BOARD  POLICIES
CATHOLIC ALUMNI CLUB OF DETROIT

Section 1:  Finances

1.  a.	A written report reconciling finances is due at the board meeting immediately    following the event, where funds have been advanced or received by the treasurer.  If an event is chaired by a member other that a committee chairperson, the co-chairperson of the sponsoring committee is responsible for filing the report according to the guidelines in subsections (a) and (b).

b.	If the financial settlement is not complete at the time of the board meeting, an interim report shall be given.  At the next board meeting (no later than two board meetings after the event) a full written report shall be presented.

c.	The treasurer shall maintain a list of delinquent reports and shall present this to the board each month.

d.	If a report is delinquent (not filed within 2 board meetings of the event), the board will decide on an appropriate action.

2.	The person sponsoring an event shall decide the price for members and non-members, subject to board approval.

3.	Events shall be planned to at least break even and to include cost of club overhead.

4.	When events involve the pre-payment of dinners, tickets, rooms, etc., the organizer shall require payment in advance.

5.	The person who orders a ticket, dinner, room, etc., and does not use it is liable for the cost.  If sufficient notice is given, so the event can be cancelled, then a refund minus expenses for the cancellation may be made at the discretion of the organizer.  If an expense is incurred, the refund will be at the discretion of the board.

6.	Requests for reimbursement shall be made by submitting the proper documentation to the treasurer.  A committee chairperson may be reimbursed for incidental expenses up to $25.00 a month without board approval.  An item requiring cost greater than $25.00 may not be requested over several months but must be brought before the board.  Publications, publicity, and vice president shall be exempt for normally recurring expenses, such as: stamps, printing costs and site selection for general meetings.

7.	Reimbursement up to $30.00 is issued to members who chair a nursing home activity through the Catholic Action Committee for incurred expenses.

8.	Persons hosting a board meeting will be reimbursed for refreshments, not to exceed a cost of $20.  Persons hosting a Sparks mailing or composition will be reimbursed for refreshments, not to exceed $20.  Reimbursements pursuant to this section are automatic.

9.	All official committee meetings, except mailings and board meetings, have an authorization to be reimbursed for up to $10.00.

10.	Delegates of the club who attend C.A.C. National and Midwest conventions are reimbursed $15.00 per meeting.

11.	All expenses should be turned in monthly, with a final request for the calendar year made at the changeover board meeting, if necessary.

Section 2:  Newsletter

1.	The editor shall include time, place and date of the monthly general meeting each issue.

2.	The monthly newsletter deadline is the board meeting unless waived by the editor.  Anyone missing the newsletter deadline may have his/her event removed from the calendar.

3.	The editor shall edit any articles or photographs at his/her discretion.

4.	Articles submitted shall contain the following information:  when appropriate, cost or an estimate thereof, location, date and time, if refreshments are to be served.  A deadline for reservations shall be established.  At least one contact phone number will be listed.  When possible include one on the East side, labeled as such, and one on the West side, labeled as such.

5.	Only events approved by the board will be published in Sparks or announced at a general meeting.  This includes requests for F.Y.I. listings.  Members of C.A.C.D. in good standing are entitled to submit articles.  Publication is at the discretion of the editor.  Any disputes are brought to the board.  The editor’s policies are subject to review by the board.

6.	Alumni of C.A.C.D. may receive Sparks at a cost of $15.00 per year.  Members of other CAC’s may obtain Sparks for $15.00 per year.

Section 3:  General Meetings

1.	Committee chairpersons will announce to the members during their report only those upcoming events which have been approved by the board.

Section 4:  Board Meetings

1.	All board members are expected to attend all board meetings.  Any member not able to attend a board meeting will let the president or recording secretary know well ahead of time that he/she cannot attend.

2.  The first board meeting of the calendar year is a changeover board meeting.  Outgoing and incoming board members are to attend.  When the gavel is passed, voting is by the elected officers:  president, vice president, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, treasurer, assistant treasurer, mid-year and annual male/female board members, and the immediate past president, and once installed, the new committee chairpersons.

Section 5:  Calendar

1.	The events will be presented to the board by the committee chairpersons to have the dates approved.

2.	The board will set priorities.  High priority items, such as the Christmas Dinner Dance, will get a sole date.  Low priority events can share a date.

3.	In an unusual circumstance, the president on his or her authority can accept for the calendar listing events suggested too late for board action, provided the proposed event does not require board approval for a cash advance.

4.	Monthly meetings and work sessions are normally scheduled as follows:
	
		1st Wednesday – Board Meeting
		Friday following first Wednesday – Sparks composition
		2nd Wednesday – Sparks mailing
		3rd Wednesday – General Meeting

Section 6:  Committee Meetings

1.	Committee meetings should be held at the place and time appointed by the chairpersons.

Section 7:  Membership

1.	Guests, who are eligible for membership, receive Sparks for three months.

2.	Membership applications are available through the membership chairpersons.

3.	Upon receipt of an application for membership, the membership chairperson will obtain documented verification of the candidate’s eligibility for membership, if not otherwise supplied.

4.	To confirm credentials of applicants baptized outside of the United states, the membership committee may make reasonable exceptions to the policies requiring documentation and accept a letter from the applicant’s parish priest.

5.	Guest cards from general meetings are kept by the membership chairpersons for at least one year.

6.	As a courtesy, the $3.00 application fee is waived for members of other CAC’s.

7.	Applicants shall be charged the same fee as members for activities.

8.	Membership will provide to the recording secretary, assistant treasurer and publications co-chairs (editor and director Sparks distribution) information on persons approved for membership and applicants.

Section 8:  Directory

1.	The directory is compiled, printed and distributed as soon as possible after January 31.

2.	No money is given to club members for typing the roster.  Members are not paid for their individual contributions to the club.

3.	The directory is distributed to new members when they are notified of their acceptance for membership.

4.	The directory or membership roster contains the following information about each member:
		Name
	Street address
	City, State, Zip+Four
	Phone number
	Month and day of birthdate
	College or university
	Occupation
	Parish
	E-mail address
	Phone chain information (if a caller or callee, or both)

     Directory information will be suppressed if requested by a member.

Section 9:  Phone Chain

1.	The phone chain is used to initiate rapid dissemination of urgent information or quick       assembly of club members.  Traditionally, the phone chain has been used to relate the death of a CACD member or a death in a CACD member’s immediate family.  CACD members meet at the wake of the deceased for the rosary, a scripture service or prayer service.  Anyone wishing to initiate the phone chain should call the president, the vice president or the corresponding secretary.

2.	As of 2000, the phone chain is displayed as a visual diagram of callers, and is located on a page that is found inside the back cover of the membership directory.  The names of members who indicated on the membership renewal form that they wanted to be “a CALLER and a CALLEE” are preceded by a colon (:).  The chain is self-explanatory.  If a caller is assigned to call a person who cannot be reached, the caller should make that person’s calls for him/her, so that the information can reach all interested members quickly.

3.	At the time of dues renewal, members are asked if they wish to be in the phone chain as a caller, as a receiver of calls only, or not at all.  When the new directory is distributed, the new phone chain is activated as necessary.  The newsletter will mention that the directory has been issued with the new phone chain.  The assistant treasurer will prepare the notice for the newsletter.

Section 10:  Election

1.	Any candidate for Club office who desires a representative to witness the counting of ballots should give the name of that person to the elections chairperson.

2.	Members not attending general meetings at which elections are held should use the absentee ballot provided in Sparks.  Voting members must abide by guidelines set forth by the board.

3.  The winners, but not the vote counts, are made known.

Section 11:  Club Records

1.	At the changeover board meeting, the chairpersons of each committee and the elected officers shall submit a written report.  One copy shall be given to the president and one copy shall be saved for the next chairperson or officer.  Contents of the written report:
(a)  Name of the committee/officer position
(b)  Date
(c)  Chairperson’s/officer’s name
(d)  List of activities and estimate of number attending
(e)  Highlights of the year
(f)  A copy of each activity financial or expense report
(g)  Advice for new chairpersons
	
	Purpose of the report:  Your successor will profit from your experiences, and the new president will have an idea of committee activity expenditures.

2.	At the beginning of their tenure, all board members shall be supplied with a copy of the constitution, bylaws and board policies.

3.	Amendments to the constitution, bylaws and board policies will be given to each board member, who will be responsible for updating their copies.

4.	Board members will be supplied with samples of the financial forms to be used and all available historical files from their predecessors.

5.	The recording secretary will maintain an updated, official copy of the policies.

6.	The recording secretary is responsible for having on hand at the board meeting a copy of the constitution, bylaws and current motions.

7.	The directory of married alumni is maintained by the assistant treasurer and is available to the board for such events as the annual alumni picnic and the Christmas Dinner Dance.

8.	The assistant treasurer shall maintain a list of deceased members.  The deceased of CACD shall be remembered at a Mass each November, the month of All Souls.

Section 12:  Mailings

1.	The mailing of the monthly newsletter is the responsibility of and is scheduled through the Publications Committee.  Club member address labels and CAC address labels are also provided by the Publications Committee.

Section 13:  Member of the Year Award

1.	The board votes annually for the member/members of CACD who has/have contributed the most to CACD during the current year with their time and talents.  Past years service is also a consideration.

2.	The award may not be given to the same member more than once.

3.	The award may be given at the Christmas Dinner Dance or at some other time designated by the Board.

4.	All club members are eligible for the award.

Section 14:  Reciprocity

1.	The Club shall extend temporary membership privileges, without the right of voting or holding office, for a period of sixty (60) days, to a member in good standing of another CAC.  We interpret this policy of reciprocity as follows:
a.	Pertains to members of other CAC’s visiting or working temporarily in the Detroit area and whose normal place of residence prior to and following their visit to the Detroit area is other than the Detroit area.

b.	During this period, the temporary member may make formal application for membership, but the acceptance of applicants as permanent members shall remain at the discretion of CACD.

Section 15:  Spiritual Support Groups

1.  At the time of dues renewal, members shall be asked if they wish to be assigned to spiritual support groups (SSG’s).

2.	The Catholic Action Committee will assign those wishing to SSG’s.

3.	SSG membership and participation is confidential.

Section 16:  Gifts and Remembrances

1.	When two members marry, the Club shall purchase a marriage cross.  When one member marries a non-member, a mass card will be sent.  The corresponding secretary will arrange for its purchase.

2.	When a parent, child or person in a member’s immediate household dies, the corresponding secretary will send a Mass card. A $10 donation will be made for the Mass card.

3.  When a member dies, the corresponding secretary will send flowers or make a contribution, as desired by the family, and a perpetual mass enrollment. Cost of flowers will be $40.

Revised March, 2000.

Point of Information: - Books

1.	The following books have been purchased with club funds for the use of board members:
			5 copies of:	N. E. Renton
					Guide for Meetings and Organizations,
					Sydney, Law Book Company Ltd., 1979

			1 copy of:	C. F. Bentley
					How to Run a Meeting, 
					Toronto, Coles Publishing Company Ltd., 1979
These books are in the president’s files.