CONSTITUTION
THE CLASS OF 1958
OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
ARTICLE I. Name and Principal Place of Business
The name of the organization shall be the Class of 1958 of Dartmouth College (the "Class"). Its principal place of business shall be Hanover, New Hampshire, at the Blunt Alumni Center of Dartmouth College or such other location as Dartmouth College (the "College") shall designate from time to time as the center for relations with its alumni.
ARTICLE II. Purposes
The purposes of the organization shall be to develop a
strong and enduring Class structure by encouraging members' identity with the Class of 1958 and to further the interests, welfare and educational purposes of the College, for so long as the Class is in existence and the College remains organized
exclusively for charitable, educational or scientific purposes within the meaning of Sections 501 (c) (3) and 170 (b) (1) (A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
ARTICLE III. Membership
All persons who entered the College with the Class of 1958, or who transferred from another College class or another college directly into the Class of 1958, or who graduated as of the Class of 1958 whether at the regular Commencement or at some other time or who were elected to honorary membership at a regular Class meeting, and all widows of Classmates, are eligible to be members of this organization. A person otherwise eligible to be a member may cease to be such by written resignation filed with the College's Alumni Fund or by
electing to transfer to another College class.
ARTICLE IV. Meetings
Section 1. There shall be a regular meeting of the Class in Hanover at every regular reunion. Other meetings may be called by the President at any time, as deemed necessary, and also shall be considered as regular Class meetings for the purposes of this
Constitution so long as written notice is mailed to each member of the Class in good standing at least 20 days prior to the date for which the meeting is called.
Section 2. One-tenth of the members of the Class who are included in the Class's "scoring base" for the purposes of the
College’s Alumni Fund shall constitute a quorum at any regular Class meeting, whether present in person or by proxy. (See Article XIX.)
Section 3. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of Class meetings.
ARTICLE V. Suffrage
All members of the Class shall be entitled to vote at all meetings, except that any member whose Class dues for the current year are in arrears at the date of any regular Class meeting shall forfeit the right to vote at the meeting.
ARTICLE VI. Eligibility to Hold Office
All members of the Class entitled to vote under Article V shall be eligible for election or appointment to any office in this organization.
ARTICLE VII. Executive Committee
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall constitute the policy-making body of the Class and act in its behalf concerning the Class and its affairs.
Section 2. Fifteen or more members of the Class shall constitute the Class Executive Committee. They shall be elected at any regular Class meeting.
Section 3. The annual meeting of the Executive Committee shall be held during the Fall Mini-Reunion weekend. Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be held at such time and place as the President or any three officers may determine and may be conducted by conference call. Eight members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum. No special meeting shall be held on less than twenty days notice.. Class members in attendance at the Executive Committee shall be entitled to vote on all Class matters.
Section 4. Vacancies on or additions to the Executive Committee shall be filled through nominations from either the Nominating Committee or the President, subject to approval by the Executive Committee at the next regular Class meeting.
Section 5. All officers; whether elected by the Class or the Executive Committee, or appointed by the President, shall be members ex officio of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VIII. Officers
Section 1. The Class shall elect a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Alumni Council Representative of the Class. Other officers, such as Head Agent, Newsletter Editor, Reunion Chairman, Reunion Giving chairman, Bequest Chairman, Nominating Committee Chairman, Mini-Reunion Chairman, etc., shall be appointed by the President.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall have the power at any annual or special meeting to remove from office any officer or member of that committee who, in the opinion of the committee, is not serving the best interests of the class or the College.
Section 3. Should a vacancy in the office of President occur,the Vice President shall exercise the powers and assume the duties of the office until the next regular meeting of the Class. If the office of President and Vice President are both vacant, the Executive Committee may appoint an Acting President at a special meeting called for that purpose who shall serve until the next regular Class meeting. A vacancy in any other elective or appointive office may be filled by the President. The assistance of a Nominating Committee may be utilized in doing so
ARTICLE IX. Terms of Office
The term of office for all elected officials and members of the Executive Committee shall be from regular reunion to regular reunion, or as otherwise determined by the Executive Committee. (An exception is the Alumni councilor, who serves for three years.)
The term of office of a Class member elected to replace an officer or member of the Executive Committee who resigns or is removed shall be the remainder of that person's normal term. The term of office of all appointed officers shall be as determined by the President with the concurrence of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE X. Duties of Officers
Section 1. Officers elected by the Class shall have the following duties:
a. The President shall act as the executive head of the Class, with responsibility to initiate new projects and carry out policy of the Executive Committee. In addition, the President shall exercise general supervision over all other officers, to ensure the proper performance of their
functions.
b. The Secretary shall be the primary link between the
individual alumnus and the College, and shall prepare the Class Notes and obituary notes for the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all Class and Executive Committee meetings, shall present the minutes for approval at the following meeting and shall retain the minutes with the Class records. The Secretary shall be the custodian of Class files and records.
c. The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all funds of the Class subject to the direction of the Executive
Committee, and shall submit an annual report to the
Executive Committee at the Committee's Annual Meeting
d. The Alumni Councilor shall be responsible for communications· between the Class and the Council, representing all interests and concerns of both bodies.
Section 2. Officers appointed by the President shall have the following duties:
a. The Head Agent shall conduct the annual Alumni Fund solicitation for the benefit of the College.
b. The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for editing the Class newsletter. The newsletter will serve as the regular avenue of communication between officers and members of the Class.
c. The Reunion Giving Chairman shall plan and conduct the solicitation of funds for the benefit of the College in conjunction with regular Class reunions.
d. The Bequest Chairman shall be responsible for bequest and trust planning activities of members of the Class for the benefit of the College.
e. The Reunion Chairman shall be responsible for planning and conducting the next regular reunion of the Class.
f. The Mini-Reunion Chairman shall be responsible for the organization and promotion of all gatherings of the Class between regular reunions.
Section 3. All officers and heads of committees appointed under Article XI, upon request of the President, shall submit to the President written reports of their office or committee at or near the end of each year or upon completion of a special assignment.
ARTICLE XI. Committees
Section 1. The President shall appoint a chairman and members of a Nominating Committee in advance of each regular reunion of the Class, at which the committee shall nominate the elected officers designated in Article VIII. At the request of the President or the Executive Committee, the Nominating Committee also shall nominate one or more officers or Executive Committee members for election at a regular Class meeting held between regular reunions.
Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall solicit
nominations for elected Class officers and members of the Executive Committee from the Class at large prior to a regular Class meeting for presentation to that meeting.
Section 3. The President also may appoint other committees to accomplish particular duties such as administering Class projects, award programs and relations with spouses of deceased Class members.
ARTICLE XII. The Class Year
The business year of the Class shall be from July 1 of one year to June 30 of the next. Unless otherwise determined, the annual activities and reports of the Class shall conform to that
period of time.
ARTICLE XIII. Dues and/or Assessments
Section 1. Class dues shall be levied each year upon each member of the Class. The amount of the dues shall be decided by vote of the Executive committee.
Section 2. Special assessments, in addition to dues, may be levied upon each member of the Class. The amount and purpose of such special assessments shall be determined by vote of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XIV. Private Inurement
No part of the assets or earnings of the Class after expenses (including Class awards) shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to, any Class member, officer, or any other private person or individual. All of the assets and net earnings of the Class shall be used to further the purposes and activities
of the Class of 1958, and to further the College's educational and charitable purposes.
ARTICLE XV. Political Activity
No substantial part of the activities of the Class shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation. The Class shall not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
ARTICLE XVI. Adoption
This Constitution shall become effective Upon the approval of two-thirds of those members of the Class voting, in person or by proxy, at a regular meeting of the Class. Upon adoption, it shall supersede any Class Constitution previously in effect.
ARTICLE XVII. Amendments
A two-thirds vote of those members of the Class voting, in person or by proxy, at a regular meeting of the Class shall be necessary to incorporate amendments into this Constitution.
ARTICLE XVIII. Dissolution
The Class shall be deemed to be dissolved at such time as there shall be no member living whose address is known to the Alumni Relations Office of the College or sooner if the number of Class members becomes so few as to render it impractical to continue the organization's existence. Upon dissolution or
termination, all of the property and assets of the Class shall, after the payment of any lawful debts, be distributed to the College or for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
ARTICLE XIX. Voting by Proxy
Section 1. Members of the Class may vote by proxy to elect the Class Representative to the Alumni Council when the term for that office expires other than at the time of a regular Class meeting, and otherwise when the primary purpose of the Class meeting shall be either (a) to adopt or amend the Constitution of the Class, or(b) to commence dissolution proceedings under Article XVII. In such circumstances, members also may vote by proxy on other matters to be decided at the meeting.
** In accordance with the Constitution, only Classmates who have paid dues in the current Fiscal year are considered to be in good standing and eligible to vote at a regular Class meeting.
Section 2. It circumstances permit a vote by proxy, the President or Executive Committee shall provide appropriate proxy materials to the members of the Class, at the addresses last provided by the members to the College. Such proxy materials shall be mailed at least twenty days prior to the date of the meeting at which the proxies will be exercised. Each such member shall be responsible for returning the proxy materials to the return address and by the date so designated by the President or Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XX. General
Section 1. All terms, in this Constitution referring to a person such as “chairman,” shall be construed as either masculine or feminine in meaning.
Section 2. The laws of the State of New Hampshire shall govern all questions as the validity of this Constitution and the construction of its provisions.
Adopted: June,1998
Approved as amended: June 7, 2008