RATIFIED December 11, 2004

EFFECTIVE December 21, 2004

1. ARTICLE I - NAME AND PURPOSE
2. ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
3. ARTICLE III - OFFICERS AND DUTIES
4. ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS
5. ARTICLE V - ELECTIONS
6. ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS
7. ARTICLE VII - NAME AND LOGO
8. ARTICLE IX - DISSOLUTION

1. The name of this organization shall be Dayton Area Mensa, hereafter referred to as DAM.
2. DAM is a local group of American Mensa, Ltd., hereafter referred to as AML, and is subject to the Constitution of Mensa, the Bylaws of AML, and all current and future resolutions adopted by the American Mensa Committee, hereafter referred to as AMC.
3. The purpose of DAM is to support the aims of AML in identifying and fostering human intelligence for the benefit of humanity; encouraging research in the nature, characteristics, and uses of intelligence; and providing opportunities for contacts among Mensa members.

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

1. DAM shall be governed by a Steering Committee, which shall consist of five elected officers and the DAM newsletter editor. An officer is defined as any person who is given a title with specific responsibilities by AML or the DAM Steering Committee.
2. The elected officers of DAM shall be a Local Secretary, a Vice President, a Treasurer, a Recording Secretary, and an Ombudsman. These officers shall be the only members of the Steering Committee to vote on DAM business.
3. All members of the Steering Committee and appointed officers shall be current members in good standing of AML and DAM.
4. Term of Office
1. The term of office for elected officers shall be one calendar year from January 1^st through December 31^st or until installation of a properly qualified successor, except in case of resignation, death, or removal from office as provided herein.
2. No person shall hold the same elected office more than two years consecutively.
3. The term of office for all DAM-appointed positions expires at the end of the term of the appointing Steering Committee. Appointments may be canceled at any time by majority vote of the Steering Committee.
4. The term of office for AML-appointed positions is determined by the appointing agency.
5. Removal from Office
1. Elected officers may be removed from office by the Steering Committee on the basis of inability to serve. Three consecutive unexcused absences from business meetings may constitute cause for removal from office. Removal by the Steering Committee requires a unanimous vote of all voting officers except the officer concerned. The Steering Committee shall then appoint a new officer to the vacant office by unanimous vote. This is an exception to the quorum and majority vote rules of Article IV.2.a.
2. Elected officers may be removed from office for cause by a recall election, which shall proceed as follows:

1. A petition signed by 10% of the members of DAM, citing the reason for such action, shall be submitted to a member of the Steering Committee.
2. Ballots shall be mailed to all DAM members with the newsletter or as a separate mailing.
3. The balloting procedures of a regular election shall be followed, with the exceptions that the recall election shall be held within 60 days of the submission of a properly qualified petition and the dates set forth in Article V.2.a. shall be adjusted accordingly.

1. Officer Responsibilities
1. The Local Secretary shall preside at meetings of the Steering Committee. The Local Secretary shall serve as liaison with other local groups and with AML and shall be the chief point of contact between AML and DAM. By consenting to be Local Secretary, the Local Secretary agrees to pass along information to and from the group in a timely fashion. The Local Secretary shall notify AML and DAM’s Regional Vice Chairman, hereafter referred to as RVC, within two weeks of any changes in the officers of DAM.
2. The Vice President shall assist the Local Secretary in administering the business of the organization, shall preside in the absence of the Local Secretary, and shall immediately and automatically succeed to the office of Local Secretary if that officer is unable to serve out the term for any reason or is removed either by the Steering Committee or through recall election, as provided herein.
3. The Treasurer shall be responsible for financial matters of DAM, including the finances of the DAM newsletter, and shall submit to the Steering Committee a semi-annual financial report, which shall also be published in the DAM newsletter. The financial report shall contain schedules of income, expenses, and balances for all funds under the control of DAM, including Regional Gathering, scholarship, and other special funds. The Treasurer shall also maintain a listing of all equipment owned by DAM. The Treasurer may assist the editor in the preparation and submission of any postal forms that might be required. The Treasurer shall submit to the Local Secretary at least quarterly, or upon request, the actual statements from banks and any other institutions where DAM’s money is deposited or cause a statement to be sent directly to the Local Secretary or designee, who must also be an elected or appointed member of the Steering Committee. All accounts shall be separate accounts in the name of DAM and shall have more than one signatory so that funds can be accessed in the temporary absence of the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall preside at business meetings in the absence of both the Local Secretary and the Vice President.
4. The Recording Secretary shall record and maintain the minutes of all business meetings and manage all official DAM correspondence. The Recording Secretary shall submit business meeting minutes for publication in the DAM newsletter.
5. The Ombudsman shall directly represent the membership to the Steering Committee, maintain close contact with membership concerns, provide an avenue for complaints, and ensure that the Steering Committee gives due consideration to these issues. The Ombudsman shall serve as mediator to pursue resolution of local disputes and shall, if asked, serve as arbitrator to pursue resolution of disputes in other groups.
2. Steering Committee Responsibilities

1. The Steering Committee shall direct the disbursement of DAM’s funds and provide for the effective functioning of DAM. It shall implement ways and means for funding DAM activities.
2. The Steering Committee shall have the power to fill vacancies in elective offices, appoint coordinators, and formally recognize volunteers who provide valuable services for DAM.
1. Appointments are made according to the quorum and majority vote rules of Article IV.2.a.
2. Appointed positions shall include the editor of the local newsletter and any coordinators deemed necessary.
3. Proctors and the local SIGHT coordinator are appointed by the AMC, following recommendation of the Local Secretary or RVC.
3. Outgoing DAM officers and appointees shall turn over, in good order, all files, office equipment, and materials pertaining to their office to either their successors or to a member of the Steering Committee within two weeks of leaving office.
4. The outgoing Steering Committee shall arrange for a financial review during January of each year. This review shall be conducted by one or more members who were not involved in the issuing or collecting of money during the period in review and shall include viewing actual statements from banks and any other institutions where DAM’s money is deposited.

1. Social Gatherings
1. One DAM-sponsored activity shall be held at least quarterly. Notice of social gatherings shall be published in the newsletter.
2. All DAM-sponsored events shall be open to all AML members.
1. Guests of DAM members are invited to attend DAM-sponsored events.
2. Non-members may attend DAM-sponsored events at the discretion of the host or coordinator of the event.
3. In order to promote safety, security, and a full sense of enjoyment by all participants, a member, guest, or non-member may be evicted from or refused entry to any DAM function for specific unacceptable behavior. In such case, the Steering Committee shall keep a written report of the specific causes and actions taken. If deemed necessary by the Steering Committee, the Local Secretary shall forward this report to the RVC.
2. Business Meetings
1. Business meetings shall be held at least quarterly. Notice of the meetings shall be published in the newsletter. Business meetings may be conducted as a part of a gathering or held at a separate time by the Steering Committee. A majority of the voting officers constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business and voting, except where otherwise stated herein. The officers of DAM are expected to attend all business meetings unless excused by a majority of the voting officers.
2. Business meetings shall be open to all members of DAM and to non-members at the invitation of the Steering Committee. The National Ombudsman or surrogate, members of the AMC, and regional officers shall be permitted to participate in the business meetings of DAM in the discharge of their official duties.
3. Special meetings may be called by the Local Secretary, by any three members of the Steering Committee, or by a petition signed by 10% of the members of DAM. The agenda for a special meeting shall include only that business for which the meeting was called. A special meeting called by petition shall be held within 30 days of the submission of a properly qualified petition to a member of the Steering Committee.
4. Robert’s Rules of Order, latest edition, shall be the parliamentary authority in all cases not covered by these bylaws.

1. Nominating
1. No later than June 15^th each year, the Steering Committee shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least three members for the purpose of organizing and conducting the annual Steering Committee election according to specifications for elections provided herein. No member of the Nominating Committee may be a voting member of the current Steering Committee. No member of the Nominating Committee may be currently running for elective office.
2. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of one or more candidates for each office. The Nominating Committee shall confirm each candidate’s willingness to run for office.
3. The preliminary slate of candidates shall be published in the September newsletter.
4. Any DAM member desiring to run for office whose name is not on the slate may be included as a candidate by submitting a petition signed by eight members of DAM to a member of the Nominating Committee. The properly qualified petition must be received by the Nominating Committee by the deadline for the publication of the October newsletter.
5. The Nominating Committee shall provide the complete slate of candidates for publication in the October newsletter.
2. Balloting
1. Ballots shall be mailed with the November newsletter to all DAM members, who may either mail them to the address provided by the Nominating Committee, postmarked by the date specified on the ballot, or hand them to a member of the Nominating Committee at the formal election. The formal election shall be conducted at a gathering held no later than December 15^th.
2. A plurality of all validated votes cast for each office constitutes election. A candidate elected through write-in may decline to serve by notifying the Chair of the Nominating Committee or any member of the current Steering Committee.
3. Votes which are tied shall be resolved at the formal election by the Chair of the Nominating Committee with a coin toss or similar random process.
3. Certifying
1. The Nominating Committee shall tally the ballots, announce the names of the new officers, and compile a report, signed by the committee members, listing the votes and the tally to certify the election. In no case shall the voters’ names be associated with the votes they cast. The report and the ballots shall be kept available for immediate inspection the remainder of the calendar year for which the election applies.
2. The names of the new officers shall be published in the January newsletter. Upon request to the Nominating Committee, a candidate shall be informed of the vote tally for that candidate’s office only. No vote tallies shall be made available to the general membership.
3. The outgoing Local Secretary shall notify AML and the RVC within two weeks of the results of the election.
4. Any challenges to the election by any DAM member shall be submitted in writing, postmarked by January 31^st, to the Chair of the Nominating Committee or to the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee shall investigate and rule on the challenge within 30 days. Steering Committee resolutions adopted while a challenge is pending are valid.

1. Amendment of these bylaws may be initiated by the Steering Committee or by a petition signed by 10% of the members of DAM and submitted to a member of the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee shall appoint a DAM Bylaws Committee to develop amendments or to process amendments submitted by a properly qualified petition and to organize and conduct the ratification process. The proposals shall be submitted to the AMC for approval to ballot.
2. After the AMC Bylaws Committee gives approval to ballot, the amendments shall be published in the DAM newsletter. The balloting procedures of a regular election shall be followed, with the exceptions that the balloting deadline shall be no less than 90 days after publication in the newsletter and the dates set forth in Article V.2.a. shall be adjusted accordingly.
3. Amended bylaws shall be ratified by DAM by a simple majority of all validated votes.
4. After the filing of the amended bylaws with the AMC Bylaws Committee, the AMC will notify DAM of the effective date of the amended bylaws.
5. Amendments are not effective until final approval is given by the AMC.

1. AML has granted a royalty free, non-exclusive license to DAM for the use of the mark "Mensa" and a logo, consisting of a globe over a stylized "M" within a border, in connection with the non-commercial uses of DAM. AML retains full ownership of the mark and logo and all statutory and common law rights in the mark and logo.
2. The logo may not be used in conjunction with any other elements in such a way that these elements could be interpreted as being a part of the logo design.
3. Additional letters may not be added to the word "Mensa," and the word "Mensa" shall not be used to create a compound word, except if specifically authorized by the AMC Name and Logo Committee.

ARTICLE VIII – DISSOLUTION