Bylaws

Amended and Approved by the VCCCDRA Members
May 8, 2024

The Bylaws of the VCCCDRA Retirees’ Association

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of the association shall be the Ventura County Community College District Retirees’ Association.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

The purposes of the association are:

  • To share concerns for the VCCCD and the success of its goals.
  • To provide a voice to the District in regard to Board actions that may affect retirees.
  • To provide educational, recreational, and social activities for its members.
ARTICLE III—MEMBERS

Section 1.  Classified, certificated, and management retirees of the Ventura County Community College District are members of the association.  Spouses are welcome at all general and social affairs.

Section 2.  Any person, upon retirement, shall immediately become a member in good standing with all rights and privileges pertaining thereto.

Section 3.  There shall be no initiation fee.  The board shall recommend annual and lifetime dues, and the amount(s) are to be voted upon by members at a general meeting. (Amended 5/8/2024)

Section 4.  A member may obtain life membership status by a one-time payment of an amount recommended by the Executive Board and the amount approved by two-thirds of the members present at the annual meeting.

Section 5.  Spouses of deceased retirees and employees of the District who are planning their retirement may become an associate member of the VCCCDRA.  Associate members will enjoy all benefits and activities of the Association except they may not hold elective office and the Association.  The dues for associate members are the same as for annual or lifetime members. (Amended 5/8/2024)

Section 6.  A Sustaining Partner may be a member or non-member who chooses to donate a one-time amount or an amount to be donated either monthly or annually to further support the VCCCDRA.  This amount is over and above the membership dues.  The division of funds between the operating fund and legal fund will be determined by the VCCCDRA Board, unless specified by the donor. (Section 6 Adopted  5/8/2024)

ARTICLE IV—OFFICERS

Section 1.  Eligibility to hold elective office is restricted to VCCCD retirees only.  All retirees in good standing are eligible to hold office.

Section 2.  All elected officers, listed in rank order are:

  1. President
  2. Vice President
  3. Secretary
  4. Treasurer

Section 3.  Officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws.

Section 4.  The duties of the President shall be:

  1. To preside at all general meetings and Executive Board meetings.
  2. To be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
  3. To appoint, subject to approval of the Executive Board, the newsletter editor, the At-Large Representatives, and chairs of all committees except the Nominating Committee.  (amended March 17, 2021)
  4. To represent the Association in all matters pertaining to Association business not specifically delegated to another individual, and in all contacts with VCCCD.

Section 5.  The duties of the Vice President shall be:

  1. To take the chair if the President vacates the chair or is absent.
  2. To act as program chairperson.
  3. To assume the office of the President in the event the President resigns or is no longer able to perform the duties of the President.

Section 6.  The duties of the Secretary shall be:

  1. To record minutes of all Association membership and Executive Board Meetings.
  2. To keep the official membership roll.
  3. To have on hand at each meeting a list of all committees and their members.
  4. To sign any certified copies of acts of the Association.
  5. To maintain record books in which by-laws, special rules of order, standing rules, and minutes are recorded.
  6. To conduct the general correspondence of the Association; that is, correspondence which is not a function appropriate to other offices or to committees.
  7. To keep an archive of all Association records.

Section 7.  The duties of the Treasurer shall be:

  1. To act as custodian of all Association funds.
  2. To collect all dues and special fees or assessments.
  3. To maintain appropriate and proper bank accounts.
  4. To dispense funds, only upon authority of the Association or Executive Board.
  5. To prepare budgets, financial reports, and annual statements.

Section 8.  At-Large Representatives

Three (3) members of the association shall be appointed by the President as At-Large Representative to serve on the Executive Board with a general portfolio for a two-year term to run concurrently with the two year term of the President.  (Section 8 Adopted on 3/17/2021)

ARTICLE V – ELECTIONS

Section 1.  The Executive Board shall appoint a Nominating Committee which will present its recommendations at its annual general meeting.  Nominations may be made by mail to the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee any time prior to the annual general meeting, or on the floor on the day of the annual meeting.  (Amended on 3/12/2008)

Section 2.  The annual election of officers will be held at a general meeting held in the spring of each year not later than April 30 on a date, time, and location to be communicated in writing to the membership at least 30 days in advance.

Section 3.  The term of office for the elected officers shall be two years, July 1 of an even-numbered year through June 30 of the next even-numbered year.  (Amended 3/3/2010)

Section 4.  Voting for officers shall be by voice, or by a showing of hands by members in attendance at the annual general meeting, unless a secret ballot is called for and approved by a majority of those present.  Secret ballots will be counted by the nominating committee.  (Amended 3/12/2008)

Section 5.  Officers shall be elected by plurality of the votes cast.

Section 6.  Only a candidate may make a request for a recount of ballots for the office in question.

Section 7.  A Presidential candidate shall be elected for two years and may not be immediately re-elected but may be elected to the office of President again after two years out of office unless there is no candidate for President at the Annual Meeting (Adopted 4/1/2015)

Section 8.  No member may hold more than one elective office at the same time.

Section 9.  If a vacancy exists in any office for any reason, the Executive Board will appoint an Association member to fill the position until the next election (Adopted 4/1/2015)

Section 10.  In the event that no President or Vice President is elected at the general election at an Annual General Meeting, and no one steps forward for such appointment by the Executive Board, this section will go into effect until elections at the next Annual General Meeting.

  1. In the absence of an elected or appointed President or Vice President, the immediate past President, or Secretary, or Treasurer, or Benefits Committee Chair, or Educational Issues Committee Chair, or Membership Committee Chair, in that order (ordered by tenure of the existence of each committee), are authorized to call emergency Executive Board meetings and preside at those meeting to plan for the next Annual General Meeting.
  2. The Standing Committee Chairs duly appointed by a President and approved by the Executive Board shall continue to serve by indicating, before their term expires on June 30, that they are willing to continue serving on the Executive Board until such time that a new President is elected. (Section 10 Adopted on 4/1/2015)
ARTICLE VI  –  THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1.  The Executive Board (hereinafter referred to as “the Board”) shall consist of all elected officers, standing committee chairpersons, the immediate past President, the At-Large Representatives, and the Newsletter editor.  (Amended 3/17/2021)

Section 2.  The Board shall meet at such a place and time as may be ordered by the President.  Special meetings of the Board shall be called by the President on a written request of three (3) members of the Board.

Section 3.  The Board shall have general supervision and administration of the affairs of the Association between its general meetings and make recommendations to the Association.  The Board shall be subject to the orders of the Association, and none of its acts shall conflict with actions taken by the Association.

Section 4.  A quorum for doing business by the Board shall be one more than half of the members of the Board.

Section 5.  Any member may attend a Board meeting as an observer only.  If a member feels that he/she has business to discuss with, or present directly to the Board, he/she may do so only if a description of the subject to be discussed is presented in writing to the President beforehand.  He/she will have no vote at the Board meeting.

ARTICLE VII – STANDING COMMITTEES

The President shall appoint committee chairpersons as the need for committees arise.

ARTICLE VIII – PARLIaMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised edition, shall guide the Association in all cases where they are applicable and in which they are not  inconsistent with these by-laws and any special rule or order the Association may adopt.

ARTICLE IX – DISSOLUTION OF ASSOCIATION

The Association may be dissolved by a vote by written ballot of two-thirds of the members present at a general meeting of the Association specifically announced for this purpose.  Any member may propose dissolution to the Executive Committee, which shall vote on whether to send the proposal (in the form of a motion) to a general meeting as specified above.  Notification processes for this proposed action shall be made in accordance with the procedures of Article X for the amendment of the by-laws.  If such dissolution takes place, all fiscal holdings of the Association shall be gifted to the three college foundations equally divided for use exclusively for student scholarships.  The Executive Board is empowered to act in the single matter ONLY following dissolution.  (Amended 3/30/2011)

ARTICLE X – AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

These by-laws may be amended at any general meeting of the Association by two-thirds vote of the members present at the meeting, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to each member at least thirty (30) days prior to the general meeting at which the amendment is to be voted upon.  Publication of proposed amendment(s) in the Association newsletter or by other written method shall be considered appropriate written notification to the membership at large. (Amended 3/30/2011)

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