The name of this organization shall be the American Association of University Women of Florida, hereinafter called Florida AAUW.

The AAUW Charter and Bylaws shall govern the Florida AAUW in all its practices. These bylaws shall not conflict with the AAUW Charter and Bylaws. Every amendment to the Bylaws of the Association shall become effective and binding on the Florida AAUW.

The purpose of Florida AAUW shall be to unite graduates of regionally accredited educational institutions in order to promote equity for women, education and self development over the life span, and positive societal change. Florida AAUW shall participate in the development of policies and program of the Association, contribute to the Association's growth and advancement, and cooperate in the Association's state and regional work. Florida AAUW shall implement programs through support of the AAUW Educational Foundation and AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund, and through study, action and public policy. Florida AAUW shall promote, encourage and coordinate the work of the branches.

Section 1. Matters of National Scope.

1. The policies and program of the Association shall be binding on all members, branches, and states, and no member, branch or state shall use the name of the Association to oppose such policies or program. Established channels may be used to change a policy or program.
2. The freedom of speech of the individual member to speak a personal opinion in the member's own name is not abridged.
3. Reference to membership in the Association by an individual shall be interpreted as use of the name in application of Section 1, a.
4. On any national matter on which the Association has no policy, the only action which may be taken by a member, branch, or state in the name of the Association is to use the established channels to effect the formulation of a policy.
5. Violation of the use of the Association's name shall result in:
   (1) a member's suspension for one year or expulsion from membership; or
   (2) a loss of recognition of a branch or state.

Section 2. Matters of State Scope.

1. The policies and program of the Florida AAUW shall be binding on all members and branches and no member or branch shall use the name of the Florida AAUW to oppose such policies or program. Established channels may be used to change a policy or program.
2. On any state matter on which Florida AAUW has no policy, the only action which may be taken by a member or branch in the name of Florida AAUW is to use the established channels to develop a policy.

Section 1. Eligibility. Any graduate meeting the requirements for membership in the Association shall be eligible for membership in Florida AAUW.

1. Branch. All branches within the state shall be members of Florida AAUW.
2. Member-at-large. A member-at-large of the Association residing within the state may become a member-at-large of the Florida AAUW upon application to the state director for finance and payment of state dues.
3. Associate Member. An associate member, admitted prior to July 1, 1957, who has maintained a continuous membership in a branch and state, may be an associate member of the branch and state, but not of the Association. This status cannot be renewed after resignation.
4. College/University. A college or university within the state which is a college/university member of the Association shall be also a college/university member of the Florida AAUW and shall be entitled to representation at state meetings.
5. Life Member.
   (1) Paid. Any member of the Association may become a life member upon a one-time payment of twenty years' dues based on the amount of Association dues the year the member elects to become an Association life member. A paid life member who is a member of the Florida AAUW continues to pay annual state dues.
   (2) Fifty-Year Honor. Any member who has paid Association dues for fifty (50) years shall become a life member and shall be exempt from state dues.
   (3) Florida AAUW. Any person for whom a stipend-bearing American or International Fellowship Endowment or a Research and Projects Endowment in the AAUW Educational Foundation has been established shall become a Florida AAUW life member and shall be exempt from payment of state dues.

Section 2. Student Affiliates. An undergraduate student enrolled in a regionally accredited educational institution shall be eligible for student affiliation. Student affiliates shall be entitled to attend branch, state, and Association meetings and receive the publication distributed to all members of the Association. Affiliates may not vote or hold office.

Section 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of Florida AAUW shall correspond with that of the Association and shall begin July 1.

Section 2. Dues. The annual state dues for branch members shall be fixed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the state convention upon recommendation of the state board of directors. The vote shall be by multiple card vote.

1. Each branch shall pay annual dues to Florida AAUW for each member and associate member belonging to the branch. Dues are payable to the state director for finance on or before July 1, and are in arrears if postmarked after July 1. This amount shall include a subscription to the state publication. Dues of new members may be accepted at any time. Florida AAUW shall conform to Association policy for dues received between Jan. 1 and June 30.
2. Payment of dues shall be waived for a transferring member whose current dues have been paid in another state.
3. College/university members shall pay no state dues.

Section 3. Budget. The annual budget for the state shall be prepared by the finance committee and approved by the board of directors.

Section 4. Audit. The executive committee of Florida AAUW shall provide for audit and control of funds as are necessary to assure safe keeping and complete accounting.

Section 1. Elected Officers. The elected officers of Florida AAUW shall include the president, director for program, director for membership, director for finance, director for the Educational Foundation, director for public policy, director for Legal Advocacy Fund, director for communications, and recording secretary.

Section 2. Appointed Officers. The appointed officers of Florida AAUW shall be an administrative assistant, a bylaws and policies chair, an historian, a parliamentarian, and such other officers as may be considered desirable to carry on the work of the state. They shall be appointed by the president in consultation with the executive committee.

Section 3. Qualifications for Officers. Elected and appointed officers shall be members of the Association.

Section 4. Terms of Office. The term of office shall be two (2) years and begin on July 1. No member shall serve more than two (2) terms consecutively as an elected officer except the president. The president shall have served previously on the Florida AAUW board of directors and may have served two (2) terms as an elected officer.

Section 5. Vacancies.

1. A vacancy in the office of president shall be filled for the unexpired term by the director for program, and the office of director for program shall be declared vacant.
2. A vacancy in any office other than the president shall be filled for the unexpired term by the executive committee.

Section 1. Duties of Elected Officers. Officers shall perform the duties prescribed by the bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by Florida AAUW. They shall implement their responsibilities through committees representative of the membership. Officers shall maintain a global, community, and cultural perspective. All officers shall make written annual reports.

a. President:

The president shall have the usual executive powers of supervision and management such as may pertain to the office of president, and such other powers and duties as designated by Florida AAUW board of directors and the executive committee, and shall:

1. exercise, with the secretary of Florida AAUW, all legal documents required by the state;
2. be responsible for submitting such reports and forms as required by the Association;
3. officially represent Florida AAUW in activities of the Association.

b. Directors:

(1) Director for Program. The director for program shall:

1. assume responsibility for implementing the program of FL AAUW;
2. perform the duties of president in all cases in which the president is unable to serve;
3. assume the office of president in the event of a vacancy in that office.

(2) Director for Membership. The director for membership shall:

(a) assume responsibility for developing and maintaining membership;

(b) act as presiding officer in the absence of both the president and director for program.

(3) Director for Finance. The director for finance shall serve as the chief financial officer of Florida AAUW.

(4) Director for the Educational Foundation. The director for the Educational Foundation shall implement Foundation programs on fellowships, research and projects, and such others as may be established by the Association or Foundation.

(5) Director for Public Policy. The director for public policy shall:

1. formulate and implement public policy in compliance with Association and state policy;
2. be responsible for the state lobbyist.

(6) Director for the Legal Advocacy Fund. The director for the Legal Advocacy Fund shall:

1. implement the Legal Advocacy Fund.

(7) Director for Communications. The director for communications shall:

1. be responsible for all internal and external communications;
2. be responsible for publications originating in the Florida AAUW.

(8) Secretary. The secretary shall:

1. record the minutes of the meetings of the Florida AAUW board of directors and the executive committee;
2. file all written reports presented at state meetings;
3. have available at all meetings a copy of the current AAUW Charter and Bylaws, the state bylaws, and list of state officers, committees and task forces.

Section 2. Duties of Appointed Officers.

a. Administrative Assistant. The administrative assistant shall assist the president.

b. Parliamentarian. The parliamentarian shall:

1. act in an advisory capacity to the president or other presiding officer on questions of parliamentary procedure;
2. serve as an ex officio member of the bylaws and policies committee.

c. Historian. The historian shall assemble material of historic value to Florida AAUW to be placed in the archives.

d. Bylaws and Policies Chair. The bylaws and policies chair shall:

1. be responsible for state bylaws and policies being current and in conformity with the AAUW Charter and Bylaws.
2. be responsible for branch bylaws being in conformity with the AAUW Charter and Bylaws and the state bylaws.

Section 1. Nominating Committee.

a. There shall be a nominating committee of five (5) members elected by the following procedure:

1. two (2) members elected by the board of directors at the board meeting prior to the state convention; two (2) alternates may be elected also;
2. three (3) members elected by the voting body at the state convention.

b. The president shall appoint a temporary chair from among the committee members who then shall appoint a permanent chair.

c. No branch shall be represented on the nominating committee more than once in five years.

d. Consent of the nominees for the nominating committee must be obtained before their names are placed in nomination.

e. All five members of the nominating committee shall have been members of Florida AAUW for at least three (3) years prior to serving on the nominating committee.

Section 2. Elections.

a. The elected officers shall be elected at a Florida AAUW convention by duly accredited delegates.

b. The president, director for membership, director for communications, director for the Educational Foundation, and the secretary shall be elected in even-numbered years. The director for program, director for finance, director for college\university relations-Legal Advocacy Fund and director for public policy shall be elected in the odd-numbered years. Four (4) directors-at-large shall be elected each year. There shall be no more than one director-at-large from the same branch on the Board at the same time, and no director-at-large may serve as director-at-large for two consecutive terms.

c. Elections shall be by ballot except where there is only one candidate for an office. Then the election may be by voice vote. A majority vote shall constitute an election.

Section 1. Composition. The board of directors shall be composed of the elected officers, a representative from each cluster, and a branch president from each cluster.

Section 2. Powers and Duties.

a. State Administration. In accordance with the bylaws and convention action, the board of directors shall have the general power to administer the affairs of Florida AAUW and to initiate and carry out its program and policies. It shall act for Florida AAUW between conventions and adopt rules to govern its proceedings.

b. Branch Assistance.

1. Creation. Upon recommendation of the president, the board of directors shall have the authority to approve in writing the application of any group of graduates qualified to form a branch within Florida AAUW under the AAUW Charter and Bylaws.
2. Termination. The board of directors shall review the findings of any branch which shall appear to have forfeited its right to continue as a branch under the AAUW Charter and Bylaws and recommend action to be taken. A branch shall be deemed to have forfeited its right to continue as a branch for any of the following reasons: (a) has fewer than fifteen (15) members for (12) consecutive months; (b) has not submitted to the Association treasurer the required dues for a period of two (2) years; (c) has violated the purpose of the Association or the provisions of its Bylaws; (d) has maintained branch bylaws or practices in conflict with the AAUW Charter and Bylaws; (e) has exceeded the twenty percent (20%) limitation on associate members.
3. The Association Board of Directors shall have the authority to waive the numerical requirement in the formation or continuance of branches in very small communities.

Section 3. Meetings and Quorum.

a. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the board of directors shall be held at least twice a year at the call of the president at such times and place as shall be designated.

b. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the board of directors shall be called at any time by the president or upon the request of five (5) members of the board, provided that at least five (5) days notice of such meeting and its agenda shall have been given to the members of the board of directors.

c. Quorum. The quorum for a meeting of the board of directors shall be a majority of its members.

Section 4. Mail Ballot. In the interim between meetings of the board of directors, a mailed ballot may be taken at the request of the president on any question submitted in writing. Voting shall close ten (10) days after the question has been submitted. If a majority shall vote on a question sent to the members of the board of directors, the vote shall be counted and shall have the same effect as if cast at a meeting of the board of directors. Approval shall be by a majority of those voting.

Copyright ©1998, Florida AAUW