OF URANTIA BROTHERHOOD ASSOCIATION
DOING BUSINESS AS Urantia Association International
ADOPTED BY UBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2004
ARTICLE I
AMENDED BYLAWS
Pursuant to resolution of the Board of Directors of
Urantia Brotherhood Association, these Bylaws shall take effect once ratified
by the UAI and once the new UAI Charter and Bylaws are adopted by the Board of
Directors of Urantia Brotherhood Association.
PURPOSES
Urantia Brotherhood Association, doing business as
Urantia Association International (UAI), is an a not-for-profit corporation
organised exclusively for religious and charitable purposes pursuant to the
Articles of Incorporation in the State of Illinois, United States of America.
UAI serves as the international umbrella organisation to establish, coordinate,
and enforce international standards for Urantia Associations worldwide and is
administered by a Central Administration as set forth in the UAI Charter and
these Bylaws. The UAI does not control the domestic activities of constituent
associations in their own countries, other than to ensure adherence to the
international standards provided herein and adopted by the Representative
Council (RC) from time to time.
The purposes
of UAI and its constituent associations are more fully described in Article 1
of the UAI Charter.
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP
Section 3.1: Types of Memberships. (Refer to Article 3 of the UAI Charter)
A member can be a member only in one constituent
association of the UAI.
Section 3.2: Membership Qualifications
Section
3.2.1: Membership qualifications of each category of membership are determined
in Article 3 of the UAI Charter.
Section
3.2.2: It shall be the responsibility of members to pay any applicable dues
promptly and to provide the Secretary of their associations with written notice
of any changes in address, primary telephone number, fax number (optional) and
email address (optional).
Section 3.3: Rights of Full Members, Members-at-Large, and Associate
Members. Members shall
have the right to:
1. Participate in all activities of the UAI at
the local, national, and international levels, as provided in these Bylaws.
2. Full members shall have the right to vote in
the elections of their Association.
3. Full members shall have the right to run for,
or receive appointment to and hold any office or position for which such member
is qualified, as provided in these Bylaws, the bylaws of the member’s Local
and/or National Association, and any rules adopted by the UAI or the member’s
Local and/or National Association.
4. Members-at-large shall enjoy all of the
benefits of full members except that they shall not be eligible to vote or to
run for, be appointed to, or hold any office or other appointive position,
including chair or co-chair of any committee, in a Local or National
Association, or in the Central Administration.
5. In associations where the associate member
category is authorised, an associate member shall enjoy all of the benefits of
full members except that they shall not be eligible to vote or to run for, be
appointed to, or hold any office or other appointive position, including chair
or co-chair of any committee, in a Local or National Association or in the
Central Administration.
6. Associate members and members-at-large shall
not be entitled to vote in the Central Administration and full members may only
vote in the Central Administration if they have been elected to a position in the Central Administration.
Section 3.4: Change of Membership Status or
Assignment. A member who changes residence shall submit an application for
membership transfer to the Local Association in the geographic area of his new
residence. If there is no Local Association, he shall apply to transfer to the
National Association for that country. If no Local or National Association has
been formed, the member shall apply to the International Service Board (ISB) to
become a member-at-large. In the alternative, a member who lives outside the
country of his citizenship, but desires to be an active member in the country
of his citizenship, may apply to the National or Local Association of his
country of citizenship for an exemption and, if accepted, may be a full member
of that association.
It shall be
the responsibility of the receiving association, or the Membership Chair of the
ISB for members-at-large, to give notice of the transfer to the member’s
previous association not later than thirty days after receipt of the
application for transfer.
Section 3.5 Circumstances Resulting in
Termination of Membership. A membership shall be terminated on occurrence
of any one or more of the following:
1. If so provided in their governing documents,
associations may consider failure to pay any required dues within a reasonable
time from the first due date as a resignation provided reasonable effort has
been made to collect such dues.
2. Any circumstance occurs or is discovered that
would have made the member ineligible to become a member.
3. A finding in an involuntary termination
proceeding that the member has:
a. engaged in conduct in substantial
conflict with the goals and purposes of the association or of the UAI,
b. violated the governing documents of the
association or of the UAI,
c. exhibited a chronic lack of willingness
to support the purposes and goals of the UAI or to follow established
organisational procedures,
d. knowingly borne false witness against
another member,
e. knowingly made a false statement in the
course of his duties within the association or in the course of acting in any
representative capacity for or in the name of the association,
f. knowingly made a false statement in any
fact-finding proceeding conducted pursuant to the governing documents of the
UAI or the member’s Local or National Association, or
g. either engaged in actions or conduct or
supported actions or conduct by others that constitute a violation of the
licence agreement between Urantia Foundation and the UAI or his constituent
association.
Section 3.6: Procedure for Involuntary
Termination of Membership.
Section
3.6.1. Submission of Petition for
Involuntary Termination. The Membership Committee of the member’s
association, or any five full members of said association, may submit to the
association’s Governing Board a written petition for involuntary termination of
the membership of another member of the same association. The petition shall
state the grounds for termination of membership and be substantiated with
evidence.
Section
3.6.2. Governing Board Consideration. After
the Governing Board has provided the respective member an opportunity to be
heard, the Governing Board shall determine whether this petition for
involuntary termination of membership shall be submitted to an association
meeting. The Governing Board shall then either call a special meeting of the
association to consider the case, or include the item in the agenda of the next
association meeting.
Section
3.6.3. Decision by Association Members. At
a meeting of the member’s association, the proposed resolution to terminate the
membership shall be presented by any of the members of the Governing Board. The
member whose termination is being considered is entitled to present his own
case in person. After a discussion of the case, a secret ballot shall be taken.
The decision of a majority of members present at the meeting shall be final. In
case of a tie, termination will not be effected. The Secretary of the
association shall, in writing, communicate the decision to the member within
thirty (30) days thereafter.
Section
3.6.4. Membership Status During
Termination Proceedings. During the review process, the member whose
termination is being considered shall retain all rights of membership unless a
special request has been made in the petition to suspend membership rights
during the review process. Such a request shall be considered separately by the
Governing Board and, if granted, will be effective immediately and shall remain
in effect until superseded by a final determination regarding termination by a
vote of the members’ association.
LOCAL AND NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Section 4.1: Associations
Section 4.1.1. National
Associations and Local Associations in Areas Where no National Association
Exists. The Membership Committee of the International Service Board (ISB)
shall receive and evaluate requests for admission as a National Association of
the UAI, or if the association does not qualify as a National Association, then
as a Local Association in an area where no National Association exists
(referred to as “National Association” in this section). The Charter and Bylaws
Committee shall review the proposed governing documents for a new National
Association for compatibility with the UAI Charter and Bylaws. If it appears to
the Membership Committee and the Charter and Bylaws Committee that the group is
eligible for admission as a constituent association of the UAI, the Membership
Chair and the Charter and Bylaws Committee Chair shall submit a proposed
resolution authorising admission of the new association for consideration by
the ISB and, upon ISB approval, by the Representative Council (RC). Upon the
approval of the RC, the ISB shall contact Urantia Foundation to request a
trademark licence agreement for the new association to be executed along with
the UAI Charter Agreement. Upon execution of the Charter Agreement and
Trademark Licence Agreement, the National Association shall be entitled to full
voting privileges in the RC, and in the case of a Local Association where no
National Association exists, the association’s president and Vice-President
shall be entitled to participate as non-voting members of the RC.
Section
4.1.2. Constituent Associations.
When a new National Association is formed in a country where two or more Local
Associations already exist, those Local Associations shall become constituents
of the National Association and shall enter into a Charter Agreement with the
National Association in place of the original agreement with the UAI.
Section
4.1.3. Local Associations in Countries
Where a National Association Exists. National Associations shall be
responsible for entering Charter Agreements with Local Associations within the
geographic region encompassed by their National Association. The Membership
Committee or other Committee of the National Association shall receive and
evaluate such requests for admission, and advise the Governing Board of the
National Association when a group is eligible for admission as an association.
When a National Association decides to admit a new constituent association, the
National Governing Board shall enter a Charter Agreement with the new
association and shall contact Urantia Foundation to request a trademark licence
agreement for the new association.
Section
4.1.4. Local Associations Eligible to
Become National Associations. A Local Association where no National
Association exists may later request to become a National Association of the
UAI if it meets the eligibility requirements; provided, however, that if two or
more Local Associations exist in the same country they shall form a council
consisting of their Local Presidents and Vice-Presidents. This Council of Local
Presidents and Vice-Presidents shall manage the national UAI affairs in its
country, and shall integrate and coordinate the functions of the Local
Associations nationwide, including any request for admission as a National
Association of the UAI and election of officers for the National Association.
Section
4.1.5. Minimum Size. Local
Associations shall have a minimum of ten (10) full members; National
Associations shall have a minimum of thirty (30) full members. A Local
Association having twenty or more members may apply to amend their Charter
Agreement to divide into two or more Local Associations, provided that after
the division, each of the resulting Local Associations has at least ten
members. Any such application must be based on the affirmative vote of a
majority of the association’s voting members and must be directed to the ISB in
the case of a Local Association where no National Association exists, or to the
National Association with which the Local Association is associated.
Section
4.1.6. Separate Incorporation. All
associations that enter into Charter Agreements with the UAI shall be organised
as non-profit entities under the laws of the area where they are formed in the
manner most suitable to the association. National Associations may require
Local Associations in their territory to be organised as distinct non-profit
entities or as chapters or branches of the National Association.
Section
4.1.7. Limits on National Associations. No
more than one National Association may be chartered in any country, and the
country must be one recognised by the United Nations.
Section
4.1.8. Limits on Local Associations.
(Refer to Section 2.4.b.ii of the UAI
Charter)
Section
4.1.9. Required Qualified Officers. No
association may be chartered until a minimum of four (4) members is qualified
to act as officers. In the event of a vacancy in the office of a Governing
Board, the remaining officers shall appoint a qualified member to serve until a
replacement is elected.
Section
4.1.10. Change of Status. If the
membership in a Local Association falls below ten members, or if the
association has less than four qualified and elected officers for a period of
more than one year, the association may be placed on inactive status by the
National Association with which the Local Association is associated, or by the
ISB if no respective National Association exists.
When an
association is placed on inactive status, all association funds shall
immediately be turned over to the Treasurer of the National Association with
which the Local Association is associated, or to the Chief Financial Officer of
the ISB if no respective National Association exists, and shall be held in
reserve for the association until the association is reactivated or for one
year, whichever is less. If the association is not reactivated within one year,
the association shall be dissolved and any funds held in reserve shall be
distributed as set forth under the association’s provisions in the event of
dissolution. In the event an association’s governing documents do not contain a
provision related to distribution of funds upon dissolution, the funds shall be
distributed to Urantia Brotherhood Association, 533 Diversey Parkway, Chicago,
IL, United States if then in existence, or to Urantia Foundation, 533 Diversey
Parkway, Chicago, IL, United States.
Should the
membership of a National Association fall below 30 members, the ISB shall
declare it to be a Local Association.
Section 4.1.11.
Expulsion of a National Association or a Local Association in an Area Where No
National Association Exists. (Refer to 2.4.7 and 2.4.8 of the UAI Charter)
Section 4.1.11.1. The ISB shall examine the
allegations of any petition for expulsion and may elect an ad hoc sub-committee
from among the ISB members to oversee the examination. The ISB shall present
its findings, as adopted by a majority of the members of the ISB, to the RC in
the form of a summary report and recommendation. If the ISB finds that grounds
for expulsion exist, it shall simultaneously present a proposed resolution to
the RC to expel the association from UAI.
Section
4.1.11.2. The members of the RC shall have an opportunity for review and discussion
of the proposed resolution. The President and Vice-President of the Association
whose expulsion is being considered may participate in the discussion but are
not entitled to vote on the resolution for expulsion of their Association. A
resolution to expel an Association from the UAI requires a sixty-six percent
majority vote of the RC.
Section
4.1.11.3. When the RC passes a resolution to expel an association, the
association is immediately suspended from participation as an active
association. The association may, within fifteen days of the resolution, appeal
to the Judicial Commission to review the decision. The Judicial Commission will
request the complete file of evidence considered by the ISB and a transcript of
the discussion and vote by the RC. Within its sole discretion the Judicial
Commission may request or consider such other evidence as will best ensure that
justice is served. The Secretary of the ISB shall provide a copy of the
aforesaid documents to each member of the Judicial Commission within fifteen
days of their request. The Judicial Commission must issue its decision within
ninety days thereafter, which decision is final and binding.
Section
4.1.11.4. If no appeal to the Judicial Commission has been filed within fifteen
days after the RC passes a resolution to expel an association, or if an appeal
to the Judicial Commission results in a determination affirming the validity of
the resolution to expel an association, the ISB shall promptly execute such
documents as may be necessary to effect the expulsion and revoke the Charter
Agreement between the Association and the UAI, and shall notify Urantia
Foundation of the expulsion of the Association from the UAI.
Section 4.2: Local and National Associations
Section
4.2.1. Adoption of Bylaws. (Refer to Sections 2.4.2 and 2.4.3 of the
UAI Charter)
Section
4.2.2. National Associations’ Autonomy.
(Refer to Section 2.4.4 of the UAI
Charter)
Section
4.2.3. National Associations’
Authority/Responsibility. Each National Association has authority and responsibility for the national affairs
of UAI within its geographic region by integrating and coordinating events,
activities, or other matters that affect the National Association as a whole.
It shall also establish standards for Local Urantia Associations within its
region in regard to matters that affect the National Association as a whole.
The National Association shall:
a. be responsible for forming Local
Associations within the geographic region encompassed by their National
Association and entering Charter Agreements with new Local Associations,
b. represent its members and Local
Associations in and to the Central Administration of UAI by having its
President and Vice-President participate as members of the Representative
Council,
c. conduct all national level UAI activities
within the geographic boundaries of the region in which the association is
chartered,
d. help to integrate and coordinate the
needs and activities of its Local Associations, if applicable,
e. foster study groups within the area of
the association.
Section
4.2.4. Local Associations’ Autonomy. (Refer
to Section 2.4.4 of the UAI Charter)
Section
4.2.5. Local Associations’
Authority/Responsibility. A Local Association has the authority to:
a. conduct all UAI activities at the local
level within the designated geographic area or stated purpose designated for
the association pursuant to its Charter Agreement,
b. foster study groups within the designated
area of that association,
c. represent, through the President and
Vice-President as non-voting members of the Representative Council, its members
in and to the Central Administration of UAI if there is no National Association
in the country,
d. represent, through the President and
Vice-President, its members in and to the Council of Local Presidents and
Vice-Presidents that administers the National Association.
Section
4.2.6. Governing Boards. Each
association shall have a Governing Board consisting of at least the following
officers: a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer, and a Secretary. Chairmen
of standing committees of the association may also serve as voting or
non-voting members of the Governing Board, if permitted by the bylaws of the
association. Officers shall hold staggered, two-year terms. When a new
association is chartered, two of the initial officers shall be elected for one
or three-year terms. The term of a chairmanship of a standing committee
represented on the Governing Board shall not exceed two years, whether it is an
elected or appointive position. Each association may fix the number of
consecutive terms an individual may serve on the Governing Board up to a
maximum of five (in one or any combination of offices), provided that in the
absence of any provision in the bylaws of an association, the maximum number of
consecutive terms an individual may serve in any one office shall be two and
the maximum number of consecutive terms an individual may serve in any
combination of offices on the Governing Board shall be five.
Section
4.2.7: Voting Members of National Associations with Two or More
Local Associations. The voting members of a National Association with two
or more constituent Local Associations shall be the Presidents and
Vice-Presidents of the constituent Local Associations
Section
4.2.8. Association Meetings. The
Governing Board of each association shall convene a meeting of the voting
members of the association at least once each year and such other meetings as
the Governing Board may deem necessary or as requested by one third of the
members of the association. Meetings may be held by electronic means provided
all members have an opportunity to participate.
Section 4.3: Administration of Joint Activities
Section
4.3.1. Any event or activity organised by more than one association, including
the Representative Council, shall be jointly administered. At the time the
decision is made to hold the event or participate in a joint activity, the
participating associations shall jointly agree upon and assign specific
responsibilities, authorities, and accountabilities.
Section
4.3.2. A National Association shall have the authority to approve the agenda
and budget and shall have final responsibility for all national events and
activities that take place within its jurisdiction.
Section 4.3.3.
Upon the recommendation of the ISB, the RC shall approve the agenda and budget
and shall have final responsibility for all international UAI events and
activities.
ARTICLE V
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION
Refer to Article 2 of the UAI Charter.
ARTICLE VI
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE BOARD (ISB)
Section 6.1: Powers and Duties
Section
6.1.1. General Powers and Duties (Refer
to 2.1.1 of the UAI Charter). In addition to powers set down in the UAI
Charter, the ISB shall maintain and foster a relationship of interdependence
between UAI and Urantia Foundation. The ISB shall also be responsible for:
a. long range planning for UAI,
b. preparation of an annual budget for the
Central Administration, which shall be submitted to the RC for approval,