| Article I Identification | Article II Purpose | Article III Powers |
| Article IV Membership | Article V Membership Election Procedure | Article VI Termination of Membership in the PACC |
| Article VII Dues | Article VIII Fiscal Year | Article IX Meetings |
| Article X Government | Article XI Board of Directors | Article XII Officers |
| Article XIII Election of Officers | Article XIV Duties of Officers | Article XV Committees |
| Article XVI Official Publications | Article XVII Special Interest Groups | Article XVIII Prohibition against sharing in PACC earnings |
| Article XIX Procedure | Article XX Code of Ethics | Article XXI Liability of Directors |
The name of the Corporation shall be "Pittsburgh Area Computer Club Inc." It is organized under the "Nonprofit Corporation Law" approved May 5, 1933, as amended, of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The corporation may also be identified herein as "PACC".
The general purposes of the PACC, as set forth in its Articles of Incorporation, are as follows:
To promote the knowledge, understanding, interest and appreciation of computers and related software and other equipment in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area and to educate, instruct, and train those persons interested therein in all aspects of computers, software and related items, and equipment, including but not limited to conducting and sponsoring educational lectures, exhibitions, publications, displays and other related activities that may be useful or beneficial to individuals or to the community. The PACC is formed and is to be operated exclusively for exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.
The PACC shall have all of the powers granted to nonprofit corporations by the "Nonprofit Corporation Law" of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Additionally, and not in limitation thereof, the PACC shall have the following powers:
A. To exchange and disseminate information among the PACC's members concerning computer arts and sciences.
B. To provide technical assistance to members of the PACC in those computer projects which are not undertaken for monetary gain or profit including, but not limited to hardware, software, and computer programming.
C. To publish books, newsletters, magazines, or other periodicals for the benefit and education of the members and the general public.
D. To conduct and sponsor seminars, lectures, and courses relating to the computer arts and sciences.
E. To maintain a library consisting of books, films, catalogues, tapes, programs, journals, and other materials relating to the computer arts and sciences.
F. To develop and maintain computer centers and laboratory workshops for members of the PACC and the general public including provisions for timesharing operations. Subject to the provisions of Article II, the computer centers and their capabilities would be available to corporate members, governmental agencies, educational institutions, and those members of the general public whose use is non-profit in nature as defined and enumerated in these By-Laws.
G. To engage in any activity not inconsistent with the provisions of these By-Laws.
H. To buy, lease, rent or otherwise acquire, hold or use, own, enjoy, sell, exchange, lease as lessor, mortgage, deed in trust, pledge, encumber, transfer, or trust or otherwise dispose of any and all kinds of property by gift, bequest, or device.
I. To enter into, make, perform and carry out contracts of every kind for any lawful purpose with any person, firm, corporation or governmental agency.
J. To solicit, receive funds and property by gift, will, or otherwise, from individuals, trusts, corporations, associations, societies, institutions, or other organizations or authorities desirous of contributing to the purposes for which the PACC is formed.
K. Notwithstanding any of the above statements of purposes and powers the PACC shall not engage in activities that in themselves are not in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II. Nothing contained in the foregoing statement of purposes shall be construed to authorize the PACC to carry on any activity for profit of its members, or to distribute any property, gains, or profits to any of its members.
Membership is open to any person who
wishes to further the purposes of the
PACC as stated in Article II of these
By-Laws.
Membership shall be divided into the
following classes:
A. Individual - A person who has paid
the annual dues and who shall have all
rights and privileges. Individual
members who are under 18 years of age
may not hold elective office.
B. Family Member - A related person
who resides in the household of an
Individual Member.
1. A Family Member pays no dues, may not hold elective office, may not vote on corporate business, and will not receive mailings (i.e. newsletter), but is entitled to all other privileges of membership. A Family Member may pay the annual dues and become an Individual Member.
2. Related residents of an Individual Member's household shall include spouse, child under 18 years of age, step-child under 18 years of age, adopted child under 18 years of age, and the parents of an Individual Member who is under 18 years of age.
C. Honorary Life Member - A person
determined by the Board of Directors
to have made exceptional contributions
to the Corporation's purposes.
1. At least twenty(20) individual members, or five percent of all individual members of the Corporation, which ever is least, are required in order to nominate a candidate for Honorary Life Member . The reasons for such nomination shall be presented in writing to the Board of Directors.
2. Any number of candidates for Honorary Membership may be elected by the Board of Directors. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the full Board of Directors is necessary for election.
3. A person elected as an Honorary Life Member shall be a member for life, with full Individual Member privileges, without the payment of annual dues.
D. Other classes - The Board of
Directors may provide for other
nonvoting classes of membership by
resolution.
Application for individual membership
shall be made by completing the current
membership form and submitting it to the
Treasurer (or other official designated
by the Board) with the current annual
dues. Upon receipt of the completed
application and dues the Treasurer (or
other official as designated by the
Board) shall enter the Individual
Member into the membership roll.
A. A member may resign at any time by
notifying the Treasurer (or other
official designated by the Board) in
writing.
B. Any member who neglects or refuses to
pay his annual dues within one(1) month
of the expiration of its current term
shall receive a notice declaring him
suspended. One(1) month after such
notification has been sent, members
still suspended shall be automatically
dropped from membership. The Board of
Directors may grant an extension of
payment time or excuse an Individual
Member from payment of annual dues if,
in their judgment, there is sufficient
reason.
C. The Board of Directors may, by a two-
thirds vote of the members of the full
Board of Directors, suspend or expel
any Individual Member for violation of
these By-Laws, actions which discredit
the PACC, or violation of local, state,
or federal laws which involves the
PACC.
1. This shall not be done until after the member has been given written notice at least two (2) weeks in advance that a motion to terminate his membership in the PACC has been proposed, the reasons for the proposed action, and been given the opportunity to explain the offending action at the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors.
2. A suspended member shall have inactive status until reinstated by the Board of Directors.
3. The name of an expelled member shall be struck from the membership roll and that individual shall not be considered eligible for re-election to membership without the affirmative recommendation of the Board of Directors by a two-thirds vote and ratification of the Board's recommendation by a majority of the members present at the Annual Business Meeting.
A. The annual dues of members of the
PACC shall be set from time to time by
the Board of Directors. Written
notification of a planned change shall
be sent to all members at least
sixty(60) days in advance of adoption of
the planned change by the Board of
Directors. The annual dues may be
different for various classes of
members.
B. Dues shall be due and payable
originally with the application for
membership, and thereafter on the
anniversary date of membership. The last
day of the calendar month in which the
member's name was first entered on the
membership roll shall be the anniversary
date.
1. Each member shall receive notice of dues expiration at least one month in advance of his anniversary month. Payment is due within one(1) month of notification.
The fiscal year of the PACC shall be
January 1 to December 31.
A. Membership meetings:
1. General or Technical - At least one General (or Technical) meeting shall be held each year. It is anticipated that such general meetings will be held monthly, at such times as set by the Board of Directors. These meetings shall be formatted to minimize the time devoted to PACC business, and shall be open to non-members.
2. Annual Business - There shall be one Annual Meeting for the election of Officers and such other business as may be brought before the meeting by any member. Notice of the time and place for the Annual Meeting shall be published in the Newsletter or other published medium, at least one month in advance. The Annual Business meeting shall take place at the time and place of a General Membership meeting between January and June of each year as determined by a two- thirds vote of the Board of Directors.
3. Special Meeting - When business must be conducted which should not wait until the Annual Meeting, notice of a Special Business Meeting shall be mailed to each individual member at least one week in advance. The meeting may be held in conjunction with a General Meeting, but if the business requires a vote, precautions must be taken to assure that only votes of members are counted. A Special Meeting may be called by the Board of Directors, or if requested by written petition of ten percent of the individual members, must be called by the Board.
4. The quorum for all membership meetings shall consist of ten percent of the Individual Members of the PACC.
1. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times and places as determined by a majority vote of the Board. The Board of Directors shall hold at least one meeting within one month of the election of Officers. The time and place of this and all other meetings of the Board shall be announced to the membership in the newsletter or at a membership meeting. All meetings of the Board of Directors shall be open to any member of the PACC. Any non- Board member desiring to be heard at a Board meeting shall present a written statement of his subject matter to the presiding officer upon his arrival.
2. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by any member of the Board, but shall not be held until all members of the Board have been notified of the time and place of said meeting.
3. The quorum for all meetings of the Board of Directors is five (5).
4. Each member of the Board of Directors shall have only one vote. No proxies are permitted.
A. The control and management of the
affairs, property and funds of the PACC
shall be vested in the Board of
Directors as defined in Article XI.
B. Execution of the duties of
management shall rest in the elected
officers listed here, reporting to
the Board. Succession of
responsibility shall be as follows:
1. President
2. Executive Vice President and Secretary
3. Vice President for Programs and Facilities
4. Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
5. Vice President for Communication
6. Vice President for Member Education
C. All questions coming before the PACC,
or its units, governing bodies,
committees, or membership meetings,
shall be decided by a simple majority of
the qualified votes cast by that unit,
unless otherwise specifically determined
by these By-Laws.
D. Financial control: The Board of
directors shall establish and approve
budgets for each of the functions of the
PACC and the Treasure shall be
authorized to pay bills and vouchers
submitted to him when approved in
writing by the Officer responsible
certifying that the expenditure is
within budget. Accounts of all such
expenditures shall be kept and reported
by the Treasurer against the
individual budgets. The Treasurer shall
not pay for any additional
expenditure against a budget which is
exhausted or suspended by the Board
without approval of a majority vote of a
quorum of the Board at a regular or
special Board meeting, and then only
with the co-signature of the President
(or other officer authorized by the
Board) on the payment check or voucher.
For the payment of any non-budget item
the check shall be signed by both the
President and the Treasurer, or by two
other officers approved by a majority
vote of the Board.
E. Upon approval by two-thirds vote of a
meeting of the Board, an individual
member of the PACC under the direct
supervision of an appointed officer may
plan, organize, and conduct a special
function requiring the expenditure of
considerable or unusual funds. He shall
be responsible for obtaining approval of
his budget from the Board before
committing any expenditures.
F. No Special Interest Group shall be
financially assessed by the PACC, nor
interfered with in the financial
handling of its group interests.
A. The Board of Directors shall consist
of:
1. President
2. Executive Vice President and Secretary
3. Vice President for Programs and Facilities
4. Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
5. Vice President for Communication
6. Vice President for Member Education
7. Three (3) at-large Board members, each elected for a term of three years, staggered to replace one each year.
8. The immediate past President for a one-year term after completing his last term as President.
9. The immediate past Treasurer for a one-year term after completing his last term as Treasurer.
10. One member appointed by each Special Interest Group whose membership includes at least ten (10) percent of the individual members of the PACC. An individual member may be affiliated with more than one Special Interest Group however his primary SIG affiliation as recorded in the PACC membership roll shall be used to determine which Special Interest Groups are entitled to representation on the Board of Directors. Thus each individual member is counted only once in determining SIG representatives on the Board of Directors. A SIG may appoint a director whenever the above membership requirement is met. Such directors shall serve until the next Annual Meeting of members.
B. In the event of vacancy in any of the
six elected offices the Board shall
choose a successor. Vacancies of at-
large memberships shall be filled by
vote of the regular membership.
Vacancies of SIG representatives shall
be filled by the SIG.
C. All members of the Board of
Directors must be individual members in
good standing to be eligible to vote at
board meetings and to continue in
office.
D. If a director or officer fails to
attend the regular meetings of the Board
of Directors for three (3) consecutive
months his office may be declared vacant
by the Board.
A. The officers of the PACC shall be:
1. President
2. Executive Vice President and Secretary
3. Vice President for Programs and Facilities
4. Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
5. Vice President for Communication
6. Vice President for Member Education
B. The term of each office shall
commence at the close of the Annual
Meeting of the membership, and continue
until the close of the next Annual
Meeting of the membership and until his
successor shall have been elected and
qualified.
C. The President may not run for or be
elected to the office of President more
than twice in three years, in addition
to appointment to fill an unexpired term
due to vacancy.
D. The Board of directors may, by a two-
thirds vote of the members of the full
Board of Directors remove an officer or
director for failure to perform the
duties thereof or for other cause.
1. This shall not be done until after the officer has been given written notice at least two (2) weeks in advance that a motion to remove him from office has been proposed, the reasons for the proposed action, and been given the opportunity to explain the offending action at the next regular meeting of the Board of Directions.
2. Removal from office shall not abrogate an individual's rights as a member.
A. A nominating committee of at least
three persons including at least one
non-Board member, shall be selected by
the Board of Directors for the purpose
of nominating a slate of candidates
for office.
B. At the Annual Meeting for the
election of officers a member of the
committee shall present the slate of
candidates. He shall then announce
the names of any additional persons
who have expressed interest or
willingness to serve in particular
offices. He shall then ask for any
additional nominations from the floor,
and shall present all names of
candidates for each office prior to the
vote for that office. Persons nominated
from the floor must either be present or
have expressed their willingness to
serve, in writing.
C. Candidates for office shall be
regular voting members of the
organization, at least eighteen years of
age.
D. Elections for all offices shall be by
simple majority of those votes cast.
A. The President shall be the executive
head. He (see note below) shall preside
at all Annual and Special meetings of
the membership and meetings of
the membership and meetings of the Board
of Directors. He shall present his goals
and policies to the Board, and upon
their approval shall be responsible for
execution of said policies and actions
to attain the goals during his term of
office. He shall see that appointments
of necessary individuals or committees
are made in a timely manner by the
officer who is responsible for such
action. He shall review the actions of
the officers for consistency with the
policies established by the Board of
Directors and these By-Laws.
B. The Executive Vice President and
Secretary shall perform all the duties
of the President during the President's
absence or inability to perform them. He
shall be responsible for the
preservation and maintenance of the
permanent records of the PACC. He shall
be responsible for the filing and
content of all reports or documents
required by law. In the execution of his
duties he may appoint a Recording
Secretary or such other assistants as
may be approved by the Board. He shall
be responsible for obtaining any legal
counsel required, and shall be
responsible for obtaining a neutral
auditor satisfactory to a majority of
the Board for the performance of an
annual audit of the financial records of
the PACC within two months after the
election of officers. A summary of the
auditor's report shall be published in
the official newsletter upon submission.
C. The Vice President for Programs and
Facilities shall be responsible for the
polling of the Board and the membership
to determine and plan for programs,
topics, and speakers to improve the
usefulness and informational value of
the regular meetings. He shall have
the primary responsibility for
executing said plans, within any
budgetary limitations set forth by the
Board, and within the constraints of the
non-profit status of the PACC. He shall
provide and encourage the use of a
meeting format which recognizes the
importance of the various SIG's,
including giving each of them the chance
to speak to the attendees. He shall
appoint and work with the Facilities
Manager, whose responsibilities shall
include the providing of a suitable
meeting place, the policing and
protection of the facility while in use
by the members, and provision of such
amenities as may be authorized by the
Board for meetings of the members.
D. The Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
shall be responsible and accountable
for managing the funds of the PACC. He
shall provide and have published in
the official newsletter a summary
of the financial condition of the PACC.
Any major ongoing financial activity
shall be specifically authorized by the
Board, and shall be accounted and
reported separately from the general
fund of the organization. Any fund
established by a SIG shall be
considered to be wholly owned by that
group, and not a part of, or concern of,
the organization. The Treasurer and
Assistant Secretary shall be responsible
for maintaining accurate and complete
financial records of the organization,
and for preparation for filing of all
financial statements required by
government authorities. He shall make
them available to auditors or interested
members at reasonable times and places.
He may appoint assistants having such
authority as is approved by the Board.
He shall be responsible for the
maintenance of a listing of past and
present members of the organization, of
all classes. These records shall act as
a mailing list, and in addition, shall
record the dues status, as well as
SIG affiliations, and pertinent and
useful data supplied by the individuals.
E. The Vice President for Communications
shall be responsible for the
PACC's involvement in all forms of
communication including, but not limited
to, the official newsletter, electronic
communications, and public relations.
Subject to the approval of the Board he
shall appoint or serve as the editor or
publisher of the newsletter and shall
assure its publication and distribution
in a timely manner. He shall monitor or
participate in operation of any
electronic communications authorized by
the Board to officially represent
themselves as functions of the PACC. He
shall be responsible for submitting a
budget for any costs associated with
these functions of the PACC. He
shall be responsible for submitting a
budget for any costs associated with
these functions and for monitoring the
location and use of any assets of the
PACC for these purposes. He shall provide
for and promote contact with all media
for the purpose of disseminating
publicity about the activities,
schedules and accomplishments of the
PACC and its individual members. All of
these activities shall be subject to
review by and within budgets established
by the Board.
F. The Vice President for Member
Education shall determine the needs of
individuals and groups from novice to
expert levels in the PACC. He shall
propose for Board approval from time to
time such programs, seminars, books,
periodicals, literature, electronic
recordings, etc. as he feels will be
particularly beneficial to the members.
Upon approval and funding by the Board,
he shall proceed to carry out said
plans. These may upon approval include
facilities such as libraries, computer
and/or laboratory workshops, all for
non-profit use by members, institutions
of government, education, or business.
The Board of directors may from time to time establish or abolish such Standing
Committees as it deems desirable for the
furtherance of the PACC's purposes.
Requests for action regarding any
committee may be submitted by any
officer, but only an action by the Board
can establish or abolish a committee.
An official newsletter, so identified in
its masthead, shall be published from
time to time by the PACC. It shall be
considered an acceptable and official
means of conveying written notification
to members as required in these By-Laws.
The official newsletter shall be sent to
all individual and honorary life members
of the PACC. The Board of Directors may
authorize mailing of the newsletter to
such other persons and organizations as
they feel may benefit the purposes of
the PACC.
A special interest Group (herein SIG) is
a group of individual members with an
interest in a particular area of
personal computing (e.g. specific
manufacturer's hardware, type of
operating system, or topic (education,
stock market, etc.). Such a group may
include members and non-members of the
PACC.
Any aggregation of three or more
individual members with an announced
interest in a specific Computer-related
discipline or Hardware definition may
ask the Board of Directors for
recognition by the PACC as a SIG. Such
groups will be promoted and assisted
toward the achievement of their
announced purposes, and will not be
restricted nor circumscribed in any
ethical pursuit.
Affiliation of SIGs with the PACC:
1. The Board of Directors will establish requirements for recognition of Special Interest Groups. SIGs shall adopt rules in harmony with these By- Laws, and upon recognition by the Board may publicly identify themselves with the PACC.
2. SIGs may not obligate the PACC without the prior written approval of the Board of Directors.
3. The Board of Directors may by a two-thirds vote revoke the recognition of any SIG which violates these By- Laws or the published requirements for recognition of affiliated SIGs.
a. This shall not be done until after the SIG representative has been given written notice at least two(2) weeks in advance that a motion to revoke the SIG's recognition has been proposed, the reasons for the proposed action, and been given the opportunity to explain the offending action at the next regular Board meeting.
No member, committee member, officer,
employee or other person, whether or not
connected with the PACC, shall receive
at any time any of the net earnings from
its operations. This shall not, however,
prevent the payment of reasonable
compensation for services rendered to or
for the PACC in effecting any of its
purposes.
No private person shall share in the
distribution of any of the PACC assets
upon dissolution of the PACC.
Upon dissolution:
1. All members of the PACC shall be deemed to have expressly agreed upon such dissolution, or conclusion of the affairs of the PACC. All of its assets then remaining in the hands of the Board of Directors shall be paid over to exclusively scientific, educational or charitable institutions.
2. The Board of directors may determine the amounts and proportions of such assets to be distributed, and what institutions shall receive them, and may impose terms and conditions with respect to the use of such assets.
Whenever applicable, Robert's Rules of
Order, revised, shall determine the
conduct of business in all meetings of
the PACC and of its governing bodies,
and committees, except where these rules
would be inconsistent with the Articles
of Incorporation and these By-Laws.
As interested parties in promotion of the art of personal computing, and being in the public eye, members of the PACC realize that we must individually and collectively strive to maintain the highest attainable level of ethical standards. The code of ethics shall be subject to monitoring and interpretation by the Board of Directors. Each member shall be responsible for upholding the By-Laws of the PACC, and should endeavor to aid the PACC Officers and Directors in the efficient execution of their duties.
Each member of the PACC shall conduct himself in such a manner as to retain the respect and commendation of fellow PACC members and the general public. He shall respect the dignity of the computer novice with the same regard as his peers.
No member shall knowingly violate existing State and/or Federal laws governing the PACC with respect to copyright and software licensing. Violation of these statutes in any connection with the PACC is specifically prohibited.
Each member shall propagate the beneficial characteristics of the hardware and software with which he is familiar as well as their less desirable traits. This is consistent with the continuing effort to supply PACC members with enough information to make decisions in regard to their own applications. Members should carefully guard against conflict of professional interest with involvement in the PACC.
Only through the integrity of each member can the highest purpose of the PACC be served. Each member shall adhere to the By-Laws of the PACC and support the objectives and purposes contained therein.
To the extent permitted by law each
director and the heirs, executors, and
administrators of such directors shall
be indemnified by the PACC against
expenses, including attorneys' fees
reasonably incurred by such director in
connection with any claims, action, or
suit, or proceeding to which such
director may be made a party by reason
of being or having been a director,
including any judgment rendered against
him and any amount paid by him in
reasonable settlement of such claims,
action, suit, or proceeding.
These By-Laws may be repealed, replaced
or amended and new By-Laws may be
incorporated as follows:
1. Any Individual Member may make a written proposal for a By-Law amendment. Any amendments so proposed shall be referred to the Board of Directors, which shall recommend acceptance or rejection. Where adoption of the proposed amendment is recommended by the Board of Directors it shall be submitted by mail to all individual and honorary life members for acceptance or rejection, and unless disapproved by 25% of the members within sixty(60) days from the date of mailing of the notice of the proposed amendment, the proposed amendment shall thereafter have full force and effect. Where rejection of a proposed amendment is recommended a notice of the proposed amendment and the fact of the Board's recommendation for rejection shall be published in the newsletter within thirty days.
2. When a special meeting is called for the purpose and the proposed amendment is published in the notice of the meeting a vote of the members shall be taken.
Note: In accordance with accepted English grammar the masculine gender is used throughout this document. Whenever used it shall be understood to refer to persons of either sex.


