ARTICLE 1: NAME, LOCATION, AND PURPOSE
Section 1: The name of the organization shall be the Michigan Indian American Cultural Association.
Section 2: The Association shall maintain its main office in Detroit , Michigan.
Section 3: The purpose of the Association shall be to enable persons of Indian origin and those interested in India to engage in activities related to the fostering of the cultural and social heritage of India. These will include cultural performances, literary activities, lectures, and fund raising for educational and charitable purposes.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Membership shall consist of three categories: Members, Executive Members and Board Members.
Section 2: The Member category is open to all persons of Indian origin and their families. All members shall have voting privileges.
Section 3: Associate Member category is open to all persons interested in the purposes of the Association as stated in Article I, Section 3. An Associate Member in good standing for four years is eligible to become a Member. Associate Members shall not hold any elected office in the Association, nor shall they have any voting privileges.
Section 4: Honorary Members shall be elected by the Executive Council (hereafter referred to as the Council). At least seventy-five percent of all the Council members must cast an affirmative vote for the extension of an invitation for honorary membership. Acceptance of such an invitation shall constitute membership. Honorary membership shall be granted in recognition of notable and outstanding services rendered by a person to the aforesaid purposes of the Association. There shall be no more than five Honorary Members at any given time.
Section 4: A formal application to membership shall be addressed to the Council. The Council shall act upon the request in their next meeting.
ARTICLE III: FEES AND DUES
Section 1: The Council shall determine annual or biannual fees and other dues by a two-thirds majority vote.
Section 2: A Member who does not pay the necessary fees and dues within six months of the due date shall lose voting privileges. In cases where the dues remain unpaid for one year, the Council shall terminate the membership.
Section 3: A member may resign from the Association by written communication to the Council.
ARTICLE IV: THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Section 1: The elected officers shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer (hereafter called the Secretary). The Vice-President shall be the President-elect and shall become the President the following year. The President shall chair the meetings of the Council.
Section 2: Elections shall be held each year in the month of January, at a time and place fixed by the Council thirty days prior to the elections. Fifty percent of the voting members shall constitute a valid body for the purpose of elections.
Section 3: The term of the President, the Vice-president and the Secretary-Treasurer shall be one year. The term of tenure shall begin on the first day of Election.
Section 4: The Council may appoint Councils to extend the sphere of its activities.
Section 5: The Council shall, as needed, appoint additional Councilors by a majority vote to broaden cultural and religious representation. The Council shall document its efforts in doing so.
Section 6: Vacancy occurring in the office of President shall, for the unexpired term, be filled by the Vice-president. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of the Vice-President, the Council shall appoint a Councilor to fill the unexpired term. Vacancy or vacancies occurring in the office of Councilors shall be filled by appointment by the Council.
Section 7: There shall be no financial remuneration to the office-bearers of the Association.
ARTICLE V: NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS
Section 1: Any voting member in good standing can nominate himself/herself or an eligible fellow member for any elected or appointed position.
Section 2: Appointment of office-bearers and amendments to the Constitution shall be by ballot in a manner determined by the Council.
ARTICLE VI: GOVERNMENT
Section 1: The government of the Association shall be vested in the Council.
Section 2: The Council shall establish policies for the operation of the Association in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution.
Section 3: The President shall preside at the meetings of the Association and of the Council. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall preside and discharge his/her duties. In the absence of both the President and the Vice-President, Council meetings will be chaired by a Councilor agreeable to the Council members present. A simple majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4: The Council shall act upon all proposals received from Members assembled at regularly scheduled meetings on matters intended as policies, recommendations, etc. Approval by the Council shall be required before policies, recommendations, etc., become official statements.
Section 5: The Secretary shall prepare an agenda and shall keep minutes of the meetings and other records concerning actions of the Council. The Secretary shall attest the President’s signature on all official policies adopted by the Council.
Section 6: The Secretary shall also keep all financial records of the Association and handle receipts and disbursements. The Secretary shall prepare an annual written financial report for approval by the Council at the meeting in August.
Section 7: All financial transactions shall be done in the name of the Association; all disbursements exceeding an amount determined by the Council shall be signed jointly by the President and the Secretary.
Section 8: A Fund shall be established into which shall be deposited all monies received and all income from the investment of the Fund. No money shall be appropriated from the Fund except by a majority vote of the entire Council.
Section 9: The Members may, by petition to the Council and signed by at least five percent of the eligible voters, cause any subject to be placed on the agenda of the Council meeting.
ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS
Section 1: The Council will meet at least once in two months at a time determined by the Council.
Section 2: A report of the financial status of the Association shall be presented at the meeting in August.
ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTION
Section 1: A proposal to amend this Constitution may be made by the Council or by a petition signed by at least thirty percent of the voting members.
Section 2: An affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the ballots cast shall be necessary for the adoption of any amendment to the Constitution.
Section 3: Amendments so adopted shall take effect thirty days after adoption unless otherwise indicated in the amendment.
Section 4: The Constitution may be reviewed every three years by the Council for possible amendment.
ARTICLE IX: DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
Section 1: In the event the members decide to dissolve the Association, the assets of the Association shall be donated to a tax-exempt organization or organizations agreed upon by the Council at the time of the dissolution.
