SINGING LIONS
ALUMNI INTEREST GROUP

E-Mail: aig@singinglions.org

BYLAWS OF

THE SINGING LIONS ALUMNI INTEREST GROUP

OF THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

ARTICLE I

The name of this organization shall be the Singing Lions Alumni Interest Group (SL AIG) of the Pennsylvania State University.

ARTICLE II

The mission of the Society is to:

Provide a forum for Singing Lions* alumni and friends to enhance their connection with Singing Lions, both past and present, and foster a greater sense of community with Penn State.

Focus the talents and energy of alumni to provide support to the current group, and to promote the reputation of the Singing Lions within the university community as "Penn State's Singing Ambassadors".

Solidify and maintain an interdependent, service-based relationship between the Singing Lions and the Penn State Alumni Association.

*Throughout this document, the name "Singing Lions" is also assumed to include alumni and friends of the group when it was called "Pop Choir."

The SL AIG shall have a minimum 2-yr strategic plan listing goals and objectives. The plan will be reviewed annually and revised as needed. Any updates or amendments to the mission statement and/or strategic plan shall be approved via a consensus of the board or directors.

ARTICLE III

A. All members of the Penn State Alumni Association are eligible for membership.

B. Any individual who has been a member of the Singing Lions for at least two semesters, and expresses a desire to participate in the SL AIG, shall be automatically offered membership upon graduation from Penn State.

C. Any individual with an interest in connecting with the Singing Lions and Penn State University may join the SL AIG upon invitation and approval from the membership committee or any member of the board of directors

D. In accordance with the constitution of the PSAA, the SL AIG must maintain a minimum of 50 members who are also members or associate members of the alumni association. Additionally, of the total number of SL AIG members, at least fifty percent must be members or associate members of the PSAA.

ARTICLE IV

A Board of Directors consisting of the following members shall conduct the affairs of the Society:

A. Six voting directors elected at large by the members of the Society.

B. One voting director appointed by the President of the Board from the membership

body excluding the current Singing Lions group.

C. Three ex-officio, non-voting members:

The current President of the Singing Lions

One current member of the Singing Lions (other than the President) chosen by the current group to serve as a member of the Board

The current director of the Singing Lions

D. Pete Kiefer is a permanent voting member of the Board as long as he is willing and

able to serve. He is not counted as one of the six elected directors.

The six voting members of the Board shall be elected by the SL AIG membership, on a staggered basis, for a term of two years. These members shall be self-nominated by a written statement of intent and elected by mail ballet. Nomination is valid upon motion to confirm the nomination by at least one current Board member and a second to the motion by an additional current Board member. Terms of office commence at the first board meeting after election results are known. The voting member appointed by the President serves a one-year term.

Any Board members failing to contribute substantially to the Board’s efforts may be removed for cause by a two-thirds majority vote of the other voting Board members provided prior notice of a director's intent to make the motion to remove a member is communicated to the entire board at least one week prior to the next scheduled meeting of the board. The member being removed will be given the opportunity to be heard (through an oral or written statement) by the board prior to a vote. A motion to remove a Board member can be made by any voting board member. Removal of a board member must be in the best interest of the SL AIG.

Out of cycle vacancies on the Board shall be filled by an SL AIG member appointed by the President and confirmed by majority vote of the Board.

Members of the Board are volunteers and shall serve without compensation for their services.

No voting member of the Board may be elected for more than two consecutive terms. This rule does not apply for a member appointed by the President (since this is not an elected position). There is no lifetime limit to the total number of terms a member may serve on the board.

The Board has the power to create and disband committees. Committee members shall be members of the SL AIG. At least one committee member shall be a Board member. Any committee member may serve as chairman. The Board will provide written guidance in the form of a charter to committees defining the purpose, tasks and any other details deemed appropriate by the Board. The President of the Board shall sign committee charters.

ARTICLE V

There shall be four officers on the board including a President, Vice President, Secretary and Financial Officer, who shall be members of the SL AIG and members or associate members of the PSAA. Individuals shall only be eligible to hold one office at a time.

Officers of the Board shall be elected by the Board from among current directors for a term of two years. An officer who is not or cannot be re-elected as a board member will continue to server his/her remaining term of office as a voting member of an expanded board.

If the office of the President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall become President for the remainder of the former President's vacated term of office. Any other vacancy shall be filled by vote of the Board of Directors through standard parliamentary procedures.

Any officer may be removed for cause by a two-thirds vote of the current Board after the opportunity to be heard when removal is in the best interests of the SL AIG. Removal as an officer does not imply removal from the Board.

No officer shall be elected for more than two consecutive terms.

ARTICLE VI

The officers shall perform such duties as are described in these bylaws and such others as may be assigned them by the Board or the President of the Board.

A. The President shall be the chief operational officer of the SL AIG, and shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and its officers.

B. The Financial Officer shall have custody and control of SL AIG funds, and will keep complete and accurate records. SL AIG funds shall not be obligated or expended without prior approval from the President or another representative of the Board who has been delegated that authority by the President.

C. The President and the Financial Officer shall each make a report (in writing) at the annual meeting of the membership of the SL AIG.

D. The Board shall keep minutes of its meetings and decisions, whether they are traditional (i.e.; in person) meetings, teleconferences or virtual email meetings or discussions. The Secretary shall have primary responsibility for keeping minutes of Board meetings. Minutes shall be published to the Board within a reasonable time after each Board meeting and made available to the SL AIG membership at large. The Secretary will keep record of correspondence between Board members throughout the year. Secretary is also the official keeper of the SL AIG's documents including (but not limited to) the by-laws, strategic plan and committee charters.

E. Only the President of the Board may speak on behalf of the SL AIG to the PSAA or any other outside organization or entity unless that authority is delegated to another Board member beforehand. At no time will the President (or designated representative) represent his/her own personal opinion as an official position of the SL AIG without prior approval from the Board by majority vote.

F. Committees are responsible to execute the tasks in the charter signed by the President. Committee chairman will make regular progress reports to the Board at least quarterly and upon request by the President.

ARTICLE VII

There will be at least one regularly scheduled meeting of the Board per calendar year. These meetings shall be open to all SL AIG members.

Directors may participate in meetings via teleconference or on-line connection if these capabilities are available and can be arranged. The President should make every effort to arrange for these capabilities to facilitate full participation in meetings by all Board members keeping in mind that members may be dispersed across the country. The Board may accomplish much of its business (including matters that require voting) by non-traditional meeting forums such as on-line chat rooms or email discussions.

The participation of a quorum (at least one member more than half of the voting directors currently in office) is necessary to transact business.

The act of a majority of directors participating in any meeting or discussion at which a quorum is attained shall be considered an act of the Board. All Board members shall be given ample notification and opportunity to participate in any Board meeting or decision.

ARTICLE VIII

An annual meeting of the SL AIG shall be held on a date and place as set by the Board. Written notice of the date and place of the annual members meeting shall be provided by the Secretary at least six weeks in advance. Planning of the annual meeting is generally the responsibility of the Vice President.

ARTICLE IX

These bylaws may be altered, amended, or changed or new bylaws adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board.

These bylaws and any future amendments shall not be in conflict with the Constitution of the Penn State Alumni Association.

October 25, 2003
Singing Lions Alumni Interest Group
Board of Directors