CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY PENSIONERS' ASSOCIATION
CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS (2002)
1. TITLE
The official name shall be Concordia University Pensioners' Association/Association
des Retraité(e)s de l'Université Concordia (CUPA/ARUC),
hereinafter to be referred to as "the Association".
2.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Association shall be:
a)
In general, to promote the welfare of all persons drawing a pension
from
b) Within this broad context, to ensure that
the needs and concerns of members of the Association are appropriately formulated
and brought to the attention of the University through formal representation
on such University bodies as the Benefits Committee of the Board of Governors.
c)
To ensure that members are kept regularly informed about University
decisions which affect them, as well as the general evolution of the University,
in which they may be expected to have an interest.
d)
To provide a channel whereby the expertise of members may be made available
to the University for consulting or volunteer work.
e)
To provide a milieu for the maintenance and enhancement of social contact
between the members.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Membership is
open to any Non-Active Member of the Concordia Pension Plan, i.e. those drawing
a pension from the University Pension Plan, as well as persons no longer employed
by the University not drawing a pension but who have pension funds vested
in the Plan.
4. OFFICERS
The Officers of the Association shall be the President, the Vice-President,
the Past-President, the Secretary and the Treasurer.
The President - The President
shall preside over all Association meetings and shall vote only in the event
of a tie. He/she shall also be an ex-officio
member of all Committees. The President
will have general supervision of the affairs of the Association and shall
report regularly at General Meetings. The President shall have signing authority for
payment of indebtedness, to be exercised in the absence of the Treasurer.
The Vice-President - The
Vice-President shall preside over meetings in the absence of the President,
and shall generally assist the President in carrying out all Association business.
The Past President - This
office shall be filled by the immediate past President. The Past-President shall assist the Officers
in the carrying out of Association business.
In the absence or incapacity of the President and Vice-President, the
Past President shall be the presiding officer.
The Secretary - The Secretary
shall keep Minutes of General and Executive Committee Meetings. He/she shall receive and respond to all correspondence
and shall be responsible for the safekeeping of files and records and other
Association documents. He/she will be responsible for the CUPARUC Newsletter
mailings and other documents such as notices from time to time.
The Treasurer - The Treasurer
shall be responsible for the financial management of the Association and be
the authorized signing officer for the payment of indebtedness approved by
the Executive Committee. He/she shall submit a financial report to the Annual
General Meeting. The Treasurer will be responsible for maintaining the Membership
list. He/she will also assist the Secretary
in mailings of the CUPARUC Newsletter and other documents such as notices
as required.
5. THE
EXECUTIVE
The Executive of the Association shall be made up of the Officers of the
Association, at least three members-at-large, and the member of the Association
representing the non-active members* of the Pension Plan on the University
Pension and Benefits Committees.
6. TERM
OF OFFICE AND METHOD OF ELECTION
Members of the Executive shall be elected by the members present at the
Annual General Meeting, for a two-year term, renewable twice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the terms of
the first slate of Executive members shall be staggered, to ensure continuity.
A Nominating Committee may be formed to draw up a list of candidates.
Appointments shall take effect on June 1st of each year. Nominations must have the support of at least
two members and the nominee must have agreed to stand.
A member of the executive may be removed from office if removal is deemed
to be in the best interests of the Association. Removal shall only take place by a 2/3 majority
vote of those present at a Special Meeting called for this purpose
If a vacancy in the Executive should occur before the completion of a member's
normal term of office, the Executive shall fill that vacancy by an appointment
from the membership.
7. MEMBERSHIP
DUES
A small annual membership fee shall be levied, the exact amount to be determined
each year at the Annual General Meeting, to look after unavoidable administrative
expenses, such as postage, stationery, printing, meeting-room rental, etc.
Annual membership dues will be payable at the commencement of the fiscal
year.
_____________________________
* As defined in the text of the Concordia University Pension Plan
.
In the event that the payment of membership dues represents a financial
hardship for a member, the member should so advise the Treasurer (in confidence)
who will arrange to cover the cost of the fees out of a fund established by
a benefactor for this purpose.
Any member who has not paid their annual dues for two consecutive fiscal
years will be so advised in writing by the Treasurer and given three options
as follows:
a)
To pay the dues in arrears to maintain
the membership; or
b) That if such payment represents a financial
hardship, then to so advise the Treasurer (in confidence) who will arrange
to cover the cost out of a fund established by a benefactor for this purpose;
or
c) To advise the Treasurer that they are
no longer interested in remaining a member and to strike their name from the
membership list.
If, within a reasonable
delay, such a member fails to respond to the above notice, that member’s name
will be dropped from the membership list with the approval of the Executive
Committee.
8. MEETINGS
General Meetings of the Association shall be held at least twice a year.
A Fall meeting shall be held not later than
November 30 of each year, and a Spring meeting, which shall be designated
the Annual General Meeting, shall be held not later than May 31 of each year.
A General Meeting may be called for a specific purpose on written request
by a minimum of ten (10) members or by a decision of the Executive Committee.
9. QUORUM
The quorum for a General or Special Meeting shall be 15 members in good
standing (i.e., those who have paid their membership fee prior to the start
of the meeting).
The quorum for an Executive Committee Meeting shall be one-half of the
membership of the Executive.
10. REPRESENTATION
ON UNIVERSITY BODIES
It is the responsibility of the Association to nominate persons to sit
on the Pension and Benefits Committee of the University. The Executive will
ensure that such a nomination is sent forward to the University.
In the event that a representative is not already an elected member of
the Executive, he/she shall be an ex-officio member of the Executive.
11. COMMITTEES
The Association may create any standing or other committee that it sees
fit, in order to expedite
its business.
12. FINANCIAL
YEAR
The financial year of the Association shall be from June 1 of each year
to May 31 of the following year.
13. BY-LAWS
The Association may adopt such By-Laws as may be expedient, and make such
changes to existing By-Laws as may prove to be necessary. The adoption of new By-Laws or the modification
of existing By-Laws must take place at a General or Special Meeting of the
Association, by a majority vote of the members present. All members shall be
advised of such proposals in writing, not less than thirty (30) days before
the holding of the General Meeting.
14. AMENDMENTS
TO THE CONSTITUTION
The Association may amend this Constitution at a General or Special Meeting
with the approval of at least 2/3 of the members present. All members shall be advised of proposed Constitutional
amendments in writing, not less than thirty days before the holding of the
General or Special Meeting.
Text amended as approved
during the Annual Meeting held on May 8, 1991 (sections 4 & 5) during
the Annual Meeting held on May 6, 1992 (section 10) during the Annual Meeting
held April 26, 1995 (sections 5, 7 & 9) during the General Meeting held
October 20, 1998 (sections 3 & 7) during the Annual Meeting held April
27, 2000 (section 6) and the General Meeting held October 25, 2001 (section
4).