The University of New Mexico Parent Association (“Association”) is a network of parents and families of current and graduated students engaged in student success and dedicated to furthering the mission of the state’s flagship university.

ARTICLE I – Name and Members

The association shall be known as the University of New Mexico Parent Association. The membership will be comprised of all parents and guardians of currently enrolled students and parents of alumni. There are no dues for basic membership.

ARTICLE II – Mission

The mission of the Association is to:

1. Promote student success and academic excellence
2. Engage parents in the university’s mission and goals
3. Empower parents to play a supportive role in student education
4. Provide a forum for networking with other UNM parents

ARTICLE III –  Goals

The goals of the Association are to:

1. Serve as UNM ambassadors in the community
2. Promote an understanding of higher education among parents and the greater community
3. Better inform parents about university programs and initiatives
4. Assist parents and students with the transition to college
5. Provide a support system for students
6. Enhance opportunities for students (community service, internships, employment and graduate study)
7. Recruit new students and families to UNM
8. Provide support at events such as Parent Weekend
9. Grow the Parent Fund, provide scholarships

ARTICLE IV – Governance

1. The association shall be governed by a Board consisting of at least nine persons; five persons to be elected by the membership, a person appointed by the University President, and a student
   appointed by the board. Except for the President’s appointee and the student member, each member of the Board shall be parents or legal guardians of a presently enrolled student.
2. Ex‐Officio Members: The following
   persons shall serve as non‐voting ex‐officio members of the Board: the Parent Relations director, Student Affairs Vice President or staff designate, dean of students or staff designate, one Enrollment Management representative and two faculty representatives. Ex‐officio members are not required to be the parent or legal guardian of a currently enrolled student.
3. Term of Office. Board members shall serve for a term of two years; however, parents elected as officers of the Board may ultimately serve a four year term. If a Board member’s student leaves the University, the parent must resign from the Board by the end of the first semester the student does not re‐enroll. This shall not prevent the parent of a student who is given a leave of absence for serious illness or other reasons to necessarily leave his or her position.
4. Meetings. The Board will meet at least three times per year, including an annual meeting to be held within two months following the start of the fall semester. Additional Board meetings can be called as needed by the President with a minimum of two weeks notice. Regular meeting attendance and participation is vital to the Board’s mission and is required.
5. Notice of Meetings. Written notice of the annual and other regular meetings of the members stating the date, time and place of the meeting shall be sent by e‐mail not less than ten nor more than fifty days before the meeting to each member’s provided email address. Written notice of special meetings of the members shall be sent by email stating the date, time, place and purpose of the meeting, not less than three days before the scheduled date of the special meeting.

ARTICLE V – Officers

1. Officers. The Board of Directors shall consist of the following officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Treasurer‐Elect, and Secretary. Officers shall serve for a two‐year term. If determined by the board, the Vice‐President shall ascend to the position of President at the annual meeting following his or her election. At each annual meeting, a Vice‐President, Treasurer, Treasurer‐elect and Secretary shall also be elected.
2. Removal of Officers. Officers who are absent for two consecutive meetings will be reviewed by the executive board and, if deemed appropriate, may be removed from office.
3. President: The President shall represent the Association in carrying out the actions and directives of the Board and membership. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and Board of Directors. With approval of the Board of Directors, the President shall appoint the chairs of all the standing committees. The President shall perform all duties incident to the office of President and have such powers and duties as assigned by the Board. The President or Vice‐President shall represent the Association at open meetings of the Board of Regents. The President shall prepare an annual State of the Association report, to be approved by the Board, and presented at the Association annual membership business meeting and forwarded to the President of the University.
4. Vice‐President: In the absence of or at the request of the President, the Vice‐President shall perform the duties of the President. Upon resignation, death, or physical disability of the President before expiration of office, the Board shall appoint the Vice President to serve until the next annual meeting. The President shall appoint an active Member to serve the unexpired term of any other Office or chair with the approval of the Board.
5. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall keep and maintain the financial records of the Association consistent with general fiscal policy of the University. The Treasurer or executive director shall receive and deposit dues and other funds received by the association, expend those funds as authorized by the Board and membership of the association. The treasurer shall prepare financial reports for each full board meeting. An ad‐hoc Audit Committee, appointed by the Board, shall perform an annual audit of the financial records of the association.
6. Treasurer‐Elect: Shall serve as apprentice to the Treasurer to ensure continuity of fiscal business. In the absence of or at the request of the Treasurer, shall perform the duties of the Treasurer.
7. Secretary: The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining and preserving all non‐financial records of the association.

ARTICLE VI — Standing Committees

All board members serve and participate on one committee of their choice. The President is considered a member of all committees. In the first year of the Association, five of the eight committee chairs must be a parent or guardian of a currently enrolled UNM student. Each year thereafter, each chair of the Standing Committee must be a parent or guardian of currently enrolled UNM student. Each committee shall have a chair, who is a voting member of the board. Standing committees shall meet before each general board meeting.

The Board may appoint up to eight Standing Committees:

1. Recruitment and Membership -
   Assist the Office of Admissions and Recruitment by hosting or volunteering at student admissions receptions, parent nights or information sessions held in various locales throughout the year. Recruit students to the university and parents to the Association.
2. Freshman Send‐Off Receptions -
   Held in the fall ingeographic regions where thelargestnumber of UNM parents reside, these back‐to‐school eventswill offeran opportunity to meet parents in your area, hear the latest news from the UNM campus, and speak withcollege representatives in an informal setting.
3. CareerServices and Parent Mentors -
   Share your experience and knowledge of career options with students at events on and off campus. (Create online directory or partner with Alumni Association Online Career Network).
4. Multicultural Initiatives -
   Promote inclusion, recruit and retain multicultural parents to the Association. Serve as association representative at multicultural student services events.
5. Communication and Marketing -
   Ensure that parents receive important campus news. Contribute content and/or advice on content for news vehicles such as the e‐newsletter Parent Matters and Parent Relations Office Web site posts.
6. Election and Bylaws -
   Organize and facilitate elections, assist in writing and updating articles of incorporation and/or by‐laws. Enforce inclusive governance.
7. Parent Fund and General Fundraising -
   Identify private and corporate donors working within UNM development office guidelines. Foster community donors in support of family weekend and other parent events. Identify and secure association membership benefits. Develop grant and project proposals. Establish official university holiday ornament program to benefit association.
8. General Events -
   Share all that you know about UNM with new parents by helping to plan and volunteer at a variety of campus events such as orientation sessions and family weekend.

ARTICLE VII — Elections, Voting Methods

Elections

The first Board shall be elected by the persons then serving on the Parent Association Advisory Board, said election to occur on February 7, 2008. Thereafter, the Board will appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of five Members; one to be elected from the Board, three to be elected from the membership and the immediate past President. The immediate past President shall serve as chair of the Nominating Committee. The nominating committee will present a slate of new association board officers no later than the February Parent Advisory Board meeting. Nominations from the floor will be accepted. The official slate is subject to a two‐week review period.

The advisory board will vote on this slate of officers no later than March 1.

Quorum

A quorum will consist of one‐half of the voting members of the Association or Board. A quorum, once attained, shall continue until adjournment despite voluntary withdrawal of enough members to constitute less than a quorum. The act of a majority of the persons present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board.

Email Voting

An email vote of the advisory or association board may be initiated by passing a motion to allow e‐mail voting for a specific action. The e‐mail will state the motion and the vote will be taken over a period of five days to allow the fullest participation of the members of the advisory or association board. A decision will be considered final when all members have voted whether or not the voting period has elapsed. Results of the voting shall be recorded and announced at the next Board meeting.

ARTICLE VIII — Amendments

These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed by an affirmative vote of two‐thirds of the members present at any regular or special meeting of the Association at which a quorum is present, provided that the amendment has been recommended for approval by the Board of Directors at a regular or special meeting of the Board. A notice shall be sent to the members at least 15 days prior to the date set for the meeting at which the amendment is to be presented. An approved amendment shall be effective upon approval by the UNM Board of Regents.

The undersigned offices of the UNM Parent Association certify that these Bylaws of the Parent Association were adopted by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Members at a meeting held February ____, 2008, at which a quorum was present.