CONSTITUTION

EXTRACTS OF CONSTITUTION
OF THE
ASSOCIATION OF THE CLASS 0F 1949


ARTICLE I:   NAME

    The name of The Association shall be “The Association of the Class of 1949, United States Naval Academy, Incorporated.” The permanent address of The Association shall be “The Association of the Class of 1949, U. S. Naval Academy Alumni House, 247 King Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21402-5068.”

ARTICLE II:   PURPOSE

    The Association, a Maryland Corporation, is a non-stock, nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonsectarian, equal opportunity membership corporation formed and organized exclusively for camaraderie among an organized group of veterans, for pleasure, and for other nonprofit endeavors to promote the purposes and general welfare of members of the Class of 1949, United States Naval Academy. 
    The purposes of The Association are:
        A.To foster and sustain among members of the Class that spirit of comradeship, mutual trust, respect, support, and bonding which is traditional to classes of the USNA; and
        B.To foster and to contribute to the enhancement of the USNA; and
        C.To carry on programs to perpetuate the memory of deceased veterans and members of the Armed Forces and to comfort their survivors; and
        D.To sponsor or participate in activities of a patriotic nature; and
        E.To encourage the adoption of policies, plans, and programs that will advance the foregoing purposes, provided that no part of The Association’s assets or funds shall inure to the benefit of any member or officer of The Association or any other individual.

ARTICLE III:   MEMBERSHIP

    All persons who at any time were members of the Class of 1949 at the USNA, all as veterans and past regular members of the Armed Forces of the United States are considered to be members of The Association unless they:
        a.Expressly relinquish such membership, or
        b.Were dismissed or forced to resign under less than honorable conditions from the Armed Forces for the good of the Service, or
        c.Are expelled as a member by majority vote of the members of The Association for reasons which are contrary to, or which may endanger, the purposes, interests, or character of The Association.

ARTICLE IV:   DUES

    Annual dues will not be assessed. However, the Executive Committee of The Association is authorized to solicit contributions to carry out stated purposes.

ARTICLE V:   OFFICERS

    There shall be a President, Executive Vice President, Executive Secretary, Executive Assistant Secretary, Executive Treasurer, and three Members-at-Large, comprising The Association’s eight (8) member Executive Committee. The Association shall be under management of The Executive Committee.
    No Officer of The Association shall be personally liable to The Association, to any of its members, or any third party for money damages or any equitable relief for any acts or omissions which may occur during performance of duties in their capacity as Officers of The Association or as members of The Executive Committee. No amendment or revision to this Constitution shall limit or eliminate the freedom from liability benefits under these provisions.

ARTICLE V:   DUTIES

    The President shall be responsible for the conduct of the affairs of The Association and shall have full authority to act in behalf of The Association, subject to the bounds of this Constitution and the support of the majority of The Executive Committee. He shall preside as Chairman of The Executive Committee. He will keep chapter and area leaders advised of actions by the Executive Committee.
    The Executive Vice President shall accomplish such duties as the President may assign and will be responsible for the coordination of The Association activity. He shall preside as Chairman of The Executive Committee in the absence of the President.
    The Executive Secretary will:
    -Maintain a record of class activities, to include minutes of all meetings and a complete file of class correspondence.
    -Keep the class directory current, providing periodic updates to The Executive Committee for use as working documents.
    -Provide monthly contributions to SHIPMATE for the Class of 1949 column.
    -Arrange Class-wide mailings through the Alumni Association as may be required.
    -Supervise the activities of the Assistant Executive Secretary.
    -Perform other duties as directed by the President.
    The Assistant Executive Secretary will:
    -Perform the duties as directed by the Executive Secretary.
    The Executive Treasurer will:
    -Make all required financial filings, returns, and reports.
    -Keep an accurate record of all receipts and disbursements.
    -Report on financial status at meetings.
    -Maintain The Association of the Class of 1949, USNA, accounts in accordance with Article IX 0f the Constitution, and as the Executive Committee may direct.
    Members-at-Large. The three members-at-large will participate in all Executive Committee meetings, each having an equal vote with that of The Association officers described above. They shall carry out tasks as may be assigned by the President. Along with The Association officers they may submit proposals for consideration by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VII:  ELECTIONS

    The President shall normally serve for a term of five (5) years and will be elected by the whole membership of The Association from a slate of no less than three nominees. Approximately six months prior to the end of his incumbency, the President shall designate a Nominating Committee which will select a slate based upon review of The Association membership as a whole. The incoming President will take office during the following Annual Class Reunion.
    The President shall appoint the Officers and Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee to conduct the business of The Association.  The President shall advise chapter and area leaders during process of implementing these appointments.
  In event of the President’s death, or inability to act, the Executive Vice President shall succeed. The Executive Committee will determine whether the remaining term is sufficient length to justify nomination and election of a new President to complete the term or whether the Executive Vice President will complete the term as President Pro Tem. In the case of all other Executive Committee members, a replacement successor will be elected at a meeting called by the President for that purpose.
    A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of five members.
    Any member of the Executive Committee may be displaced by a negative vote of forty percent of the members of The Association in good standing.

ARTICLE VIII:  MEETINGS

    Business meetings of The Association shall be held as designated by the President with at least thirty (30) days prior notice to the membership of each meeting.
    The Executive Committee shall meet the call of the President; provided, however, that the Executive Committee shall meet not less than three times each calendar year.
    All actions approved at an Executive Committee meeting shall be by majority vote of the Committee members present.
    Any member of The Association may offer amendments, or suggestions by submitting a proposal to the Executive Secretary. Such proposals will be considered by the Executive Committee for adoption.
    Should a proposal be submitted over the signatures of thirty-five (35) members of The Association, it shall put to The Association for vote without any intervening action or vote by the Executive Committee.
    Local chapters of The Association have been established in Annapolis, Maryland; New York, New York; The Tidewater area in Virginia; and in California. Any member of The Association in good standing may at any time attend and participate in any meeting or general function of any of The Association’s chapters.
    Additional chapters may be formed whenever the numbers and desires of the membership in a particular geographic area so indicate. No formal organizational links will exist between Chapters or between a Chapter and the Executive Committee. Informal liaison between individual Chapters and between the Chapters and the Executive Committee are highly appropriate and encouraged. Each Chapter is urged to keep the Executive Committee informed as to its statue and activities.
    The activities of Association Chapters must at all times conform to the stated purposes of The Association and the specific provisions of this Constitution.

ARTICLE IX:  FINANCES

    The Association’s fiscal year shall begin January 1. The books and accounts shall be kept in accordance with sound accounting principles.
    The Class Fund shall be administered by the Executive Treasurer under the direct supervision of the Executive Committee.
    The Class Fund shall be expended or obligated only by order of the Executive Committee. No obligation shall be made which will make the aggregate amount obligated exceed the funds available in the class treasury.
    Withdrawals may be made by check signed by the Executive Treasurer or signed by the President or Executive Vice President..
    An annual audit shall be conducted by three (3) members of The Association; the three members not to be members of the Executive Committee. The Chairman of the Executive shall designate the members of the audit committee. Members of the audit committee shall not serve as consecutive audits but may serve on more than one occasion.
    An annual financial statement shall be made available upon request to any member of The Association.
    In the event of dissolution or termination of the corporation, title to and possession of all of the assets and funds of the corporation shall pass forthwith to the United States Alumni Association, Annapolis, Maryland.

ARTICLE X:  AMENDENTS

    The Constitution of the Association may be amended or altered pursuant to Article VIII.