30 HOW TO BUILD A TOASTMASTERS CLUB
notice. An inactive individual member may be restored to active individual
membership by the Club Executive Committee upon request, provided there
is a vacancy on the active roster of this club.
(b) Inactive individual members shall have no voting privileges, shall not hold
office, shall not be counted toward a quorum of the club membership, and
shall not participate in International Speech Contests. However, this club may
count any inactive individual members toward qualification for minimum
Toastmasters International standards for member clubs. Inactive individual
members shall pay at least such portion of their club dues as this club pays
to Toastmasters International as the membership payment for such inactive
individual member, and shall pay any additional amount specified in the
Addendum.
Section 5
Honorary individual membership may be conferred upon any qualified person
by the favorable vote of at least two-thirds of the active individual members of
this club at a club business meeting. Such membership shall be restricted to
persons whose activities and public statements are consistent with the purposes
of Toastmasters International. Honorary individual members have no voting
privileges, shall not hold office, shall not be counted toward a quorum of the club
membership, and shall not participate in speech contests. Honorary individual
members shall be exempt from all club fees and dues, and their membership
payments to Toastmasters International shall be paid by this club. Except as
provided herein, the rights, obligations, and conditions of honorary membership
shall be as stated in the Addendum.
Section 6
Inactive and honorary individual members are not eligible to serve in any club
office. They are not entitled to places on the regular speakers’ program but may
serve as substitutes when requested by the Club President or the Toastmaster
of the meeting. They may also participate in club discussions and serve as
evaluators.
Discipline/Expel/Suspend/Decline to Renew Membership
Section 7
This club may establish, from time to time, routine procedures for dropping
individual members who fail to pay club dues, who miss a certain number of
meetings, or who fall below other minimum standards as determined by the
club or Toastmasters International.
This club may discipline, expel, suspend, or decline to renew club membership of
any individual member
Who does not support this club’s purposes
Who does not constructively contribute to this club’s program and
activities
Who acts in a manner inconsistent with standards of conduct set by this
club or by Toastmasters International
For other just cause
Such standards include ethical, political, and other standards of conduct that
may be established or modified by the Toastmasters International Board of
Directors from time to time. This club shall follow such policy and protocol
as may be adopted by Toastmasters International, containing standards and
procedures for the continuation of individual members.
If this club does not expel an individual member for violations of Toastmasters
International standards of conduct, after written request to do so is made
by the International President, this club may be expelled from Toastmasters
International unless its failure to act can be justified to the satisfaction of the
Board of Directors.
ARTICLE III:
New Member Fees and Dues
New Member Fee
Section 1
The new member fee for individual membership in this club shall be as stated
in the Addendum. Such fee shall be payable when an individual membership
application is filed with the Club Secretary. The fee shall be returned if the
application is not accepted. Immediately upon acceptance of a new individual
member, the Club Secretary shall notify World Headquarters of Toastmasters
International, and each new individual member, on payment of this fee and
applicable dues, and being received into this club, shall be presented with a new
member kit as may be provided for new individual members by Toastmasters
International.
Reinstatement Fee
Section 2
Any fee for reinstatement of a former individual member shall be stated in the
Addendum.
Transfer to Other Club
Section 3
Any individual member in good standing desiring to transfer to another
Toastmasters club may request the Club Secretary to furnish a letter or card show-
ing the date to which the individual’s membership payment to Toastmasters
International is paid. When an applicant for individual membership in this club
transfers from another Toastmasters club and presents a letter or card from said
club showing individual membership in good standing and that their member-
ship payment to Toastmasters International is paid for the current period, the
applicant may be elected to individual membership without payment of the new
member fee, and upon payment of any transfer fee stated in the Addendum.
Club Dues
Section 4
The dues of this club for active and inactive individual members shall be as
stated in the Addendum. Such dues shall be payable in advance at such time as
this club shall designate. Dues shall be paid by all individual members and by the
dates specified to maintain individual membership in this club.
ARTICLE IV:
Meetings and Notice
Regular Meetings
Section 1
Regular meetings of this club, which shall include any business meeting of active
individual members, shall be held as provided in the Addendum.
Special Meetings
Section 2
Special business meetings of this club may be called by a majority vote of the
active individual members present and voting at any regular meeting at which a
quorum is present, or by the Club Executive Committee or Club President.
Club Executive Committee Meetings
Section 3
Meetings of the Club Executive Committee shall be held as provided in the
Addendum.
Notice
Section 4
No notice shall be required for regular business meetings held as provided in
the Addendum. Notice of any change in the date, time or place of any regular
meeting, and notice of all special meetings, shall be given by first-class mail,
telephone, (including voice messaging system) facsimile transmission or other
electronic trans mission such as email, personal delivery or other reasonable
means at least four (4) days in advance of such meeting to all individual members
of this club. Notice of special meetings shall include a statement of the general
purposes of the meeting, but any membership business otherwise valid may be
transacted at the meeting.
Section 5
If this club shall permanently change the time or place of regular meetings as
provided in the Addendum, the Club Secretary shall immediately provide notice
of such change to World Headquarters.
ARTICLE V:
Quorum and Voting
Quorum
Section 1
A majority of the active individual membership shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of all business of this club. A majority of the Club Executive Committee
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the committee’s business.
Voting
Section 2
Each active individual member shall be entitled to one vote on any matter
presented to the club membership for a vote.
Section 3
No voting by proxy or absentee ballot shall be permitted on any matter
presented to the club membership for a vote.
Section 4
Unless a greater vote is required by this constitution in a particular matter, the
affirmative vote of at least a majority of those active individual members who are
present and voting at a duly held business meeting at which a quorum is present
shall be the act of this club.
ARTICLE VI:
Officers
Officers
Section 1
The officers of this club shall be a Club President, a Vice President Education, a
Vice President Membership, a Vice President Public Relations, a Club Secretary,
a Club Treasurer (or a Club Secretary-Treasurer), a Sergeant at Arms, and the
Immediate Past Club President.
Education Credit
Section 2
In addition to the officers provided in this constitution, this club may have
such other officers as may be provided in the Addendum, but Toastmasters
International credit toward any educational award is limited to service as a club
officer named in this constitution.
Term of Office
Section 3
Officers shall serve for terms of one (1) year, provided that if, and only if, this club
meets weekly throughout the year, this club may provide in the Addendum that
officers shall serve for half-year terms. The terms of officers serving an annual
term shall commence at 12:01 a.m. on July 1 and end on June 30 at midnight.
The terms of officers serving a half-year term shall either commence at 12:01 a.m.
on July 1 and end on December 31 at midnight, or commence at 12:01 a.m. on
January 1 and end on June 30 at midnight.
Immediate Past President
Section 4
Except for the Immediate Past Club President, the officers of this club shall be
elected by the active individual members of this club. If the office of Immediate
Past Club President is vacated for any reason, it shall stay vacant for the
remainder of the term.
Nominations
Section 5
Nominations for club officers shall be made by a club nominating committee
appointed by the Club President at least two (2) weeks prior to the election. This
committee shall consist of three (3) active individual members, when practicable.
This committee shall present its report at the regular business meeting immedi-
ately preceding the business meeting at which the election is to take place, and
shall present only the names of active individual members who have consented
to serve if elected. Further nominations may be made from the floor at the time
of the election by any active individual member. All elections shall be by secret
ballot, unless a secret ballot is dispensed with by unanimous vote, with a majority
vote of all active individual members present and voting necessary to elect each
officer. The chair of the Club Nominating Committee shall be the Immediate Past
Club President, unless the best interests of the club require otherwise.
Term of Office
Section 6
For officers who serve terms of one (1) year, elections shall be held at the first
meeting in May in each year, when practicable, to take office the following July.
For officers who serve terms of a half-year, elections shall be held at the first
meetings in May and November in each year, when practicable, to take office the
following July or January, respectively.
Resignation or Removal
Section 7
Any officer of this club may resign, provided that any such resignation must be
made in writing and delivered to the Club President or Club Secretary. Unless any
such resignation is, by its terms, effective on a later date, it shall be effective on
delivery to such club officer, and no acceptance by this club shall be required to
make it effective. Any officer of this club may be removed from office at any time,
with or without cause, by majority vote of all active individual members present
and voting at a business meeting of this club.
Vacancy in Office
Section 8
Any vacancy in an office, except for the Immediate Past Club President, shall
be filled by a special election held at the next business meeting following the
announcement of the vacancy.
Re-election
Section 9
Club Presidents elected for a term of one (1) year may not be re-elected for
a successive term. Club Presidents elected for a term of a half-year may be
re-elected for one successive term of a half-year.
ARTICLE VII:
Duties of Officers
Club President
Section 1
The Club President is the Chief Executive Officer of this club and is responsible
for fulfilling the mission of this club. The president presides at meetings of this
club and the Club Executive Committee, appoints all committees, and has gen-
eral supervision of the operation of this club. The president shall be an ex officio
member of all committees of this club except the Club Nominating Committee
and shall serve as one of this club’s representatives on the Area and District
councils. The president shall transmit to this club for its approval or disapproval
all ideas and plans proposed by the Area and District Councils which may affect
this club or its individual members; and shall take no action binding upon
this club without either specific prior authorization or subsequent ratification
by this club.
Vice President Education
Section 2
The Vice President Education is the second ranking club officer and is responsible
for planning, organizing, and directing a club program which meets the educa-
tional needs of the individual members. The Vice President Education chairs the
Education Committee. The Vice President Education also serves as one of this
club’s representatives on the area and District Councils and shall take no action
binding upon this club without either specific prior authorization or subsequent
ratification by this club.
Vice President Membership
Section 3
The Vice President Membership is the third ranking club officer and is respon-
sible for planning, organizing, and directing a program that ensures individual
member retention and growth in club individual membership. The Vice President
Membership chairs the Membership Committee. The Vice President Membership
serves as one of this club’s representatives on the Area Council and shall take
no action binding upon this club without either specific prior authorization or
subsequent ratification by this club.