The name of the corporation shall be the Newcomb Alumnae Association (hereinafter the “Association”).
The Newcomb Alumnae Association (NAA) is the Newcomb College alumnae association at Tulane University. Founded in 1893 as the Alumnae Association of Newcomb College, the NAA is affiliated with Newcomb Institute and offers programming and services to Newcomb College alumnae and all undergraduate Tulane affiliates of Newcomb Institute. Our association includes over 30,000 women globally.
The NAA's mission is to strengthen personal, collegiate, and professional connections among its members. The Association honors the legacy of the H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College by supporting undergraduate feminist education at Newcomb Institute and Tulane University.
All graduates of Newcomb College and all undergraduate Tulane affiliates of Newcomb Institute. All non-graduates of the above who have completed one semester in good standing.
Honorary members as appointed by the Association Board of Directors. These members shall be non-voting members who cannot hold office.
The management of the Association shall be vested in the Board of Directors, which shall be members of the Association and number not less than 10 nor more than 25 members.
The President shall appoint Directors, who shall serve a two-year term. A Director may be asked to serve a second term, after which she must rotate off the Board unless she becomes a committee chairman or officer.
The Board of Directors shall meet no more than four times a year and may conduct its business by conference call. The President shall act as chair of the meetings and will announce board meetings at least one month in advance.
A quorum for the purpose of conducting business is 2/3 majority of those present. A proxy vote may be allowed for a Board of Directors meeting. The proxy shall be signed by the absent Director, designate the specific agenda item on which the proxy may be voted and given to the President at the start of the board meeting. No director may hold more than one proxy. The Board may vote on issues electronically, but all board members must participate in electronic votes to ensure that all members are afforded the opportunity to have their voices heard when votes take place remotely.
All board members are expected to contribute annually to the Newcomb Alumnae Association or the Newcomb Institute or Tulane University according to their means.
All board members shall not miss more than 1/3 of all board meetings each year. To be counted in attendance at a board meeting each member shall be present for at least 75% of the meeting time.
The officers of the Association are elected for two-year terms shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Vice President for Alumnae, a Vice President for Students, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and the immediate Past President. The officers shall comprise the Executive Committee, which may meet from time to time.
The duties and terms of the officers and the Executive Committee are enumerated in the appendix attached to the By-Laws.
The Annual Meeting of the Association shall take place during Homecoming and Reunion weekend and shall be announced in writing at least 30 days prior to the meeting. A slate of officers to be elected will be posted and the Nominating Committee will solicit nominations from the general membership. A quorum of a simple majority of those present at the meeting shall be required to conduct business. There shall be no proxy or absentee voting at this meeting. (In the event there is no on-campus homecoming the meeting shall take place during the fall semester).
There shall be the following standing committees of the Board: Executive Committee, Nominating Committee, and the Awards Committee. The responsibilities of these committees are enumerated in the appendix.
There shall be other committees as needed. The chairman of each Board Committee may be a member of the Board or a member at large and shall be appointed by the President. Members of the Board and general membership of the Association shall constitute each committee and are appointed by the chairman. Meetings of the committees shall be set as necessary by the Chairman of each committee. Possible committees and their responsibilities are enumerated in the appendix attached to the By-Laws.
Each board member shall serve on two committees.
The Director of Alumnae Relations shall be the chief administrative officer of the Association and shall report to the Executive Director of the Newcomb Institute. She will be representative of the Association for Tulane University, attend meetings of the Board and its committees, and will assist in preparing and distributing information to the Board. She shall work directly with the Vice President of Alumni Relations and in association with the Tulane Alumni Association. Her responsibilities are enumerated in the appendix attached to the By-Laws.
The funds of the Alumnae Association shall consist of an operating fund and such other funds as the Board of Directors may establish. Correct and up to date books of account of the recent activities and transactions of the Association shall be maintained by the Director of Alumnae Relations. She shall send quarterly reports to the President and Treasurer of the Association.
The Alumnae Association will concentrate its fundraising efforts in support of the Newcomb Alumnae Association, the Newcomb Institute, and Tulane University. All fundraising projects are subject to the approval of the Board.
The Nominating Committee shall propose one candidate for each Office. The candidate must give her consent to be nominated.
Nominations will be solicited from the general membership and the deadline for submission shall be three months before the Annual Meeting.
A single slate of candidates, with approval from the Board of Directors, shall be posted one month prior to the Annual Meeting. The slate will be voted upon by voice vote at the Annual Meeting. If the membership does not elect the slate, the process will begin again in a manner set forth in the appendix. "The slate will be voted upon by voice vote if the Annual Meeting is held in person. If the Annual Meeting is held virtually, electronically in advance of the meeting."
A quorum at the Annual Meeting will consist of a majority of the members in attendance. There will be no proxy or absentee voting.
Resignations shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the President of the Board.
A director may be removed by a majority vote of the Board for cause, including but not limited to dereliction of duty, conflict of interest, non-activity for six months, failure to meet committee obligations, and absence at three consecutive meetings of the Board of Directors.
TIn the event of a vacancy among the officers of the Association, the Nominating Committee shall recommend a candidate who shall be approved by a majority of the present Directors. The member so chosen shall hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term. Any person filling such a vacancy for less than half of the unexpired term may be elected for a full term immediately thereafter. The partial term may not be considered in regard to term limits.
Every officer and chair of either a standing or ad hoc committee must prepare and present a yearly report which will be circulated to the membership at the Annual Meeting.
All business shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.
These By-Laws may be amended by majority vote of the Board of Directors. Corrections or amendments should be distributed to Board members 14 days before the vote is taken.
