ARA Constitution


Article I - Name and Purpose

Section 1. NameThe Association is incorporated as the Association of Rice Alumni.

Section 2. Purpose The purpose of the Association of Rice Alumni ("the Association") is to provide the means of a continuing relationship between Rice University ("the University") and its former students. To help achieve this purpose, the Association sponsors distinguished programs meant to stimulate intellectual and social participation of all members of the Association and to enable them to contribute to and share in the enhancement of the University. In addition, the Association endeavors to foster deeper concern among its members for the welfare of the University, to strengthen the bond of sympathetic understanding between the University and the community, to encourage gifts, to attract outstanding students and faculty, and to contribute toward maintaining Rice as a university in keeping with the ideals and aims of its founder.

Article II - Memberships

Section 1. Types of Membership – Membership in this Association shall be either Participating or Honorary.

Section 2. Participating Members – Individuals who have completed at least one full academic year at Rice University in a degree-granting program, excluding current students, and all individuals who were members of the Association prior to the adoption of this Constitution shall be members. Participating Members shall not be excluded by virtue of again being enrolled in a degree-granting program. There shall be no dues or fees required for membership.

Section 3. Honorary Members – Individuals who have rendered distinguished service or extraordinary devotion to the University, the Association, or its programs may be elected Honorary Members by the Association of Rice Alumni board of directors ("the Board") at any meeting of the Association upon recommendation for such action and approval by the Board.

Article III - Meetings

Section 1. Annual Meeting – There shall be an Annual Meeting of the Association for the purpose of transacting the business of the Association, the time and place of such meeting to be fixed by the Board.

Section 2. Notice of Annual Meeting –The President of the Association shall direct the Executive Director to send notice of the annual meeting, giving the time and place of such meeting, to every member of the Association. Such notice shall be sent to the latest address in alumni records for each member at least thirty days prior to the date fixed for said meeting.

Section 3. Special Meetings – A special meeting of the Association shall be held if a call for such a meeting, stating its purpose, is voted at a meeting of the Association, or is requested by one-third of the members of the Board, or is requested by a written petition to the Board, signed by at least one percent of Participating Members of the Association who are living. The President of the Association within fifteen days after such special meeting has been properly voted or requested shall direct the Executive Director to send notice of such special meeting, giving the time and place of such meeting and stating its purpose, to every member of the Association. Such notice shall be sent to the latest address in alumni records for each member at least thirty days prior to the date fixed for said meeting.

Article IV - The Association of Rice Alumni Board of Directors

Section 1. Membership and Terms of Office – The Board shall be composed of the following:

  • The President, the President-Elect, and the immediate Past-President, each of whom shall serve a one-year term in his or her respective office beginning July 1 following election.
  • Twenty-one additional members, whose term of office shall be three years, commencing July 1 following election. Seven of these shall be elected each year, apportioned according to the By-Laws of this Association.

Section 2. Duties of the Board – The Board shall manage, direct, control, and administer the affairs and business of the Association as provided by such By-Laws as may be enacted by the Board; shall determine and set all matters of policy for the Association; shall elect its officers; shall act for and on behalf of the Association in all matters within the jurisdiction of the Board; shall serve as a liaison between alumni, the Board of Trustees, and University administrators, championing alumni programs and services, and serving as ambassadors of the University to alumni and the public at-large.

Section 3. Meetings of the Board – Regular meetings of the Board shall be held to conduct business of the Association, to elect officers, and to consider any other matter within the jurisdiction of the Board.

Section 4. Special Meetings – A special meeting of the Board shall be held if a call for such a meeting, stating its purpose, is made by the President of the Association, or is requested by one-third of the members of the Board. The President of the Association shall direct the Executive Director to give notice of such special meeting to every member of the Board, giving the time and place of such meeting and stating its purpose, pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Association By-Laws.

Section 5. Quorum – At any meeting of the Board, a simple majority of its members, including officers, shall constitute a quorum.

Section 6. Voting – At any meeting of the Board, the Board may decide by means of a simple majority of concurring votes any matter submitted for action to the Board unless an alternative concurrence of votes is otherwise expressly specified in this Constitution or the Association By-Laws.

Section 7. Committees – The President, by and with the advice and consent of the Board, shall appoint such Committees from among the membership of the Association as may be necessary for the conduct of the business of this Association. Each such Committee shall include at least one member of the Board.

Section 8. Vacancies – Vacancies that occur during the terms of office of members and officers of the Board, unless otherwise provided for in this Constitution or the Association By-Laws, shall be filled by the appointment of a successor by the Board to serve the unexpired term of such office. Such vacancies shall be filled within ninety days.

Article V - Officers

Section 1. President – The President of the Association shall be a Participating Member of the Association. The President shall have completed a term as an elected member or officer of the Board prior to beginning his or her term as President. In the case of a member who has completed the unexpired term of another member, he or she must have completed a minimum of two years in that position prior to beginning his or her term as President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Association. The President shall perform all the duties that are required of the position under this Constitution and its regularly enacted By-Laws, those delegated by the Board, and those that are usual and incidental to this office. The President is a member of and shall preside at meetings of the Association and of the Board. The President shall sign matters of the Association whereon the President's signature is required.

Section 2. President-Elect – The President-Elect shall have all the qualifications required of the President. The President-Elect shall perform such duties as prescribed by the By-Laws and other duties as may be properly assigned by the President or the Board. The President-Elect shall become familiar with the duties and operations of the office of President in order to be prepared to discharge the duties of that office. The President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President in the event of the latter's absence, disability, resignation, or demise.

Section 3. Past-President – The Past-President shall perform such duties as prescribed by the By-Laws and other duties as may be properly assigned by the President or the Board.

Section 4. Executive Director – The Board shall provide recommendations to the University regarding the appointment or removal of the Executive Director. The Executive Director shall be responsible for the ongoing operations of the Association. The Executive Director shall serve as secretary and be responsible for the keeping of all Association records, financial transactions of the Association, and shall keep a complete record of all alumni activities. The Executive Director shall have charge of the publishing of such materials as the Board shall direct to be published, and shall have such additional duties as may be assigned by the University and the Board.

Section 5. Additional Officers – The Board shall appoint and remove such additional officers as its work may require, whose term of office shall not exceed three years

Section 6. Election of Officers – Officers of the Association shall be elected by the members of the Board.

Article VI - Nominations

Committees on Nominations – The President shall appoint members of the Board, and such other members of the Association as might seem necessary to ensure a balanced alumni representation, to serve as a Committee on Board Nominations and a Committee on Alumni Trustee Nominations.

The terms of office of the Committee members shall run to June 30 following their appointment. These Committees shall select candidates for membership to the Board and shall select candidates for Alumni Trustee in accordance with the rules set forth in the By-Laws of the Association.

Article VII - By-Laws

By-Laws governing the conduct of the Association meetings and other matters not regulated by the Constitution, may be adopted, repealed, altered, or amended by a concurring vote of two-thirds of the members of the Board. The Association shall be notified of any such changes and shall have the power to revise or repeal such action of the Board at any meeting of the Association. A majority vote of those present shall be required to revise or repeal such changes.

Article VIII - Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by the members of the Association. A notice containing a copy of the proposed amendment, the purpose of the amendment, the reason for the change, and a ballot shall be sent to every member at least thirty days prior to the date the proposed amendments are to take effect. Voting by mail and other Board-approved means shall be allowed on such amendments.

Adopted Effective July 1, 1988
Amended Effective July 1, 1996
Amended Effective January 31, 2006