Literature Club Constitution

[revised March 2004]

Name  The name of the organization is: The Literature Club of Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

Object The object of the organization is: to study literature; to contribute books and/or allied materials to the Hastings-on-Hudson Library; and to undertake and support such related projects as a majority of its members may approve.

Membership Membership is limited to twenty active members. An active member is one who, having been duly elected to membership, attends scheduled meetings, pays dues, presents a program annually, entertains Club members annually, and participates in the usual business incidental to the Club program

An active member's responsibilities also include notifying the hostess as soon as possible if the member is unable to attend a meeting and obtaining permission from the hostess well in advance if the member wishes to bring a guest.

An active member may, upon written request to the Corresponding Secretary, become an associate member. An associate member pays dues and shall be welcome at meetings of the Club provided the hostess is notified beforehand.

An associate member will be given priority over a new candidate if the associate member wishes to return to active membership.

Electing Members An active member may nominate for membership a person who has come as a guest to two consecutive meetings.

An affirmative vote of three-quarters of the active members is necessary for election.

Dues Dues are payable when the new officers begin their term at the second meeting in March. The amount is suggested by the President in consultation with the Treasurer and is decided by a majority vote of active members.

Meetings Regular meetings of the Club are to be held on alternate Wednesdays, beginning in September and ending in June.

The annual meeting, at which officers are elected, is to be the first in March. A simple majority of the active members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of Club business.

Officers The officers of the Club are a President, a Vice President-Program Chair, a Treasurer, a Recording Secretary, and a Corresponding Secretary.

The President oversees the general functioning of the Club and presides at meetings. She is an ex-officio member of all committees.

The Vice President-Program Chair presides at meetings in the absence of the president. She may ask members to help her in considering members' suggestions for program subjects. She creates a schedule of meetings for the program year and is responsible for printing and distributing the program schedule to active and associate members. She may also send the program schedule to any former members who might be interested.

The Treasurer collects and records the annual dues and makes disbursements incidental to the functioning of the Club and such others as a majority of members direct.

The Recording Secretary records minutes of the general meetings and such information as might be interesting and helpful for future Club activities.

The Corresponding Secretary undertakes such duties as notification to members of changes of schedule, social and business correspondence etc. She welcomes in writing a candidate elected to membership and sends a copy of the Constitution and the current program schedule.

Election of Officers Each officer serves a two-year term.

Election of the President and Vice President-Program Chair takes place in even-numbered years, that of the Treasurer and Secretaries in odd-numbered years.

A Nominating Committee of three members is appointed by the President at the first February meeting and presents its slate of candidates at the annual meeting in March.

Officers are elected by a majority vote of the active members. Newly elected officers begin their tenure at the second meeting in March.

Amendments The Constitution may be amended at a regular meeting provided that the proposed amendments have been presented to the Recording Secretary in writing and have been read and discussed at the previous meeting. A majority vote of active members is required for passage.