CONSTITUTION and BY-LAWS of THE SAGE SOCIETY
Approved January 10, 2017
Amended January 9, 2018
Amended February 8, 2022
Article I
Name: The Sage SocietyFounded by: Linda Shirley Robertson, Lainie Andrew, and Margaret (Jerry) Stocks.
Article II
Mission Statement: The purpose of The Sage Society is to foster ongoing in-depth study of topics, using research and communication skills, to further the knowledge of its members.
Article III
Membership:
Section 1. The members of this organization shall be of two classes:
1. Active members: limited to multiples of seven (7). (There are seven presentation months each Presentation Year.) These members attend meetings and present a paper on a regular schedule.
2. Associate members:
a. A member in good standing may request associate status after being a member of the Sage Society for 3 (three) years.
b. A member in good standing may present a written request stating her reason for requesting associate membership to the Cabinet for approval.
c. The associate member may attend meetings, but will no longer be required to present a paper or have voting rights.
Section 2. Prospective new members:
A prospective new member may be proposed by an active member through the year.
· A potential new member may be invited to attend 2 (two) meetings a year whenever possible.
· New members may be voted on throughout the year, if there are vacancies. (Approved February 8, 2022)
· If there are no vacancies, the prospective new member will be added to the waiting list for consideration when vacancies do occur.
· Active members will vote by secret ballot to fill vacancies. Two negative votes preclude membership.
· The prospective new members with the highest number of votes will fill the corresponding vacant slots. Those not elected at this meeting will remain on the waiting list.
Section 3. Regular attendance:
If any member is consistently unable to attend most meetings, it will be assumed that member is no longer interested in participating in The Sage Society.
A Cabinet officer will contact the member to see if she wishes to continue in Sage Society or withdraw her membership.
Members are asked to contact the Secretary if the member will miss the next meeting or expects to be late.
Members may notify the Secretary if a leave of absence is requested. The Cabinet will review the request and accept or reject the request.
Section 4. Yearly presentations by the members:
Each member is expected to present a program to the membership on a rotating schedule. With twenty-one (21) members in the Sage Society, a member would present every three years.
The presentations should last between thirty to forty-five minutes.
The schedule of presentations will be the responsibility of the Vice-President.
Article IV
Officers:
The officers of the organization shall comprise the Sage Society Cabinet:
Outgoing President
President
Vice-president position removed Jan. 9, 2018
Secretary-Treasurer-Historian
Member-at-large
Officers will be elected every two years (bylaw change Jan.2018 ) and installed at the January Annual meeting each year. The Cabinet is empowered to act in all emergencies.
Article V
Meetings:
Regular meetings will be held the second Tuesday of each month during Jan., Feb., March, Apr. May, Sept. Oct. and Nov. at 4:00.
The Annual meeting will be held in January on the second Tuesday of the month at 4:00.
· By-Law revisions and new officers will be voted on.
· New officers will assume their duties after being installed at the beginning of the annual meeting.
· Slated officers will meet in November to prepare for the following year.
Special meetings may be called by the president.
Article VI
Finances:
Dues will be $25.00 per year, collected, in cash, at the January meeting.
There is no need to establish a bank account.
The dues collected in January will be designated for a project voted on by the membership at the previous January meeting.
A representative of the Society will disperse the funds collected at the annual meeting within a week after our meeting. She will report to the membership that the donation has been delivered.
Article VII
Amendments:
These By-Laws may be amended at an annual meeting or at a special called meeting provided the proposed amendment(s) have been submitted in writing (email) to the membership at least three weeks in advance.
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Appendix I: Duties of Officers
Duties are subject to change as the Society progresses. (Posted in the officer notebooks)
Appendix II: Calendar/timeline
The calendar and timeline are subject to change. (Posted in the officer notebooks)
