ICDDR,B Alumni Association Bylaws

The following are the Bylaws formulated by the Convening Committee as per provisions of the Charter of the ICDDR,B Alumni Association (ICDDR,B AA).
 
Article 1.  Name and Purpose

    1.1   The ICDDR,B Alumni Association (hereinafter referred to as the AA) is an organization of former Pak-SEATO Cholera Research Laboratory/Cholera Research Laboratory/ICDDR,B employees whose overall objective will be to encourage fellowship amongst the families of all former employees of the Centre.

Article 2.  Membership

    2.1      Membership registration is free of charge and valid for the life of the alumnus.

    2.2      Every effort will be made to communicate with registered AA members but only if they are able to keep their contact information updated.

Article 3.  Executive Committee

    3.1   Term of Office: Officers of the Executive Committee (EC) will be elected/selected for a two-year term. Only two sequential terms will be allowed for a total of four years of voluntary service. An elected officer may resign if unable to serve or may face a membership recall petition for failure to discharge assigned duties.

    3.2   Vacancies: The EC may fill any temporary vacancy on the EC of the AA until the next annual election by the general members.

    3.3.    Functions of Office Bearers

        3.3.1 President: The President will preside over all meetings of the AA.  He/she will be responsible for communication with the Executive Director of ICDDR,B. He/she will have a vote in case of any tie in the EC. The President will be a signatory in the joint account maintained by the AA in a scheduled bank, and will sign cheques as per Article 9.3 of the Bylaws. He/she will provide guidance in all matters arising in between EC meetings. He/she will serve as a past president advisor without vote during the next term after his/her term of office expires.

        3.3.2 Vice Presidents: In case the President is out of country or unable to perform duties, the First Vice President will preside over meetings of the EC and will be responsible for carrying out the functions of the President.  One of the Vice Presidents will chair the events committees.

        3.3.3 General Secretary: He/she will be in charge of the Secretariat. He will accompany the President, when available, for any communications with the Executive Director of ICDDR,B. He/she will be responsible for all other communications of the AA. The General Secretary will be a signatory in the Bank account along with the President and the Treasurer and will sign cheques as per Article 9.3 of the Bylaws. He/she will authorize expenditure as per the budget of the AA and will countersign all vouchers after the expenditure is made. For efficient management of small expenditure, he/she will maintain a petty cash account personally. He/she will coordinate all the committees constituted by the EC. The General Secretary will keep the minutes of the EC meetings and the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and will maintain all necessary files in the Secretariat. He/she will prepare the Annual Report to be presented (by him/her) in the AGM. He/she will take steps towards updating the list of the members and their contact addresses, maintaining a website and/or publishing newsletter(s). In the next term following the expiration of his/her term of office, the General Secretary will continue as a non-voting, ex officio EC member.

        3.3.4 Treasurer:  The Treasurer will be responsible for all financial matters and other assets of the AA. He/she will prepare an annual budget for approval of the EC and will be responsible for presenting an audited report and balance sheet at the time of the AGM of the AA. He/she will maintain a bank account in a scheduled bank decided on by the EC. The Treasurers signature will be a must in any account of the AA along with the signature of the General Secretary or the President. He/she will get approval from the EC of the amount of petty cash that the General Secretary may hold for small expenditure.  He/she will chair the Finance Committee.

        3.3.5 Joint Secretary: The Joint Secretary will carry out the functions of the General Secretary in the absence of the General Secretary and will perform any other functions as decided by the EC. However, the bank account operations would need an authorization by the EC and would be done in case of long absence of the General Secretary (continued absence of 3 months or more) or when the President is absent for a similar period. When circumstances are compelling, the EC can specify that this kind of authorization will be time bound and will no longer be valid when either the General Secretary or the President, as the case may be, returns. The Joint Secretary will serve as the membership secretary, keeping accurate records of alumnis contact information and assisting in mailings to members.
       
        3.3.6 Members: The EC Members should reflect the gender and interests of the membership (at least two members should be from female alumni). They will serve on the appointed committees for planning an annual get-together (Annual Reunion) and such other social activities that are feasible, giving any critical feedback to the Centre to increase the goodwill of the Centre in the community; raising funds for the AA and for the Centre; The EC Members, including nominees of Chapters, will help update the list of the general members and their contact addresses, maintain a website and/or publish newsletter(s).
 
Article 4.  Committees

    4.1   The EC, apart from the standing Finance Committee, may from time to time form committees or designate other appointees to examine any issue or matter that is within the purposes and practices of these Bylaws.  Examples would include the Annual Reunion Committee, Regional Reunion Taskforce, Benefits, and Condolence.
 
Article 5.  Regional Chapters

    5.1   Any group of alumni affiliated with CRL/ICDDR,B other than the main Bangladesh Chapter, and/or an officially-designated regional representation area, is eligible to organize a chartered chapter consistent with the ICDDR,B Alumni Association Charter and these Bylaws. Only one chartered chapter may be formed at each regional representation area.
 
Article 6.  Meetings of the EC and Annual General Meetings

    6.1   In consultation with the President, the General Secretary will notify EC officers for any meeting of the EC at least two weeks ahead of time. He/she will get the approval of the agenda items from the President (or, in his/her absence, from the Vice Presidents).  At meetings of the EC, a quorum shall be one-third of the total EC membership.

    6.2   Notification for members to attend the AGM will be sent at the same time as the invitation for the Annual Reunion of the AA. It will be understood that the AGM and voting will be held at the same time and venue as the annual reunion.

Article 7. Election of Executive Committee

    7.1   The election of officers of the EC will be conducted by a two-member Election Commission constituted by the EC in a meeting of the EC held at least one month before the AGM. The Election Commission will hold the election immediately after the business meeting of the AGM by show of members hands or by ballots passed around.

    7.2   The Election Commission will frame and adopt the rules and procedures relating to the election.

    7.3   Eligibility of voters: All Alumni are eligible for voting to elect/select any members of the EC.
 
Article 8. Quorum of Annual or Special Meetings

    8.1   At any annual or special meeting of the regular membership, a quorum shall constitute all regular voting members in attendance.
 
Article 9. Financial Organization

    9.1   Fees and subscriptions: There will be no initial registration fee for the Alumni.  However, a payment for attending Annual Alumni Reunions would be mandatory to cover expenses. The EC will fix the amount annually. The EC may institute or waive the use of dues.

    9.1   Fundraising: Donations by the Alumni to AA fund would be encouraged.  Promotional activities to raise funds may be undertaken under the direction of the EC, or Finance Committee chaired by the Treasurer.

    9.1   Banking: A bank account in the name of ICDDR,B Alumni Association shall be maintained in a scheduled bank The President and the General Secretary will approve routine expenditure. The Treasurer and the General Secretary or the President will operate the bank account jointly.

    9.1   Financial accountability: Accounts may be scrutinized by the EC on a regular basis.  A final annual report needs to be approved at the next AGM.

    9.1   Finance Committee: The Finance Department staff of the Centre will serve as an advisory committee for drafting proposed budgets, fundraising activities, and preparing reports or the end-of-year statements.
 
Article 10:  Amendments and Bylaws

    10.1  Amendments of these Bylaws may be instituted by written petition to the EC by any regular member. The proposed amendments shall be considered by the EC at its next scheduled meeting and should be mailed to EC members with the meeting announcement. If a majority of the EC members present accepts the amendments, the EC shall present the amendments at the next AGM for approval. If the amendments are considered at a meeting they shall be included with the meeting announcement. The EC will consider suggested changes and draft amendments to be circulated to the general members of the ICDDR,B AA one month prior to an AGM vote at the annual reunion.  A majority of AGM votes will be sufficient to enact approved changes.
 
Article 11. Dissolution of the ICDDR,B Alumni Association

    11.1  In the event that the ICDDR,B AA remains inactive for five years, or the assembled alumni in meeting vote for dissolution, or ICDDR,B or its named institutional inheritor closes officially, the AA also becomes dissolved.  In that case, all official records, materials or equipment collected for the AA and the funds remaining in petty cash or the AA bank account will be handed over to the parent organization (ICDDR,B or its named institutional successor).  The value of these AA assets should be used for the ICDDR,B Hospital Endowment Fund or a similar charitable health endeavour in Bangladesh.