BYLAWS OF THE CW OPERATORS’ CLUB
I. Membership
A. Induction
1. A candidate for membership must be nominated by at least four current members within a period of five months of initial publication of nomination. The candidate is called a nominee. Members who support the nominee are called sponsors. A nominee must be a licensed Amateur Radio operator, capable in the assessment of the nominator and sponsors of sending and receiving International Morse Code (CW) at a rate of at least 25 words per minute.
2. All sponsoring members must submit their support using the online forms on the Members Only page of the CWops website. The first sponsor, i.e., the member who first nominates a person for membership, the nominator, must complete the Nomination Form. Subsequent sponsors, i.e., those who support the nomination, must complete the Sponsor Form. All sponsors, including the nominator, must have had CW radio contact with the nominee on at least two occasions within the previous 12 months. The nominator must secure the consent of the candidate before submitting the nomination form.
3. The name of a person accepted by the Secretary as a nominee for membership (based on application completeness and rule compliance) may appear on the Club’s website.
4. Provided the Secretary has received no objections after a nominee has appeared on the Status Page of the club’s website and has received a total of at least 4 sponsors (including the nominator), the nominee shall be invited by the Secretary to join the Club
5. Membership is effective following receipt of payment of dues and completed registration form. Payment of dues and submission of the registration form serve as acknowledgement of agreement to abide by the Club’s Bylaws. The Secretary shall assign members sequential membership numbers. These numbers shall not be reused other than by a member who rejoins the Club and wishes to use his/her earlier membership number.
6. During the nomination period any member may submit an objection to a nominee to the Secretary. The Board shall consider the merits of the objection and render its decision without public explanation. In the absence of a decision against the nominee, the objection shall be dismissed.
7. All forms of CW interest and purpose are welcome, including code practice, rag-chewing, contesting, traffic-handling, emergency communications, etc., and all kinds of sending methods, including side-swipers, straight keys, bugs, electronic keyers, keyboards, and the like are acceptable.
8. Annual dues shall be set at the amount determined and announced by the Board and as indicated on the Club’s member website.
9. The Board may waive provisions of this section upon good cause shown.
B. Other Memberships. Members of the Club may affiliate themselves with any and all other ham-radio clubs and societies without adverse consequence to Club membership status.
C. Agreement. Members are expected to follow the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Club.
D. Website. The Club website may include a members-only section that will be accessible by security means established by the Webmaster. A public website may also be created.
E. Internet-based Message Systems. The Club Listserv (reflector) is intended to be accessible to members, CW Academy students and others deemed acceptable by the Secretary or moderator/owner. Its use will remain operative unless the Secretary or moderator/owner, after advising the Board, decides that it should be closed generally, temporarily or to some member(s). The Secretary or moderator/owner may act immediately to protect against abuse.
F. Non-payment of Dues. A member shall be deemed no longer a member in the event dues are not paid within 30 days of the due date. The due date is January 15 of each calendar year. Such determination shall be made by the Treasurer, Membership Secretary, or Secretary and announced by the Membership Secretary updating the membership roster. Reminder notices will be sent as reasonably possible after January 1. Reinstatement by July 15 may be permitted upon convincing explanation to the Treasurer, such as illness, unavailability, or other compelling circumstances, or by judgment of the Secretary.
G. Removal. A member may be removed from the Club by vote of the Board if it is found that the member has
1. seriously violated the laws of his country or radio licensing authorities;
2. consistently behaved unethically in relation to his Amateur Radio activities;
3. repeatedly behaved offensively toward other members, including but not limited to racial, ethnic or national prejudice; or
4. deliberately and persistently violated any provision of the Club’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws.
The removed member has 10 days to petition the Board for review and the Board shall respond within 30 days.
II. Education and Donations
A. The Board from time to time may donate funds to Amateur Radio organizations that direct such funds to education and awards related to CW or, if judged appropriate by the Board, generally related to Amateur Radio. Such donations will be described on the Club’s website. It may also develop and disseminate materials to promote interest and activity in CW for radio communications, such as at hamfests or other gatherings.
III. Officers, Directors, Terms and Elections
A.The President and Vice President shall each serve for a term of three years. The Board shall appoint the Treasurer and Secretary, who shall serve as the Board determines.
B. Terms shall be staggered so that President and Secretary shall be elected at the same time, and in alternate years the Vice President shall be elected.
C. In the event that an Officer or Director of the Club becomes unable to fulfill the term of office, the President shall appoint a replacement, subject to ratification by the Board. In the event the President becomes unable to fulfill his or her term of office, the Vice- President shall become the President for the remainder of the term. In this event, the Board will appoint a replacement for the Vice-President.
D. The President shall enforce observance of the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws, decide all questions of order, with the Secretary sign all official documents adopted by the Club, and perform the customary duties of the office of the President and such duties as the Board requires.
E. The Vice-President shall act in all absences of the President and act for the President when the President so requests. The Vice-President shall also chair the Activities Committee, unless the Board decides otherwise.
F. The Secretary may take and preserve official minutes of Board meetings if such minutes are recorded, or delegate recordation to others as appropriate, conduct correspondence on behalf of the Club, including messages related to nominations for membership, and maintain historical records of the Club, as well as other tasks assigned by the President.
G. The Treasurer shall be responsible for Club accounting, including receiving dues, issuing payments and preparing the annual budget. The Treasurer shall deposit, in the name and to the credit of theClub, in a bank or banking institution, all funds and monies and other valuable effects of the Club. Such deposits shall be made without delay and shall be made so that they cannot be removed except on order signed by the Treasurer or the designated bookkeeper, if authorized by the Board. The Treasurer shall present an annual budget and accounting to the Board for approval by December 31. The Treasurer, Secretary and others under the Treasurer’s delegated authority may use PayPal or other electronic payment systems to pay Club expenses.
H. The Board shall appoint committees from the membership, as it deems appropriate.
I. The Officers will be responsible for management of the day-to-day activities of the Club.
J. Any matters not specifically provided for herein shall be governed by the following, in the order listed:
1. Articles of Incorporation of the Club
2. Virginia Revised Statutes Section 13.1 et seq.
3. Robert’s Rules of Order, Simplified
K. The Nominating Committee shall be appointed in September by the President in consultation with the Board. It shall prepare a slate of candidates for officers and directors up for election under Section III.N of the Bylaws. The Nominating Committee shall send an announcement containing the slate of candidates via the club Listserv and/or an email to all members. Candidates may be nominated by informal or formal means at any time preceding the announcement. If a candidate wishing to run for such office does not appear on the slate of candidates, he or she may submit his or her candidacy by email to the Nominating Committee Chair showing support of 5 current club members. Such submission must be received within 14 days of the Nominating Committee’s slate of candidates announcement. In the event an incumbent wish to run again and there is no challenger, or if there is a candidate with no challenger, the Nominating Committee may declare the election results without ballots. Otherwise, electronic voting will be conducted by the Nominating Committee Chair with sufficient notice for members to vote, in any event no later than November 30. Such voting may include other issues requiring membership approval, such as but not limited to Bylaw changes. The Board reserves the right to reject a candidate for good cause shown.
L. Insofar as practical, Directors and Offices are to be chosen from different continents as follows: There should be one Director from North America, one from Europe, one from South America, one from Africa, one from Asia, and one from Oceania. Officers should be chosen from at least two continents.
M. The Secretary shall conduct the elections utilizing electronic means and allowing sufficient advance notice to permit participation by members. Elections will occur in November of each year with newly elected officers and Directors assuming office on January 1.
N. The seven Directors shall be elected on a staggered basis in an election conducted electronically and coordinated to the extent possible with Officer elections. Each Director shall serve three years. The Board may appoint interim Officers and Directors.
O. The Treasurer may appoint, with approval of the Board, a bookkeeper to assist in handling dues, PayPal or similar accounts, checks and other financial instruments for the Club. A U.S. bank account shall be maintained for financial transactions and funds shall be payable in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank.
IV. Meetings
A.The Board may convene periodic meetings at least annually. It may utilize electronic or other means, such as email, to convene such meetings, and it may convene meetings informally, such as at a hamfest or weekend event. A summary of important decisions decided at any such meeting shall be issued on the Club reflector or Listserv, or published in Solid Copy.
B.The Board shall conduct meetings to discuss club issues using email through the Board’s Listserv, or by Zoom, Skype or other electronic means.
C. Board meetings may be conducted by electronic means, including but not limited to Zoom, Skype or Board Listserv email exchanges. The President may preside at such meetings, and former officers or other members deemed instrumental to success of the meetings may attend, as the President permits. Approval at a Board meeting shall be by the majority of the voting Board.
V. Permanent Committees of the Organization
A. The Nominating Committee, which will prepare slates of Officers and Directors.
Other committees may be established by the Board from time to time, as permanent or temporary committees with specific objectives set forth by the Board. They will be listed on the club’s website with contact information.