Constitution/ByLaws

Last Amended: November 19, 2020

ARTICLE I – Name

The name of the organization shall be "The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Emeriti and Retirees Association."

ARTICLE II – Objectives

The objectives of the organization shall be to: (1) promote good fellowship among the emeriti and retirees of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), (2) provide an opportunity for the presentation and discussion of topics concerning the welfare of the University and other topics of interest to members of the Association, (3) maintain a constructive and supportive relationship with the University of Nebraska, (4) monitor and report social and economic benefits for members of the Association, and (5) provide opportunities for members to maintain a relationship with and provide service to UNL.

ARTICLE III - Membership

Membership shall consist of dues paying officially* retired UNL: (1) academic-administrative personnel, (2) professional staff members, and (3) office and service staff members. Collegial Membership (dues paying) may be granted by the Board of Directors of the UNL Emeriti and Retirees Association to any person residing in the UNL area and holding emeritus or emerita status from another university or college. All dues-paying members are franchised to vote on matters affecting the Association. Honorary (non-voting) Life Membership is granted to surviving widows and widowers of University of Nebraska-Lincoln Emeriti and Retirees Association members.
*  Employees may retire at age 55 after ten years of service with the University. (Board of Regents Bylaws 3.12.1)

ARTICLE IV - Place of Meetings

Meetings may be held at any suitable UNL facility or at a suitable non-UNL facility in or near Lincoln. The Board of Directors, at its discretion, may schedule virtual meetings.

ARTICLE V - Officers and Board

The officers of the Association shall be: President, Vice President/President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. The President shall appoint the Secretary and Treasurer annually with no specified term. The Vice President/President-Elect shall serve as Program Chair. Duties for all officers shall be such as ordinarily pertain to the offices. The Association officers, the Immediate Past President, the three Directors elected from the membership, and the chairs of standing and ad hoc committees shall constitute the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall act for the Association between meetings of the Association.

ARTICLE VI - Election of Vice President/President-Elect and a Director

1. A Vice President/President-Elect and a Director shall be elected at each November meeting of the Association (or at the October meeting per subsection 4 of this article). The Director shall be elected for a three-year term. Both terms begin in January following the election.

2. By September 15 of each year, the Board will nominate one Association member for Vice President/President-Elect and one Association member for Director for a three-year term after ascertaining that these individuals would accept these offices if elected.

3. Prior to September 30 the Board will present its nominations to the Association membership via email and will invite additional nominations for either or both offices providing that they have ascertained that these members would accept these offices if elected.

4. Such additional nominations from the membership shall be presented to the Emeriti and Retirees Association Board at its October meeting. If no additional nominations are presented to the Board at its October meeting, the Association's President will so inform the Association at its October meeting that the Board's nominations stand unopposed and the nominees shall assume their offices in January.

5. However, if additional nominations have been made, all nominations will be presented to the Emeriti and Retirees Association at its October Meeting and by a posting through the Association's electronic listserv.

6. If there were multiple nominations for either position, an election for the office of the Vice President/President-Elect and one Association member for Director for a three-year term shall take place by secret ballot at the November meeting of the Association. The candidate with the largest vote tally for the position in question will be deemed elected.

7. In January following the November election the past Vice President/President-Elect shall automatically succeed to the office of President, and the former President shall automatically assume the office of Past President.

8. Should the President be unable to complete the full term of office the Vice President/President-Elect shall assume the presidency for the remainder of the year and a new Vice President/President-Elect shall be named by the Board of Directors. Should the Vice President/President-Elect or any Director be unable to complete their term of office a new Vice President/President-Elect or Director shall be named by the Board of Directors to complete their term.

ARTICLE VII – Committees

The Association shall have the following standing committees: AWARDS, BENEFITS, BYLAWS AND POLICY, EDUCATIONAL EVENTS, MEMBERSHIP, PUBLICATIONS, SOCIAL EVENTS, UNL FACULTY/STAFF RELATIONS and WEBSITE. The President shall appoint the chairs and members of the standing committees and may appoint ad hoc committees as needed to address the objectives of the Association.

ARTICLE VIII - Dues

The Board of Directors is authorized to set membership dues as warranted by expenses.

ARTICLE IX - Amendments

These articles may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at a scheduled meeting, provided that notice of the proposed change has been given not less than one week in advance.

The original constitution was adopted on January. 12, 1961 and amended: January 1, 1962; November 12, 1964; December 13, 1973; January 15, 1976; January 18, 1990; March 21, 1991; May 20, 1993, April 21, 2005, Nov. 17, 2005, March 19, 2009, September 24, 2009, November 16, 2010, October 18, 2016, January 17, 2019, and November 19 2020.