India Club of Greater Dayton
Constitution
Article I - Name and Location
1.1 The name of this non-profit 501 (C) 3 organization shall be India Club of Greater Dayton (hereinafter referred to as India Club);
1.2 The registered office of India Club shall be located in the greater Dayton area in the state of Ohio.
Article II - Objectives
The objectives of the India Club shall be:
2.1 To promote the welfare and assimilation of Asian Indians of greater Dayton and vicinity;
2.2 To sustain and perpetuate the heritage and culture of India;
2.3 To centralize resources, energies and talents for general betterment of Asian Indians;
2.4 To promote educational, literacy, cultural and charitable activities;
2.5 To disseminate information provided by other non-profit organizations via e-mail or other means and foster amiable attitudes among the various cultural groups for better understanding and cooperation;
2.6 To raise funds for specified welfare projects.
Article III - Club Activities
3.1 At all times the Club shall remain a non-partisan, secular, and non-sectarian organization;
3.2 The Club shall not encourage or promote any treasonous or seditious activity designed to adversely affect accomplishment of Club’s objectives.
3.3 Upon approval by the Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as E.C.), India Club may affiliate or disaffiliate with organizations/institutions, which are consistent with that of India Club and the activities of such organizations/institutions are not in conflict with India Club’s constitution;
3.4 The Club shall organize periodically cultural and social programs; welfare, charitable and scientific projects; concerts, seminars, and lectures in art and music; and engage in such other activities as may be necessary to meet its objectives;
3.5 The funds of the Club may be spent for achieving the objectives set forth above upon approval by a simple majority vote of the E.C. present at any meeting. However, donations or contributions to specific individuals or organizations shall be approved by at least two-thirds of the total strength of the E.C. The E.C. shall include, in its minutes, appropriate reasons justifying its selection of recipients;
3.6 Any purchase of capital goods or equipment costing over $5000 must be approved by the General Body;
3.7 With the approval of the E.C., the Club may engage in fund raising activities for any specific common cause or special project by collaborating with or joining another organization or institution, (provided such organization is non-partisan, secular and non-sectarian) on such terms and conditions as the E.C. may deem appropriate;
3.8 The Club shall meet its financial obligations through membership fees, special fund raising programs and donations from individuals, institutions or organizations.
Article IV - Membership
4.1 Any individual who subscribes to the objectives of the India Club can become a member of the organization. The member shall agree to abide by the Constitution of the India Club;
4.2 There shall be five classes of memberships:
- Family, consisting of the principal member and members of his/her immediate family residing at their main residence;
- Individual, consisting of individuals who do not fall under category C below;
- Student, consisting of individuals attending an educational institution on full time basis;
- Institutional, consisting of organizations whose objectives and activities are not in conflict with those of the India Club. The affiliation of such organizations or institutions shall be subject to specific approval of E.C.;
- Honorary, such memberships may be granted to any individual on the basis of his/her contributions to the cause and well being of the Asian Indian community. Such membership shall also be subject to specific approval of E.C.;
4.3 Annual and life membership dues will be decided by the E.C. every year;
4.4 To be eligible to vote, a member must be in good standing. A member is considered to be in good standing when his/her annual fees for the current year are paid/renewed by March 15;
4.5 The rights and privileges of each member are:
- Members falling within A, B, and C of Article IV, Section 2, shall be eligible to cast one vote in the election for each candidate for office provided their names have been on the current membership register for at least six months prior to the election. Family members shall have two votes, one for the principal member and one for any other member of his/her family;
- Each member falling under membership classifications of A, B and C, shall be eligible to cast one vote on any issue under consideration at any regular, special or extraordinary general body meeting, provided his/her name has been on the membership register for at least three months prior to such meeting. Family members shall have two votes, one for the principal member and for any other members of his/her family;
- Any officer of the India Club may be removed from office, at any regular or special body meeting called for the purpose, for conduct detrimental to the interests and objectives of the Club. Any officer proposed to be removed shall be entitled to at least 14 days notice in writing by mail of the meeting at which his/her removal is to be considered, shall be entitled to appear before and be heard at such meeting. The removal will be final after a two-thirds vote of members assembled at any general body meeting.
Article V - Fiscal Year
5.1 The fiscal year of the Club shall commence on the first day of January of each year and end on the 31st day of December….
Article VI - Executive Committee
6.1 The E.C. shall consist of eleven members comprising the President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer and seven members at large who shall be elected in accordance with Article VIII, Section 8.Of the seven members at large, one shall hold the position of Delegate to International Festivals and at least two shall be youth between the ages of 16 and 23, who, upon assuming office shall become individual or student members. The responsibility of the remaining four members at large shall be designated by the President. No more than one member from a family could be a member of the E.C.;
6.2 The management of the Club is as follows:
- The eleven members elected in accordance with Section I above shall constitute the Executive Committee (E.C.) of the India Club. As the governing body, it shall be responsible for promoting the objectives of the Club;
- The business and properties of the Club shall be managed and controlled by the E.C. whose members shall serve a term of one year. Except that the member elected as Delegate to International festivals, who shall serve a term of FIVE YEARS;
- The authority to interpret the constitution resides with the E.C., carried by at least two-thirds vote of the total E.C.
- The E.C. may establish such sub-committees as it may deem necessary for the conduct of the Club’s activities;
6.3 The E.C. shall meet at least nine times a year at such places and times as may be determined by the president. Six members shall constitute the quorum. Each member shall have one vote. A simple majority of members present will be sufficient for reaching a decision. In the event of a tie, the President shall have the casting vote;
6.4 Members of the E.C shall not receive any remuneration for their services;
6.5 Any vacancy in the E.C. occurring during the year may be filled for the un-expired position of the term as follows:
- President: The President- elect shall become President for the remainder of the term;
- President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, or Delegate to the International Festivals: The remaining members of the E.C. shall fill such vacancies for the remainder of the term among its own members;
- Other E.C. members: The E.C shall fill any such vacancies from the general membership for the remainder of the term.
ARTICLE VII - RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS
7.1 The responsibilities of each of the officers of the E.C. shall be:
- PRESIDENT: The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Club. He/she shall:
- preside over the meeting of the Club;
- Chair over the meeting of the Club;
- be responsible for coordinating the activities of the Club;
- make an annual report to the Club;
- Be responsible for all the public relations and media releases
- Responsible for maintaining 501 (C) 3 non-profit status of the club
- PRESIDENT-ELECT: At the request of the President, or in the event of his/absence due to disability, resignation or other emergencies, the President –elect shall chair meetings and conduct the affairs of the Club. The President-elect shall have such powers as may be assigned by the E.C. or the President. He/she shall be responsible for the custody of the Club’s capital goods and equipment;
- SECRETARY: The Secretary shall be a recording officer of the Club. He/she shall maintain minutes of all official meetings of the Club and the E.C. He/she shall submit a report of the activities of the Club at the annual general body meeting. He/she shall be responsible for all written information given to members. The mailing address of members and a list of eligible voting members shall be maintained by the Secretary .He/she shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the E.C. or the President.
- TREASURER: The Treasurer shall be in charge of all the monetary transactions of the Club. He/she shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the Club, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be imposed by the E.C. He/she shall maintain account books in which all-financial transactions of the Club shall be entered on a regular basis. All the entries shall be accurate and balanced periodically. Such accounts shall be available for inspection at any E.C. meeting or upon request of any voting member made in writing to the President. Prior to the general body meeting, the Treasurer shall have the obligation to publish the Club’s audited financial annual report;
- DELEGATE TO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS: The delegate shall represent India Club at DIFI (Dayton International Festival Inc.) and any other international events as may be designated by the E.C.He/she shall attend business meetings of DIFI and other such bodies as may be designated by the E.C. He/she shall provide regular reports to the E.C. He/she shall direct the activities of the India Club at the International Festival and shall seek to promote the image of India and Indian culture in a positive mode;
7.2 The duties of other officers of the Club shall be:
- TRUSTEES: The President, Secretary, and Treasurer will act as trustees;
- EX-OFFICIO: The President of the previous year’s India Club shall be considered as Ex-officio member of the current E.C. He/she shall attend the E.C. meetings regularly;
- AUDITOR: An auditor or an auditor team shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the E.C. He/she shall not be a member of the E.C. At least one audit of account books of the India Club shall be performed in the last quarter of the fiscal year. Additional audits may be requested by the E.C., or by the President or by a written request to the President made by at least fifty voting members of the Club.
Article VIII- Nominations and Elections
8.1 A Nominating Committee (N.C.) for the election of members of the E.C. for the following year shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the current E.C. at least two months before the annual general body meeting scheduled data;
8.2 The N.C. shall be composed of five members, none of whom shall be a member of the current E.C. except for the outgoing President who shall act as the Chairman of the N.C; At least two members of the N.C. shall be past President of the Club. The President Elect, one past President and two members of the India club representing regional and linguistic diversity. No member of the N.C. shall serve the committee for more than two consecutive years. No more than one member from a family can be nominated for the proposed E.C. candidate;
8.3 The names of the Nomination Committee members shall be announced in the Newsletter or Bulletin at least 45 days before the annual general body meeting.
8.4 Each year the N.C. shall present one candidate each for President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and six members of the E.C. Every sixth year a candidate for the delegate to International Festivals will also be nominated for election. No individual shall serve on the E.C. for more than six consecutive years;
8.5 Except for the Youth and Student officers, candidates for the E.C. must be voting members of the Club for least six months prior to election. The N.C. shall obtain acceptance of each nominee prior to submitting his/her nomination in its report.
8.6 The N.C. shall present its report to the current E.C. at least two weeks before the annual meeting. Voting members of the Club can obtain a copy of the report of the N.C. by a written request to the Chairman of the N.C.;
8.7 Further nominations, accompanied by a written acceptance of each nominee, may be made by written request of any 50 voting members of the Club. Such a request must be sent to the Chairman of the N.C.;
8.8 The candidates presented by the N.C. together with any other nominations (candidate qualified per Article VIII, Section 4), if received by the N.C., shall be presented by the Chairman of the N.C. at the general body meeting. Elections shall be conducted either by a voice vote or by raising a hand or by presentation of a motion by the Chairman of the N.C. for the approval of the nominees as presented at this meeting. The candidates shall be elected by a simple majority vote of voting members (per Article IV, Section 5, Item A) present at the meeting. In the event of a tie, the Chairperson shall cast the tie-breaking vote.
ARTICLE IX - CONDUCT OF MEETINGS AND QUORUM
9.1 The Club’s annual general body meeting shall be held during the last quarter of fiscal year. The President shall call at least one business meeting each year. The agenda of the annual general body meeting shall at least consist of annual report by the President ,Club activities report by the Secretary, Financial report by the Treasurer, and the election of new officers;
9.2 Special meeting may be held upon a call of the E.C. or upon written request made to the President by at least 50 members of the Club. Notice of a special meeting shall specify the business to be transacted. No business other than that stated in the notice shall be considered;
9.3 Extraordinary meetings may be called by the President in the event of an emergency, (excluding dissolution of the Club, election of the E.C., amendment of the constitution, or recall of officers) on a short notice without any written notice;
9.4 All meetings of the Club shall be presided over by the President. Meetings will be conducted according to the conventional rules of parliamentary practice;
9.5 Except in the case of extraordinary meetings (section 3 above) notice of the meetings shall be sent to each voting member at least 15 days before the meetings;
9.6 Whenever, in the judgment of the E.C., an issue arises which cannot await the regular business or special meeting, the E.C. may submit the issue/motion for a vote by mail. The closing date for the return of mail votes shall be established by the E.C. The issue/motion presented shall be resolved by a majority vote provided at least 50 voting members have exercised their rights.
9.7 25% of all voting members shall form the quorum for a business or election general body meeting.
9.8 If the requisite quorum is not formed within half an hour of the time notified, the President shall dismiss the meeting after announcing a date, time, and place to reconvene the meeting not earlier than one week and no later than two weeks after the general body meeting so dismissed;
9.9 If the quorum is still not formed at the next meeting, the members present at this time shall be construed as the quorum for the meeting and the business/election held in such meeting shall be considered valid.
Article X – Amendments
10.1 Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by the E.C. or by a written request made to the President by at least 50 voting members of the Club. The proposed amendments must be submitted to the President at least 60 days prior to the general body meeting;
10.2 General information as to the proposed amendments shall be sent to members by the E.C. at least 15 days prior to the general body meeting.
Article XI – Dissolution
11.1 In the event of dissolution of the India Club is necessary, any net assets remaining after payment of liabilities and obligations shall be donated to secular, non-profit, charitable, cultural organization/ organizations, whose purposes are consistent with the India Club and meets the exempt criteria within the meaning of section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
11.2 The assets will be frozen for a period of one year to address unforeseen liabilities before the donations are made.
