Last Updated: 9-12-04.

NOTE: These bylaws were taken from the UNA-USA website (see the URL below). The very few revisions proposed for our Northern Colorado Chapter appear in bold italics. The URL for the bylaws as posted by the United Nations Association is: http://www.unausa.org/newindex.asp?place=http://www.unausa.org/dbsearch/result.asp

ARTICLE I: NAME AND AFFILIATION

The name of this organization shall be the United Nations Association-USA/Northern Colorado Chapter.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE AND FUNCTION

The purpose of the Association is expressed in its National Charter as follows:

The Association shall carry on educational and informational activities so that the people of the United States of America and their government may participate to the greatest extent practicable in the United Nations and other official international and regional organizations functioning in various fields of international cooperation and international law.

The Association, in order to implement its over-all purpose conducts programs of research, study, and information to:

(a) heighten U.S. public awareness and increase public knowledge of global issues and their relation to the United Nations system;
(b) encourage, where appropriate, multilateral approaches in dealing with those issues;
(c) build public support for constructive U.S. policies on matters of global concern; and
(d) enhance the effectiveness of the United Nations and other international institutions.

Qualification: Membership is of two kinds:

1. Members (either individual or families)

a. Membership is available to any resident of Northern Colorado.
b. Membership in the Chapter carries with it membership in the National Association and in the Colorado Division.

2. Member Organizations

a. Organization memberships are open to local units of national organizations in the Council of Organizations and to other local groups supporting the purposes of the UNA-USA.
b. Service fees and voting rights within the Chapter for member organizations will be determined by the Chapter’s Board of Directors.

1. An Annual Meeting will be held prior to the end of the fiscal year at which Officers and other members of the Board will be elected.

2. A minimum of two meetings a year in addition to the Annual Meeting will be held to carry out the educational program of the Chapter.

3. Notice and purpose of all business meetings shall be circulated to each member at least fourteen days in advance of the meeting.

4. A quorum will consist of 25% of the Chapter members.

Qualification: Any person who is a member of the Chapter and Board of Directors is qualified to be elected as an officer.

Posts:

President
President-Elect
Vice President (one or more)
Secretary
Treasurer

Nominations: The Nominating Committee, which shall be composed of five members:

a. two to be members of the Board of Directors and appointed by the President; and
b. three others to be elected by the members of the Chapter at the preceding annual meeting (or election by mail) from a slate drawn up by the preceding Nominating Committee.

Election: By a majority vote of the membership present at the Annual Meeting or, as an alternative, of those voting by postal or electronic mail ballot sent to all members of the Chapter. Vacancies: For the Presidency, the Vice President shall assume duties as acting President until the Board of Directors has the opportunity to elect a new President. For other officers, vacancies will be filled by the Board and they will take office as soon as elected and will continue in office until the next annual meeting.

Resignations must be submitted in writing to the Board via the Secretary.

ARTICLE V: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Function: To conduct the affairs of the Chapter.

Qualification: Any member of the Chapter may serve on the Board.

Number: Not less than fifteen nor more than thirty, including Officers and elected representatives to the regional Division, but excluding appointed non-Board member Chairpersons of Standing Committees (who are ex-officio Board members without vote).

Term: The Directors shall be divided into two groups with terms of two years each. The term of office of one-half of the Directors shall expire each year at the Annual Meeting.

Nomination: By the Nominating Committee.

Election: Same as for Officers as specified in Article IV.

Vacancies: Those occurring between elections will be filled by the Board.

Meetings: At least one meeting in every three month period.

Quorum: Thirty percent of Board members.

ARTICLE VI: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Function: To conduct the affairs of the Chapter between meetings of the Board.

Membership: The Officers of the Chapter and any additional members of the Board that the Board of Directors may deem as needed.

Election: As specified in Article IV.

Quorum: Majority of the members.

ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES

Activities: To organize projects and activities in specified areas of the Association’s program for the membership and for the community.

Designation of Committees (other than the Nominating Committee, which is defined in Article IV):

1. Membership: To carry on continuous work to increase membership of the Chapter.

2. Finance: To manage Chapter funds.

3. Resource Development: To raise funds for the Chapter.

4. Program: To coordinate programming activities of other Committees and to develop additional programs for members and the community. Included among these programs is the annual program commemorating United Nations Day, October 24.

5. Council of Organizations: To work with local organizations to further the purposes of the Association in the community through whatever means possible, including co-sponsorship of programs.

6. Education: To work with students and faculty of schools and colleges/univer- sities and youth in general.

7. Advocacy: To inform: elected representatives, chapter members, and the community about the United Nations and the U.S. Government activities related to the U.N. system.

8. Public Relations: To work with television and radio stations and newspapers to publicize activities of UNA-USA and to ensure balanced and accurate coverage of the U.N. and global affairs. To publish a newsletter for distribution to Chapter members, cooperating organi- zations, and others. To establish and maintain a chapter web site.

Appointment: The President of the Chapter shall appoint Committee Chairpersons who are either Board members or, with the approval of the Board, non- Board members. All non-Board Committee Chairpersons shall serve on the Board of Directors as ex-officio members without a vote. Committee Chairpersons shall appoint their own Committee.

ARTICLE VIII: FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION

Fiscal Year: The fiscal year shall coincide with that established by the National Board Of Directors-January 1 - December 31.

Budget: A proposed budget shall be submitted by the Board for adoption at the Annual Meeting. A copy of the adopted budget and the annual report shall be filed with the National Office of the Association.

Dues: Annual membership dues and distribution of such dues shall be established by the National Convention of the Association or by the National Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IX: RATIFICATION AND AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

Bylaws shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of those present at any membership meeting of the Chapter. Then they shall be submitted for approval by the National Office of UNA/USA and that all members shall have been notified of the amendment(s) fourteen days in advance of the meeting.

Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote through the same procedure as Article IX, paragraph one, and the amendment shall take effect after the meeting at which they are adopted, following approval by the National Office of UNA/USA.

ARTICLE X: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this Associa-tion wherever it is applicable and is not inconsistent with these Bylaws, any special rules of order the Chapter may adopt or any statutes applicable to the Association.

ARTICLE XI: DISSOLUTION

Upon dissolution of the Chapter for any reason, all records and funds will be given to the National Office of the UNA/USA. If the national parent organization is no longer in existence, the records and funds will be given to any successor organization or, if there is no such organization, to another national body of similar interest and/or purpose.

This Northern Colorado Chapter of UNA-USA is now an official chapter of the Colorado UNA-USA. For more information at this time, or to add your name on our e-mail and snail mail list, please call Charlie Notess in Loveland at 970-613-9967 or Eleanor Dwight in Ft. Collins at 970-377-0863.

To make corrections, additions and other suggestions for this web site, please contact Charlie Notess, webmaster and acting Secretary, at: cnotess@greeleynet.com or 970-613-9967. As of 9-12-04, the easiest way to access our Northern Colorado-UNA site is to use the URL: (http://notess.com/ncuna). That will obviate your typing in the longer URL which will come up automatically. On many computers all you need type in is: (notess.com/ncuna).

To view the national UNA-USA website, click on: UNA-USA web site.