The name of the organization shall be the Grand Valley State University (hereafter referred to as “GVSU”) Alumni.

All graduates of the University and its predecessor institutions shall be considered alumni upon graduation from a degree program and shall become members of the GVSU Alumni. The Alumni Relations office, based on the official academic records of the University, shall make the determination of alumni status. Membership shall not be restricted on the basis of age, color, disability, familial status, height, weight, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex/gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, veteran or active-duty military status or political affiliation.

“Honorary Members” are holders of honorary degrees from the University and past University presidents, as indicated by the Office of the President of the University.

The GVSU Alumni Board of Directors (hereafter referred to as “Board”) serves as the representative body of the GVSU Alumni and the premiere alumni advisory board to the University. The goal of the Board’s work is to promote mutually beneficial relationships that keep alumni engaged, informed, and connected to one another and the University. The Board serves as a vital partner to the Alumni Relations office in its efforts to empower alumni to achieve their lifelong learning and professional development goals.

A. Board Membership

All GVSU Alumni members, except Honorary Members or members who are paid part- or full-time employees of the University, shall have the privilege of being elected as voting members of the GVSU Alumni Board of Directors.

B. Board Composition

The Board shall consist of not less than 21 elected Board Members. All prospective board members must be approved annually by vote of the Board as well as by the President of the University. All prospective members will be vetted by the Engagement Committee and all existing Board Members will be provided an opportunity to share thoughts and concerns prior to the submission of prospective board members for University Presidential approval.

The membership of the Board should reflect the diversity of GVSU’s student and alumni body. The board will strive to achieve diversity among its membership through considering factors, including but not limited to, areas of expertise, geography, academic program, degree, race, ethnicity, age, gender/gender expression, etc.

In addition, the following individuals may serve as ex-officio, non-voting members of the board.

1. The Director of Alumni Relations will serve as the Executive Director of Alumni for the duration of their tenure.
2. GVSU staff representative(s), whose appointment must be approved by their appointing officer.
3. GVSU faculty representative(s), appointed by the University Provost.
4. The Immediate Past-President of the Board

C. Terms of Office

Board Members will serve up to two, three-year terms. Terms may be consecutive and members may be asked to continue service as needed at the discretion of the Executive Committee. After at least one year’s absence, a past board member is eligible again for an additional three-year term. Terms run on the fiscal year commencing July 1 and concluding on June 30. Terms shall be staggered so that at least five members expire each year.  In rare circumstances, a term limit for any Board Member and/or Executive Officer may be extended by a vote of the Board. If necessary, this step will be taken with the greatest good of GVSU Alumni and the University in mind.

Staff Representative(s) will serve a three-year term beginning on July 1 with the opportunity to extend for an additional three-year term by approval of their appointing officer.

Faculty Representative(s) will serve a three-year term beginning on July 1 with the opportunity to extend for an additional three-year term by approval of the University Provost.

The Immediate Past-President may serve an additional one-year term in an advisory role to the new President and may be asked to serve on the Executive and/or another committee.

D. Elections

Board Members shall be elected in accordance with Article III Section H of these Bylaws.

E. Board Vacancies

The Executive Committee shall appoint eligible GVSU Alumni members to fill vacant Board positions to maintain the minimum Board composition requirements. Anyone appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve the remaining unexpired term of their predecessor. The succeeding Board Member is eligible to be nominated and elected to another full term provided their service was for less than three years.

F. Resignation/Removal

Any Board Member or Executive Officer may be removed from office by vote of a majority of Board Members who are present at a scheduled and published board meeting. Grounds for removal may include, but are not limited to, failure to meet board participation requirements set forth in Article III Section J of these bylaws.

Additionally, any Board Member with two unexcused absences from the regular meetings in any fiscal year or three excused absences in a fiscal year or consecutively over two fiscal periods shall be considered as having resigned. The President (or President’s designee) shall notify such director in writing by either regular or electronic mail. If a dispute arises as to whether an absence should be excused, the Executive Committee is the final arbiter.

Any Board Member or Executive Officer who is unable to perform the duties of office may resign by submitting a letter of resignation to the Board President and the Director of Alumni Relations.

G. Meetings

The Board will meet at least three times each fiscal year. The date, time and place of each meeting will be affirmed by the Executive Committee in consultation with the Director of Alumni Relations and will be published annually. Special Board meetings may be scheduled at any time by majority vote of the Executive Committee, or by petition of more than half of Board Members. Notices shall be sent to each Board Member at least 10 days before the meeting date. No business not described in call(s) for a special meeting is binding in any way.

H. Quorum, Voting & Amendments

A simple majority of Board Members in attendance at a meeting constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business, two must be Executive Officers. All actions taken by the Board require a simplemajority of the members voting.

The voting process may be conducted either in person during a normal/special board meeting when a quorum is present and the action item(s) are within the Bylaws of the organization, or in between meetings via electronic communication. Electronic voting shall be open for consideration for no less than 10 days from the date sent.

Amendments to these Bylaws will be adopted upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the GVSU Alumni Association Board of Directors in office at any regularly scheduled meeting or in a special circumstance. A copy of the proposed changes to the Bylaws and notification of the meeting shall be sent to each Board Member at least 10 days in advance of such a vote.

I. Board Member Roles

Board Members should represent the diversity of our overall alumni body and the communities in which we live and serve. Board members provide counsel, resources, knowledge, influence, and skills to further the mission of the University and Alumni Relations and to achieve strategic priorities. Board Members help expand the GVSU alumni network and promote the organization in the community and within their network. Board members act as representatives for the alumni body and should be knowledgeable of all Alumni Relations programs and activities. Finally, Board Members demonstrate a commitment to philanthropic engagement by making an annual contribution to the University.

J. Board Member Responsibilities

Board Members are expected to:

1. Attend and actively participate in all regularly scheduled meetings of the Board, preferably in person if possible. Participation in all meetings is expected, but if an absence is unavoidable, the Board Member must communicate this to the Board President or their committee chair in writing prior to the scheduled meeting.
2. Sit on a committee and contribute to the established deliverables of that committee, as well as attend regularly scheduled committee meetings.
3. Participate in University or Alumni-related activities annually. These are activities that are hosted or sponsored by the University or an Alumni Network; or that advocate for the University or for current or prospective students and/or alumni. If the Board Member is remotely based, options based in their area or virtually will be permitted.
4. Make annual financial contributions to the University in an amount that is meaningful to the Board Member.
5. Stay in active communication with Alumni Relations staff, the Executive Committee, and Chairs of the committee they serve on. If someone Slacks, phones or emails, it is the Board Members responsibility to respond in a timely and professional manner.

The Board shall be governed by the following Executive Officers:

• President
• President-Elect 
• Committee Chairs (of Communications, Engagement & Experiential Committees)
• Secretary
• Executive Director
• Immediate Past President

A. President

The President shall preside over all meetings of the Board and the Executive Committee. They shall act as a spokesperson for the Board and may designate, when appropriate, an Executive Officer to act on their behalf for these purposes. The President shall delegate to Executive Officers such affairs and activities of the Board as they deem appropriate. They shall also have the right to attend all committee and subcommittee meetings, in addition to other GVSU Alumni activities and University events.

B. President-Elect

The President-Elect shall serve on the Governance Committee to ensure that the bylaws are regularly reviewed, updates are presented for vote, and changes are duly recorded. In absence of the President, the President-Elect shall preside over meetings.

C. Committee Chairs

Committee chairs shall lead their designated committees and are responsible for ensuring that the duties of the committee are fulfilled, including setting an annual calendar of committee meetings; establishing committee goals and objectives; setting timelines for goal completion; updating the Board on committee progress at Board meetings; and holding committee members accountable to the work of the committee.

D. Secretary

The Secretary shall be responsible for recording and transcribing all official meetings of the Board and Executive Committee. They shall direct all meeting notices and correspondence to the Executive Committee, the Board, and Alumni members. In the absence of the President, the Secretary shall preside at meetings when the President-Elect is not serving. Within 10 days of any regular or special meeting, a complete set of minutes describing precisely the decisions made and action taken will be distributed to each Board member. These minutes will be reviewed and approved at the ensuing regular meeting.   

The Secretary will assist Alumni Relations in maintaining and preserving the archives of the Board, including minutes, reports, correspondence, governance and financial records, photographs, memorabilia, and other items of interest pertaining to GVSU Alumni. At the discretion of Alumni Relations leadership, the above-mentioned materials may be transferred to the care of the GVSU Archives.

E. Immediate Past President

The Secretary shall be responsible for recording and transcribing all official meetings of the Board and Executive Committee. They shall direct all meeting notices and correspondence to the Executive Committee, the Board, and Alumni members. In the absence of the President, the Secretary shall preside at meetings when the President-Elect is not serving. Within 10 days of any regular or special meeting, a complete set of minutes describing precisely the decisions made and action taken will be distributed to each Board member. These minutes will be reviewed and approved at the ensuing regular meeting.   

The Secretary will assist Alumni Relations in maintaining and preserving the archives of the Board, including minutes, reports, correspondence, governance and financial records, photographs, memorabilia, and other items of interest pertaining to GVSU Alumni. At the discretion of Alumni Relations leadership, the above-mentioned materials may be transferred to the care of the GVSU Archives.

F. Executive Officer Terms

Terms of the Executive Officers will be two years. Terms run on the fiscal year commencing July 1 and concluding on June 30. Appointment or election to these roles allows for an additional two-year term, allowing the Board Member a total of up to eight years of consecutive board service. This excludes the Board President. If an Executive Officer is elected to be President-Elect, they will serve an additional one-year term in that role, as well as an optional one-year term as Immediate Past-President, allowing the President a total of up to twelve years of consecutive board service without rest. 

G. Election of Executive Officers

Election of Executive Officers shall be done by position, with the Chair of the Experiential Committee, and Secretary positions available in even-numbered years, and Chairs of the Engagement and Communications in odd-numbered years. The President-elect will be elected every other year, for a term of one year. Eligible Executive Officer candidates are those who have served at least two complete years as a Board Member. Names and biographical information of candidates will be compiled by Alumni Relations and furnished to the Board. The Board has a minimum of 10-days to consider candidates prior to a vote. Executive Officer voting should be conducted at least 30 days prior to Board Member elections. Upon completion of the sitting President’s two-year term, the President-Elect will assume the office of the presidency. Executive Officers may not serve more than one two-year term in the same Executive Officer position.

All Board Members must sit on at least one board committee. Board Members must serve on a committee for at least one year and then may petition to move to a different committee for the duration of their term. Relatives or members of the same household may serve on the Board at the same time; however, they may not serve on the same committee. Additionally, any Alumni Member may serve on a committee; however, Committee Chairs must be elected Board Members. Committees may be established or disestablished to serve the best interests of the GVSU Alumni and the Board. Standing Board Committees are: Executive, Governance, Communications, Experiential and Engagement.

A. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the elected Executive Officers who are responsible for overseeing and evaluating the Board’s success in realizing its mission and for setting annual board strategies and priorities. The Executive Committee shall have the power to act for the Board between general meetings; decisions will be presented at a subsequent meeting of the Board. The Executive Committee shall provide leadership, advice, and assistance to the Director of Alumni Relations and Alumni Relations in the performance of their duties.  

B. Governance Committee

The Governance Committee is led by the Board President or their appointee, Executive Director, and Secretary and conducts regular reviews of Bylaws and updating board governance documents; monitoring adherence to board participation requirements; and soliciting candidates for Executive Officer positions.

C. Communications Committee

The Communications Committee is responsible for identifying and sharing diverse and relevant alumni stories; directing intra-board and network communications channels and strategies; and providing input and advice on alumni digital engagement strategies which increase overall alumni communications engagement.

D. Engagement Committee

The Engagement Committee is responsible for new board member recruitment, onboarding, diversification, learning and professional development; board mentorship and mentor training; advising on Alumni Network structures and development; and liaising with Alumni Network leaders.

E. Experiential Committee

The Experiential Committee is responsible for identifying and selecting diverse alumni awardees; advising on homecoming, reunions, and other campus traditions; suggesting life and career stage activities and/or other events which may increase diverse alumni experiential engagement.

Roberts’ Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern in all cases not provided for by the foregoing Bylaws.

During times of economic uncertainty, epidemic/pandemic, University transition, or other circumstances as established by the Board, the Board will have the ability to approve temporary changes/modify these Bylaws for a period of no more than one year. These temporary changes will need to be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Board in conjunction with the support of the Director of Alumni Relations.