The purpose of this constitution is to establish, create and = otherwise provide for an organization which shall assist and support students and faculty of LSMSA in every academic pursuit and through which the bond of friendship between alumni, students, faculty, and staff can be strengthened.

There is hereby created the LSMSA Alumni Association, hereafter = referred to as the "Association," which shall be comprised of the alumni and = former faculty and administrative and residential life staff of the Louisiana School as hereafter provided.

There shall be three types of members of the Association as follows:

An "Alumni Member" shall be a person who has graduated from the Louisiana School.

An "Associate Member" shall be a person who completed at least one = full year of classes at the school and who voluntarily resigned from the = school in good standing.

A "Faculty Member" shall be a person who was employed by the school = in the faculty, administrative, or residential life staff.

Any person who is eligible for membership as provided above may apply for such membership by submitting a written request to the Association = care of the Louisiana School.

Dues shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the = Association. Initial dues shall be submitted together with the application for membership. Dues thereafter shall be submitted to the association care = of the Louisiana School. The amount of dues shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the Association.

Any Alumni, Associate, or Faculty Member who fails to pay dues for = two (2) consecutive years shall become an inactive member and shall forfeit = all rights and privileges of membership in the Association. Such persons may become active members by resuming payment of dues.

There is hereby created the Executive Committee of the Association = which shall conduct the administrative business and functions of the = Association and shall establish policies of the Association.

The executive Committee shall consist of eight members as follows: =

1. A President who shall be the executive office of the Association = and who shall preside over all meetings, execute the policies established by the Executive Committee, and preside over the elections of other = officers. The President may appoint committees to perform such tasks as he deems necessary and appropriate.

2. A Vice-President who shall assume the duties of the President in = his absence and who shall assume the office of the President in case of a vacancy in that office due to resignation, impeachment, or death. In = such case, the Vice-President shall serve for the remainder of the = President's term in office. The Vice-President shall assist the President in the performance of his duties and shall be responsible for ensuring the Area Chapters of the Association operate within the parameters established herein and reporting the activities of such chapters to the Executive Committee.

3. A Secretary who shall be responsible for organizing and = distributing a regular alumni newsletter to all active members. The secretary is also responsible for taking minutes of all general and Executive Committee meetings. Minutes should be submitted to the Executive Committee for subsequent approval.

4. A Treasurer who shall be responsible for reporting on the = finances of the Association including advising the Executive Committee on = financial matters. Authorization for expenditures must come from the Executive Committee. At its discretion, the Executive Committee may pre-authorize = a designated agent to spend a bounded some of money (e.g. The Executive Committee may authorize a the person coordinating the yearly alumni get-together to spend up to $400 dollars on arrangements for a = party).

5. A Natchitoches Liaison who shall be responsible for informing the Association members of all major events occurring at the Louisiana = School. The Natchitoches Liaison shall submit to the Secretary regular reports = of such events, and such report shall be included in the alumni newsletter. The Liaison shall be the official contact between the Louisiana School = and the Association.

6. The Immediate past President of the Association shall also serve = as a member of the Executive Committee and shall have the same rights and privileges as other members.

7. The director of the Louisiana School shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee and shall have the right to vote on = all issues before said committee.

8. A Louisiana School Liaison who shall serve as an ex-officio = member of the Executive Committee and shall have the right to vote on all = issues before said committee. The Louisiana School Liaison should be a member = of the Louisiana School faculty, staff, or administration who is = specifically designed to help effect the smooth operation of the alumni association = and its relations to with the Louisiana School.

No person who is not an active Alumni Member of the Association shall = be eligible to serve on the Executive Committee except the director of the Louisiana School and the Louisiana School Liaison. Be it further = provided that the Natchitoches Liaison shall reside not more than seventy-five = miles from Natchitoches or shall be a student enrolled at Northwestern State University.

The officers provided for in Section 4.2 herein shall be elected as follows:

1. Elections shall be held in every four years.

2. Nominations shall be submitted via U.S. mail in response to a nomination request. Nominations may be made by any active Alumni member = of the Association.

3. All nominations received within a time period to be set forth by = the Executive Committee following the request for nominations will be considered for office. Each nominee will be contacted and given the opportunity to remove his name from the ballot.

4. The nominees remaining after such ballot shall comprise the = official ballot for the election of officers for that year.

5. The Executive Committee shall appoint one or more agents for the final collection and tabulation of ballots.

6. Such ballot shall be submitted by U.S. mail to all Active Alumni Members soon after being finalized. Said ballot shall be transmitted by sealed envelope from said Active Alumni Members to the agent(s) = appointed by the Executive Committee in a timely manner.

7. The designated agent(s) shall open such sealed results and = tabulate the final results. Such final results shall be announced in the next = alumni newsletter.

8. The new officers shall assume office on the first of January in = the year following the one in which they were elected. Incumbent officers = shall continue in office until their successors assume office.

Members of the Executive Committee shall serve a term of four years = and may not succeed themselves.

Official meetings of the Executive Committee shall take place as follows:

1. Each member of the Executive Committee shall have one vote on any motion before said committee.

2. The director of the Louisiana School may give his proxy in = writing to any other member of the Executive Committee who shall execute such = proxy in accordance with the direction of the director.

3. The President may vote on any motion before the Executive = Committee, provided that such officer shall vote in the case of a tie. However, the President may cast only one vote on any motion.

4. Five (5) members of the Executive Committee must be present to transact any business of the Executive Committee.

5. The Executive Committee will meet no less than quarterly every year.

Any group of Active members may seek to establish an Area Chapter, provided that such group shall consist of not fewer than ten (10) such members.

Such application shall be submitted to the Executive Committee which shall determine whether such chapter should be created and which shall determine the geographical boundaries of such Area Chapters.

Such Chapters shall be responsible for collecting absentee ballots, maintaining a list of active and inactive members in their geographical areas, and performing such tasks and business as may be directed by the Association to further the purpose of the Association as stated herein.

The Active members of each Area Chapter shall elect not fewer than = three (3) of their members to serve as Area Representatives. Area = Representatives shall preside over meetings and shall conduct the administrative and = other business of their respective Area Chapters.

All amendments to this constitution must be approved by two-thirds = (2/3) of the active Alumni of the Association attending a meeting or voting in absence for the purpose of considering amendments. No amendment shall be considered at such meetings unless they have first been proposed to the full membership of the Association not less than ninety (90) days in advance of such meeting. Any Active member may submit an absentee vote = on any amendment, and such absentee vote shall have the same force as a = vote case by a member present at the meeting.