aloha, y'all!
Yep, it's that time of the month again! The next General Membership
Meeting of the Visually Impaired Computer Users' Group of New York City
will be held at The Associated Blind building (135 West Twenty-Third
Street) on Monday, June ninth from 6 to 8pm. The topic of discussion
/ presentation will be the "VICUG-NYC Bylaws: Speak Up or Shut Up!" This
will be _YOUR_ opportunity to review and discuss the proposed bylaws
recently hammered out by the newly re-christened Executive Committee
(a.k.a "the Steering Committee") A copy of the bylaws is appended
to this announcement, following my signature. A hypertext version of the
draft can also be found at the VICUG-NYC web site:
http://www.njin.net/caldwell/vicug/by-draft.html
The Associated Blind Building is located at 135 West Twenty-Third Street,
on the north side of the street, halfway between Sixth and Seventh
Avenues. Please note that due to the Adaptive Solutions expo which TAB is
hosting, the meeting will be held on the lower level in room AC#1 and
_NOT_ in the boardroom. If you don't know how to find your way to Room
AC#1, just ask the security guard on duty when you enter the TAB building.
(The security guard's booth is on the immediate right after you pass through
the second door of the TAB building.) For directions and/or a list of
nearby landmarks, bus stops, and subway stations, call (212) 255-1122, or,
if you have access to the web, consult
http://www.njin.net/caldwell/vicug/directions.html
And, speaking of the VICUG-NYC web site, you can always find out what's
going on (as well as what's already gone down) by loading:
http://www.njin.net/caldwell/vicug/schedule.html
See you on the ninth--in the meantime, please extinguish all smoking
materials and place your trays in the upright position...
gregory. (bylaws follow)
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VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMPUTER USERS GROUP OF NEW YORK CITY
BYLAWS
Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be Visually Impaired Computer Users
Group Of New York City, hereafter referred to as VICUG.
Article II. Purpose
The purpose of VICUG will be to:
A) Encourage, educate and support new users of computer and access technology;
B) Facilitate advanced users in keeping abreast of developments in access
and information technology;
C) Advocate, on behalf of our community, for technologies which are fully
accessible to, and usable by, all members of society, including people who
are blind or visually impaired.
Article III. Officers
Section 1. There shall be an Executive Committee which shall consist of
the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer as directors, and a
minimum of 3 additional members to be elected by the membership.
Section 2. Duties
A) The President shall preside at all meetings and ensure that meetings
are conducted in an organized and orderly fashion. The president shall
appoint all committees with the approval of the Executive Committee. If
an officer fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings without
good cause, or resigns, the president may declare the office vacant and
appoint a replacement, subject to ratification by the membership.
B) The Vice-President shall take the place of the president during any
absence, or upon the President's resignation.
C) The Secretary shall take minutes at all meetings and make them
available to members and to the editor and webmaster for publication.
Additionally, the Secretary shall maintain a file of outgoing
correspondence, as well as significant correspondence which may be
received by VICUG.
D) The Treasurer shall receive all the moneys belonging to VICUG, and
deposit them in some reputable bank or banks. The Treasurer shall pay all
debts approved by the Executive Committee. Payments in excess of $25.00
shall be by check or money order signed by the treasurer and one
additional director. Payments of $25.00 or less may be made in cash and
evidenced by a receipt. The Treasurer shall keep all financial and
membership records.
Article IV. Duties of Executive Committee
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consider and recommend to the
membership such policies, plans and issues which, in the judgement of the
Committee, are for the best interest of the organization.
Section 2. Members may attend any Executive Committee meeting and present
ideas for discussion. However, only Executive Committee members have
voting privileges.
Article V. Membership
Section 1. Affiliation with VICUG shall be recognized by paying
membership dues, which shall be set from time to time as deemed necessary
by the Executive Committee with the approval of the membership.
Section 2. Membership dues shall be payable each calendar year. Payment
of dues during the last quarter of each year shall entitle the individual
to membership for that quarter and the entire following year.
Section 3. Membership shall be open to all persons who have an interest in
the use of computers and adaptive technologies which make computers
accessible to the visually or physically impaired.
Section 4. Membership shall not be denied because of a person's age,
color, disability, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or
degree of visual acuity.
Article VI. Meetings
Section 1. General membership meetings shall be held once a month.
Executive Committee meetings shall be held regularly, but no less
frequently than once per quarter. The time and place of meetings shall be
determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The site of each meeting shall be accessible to all.
Section 3. Special Executive Committee meetings may be called by the
President, or any three members of the Committee to discuss specific
agenda items. Executive Committee members shall be notified in writing
concerning the time, place, and agenda of any special Committee meetings.
Only the specific agenda items for which the special meeting is called
shall be discussed.
Section 4. The quorum at a general meeting shall be thirty percent of the
membership. The quorum at a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be
three committee members, two of which must be directors.
Section 5. In the event of a tie vote, the item shall be tabled to the
next meeting.
Section 6. Voting privileges at general meetings shall be limited to
members in good standing.
Section 7. All procedural aspects not covered in these bylaws shall be
resolved in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.
Article VII. Elections
Section 1. Nominations for officers will take place at the general
membership meeting. No member may nominate any other member without first
obtaining that member's assurance that he or she will serve if elected.
Persons nominated must be members in good standing. Immediately prior to
the election, additional nominations shall be accepted from the floor.
Section 2. Elections will occur annually in October.
Section 3. The order of elections will be in the same order as the
positions are listed in Article 3, Section 1. Nominations from the floor
will be accepted immediately before the election for each office.
Candidates who are defeated in the election for an office may be nominated
for election to other offices at that time.
Section 4. In the event of a tie, an immediate runoff election will be
held between the candidates receiving the two highest vote totals.
ARTICLE VIII. Committees
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall establish standing committees as
appropriate from time to time.
ARTICLE IX. Property and Income
Section 1. All property and income of VICUG shall be used to promote the
organization's purpose as set forth in Article II.
Section 2. No property or income may be used for the personal benefit of
members or officers.
Section 3. VICUG may pay normal or customary fees for services rendered.
ARTICLE X. Code of Ethics
Section 1. No member may represent VICUG without the written authorization
of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XI. Amendments
Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by an affirmative vote of
two-thirds of the membership.
Section 2. Membership shall receive notice of proposed bylaw amendments no
later than the general membership meeting prior to the meeting at which
the bylaws are to be voted upon.
ARTICLE XII. Dissolution
Section 1. Upon the dissolution of this organization, the Executive
Committee shall, after paying or making provision for payment of all of
the liabilities of the organization, dispose of all assets of the
organization to such other local nonprofit organizations of similar
purpose.
--- END OF BYLAWS ---
---------------- read this far? here's a bonus -----------------
Rejected Names for the Executive Committee:
The Organization Formerly Known as the Steering Committee
The Gang of Seven
Those Guys
Woofie and the Woofettes
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VICUG-NYC http://www.njin..net/caldwell/vicug/index.html
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