German University League 1914-1915
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in IV ^^^^^" German University League 1914-1915 GERMAN UNIVERSITY LEAGUE DEUTSCHER AKADEMIKER BUND CONSTITUTION TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS BERICHT ÜBER DAS GESCHAEFTS-JAHR 1914-1915 ANHANG : To the Universities of America German Thoughts and Wishes for the New Year 1915 United States of Germany. Germany's Future New York, November, 1915. GERMAN UNIVERSITY LEAGUE CONSTITUTION Adopted at the Annual Meeting, October 30, 19!5 I. NAME The name of the organization is the GERMAN UNIVERSITY LEAGUE. II. PURPOSES The purposes of the organization shall be: ( 1 ) To establish in the United States a well-organized center for former students at German Universities and other German Institutions of similar standards in Germany, Austria-Hungary and other countries. (2) To co-operate with every effort to strengthen the regard for the Germans and for their aims and ideals and to secure for them fair play and proper appreciation. (3) To correct misinformation about German conditions and problems by placing before educated Americans and before the press of this country reliable material bearing on German affairs. III. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, ( 1 ) The affairs of the League shall be conducted by the Executive Committee, consisting of twenty members, who shall serve as Trustees of the League, divided into four classes of five members each. Five of them shall be elected, by ballot, at each annual meeting of the League, to replace the outgoing class and to take office at the expiration of the term of such out going class. They shall hold office for four years, or until the fourth annual meeting after their election. The Trustees shall have full power over, and general charge of the affairs, funds, and property of the League. It shall be their duty to carry out the purposes of the League according to its Con stitution. (2) Whenever one of the twelve districts, under which the members are at present registered, has fifty resident members, it must, at the first opportunity, be represented in the Executive Committee by at least one Trustee. Not less than sixteen members of the Executive Committee shall be elected from the "members" of the League. The balance may be elected from the "associate members." (3) The Executive Committee shall, as soon as may be after each annual meeting, elect from its own body as officers of the League: A President, two or more Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and a Recording Secretary, who shall hold office until the last Saturday of the succeeding October, and until their successors are elected. They may appoint as Executive Secretary any member or associate member of the League. The Trustees shall submit to the League a general report of the affairs of the League, which shall be printed and distributed to the members at least five days before the annual meeting, and shall report at other times if required. (4) The Executive Committee shall meet once a month, except during the months of June, July and August, and special meet ings may be called by order of the President. Seven members of the Executive 2 Committee shall constitute a quorum. (5) The Trustees may fill any vacancy in their body by election of a member to hold office until the next annual election. (6) The Trustees shall also have the right to elect such other mem bers of the League, as they deem advisable, to serve as Trustees for the remainder of the current business year. IV. PRESIDENT The President shall preside at the meetings of the League or of the Trustees and shall attend to the duties incumbent upon this office. In case of his absence one of the Vice-Presidents shall act in his place. No President shall be elected to succeed himself. V. TREASURER AND ASSISTANT TREASURER The Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer shall collect all dues and shall keep the accounts of the League and report thereon at each regular meeting of the Trustees. He shall pay all approved bills. All checks, contracts and other obligations of the League shall be signed or certified to by the Executive Secretary, or an Assistant Executive Secretary appointed by him, and counter signed by the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer. VI. RECORDING SECRETARY AND EXECUTIVE SECRETARY (a) The Recording Secretary shall give notice of all meetings of the League and of the Trustees and shall keep minutes of such meetings. He shall notify persons elected to membership of their election. (b) The Executive Secretary shall conduct the correspondence and keep the records of the League and of the Trustees. He shall be the keeper of the seal of the League. He shall be an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee and of the sub-committees. He shall supervise the publishing and circulation of all pamphlets that have been approved by the Executive Com mittee. He shall attend to the official communications of the League, which shall be countersigned by the President or, in his absence, by one of the other officers. In case he is prevented from performing these duties, the Recording Secretary shall take his place temporarily. VII. COMMITTEE ON ADMISSIONS. ELECTION OF MEMBERS There shall be a Committee on Admissions, to consist of five Trustees. The name and residence of every person proposed for admission, with the name of the member proposing, shall be referred to the Committee on Admissions. It shall be the duty of the committee to vote upon each name separately and by ballot. On the election of each new member the committee shall notify the Recording Secretary of the League. VIII. MEETINGS AND ELECTIONS There shall be an annual meeting of the League on the last Saturday in October of each year. At the annual meeting to be held on the last Saturday of October, 1915, twenty members shall be elected by ballot, who shall constitute the Trustees and who shall hold office, as provided in Article III of this Constitution, and thereafter at each annual meeting five members, only one of whom may be an associate member, shall be elected by ballot as members of the Executive Committee (to replace the outgoing class). Their 3 term of office shall be four years. Vacancies in the other classes shall also be filled at such a meeting by ballot. A majority of the votes cast shall be necessary to elect. Members, who are not residents of the city, where the meeting is held, may vote by proxy. Such proxy must be certified by the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, and the Recording or Executive Secretary. (2) Officers of the Executive Committee shall hold office during the term for which they are elected and until their successors are chosen. (3) If any vacancy shall occur in the Executive Committee, such vacancy may be filled by election, by ballot, at a special meeting of the League, to be called by the Trustees, provided that at least ten days' notice of such elections shall have been mailed. (4) Upon the written request of fifty members, the Trustees shall call a special meeting of the League, which request, as also the notice of any special meeting, shall state the object for which the meeting is called, and at a special meeting no subject not so stated shall be considered. Fifty members, voting in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the League. All meetings shall preferably be conducted in the German language, but the use of the German language shall be optional with each speaker. IX. QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS Any person nominated for membership after November I, 1915, who has studied at a German University or at other German Institutions of similar standards in Germany, Austria-Hungary or other countries, shall be eligible Co membership in this League. Any person nominated after November 1, 1915, (a) who is a graduate of an American University or College, (b) who has shown to the satisfaction of the Committee on Admissions an intelli gent interest in the aims and purposes of this League, shall be eligible to associate membership in this League. Such associate members are. entitled to all the privileges of the League, with the exception of the right to vote. As to persons nominated for membership before November 1, 1915, the provision adopted on February 3, 1914, shall apply. X. RESIGNATION, SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION (a) Resignation of membership must be made to the Executive Secretary in writing. (b) Any member may be suspended or expelled for cause by vote of three-fifths of all the members of the Executive Committee, fifteen days' previous notice in writing having been given to the member of the charges preferred against him. Any action under this article may be revoked or modified by subsequent vote of the Executive Committee. XI. DUES The annual dues shall be $2 for members and associate members and are payable not later than thirty days after notice has been given, otherwise loss of the membership may result. XII. COMMITTEE ON LITERATURE AND ART The committee, under the direction of the Executive Committee, shall have charge of and regulate the publication of all pamphlets and books and the exhibit of all works of art and craft arranged for by the League, and shall have the power to solicit and receive donations. 4 XIII. THE FINANCE AND AUDITING COMMITTEES The Executive Committee shall appoint a Finance Committee, whose members shall supervise the finances of the League. The accounts of the League must be audited once a year by three members, who do not belong to the Finance Committee and who are to be appointed by the President. XIV. COMMITTEE ON LECTURES This committee, under the direction of the Executive Committee, shall have charge of the arrangements for lectures.