BENNETT COLLEGE FOR WOMEN
Parents’ Association
Constitution and By-laws

Amended October 2007
CONSTITUTION

Article I – Name

This organization will be known as the Bennett College Parents’ Association.

Article II – Purpose

Section 1.                   To act as a liaison between the College and the parents to develop a closer relationship.

Section 2.                   To interpret the College’s activities to the parents.

Section 3.                   To interpret the College to a wider audience of prospective students and friends.

Section 4.                   To encourage parents’ participation in the College’s Fund Raising Activities.

Section 5.                   To encourage parents to transmit their opinions and suggestions to the College.

Article III – Membership

Parents, grandparents or guardians of present and past students, as well as friends of Bennett College are eligible for membership.

Membership dues are $25.00 per parent and are paid annually.

Article IV – Officers

The officers shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Financial Secretary and Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary.

Article V – Meetings

Bi-annual meetings shall be held during Family and Friends Weekend and each spring.  Business shall be transacted by the vote of a majority of the members present.

Article VI – Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of members present during the bi-annual meetings.

BY-LAWS

Article I – Elections

Section 1.                   Election of officers defined in Article IV of the Constitution shall be by a majority vote of members present.

Section 2.                   Officers shall be elected very two years, at the Spring BPA meeting, for a two year term to take effect beginning July 1st of the next calendar year.

Article II – Duties of Officers

Section 1.                   The President shall preside at all meetings; shall have the power to call meetings of the Association and the Executive Committee; shall appoint the chair of all special committees.  The president shall serve as chair of the Fundraising Committee and is an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating.

The President is responsible for the parent link on the website, parent’s association newsletters and is the general spokesperson for the association.

Section 2.                   The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in case of absence or inability of the President to serve.  The Vice-President shall serve as chair of the Parents’ Recruiting Committee.

Section 3.                   The Financial Secretary shall approve and report all financial transactions pertaining to the Parents’ Association account; a financial report shall be given at each annual meeting of the association and at the request of the president; perform the duties of the President in the absence or inability of the President or Vice-President to serve.

Section 4.                   The Recording Secretary shall record the minutes of the annual business meeting; maintain a current roster of parents.

Section 5.                   The Corresponding Secretary shall be responsible for sending approved general correspondence to BPA members  from the BPA  or president that is not a function proper of other officers or of other committees.

                                    The Corresponding Secretary shall be responsible for assisting with collection, reading, and editing as well as design, when necessary, in collaboration with the BPA president, of information for the BPA Newsletters.

                                    The Corresponding Secretary shall be responsible for keeping an accurate dated file (i.e. written hard or electronically generated copies on CD) of all published newsletters, of all communications and documents received and sent by her/him as well as include date when approved by the president.

Article III – Governing Body

The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers of the Association, representative of the Institutional Advancement Staff, Director of Admissions, President of the College, President of the Student Government Association and the President of the Pre-Alumnae Council.

Article IV – Functions of Governing Body

Section 1.                   The Executive Committee shall have general oversight of all business matters affecting the Association.  It shall meet during the time of the annual meeting and at other special meetings called by the president.

Section 2.                   A quorum for Executive Committee shall consist of a majority of the members present, one of which shall be the President or Vice-President.

Article V – Committees

The Association shall have the following committees: Annual Fund Raising Event Committee and Parents’ Recruitment Committee.

The Annual Fund Raising Committee shall implement a program to inform the parents of the development plans and financial requirements of the College.  This committee shall be chaired by the President of the Association.

The Parents’ Recruitment Committee shall assist the College in the recruitment of students.  The committee shall be chaired by the Vice-President of the Association.

Other committees shall be established as deemed necessary to carry out the functions of the Association by the President.

Article VI – Disbursement of Funds

The Vice-President of Institutional Advancement is authorized to sign checks for the Association with prior approval of the President and Financial Secretary.

Article VII – Parliamentary Law

Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the Association’s final authority on all questions on procedures of parliamentary law not covered by the Constitution and By-Laws.