.
  8. When votes have the possibility of embarrassing or otherwise discomforting a member, they shall be carried out by written ballot.  Any vote may be requested to be conducted by written ballot by any member of the Friends.  When in doubt, a written ballot shall be employed.
  9. At any point, a member my request a point of order and the Chair shall make every attempt to hear and act upon the point.
  10. If other Board Officers or members feel that the Chair is not responding to a member’s request to speak, they may request that the Chair hear that member.
  11. If a member feels that her/his concerns have not been given a fair hearing, said member may present those concerns in writing at the next meeting.  In the event that time does not permit the concerns to be read and discussed, then they will be handed out to all members at the meeting.
  12. These rules may be suspended only when all voting members in attendance concur. A single request to reactive the rules shall suffice.

 

These rules are designed to move meetings along and to allow all members the opportunity to be heard. If it is deemed by the voting members in attendance that one or more of these rules are not working as intended, they may be modified, eliminated, or replaced at any time, as follows. Proposed modifications will be presented to the Chair in writing. The Chair will read and then have the changes placed in the minutes. At the next meeting Chair will call for a vote on the changes at the start of the meeting.  Any and all changes that receive a majority vote will be implemented immediately.

 

 

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