Club Constitution

ARTICLE 1.  NAME

Section 1. This organization shall be called the Better! AroundUs Sosocial Club and will henceforth be referred to as “the club”

ARTICLE II.  MISSION AND STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Section 1. The mission of the club is to ensure the personal and collective advancement of women through community-based programs and shared experiences. We’re creating an ecosystem where every woman feels supported, can develop their potential, and collaborate toward a stronger community. We investment in women’s health outcomes and development by providing spaces where women can connect, learn, and lead together, strengthening both individual confidence and community resilience. Our initiatives centralize community engagement and promote sustainable social impact. This is how we fulfill our commitment to making the world around us better.

This is accomplished by promoting sociability and progression of the ideals of the club through:

  1. Club wide social and volunteer events

  2. Community support campaigns

  3. Connection to public health resources

  4. Career and Professional Development

ARTICLE III.  MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Any person who is interested in supporting the mission of the Club is eligible for membership.

Section 2. Active membership requires payment of current dues.

Section 3. Honorary non-paying membership may be extended at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV.  BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. The Board of Directors supervises the business activities of the Women’s Club. The Board of Directors is composed of the Elected Officers, Chairs of the Standing Committees, Historian, Parliamentarian, UCF Foundation Liaison, immediate Past President of the Club and Members at Large.

Section 2. A Member of the Board of Directors must be present (including virtually) to vote.

Section 3. The elected officers of the Club, also known as the Executive Committee, shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These officers shall perform such duties as prescribed in the Bylaws.  The Executive Committee has the authority to meet separately from the Board of Directors and make decisions on part of the Board when time or necessity dictates.

Section 4. Elected Members at Large are not to exceed 4 positions on the Board of Directors.

Section 5. The President shall appoint the Chair(s) of all Standing Committees as listed in the Bylaws.

Section 6. The President shall appoint an Historian and Parliamentarian. The UCF Foundation Liaison is appointed by the Foundation. These members along with the current Past President of the Club will serve as advisors in their specific areas of expertise.

Section 7. Should vacancies occur, the President, in consultation with the Board of Directors will appoint someone to finish the term until elections can be held the following year.

ARTICLE V.  ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS AT LARGE.

Section 1.  Annually, in January, a nominating committee for new officers and members at large shall be appointed by the President. It shall consist of no less than three, nor more than five members. The immediate Past President serves as the Chair.

Section 2. The Chair of the Nominating Committee with approval of the President will send out a club wide announcement requesting member interest and nominations for the elected positions. All nominations will be reviewed, and the nominating committee shall present a slate of candidates for each elected office to the Board of Directors for approval to bring the slate to the membership for a vote.

Section 3. Nominations may be made from the floor provided the nominee has consented prior to the meeting.

Section 4. Officers and Members at Large shall be elected by a majority vote of the members present at the annual Spring Meeting.

Section 5. The term of office shall be one year except for the office of Treasurer, whose term shall be two years. No elected officer or Member at Large shall serve more than two consecutive terms in the same position.

Section 6. Each person on the Board shall hold only one Board position during a calendar year.

Section 7. Officers and Members at Large assume duties following the election.

ARTICLE VI.  COMMITTEES

Section 1. Standing committees represent on-going activities of the Club and shall perform such duties as prescribed in the bylaws.

Section 2. The President shall appoint a Chair and determine length of service for Special and Ad Hoc committees as necessary.

ARTICLE VII.  SCHOLARSHIP

Section 1. An endowed fund shall be maintained with the UCF Foundation for the Women’s Club at UCF, Inc. Endowed Scholarship Fund. The Endowed Scholarship Fund shall be maintained by contributions, bequests, or appropriation from the Club.

Section 2. Annually, the Club will award an undergraduate scholarship, in honor of the University’s First Ladies; and a graduate scholarship, in honor of a former club member, Sheila B. Somerville. The scholarships will be awarded in accordance with the guidelines established by the Women’s Club at UCF, Inc. and the UCF Foundation.  Additional scholarships may be awarded upon approval of the Board of Directors.

Section 3. The Scholarship Committee shall be composed of at least three members of the Women’s Club at UCF, Inc.: the Scholarship Chair, the Past President and the UCF Foundation liaison.

ARTICLE VIII. MEETINGS

Section 1. The number of general membership meetings of the Club to be held during the Club’s fiscal year shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. The number and frequency of Board of Directors meetings will be determined by the President in consultation with the Board members.

ARTICLE IX. DUES

Section 1.  Annual dues for members shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Dues provide the funds for the Club’s operating budget each year.

Section 2. Dues are payable by July 1st of each year, which is the beginning of the Club’s fiscal year. Unpaid dues become delinquent after October 1st each year. Dues paid July 1st to March 31st are credited to the current fiscal year. For new members, dues paid from April 1st to July 1st will be credited to the upcoming fiscal year.

ARTICLE X. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Section 1. All Articles of the Constitution are immutable and no vote may be held to remove an article of the constitution.

Section 2. An amendment to an existing article can be proposed at any formal meeting with 75% of all active members in attendance physically or virtually. A follow up meeting to vote on the amendment will be scheduled within 14 business days of a proposed amendment. For a vote to occur, 75% of active members must be physically or virtually present at the follow-up meeting. After the members vote, the acting Executive director will consult with the acting Executive operations officer, the acting Executive financial officer, and any living inactive (previous) Executive director who was not dismissed due to misconduct or violation of the Constitution. They will ensure the proposed amendment does not violate any of the original articles of the Constitution or the go against the mission of the club. They will then vote on the amendment, with the member’s vote being the tiebreaker.

Section 3. The passing or the failure of the amendment must be announced within 14 business days of the member’s vote. Any passing amendments must be posted within 30 days and enforced no earlier than 90 days and no later than 120 days.