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Each graduating class must adopt a constitution at its first class meeting at senior lunch when newly elected officers are installed.  A two-thirds majority of those present at the meeting is required for passage. Classes should feel free to modify the following recommended constitution as needed. When first adopted, and thereafter, whenever amendments are made, a copy of each class’s most recent constitution must be submitted to the WCAA to be kept in the permanent class file.

Article I. Name and Purpose

This organization shall be known as the class of 1998 of Wellesley College. Its purpose is to preserve the unity of the class as an effective alumnae body in the service of the College, and in furtherance of that purpose, it shall operate exclusively for charitable and educational purposes.

Article II. Composition and Membership

Section 1. Active Members
Any graduate of the College who entered with the class or would have expected to receive her degree with the class when she entered shall be considered an active member of the class. Any graduate who received her degree in another year may instead become an active member of that year’s class by notifying the WCAA. Any non-traditionally aged graduate who received her degree with a class is considered an active member of that class unless she notifies the WCAA otherwise. Any non-graduate who completed one term with the class and left in good standing is considered an active member of the class unless she notifies the WCAA otherwise.

Section 2. Honorary Members
Any person who is nominated by the executive board of the class may become an honorary member upon election by a two-thirds majority vote. Honorary members are non-voting members of the class.

Article 111. Eligibility to Hold Office
All members of the Class, as defined in Article II, Section 1, shall be eligible for election to any office in this organization. All offices described in this Constitution must be filled by members of the Class. All officers are required to keep their contact information current with the College and must provide both a phone number and an email address.

Article IV. Officers

Section 1. Executive Board
The class officers shall be a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and annual giving representative. These five officers shall constitute the executive board of the class, which shall have the authority to transact all class business between class meetings, and shall fill any vacancies in its membership during the remainder of the term.

Section 2. Tenure
Class officers shall serve a five-year term from the time of election or until their next reunion, whichever comes first.

Section 3. Duties
a. President. The president shall call and preside over executive board meetings. The president shall remain informed of College and Alumnae Association activities and organize methods for disseminating that information to classmates. In consultation with the executive board, the President may appoint chairs of other committees not specifically described in this Constitution as shall be needed to fulfill the business of the Class, including webmistress, newsletter chair, and other positions as needed. In consultation with the executive board, the president shall fill any vacancies in the executive board and shall serve ex officio on all class committees except the nominating committee. The president is responsible for submitting an annual report to the WCAA.

b. Vice President. The vice president directs the mini reunion program and may appoint regional and state volunteers to assist with the implementation of this program. The vice president shall, in the event of the absence, disability, or resignation of the president, perform the duties of the president.

c. Secretary. The secretary shall preserve all minutes of class and executive board meetings, copies of publications, and documents of importance to the class, and shall perform other duties pertaining to that office. She shall prepare class notes for the Wellesley magazine, according to the schedule and guidelines published by the magazine staff, currently four times per year.

d. Treasurer. The treasurer shall send out dues notices, receive class funds, and disburse class funds in accordance with her duties. She shall submit an annual financial report to the class president and WCAA.  In addition, she must annually file with the IRS following the guidelines provided by the WCAA and adhere to all regulations governing non-profit 501 (c) (3) organizations.

e. Wellesley Fund Representative. The Wellesley fund representative shall serve as the fundraising officer for the class. In that capacity, she shall work with the Wellesley fund office in encouraging classmates to make an annual gift to the College.

Section 4. Appointment and Removal of Officers
a. Executive officer terms begin at the designated quinquennial class meeting for a term of five consecutive years, ending at the next class reunion. In the September prior to that class meeting, the current executive board appoints a nomination committee chair. The chair puts together an independent nominations committee to manage the nominations process. It is the duty of the nominating committee to select candidates to fill the offices of president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. The Wellesley fund representative position presents a special case, as the nominating committee must submit the names of several qualified candidates to the Wellesley fund office for approval. The nominating committee shall then select the final candidate from the list of those who have been approved.  The completed slate must be submitted to the Alumnae Office by December 1st to ensure that the slate will be included with the reunion mailing to all class members. The officers are installed during the class meeting at reunion.

b. Any class officer may resign by delivering a written resignation to the other members of the executive board. Such resignation is effective upon receipt unless it is specified to be effective at some later time. Any class officer may be removed from office, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of all other members of the executive board or by the WCAA, in the case of dereliction of duties.

Section 5. Shared Offices
More than one member of the Class may be elected or appointed to serve jointly in specific offices.

Article V. Committees

Section 1. Standing Committees
There shall be the following standing committees: 

a. Nominating Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to nominate a slate of candidates for offices of the class.
b. Reunion Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to organize and oversee reunion.

c. Record Book Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to produce a record book for reunion.

Section 2. Appointment and Tenure of Standing Committees
The chairs of standing committees shall be appointed by the president in consultation with the executive board. Each chair shall appoint her own committee. The terms of all standing committee members shall expire when the executive board leaves office.

Section 3. Special Committees
The president, in consultation with the executive board, may appoint special committees needed to fulfill the business of the Class, including webmistress, newsletter chair, and other positions as needed.

Article VI. Meetings

Section 1. Executive Board Meetings
Executive board meetings shall be held at least once a year.

Section 2. Class Meetings
Class meetings shall be held at the time of reunion, which follows the quinquennial plan.

Section 3. Special Meetings and Resolutions
The executive board may call special class meetings, to be held whenever and wherever it designates, or may instead submit resolutions to class members. Both require the secretary to give notice of the board’s action to classmates before the meeting. In the case of a special meeting, the notice shall state the meeting’s time, place, and purpose; in the case of a virtual meeting the notice shall be accompanied by a ballot and shall set forth the text of each resolution, briefly stating its effect and purpose. The notice must be sent to class members at least 30 days before (a) the date of the meeting, or (b) the date by which completed ballots must be received in order to be counted.

Section 4. Quorum
One-tenth of the living members of the class shall constitute a quorum. A two-thirds majority of quorum is required for passage.

Article VII. Activities

The class shall not perform any activities not permitted by (a) a corporation exempt from federal income taxes under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States internal revenue law) or (b) a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States internal revenue law).  This provision includes that the class shall not circulate propaganda or otherwise attempt to influence public legislation, nor shall it participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign on behalf of a candidate for public office (including the publishing or distributing of statements).

Article VIII. Class Dues and Other Monies

Section 1. Class Dues
There are two types of class dues, annual dues and life-membership dues. Dues may be increased, decreased, or eliminated pending unanimous approval of the class executive board.

Section 2. Annual Dues
Annual dues directly support class activities.

Section 3. Life Membership
The opportunity to become a life member of the class is available at any time. Life-membership principle is invested with the College, and the interest generated is used to support class activities.

Section 4. Bank Accounts
All bank accounts shall stand in the name of the class, with funds payable on order of the treasurer or the president, both of whose signatures must be on any bank accounts. A record of all account numbers and locations must be submitted to the WCAA to be kept in the permanent class file.

Section 5. Earnings
All earnings from class funds should be used to support class activities, or the College.  No part of the net earnings of the class shall be used to benefit any individual.

Section 6. Disposition of Assets
Shortly after its 60th reunion, each class turns over its treasury to the Alumnae Association, which maintains the account as directed by the class treasurer, in consultation with the board. Unless otherwise specified, when the class’s treasury is dissolved, all of its net assets shall be distributed to the Wellesley College Alumnae Association or, if the Wellesley College Alumnae Association is no longer in existence, solely to organizations qualified as exempt under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States internal revenue law).

Article IX. Governing Rules of Organization

Roberts’ Rules of Order Revised may govern this organization in all cases to which it applies and is consistent with this constitution.

Article X. Amendments

This constitution may be amended at any business or special meeting, provided that:

1. Notice of the proposed amendment, with ballot, is sent to the class at least 30 days before the meeting or date by which ballots must be received to be counted, and


2. Two-thirds of all ballots received before the meeting favor the amendment.