ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
of
Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Greater Chicago
AN ILLINOIS PUBLIC BENEFIT NONPROFIT CORPORATION
ONE: The name of this not-for-profit corporation is Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Greater Chicago (“Association”).
TWO: This Association is a nonprofit public benefit corporation and is not organized for the private gain of any person and shall be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service code. It is organized under the Illinois Not-for-Profit Corporations Act. The specific purpose for which this corporation is organized is to provide educational and/or financial assistance to students in financial need; to educate the general public/Alumni about the “Aligarh Tahreek (movement) of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan”, through including but not limited to, publications, lectures, discussions, recitals, etc.
THREE: The name and address in the State of Illinois of this Association’s initial agent for services of the process was Dr. M. Muzzaffar Farooqui, 7450 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie, IL 60077.
The current address of the organization is
The Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Greater Chicago
Post Office Box 67
Wadsworth, IL 60083
FOUR: (a) This Association is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, literary, and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles, the Association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on the Internal Revenue Code or (2) by a corporation contribution to which are deductible under Section 170 (C)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) No substantial part of the activities of this Association shall consist of carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence campaign (including the publishing or distribution of statements) on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.
FIVE: The names and addresses of the persons appointed to act as the initial Directors of this Association were:
NAME | ADDRESS |
Dr. M. Muzzaffar Farooqui | 34 Wildwood Drive South Prospect Heights, IL 60070 |
Dr. Abid Ullah Ghazi | 5138 Harvard Terrace Skokie, IL 60077 |
Dr. M. Masood Athar | 1024 South Kunkle Blvd., Freeport, IL 61032 |
Dr. Sarfraz Ahmad | 741 Norfolk Avenue Westchester, IL 60153 |
Dr. Anser Azim | 1 S 279 Danby Street Villa Park, IL 60181 |
Ms. Zehra Quadri | 1 S 268 Ingersoll Villa Park, IL 60181 |
Mr. M. Amin Haider | 19 Manchester Court Streamwood, IL 60107 |
SIX: The property of this Association is irrevocably dedicated to charitable, literary, and educational purposes and no part of the net income or assets of the organization shall ever inure to the benefit of any director, officer, or member thereof or to the benefit of any private person.
Upon dissolution of the Association, all assets shall be used to pay any liabilities the Association may have. Any and all remaining assets shall be transferred to a tax-exempt Muslim organization, having similar goals and objectives as the Association, within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Unless otherwise determined at a meeting or by written notice as provided for in this Section, the transference of such assets will be carried out by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the General Body designating the transferee(s). Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of competent jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the Association is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such
purposes.
ARTICLE I: NAME AND LOCATION
Section 1: Name
a. The name of the Association shall be the Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Greater Chicago, hereinafter referred to as “The Aligarh Alumni Association.”
ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVE AND PURPOSE
Section 1: Mission Statement
a. The Objective and Purpose of the Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Greater Chicago is to provide educational and/or financial assistance to needy students; to educate the general public/Alumni about its “Aligarh tahreek” (movement), through and its art forms through, including but not limited to, publications, lectures, discussions, recitals, or otherwise.
b. The charitable, literary, and educational activities of this Association shall be open to every person irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity, or nationality..
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Categories
There shall be three categories of membership in the Association: Regular, Life, and Honorary.
a. Regular Membership shall be open to every person irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity, or nationality, who has ever been an alumnus, or who at any time was ever employed by Aligarh Muslim University or to any person who is a spouse, parent, or child of any person who has ever been an alumnus or who at any time was ever employed by Aligarh Muslim University. Additionally, it is also open to a person who supports "Aligarh Tahreek (movement) of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan".
b. Life membership shall be open to any person qualified to be a Regular member of this Association and who satisfies all other requirements for Life Membership set forth in these Bylaws.
c. The Association may recognize and bestow upon a living individual an Honorary Membership for outstanding services to the Aligarh Muslim University or the Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association.
Section 2: Application for membership
a. All persons eligible for membership in the Association may obtain the membership by submitting an application and the required membership fee to the Executive Council.
b. The President of the Association shall confer the Honorary Membership on behalf of the Association in accordance with the rules prescribed in the Bylaws stated here.
Section 3: Membership Terms and Dues
a. The term of a Regular Member shall be for one full year starting from April 1st of the year and ending March 31st of the following year.
b. The term of the Life Membership shall be perpetual. A Life Member shall be subject to a one-time payment of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) per person or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00) per couple (husband and wife).
c. The Regular Membership shall be subject to an annual payment of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for single member and Seventy Five Dollars ($75.00) payment per couple (husband and wife)
d. The Executive Council may prescribe other charges or fees for special events and activities.
e. The fee for the Life and Regular Membership shall be reviewed at each annual meeting of the General Assembly and may be changed by a simple majority of votes from the General Assembly.
Section 4: Privileges and Duties of Members
a. All Members in good standing (those who have fully paid their annual membership dues) shall have the privilege of attending General Assembly Meetings and participating in the Association’s activities.
b. All Members in good standing as of April 1st of any given year shall have the right to vote in annual and special sessions of the General Assembly for the period beginning April 1st of the year and ending March 31st of the following year.
c. The Members shall be the source of all power to run the affairs of the Association.
d. Members in good standing may attend meetings of the Board and the Council without having voting rights in those bodies
e. All Life and Regular Members in good standing shall be eligible to seek election and hold office.
f. All Life and Regular Members in good standing shall be eligible to seek the office of President or Chairperson of the Board.
g. A candidate for President of the Executive Council or Chairperson of the Board must be an Alumnus (for the purposes of this bylaw, alumnus includes both students and staff) of Aligarh Muslim University.
h. Subject to the terms of Article V, Section 2. a, any Life Member or Regular Member who is not an AMU Alumnus (as defined in Article III, Section 6) shall be eligible to seek election for any position on the Executive Council or Board of Directors except for the offices of President and Chairperson. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, a maximum of two (2) Members who are not AMU Alumni may be elected to the Executive Council and a maximum of one non-alumnus member to the Board of Directors. If an AMU Alumnus and a Member who is not an AMU Alumnus are both nominated to fill the same position on the Executive Council or Board of Directors, the nomination of the alumnus will be considered over non-alumnus.
i. Life and Regular Members in good standing shall each be entitled to one vote. Duly signed proxy votes, if submitted in writing by the Member, will be permitted in lieu of the attendance by a Regular member.
j. Life and Regular Members, including those on the Council or Board, who are not alumni of the Aligarh Muslim University, shall not be able to vote to amend the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.
Section 5: Suspension, Revocation, and Termination of Membership
a. Members shall be deemed to have terminated their membership by any one of the following actions:
1. Non-payment of the annual dues.
2. Renunciation of the aims and objectives of the Association.
3. Deliberate violation of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.
4. Written resignation sent to the Executive Council or the President of the Association.
b. Termination of membership shall automatically cause termination of membership in each and every committee of the Association and revocation of all privileges of membership.
c. The Executive Council may recommend termination of a member from the Association subject to the approval of the General Assembly. A General Assembly meeting will be called, within 45 calendar days to approve the Council’s action.
Section 6: AMU Alumnus Definition
“AMU Alumnus” shall be defined as any individual who has
a. received a formal certificate, diploma, or degree from the Aligarh Muslim University; or
b. completed at least one semester at Aligarh Muslim University.
To be designated as an AMU Alumnus, a member may be required to submit a certificate, diploma, or
mark sheet/degree from Aligarh Muslim University
ARTICLE IV: THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Section 1: Powers
a. Collectively, the Members of the Association shall constitute “The General Assembly” of the Association. All powers of the Association belong to the General Assembly. No individual or group may arrogate to himself / herself any power or privilege not specifically delegated to and confirmed on him by the General Assembly.
Section 2: Rights. Privileges and Duties of the General Assembly
a. The General Assembly shall elect the Board and Executive Council of the Association.
b. The General Assembly shall remove and recall any officer of the Association in accordance with the procedures contained in the Bylaws.
c. The General Assembly shall have the exclusive power to amend provisions of the Bylaws.
d. The General Assembly shall review and approve all termination actions of the Council against an Association member. Prior to voting, a hearing will be held. The General Assembly has a right to over-rule the Council action and reinstate the member.
Section 3: Annual Meeting of the General Assembly
a. The Annual Meeting of the General Assembly shall be held during the one-year term of Council and Board. The time, date, and place of the meeting shall be fixed by a resolution of the Council and a minimum of three weeks’ notice in writing shall be given to each voting member, mailed or emailed to his last known addresses. The following items of business shall be transacted in the annual general meeting:
1. Minutes of the last general meeting.
2. Annual report by the Board Chairperson.
3. Annual report by the President
4. The Treasurer’s report, which shall include a balance sheet, general statement of income and expenditures.
5. Collection of membership dues.
6. Action on termination proceedings, if any, against a member of the Association.
7. Elections to the vacancies of the Board.
8. Elections to the Council.
9. Appointment of an independent auditing firm or an auditor, who is not a member of the Council or the Board, audits the accounts of the current fiscal year.
10. Transaction of the general business of the Association and discussion of any other matters referred to the meeting by the Council or the Board or brought up by its membership.
Section 4: Special Meeting of the General Assembly
a. Special meetings of the General Assembly may be held at any time on the call of the Board or 7 the Council or at the written request of at least one-third of the voting members addressed to the Council. Notice of such a meeting shall be given to the members in the same manner as provided for the annual meeting, in which the notice shall specify the nature of business to be conducted.
Section 5: Other Meetings
a. Members of the Association may assemble at any time to exchange information, discuss matters of general interest, and participate in charitable, educational, or literary activities
ARTICLE V: THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS (THE BOARD)
Section 1: Number
a. The Board of Directors shall consist of five (5) members, including the Chairperson of the Board.
Section 2: Qualifications / Terms of Office
a. Any Life Member or Regular Member who is in good standing and who has been a Member for at least one (1) year shall be eligible to seek election and hold office.
b. All Life and Regular Members in good standing who have served on the Council or Board for at least one (1) year shall be eligible to seek the office of Chairperson of the Board.
c. A candidate for Chairperson of the Board must be an alumnus (for the purposes of this bylaw, alumnus includes both students and staff) of Aligarh Muslim University.
d. All Life and Regular members in good standing who are not alumni of Aligarh Muslim University shall be eligible to seek election for a position on the Board, except for the Chairperson. However, the number of non-alumnus members elected to the Board may not exceed more than one (1) on each of the above body.
e. The Board shall hold a meeting within fifteen (15) days after the annual meeting of the General Assembly in order to elect a Chairperson of the Board from within the Board. The Chairperson shall hold office for one (1) year and shall not be eligible for re-election as a Chairperson for two consecutive terms.
f. Five (5) Members shall be elected to the Board of Directors. Each Director shall serve a term of two (2) years.
g. No two (2) Members of the same immediate family shall simultaneously hold office in Executive Council and the Board of Directors combined.
Section 3: Rights. Privileges and Duties of the Board
a. The Board will act as overseer and policy advisor to the Executive Council.
b. The Board will develop long-term plans and policies for approval by the General Assembly.
c. The Board will act on matters referred to it by the Council or the General Assembly.
d. The Board will review and approve the yearly budget presented to it by the Executive Council. The yearly budget shall be presented to the Board within forty-five (45) calendar days of the general elections each year.
e. The Board will interpret the Constitution and the Bylaws in case of a dispute.
f. The Board will hold Joint sessions with the Council as required by the Bylaws.
g. Any three members of the Board may request a Board meeting by writing to the Board Chairperson. The Board Chairperson will call a meeting within fifteen (15) days of receipt of such request.
h. A member of the Board shall not be a member of the Council at the same time.
i. The Board will review and approve candidates for Honorary Membership of the Association by a majority vote.
j. The Board decisions shall be made by a simple majority vote of the members present. An absent member may cast his vote by a written and signed proxy or in writing.
k. Any Member of the Board, consistent with Article V, Section 2.c, who is not an alumnus of the Aligarh Muslim University, shall not vote to amend the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.
Section 4: Rights. Privileges and Duties of the Chairperson of the Board
a. The Chairperson of the Board shall call and chair all Board meetings.
b. The Chairperson of the Board shall address the annual General Assembly meetings.
c. The Chairperson of the Board may call for a joint session of the Board and the Council
ARTICLE VI: THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Section 1: Number
a. The Executive Council shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and the Treasurer
Section 2: Qualifications/Terms of Office
a. All Life and Regular Members in good standing, and who are Members for at least one (1) year shall be eligible to seek election and hold office.
b. All Life and Regular Members in good standing who have served on the Council or Board for at least one (1) year shall be eligible to seek the office of President.
c. A candidate for President must be an alumnus (for the purposes of this bylaw, alumnus includes both students and staff) of Aligarh Muslim University.
d. All Life and Regular members in good standing who are not alumni of Aligarh Muslim University shall be eligible to seek election for a position on the Board, except for the President. However, the number of non-alumnus members elected to the Board may not exceed more than one (1) on each of the above body.
e. Four (4) Members shall be elected to the Executive Council. Each member of the Executive Council shall serve a term of two (2) years.
f. No two (2) Members of the same immediate family shall simultaneously hold office in the Executive Council and Board of Directors combined.
Section 3: Rights. Privileges and Duties of the Executive Council
a. The Executive Council shall manage all affairs of the Association and shall be the administrative and executive organ of the Association.
b. The Executive Council shall prepare and present to the Association members an annual schedule of events.
c. The Executive Council shall act on membership applications, accept the resignation of members, and determine when an automatic resignation has occurred because of non-payment of dues.
d. The Executive Council shall recommend to the Board the conferral of Honorary Memberships.
e. The Executive Council shall recommend to the General Assembly the suspension or revocation of membership for cause after a due hearing process.
f. A member of the Executive Council shall not be a member of the Board at the same time.
g. The Executive Council shall prepare and present an annual operating budget to the Board of Directors.
h. The Executive Council shall prepare and present to the General Assembly an annual reportand a financial statement summarizing the activities of the previous year.
i. The Executive Council has the right to appoint as many individuals or committees as it deems essential for achieving the aims and objectives of the Association.
j. The Executive Council shall seek and collect membership dues and donations.
k. The Executive Council is authorized to spend monies for administrative purposes in accordance with the budget approved by the Board of Directors.
l. Members of the Executive Council are expected to attend all Council meetings and maintain regular contact with the Association rank and file.
m. Any Member of the Executive Council, consistent with Article VI, Section 2.c, who is not an alumnus of the Aligarh Muslim University, shall not vote to amend the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.
Section 4. Executive Council Meeting
a. The Executive Council shall meet at an average of once a month.
b. The Executive Council shall meet at the call of the President. The Secretary shall issue notification of date, time, and place at least five (5) days before the meeting.
c. The Executive Council decisions shall be made by a simple majority vote of the members present. An absent member may cast his vote by proxy, by telephone, or in writing.
d. Any two members of the Council may request a Council meeting by writing to the President. The President will call a meeting within fifteen (15) days of receipt of such request.
Section 5: Rights, Privileges, and Duties of the President
a. The President shall convene and preside over all meetings of the Executive Council and the General Assembly.
b. He/she or his/her designated representative shall act as the official spokesperson of the association.
c. He/she shall be responsible for coordinating activities of the Association.
d. He/she or his/her designated representatives shall confirm minutes of the Council and General Assembly meetings.
e. He/she shall be responsible for expending funds after the budget is approved.
f. He/she shall assist the Treasurer in formulating a yearly budget.
g. He/she shall represent the Association at all meetings of the Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Greater Chicago.
h. He/she shall be responsible for the execution of the programs and policies of the Association.
i. The President is authorized to call an emergency meeting of the Board of Directors and Executive Council at his/her sole discretion.
Section 6: Rights, Privileges, and Duties of the Vice President
a. He/she shall preside at Council and General Membership meetings in the absence of the President.
b. He/she shall coordinate with the President in the conduct of the Council affairs.
c. He/she shall succeed the President in case of removal or resignation of the President.
d. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Vice President may only succeed the President if he/she is an AMU Alumnus. If the President resigns or is removed and the Vice President is not an AMU Alumnus, the vacancy shall be filled per the procedure detailed in Article X, Section 5.a.
Section 7: Rights, Privileges, and Duties of the Secretary
a. The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining all non-financial records of the Executive Council Meetings.
b. He/she shall be responsible for maintaining records of the General Assembly meetings.
c. He/she shall maintain an updated mailing list for the Association.
d. He/she shall correspond on behalf of the Association.
e. He/she shall prepare an agenda for Council and General Membership meetings.
f. He/she shall be the custodian of all records of the Association.
Section 8: Rights, Privileges of the Treasurer
a. The Treasurer shall maintain accurate financial records of the Association.
b. The Treasurer shall collect membership fees from members of the Association to whom he shall issue appropriate receipts.
c. The Treasurer shall maintain a joint bank account with the President.
d. The Treasurer shall pay bills and reimburse expenses incurred on behalf of theAssociation, as approved by the Executive Council.
e. The Treasurer shall prepare and present to the Council and the Board an annual operating budget.
f. The Treasurer shall prepare budgets, reports, and financial status to the General Assembly meetings upon request. He/she shall present the yearly financial statement to the General Assembly at its annual 12 meeting.
g. All financial transactions above Fifty Dollars (U.S. $50.00) shall be made by a bank check unless a written authorization is provided for by the Chairperson and the President.
h. The Treasurer shall make sure that there are no-cost over-runs of the budget approved by the Board. In case a cost over-run does occur, the Treasurer shall immediately prepare a revised budget, which will be submitted, to the Board for approval.
i. The Treasurer shall not allow expenditure of monies on items not contained in the approved budget, except in exceptional situations approved by the executive councilor the board.
ARTICLE VII: EXECUTION OF INSTRUMENTS, DEPOSITS AND FUNDS
Section 1. Execution of Instruments
a. The Board of Directors, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, may by a resolution authorize any officer or agent of the Association to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Association, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless so authorized, no officer, agent, or an employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Association by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable monetarily for any purpose or in any amount.
Section 2. Checks and Notes
a. Except as otherwise specifically determined by resolution of the Board of Directors, or as otherwise required by law, checks, drafts, promissory notes, orders for the payment of money, and other evidence of indebtedness of the Association shall be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the President of the Association.
Section 3. Deposits
a. All funds of the Association shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the corporation in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as the Board of Directors may select.
Section 4. Gifts
a. The Board of Directors may accept on behalf of the Association any contribution, gift bequest, or devise for the charitable or public purposes of this Association.
ARTICLE VIII: COORDINATION BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE COUNCIL
Section 1: Cooperation
a. The Board and the Council shall make every effort to perform their respective duties and use their respective powers in complete harmony with each other. Each body shall nominate one of its members to attend the meetings of the other body as a non-voting participant. There shall be at 13 least four joint sessions of the two bodies in a year. The joint session shall be held at the request of either body, within fifteen (15) days of such a request. Such joint sessions will be presided by the Chairperson and the President by rotation with the Chairperson of the Board presiding the first session.
ARTICLE IX: REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
Section 1: Procedure
a. An officer of the Executive Council, or a member of the Board, may be removed from his/her office or membership of the Board, for cause, after due hearing, in accordance with the following procedure:
1. A recall petition for such action, stating the reasons for the proposed action and bearing the signatures of at least one-third of the total number of the voting members of the Association shall be submitted to the Council and the Board in writing. The Council and the Board will jointly select a Presiding Officer for the recall session of the General Assembly meeting within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of submission of the petition. This officer shall not belong to the Board or the Council. Written notices shall be sent to the last known address of each voting member stating the purpose of the recall session and including a brief summary of the petition.
2. The recall session will hear the charges and the defense, if any; prior to voting on their call petition.
3. To be carried, the recall petition shall require the approval of at least two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, including duly signed proxy votes, if any that are submitted in writing.
4. The process of an individual’s removal from office or membership of the Board, as the case may be, is automatically terminated at any time if the individual in question resigns from such office or membership.
5. The term of the Presiding Officer shall be limited to the recall session
ARTICLE X: ELECTIONS OF THE BOARD AND THE COUNCIL
Section 1: Notice of Vacancies
a. The notice of the annual meeting of the Association, wherein the election is an item of business every two years, shall contain the information regarding the number of vacancies in the Board and Council and the name of the Election Officer.
Section 2: The Election Officer
a. The Election of the Board and the Council shall be conducted by an Election Officer appointed jointly by the Board and the Council at least thirty (30) calendar days before the election.
b. The Election Officer shall be prohibited from seeking election until his/her term shall expire after the election.
c. The Election Officer shall compile the votes cast for each nominee and shall announce the results.
d. The Election Officer shall supply nomination papers to all members eligible to vote in elections.
e. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, any Member who is the spouse or child of an Election Officer shall not run for any position on the Executive Council or Board of Directors during the year that the same Election Officer is in office.
Section 3: Nominations
a. Each nomination paper, signed by one voting member and seconded by another voting member, shall be submitted to the Election Officer at least one week prior to the election date.
b. The voting members nominated for the election shall provide an acceptance of nomination and a vision statement in writing one week before the election to the Election Officer.
c. After accepting the nomination for a specific post, a candidate will not be allowed to change his or her post by accepting a new nomination for a different post.
d. After accepting a nomination for office, a candidate may withdraw their acceptance until the ten (10) days prior to the election date.
Section 4: Election Procedure
a. The election to the vacant positions in the Board and the Council shall be held in the annual meeting by a secret ballot.
b. Each Life and Regular Member in good standing shall have the right to vote.
c. Each candidate shall be introduced to the General Assembly.
d. Each candidate to the Board and Council seat shall be allowed a maximum of five (5) minutes to state his/her position prior to the election.
e. Vacant positions in the Board shall be filled first. Each eligible voting member shall name as many Board members as there are seats vacant. The members with the highest tally of votes will be declared elected to the Board.
f. Election to a vacant position in the Board of Directors or Executive Council shall be held electronically. The results of the election shall be announced via e-mail and/or during an online 15 or physical meeting. The election result (voting numbers for each participating candidates) must be shared by the election officer with the upcoming Board of Directors.
g. The Council members will be elected in the following order:
1. President
2. Vice President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
Section 5: Assignment of members to Vacant Positions
a. Should a vacancy arise on the Board of Directors or Executive Council due to resignation, succession, or any other reason, an election shall be held to fill the position within one (1) month of the date the position is vacated. The election shall follow the procedure detailed in Article X, Section 4.b-d.
ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENTS
Section 1: Proposals for Amendment
a. Proposals for the amendments may be initiated by the Board or the Council or by a group of not less than 10% of the General Assembly members. All proposals for amendments must be submitted in writing to the Board and the Council. For amendments, 50% of the voting members, including those physically present plus or those voting by signed proxy or electronically voting, constitute a quorum.
Section 2: Required Votes
a. The Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly members (who are eligible for voting as per article III, section 4(j)) present and voting, including duly signed proxy votes, if any, that are submitted in writing, and/or electronically voting, provided that a written notice of a minimum of thirty (30) days shall have been given to all members eligible to vote; and provided that such members shall have been sent the text of the proposed amendments and the text of the clauses to be amended, at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting or electronically voting date. Such notices shall be sent to the last known address of each voting member by post office mail or e-mail.
ARTICLE XII: SUCCESSION OF COUNCIL
Section 1: Succession of Council
a. The outgoing Council, after the election, shall transfer all files, documents, records, assets and liabilities, and bank account to the incoming council within fifteen (15) calendar days.
b. All the pending bills and expenses must be cleared within 15 days after declaration of election of results from the date of election.
ARTICLE XIII: MEETINGS AND QUORUM
Section 1: Quorum Requirement
a. Quorum for various meetings shall be defined as follows; General Assembly (1/10 of the General Assembly members), Executive Council (President plus One Executive Council member), Board (Chairperson plus two Board members), Combined meeting of the Executive Council and Board (President, Chairperson, plus any two Executive or Board members). However, for amendments to the constitution or Bylaws, 50% of the General Assembly members - physically present plus those voting by signed proxy - would constitute a quorum.
Section 2: Vote for Decisions
a. All decisions shall be made by a simple majority of vote of the quorum, except for any amendments, which shall require a two-third majority of its quorum.
ARTICLE XIV: FISCAL YEAR
Section 1. Fiscal Year of the Association
a. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on July 1 st and end on June 30th of each year.
ARTICLE XV: PROHIBITION AGAINST SHARING CORPORATE PROFITS AND ASSETS
Section 1. Prohibition Against Sharing Corporate Profits and Assets
a. No member, director, officer, employee, or other person connected with this Association, or any private individual, shall receive at any time any of the net earnings or pecuniary profit from the operations of the Association, provided, however, that this provision shall not prevent payment to any such person of reasonable compensation for services performed for the Association in effecting any of its public or charitable purposes, provided that such compensation is otherwise permitted by these Bylaws and is fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors; and no such person or persons shall he entitled to share in the distribution of, and shall not receive, any of the corporate assets on dissolution of the Association. All members, if any, of the Association shall be deemed to have expressly consented and agreed that on such dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Association, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, the assets of the Association, after all debts have been satisfied, shall be distributed as required by the Articles of Incorporation of this Association and not otherwise.
Section 2. Funding to Third Parties
a. The Executive Council and Board of Directors may allocate a maximum of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) to any organization within any fiscal year. If the Executive Council and Board of Directors jointly determine that funding in excess of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) within one fiscal year period should be allocated to an organization, the Executive Council and Board of Directors may propose a maximum of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00) in additional funding be allocated to the same organization (“Additional Funding”), subject to approval by the 17 General Assembly per Article XIII Section 2 of the Bylaws. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, no more than Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00) may be allocated to any organization within one fiscal year, and the General Assembly may not approve more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) of Additional Funding in any one fiscal year period.
Section 3. Contribution to Specific Projects
a. All projects, including but not limited to projects from Aligarh Muslim University, must undergo review by the Education Committee. Any questions related to a project must be answered by the Member who proposed the same project.
b. At least ten percent (10%) of funding for any project, including but not limited to any project from Aligarh Muslim University, must be contributed by the individual who proposed the said project.
c. After the date of an election is announced, no new projects shall be announced until after the election has concluded.
ARTICLE XVI: GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE
The Board of Directors and Executive Council shall form a grievance committee consisting of:
Section 1: Number
a. The Grievance and Ethics Committee shall consist of three Members.
Section 2: Qualifications
a. None of the three members of the Grievance and Ethics Committee may simultaneously serve on the Executive Council or the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Function
a. The Grievance and Ethics Committee shall handle any written complaints from any Member.
ARTICLE XVII: CREDENTIALS
Section 1. Prohibition Against using personal Ids and phone numbers for maintaining organization accounts
a. All online accounts related to the business of the Association must be created using the Association’s primary email account. If the creation of an online account requires two-way or multi-factor authentication, only the phone number or mobile number of the President or Treasurer may be used. No personal email addresses, or phone numbers other than those of the President or Treasurer, may be used to manage online accounts related to the Association.
ARTICLE XVIII: DISSOLUTION
Upon dissolution of the Association, all assets shall be used to pay any liabilities the Association may have. Any and all remaining assets shall be transferred to a tax-exempt Muslim organization, having similar goals and objectives as the Association, within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Unless otherwise determined at a meeting or by written notice as provided for in this Section, the transference of such assets will be carried out by a three fourths (3/4) vote of the General Body designating the transferee(s). Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of competent jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the Association is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
WRITTEN CONSENT OF DIRECTORS ADOPTING BYLAWS
Below are all of the persons named as the initial directors in the Articles of Incorporation of Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Greater Chicago, an Illinois nonprofit corporation, and, pursuant to the authority granted to the directors by these Bylaws, acted by unanimous written consent without a meeting, consent to, and hereby, adopted the foregoing Bylaws, consisting of 14 pages, as the Bylaws of this Association.
- Dr. M. Muzzaffar Farooqui, Director (Chairperson)
- Dr. Abid Ullah Ghazi, Director
- Dr. M. Masood Athar, Director
- Dr. Sarfraz Ahmad, Director
- Dr. Anser Azim, Director
- Ms. Zehra Quadri, Director
- Mr. M. Amin Haider, Director
Below are all of the persons named as the directors in the Articles of Incorporation of Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Greater Chicago, an Illinois nonprofit corporation, and, pursuant to the authority granted to the directors by these Bylaws acted by unanimous written consent without a meeting, consent to, and hereby, adopted the foregoing Bylaws, consisting of 18 pages, as the Bylaws of this Association on June 23, 2007.
- Dr. Zia Usman, Director (Chairperson)
- Dr. Tausif Alam, Director
- Dr. Moghisuddin Ahmad, Director
- Dr. Haris Jamil, Director
- Dr. Zafeer Ahmad, Director
We, the undersigned, are all of the persons named as the current directors of Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Greater Chicago, an Illinois nonprofit corporation, and, pursuant to the authority granted to the directors by these Bylaws to act by unanimous written consent, consent to, and hereby do, adopt the foregoing amended Bylaws, consisting of 20 pages, as the Bylaws of this corporation on March 10, 2022.
- Dr. Zeba Kidwai Siddiqui, Director (Chairperson)
- Mr. Mohammad Shahanshah Ansari, Director
- Dr. Israrul Haque Ansari, Director
- Dr. Haris Jamil, Director