Society of Alumni & Friends (SAF)

SAF members participate in a panel discussion at the Robert P. Comer Education Conference in March 2006.

Welcome to the Ohio University College of Education Society of Alumni & Friends (SAF). As a society we are committed to promoting the general welfare of the College of Education in order to achieve the goals of the college and to promote and facilitate the active involvement of alumni and friends of the College. All alumni of the College of Education as well as University alumni with a vested interest in education can be members.

Formed in 1983, the SAF serves the College of Education in promoting the lifelong learning of rising educators. We work hard to create and host several conferences a year designed to bring College faculty and administrators, area educators and students together outside of the classroom. These conferences allow students to gain valuable knowledge from several sources, which strengthens and develops their skills as future educators. In addition, SAF hosts alumni socials that allow alumni to network and share ideas concerning the future of education.

Each SAF member serves on a primary committee. The SAF committees are Executive-Nominations, Alumni-Faculty Relations, Recognition and Awards, and Alumni-Student Relations.

Executive Nominations Committee
This Committee exists to maintain the SAF board society. They are continually looking for new SAF board members who have a vested interest in education. All other committees also report to this committee.

Alumni-Faculty Relations Committee
This Committee identifies and promotes the Society?s interaction and support of the College of Education faculty and alumni.

Recognition and Awards Committee
This Committee makes connections with alumni and serves to honor and promote their successes in the field.

Alumni-Student Relations Committee
This Committee works with the College of Education to recruit and retain students and identify the means for alumni to join in this effort. Their main emphasis is the annual Robert P. Comer Education Conference.

SAF Bylaws

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
SOCIETY OF ALUMNI AND FRIENDS

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
AS AMENDED & ACCEPTED

3 April 2004

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
OHIO UNIVERSITY
ATHENS, OH

CONSITITUTION
THE UNDERSIGNED, the majority being alumni of the Ohio University College of Education, desiring to form a non-profit organization of alumni and friends of said College under the policies and regulations of said College and University and, the University Alumni Association, do hereby certify:

ARTICLE I
The name of the organization shall be the COLLEGE OF EDUCATION SOCIETY OF ALUMNI AND FRIENDS.

ARTICLE II

Purpose
The purpose of the SOCIETY shall be to aid, assist, and promote the general welfare of the College of Education, by financial means and otherwise, in order to achieve the goals of the college and to promote and facilitate the active involvement of alumni and friends of the College to that end.

ARTICLE III

Affiliation
The COLLEGE OF EDUCATION SOCIETY OF ALUMNI AND FRIENDS is an official constituency of the Ohio University Alumni Association.

ARTICLE IV

Membership

ARTICLE V

Board of Directors
The affairs of the SOCIETY shall be managed by a Board of Directors, a majority of whom shall be alumni of the College of Education and all of whom shall be regular members in good standing of the SOCIETY, in cooperation with the Dean of the College of Education.

The number of Directors, terms of office, and manner in which they are elected shall be set forth in the By-Laws.

The powers and duties of the Board of Directors shall include the powers and duties normally enjoyed by the board of directors of similar organizations; provided, the powers and duties are in accordance with the policies and regulations of Ohio University and the University Alumni Association; and, in addition to the powers and duties set forth in the By-Laws.

ARTICLE VI

Meetings
The meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held in the spring and fall of each calendar year at such time and place as may be determined by the Executive Secretary. Notice of the date, time and place of each meeting shall be given to the members at least sixty (60) days prior to the meeting. Notice of the meetings may be given either by email, phone, or in writing.

ARTICLE VII

Amendments
These Articles may be amended or repealed, and new Articles may be adopted, at any meeting of the Board of Directors, by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors, with the exception of those Articles, or sections thereof, which are included in accordance with the policies and regulations of the College of Education, Ohio University, and/or the University Alumni Association, which shall be added to, amended or repealed by the respective authorizing institution.

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I

Meetings

1. The meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held as stated in Article VI of the constitution. The operational year of the society shall be July 1 through June 30.
2. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President, Executive Committee, or any five members of the Board of Directors. Notice of special meetings shall be given to each member of the Board by letter, personal contact, phone or email at least five days in advance of the meeting and shall include the purpose of the meeting.
3. Board committees may call supplemental meetings throughout the year at their discretion.
4. The Executive Committee shall meet in the summer of each calendar year at a time and place to be determined by the President.

ARTICLE II

Board of Directors

1. The Board of Directors shall consist of a maximum of twenty-four (24) elected members, including officers. The Immediate Past President may become a member if his/her term has expired. The Dean of the College of Education and the Society’s Executive Secretary shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Directors.
2. The term of directors shall be for three (3) years. Directors may serve successive terms. The terms of Directors shall commence in July of each year. Directors are eligible for re-election after each term.
3. The Director of Ohio University Alumni Relations or designee shall be an honorary member of the Board of Directors.
4. Directors shall be nominated by the Nominations Committee and elected by majority vote of the Board members present at the Annual Spring Meeting. All alumni of the College of Education, members of the Board of Directors, Executive Secretary, the faculty and the Dean of the College of Education may submit names of nominees to the committee; provided, however, the names for nomination should be submitted prior to thirty (30) days before the annual meeting, but nominations from the floor will be entertained.
5. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to fill, by appointment, vacancies on the Board of Directors.
6. The President shall have the authority to request the resignation of any member of the Board of Directors who fails to attend three (3) consecutive meetings of the Board. After the second missed meeting, a reminder letter will be sent by the recording secretary.

ARTICLE III

Quorum
A majority of the Directors shall constitute a quorum and action taken upon affirmation vote of the majority of the Directors present and voting shall constitute action by the Board.

ARTICLE IV

1. Officers of the society shall be members of the board of Directors and alumni of the College of Education.
2. The Officers of the Society shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary and the Immediate Past President. Officers’ terms of office shall be one (1) year.
3. Officers shall be elected by the Board of Directors by majority vote at the annual meeting of the Board.

ARTICLE V

1. President: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and Society, and perform generally all the duties usually performed by presidents of similar organizations, and such other and further duties as shall be required of him.
2. Vice-President: The Vice-President shall perform all the duties of the President in case of the absence, death or disability of the latter; other duties may be required by the Board of Directors or the President. In case both President and Vice-President are absent, or unable to perform their duties, the Immediate Past President shall assume the position of President Protempore.
3. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep minutes of all the proceedings of the Society and Board of Directors and make proper record of the same, and shall submit copies of such records to the Executive Secretary, and generally shall perform such duties as may be required by the Board of Directors.
4. Immediate Past President: The Immediate Past President shall serve as a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.
5. Executive Secretary: The Executive Secretary shall be appointed and be directly responsible to the Dean of the College of Education, is an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. The Executive Secretary shall serve on various committees, subcommittees, and task forces as necessitated by the position’s responsibilities and authority, including serving as the official liaison between the Society and the College of Education and the Office of Alumni Relations. The Executive Secretary shall make a full report in the Fall at the annual meeting of the Board of Directors on all money received and disbursed by the College that are derived from private gifts from the College’s alumni and friends and on all matters related to the College’s involvement in alumni relations programs and activities.
6. Vacancies: The President shall have the authority to fill, by appointment, vacancies in the offices of Vice-President and/or Secretary of an interim basis until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI

Compensation
Officers and Directors: Officers and Directors of the Society shall not be entitled to, nor shall they receive any compensation for attending meetings of the Society or fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of their respective positions.

ARTICLE VII

Committees
The Board of Directors shall have the power to create such committees, standing or special, and to give them such powers and authority, as it shall deem best, and to revoke their appointment or restrict or modify their powers.

1. Standing Committees shall include, but not be limited to, the Executive Committee, Alumni Relations/Recognition-Awards Committee, Nominations Committee, Alumni-Faculty Involvement Committee, and Alumni-Student Relations Committee.
2. The Executive Committee shall consist of Officers of the Society and any Directors as may be appointed by the Board. The Board shall delegate to said Committee and its powers to be exercised in intervals between the meetings of the Board.
3. The Alumni Relations/Recognition-Awards Committee shall make connections with alumni and shall consider and recommend to the Board of Directors awards and honors and/or nominations to be issued by the Society or the Ohio University Alumni Association.
4. Nominations Committee shall consist of not less than four (4) members of the Board, who shall be responsible for submitting a slate of nominations for the Board of Directors and officers to the Board at the Annual Spring Meeting. The President, Immediate Past President, and Executive Secretary shall be members of the Committee.
5. The Alumni-Faculty Involvement Committee shall identify and promote the Society’s interaction and support of the College of Education faculty and alumni.
6. The Alumni-Student Relations Committee shall support the College of Education’s efforts to recruit and retain students and shall identify the means for alumni to join in this effort. Their main emphasis is oversight of the Robert P. Comer Education Conference.

ARTICLE VIII

Alumni Mailing Lists
The Ohio University has charged the Office of Alumni Records and Research with the responsibility of maintaining official alumni records. Separate alumni mailing lists shall not be maintained, except for selected programs or events. Address or record changes received by the Society shall be forwarded to the Office of Alumni Relations, Konneker Alumni Center. The Alumni Office will forward changes to the records office.

ARTICLE IX

Fund Raising

1. In accordance with established University policy, the Society shall not plan, organize, or conduct any fund-raising activities without prior approval of the University Development Office.
2. All funds received by and restricted for the College of Education from its alumni and friends and not further restricted shall be deposited in the name of and for use by the College and expended in accordance with the policies and regulations of the College and Ohio University. The Dean of the College is requested to consider the needs and desires of the Society in appropriating funds derived from College and alumni and friends.

ARTICLE X

Alumni Surveys
The Alumni Records and Research Department has been charged by the University and the University Alumni Association with surveying alumni. The department annually surveys twenty percent of all alumni. In order to prevent a proliferation of alumni surveys, any proposed survey directed to the Society membership must first be approved by the Executive Director of the Ohio University Alumni Association and the Director of Alumni Records and Research.

ARTICLE XI

Dues
The Board of Directors, following consultation with the Director of Alumni Relations and the Vice President for Development, may establish dues and due schedules. Any dues collected by the Society will be used exclusively for the support of alumni related programs and activities. Dues cannot be used as an indirect method of fund raising. The Internal Revenue Service does not recognize due payments as charitable gifts.

ARTICLE XII

Alumni Society Office

1. The College of Education shall provide and maintain an appropriate and suitable office within McCracken Hall from which all normal and routing business of the Society shall be conducted and permanent records stored.
2. In addition to the duties and responsibilities stated in article V, 5 of the By-Laws, and in agreement with the Dean of the College of Education, the Executive Secretary shall manage the office and the normal and routine business and affairs of the and for the Society in accordance with the Policies and regulations established by the Board of Directors and the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society.
3. The College of Education shall provide reasonable financial support for the operations of the Society.

ARTICLE XIII

Graduate Student Representative

1. The Board of Directors may elect graduate students enrolled in the College of Education as voting members of the Board of Directors; however, students must be recommended by the Dean of the College of Education.
2. The term of office on the Board of Directors for a graduate student shall be for the duration of said student’s enrollment in the College of Education, but not to exceed three (3) years.
3. A graduate representative not in good standing in the College of Education may be removed from the Board of Directors at any time at the recommendation of the Dean of the College of Education.

ARTICLE XIV

1. The Board of Directors shall elect annually an undergraduate student enrolled in the College of Education as a voting member of the Board of Directors; the student must be nominated by the Dean of the College of Education
2. The term of office on the Board of Directors for an undergraduate student shall be for one (1) year.
3. An Undergraduate Representative not in good standing in the College of Education may be removed from the Board of Directors at any time at the recommendation of the Dean of the College of Education.

ARTICLE XV

Amendments
These By-Laws may be added to, amended or repealed at any meeting of the Board of Directors by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the membership, with the exception of those By-Laws, or sections thereof, which are included in accordance with the policies and regulations of the College of Education, Ohio University, and/or the University Alumni Association, which shall be added to, amended or repealed by the respective authorizing institution.

SAF Executive Board Members

The SAF executive board is a diverse group bringing a variety of skills and expertise to our students and other alumni. To show their commitment to continued education they welcome communication from students.
Feel free to contact any of our board members.

Christopher Hayward
President
Principal
Fernway Elementary School
Shaker Heights City School District
hayward_c@shaker.org

Paul Kulik, Ph.D.
Immediate Past President
Associate Director, School Study Council of Ohio
Assistant Research Professor, University of Dayton Columbus Center
pkulik@ssco.org

Karen Szymusiak

Vice President

ksdublinoh@aol.com

Betsy Anderson
Secretary

Classroom Teacher - 8th Grade English/Language Arts
Athens Middle School
banderson@athenscity.k12.oh.us

Matt Aber

maber@wowway.com

Jen Houtz-Gillman
10th Grade Language Arts
Clinton-Massie High School
j.houtz@pop.swoca.net

Natalie M. James

hvelveteen@aol.com

Rob Kearns

Assistant Principal

Tallmadge Middle School

Tallmadge City School District
Kearns.Rob@tallmadge.k12.oh.us

Jacque Montgomery

Jacquem@wowway.com

Steve Montgomery
TheMonk52@wowway.com

Jennifer Poulton

Shanahan Middle School

Olentangy Local School District

jennifer_poulton@olentangy.k12.oh.us

Linda Saul
Consultant
NEOSERRC
mcoe_ls@access-k12.org

Sarah Solley

solley_sarah@mail.dublin.k12.oh.us

Beth Squillace

bethsquillace@yahoo.com

Peggy Towner Thoma
Retired English Teacher
pthoma@woh.rr.com

Audrey Timura

timuraA@gjps.org

Molly Weber

molly.weber@ohiovalleyvoices.org

J. Lynn White

jlynnwhite8@gmail.com

Jan Williams
Educational Technology Integration Specialist
Youngstown City Schools
youn_jlw@access-k12.org

The following individuals collaborate with SAF to advance its mission:

Greg Scharer
Director of Alumni Campus Relations & Advocacy
Ohio University
Konneker Alumni Center
Athens, OH 45701
Office: 740-593-4305
scharer@ohio.edu