EGYPTIAN
AMERICAN
PROFESSIONALS
SOCIETY, INC
BYLAWS
I Objectives
The following are the objectives for which this Society has been organized:
1) To promote an awareness of Egyptian heritage and culture among Egyptian American Professionals. In furtherance of the above, to engage in social activities and meetings to promote a spirit of friendship among its members and the American people.
2) To assist in the growth and development of the arts and sciences in Egypt and to act as a bridge between its members of similar organizations in America by an exchange of knowledge, discoveries, equipment, related resources and culture.
3) This society is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes, including for such purposes the donation of contributions under section (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or corresponding the provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).
To carry out the aforesaid purposes without pecuniary gain or profit to the Society, its members, directors, or officers.
In the attainment of its goals the Society may conduct such incidental activities permitted by law.
II Membership
1) Honorary:
The Executive Committee may elect honorary members on the basis of their distinction and interest in the objectives of the Society.
2) Active:
Active members shall be professionals who are of Egyptian descent and who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States; also their spouses and children. Such members should be engaged in professions that enhance the goals of the Society.
3) Associate:
Associate members shall be persons who are interested in the activities of the society and who are non-permanent, resident Egyptians on an extended stay in the United States of one year, or longer. Also, non-Egyptian Americans of Arab origin, their spouses and children.
Persons who file applications for membership in the Society, stating the facts that make them eligible for membership in the particular class they designated in accordance with the by-laws, and who undertake to:
1) help further the objectives of the Society
2) meet the fiscal obligations of membership as established by the Executive Committee shall have such application considered by the Membership Committee if they are sponsored by two active members who have been in good standing for at least two years. Upon approval of the application by both the Membership and the Executive Committees, the applicants shall become members of the Society and shall remain members until they resign or are separated by the vote of two thirds of the Executive Committee, after a special Board meeting, on the grounds that continued membership is not in the best interest of the Society.
III Meetings
1) The monthly activity meeting of this organization shall be held on the first Saturday of every month except for the months of July and August, at a designated place, and notice shall be mailed to all members no later than seven days before the date of meeting.
2) Board meetings may be held anywhere in the United States or abroad as the Executive Committee may decide.
3) The annual general membership meeting will be held on the first Saturday of November. The notice for this meeting will be sent at least two weeks in advance.
4) At the request of (a) 20% of the general membership or no less than 40 active members, whichever is larger or (b) two thirds of the Executive Committee, an officer shall cause a special meeting to be called, specifying the reasons for the meeting in a notice that must be made in writing and sent at least 2 weeks before the scheduled date of such meeting. No other business but that specified in the notice may be transacted at such special meeting without the unanimous consent of all present at such meeting. The quorum for a business meeting shall be 50% plus one of the active membership. Members who vote by proxy shall be counted as present toward a quorum.
IV Executive
Committee
The business of this organization shall be managed by an Executive Committee consisting of four elected officers: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer; and shall also consist of the immediate past President and two other members who shall have the same qualifications as officers and who shall be appointed by a majority of the officers.
To be eligible for election to this committee, a member must be an American of Egyptian descent and also an active member and dues paying member for the last three years.
The Executive Committee shall have the control and management of the affairs and business of this organization. Such committee shall only act in the name of the organization when it shall be regularly convened by its president after due notice to all the offices of such meeting.
Four members of the Executive Committee including the President and/or the Vice President shall constitute a quorum. The quorum should include at least two elected officers. Decisions are made by simple majority; if there is no majority, the side with the President shall prevail.
The Executive Committee can meet as many times as it deems necessary, with a minimum of 3 times/year. Special meetings of this Committee shall be called by the President or on written application by certified mail by at least one Committee of such meetings by certified mail and as far in advance as practicable.
Each officer shall have one vote and such voting may not be done by proxy.
Vacancies in the Executive Committee shall be filled by a vote of the majority of the remaining members of the Committee for the balance of the term.
Terms of Office
The officers of the Society shall consist of persons elected for a two year term by the voting membership. Such officers may be eligible for re-election but for no more than two consecutive terms. The President can only serve two terms for life. After serving for two terms, elected Board members have to leave the Board for at least one term before running for any other office. All officers shall take office on January first when elected and shall continue in office until his or her successor is elected.
Duties of Officers
President:
The President shall preside at all membership meetings. He/she shall see that all books, reports, and certificates as required by law are properly kept or filed. He/she shall be one of the officers who may sign checks or drafts of the organization. He/she shall have such powers as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the chief executive of any organization. The President shall not spend more than $100.00 without the Board’s approval.
Vice President:
The Vice President shall, in the absence or inability of the President to exercise the office, become acting President with all the rights, privileges and powers as if he/she had been duly elected President.
Secretary:
The Secretary shall keep the minutes and records of the organization in appropriate books. It shall be his/her duty to file any certificate required by any statute, be it federal or state. He/she shall give and serve all notices to members of this organization. He/she may be one of the officers required to sign the checks and drafts of the organization. He/she shall present to the membership at meetings any communication addressed to him/her as a Secretary of the organization. He/she shall attend to all correspondence of the organization and shall exercise all duties incident to the office of Secretary.
Treasurer:
The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of all of the funds and securities of the organization. He/she shall deposit such funds in the name of the organization in such bank accounts as the Executive Committee may from time to time determine, so long as such accounts be interest bearing ones in a New York State bank. The Treasurer shall, when duly authorized by the Executive Committee, sign and execute all contracts in the name of the organization when such contracts are counter-signed by the President; he/she may also sign checks, drafts and notes for the payment of money which shall have been duly authorized by the Executive Committee and counter-signed by the President.
V Committees
All committees of this organization shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for a period of two years or less if such appointment be terminated by the Executive Committee. The permanent committees shall be:
1) The Executive Committee
2) The Membership Committee
3) The Activities Committee
4) The Overseeing Committee
5) The Publication Committee
6) The Bylaws Committee
Executive Committee:
This Committee shall consist of the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the immediate past President and two members appointed by the Executive Committee. Only one family member from the same household can be nominated for election to the Executive Committee.
Other Committees:
Each of these committees shall consist of a chairman and two members who are appointed by the said chairman with the approval of the Executive Committee.
The liason of each Committee shall be as follows:
1) the President shall be the liason of the Membership Committee.
2) the Vice President shall be the liason of the Activities Committee.
3) the Overseeing Committee will be elected
4) The Secretary shall be the liason of the Publication Committee.
VI Election
The Overseeing Committee shall announce a list of candidates at the October monthly meeting of an election year.
Voting privileges are limited to active members who have paid their dues before June of that year.
The voting shall be by secret ballot conducted during the election at the monthly meeting in November. The Overseeing Committee will be elected by the membership in the November preceding the election..
Ballots shall be counted by the Overseeing Committee and the results announced at the end of the same meeting. A majority of one shall determine a winner.
Ballots shall be available for inspection by active members at the end of the meeting.
Each family shall have only two votes. Family members age 18 or above should pay their dues to become members.
Members eligible to vote who cannot attend the election meeting can cast their ballots in a certified letter sent to the Chairman of the Overseeing Committee, said letter to be received by the Chairman before the election.
VII Amendments
These bylaws may be altered, amended, repealed or added to by an affirmative vote of not less than two thirds of the membership present at that meeting.
VIII Financial Resources
The organization shall derive its financial resources from the contributions of the members and from other sources which are acceptable to the Executive Committee, the latter taking into consideration the scope and the purpose of the organization.
IX Expenditures
The Executive Committee shall determine the compensation of any and all expenditures which they deem to be necessary in the conduct of the business of the organization.