Bylaws of the FEA

Faculty Emeriti Association ByLaws 13 May 2015

I Name and Organization: The name of the Association shall be the MSU Faculty Emeriti Association (hereinafter: MSU FEA.) The Association is guided by the MSU FEA Steering Committee, which was originally formed under the auspices of the Office of Faculty & Organizational Development. This formation took place in the early winter of 2004, following a university-wide meeting of Emeriti Faculty and current university personnel in November 2003.

II MISSION: The mission of the MSU Faculty Emeriti Association is 1) to promote, facilitate and sponsor activities that enable faculty emeriti to be actively engaged with the University and the community and 2) advocate for faculty emeriti in university endeavors that might have influence on their well-being. As part of that mission the MSU Faculty Emeriti Association 1) sponsors a lecture series featuring a wide range of speakers, 2) awards recognition to faculty emeriti and their departments, 3) conducts the Michigan State Oral History Project, and 4) represents the faculty emeriti at Michigan State’s Faculty Senate, University Council, and Healthcare meetings.

III MEMBER: All retired faculty officially designated as Faculty Emeriti by the Michigan State University Board of Trustees are members of the Association.

IV. STEERING COMMITTEE: The Steering Committee shall have the responsibility for establishing policies and adopting rules and regulations for the conduct of Committee meetings and the management of the MSU FEA activities, as it may deem necessary and appropriate. All actions of the Steering Committee will be by majority of those present at the meeting. The Steering Committee meetings will be open to all interested faculty emeriti. Typically, the Steering Committee will meet monthly but may meet more or less frequently as necessary. The Steering Committee shall convene an annual meeting of the MSU FEA in the spring of each year to elect new members of the Steering Committee and to consider changes in the Bylaws.

The newly constituted Steering Committee shall consist of twelve or more elected members with new members elected annually for three-year terms. The past Chair shall serve, with vote, one additional year.  The elections for the Steering Committee will be held in the spring each year at the annual meeting. The Steering Committee may add members at its discretion.

V. OFFICERS: At the first meeting, following the annual election the members of the Steering Committee shall select three of their number to serve as Chairperson., Vice Chairperson and Secretary/Treasurer. These officers will serve a one-year term and will be eligible for a second year one-year term. No officer may serve more than two consecutive one-year terms in an elected position.

VI. STANDING COMMITTEES: The standing committees of MSU FEA shall consist of the Awards Committee, the Lecture/Seminar committee, the Communications Committee and the Nominations Committee. The Steering Committee shall select all committee members and their respective chairs annually. Other committees may be established by a majority vote of members present at any Steering Committee meeting. The formed committees have the right to add faculty emeriti members at large with the consensus of the committee.

The Awards Committee will be responsible for developing a slate off faculty emeriti for awards, presenting the slate to the Steering Committee for approval and developing the process needed to present the awards.

The Lecture/Seminar Committee will be responsible for developing lists of potential speakers for the Steering Committee to consider, contacting the approved speakers and providing the logistics necessary for presenting the programs.

The Communication Committee will arrange for the needed external communications such as advertising etc. for the lecture/seminar presentations, awards presentations and other activities of the MSU FEA.

The Nominations Committee shall consist of at least two members from the current Steering Committee and at least one member from the faculty emeriti at-large.  The Nominations Committee will prepare a slate of candidates for election at the annual meeting.

VII. ANNUAL MEETING: The annual meeting shall consist of a business portion for the purpose of electing new members of the Steering Committee and voting proposed amendments to the MSU FEA Bylaws.  Nine members of the Steering Committee must be in attendance in order for business to be conducted. The Nominating Committee's slate of new members shall be presented for election. Successful votes for nominations shall be by a simple majority of those present and voting, while Bylaws changes shall pass by a vote of a 2/3 majority of the members present and voting at the annual meeting.

The Steering Committee can be reached by email at fea@msu.edu or by telephone via the Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development at 517-432-1185.