CONSTITUTION (Codified)
The Constitution was adopted at the annual meeting in Los Angeles, California, on November 6, 1987, and subsequent amendments are embedded in the text.
Article I. NAME
The name of the organization shall be the California Association for Institutional Research (CAIR).
Article II. PURPOSES
The major purposes of this Association shall be to provide: 1) for the fostering of unity and cooperation among persons having interests and activities related to institutional research and/or planning in California institutions of postsecondary education; 2) for the dissemination of information and the interchange of ideas on problems of common interest; and 3) for the continued professional development of individuals engaged in institutional research and/or planning.
This Association is organized exclusively for educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Amendment 2).
Article III. MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING
Section 1. Membership shall be open to any person actively engaged in institutional research and/or planning, or who has a professional interest related to these areas.
Section 2. Membership shall include all individuals who express interest in the Association and pay the required annual dues.
Section 3. Membership in the Association and election to any office or appointment to any committee shall not be based on race, ethnic origin, sex, age, or religious conviction.
Section 4. All members shall be eligible to vote at business sessions that are announced in an official conference program and in official elections or votes handled by mail.
Section 5. Emeritus membership may be awarded to retired persons with a minimum of ten (10) years of regular paid membership that includes CAIR leadership or professional contributions to the Association (Amendment 14).
Article IV. OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and four (Amendment 12) Segmental Representative(s) (Amendment 18).
Section 2. PRESIDENT - The President shall: a) chair the Executive Committee and preside at the business meetings of the Association; b) serve as program chair for the annual conference and assume primary responsibility for planning and management, with assistance from the Vice President (Amendment 20); c) appoint committee members unless membership is specified in this Constitution or in the Bylaws; d) work with committees in formulating policy and expediting the implementation of such policies; e) act as a liaison with related professional organizations or appoint a designee (Amendment 20); f) distribute (Amendment 19) notices and proceedings of the annual conference (Amendment 20); and g) perform any other duties necessary to assist the Association in achieving its stated purposes. The term of office for the President shall be one year.
Section 3. VICE PRESIDENT - The Vice President shall: a) serve as assistant program chair to aid the President in planning and managing the annual conference (Amendment 21); b) assist the President in other duties as the need arises; and c) assume the duties of the President if necessary (Amendment 21). The Vice President shall succeed to the office of President at the end of the one-year term as Vice President.
Section 4. SECRETARY - The Secretary shall: a) keep the minutes of the annual business meeting and of the meetings of the Executive Committee; b) update the Constitution and Bylaws when amended (Amendment 22); and c) perform any other duties as assigned by the President (Amendment 22). The term of office shall be two years (Amendment 10), with the option of extending the term to three years at the discretion of the Executive Committee (Amendment 22).
Section 5. TREASURER - The Treasurer shall: a) collect membership dues and conference registration fees; b) maintain and publish an annual list of the membership of the Association; c) provide for the payment of duly authorized expenses of the Association; d) prepare informal financial statements for the Executive Committee and complete a financial report for the annual business meeting; and e) perform any other duties as assigned. The term of office shall be two years, with the option of extending the term to three years (Amendment 17) at the discretion of the Executive Committee (Amendment 23).
Section 6. SEGMENTAL REPRESENTATIVE(S) (Amendment 18) - The four (Amendment 12) Segmental Representative(s) (Amendment 18) shall perform all duties as assigned. There shall be one Segmental Representative (Amendment 18) elected as a representative from each of the following: the California Community Colleges; the California State University; the Independent California Colleges and Universities; and the University of California (Amendment 13). The term of office shall be one year. A Segmental Representative (Amendment 18) may be reelected, consecutively, at most once to the same office (Amendment 5).
Section 7. VACANCIES - Unless otherwise stated in the Constitution, the Executive Committee shall have the authority to fill a vacancy by appointing an Association member to fill an unexpired term. A person appointed to finish the term of Vice President does not automatically advance to become President, but must stand for election to that office. If the elected President resigns, is removed, or is unable to perform the duties of the position, the Executive Committee shall nominate a current or past Executive Committee member to complete the term, subject to approval by a majority of those voting in a special election (Amendment 24). In all other situations, the person appointed to an unexpired term shall be eligible to be elected to serve a full term.
Section 8. SUCCESSION - Elected Officials cannot succeed themselves in the same office except for the Secretary and Treasurer and (Amendment 1) as noted in Section 7. If, by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Committee, any officer is determined to be unable to adequately perform his or her duties, that officer shall immediately be removed from the position, and the Executive Committee shall replace that officer at the earliest opportunity in a manner appropriate to the office and proximity to the next election (Amendment 25).
Section 9. ELECTION OF OFFICERS - All officers shall be elected via a ballot made available (Amendment 15) to the membership not more than three and not less than one month before the annual conference. The slate shall include include a candidate or candidates (Amendment 6) for each office and will provide for a write-in candidate. An officer will be elected by a simple majority and will assume office at the first meeting of the newly-elected Executive Committee. (Amendment 26) The entire membership shall vote for the offices of President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Members from each segment shall elect the Segmental Representative(s) (Amendment 18) from their respective segment (Amendment 8).
Article V. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers designated in Article IV and the Immediate Past President (Amendment 7). The immediate Past President shall: a) identify and visit potential sites for the following year’s conference and b) conduct the election of officers (Amendment 27).
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall: a) conduct the general affairs of the Association between its annual meetings; b) set the time and location of the next annual meeting; c) function as a budget committee; and d) fill vacancies as noted in Article IV.
Section 3. The Executive Committee shall enforce the following statement of compliance with the Internal Revenue Code: Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law ) or (b) by the corporation contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) (Amendment 3).
Section 4. The Executive Committee shall upon the dissolution of the Association comply with the following statement: Upon the winding up and dissolution of this corporation, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the corporation, the remaining assets shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation, or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious and/or scientific purposes and which has established its tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Amendment 4).
Article VI. AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be amended at the annual business meeting.
Section 1. Proposed amendments to this Constitution: a) may be submitted to any member of the Executive Committee by a member of this Association in writing at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual meeting, or; b) may originate through actions in the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Proposed amendments shall be circulated at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual business meeting and at the annual business meeting by the Secretary.
Section 3. Proposed changes to this Constitution conforming with Section 1. and 2. of this Article shall become effective at the end of the annual business meeting at which they are approved by two-thirds of the members present.
Article VII. BYLAWS
The Association shall adopt bylaws consistent with this Constitution as required for the conduct of its affairs.
Section 1. Proposed changes in the bylaws: a) may be submitted in writing to any member of the Executive Committee at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual meeting; or, b) may be proposed through action originating in the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The Secretary shall be responsible for distributing (Amendment 16) any proposed bylaws or amendment(s) initiated in accordance with Section 1. of this Article, and for submitting them to the members for consideration at the annual business meeting.
Section 3. A proposed change in the bylaws shall become effective at the end of the annual business meeting at which it was approved by a majority of the members present.
Article VIII. ADOPTION
This Constitution and Bylaws will be adopted by the Association at an annual meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present.