ARTICLE I : NAME

The name of the organization shall be Duke Hellenic Association.

ARTICLE II : PURPOSE

The purpose of the Duke Hellenic Association is as follows:

• To foster a sense of Hellenic culture and mutual understanding among the members of the Duke Hellenic Association and the rest of the Duke community interested in the Hellenic culture.
• To provide, through its officers and its members, formal means of communication with other Hellenic and International Organizations in the United States and around the world, as well as encourage exchange of ideas.
• To contribute to the cultural, social, educational and intellectual life of Duke University.
• To welcome and counsel all newly arrived Hellenes (Greek and Greek-Cypriot) at Duke.

• Membership is generally open to all members of the Duke Community regardless of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, or physical disability. In particular:
   
• Membership is open to all members of the Duke community (students, faculty, staff) of Hellenic origin and their families.
• Membership is also open to any other member of the Duke Community who is interested in the Hellenic culture, wishes to become a member of the Duke Hellenic Association, and has been recommended by at least two (2) current members.
• Membership can also be awarded as a honorary title by the Duke Hellenic Association to selected individuals (not necessarily members of the Duke Community) for their contribution and service to the Association.
   
• All members shall have the same rights and responsibilities within the Duke Hellenic Association regardless of the initial membership procedures.
• Any member can resign at any time by providing a request in person.

• There shall be six (6) elected officers in the Executive Committee of the Duke Hellenic Association.
• The offices of President, Vise President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Chair, and Information Technology Coordinator will be filled by an annual election by the members of the Duke Hellenic Association as set forth by the By-laws of the Duke Hellenic Association.
• If there are vacancies in any of the aforesaid offices, the president has the right to appoint members to these positions upon consultation with the other elected Officers.

• For general meetings, one-third of the membership shall constitute a quorum.
• For meetings of the Executive Committee, the presence of four Officers, including either the President or the Vice President, shall constitute a quorum.

• A general meeting is to be held at least once each year as provided for the By-laws of the Duke Hellenic Association. General meetings may be convened either by the Executive Committee or when requested by one quarter of the total membership.
• The Executive Committee meets at least once a month during the academic year as provided for by the By-laws of the Duke Hellenic Association.

The Constitution, the By-laws, and amendments to both, shall be ratified during the Fall and Spring Semesters only, by at least three quarters of those members present, provided that a notice of the meeting with a note of intent for ratification is send to all members at least two weeks in advance, and the texts in question are displayed for at least two weeks prior to the meeting at a place convenient to all members, such as the International House bulletin board and the mailing list of the Association (hellas@duke.edu).
 
 

SECTION I: Membership Dues and Donations

• There are no membership dues for membership to the Duke Hellenic Association.
• Donations from individuals and/or organizations are welcome.

A) The President:

• Appoints members of the Executive Committee as set forth in the Constitution of the Association.
• Represents the Duke Hellenic Association officially.
• Assumes responsibility for the activities of the Duke Hellenic Association.
• Convenes and presides over General Meetings.
• Convenes and presides over meetings of the Executive Committee.
• Performs such other duties as may be prescribed by the Executive Committee.
• Delegates and empowers temporary committees to report on special problems to the Executive Committee.
• At the expiration of the term, is responsible for the transfer of records, files, and finances to the newly elected Officers.
B) The Vice President:
• Discharges the President's duties in the absence of the President.
• Coordinates the activities of various committees by attending committee meetings, and through consultations with committee chairmen.
• Performs such other duties as delegated by the President.
C) The Secretary:
• Keeps minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee and of the General Meetings and posts them on the mailing list after they are approved.
• Keeps a permanent file of the Constitution, the By-laws, correspondence, and other official documents of the Hellenic Association.
• Assumes responsibility for notifying the Officers of the meeting of the Executive Committee.
• Presides over meetings in the absence of the president and the Vice president.
D) The Treasurer:
• Proposes a budget for the Association at the first meeting of the Executive Committee in September.
• Monitors the accounts of the Duke Hellenic Association and keeps records of the incomes and expenditures of the Duke Hellenic Association.
• Presents a report of incomes and expenditures at the General Meeting at least once a year, and to the Executive Committee upon the President's request, submitting a copy to the Secretary for permanent filing.
E) The Publicity Chair:
• Assumes responsibility for the publicity of the Association's functions.
• Acts as Election Committee Chairman.
F) The Information Technology Coordinator:
• Maintains the home page of the Duke Hellenic Association (http://www.duke.edu/web/hellenic/).
• Manages and maintains the mailing list of the Duke Hellenic Association (hellas@duke.edu).
G) The Executive Committee:
• Approves the program of the Duke Hellenic Association.
• Consults and approves the recommendations of the Treasurer.
• Acts as Election Committee.
• Delegates such functions as may be necessary for the functioning of the Association.
• Impeaches by unanimous vote, excluding the defendant.
• Decides by simple majority.

• Privileges of the members: One fourth of the membership may call for a General Meeting. The President convenes and presides over the meeting.
• Notice of the General Meetings must be mailed to every member at least three (3) working days in advance of the meeting.
• Privileges of the executive Committee: At any time, three Officers may call for an Executive Committee meeting. The President convenes and presides over the meeting.

• When the intent of such meeting is to impeach the President, the Vise President convenes and presides over the meeting.
• The Officer to be impeached has the right to appear at the meeting.
• Notice of the Executive Committee meeting for impeachment must be mailed to every Officer at list six (6) working days prior to the meeting.

SECTION IV: Elections

• Elections are to be held annually within the month of April.
• The Elections Committee Chairman is responsible for sending a Notice of Election to every Member at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of election.
• The Notice of Election indicates the offices to be filled by election, the date and the place of election, and contains a request for nominations or a procedure for nomination, with an address to which the nominations are to be mailed.
• Any member may be nominated for an office by another member, provided that both have been members for at least one month prior to the election. Nominations are to be submitted in writing either by mail, or in person, to the Elections Committee Chairman.
• A member is eligible to vote if he/she has been an active member of the Association in good standing (membership dues paid) for at least one (1) month prior to the election.
• Upon convening the meeting for elections, the chairman requests nominations displaying the names of those nominated to the President?s office. Upon closing the nominations, secret ballots are cast for the office of President. Nominations are to be re-opened upon the election of the President for a short time, and the Chairman displays the names of those nominated for Vice President. Upon closing the nominations, secret ballots are cast. This procedure shall continue for the positions of Secretary, Treasurer and Publicity Chair.
• It is the privilege of any nominee to request the Chairman the right to address the electorate for his/her own behalf before the nomination for the particular office in question is closed. When such privilege is requested, the Chairman must ask all other candidates contesting the office whether they wish to exercise their privilege before closing the nomination. The Chairman has the right to curtail the length of these speeches.
• A person is considering elected by a simple majority vote of the total votes cast. In the case of a tie, the nominees for the highest number of votes may re-exercise their privilege of speaking on their own behalves before the second secret ballots are cast. Only the tied contenders may be voted for the second time.
• Secret ballots are counted by the Election Committee. Any nominee for President or Vise President may appoint a representative to the Election Committee to observe the counting of ballots for these offices.
• The term of the new Officers begin within one (1) week after the election date and last until the installation of the new Officers the following year.
• A vacancy occurring during the year shall be filled within one (1) month by election or appointment, according to the office. The President may appoint a temporary replacement with the consultation of the Executive Committee. The Officer shall assume his/her responsibilities immediately.
• If the creation of any committees is warranted, the President may appoint the appropriate chairpersons with the consultation of the Executive Committee. If the selection of a committee chairperson is to be changed from appointment to election, it must have the unanimous approval of the Executive Committee and the Faculty Advisor of the Association.

Should the Hellenic Association cease to function, all assets are to be transferred to the International Office, Duke University.

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