ARTICLE I 

NAME OF ORGANIZATION 

The name of this Club is the Columbia Pride Alumni Association.  Its membership shall include all alumni, including but not limited to those who identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ), their partners or spouses, and any honorary Columbians. 

ARTICLE II 

PURPOSE 

 The purposes for which the Club is formed are:  

• to foster and promote camaraderie among LGBTQ alumni through social, academic and intellectual events. 
• to foster and promote the interests of Columbia University in a wide variety of regards including but not limited to LGBTQ concerns, mentoring and support of alumni and undergraduate and graduate affinity groups. 
• to engage in community advocacy where the board and members deem appropriate for the group and University. 

ARTICLE III 

OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

1. The officers of the Club shall be a President, a Treasurer, and any number of Vice Presidents, all of whom will also compose the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors.
2. The officers of the club outlined below shall be elected every two years by the membership at large. Officers shall hold office for two years from the date of election and must be members in good standing. No officer shall hold any one office for more than two terms in succession. Vacancies may be filled at any time by the existing elected members of the Board of Directors.  (This point amended by the existing Board in April 2024.)

3. President. The President shall be the executive officer of the Board and assume the principal responsibility and supervision of the general function of Columbia Pride. The President shall convene all meetings of the Board. The President shall represent Pride in its dealings with outside persons or bodies. The President shall ensure that any action taken on behalf of Pride by any officer or member is in fulfillment of Pride’s goals and By-Laws. The President shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees including representation on the Columbia Alumni Association. 

4. Vice President. The Vice President shall assist the President and perform the president’s duties in the event of the President’s absence or inability to act. The Vice President may be designated by the President to preside over Advisory Committee meetings. The Vice President shall assume principal responsibility and supervision of special committees and projects. However, any special committees or projects undertaken by the Vice President must be authorized by the Board.

5. Development Chair. The Development Chair shall oversee the Development Committee. The Development Chair shall assume the principal responsibility and supervision of all fundraising efforts. The Development Chair shall also work closely with the President and the appropriate Columbia University development offices to coordinate fundraising campaigns for any LGBTQ+-focused scholarships and fellowships.  In addition, it is the Development Chair’s responsibility to increase engagement by graduates of all schools with Pride.

6. Student Relations Chair. The Student Relations Chair shall oversee the Student Relations committee. Chair shall serve as liaison between current Columbia University students and alumni. Chair is responsible for keeping alumni informed of events and occurrences on campus that relate to the LGBTQ+ community. The Chair is also responsible for creating events as well as supporting programs that foster the relationship between alumni and students including sharing Pride events to relevant student groups.

7. Communications Chair. The Communications Chair shall oversee the Communications Committee. The Communications Chair shall assume the principal responsibility and supervision of all Pride communications strategies including but not limited to email and the website.

8. Social Media Chair. The Social Chair will head the Social Media Committee and develop and execute the social media strategy and manage the posts. 

9. Events Co-Chairs (2). The Events Chairs shall oversee the Events Committee. The Events Chairs shall assume the principal responsibility for the planning, supervision and direction of events that will bring the community together in the Tri-State area, in partnership with the Regional Clubs, or virtually. 

10. Domestic and Regional Club Liaison.  The Liaison will collaborate with the Events Co-Chairs and the Domestic and Regional Clubs to create LGBTQ+-focused events in the US and overseas.

    (Points 3 to 10 (officers) added in April 2024 to ensure the continued vibrancy of Columbia Pride.)
11. A member of the Executive Committee appointed or volunteered shall give notice of all regular and special meetings of the Club and of the Executive Committee and shall keep the minutes of the Club proceedings.  They shall extend a personal welcome to all alumni moving into the district and shall both make them aware of and invite them to participate in the activities of the Club.  Further, the Executive Committee member shall perform such other duties as the Board might direct in this capacity. 

ARTICLE IV 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

The Board of Directors shall be composed of the Executive Committee, and any members so chosen by the whole of the Executive Committee.  The Executive Committee will act as the Board of Directors in any expected capacity until the Executive Committee elects to form a Board of Directors and establish procedures therein.  

ARTICLE V 

STANDING COMMITTEES 

Standing committees may be established by a vote of the Board of Directors and may include but are not limited to: Recent Alumni, Networking/Mentoring, Special Interest Group Outreach, Communications. 

ARTICLE VI 

MEMBERSHIP AND DUES 

(1) The Club shall consist of Regular, Honorary, and Voting members.  Those eligible for membership shall be: 

(a) Alumni of any school or division of Columbia University residing in the territory of the Club.  An alumnus is any person who has attended Columbia for one semester or longer, including summer session. 

(b) Partners/spouses of Columbia alumni 

(c) Widows/widowers of Columbia alumni 

(d) Honorary: anyone so designated by the Club, regardless of previous affiliation with Columbia. 

(2) The dues of Voting members shall be $ 20.00 (US) per year. 

(3) Honorary and student members shall be exempt from the payment of dues.  They shall enjoy all the privileges of regular members, except that they shall not hold office, nor vote, nor have any right in or title to or interest in the property of the Club. 

ARTICLE VII 

No part of the activities of this organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and this organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing and distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. 

ARTICLE VIII 

EXISTENCE 

Unless sooner terminated as provided in the bylaws, the existence of this organization shall terminate when fewer than five regular members of this organization are enrolled. 

ARTICLE IX 

DISSOLUTION 

Upon the dissolution of this Club, after paying or making provision for all its obligations and liabilities, all of the assets of the organization shall be distributed to Columbia University, so long as it is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code.   

ARTICLE X 

AMENDMENTS 

These bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by a vote of a majority of all the Officers at any meeting of the Executive Committee, provided that written notice of any such proposed action shall be given to all of the Executive Committee at least fourteen days prior to such meeting it the manner above provided.