By-Laws

SECTION 1

Any graduate or former pupil of the WPSD may become an active member of the association by five dollars ($5.00) at each triennial meeting of the Association or may become a lifetime membership by fifty dollars ($50.00). (9/1/15; 9/1/39; 8/31/69; 6/20/87; 6/29/96)

SECTION 2

Any person interested in the Association and never a student of WPSD may be admitted as social member upon paying the required dues of five dollars ($5.00). They may enjoy all privileges of active membership except holding office and voting or proposing an amendment to the Constitution and By Laws. (8/31/18; 9/1/39; 8/31/52; 6/21/75; 6/20/87; 6/22/2002)

SECTION 3

Members whose dues are in arrears shall not be allowed to hold office, vote, or discuss but may attend the meetings of the Association. (9/1/15)

SECTION 4

A registration fee of five dollars ($5.00) shall be charged at a reunion of the Alumni Association. The registration proceeds shall be used to defray expenses of the Alumni Association. (9/4/55; 6/21/75; 6/22/2002)

SECTION 5

It shall be the duty of each to use all fair and honorable means to forward the objects of the Association. (9/1/15)

SECTION 1

No disturbance or anything productive of evil shall be allowed at any of the meetings. All proceedings shall be conducted, according to parliamentary usage. Any person may be excluded from a meeting for improper conduct by a vote of two thirds (2/3) of the members present, always allowing the said person ample opportunity to explain. (9/1/15)

SECTION 2

At all Executive meetings of the Association, majority shall be the quorum. Any Active member(s) who is not an Executive Committee shall attend any Executive meeting(s) and can voice but not vote. (6/22/2002)

SECTION 3

Any officer(s) who missed the Executive Board meetings for the third (3rd) time with no reason shall be automatically removed. (6/26/93)

SECTION 4

There shall be mail or electronic votes by the Executive Board and the results shall be ratified at the next Executive Board meeting. (6/22/2002)

SECTION 1

All funds of the Alumni Association when disbanded shall be turned over to WPSD and the use of funds shall be left to the discretion of Alumni Association. (9/5/65)

SECTION 2

The Executive Committee shall be empowered to contribute to a charitable organization or a worthy cause any amount of money, up to two hundred dollars ($200.00) (3/4/55; 6/30/90; 6/25/93)

SECTION 3

The Executive Committee shall have the power to use the proceeds derived from any social for some worthy project for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. (9/4/55)

SECTION 4

The Association shall present five hundred dollars ($500.00) Alumni Scholarship Award and fifty dollars ($50.00) John Hast Technology Award to the WPSD seniors every year. (6/30/90; 6/22/2002)

SECTION 5

The Alumni Scholarship Award winner shall have one full year (the following year) to get the Business Office of that higher education setting to mail the address to our Treasurer for his/her verification that he/she is in the school and we will pay directly to the Business Office of that said school.

SECTION 6

The Executive Board shall have the rights to vote the winner(s) of these awards.(6/22/2002)

SECTION 7

The members at large will automatically be on the Fund Raising Committee. (6/20/87; 6/22/2002)

SECTION 1 – ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

The Executive Committee shall choose up to three qualified male or female athlete(s) at each reunion to have his or her name(s) engraved on the Athletic Hall of Fame plaque. The person (s) shall be chosen for his or her loyalty to the Alumni Association. This award shall recognize an alumnus for his/her contributions to the Deaf community and/or sports program twenty (20) years after his/her graduation or departure from the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. (6/27/81; 6/30/90; 6/29/96)

SECTION 2 – ALUMNI MERIT AWARD

The Executive Committee shall choose up to three (3) person(s) at reunion to have his/her name engraved or the Alumni Merit Award plaque. The member shall be chosen for his/her devoted service to the Alumni Association for at least ten (10) years. (2/21/93; 6/29/96)

SECTION 3 – DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD

The Executive Committee shall choose up to three (3) person(s) before each reunion to have his/her name engraved on the Distinguished Alumnus Award plaque. The member shall be chosen for becoming “well known” among the Deaf community across the country. Also that person can be recognized for his/her services to their fellow deaf citizens on a voluntary basis. (2/21/93; 6/29/96)

SECTION 4 – REV. JOHN G. BROWN SERVICE AWARD

The Executive Committee shall choose a person(s) before each Reunion to have his/her name(s) engraved on the Rev. John G. Brown Service Award plaque. The person(s) shall be chosen for his/her devoted service to the deaf for at least twenty five (25) years at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. (2/21/93; 6/29/96)

SECTION 5 – NOMINATIONS OF ALL AWARDS

The Executive Board shall mail a letter out to all Active members, asking for any worthwhile candidate(s) for said award along with the description of each award(s). The person who nominates a certain candidate must fill out reasons why that candidate is deserving of the said award. The deadline for these nominations shall be April 15th of every Banquet year. Any nominees, in any awards listed above, with his/her background shall be saved in file for future use. (6/22/2002)

SECTION 1

The Association may be dissolved by a two-third (2/3) vote of the members present and entitled to vote. (6/22/2002)

SECTION 2

In the event of dissolution, all the remaining assets and property of the organization shall after payment of necessary expenses thereof be distributed to such organization as shall qualify under Section 501 C 3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, in the following order of its existence: (6/22/2002)

1. Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, Edgewood, PA
2. Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C./ National Technology Institute for the Deaf; Rochester, NY

or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws, or the Federal government or State and local government for a public purpose, subject to the approval of a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Pennsylvania. (6/22/2002)