By-Laws

The Constitution and By-Laws of the West Point Society of Michigan are as adopted by a quorum of WPSMI membership at its annual meeting on March 31, 1979 and amended at its annual meetings on March 29, 1980, March 14, 1992, and March 25, 2000.

SECTION I

(Membership)

1. Membership shall be divided into three classes, namely, Regular, Associate, and Honorary. Only Regular Members in good standing are entitled to vote.

2. Regular Membership: All graduates of the United States Military Academy, all Cadets, and all former Cadets who were honorably discharged from the Academy after serving at least one semester, are eligible for Regular Membership provided there is no question of moral turpitude.They shall become Regular Members of the Society upon registering their names with the Secretary of the Society and paying their dues. Any Regular Member who, at the beginning of the next fiscal year, fails to pay his/her annual dues can be classified as a Non-Member until the payment of such dues and can be dropped from the rolls altogether after a lapse of one year.

3. Honorary Membership: Honorary Members shall consist of Regular Members' widows and widowers, and of those persons of distinction who may or may not be graduates of the United States Military Academy, but who, by some outstanding and noteworthy service, have shown themselves to be in sympathy with the objectives of the Society. Such members are elected by the Board of Governors and do not pay dues.

4. Associate Members consist of those who are not graduates or former Cadets of the United States Military Academy but by their support have shown themselves to support the objectives of the Society. Such members are elected by the Board of Governors and shall pay dues.

SECTION II

(Dues)

1. Regular Membership . . . annually as determined by the Board of Governors.

2. The fiscal year begins on April 1st and ends on March 31st. Annual dues for the coming fiscal year are payable in advance.

3. Only Regular and Associate Members are required to pay dues.

4. There shall be no initiation or transfer dues.

SECTION III

(Organization)

A. Board of Governors

1. The affairs of the Society shall be managed by the Board of Governors which shall consist of twelve (12) Regular Members.

2. They shall be elected for a term of three (3) years, one-third being elected each year at the Annual Organization Meeting of the Society by a majority vote of a quorum of the Society. In case of a tie, the Board of Governors (including outgoing members) shall, by its own vote, determine which of the tying candidates shall be elected.

3. Each year, the outgoing members shall constitute a committee to nominate one candidate for each of the coming vacancies.

4. In the event of a failure to elect four members at the Organization Meeting, through failure to reach a quorum or for any other reason, the terms of the four retiring Board members shall be extended automatically until such time as new members can be properly elected. The terms of such new members, whenever elected, shall expire at the time they would ordinarily expire, had they been elected at the proper meeting.

5. Any vacancy occurring during the business year shall be filled by a new member to be selected by a quorum of the Board of Governors from among the Regular Members of the Society. Such new member shall fulfill the unexpired term of his/her predecessor.

6.a. Regular meetings of the Board may be held at any time upon the call of the President, the Secretary, or any other three members of the Board.

6.b. Special meetings of the Board may be held at any time upon the call of the President, the Secretary, or any other three members of the Board.

6.c. A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the entire membership of the Board, either present or represented by proxy.

7.a. The Board of Governors shall have the power to elect Honorary and Associate Members.

7.b. The Board shall have the power to admit and expel members by vote.

7.c. In the election of an Honorary or Associate Member or the expulsion of any member of the Board, the votes of all but one of those present shall be required and a minimum of seven (7) must be present. Two votes shall exclude admission to Honorary or Associate Membership in the Society.

7.d. The Board shall have the power to take such action as the circumstances may require in case a member fails to pay his/her dues.

1. The elected officers of the Society shall be a President, a Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. Each shall serve for a term of one year. Only members of the Board of Governors shall be eligible to serve as elected officers of the Society.

2. The elected officers of the Society shall be elected by the Board of Governors from among their own members at a special meeting to be held within ten (10) days of the Annual Organization Meeting of the Society.

3. Elected officers of the Society are eligible for re-election immediately upon expiration of the term of service, provided they have at least one year to serve as members of the Board of Governors.

4. Any vacancy occurring during the year shall be filled by electing a new officer to serve the unexpired term created by such vacancy. This election shall take place at a meeting of the Board of Governors soon after the vacancy occurs.

5. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and the Board of Governors.

6. The Vice President shall preside during the absence of the President.

7. The Secretary shall keep minutes of the meetings of the Society and of the Board of Governors, maintain a roster of members, and, under the direction of the Board, notify members of matters affecting the Society.

8. The resident shall inspect the book of minutes and other pertinent records maintained by the Secretary at least once every six (6) months to insure their accuracy; he/she shall sign a statement to that effect, to be inserted in the book of minutes.

9. The Secretary shall, at the end of the fiscal year, submit a detailed report summarizing the activities over the past year, the names of the officers, the names of the membership, and the names of all graduates and former Cadets currently living in the Society's area of interest. The names of the officers of the Society and their functions shall be sent to the Association of Graduates, West Point, New York, immediately following the annual election.

10. The Secretary shall be responsible for checking each Society member's entry in the REGISTER OF GRADUATES. He/she shall report any corrections or additions to the Association of Graduates, West Point, New York.

11.a. The Treasurer shall have charge of the funds fo the Society and shall make a report of the same at the Annual Organization Meeting of the Society. The President shall designate two (2) members of the Board, other than the Treasurer, to audit the accounts of the Treasurer between March 31st and the Annual Organization Meeting. The auditors shall report their findings at the Annual Organization Meeting.

11.b. The Treasurer shall maintain an accurate list of the membership, and shall make a monthly comparison of his/her list with the roster maintained by the Secretary.

11.c. The Treasurer shall bill the membership for annual dues during the month of February.

The appointed officers of the Society shall consist of such committee chairmen as the Board of Governors may see fit to appoint. Such committees might include: a Committee on Arrangements & Programs, an Admissions Committee, and a Fund Raising Committee.

SECTION IV

(Meetings)

A. Schedule of Meetings

1. The Annual Organization Meeting for the election of the Board of Governors and other business prescribed in the By-Laws, will be held annually during the month of March.

2. Special meetings of the Society may be called by the President or upon the written request of 25% of the Regular Members. At least thirty (30) days notice thereof shall be given.

3. A dinner in celebration of the founding of the Military Academy on 16 March 1802 will be held annually in March.

4. Other dinner meetings will be held as needed.

5. Luncheon or smoker meetings will be held as needed.

6. A quorum at any meeting of the Society shall consist of 25% of the Regular Membership.

B. Order of Business at Meetings

1. At the Annual Organization Meeting, the order of business shall be as follows:

a. Call to order by the President

b. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting, and vote for adoption

c. Financial report

d. Reports of other officers

e. Unfinished business

f. New business

g. Election of members to the Board of Governors

h. Program as arranged by the Chariman
i. Adjournment

2. In general, the same order of business shall be followed at other meetings, less portions not applicable.