CONSTITUTION

Texas Higher Education Datatel Users’ Group

ARTICLE I - Name

The name of this organization shall be the Texas Higher Education Datatel Users’ Group (THEDUG) hereinafter referred to as "the Association."

ARTICLE II - Scope and Purpose

Section 1. This shall be a professional educational association, voluntary and non-profit, of cooperating collegiate level institutions utilizing Datatel software products and services.

Section 2. The general purpose of the Association shall be to advance technology use in support of higher education in Texas. The specific purpose shall be to advance professionally the work and expertise of technical and functional users of Datatel products and services.

Section 3. Any activity appropriate to the purposes set forth in Section 2 may be undertaken by the Association; activities specifically included are the following:

1. To hold an annual meeting for the professional improvement of the membership and for conducting Association business;
2. To encourage, conduct, and cooperate in shared activities which benefit the implementation and customization of the various Datatel products and services;
3. To conduct workshops or seminars for the development of user expertise in Datatel software applications.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Institutional Membership. Active membership is institutional and shall be open to Texas institutions of higher education which are current users of Datatel products and services.

1. Eligibility of other educational institutions shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the Association.
2. Institutions of complex organization with multiple campuses or colleges may hold an institutional membership for each separately organized unit.
3. The members will elect officers who, constituting the Executive Committee shall conduct all Association business assigned to them.

Section 2. Voting. There will be one vote per active member.

Section 3. Affiliate Membership. Affiliates shall be those institutions of higher education outside of Texas which are current users of Datatel products and services desiring to participate in the non-voting activities of the Association and which are approved for this status by the Executive Committee. There shall be an annual fee for each affiliated institution as stated in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE IV - Officers

Section 1. Officers of the Association shall be institutional active members only.

Section 2. The elected officers of the Association shall include the following and shall serve as the Executive Committee:

1. President
2. President-Elect
3. Secretary/Treasurer
4. Vice President for Community Colleges
5. Vice President for Universities
6. Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee

Section 3. Duties of the Officers.

1. The President shall serve as the Chairman of the Executive Committee and shall be an ex-officio member of all appointed THEDUG committees. The President may assign and delegate duties but shall be responsible for all activities within the Association and for coordinating the programs and arrangements for the next annual meeting. The President shall serve as the Association’s liaison to Datatel and to the national Datatel user group. The President shall assume this office after completion of one term as President-Elect and shall serve for a one-year term.
2. The President-Elect shall serve as principal assistant to the President. The President-Elect shall make recommendations concerning the annual meeting site to the Executive Committee. The President-Elect shall be elected for a one-year term before succeeding to the Presidency; if the Presidency should be assumed prematurely because of vacancy in that office, the normal term of office shall not be affected.
3. The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain the membership roster, maintain all official records of the Association, maintain minutes of the annual business meeting and of Executive Committee meetings, maintain the constitution of the Association, complete correspondence on behalf of the Executive Committee, collect the membership dues, handle financial activities of the Association, make a complete financial report to be presented to the Executive Committee for publication to the membership, prepare budgets and perform other assignments made by the President. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be elected for a two-year term.
4. The Vice President for Community Colleges and Vice President for Universities shall assist in the planning of the annual meeting, shall coordinate the work of committees and interest groups in their respective areas and shall carry out assignments of the president. Each shall be elected for a two-year term with terms expiring in alternating years.
5. The Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee shall be nominated by the President-Elect and approved by the Executive Committee as part of the annual meeting site selection process which takes place 18-24 months in advance of the meeting. (non-voting member)

Section 4. Newly elected officers shall take office at the conclusion of the annual meeting at which they are elected. In the event of a subsequent vacancy in the offices of Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President for Community Colleges or Vice President for Universities, the Executive Committee shall make an appointment for the balance of the unexpired term; such appointment shall not affect the appointee’s eligibility for election to that office.

Section 5. Should the office of the President become vacant, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President; should the office of the President-Elect become vacant, the Executive Committee shall call a special election.

Section 6. No person shall be eligible for election to an office in the Association who shall not, at the time of such election, be an active member of the Association. If any office, subsequent to the election, shall be declared vacant by the remaining members of the Executive Committee, the vacancy shall be filled in the manner prescribed in Section 4, Article IV and Section 5, Article IV of this Constitution.

ARTICLE V - Meeting

Section 1. There shall be an annual meeting of the Association, the precise date and location to be set by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have the authority in case of emergency, to advance, to postpone, or to omit the annual meeting; in such case the time between two consecutive meetings of the Association shall be counted as one year of administration. In the event that an annual meeting is postponed or omitted in case of an emergency, the Executive Committee has the authority to conduct association business by mail or electronic media. The same voting requirements outlined in Section 2, Article V, will apply. The Executive Committee shall set a registration fee for the annual meeting, to be paid by each active member and affiliate in attendance at the meeting.

Section 2. Association business shall be conducted at the annual meeting by the voting delegates present. The adoption of any proposed amendment to the Constitution or Bylaws shall require a two-thirds majority of the votes cast if notice has been circulated to the active members and voting delegates at least one month in advance, or a four-fifths majority of the votes cast if less than a month or no advance notice has been given. Except for amendments, decisions shall be made by a majority of the votes cast.

1. Official business to be conducted at annual meetings shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. Election of officers;
2. Reports from officers and committees, with such action as may be appropriate including adoption of resolutions and annual budget discussion;
3. Action on any proposed amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws.

1. Normally, due notice shall have been given in advance on any substantive matter which is to be voted on at the annual meeting.

Section 3. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be called by the President, as needed, or by the President-Elect if the President is unable to do so. Decisions within the Executive Committee shall be made by a majority vote of the members present and voting.

ARTICLE VI - Dissolution

Section 1. This association is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c )(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of the constitution the Association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an association exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c )(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or (b) by association contribution to which are deductible under section 170(c )(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law.)

Section 3. Upon the dissolution of the association, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the association, the remaining assets shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation, or educational institution which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, and/or scientific purposes and which has established its tax-exempt status under section 501(c )(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

BYLAWS

Texas Higher Education Datatel Users’ Group

ARTICLE I - Fees

Section 1. The cost of an institutional membership shall be $50.00 per year. Up to five active members may be designated by the institution.

Section 2. Member institutions may designate additional active representatives at the cost of $10.00 each.

Section 3. The cost of Affiliate membership shall be $40.00 per year. Up to two non-voting representatives can be designated by the affiliate member.

Section 4. The membership year and the fiscal year of the Association shall begin September 1 of each calendar year and shall end August 31 of the following calendar year. Any institutional or affiliate member who fails to pay annual membership dues by the following April 1 shall be dropped from the list of members of the Association after one written reminder followed by a verbal reminder from the Secretary/Treasurer.

ARTICLE II - Elections

Section 1. Association officers shall be elected in the business session held during the annual meeting. A slate of nominees shall be made available to the members by the Nominations Committee at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the election of officers. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the business meeting providing that prior consent of the nominee has been obtained.

Section 2. A majority of the votes cast by the designated voting delegates shall be required to elect an individual to an Association office.

ARTICLE III - Committees

Section 1. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President for Community Colleges, and Vice President for Universities. The Executive Committee shall have those duties specifically assigned in the Constitution and Bylaws and any others assigned by the President.

Section 2. Nominations Committee. A Nominations Committee composed of three members shall be appointed by the Executive Committee at least three months prior to the annual meeting. Members of the Nominations Committee shall recommend to the membership a slate of nominees for Executive Committee positions prior to the annual business meeting of the Association. The Nominations Committee will make every reasonable effort to reflect among the nominees the variety of institutional, personal, and professional characteristics represented in the Association membership. During service on this committee, a member shall not be eligible for nomination to an Association office nor become eligible by resigning from the committee. Each member will serve until the close of the annual business meeting.

Section 3. Local Arrangements. The Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee shall be nominated by the President-Elect and approved by the Executive Committee as part of the annual meeting site selection process which takes place 18-24 months in advance of the meeting. The number of members will be determined and individuals selected by the Chair. Each will serve until all business associated with the conclusion of the annual meeting is finished.

Section 4. Other committees to assist in Association activities, as deemed necessary or desirable, shall be established (or may be discontinued) by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee. Appointment to committees is limited to the active members of THEDUG.

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