ARTICLE I. Name and Principal Place of Business

The name of the organization shall be the Class of 1961 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. Purpose

The purpose of the organization shall be to promote, foster and encourage the maintenance of friendships, collegiality and camaraderie among the Class by sponsoring events, group travel and otherwise further the enjoyment and pleasure of the Class and their families gained from such participation and involvement and to develop a strong and enduring Class structure in order to further the interests, welfare, and educational purposes of Dartmouth College, and to provide financial resources for the College, for so long as the Class is in existence and Dartmouth 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 1961, or who transferred from another College class or another college directly into the Class of 1961, or who graduated as of the Class of 1961 whether at the regular Commencement or at some other time, or who were elected to honorary membership at a regular Class meeting, are eligible to be members of this organization. In addition, spouses or significant others of any deceased members of the class as defined above are members of this organization. (Spouses and significant others of deceased members of the class are not expected to pay dues.)

ARTICLE IV. Meetings

Section 1. There shall be a meeting of the Class in Hanover at every major reunion. Other meetings, in or out of Hanover, may be called by the President at any time, as deemed necessary, and shall be considered Class meetings for the purpose of this Constitution so long as written notice is mailed to each member of the Class in good standing at least 90 days prior to the date for which the meeting is called.

Section 2. Twelve (12) percent of the dues-paying members of the Class as of the preceding June 30, as determined by the Class Treasurer, shall constitute a quorum, whether present in person or by proxy. Meetings at which a quorum is not present may continue as unofficial meetings, but no class business could be conducted. Officers present could inform those in attendance on status of projects and finances and other current issues and solicit feedback. In addition, students supported by the class could make presentations at those unofficial meetings.

Section 3. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern.

ARTICLE V. Suffrage

All members of the Class shall be entitled to vote at all meetings, except that any member (except spouses and significant others of deceased members of the class) whose Class dues have not been paid for the current fiscal year at the date of any Class meeting shall forfeit the right to vote at the meeting. A member whose dues are in arrears may regain his right to vote by paying his dues for the current fiscal year.

ARTICLE VI. Eligibility to hold office

All members of the Class qualified to vote under Article V shall be eligible for election or appointment to any class office. Spouses, widows and significant others shall be eligible for appointment to any class committee.

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. The Executive Committee may authorize expenditures of up to $10,000.

Section 2. In addition to the officers described in Article VIII, the class, at its major reunion meeting in Hanover, shall elect at least 20 representatives to the Executive Committee, or 10 percent of the class, whichever is less. The President may appoint additional members of the Executive Committee, with the expectation that chairs of class initiatives would be among those appointments, if they are not already on the Executive Committee.

Section 3. All class officers and both elected and appointed representatives shall constitute the Executive Committee.

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall make recommendations to a class meeting on major issues such as selection of new class projects or expenditure of more than $10,000. Any five members of the Executive Committee may request that any other action of the Executive Committee be designated a "major issue," so the final action would be decided by vote at the next meeting of the class.

Section 5. The officers shall constitute a standing subcommittee of the Executive Committee, empowered to make administrative decisions, authorize expenditures of up to $1,000, develop strategies for meeting class goals and objectives, and make recommendations to the Executive Committee.

Section 6. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held at least once a year. Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be held at such time and place as the President or any three officers may determine. From time to time, the President may submit individual issues for discussion and vote entirely by electronic mail or facsimile.

Section 7. At least seven days in advance of any meeting of the Executive Committee, the president shall develop an agenda and distribute it to all members of the Executive Committee by electronic mail. He shall distribute details of substantial issues by email in advance for vote. Members of the Executive Committee who cannot be present for the meeting may submit their views -- and vote -- via electronic mail or facsimile. Additional items may be added to the agenda by two-thirds vote of those present. If the meeting has been called at the request of other class officers, they shall be responsible for distribution of the agenda and supporting documents.

Section 8. Vacancies among elected members of the Executive Committee shall be filled through nominations from either the Nominating Committee or the President, subject to approval by the Class at the next Class meeting.

ARTICLE VIII. Officers

Section 1. At the class meeting in conjunction with a major Hanover reunion, the Class shall elect a President, one or two Vice Presidents, one or two Secretaries, Treasurer, Alumni Council Representative of the Class, one or two Newsletter Editors, Head Agent, Bequest Chairman, Mini-Reunion Chairman and Webmaster. Other officers, such as Reunion Chairman, Reunion Giving Chairman, Performing Arts Endowment Project Chairman and other Class Project Chairmen, Historian and Nominating Committee Chairman, shall be appointed by the President. At the election of 2006 and subsequent elections, only one vice president shall be elected.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall have the power at any time to remove from office any officer or member of that committee who, in the opinion of that committee, is not serving the best interests of the Class or the College.

Section 3. A vacancy among elected class officers as defined in Section 1 shall be filled by the Executive Committee or, pending the next meeting of that committee, by the President, subject to later ratification by that committee. A vacancy in any appointed office may be filled by the President. The assistance of the Nominating Committee may be utilized in either case.

ARTICLE IX. Terms of Office

The term of office for all elected officers and members of the Executive Committee shall be from major reunion to major reunion, or as otherwise determined by the Executive Committee. (An exception is the Alumni Council Representative, who serves for 3 years.) The term of office of a Class member elected to replace an officer or member of the Executive Committee who resigned or is removed shall be the remainder of that person's normal term. The term of office of all appointed officers shall be 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. The President is required to submit an annual report to the Executive Committee and to the Office of Alumni Affairs.

b. The Vice President (s) shall perform all of the functions of the President in the event of the President's incapacity to act, as determined by the Executive Committee, or absence for a period of time during which action on any matter must be taken without reference to the Executive Committee. In addition, the Vice President (s) shall carry out such functions, not inconsistent with those of other officers, as the President shall designate from time to time.

c. The Secretary shall be the primary link between the individual alumnus and the College, and shall prepare the Class notes and obituaries for the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine. The Secretary shall keep minutes of meetings of the officers, the Executive Committee and the Class. He shall be the custodian of Class files and records and produce periodic class directories, at least once during each cycle of major reunions. If there are two secretaries, one shall be designated as corresponding secretary and one as recording secretary.
1. The Corresponding Secretary shall be the primary link between the individual alumnus and the College, and shall prepare the Class notes and obituaries for the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine.
2. The Recording Secretary shall keep minutes of meetings of the officers, the Executive Committee and the Class. He shall be the custodian of Class files and records and produce periodic class directories, at least once during each cycle of major reunions.
3. The secretaries will be in regular communication with each other by letter, telephone or electronic mail.

d. 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 and to the Office of Alumni Affairs and periodic reports to the class. The Treasurer shall be responsible for billing, collecting and recording receipt of annual Class dues.

e. The Alumni Council Representative shall be responsible for communications between the Class and the Council, representing all interests and concerns of both bodies.

f. The Head Agent shall conduct the annual Dartmouth College Fund solicitation for the benefit of the College.

g. The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for writing and editing the Class Newsletter. The newsletter will serve as the regular avenue of communication between officers and members of the Class. If there is more than one newsletter editor, they may divide responsibilities by mutual agreement.

h. The Bequest Chairman shall be responsible for bequest and deferred giving activities of members of the Class for the benefit of the College.

i. The Mini-Reunion Chairman shall be responsible for the organization and promotion of all gatherings of the Class between major reunions. In conjunction with the President, he may appoint chairs for out-of-Hanover reunions.

j. The Webmaster shall be responsible for electronic communication of the class. He shall maintain the class website and at least two listservs, one for use by the executive committee and one to deliver announcements to all members of the Class who have electronic mail. He and the secretary or secretaries shall periodically solicit changes in email addresses from the Class.

Section 2. Officers appointed by the President shall have the following duties:

a. The Reunion Giving Chairman, in collaboration with the Head Agent, shall plan and conduct the solicitation of funds for the benefit of the College in conjunction with major Class reunions.

b. The Reunion Chairman shall be responsible for planning and conducting the next major reunion of the Class.

c. The Nominating Committee chairman shall oversee the nominating committee in developing a slate of officers for approval by the Class. Once the committee has decided on a nominee for President of the Class, that nominee shall become an ex officio member of the committee, without vote.

d. The Class Project chairman or chairmen shall oversee and direct implementation of projects approved either by the Executive Committee or by the class.

e. The Historian will be responsible for writing obituaries and memorial profiles of deceased classmates and for ensuring directly or through appropriate class officers that such written remembrances are posted electronically online or otherwise disseminated to the class and college. The historian will be authorized on behalf of the class to request and collect from the college, from classmates, and from other appropriate sources, such information as may be needed for the preparation of the remembrances. The historian will work with other class officers, and with their support will coordinate efforts with the class and with the college, to ensure that documents, images, or objects of any kind, created from time to time by the class, or by its individual members that relate to the Class, or by the college that relate to the Class of 1961 or its members, living or deceased, are appropriately preserved for whatever historical value they may have. The documents or images may include class reunion books, other class publications, records of citations given to the class as a whole and to individual classmates by the College and other notable organizations, and works of art of any kind. In coordination with other officers of the class, as appropriate, the Historian shall be responsible for arranging for the care and custody of information and objects of historical value that relate to the Class of 1961 or any of its members.

Section 3. The President may also appoint chairmen of other committees not listed above. Such committees may be formed to accomplish particular duties such as administering a Class award program, developing a class history, or assisting the head agent, etc.

Section 4. All officers and heads of committees appointed under Article XI 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, at least one of whom shall be a former President of the Class. The chairman and committee members shall be appointed in advance of each major reunion of the Class, at which the committee shall nominate the elected officers designated in Article VIII and elected members of the Executive Committee, pursuant to Article VII. 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 Class meeting held between major reunions. The Nominating Committee shall solicit nominations for elected Class officers and members of the Executive Committee from the Class at large.

Section 2. The President may also appoint other committees to accomplish particular duties such as administering Class projects, award programs and relations with spouses of deceased Class members, or for any purpose.

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 year.

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 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 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 approval of two-thirds of those voting, in person or by proxy, at a meeting of the Class. All members of the class, whether dues payers or not, shall be eligible to vote on adoption of this Constitution.

ARTICLE XVII. Amendments

A two-thirds vote of those voting, in person or by proxy, at a meeting of the Class, shall be necessary to amend 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 payment of any lawful debts, be distributed to Dartmouth College for the Class of 1961 Legacy, the American Tradition of Performance.

ARTICLE XIX. Voting by Proxy

Section 1. Members of the Class shall vote by proxy only when the primary purpose of the Class meeting shall be (a) to adopt or amend the Constitution of the Class, (b) to vote on a matter that the Executive Committee has determined is of such importance that the widest possible participation by the class in the decision is desirable or (c) to commence dissolution proceedings under Article XVIII. In such circumstances, members also may vote by proxy on other matters to be decided at the meeting.

Section 2. If circumstances permit a vote by proxy, the President or Executive Committee shall provide appropriate proxy materials to the members of the Class, at the latest addresses provided to the College. Such proxy materials shall be mailed at least 20 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.