General Lab Information

Constitution & Bylaws

Article I: Name

The name of the club shall be “Hispanic Heritage Group at BNL”

Article II: Purpose

The purpose of the Hispanic Heritage Group is to bring to Brookhaven National Laboratory, awareness and appreciation of Hispanic Culture. To achieve our goals, the organization shall:

  1. Create an environment where members can discuss and support Hispanic Culture.
  2. Develop social events and activities that will promote awareness and appreciation of Hispanic Culture

Article III: Membership

Is open to BNL and BSA employees and their immediate family members, including retirees; the Brookhaven Area Office of the U.S. Dept. of Energy and members of their immediate families; persons with BNL or BSA guest and visiting appointments and members of their immediate families; employees of permanent on site’ employees such as Flik, Teachers Federal Credit Union, Upton post office, etc, and members of their immediate families. All shall be admitted to membership in this group & governed by its By-laws. The right to vote is reserved for members of the Hispanic Heritage Group.

Article IV: Membership Fee

The Hispanic Heritage Group, by a written vote of a quorum of the membership, may levy upon the membership dues deemed necessary to accomplish the goals of the group. The need for a membership fee shall be assessed yearly.

Article V: Officers

  1. The Executive Board will consist of the following members: president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer as well as ongoing committee chairs, such as membership, hospitality, etc. All of the Executive Board of the club shall have voting rights, with the president voting only to break a tie.
  2. The members of the Executive Board who are elected by the voting members shall conduct the affairs of the club.
  3. Executive Board members shall be elected to a term of one year to begin in February, and may be re-elected. An officer may not serve on the Executive Board for more than (2) terms.
  4. In case of a vacancy in any office, the Executive Board shall nominate a member or fill the vacancy for the unexpired term, and notify the membership of a special election at the next scheduled meeting.
  5. The officers will serve without remuneration.

Article VI: Meetings

  1. Executive Board meetings will be held once a month to formulate and carry out plans for the club.
  2. The president or vice president or a quorum of the Executive Board may call special meetings of the membership.

Article VII: Special Committees

The president shall appoint a committee chairperson as the need arises, subject to majority approval of the Executive Board.

Article VIII: ;Amendments

  1. This Constitution may be amended by ¾ vote of those members who are present at any regular meeting, quorum being present, provided that notice of the proposed amendment has been given at the preceding meeting.
  2. No amendment of this Constitution that would require reorganization or dissolution shall be made except by a ¾ vote in a duly assembled meeting, a quorum being present, provided that notice of the proposal amendment was duly mailed, 30 days prior to meeting, to each member in good standing.

Article I: Membership Dues and Voting

  1. Determines the club’s membership count.
  2. Gives the member a right to vote.
  3. Gives the member a right to motion.
  4. A quorum shall be 3/4 of those members who are present at a regular meeting.
  5. A quorum must be present at any meeting of the organization at which officers are elected or a vote is taken committing it to any proposal or action.

Article II: Duties: Executive Board and Officers

Duties of the Executive Board

  1. Formulate the policies, rules and regulations of the club to conform to the Constitution and By-Laws.
  2. Confirm or reject appointments made by the president.
  3. Prepare an annual budget for the club.
  4. Attend to all business not otherwise specified in the Constitution or the By-Laws.
  5. Responsible for calling meetings.
  6. Activities and events shall be subject to review by the Executive Board (amended, 5/15/03)

Duties of the President

  1. Preside at all meetings of the club and the Executive Board; the president may attend committee meetings but does not preside at committee meetings.
  2. Serve as official representative of the club.
  3. Countersign financial statements.
  4. Appoint committees subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
  5. Issue and approve all reports as required.
  6. See that the Constitution and By-Laws of the club are enforced.
  7. Approve expenditures authorized by the Executive Board.

Duties of the Vice President

  1. Assume full responsibilities for the duties of the president in his/her absence.

Duties of the Secretary

  1. Assume full responsibility for the correspondence of the club.
  2. Maintain the mailing list.
  3. Maintain meeting minutes for executive board meeting and full membership meetings.

Duties of the Treasurer

  1. Furnish proper receipt for all monies expended by him/her.
  2. Provide the Executive Board with monthly budget statement and a quarterly financial statement.
  3. Sign checks for submission to persons designated by the president for countersignatures.
  4. Enforce expenditure authorizations depending on the availability of funds within the allocations of the individual annual budgets.
  5. Attend meetings at the request of the Executive Board.

Article III: Nomination and Election of Officers

  1. Nominations of officers shall be recorded in a special meeting scheduled in early December.
  2. The slate of candidates shall be announced to the Club’s membership.
  3. The election shall be conducted during the month of January.
  4. The election of the Executive Board members shall be conducted by a vote of all members.
  5. Tellers appointed by the Executive Board shall tally ballots at the end of the voting session, the candidates receiving the most votes will be elected, the results announced by mail or e-mail.
  6. New officers will begin their terms on February 1st.

Article IV: Meetings

Executive Board

  1. Board Meeting - to take place once a month.
  2. Quorum (attendance) - two out of four board members must be present to hold a meeting.
  3. Board Vote – a unanimous vote of three is required if one is absent.
  4. Consultant – may be invited to an Executive Board Meeting as an advisor/consultant/facilitator, as needed and with consensus of the Executive Board.

General Membership

  1. To be held once a month.
  2. A quorum must be present at a meeting of the organization at which officers are elected or a vote is taken committing it to any proposal or action. The quorum shall be ¾ of those who are present at the meeting. Only members may vote at meetings.

Article V: Committees

A Scholarship Committee shall be established yearly to support the Hispanic Heritage Group Scholarship initiative. Additional committees may be established to support the initiatives of the group.

Committees may be created, and a committee chairperson appointed by the president. All members of the organization are eligible for service on committees. The committee chairperson shall have the responsibilities of reporting on committee activities to the club president and the membership at large.

Article V: Amendments

These By-Laws may be amended by ¾ vote in a duly assembled meeting, a quorum being present, provided that notice of the proposed amendment has been given at the preceding meeting.

About HHG

The Hispanic Heritage Group (HHG), an Employee Resource Group at Brookhaven National Laboratory, aims to raise awareness and appreciation of Hispanic culture at the Lab, and to highlight the contributions of Hispanic people in science and operations at the Lab and beyond. The HHG works closely with the Lab’s Inclusion & Diversity Office and the Brookhaven Employees Recreation Association.