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Jamaica Defence Force

Alumni Charter

Caribbean Military Academy Alumni Charter

  • General Meetings of the Governing Board. At least four regular meetings shall be held each year, the time and place to be set by the Board. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President. In both cases Board members shall receive at least a two-week notice of the meeting. This notice may be given in writing, by e-mail or by any other reasonable method. One-third of the voting members of the Board may request, in writing, additional meetings. Notwithstanding the foregoing, emergency meetings can be scheduled and convened at a minimum 48 hours notice. Any such meeting may be held so long as a super majority (two-thirds or 67%) of voting members are in attendance.
  • Quorum. A quorum shall be 50 percent of the voting members.
  • Meeting Attendance by Telephone or Videoconference. If a member is not reasonably able to attend the meeting in person, participation may be by telephone or videoconference, so long as the member can hear, or be advised of the discussion of business, and the other members can hear, or be advised of the absent member’s votes or comments. A member participating by telephone or videoconference may count toward a quorum.
  • Election of Officers and Directors at Large. Candidates for open positions shall be nominated by the membership of the Alumni Association. Nominating Committee members may also nominate candidates for the vacant positions. The Nominating Committee shall select a candidate for each position from those nominated and present the slate to the Board for approval. Election shall be by a majority vote of the current members of the Board. The vote may be taken at a meeting or via e-mail.
  • Terms of Office. No voting member shall serve more than two consecutive terms in the same position, unless the Nominating Committee is unable to find a replacement and the member is re-nominated. Terms of office for the Governing Board members shall be:
    1. President: Two (2) years.
    2. President Elect: One (1) year.
    3. Immediate Past President: One (1) year.
    4. School Representatives/At-Large Directors. Two (2) years.
    5. Secretary. Two (2) years, beginning in the second year of a presidential term to ensure continuity between administrations.
    6. Treasurer: Two (2) years, beginning in the second year of a presidential term to ensure continuity between administrations.
  • Resignations. Any voting member may resign at any time by giving notice of resignation to the President.
  • Disqualification. Officers may be disqualified for cause, which shall be determined by a special committee as constituted by the Governing Board.
  • Vacancies. Vacancies created by the death, resignation, or disqualification of Officers or Directors shall be filled by appointments from among the Alumni Association membership by majority vote of the Board for the unexpired portion of the term.
    • Article I. NAME

    The name of the organization shall be The Caribbean Military Academy Alumni Association, hereafter referred to as the “Alumni Association.”

    Article II. MISSION

    The mission of the Alumni Association is:

    • To be an indispensable and engaged partner of the Caribbean Military Academy, hereafter referred to as the “Academy.”
    • To enhance the Academy, and its communities, as leaders in military education, service, and research.
    • To maximize connectivity among students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the Academy.
    Article III. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP
    1. General - All graduates of any degree, diploma or certificate-granting programme of Caribbean Military Academy are members of the Alumni Association.
    2. Honorary - Non-graduates who are or have been faculty or staff of the Academy and financial contributors to the Academy may be elected as members by majority vote of the Governing Board.
    Article IV. DUES

    The Alumni Association is open to membership upon paying dues, which will be on a sliding scale depending on status including special student membership, alumni and ex-officers. Constituent chapters, upon creation, also are open to membership with the requirement of payment of dues as determined by the Academy Alumni Association Governing Board.

    Article V. GOVERNING BOARD

    The Governing Board shall constitute the responsible governing body of the Alumni Association. The Governing Board shall manage the business and affairs of the Alumni Association. It shall have the powers necessary to carry out the mission of the Alumni Association as set forth in Article II.

    1. Composition. The Alumni Association Governing Board, hereafter referred to as the “Board,” is composed of voting and non-voting members.
      1. The voting members shall include: the elected officers, a minimum of four (4) at-large directors, one designated leader of each chapter or representative from each school of the Academy(as described in Article IX) and others as approved by a majority vote of the Board.
      2. The non-voting ex officio members shall include the following staff of the Caribbean Military: President, Director of Alumni Relations, President of the Student Government, and other positions as approved by a majority vote of the Board.
    2. Duties of Governing Board Members
      1. Voting members of the Board shall attend Board meetings and participate in one or more committees of the Board.
      2. Non-voting members of the Board shall be informed of and remain eligible to attend Board meetings and be eligible to serve on one or more committees of the Board.

    The Alumni Charter

    Article VII. COMMITTEES
    1. Standing Committees
      1. (i) The Executive Committee of the Board shall be composed of the President, President-Elect or Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the At-Large Directors. The Executive Committee shall meet via conference call or e-mail as needed to plan the Board’s work, approve chapter allocations when requested, and fulfill other tasks assigned to them by the Board.
      2. The Bylaws Committee shall annually review the Bylaws to ensure the document is consistent with the needs and activities of the Alumni Association and the Academy. All members of this committee must be voting members of the Board.
      3. The Nominating Committee shall be composed of the President, President- Elect or Past President and three other members who are either current or past voting members of the Board. This committee shall prepare a slate consisting of one nominee for each vacancy. This slate shall try to make the Board broadly representative of the Caribbean Military Academy alumni body.
    2. Ad Hoc Committees may be appointed and have duties as defined by the President and approved by the Board. They shall be dissolved at the end of the term of office of the appointing President unless their commission is completed at a sooner date, or unless continued by the new President.
    Article VI. OFFICERS
    1. The Officers of the Governing Board shall include the President, President-Elect or Past President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
    2. Duties of the Officers.
      1. (i) The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board and the Executive Committee. The President shall appoint members of the standing and ad hoc committees.
      2. In alternate years, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President when the President is absent or incapacitated, shall have the same power and duties when acting in that capacity and shall perform whatever duties the Board may from time to time assign.
      3. In alternate years the immediate Past President shall assume the same duties as the President-Elect.
      4. The Treasurer shall:
        1. shall keep, or cause to be kept, full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in the name of the Alumni Association; shall give to the President or Board, whenever they require it, an account of transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Alumni Association; and shall, in general, perform all duties incident to the office of Treasurer, subject to the control of the Board.
      5. The Secretary shall:
        1. (a) have charge of such books, documents and papers as the Board may determine; shall keep, or cause to be kept, a true and complete record of the meetings of the Board and Executive Committee; shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the Board; shall keep, or cause to be kept, a listing of all persons who are members of the Board.
    Article X. AMENDMENTS

    These bylaws and the component articles may be amended, supplemented, or repealed by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all alumni who return the mail or email ballot regarding the amendments by the specified date. The Board shall send, or make available on line to the members of the Alumni Association a copy of the proposed amendments at least thirty days prior to the voting deadline. The bylaws shall become effective upon approval by the alumni responding.

    Any alumna or alumnus of the Caribbean Military Academy may submit a proposed amendment for consideration by the Bylaws Committee and the Governing Board. The proposed amendment must be submitted in writing to an officer of the Alumni Association.

    Article VIII. FINANCES
    1. Fiscal Year. The Caribbean Military Academy shall establish the Board's fiscal year.
    2. Budget. A budget shall be prepared annually by the Executive Committee and approved by the Governing Board.
    3. Financial Statements. The Treasurer shall provide a financial statement for distribution to board members at each quarterly meeting.
    4. Audits. Funds must be audited annually.
    Article IX. AFFILIATION
    1. A. The Alumni Association is affiliated with the Caribbean Military Academy Foundation an independent charity organization established under the Department of Cooperatives and Friendly Society to aid and promote the Caribbean Military Academy, its departments and Schools to enrich the learning, discovery and service mission of the Academy.
      1. (i) Affiliated chapters may represent current or historic academic departments or programmes of the Academy; or they may also be geographically or constituently-based.
      2. (ii) The bylaws and mission of the affiliated chapters shall not be in conflict with the bylaws of the Alumni Association. The affiliated chapter shall elect or appoint its own officers.
      3. The official name of the affiliated chapter shall be the [Name] Chapter of the Caribbean Military Academy Alumni Association.