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Research Triangle Science Fiction Society

By-Laws

Revised RTSFS Bylaws, August 13, 1998

  1. Membership
    1. Membership is open to all.
    2. Dues are to be paid yearly in August. You can pay for more than one year at once.
    3. Dues are prorated at ten percent per month up to the maximum amount of the annual dues (e.g., if dues are $10/year, renewable in August, someone joining in September would pay $10, not $11).
    4. Membership dues are nonrefundable.
    5. The RTSFS membership list will not be sold, rented, given out or otherwise shared with anyone else under any circumstances. Members' information is available to other members only, with permission.
  2. Membership Privileges
    1. The right to vote in annual election of officers.
    2. Membership card good for discounts, such as the officers have been able to obtain, at various local stores.
    3. Access to a lending library, should RTSFS establish one.
  3. Officers
    1. All officers and candidates must be members in good standing.
    2. Officers are responsible for setting dues for the coming year.
    3. President: sets meeting topics and dates/times. Has authority to establish committees and appoint chairpersons to those committees to act on behalf of RTSFS, as well as authority to disband said committees when their functions have been fulfilled. In the event that RTSFS applies for and receives 501(c)3 status, the President shall be responsible for ensuring that the club keeps its non-profit status as the law requires. Presides at meetings. The President has to approve and sign off on all expenditures (as does the Treasurer). Other duties as needed.
    4. Vice-President: Arranges for meeting space, presides at meetings in the absence of the President, answers the club's correspondence as collected by the Secretary. The Vice President is the point of contact for all alien civilizations. Other duties as needed.
    5. Secretary: Takes notes at Business Meetings and posts meeting minutes to the group no more than three weeks after the meeting, keeps database of current membership, checks mail in the event RTSFS gets a PO box and delivers said mail to the Vice President to be answered. Other duties as needed.
    6. Treasurer: Keeps track of the club's money. The Treasurer has to approve and sign off on all expenditures (as does the President). Other duties as needed.
  4. Elections
    1. Elected positions are: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Social Coordinator.
    2. Elections will be held yearly in a public place at the first meeting in August and announced no less than two weeks in advance.
    3. All current members are allowed to vote.
    4. Proxy votes, if arranged ahead of time with signed, written consent of the person who requests the proxy, are permitted, provided that the person requesting the proxy is a member in good standing.
    5. In case of a tie, a run-off election will be scheduled and will occur no more than one month after the election that produced the tie.
    6. All outgoing officers are required to turn over all written materials and records to the incoming officers within one month of the election.
    7. Candidates may request a recount if the margin of victory is 5% or less of all votes cast.
  5. Business Meetings
    1. Any two officers may announce a business meeting at least once per quarter (4 times a year). RTSFS can hold up to four business meetings per year.
    2. Business meetings must be set and announced to members not less than two weeks prior to the meeting date.
    3. When business meetings are announced, members will also receive notice of the items that will be voted on.
  6. Revisions to the Bylaws
    1. A two-thirds majority of all votes cast at a business meeting is required to ratify changes in the bylaws.
    2. Any member in good standing may propose a revision to the bylaws at any regularly-scheduled business meeting.
    3. Proposed revisions will be voted on at the next regularly scheduled business meeting.
  7. Finances
    1. The President and the Treasurer have signature rights to all RTSFS monies.
    2. Expenditures have to be approved by the Treasurer and the President.
    3. RTSFS financial records will be open to review by the Membership (upon request), and in the event of 501(c)3 incorporation, will be open to the public.