CMWA Bylaws

Article I - Name

The name of the Women’s Club of Carnegie Mellon University will be the Carnegie Mellon Women’s Association (CMWA). 

Article II - Mission

The CMWA seeks to give members of the Carnegie Mellon University community the opportunity to meet and interact with one another across the campus. Through a variety of programs and social gatherings, members can help to build a greater sense of community life at Carnegie Mellon.

During the association’s long history of service at the university, a primary concern has been the welfare of the students. To this end, members contribute to the Carnegie Mellon Women’s Association Scholarship Fund each year as a condition of membership. The Carnegie Mellon Women’s Association Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to selected graduating students, with a preference for students who demonstrate a commitment to the advancement of women in their academic pursuits. For more information, visit the CMWA’s website: https://www.cmu.edu/cmwa/index.html.

Article III – Membership; Required Annual Contribution

Section 1. Membership in the CMWA is open to all faculty, administrators, trustees and staff or spouses/partners and friends of faculty, administrators, trustees, and staff who support the advancement of women in the university community. Any member may retain their active membership in the Association upon their retirement or upon their partner’s retirement or death.

Section 2. All members of standing activity groups of the association must be members in the association. As a condition of membership in the Association, members are encouraged to contribute each year to the Carnegie Mellon Women’s Association Scholarship Fund. The recommended amount is $25, although members may contribute more or less. The foregoing annual contribution amount may be changed/increased by the Executive Committee prior to the commencement of the association’s fiscal year, but once fixed by the Executive Committee for a fiscal year, it shall remain the same throughout that year.

Chairpersons of each activity group shall report highlights of the year to the President who will then share them with the membership.

Article IV - Officers and their Election

Section 1. The officers of the association shall be an Honorary President, President, Past President, one or more Vice Presidents (in areas of specialization including membership, programs and communications, as needed), and Treasurer. These officers will constitute the Executive Committee of the Association.

The partner of the university’s president will be offered the position of Honorary President of the Association. If the partner of the university’s president declines the offer to serve as Honorary President, the university president will be offered the position of Honorary President. If the university’s president also declines to serve as Honorary President, the position of Honorary President shall remain vacant until there is a new university president and/or partner of the university president.

The Honorary President serves in an advisory capacity.

All officers except the Honorary President shall be elected bi-annually, based upon an alternating year schedule, in order to maintain continuity.

The term of office shall be two years beginning with the first of July following the election.

Section 2. No officers shall be eligible for the same office for more than two terms in succession unless approved by the members.

Section 3. The President-elect will be selected from the current Executive Committee unless none of the current officers chooses to stand for the office. Then the office will be open for nominations or volunteers from the current membership of the association.

Section 4. In the spring, the Executive Committee will call for nominations from the current members for open positions. It shall be the duty of the committee to prepare a slate of officers. Nominations from the floor shall also be in order. The membership will vote to approve officers at the annual meeting. The new officers shall be announced via letter, email and website announcement.

Section 5. A vacancy occurring in an office during the year shall be filled by the Executive Committee for the unexpired term.

Article V - Duties of Officers

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of all of the officers of the association. The committee shall meet regularly at the discretion of the president or at the request of two of the officers. The committee shall have the power to transact business between meetings.

Section 2. The president shall preside at all meetings of the association and the Executive Committee and shall appoint all special committees and assign special duties to the officers as needed.

Section 3. The vice presidents shall perform the duties of the President in her absence or temporary inability to serve, and they shall be responsible for tasks assigned by the President, including but not limited to, programming, communications, membership and website.

Section 4. The treasurer shall collect and receive all money due to the Association and disburse same on order of the president or the Executive Committee. They shall assume fiscal responsibility for the portion of the association budget funded by the university. They shall prepare an annual Treasurer’s report and shall have another member of the association review their books at the end of their term.

Section 5. The past president shall serve in an advisory capacity to the executive board and in the administration of the scholarships.

Article VI - Meetings of the Association

The CMWA Board will plan programs, discussions, and social gatherings for the Association and shall keep members informed of campus activities that are of possible interest. Members will be encouraged to initiate activities in which they have a particular interest and which they would like to share with other members (i.e., book club, service club, knit and crochet club). 

Article VII – Dues; Fiscal Year

There  shall be no annual dues, unless the Executive Committee determines otherwise. The amount of any dues will be set by the Executive Committee and will remain the same throughout the year. The requirement to pay any such annual dues shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the member’s obligation to pay the required annual contribution to the Carnegie Mellon Women’s Association Scholarship Fund as specified in Article III.

The fiscal year of the association shall begin on July 1.

Article VIII - Rules of Order

Parliamentary authority and rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order, revised, shall govern the Association in all cases to which applicable and in which they are not in conflict with the bylaws of this Association.

Article IX - Amendments to Bylaws

The Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the association by a two-thirds vote of those present, providing the amendment has been submitted in writing prior to the regular meeting and the membership has been notified that a vote will be taken.

Reviewed and revised by the Bylaws committee, September 18, 1995.
Adopted November 2, 1995
As reviewed, revised, and amended April 24, 2002.
As reviewed, revised, and amended 2007-2008.
As reviewed, revised, and amended July 18, 2014.
As reviewed, revised, and amended June 30, 2016.
As reviewed, revised, and amended June 23, 2021.