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HOOTS
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The purpose of HOOTS will be to raise scholarship monies through those activities approved by a majority of the officers of the Society, with the intention that these scholarship funds will be distributed, as described in this Constitution, to students enrolled in a Rice University degree program who are employees, or dependents of employees, of Rice's Facilities & Engineering and Food & Housing departments.
The further purpose of this Society is to raise scholarship monies in a manner that contributes to a spirit of teamwork and camaraderie among employees of Rice's Facilities & Engineering and Food & Housing departments.
HOOTS shall be governed and operated under the following provisions:
ARTICLE ONE
CHARITABLE PURPOSE
Section 1. Charitable Purpose. HOOTS is organized for charitable purposes only. No part of its property shall ever inure to the benefit of any officer of the Society or of any individual having a personal or private interest in the activities of the Society. Nor shall any officer, member, or individual receive or be lawfully entitled to receive any gain or monetary profit from the Society's operation. The one exception to this rule is that officers, members and their dependents are eligible to receive a scholarship from the F&E/F&H Scholarship Fund.
ARTICLE TWO
GOVERNANCE
Section 1. General Powers. The business and affairs of HOOTS shall be managed by its Officers. The Officers may exercise all the powers of the Society and do all such lawful acts and things as are not prohibited by law or by this Constitution.
Section 2. Qualifications for Membership. Any staff member employed full-time by Rice University in the Facilities & Engineering or Food & Housing departments may be a member of HOOTS and is eligible to be an Officer.
Section 3. Number of Officers. The Officers of the Society shall be elected by a majority of the membership present at its Annual Meeting and shall consist of a President, a Vice President a Secretary and a Treasurer. No two or more offices may be held by the same person. The number of Officers may be increased or decreased (provided any decrease does not have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent Officer) from time to time by amendment of this Constitution in accordance with the provisions of Article Five, provided that the number of Officers shall never be less than three.
Section 4. Election. The membership, at its Annual Meeting in each fiscal year, shall elect by secret ballot a President, a Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. Officers may succeed themselves and there shall be no limit to the number of terms, consecutive or otherwise, during which a person may serve as an Officer.
Section 5. No Compensation. Officers may not receive compensation for their services to the Society.
Section 6. Tenure and Vacancies. Each officer of the Society shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting following his or her election or appointment and until his or her successor has been elected or appointed. Any Officer may be removed at any time for cause by a unanimous vote of the remaining Officers or with or without cause by the affirmative vote (by secret ballot) of a two-thirds majority of the membership at a meeting called for the specific purpose of voting on an officer's removal. If any office becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy must be filled as soon as reasonably practicable by a majority vote (by secret ballot) of the membership present at a meeting called for the specific purpose of filling the vacancy.
Section 7. President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Society. He or she shall in general see that all orders and resolutions of the Officers are carried into effect, and shall perform such other duties, as the Officers shall direct.
Section 8. The Vice President. In the absence of the President or in the event of his or her death, inability or refusal to act, the Vice President shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. The Vice President shall have such powers and perform such duties as the Officers may from time to time direct or as the President may from time to time delegate to the Vice President.
Section 9. The Secretary. The Secretary shall (a) keep the minutes of the Society's meetings in books provided for that purpose; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with this Constitution; and (c) in general perform all duties incident to the office of the Secretary.
Section 10. The Treasurer. The Treasurer shall (a) have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the Society; receive and give receipts for moneys due and payable to the Society from any source whatsoever, and deposit all such moneys in the name of the Society in such banks, trust companies or other depositaries as shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of Article Four of this Constitution; and (b) in general perform all of the duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the President or by majority of the Officers. At every meeting, the Treasurer shall make a report of the Society's finances, including amounts received and disbursed and the reasons therefore.
Section 11. Resignation. Any Officer may resign from the Society by submitting a written resignation to the Secretary. The resignation need not be accepted by the Society in order to be effective.
Section 12. Transfer of Office. Status as an officer in the Society is not transferable or assignable.
Section 13. Annual and Regular Meetings. An Annual Meeting of the membership shall be held at the time and place and on the date set by the Officers. In addition, the Officers may provide, by resolution, the time and place within Houston for the holding of regular meetings. Annual and regular meetings shall be open to the membership and shall occur at a location convenient to the members. Notice of annual and regular meetings shall be given at least five full days before a meeting. Notice will be given in writing or electronically to members or posted in a location and manner that is reasonably calculated to alert members of the time, place and subject matter of the meetings.
Section 14. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Officers, called for a particular purpose, may be called by or at the request of the President, or any two officers. Notice of special meetings shall be provided as described in Section 13 above.
Section 15. President and Quorum. All meetings of the Officer's shall be presided over by the President, if present, or if not present by an officer designated from among those present at the meeting. At all meetings of the Officers, three Officers shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the Officers present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Society. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting, the Officers present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
Section 16. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Society shall be as determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE THREE
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Section 1. F&E/F&H Scholarship Fund. The Society will support, through
at least one donation per year, a scholarship to be entitled the "F&E/F&H
Scholarship Fund."
The Fund will be established through Rice University as an annual award to any
Rice student who is a full-time employee or a dependent of a full-time employee
(as of the Award Date) of Rice's Facilities & Engineering and/or Food &
Housing departments. Eligible students must be enrolled full-time in a degree
program.
Section 2. Funding. HOOTS intends to conduct fundraising efforts throughout the fiscal year to raise monies for the Fund, and HOOTS will make at least one annual contribution to the scholarship prior to the Award Date. HOOTS may also direct interested parties to make contributions to the scholarship fund directly through Rice University.
Section 3. Awards. The Award Date will be the first of August of each year.
On the Award Date, the Financial Aid Office shall administer the scholarship
by awarding the amount in the
Fund in equal proportions to those students eligible for the coming academic
year.
Section 4. Excess Funds. During the two weeks preceding the Award Date,
HOOTS will contribute any Excess Funds to the Scholarship Fund. Excess Funds
are any monies belonging to HOOTS which are not already earmarked as payment
for services or goods already received and which exceed 120% of the beginning
balance of the Society for the present fiscal year.
ARTICLE FOUR
CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS
Section 1. Contracts. The Society may authorize any officer or officers to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Society, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
Section 2. Loans. No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the Society and no evidences of indebtedness shall be issued in its name.
Section 3. Checks, Drafts. etc. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Society shall be signed by at least two officers of the Society and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Officers.
Section 4. Deposits. All funds of the Society not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Society in such banks, trust companies or other depositaries as the Officers may select.
Section 5. Balance. The Society shall maintain a balance of at least $1,000.00 in its operating account at all times. At no time shall the Society's balance exceed $10,000.00, and any funds exceeding $10,000.00 shall be contributed as soon as practicable to the F&E/F&H Scholarship Fund.
ARTICLE FIVE
AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be altered, amended or repealed or a new Constitution may be adopted at any meeting of the membership by the affirmative vote of 80% of the members present at such meeting, provided notice of the proposed alteration, amendment or repeal or adoption is contained in the notice of such meeting.