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FJSA Bylaws

(Adopted September 1994; as Amended September 1995; as Amended January 1999; as amended September 2007)

Article I: Name

The name of this association shall be The Texas A&M University Former Journalism Students Association, hereinafter called the "Association."

Article II: Purpose

The purpose of the Association shall be to support the students studying journalism at Texas A&M University and to improve the educational opportunities of its students. Toward these ends, the Association shall help develop professional contacts for the students, including identifying excellent speakers, assisting in developing internship and job opportunities for its students and alumni, maintaining contact among students and alumni, developing special programs for students and alumni, helping develop international opportunities for students, and keeping journalism students abreast of the latest developments in the technologies, structures, concepts, and techniques of modern mass communication industries.

Article III: Membership

Four categories of membership shall be available in the Association:

Section 1 Active Member: Any former student of Texas A&M University who was enrolled in a journalism course or who worked for the Student Publications Program or any former student who has worked professionally in mass communication may become an active member of the Association.

Section 2 Student Member: Any currently enrolled student of journalism at Texas A&M University may become a student member of the Association.

Section 3 Associate Member: Any individual or organization with interest in journalism education at Texas A&M University may become an associate member of the Association.

Section 4 Corporate Member: Any organization that wishes to support journalism education at Texas A&M University may become a corporate member of the Association.

Article IV: Dues

Dues for the four classes of membership shall be established by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Article V: Meetings

Section 1 Membership Meeting: The annual meeting of the members shall be held in connection with the Alumni Banquet at a time and place as set by the Board of Directors.

Section 2 Meetings of the Board of Directors: The Board of Directors shall meet no less than twice a year, including a meeting at the annual Alumni Banquet. The time and place of meetings shall be set by the Board of Directors.

Section 3 Notice of Meetings: Written notice of all meetings shall be mailed to the address of record of each Association member or Board of Directors member at least two weeks prior to the meeting.

Section 4 Quorum: A quorum shall consist of those members present. The vote of the majority shall be sufficient to discharge business.

Article VI: Officers

Section 1 Number: The Association shall have four officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The immediate past president will be an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee.

Section 2 Terms: Officers shall be elected from the Association membership with the Vice President each year succeeding the President in the subsequent year. The term of office for the President and Vice President shall be for one (1) year commencing at the end of the Annual Membership meeting. The Vice President shall be subject to the nominating and election process each year. The terms of office for the Secretary and Treasurer shall be for two (2) years, commencing at the end of the Annual Membership meeting in which the office is elected. The Secretary and Treasuer shall be subject to the nominating and election process every two years. The Secretary and Treasurer will not be elected in the same year, with the possible exception of filling an interim vacancy.

Section 3 Vacancies: A vacancy in any office for whatever cause may be filled by a vote of the Board of Directors at any Board meeting. The exception is that of the President, in which case the Vice-President shall assume the office and duties of the President for the remainder of the President's term, as well as the normal Presidential term the Vice President would have assumed after being Vice President. In the case of being appointed to a vacant office, the appointed term does not count as an elective term.

Section 4 Duties: The President shall preside at all Board meetings and meetings of the membership. The Vice President shall serve as director of Special Projects for the Association and shall succeed the President in the subsequent year. The Secretary shall record and cause to be distributed the minutes of all meetings, maintain the member roster, and serve as custodian of the Association records. The Treasurer shall serve as chair of the Finance Committee, be financial officer in charge of accounts, render an annual report of the financial status of the Association at the annual membership meeting, and report on Association finances at each Board meeting.

Article VII: Board of Directors

Section 1 Authority: The Board of Directors shall manage all Association business.

Section 2 Membership: The Board of Directors shall consist of nine (9) voting members: the four (4) officers of the Association, four (4) directors elected to chair the Association's Standing Committees, and the immediate past president. One student, either the editor of the Battalion or the editor of the Aggieland, shall serve as a non-voting representative of the curent student body.

Section 3 Terms: Terms of office shall be for two (2) years and shall commence at the end of the annual membership meeting for which the office was elected. Only two of the four positions shall be elected at each annual meeting, with the possible exception of filling an interim vacancy.

Section 4 Vacancies: Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors shall be filled by a vote of the majority of the remaining Directors at any Board meeting. For all Board officers except that of President, the appointed individual shall stand for election at the next regular meeting of the Membership to either fill out the interim term or begin a new term.

Section 5 Quorum: A quorum shall consist of those members present and voting. The vote of the majority shall be sufficient to discharge business.

Section 6 Regular Meetings: The Board of Directors shall meet no less than two (2) times a year, including once at the time of the Annual Alumni Banquet, and at such specific time and place as established by the Board of Directors.

Section 7 Special Meetings: Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President at any time and upon sufficient notice (at least two weeks) to members of the Board.

Section 8 Removal from Office: The Board of Directors may remove any Director or Officer by a two-thirds vote of the Directors present at a special or regular meeting.

Article VIII: Committees

The Association shall have the following Standing Committees, membership of which shall be approved by the Board of Directors, and as many other committees as may be deemed necessary. Each committee shall be chaired by an officer of member of the Board of Directors.

Section 1 Finance Committee: Chaired by the Treasurer, this committee shall be responsible for budgets, financing, collection of dues, and fund-raising activities of the Association.

Section 2 Program Committee: Chaired by the Program Director, this committee shall be responsible for planning all regular and special meetings of the Association and of the Board of Directors and for such additional program initiatives as the Board shall approve.

Section 3 Publication and Publicity Committee: Chaired by the Publication and Publicity Director, this committee shall be responsible for directing the publications of the Association, and for planning and preparing such publicity as might benefit the Association.

Section 4 Membership Committee: Chaired by the Membership Director, this committee shall be responsible for membership, including planning and implementing strategies for increasing membership, coordination of services to members, and improving rosters of members and potential members.

Section 5 Awards and Honors Committee: Chaired by the Director of Awards and Honors, this committee shall be responsible for selecting recipients of awards and honors. The Committee shall recommend to the Board of Directors both the awards and honors to be made and the names of those to be so honored. The Board of Directors must approve all such recommendations before they may be made. These awards and honors may include awards to members of the Association, to students in the Department of Journalism, and to other individuals the Association wishes to recognize.

Section 6 Special Projects Committee: Chaired by the Vice President, this committee shall be responsible for development of such special projects as may benefit the Association.

Section 7 Nominating Committee: Chaired by the Immediate Past President of the Association, this committee shall announce the call for nominations, receive nominations, certify candidates for office, prepare the lists of candidates, mail the lists of candidates to the membership, and conduct the election of new officers at the Annual meeting of the Association.

Section 8 Committee Membership: Membership on committees shall be determined by the Chair of the committee upon approval of the Board of Directors. The majority of the members of a committee shall come from the membership of the Association. However, if it will serve the interests of the Association, committee chairs may occasionally and upon approval of the Board of Directors draw membership of their committees from outside the Association.

IX: Nominations and Elections

Section 1 Nominations: The Nominating Committee shall supervise procedures for nominating new Officers and Board members for the election to office in the Association. The Committee shall call for nominations by letter and by announcement no later than the time of the Honors Banquet in the Spring semester. Nominations may be made by any member of the Association. The Nominating Committee shall certify that each nominee is a member in good standing before listing that nominee as a candidate for a position on the Board.

Section 2 Elections: Elections shall be held at the annual meeting of the Association. Printed ballots shall be distributed to the membership by the Nominating Committee, marked, and returned to the Nominating Committee which shall certify the results of the balloting. The results shall be announced at the Annual Alumni Banquet.

X: Funds

Section 1 Expenditures: The expenditure of funds of the Association shall be in keeping with the policies and budgets of the Association. All funds belonging to the Association shall be deposited in an interest bearing account in the name of The Texas A&M University Former Journalism Students Association. An annual budget of income and expenditures shall be prepared for the annual meeting of the Board of Directors by the Finance Committee.
Section 2 Execution of Instruments: When the execution of any contract, conveyance or other instrument has been authorized without specification of the executing officers, the President or Treasurer may execute the same in the name and on behalf of the Association. The Board of Directors shall have authority to execute any instrument on behalf of the Association.

Section 3 Fiscal Year: The fiscal year of the Association shall be in conformity with that of Texas A&M University.

XI: Amendment

These Bylaws may be amended, altered, changed, added to or repealed by one or more of the following methods:

XII: Parliamentary Authority

To the extent that it is consistent with the Bylaws of the Association, the parliamentary authority of the Association shall be the Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised.

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