THE OHIO UNION AND STUDENT ACTIVITIES
ALUMNI SOCIETY CONSTITUTION
Revised 09/2010
ARTICLE I - NAME and PURPOSE
Section I.1: The name of this organization is the Ohio Union and Student Activities Alumni
Society of The Ohio State University (hereinafter OUSAAS).
Section I.2: The purpose of the OUSAAS is to inform and engage its members through
programming and unique involvement opportunities that strengthen the relationship between
alumni, the Ohio Union and Student Activities, and the entire university. It shall be an integral
part of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc., (hereinafter Association), the
official alumni organization of The Ohio State University. The OUSAAS will also promote and
support the mission of the Association.
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP AND ANNUAL DONATIONS
Section II.1: Membership in OUSAAS is open to:
A. Former members of the Ohio Union Activities Board, Student Events Committee, or
Ohio-Drake Unions Activities Board,
B. Previous full or part time employees of the Ohio Union and Office of Student
Activities, including graduate administrative associates and undergraduate student
employees,
C. Previous members or leaders of Ohio State student organizations including sororities,
fraternities, and student governments, previous chairpersons of major campus events
like Welcome Week, Homecoming, Make A Difference Day, and Beat Michigan
Week,
D. And those who consider themselves friends of the Ohio Union.
Section II.2: “Active Member” is defined as: an alumnus falling within one of the categories
defined in Section II.1 and who contributes an annual donation as specified in Section II.3.
A. Priority will be given to active members of OUSAAS for events, programs, and other
activities that OUSAAS sponsors and provides.
B. OUSAAS reserves the right to allow non-active alumni to participate in OUSAAS
activities as the Board of Governors deems fit.
Section II.3: Membership Dues
A. A minimum annual donation each fiscal year will be required from each alumnus of
OUSAAS in order to qualify as an active member.
B. The minimum annual donation amount will be set by the Board of Governors.
C. An active member may designate his/her annual donation to one of the various funds,
programs, initiatives, or scholarships of the Ohio Union. If no fund is chosen, the
donation will be designated towards the Wendell W. Ellenwood Scholarship Fund.
D. Collection of Annual Donations: Donations will be collected by the Ohio Union
alumni/development staff representative in conjunction with the Chair of the
Membership Committee. Accurate records of active, donation-paying members will be
recorded and kept at the Ohio Union Administrative Offices.
ARTICLE III - BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Section III.1: The Board of Governors (hereinafter Board), all of whom must be members of
the Association and the OUSAAS, shall consist of:
A. Executive Officers
B. Executive Committee Members
C. Current Director of the Ohio Union (ex-officio)
D. Ohio Union alumni/development staff representative (ex-officio)
E. President/CEO of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc. or designee
(ex-officio)
Section III.2: The government of the OUSAAS and the direction of its activities shall be vested
in the Board.
ARTICLE IV - EXECUTIVE OFFICERS & DUTIES
Section IV.1 Officers: The executive officers of the OUSAAS are a part of the OUSAAS Board
and shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Past President and Communications
Director, all of whom must hold membership in the Association and the OUSAAS.
A. Each term of service for all executive officers shall be three years.
B. Executive officers shall be limited to serve only two consecutive terms in the same
executive officer position.
Section IV.2 President:
A. The President presides over all meetings of the OUSAAS and serves as chair of the
Board.
B. The President shall call meetings of the OUSAAS.
C. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees
D. The President shall set the agenda for each Board meeting with assistance from the
Ohio Union alumni/development staff representative.
E. The President shall have the power to fill vacancies of the Board of Governors upon
approval by the Board.
F. The President may establish standing and ad-hoc committees as necessary with the
approval of the Board.
G. The President shall appoint chairs for each of the committees.
Section IV.3 Vice President:
A. In the absence of the President, or if the President is unable to fulfill his or her duties,
the Vice-President shall perform he duties of the President.
B. If the office of the President becomes vacant for any reason, the Vice President shall
fulfill the duties of President for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Section IV.4 Secretary:
A. The Secretary is responsible for sending notices of Board meetings to the OUSAAS
Board.
B. The Secretary is responsible for taking minutes at all meetings of the Board and
distributing the minutes of those meetings to the Board in a timely manner.
C. The Secretary shall not release membership information for political or commercial
purposes; any person violating this policy is subject to expulsion from the office by
the Board of Directors of the Association. Release of the list shall be made only on
approval of the Association, subject to the constitution of the Association.
Section IV.5 Communications Director:
A. The Communications Director shall coordinate the OUSAAS content for the Ohio
Union’s newsletter.
B. The Communications Director is responsible for assisting the Ohio Union Graphics
Department in the creation of OUSAAS external communications.
ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section V.1: The Executive Committee is a part of the OUSAAS Board of Governors and shall
represent the constituencies of the OUSAAS. Members of the Executive Committee must also
be members of the Association.
A. There shall be two recent alumni representatives as defined in the bylaws and two
current undergraduate student representatives.
B. There shall be two alumni representatives from each of the following constituencies:
former Ohio Union employees, student organizations, and the Ohio Union Activities
Board.
C. Each term of service for executive committee members shall be three years,
excluding the undergraduate student representatives who serve two year terms.
Executive committee members shall be limited to two consecutive terms in the same
executive committee position.
ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES
Section VI.1: There shall be two standing committees within OUSAAS including:
A. The alumni events committee
B. The membership committee
Section VI.2: The President of the OUSAAS, with approval of the Board of Governors, shall
establish additional committees that are in the best interest of the OUSAAS.
Section VI.3: The President shall appoint chairs for each of the committees.
ARTICLE VII- BOARD OF GOVERNORS EXPECTATIONS
Section VII.1: Each Executive Board Member and each Executive Committee Member must
fulfill the required duties specified by the OUSAAS Constitution, the by-laws, and the Board
duties reflected herein.
A. No Executive Board Member or Executive Committee Member shall use his/her
position on the Board for direct or indirect financial gain.
B. Each Executive Board Member and each Executive Committee Member shall attend
all Board of Governors meetings in person or via telephone.
C. Each Executive Board Member and each Executive Committee Member shall serve
on at least one committee and attend all committee meetings either in person or via
telephone.
D. Each Executive Board Member and each Executive Committee Member are
encouraged to attend all events, however shall attend no less than 50% of OUSAAS
events or programs.
Section VII.2: If an officer acts in stark contrast to the purpose of OUSAAS or is unwilling or
unable to fulfill the responsibilities set forth in the Constitution, the Executive Board Member or
Executive Committee Member may be removed by a majority vote of the sitting Executive
Board.
ARTICLE VIII - MEETINGS
Section VIII.1: The OUSAAS active membership shall meet at least once annually. Failure to
comply with this provision shall make the OUSAAS Charter subject to revocation by the
Association.
Section VIII.2: The OUSAAS Board of Governors shall meet quarterly. There shall be
additional meetings each year as the President of the OUSAAS deems necessary with the
approval of the Board of Governors.
ARTICLE IX - ELECTIONS
Section IX.1: Annually, the Past-President with the assistance of the Ohio Union Director and
Ohio Union Alumni/Development Staff Representative shall develop a slate for the open Board
of Governors positions as prescribed in the bylaws. The slate shall be voted upon electronically
and will be approved if a simple majority of the votes cast are in favor of the slate.
Section IX.2: The Board of Governor terms will be staggered. Fourteen board members shall be
elected in 2010. Four board members will initial one-year terms. Four board members will serve
in two year terms. Six board members will serve for three year terms. All subsequent term limits
will be governed by Articles IV, V, and VII.
ARTICLE X - ADOPTION
This constitution shall be officially adopted upon its approval by a simple majority vote of the
members of the OUSAAS in attendance at any regular or special meeting of the general
membership of OUSAAS. It shall take effect upon the granting of a charter by the Board of
Directors of the Association authorizing its functioning as one of the official alumni
organizations of The Ohio State University.
ARTICLE XI - AMENDMENTS
Section XI.1: This constitution may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the Board of Governors
members at a meeting.
Section XI.2: Proposed amendments are to be read at one meeting, electronically disseminated
with an open forum for comment for two weeks and voted upon at the subsequent meeting.
Section XI.3: No amendments shall take effect until duly approved by the Board of Directors of
the Association, Inc.
ARTICLE XII - BY-LAWS
Section XII.1: The OUSAAS Board of Governors shall be responsible for the creation of
operating by-laws for the OUSAAS.
Section XII.2: The by-laws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the members of the Board of
Governors in attendance at any of their regular or special meetings.
ADOPTED CHARTER: February 5, 2005
REVISION DATE: September 25, 2009; September 24, 2010