THE BYLAWS OF THE THOMAS HARDY ASSOCIATION
Compiled by Professor Robert Schweik and ratified by Professor Rosemarie Morgan and the TTHA Council of Vice-Presidents and Board of Directors

 

Formally Adopted October 15 2002 
Amended October 21 2004

© TTHA

    
  BOB SCHWEIK'S MEMORIAL PAGE     ELENA CARP's MEMORIAL PAGE  
        FRIENDS OF
  DOMAIN REGISTRATION

 
 
ARTICLE I
Name, Affiliation, Scope, and Incorporation
 
Section 1
Name: The name of this organisation shall be The Thomas Hardy Association (TTHA)
 
Section 2
Affiliation: TTHA preserves close links with the Thomas Hardy Society of the UK
 
Section 3
Scope: TTHA shall be international in scope and its membership worldwide
 
Section 4
Legal Status: TTHA is a non-stock, non-profit, non-incorporated private educational organization.
 
The following amendment is undertaken on the recommendation of the IRS (October, 2004)
:

a.       Said organisation is organised exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organisations that qualify as exempt organisations under section 501 [c] (3) of the Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. 

b.      No part of the net earnings of the organisation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the organisation shall be authorised and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the purpose clause hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the organisation shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organisation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing of distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this document, the organisation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organisation exempt from federal income tax under section 501 [c] (3) of the Code, corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organisation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 [c] (2) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. 

c.       Upon the dissolution of the organisation, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 [c] (3) of the Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.

 
ARTICLE II
Object, Emphasis, and Means
 
Section 1
Object: The object of TTHA shall be to encourage an interest in and appreciation of the works of Thomas Hardy.
 
Section 2
Emphasis: The emphasis of TTHA shall be on the use of the Internet:
  1. to promote the study of Thomas Hardy's writings
  2. to publish accurate information about Hardy
  3. to engage its members in discussion of and inquiry into all aspects of Hardy's life and work.
Section 3
Means: To advance its ends, TTHA shall maintain a World Wide Web site, an Internet discussion group, and such other resources, both electronic and otherwise, as it deems useful for its purposes.
 
 
ARTICLE III
Membership
 
Section 1
Membership in TTHA is open to all persons, worldwide, upon electronic or regular mail application to the President, and upon payment of the currently stipulated dues (see Membership)
 
Section 2
Annual dues of TTHA shall be payable on or before 1 January of each year. Those who have joined the Society and paid their dues after 1 October shall be deemed to be paid-up members for the following year.
Section 3
After January 1, 1999, TTHA members will be presumed to have an e-mail address, and all official communications to and from TTHA, except in the case of emergencies, shall be by e-mail.
 
ARTICLE IV
Officers
 
Section 1
The Officers of TTHA shall be the members of these bodies:
  1. The Council of Vice Presidents
  2. The Coreteam
Section 2
The Council of Vice Presidents and Directors:

Subsection A

Vice Presidents: it shall be the policy of TTHA that the title of Vice President be conferred upon those who either gave their support and recognition of TTHA at its founding or who thereafter have made exceptional contributions to it. Vice Presidents are granted life membership in TTHA.

The following are designated Honorary Vice Presidents:

Other Vice Presidents shall be nominated by a majority of TTHA Coreteam and elected by a vote of a majority of the members of the Council of Vice Presidents and directors.

Subsection B

Directors: The Directors of TTHA shall consist of a President, an Executive Vice-President, and the Directors, Editors and Consultants of the following TTHA Web pages:

as well as such other Directors as from time to time may be appointed. All Directors are ex officio Vice Presidents of TTHA. New Directors shall be nominated by a majority of TTHA Coreteam and elected by a majority of the members of the Board of Vice Presidents and Directors.

The following are current Directors of TTHA (TTHA Pages are emphasised in bold--see directly above for page links):

Section 3
The Coreteam of TTHA Directors shall be charged with overseeing TTHA operations and considering proposals for changes in TTHA policy. By majority vote, the Coreteam may place before the Board of Vice Presidents and Directors proposals to change the policies and practices of TTHA.

The Coreteam consists of the President, the Executive Vice President, and the following TTHA Officers:

Officers may be added to or removed from the Coreteam by a majority vote of its members.

In the course of communicating on matters relating to TTHA policies and practices, Coreteam members will send copies to the entire Coreteam and will retain for one year copies of all correspondence relating to TTHA policy that have been sent to or received from Coreteam members.
 
ARTICLE V
Duties of Directors
 
Section 1
The President, with the assistance of other members of the Coreteam shall administer the affairs of TTHA, and, in consultation with the appropriate Director(s), determine how TTHA policies shall be implemented by the Association's various Web pages, its Forum Internet discussion group and such other activities as it may undertake.
Section 2
The Executive Vice-President shall assist the President in overseeing the affairs of the Society, and, in the absence of the President, or, if the President has died, resigned, or is for some other reason unable to perform the functions of the office, the Vice President shall assume the President's duties.
 
Section 3
The President, with assistance from other Directors consistent with Section 6 below, shall conduct the correspondence, administer the financial affairs of the Association, and perform those other duties which are ordinarily a Secretary's and a Treasurer's responsibility.
 
Section 4
The President, with assistance from , consistent with Section 6 below, shall conduct the voting of the Coreteam and the Board of Vice Presidents and Directors, including putting propositions before those bodies, receiving and counting ballots and certifying and announcing voting results.
 
Section 5
The President, with assistance from Suzanne Keen, consistent with Section 6 below, shall keep TTHA membership records, send out membership renewal notices and perform those other duties which are ordinarily a membership Secretary's responsibility.
 
Section 6
Responsibilities of Vice Presidents and Directors of the Association -- including assisting the President in performing such duties as are specified in Sections 3, 4, and 5 above -- shall be determined by mutual agreement between them and
the President.
 
ARTICLE VI
 
All TTHA Officers shall serve without salary.
 
 
ARTICLE VII
Elections and other Ballots
 
Section 1
Nominations: Any TTHA Vice President may nominate other members for President, Vice President, or Director in the Association, or propose changes in TTHA policies or Bylaws. Nominations and other proposed changes should be made to the President who will refer them to the Coreteam.
 
Section 2
Proposals: When a majority of the Coreteam concur in a nomination or proposed change in policies or Bylaws, the President or,  [if the President has died, resigned, or is for some other reason unable to perform the functions of the office] the Vice President shall  by email, put the question to the entire Board of Vice Presidents and Directors.
P
Section 3
Responses: Responses to propositions put to the Board of Vice Presidents and Directors shall be by email and received by the President or [if the President has died, resigned, or is for some other reason unable to perform the functions of the office], by the Vice President, within a week.
 
Section 4
Vote Count: A majority vote by members of the Board of Vice President and directors is required to pass a nomination or proposed change in policies or Bylaws. The President, or  [if the President has died, resigned, or is for some other reason unable to perform the functions of the office], the Vice President, shall tally the votes and inform the members of the Board of the result.
 
Section 5
Publication: When a vote passed involves a change in the Bylaws, the President, or Birgit Plietzsch, shall make the necessary change(s) on TTHA's website.
 
ARTICLE VIII
Adoption of these Bylaws

These Bylaws shall be adopted upon a vote of the majority of the coreteam named in Article IV, Section 3, above, and ratified by a vote of the majority of TTHA's Council of Vice Presidents in a ballot conducted by the procedures specified in Article VII above.

Ratified by the Council of Vice Presidents and Directors
of
The Thomas Hardy Association
October 15 2002

END OF DOCUMENT

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