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BYLAWS
ARTICLE
I - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors is defined as the president, vice-president,
secretary, treasurer, membership chair, regional vice-presidents
and all past presidents of the WFOP.
SEC.
1 To be eligible for the office of president, a member must
have previously served the WFOP in some other office, or be
specifically approved by the Board of Directors.
SEC. 2 The president and other officers of the Fellowship shall
hold the same or corresponding offices in the said Board of
Directors and shall arrange for all meetings of the Board and
discharge all duties of officers of the said Board.
SEC. 3 The Board of Directors may hold meetings other than the
two meetings herein provided for at any time or place at the
call of the president.
SEC.
4 The primary duty of the Board of Directors is to make and
carry out long-range plans for the Fellowship, tending to increase
its membership and influence, and to decide on programs to be
followed, in general, to supervise the activities of the Fellowship.
SEC. 5 It shall appoint officers to fill vacancies that may
occur during the period between meetings of the Fellowship and
shall, in general, act as Executive Committee for the Fellowship
in any emergency or contingency when it may be impractical to
get action by a general meeting of the Fellowship.
SEC.
6 Annual dues shall be established by the Board of Directors.
A proposed change in dues shall be presented for a first reading
at the next general business meeting. The proposed change will
be voted on at the subsequent general business meeting. A simple
majority of members present is required for the change to be
adopted.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
SEC. 1 Any person who is a resident or a former resident of
the State of Wisconsin who is interested in the aims and endeavors
of the Fellowship shall be able to become a member.
SEC. 2 To apply for membership in the Fellowship, submit a request
to the membership chair.
SEC.
3 A person lacking only the residential qualifications may become
an Active member upon invitation of the president and the membership
chair.
SEC. 4 No person may become a member of any regional group of
the Fellowship without first becoming a member of the state
organization.
SEC. 5 Members shall be classified as Active, Honorary and Life.
a)
An Active member is one who has been a resident of Wisconsin,
is interested in the aims and endeavors of the Fellowship,
and has paid dues.
1)
A member must be a resident of Wisconsin in order to hold
office.
2) Student members are Active members who, as long as they
are full-time students, shall pay reduced dues.
3) A Continued member is an Active member who cannot pay
dues either permanently or temporarily, as approved by the
Board of Directors.
b) A Life member is an Active member who: attains the age
of seventy-five (75) years; has been a member for at least
ten (10) years; and] has made an outstanding contribution
to the welfare and activities of the Fellowship as declared
by unanimous consent of the Board of Directors and a majority
of the membership present at the next general business meeting.
1) Life members shall pay no dues.
2) Life membership may be waived if desired.
c) An Honorary member is an individual or corporation which
has donated a substantial amount to the Fellowship; or an
individual who is well-known in literary or educational fields,
and has enhanced the Fellowship as a contest judge, program
presenter or through publicity.
1 ) An Honorary member[is appointed for one year and shall
pay no dues.
2) Honorary membership must be approved by the Board of
Directors.
3)
Monies received from an Honorary membership shall be considered
a donation to a non-profit organization. Such monies are
not dues and do not confer Active membership rights. An
Honorary member may not vote or hold any office.
d)
A Patron member prior to the adoption of this article shall
become an Active member, and shall pay no dues for life.
e)
An Associate member prior to the adoption of this article
shall become an Active member.
f)
Student, Continued, Life and Honorary members prior to the
adoption of this article shall retain the same membership
status and be governed by Article II, Section 5 of these Bylaws.
SEC.
6 Membership in the Fellowship shall terminate if a member is
two (2) years delinquent in the payment of dues, is not a Continued
member, and has been notified in writing.
SEC.
7 The right to vote and hold office in the Fellowship is restricted
to Active and Life members not delinquent in the payment of
dues.
ARTICLE III – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
SEC. 1 The president shall preside at all meetings of the Fellowship;
appoint all committees not otherwise provided for; approve all
orders drawn on the treasury; and will generally supervise the
business of the organization.
SEC. 2 The vice-president shall preside at meetings and perform
the other duties of the president in the absence or incapacitation
of that officer, shall represent the president at regional meetings
when requested to do so, shall assist in planning programs for
statewide meetings of the organization. The vice-president shall
chair the nominations committee for the slate of officers of
the Fellowship. Regional vice-presidents constitute the nominations
committee.
SEC. 3 The secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings
of all meetings of the Fellowship, and shall also perform such
duties as may be required. The secretary shall keep a record
of membership, file all written reports of committees, and attend
to all correspondence.
SEC. 4 The treasurer shall hold in trust the funds in the general
treasury, keep a strict account of all money received and disburse
no money except upon orders approved by the president. The treasurer
shall give a financial report to the Fellowship at each general
business meeting.
ARTICLE
IV – COMMITTEES
Committees shall be appointed by the president, as needed, and
approved by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE V - MEETINGS
SEC. 1 The membership of the Fellowship shall meet at least
twice yearly, once in spring and once in fall, at a location
designated by the president.
SEC. 2 The Board of Directors shall hold two meetings on or
preceding the dates of the two membership meetings designated
in Section 1 of this Article.
SEC. 3 Written notice of each meeting shall be given by mail
to all members prior to such meeting.
SEC. 4 The time between the fall election of new officers and
their installation in the spring shall be considered a time
of transition in which all records, correspondence, files, monies
and all other appurtenances pertaining to said offices shall
be transferred in a timely manner to the duly elected officers.
ARTICLE VI – DUES
The annual dues shall be payable at the beginning of the calendar
year, which will also be the beginning of the fiscal year. Students
shall pay 1/2 the Active dues.
ARTICLE VII - ELECTIONS
SEC.
1 All elections shall be by written ballot or by voice vote
at the discretion of the Board.
SEC. 2 The president may appoint a committee on nominations
at the meeting preceding the meeting when any election shall
be held.
ARTICLE
VIII - AMENDMENTS
Proposed
amendment(s) to these Bylaws shall be submitted to the Board of
Directors. If approved by the Board, the proposed amendment(s)
shall be presented for a first reading at the next general business
meeting. The proposed amendment(s) will be voted on at the subsequent
general business meeting. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of members present
is necessary for the amendment to be adopted.
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