THE MISSION
OF THE
NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF UTAH PIONEERS:
- Preserve the memory and heritage of the early pioneers of the Utah Territory.
We honor the pioneers for their faith in God; devotion to family; loyalty to church and country; hard work and service to others; courage in adversity; personal integrity; and unyielding determination.
- Honor Present-day pioneers worldwide in many walks of life, who exemplify these same qualities of character.
- Teach these same qualities to the youth who will be tomorrow’s pioneers
THE BYLAWS
OF THE
NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF UTAH PIONEERS
Article I. Membership
Article II. National Board
Article III. Executive Council
Article IV. Chapters
Article V. National Officers and Duties
Article VI. Councils
Article VII. Nominations and Elections
Article VIII. National Convention
Article IX. Rules of Order
Article X. Seal
Article XI. Amendment
Section 1. Membership. Male persons of good moral character, principles and ideals, and desirous of perpetuating the goals of the National Society of the Sons of Utah Pioneers (Hereafter “Sons of Utah Pioneers”, “National Society” or “SUP”) and its programs, may become members of the National Society upon the payment of dues to the national office. Membership in the National Society shall be comprised of the following classifications:
A. Annual Members and Life Members. Annual members are those members who pay national dues annually. Life members are those members who have paid the life membership fee, and meet other requirements as determined by the National Board.
B. Honorary Members. Honorary members may be granted such honor by the National Board or by chapters under guidelines provided by the National Board. Honorary members shall not be entitled to vote in matters concerning the Sons of Utah Pioneers or hold any local or national SUP office.
Section 2: Membership Rights and Privileges: A member may join any chapter he chooses or as many to which he is willing to pay chapter dues, or he may be a member at-large. All members as defined in Section 1A shall receive a subscription to the PIONEER magazine, the official organ of the National Society.
Section 3: National Society Dues. The amount of the annual or life membership dues and method of payment thereof shall be approved by the National Board with at least 30 days notice to all chapters.
Section 1. Membership of National Board. The National Board shall consist of the Executive Council (i.e. the National President, the National President-Elect, and the Immediate Past National President) and all Area Vice Presidents.
Section 2. Powers, Duties, and Authority. The affairs and business of the National Society shall be managed and conducted by the National Board. The National Board shall approve the appointment of the Executive Manager, the Treasurer, the Judge Advocate, National Program Directors, and members of national committees. The National Board shall approve all appointments to fill vacancies that may exist in any national office, appointed or elected. The National Board, acting with a majority of National Board members present and following a hearing, may remove from elected or appointed SUP office, anyone who, in the opinion of the National Board, has failed in his duties or is causing irreparable harm to the National Society. The National Board shall establish financial policies to give direction for the administration and investment of SUP funds.
Section 3. Terms of Office: The terms for elected officers shall commence on January 1 of the year following election.
A. The National President shall be elected to a three year term. During the first year he shall serve as the National President-Elect, during the second as National President, and during the third as Immediate Past National President.
B. Area Vice Presidents shall be elected to two year terms, one-half of them being elected each year.
Section 4. Meetings of National Board. The National Board shall meet monthly, at such time and place as the National President shall direct. The National President may call special meetings as needed. Written notice of any special meeting shall be given to each National Board member stating the day, place, time, and the purpose of said meeting at least one week prior to the meeting.
Section 5. Quorum, Proxies, and Action. A majority of the National Board members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. All voting at National Board meetings shall be only by National Board members present. No voting by proxy shall be permitted. Any action by a majority of the National Board members present shall be the decision of the National Board.
ARTICLE III - EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Section 1. Membership of Executive Council. The Executive Council shall consist of the National President, the National President-Elect, and the Immediate Past National President. The National President shall conduct the meetings of the Executive Council.
Section 2. Duties of Executive Council. The Executive Council shall give direction to the daily operations of the SUP within the established guidelines and policies of the National Board. The Executive Council will advise the National President on the appointment of the Executive Manager, the Treasurer, the Judge Advocate and National Program Directors, subject to the approval of the National Board. The Executive Council shall give supervision to these officers and evaluate their performance. The Executive Council shall train Area Vice Presidents and all national appointed officers on a regular basis.
Section 1. Organization of Membership. The SUP shall function through chapters. A chapter shall be geographically organized, consist of SUP members and shall function as a chapter when approved as such by the National Board. Each chapter shall receive support from the National Board, National Program Directors and Area SUP organization in the form of training, visits, communication and encouragement.
Section 2. Chapter Qualifications. Ten or more SUP Members are required to establish a chapter. After an application has been received for a new chapter and approved by the National Board, a charter shall be issued. Where possible, each new chapter shall be sponsored by an active chapter that will give guidance and support to the new chapter. Each chapter may choose its own name. It may fix its own chapter membership dues. Chapters may adopt their own bylaws that must not conflict with the National Bylaws.
Section 3. Chapter Officers. Chapter officers normally include a president, president-elect, past president, secretary-treasurer, and such committee chairmen and other chapter board members as will meet the needs of the chapter. Chapter officers shall be elected by chapter members during the month of October and will take office the following January 1.
Section 4. Chapter Responsibilities. Each chapter shall conduct its affairs in harmony with and shall comply with and support the SUP Bylaws, Mission Statement, and the programs and goals of the SUP. The chapter officers shall ensure that all SUP dues and fees are collected and paid to the national office within two weeks after collection.
Section 5. Division and Dissolution of Chapters. Chapters may be divided to form two or more chapters. Upon the division of a chapter, all funds will be divided pro rata to the number of members in each chapter. If a chapter is dissolved by action of the National Board, all assets, records, and holdings shall be turned over to the National Society. A chapter may be dissolved by the National Board upon a finding of inactivity, or loss of membership sufficient to sustain the chapter.
Section 6. Organization of Chapters into Areas. To facilitate communications between the chapters and the National Board and to provide for local training of chapter officers, the National Board, with input from the Past National Presidents Council, will establish geographical areas consisting of several chapters. Each area will have an Area Vice President elected by the chapters within the area as described in Article VII. The area designations will be reviewed by the National Board at least every two years.
ARTICLE V - NATIONAL OFFICERS AND DUTIES
Section 1. National President. The National President is the chief executive officer of the National Society of the Sons of Utah Pioneers. He shall supervise and direct all business affairs of the National Society, including meetings of the Executive Council, the National Board, the Chapter Presidents Council, and the business meetings at the National Convention. He shall appoint, with the approval of the National Board, the Executive Manager, the Treasurer, the Judge Advocate, members of the Finance Committee, and National Program Directors. The National President is responsible for supervision and training of Area Vice Presidents and National Program Directors assisted by the other members of the Executive Council. With the approval of the National Board, he shall appoint persons to fill any vacancy in any SUP national office until a successor is duly elected. He is an ex-officio (non-voting) member of all national councils and committees. He shall supervise the National Convention. The National President shall sign, with the Executive Manager, all certificates of membership and official documents. He shall be the agent of the SUP as directed by the National Board. He shall require an independent public accountant’s annual review of the SUP’s financial statement information. He shall furnish the reviewed financial statements with the written opinion of the independent accountant to the National Board and to any member in good standing who may request the reviewed statements. He shall make periodic reports to the National Board and the general membership of the National Society, and generally perform all duties incidental to the office of National President.
Section 2. National President-Elect. The National President-Elect shall perform the duties of the National President in his absence. He shall assume the office of the National President in the event of the National President’s death or disability, or upon resignation of the National President or a determination by the National Board that the National President is unable to act. He will then complete the National President’s term and his own term. He is a member of the Executive Council and the National Board. He shall represent on the National Board all members in remote chapters and at-large members. He shall perform other duties as may be assigned by the National President.
Section 3. Immediate Past National President. The Immediate Past National President of the Sons of Utah Pioneers shall be a member of the Executive Council, the National Board and the Past National Presidents Council. He shall give such assistance and advice as are inherent in his position. He shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the National President. He shall serve one year as Chairman of the Past National Presidents Council and as the Chairman of the National Nominating Committee.
Section 4. Area Vice Presidents. Area Vice Presidents are members of the National Board and serve as a communication link with the chapters they serve. They represent their designated chapters on the National Board and represent the National Board to their chapters. They are responsible to train officers and board members of their chapters soon after these local officers are elected and continuously throughout the year. Area Vice Presidents shall visit each designated chapter’s board meetings at least quarterly and chapter meetings as often as practical. They plan and conduct meetings of the Area Council.
Section 5. Treasurer. The Treasurer is the chief financial officer of the SUP, and is the custodian of and responsible for all cash funds and securities of the SUP. He is to execute the financial policies of the National Society as adopted by the National Board. He is chairman of the Finance Committee that shall oversee accounting procedures, initiate the preparation of annual budgets for the National Society, and prudently invest idle operating funds and all endowment funds in accordance with the investment policy established by the National Board. The Treasurer shall attend meetings of the Executive Council and National Board and make monthly reports of the SUP financial activities to these bodies. He shall prepare and submit all necessary reports to government and taxing authorities.
Section 6. Executive Manager. Under the direction of the National President and Executive Council, the Executive Manager supervises the activities of the national office including all employed and volunteer workers. He cooperates with a National Program Director in supervising the pioneer heritage work of the library. He keeps the minutes of the Executive Council and National Board meetings, processes and keeps records of membership and dues payment, supervises the care and cleaning of the building and land, purchases such materials as needed for the office and custodian, maintains building security, and promotes and supervises the scheduling of the building. He cooperates with and supports the National Program Directors in the discharge of their duties and assures that SUP’s web site is updated regularly. He shall also certify the delegates to the National Convention as directed by the National Nominating Committee, and perform such other duties as may be required by the National President.
Section 7. Judge Advocate. The Judge Advocate is the parliamentarian and chief legal officer of the SUP. He shall advise the National President on all legal matters, compliance with government regulatory and taxation matters and compliance with the Bylaws of the SUP. He shall perform other duties as directed by the National President.
Section 8. National Program Directors. National Program Directors shall be assigned areas of responsibility as determined by the Executive Council and the National Board. They may establish committees to help fulfill their functional responsibilities, and may serve as chairmen of their respective committees. They will meet at least monthly with the Executive Council, and will be available to assist the Executive Council and Area Vice Presidents in their training responsibilities for the National Board and Area Councils respectively. They may not hold concurrently another SUP elected office nor be appointed to a SUP national office, nor serve as a chapter president, except under unusual circumstances when approved by the National Board.
Section 1. Past National Presidents Council. The Past National Presidents Council shall be comprised of all past Presidents of the National Society. The Immediate Past President shall be the chairman. The Past National Presidents Council’s general responsibility is to give advice to the Executive Council. The Past National Presidents Council shall consider matters brought to it by the Executive Council including the establishment of Areas. It may generate recommendations concerning the operation of the SUP through its chairman to the Executive Council. It shall assist annually in the nomination of the National President-Elect by selecting three of its members to serve for the current year on the National Nominating Committee, and by recommending persons to be considered for this position. The Past National Presidents Council may make recommendations to the National President for persons to fill vacancies in national appointed positions. It shall meet upon the call of its chairman.
Section 2. Chapter Presidents Council. The Chapter Presidents Council shall be comprised of all current chapter presidents. Other chapter officers and National Board members may be invited to attend the meetings depending upon the agenda items. The National President shall establish the time of and preside at meetings of the Council, and may invite a chapter president to conduct. These meetings will be held approximately three times a year, including once at the National Convention. In addition to receiving training from members of the National Board and National Program Directors, the Chapter Presidents Council will consider concerns of local chapters or matters from the National Board, and may make recommendations to the National Board. In the spring meeting of each year, the Chapter Presidents Council will consider names proposed in Area Councils of prospective candidates for the National President-Elect and select three of its members to serve for the current year on the National Nominating Committee.
Section 3. National Program Directors Council. The National Program Directors shall comprise the National Program Directors Council (Directors Council). The National President shall establish the time of and preside at the monthly meetings of the Directors Council. The Directors Council members serve as program specialists to assist the Executive Council to fulfill the mission of the SUP and to train Area Vice Presidents in National Board meetings and Area counterparts on the chapter boards in Area Council meetings.
Section 4. Area Councils. Each Area Council shall be comprised of the Area Vice President, who shall be the chairman of the Area Council, and the officers and board members of all chapters in the Area. Each Area Council shall meet two or more times per year as determined by the National Board to train chapter officers and board members, discuss local and national SUP issues, and make recommendations through their Area Vice President to the National Board. They shall also recommend to the National Nominating Committee candidates for National President-Elect. When an Area Vice President’s term is expiring, an Area Council will nominate at least two candidates to be the new Area Vice President.
ARTICLE VII - NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1. National Nominating Committee. Nominees for the position of National President-Elect shall be selected by a committee comprised of three (3) members selected by the Past National Presidents Council, three (3) members selected by the Chapter Presidents Council and the Immediate Past National President who will serve as the chairman of this Committee, but will vote only in the case of a tie vote. The chairman shall determine the time and place for the meetings of the Committee and shall give notice of such meetings in a timely fashion. At least three months before the National Convention, the Committee shall consider all candidates proposed for National President-Elect by the Past National Presidents Council, the Chapter Presidents Council and from any other source, and shall nominate for election two Members who meet the requirements for the office of National President-Elect as described in Section 3, and are deemed most qualified. If a nominee shall withdraw before the National Convention, the Committee shall nominate another candidate. The Committee shall also recommend to the Executive Council procedures for conducting the national election and shall conduct the election of National President-Elect at the National Convention.
Section 2. Selection of Delegates to the National Convention. The delegates present who officially represent chapters of the SUP shall be entitled to vote for the National President-Elect and any other SUP business that may be brought to their attention. The delegates present shall constitute a quorum at the National Convention. Each chapter shall be entitled to one delegate plus one additional delegate for each ten Chapter members or major part thereof. Only delegates officially certified by the Executive Manager at least twenty days before the National Convention shall be eligible to vote in the National Convention business meetings and election.
Section 3. Requirements of Office for National President-Elect. A candidate for the office of National President-Elect must have served for one year prior to assuming office as an Area Vice President, a National Program Director, or as a chapter president. He must be an active member of a chapter, be current in the payment of his dues, and must give written consent to his nomination stating that he will be able to discharge the duties of his office.
Section 4. Election of Area Vice Presidents. A candidate for Area Vice President must have served at least one year as a chapter president or chapter board member prior to assuming office. He must be an active member of a chapter in the area, be current in the payment of his dues, and must give written consent to his nomination stating that he will be able to discharge the duties of his office. Each Area Vice President will be nominated by the respective Area Council and voted upon by the chapter members in the area at each chapter’s October meeting when chapter officers are elected.
ARTICLE VIII - NATIONAL CONVENTION
Section 1. National Convention. The SUP shall meet annually in a National Convention at such time and place as may be determined by the National Board. The National President shall give general supervision to the chapter organizing the National Convention under the guidelines and policy approved by the National Board.
Section 2. National Convention Host. The National Convention shall be held at a location selected by a chapter whose proposal to host the event has been accepted and approved by the National Board. A chapter desiring to sponsor a future National Convention must submit a proposal to the Executive Council before January 1 of the year preceding the National Convention
Section 3. National Convention Expenses. The expenses of the National Convention shall be met by registration fees charged to those who attend. Any profits or losses from the National Convention shall be divided equally between the National Society and the sponsoring chapter. The National Society shall advance an operating fund, the amount to be determined by the National Board, which shall be repaid after the National Convention.
Roberts Rules of Order shall guide the proceedings of the business meetings of the SUP, except where amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the participants.
The seal of the National Society of the Sons of Utah Pioneers shall be affixed to all membership certificates and other documents as prescribed by the Executive Council or as required by these Bylaws. The seal shall bear the inscription “Corporate Seal, National Society, Sons of Utah Pioneers, 1933.”
These Bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed and new Bylaws may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the National Board members present at any regular or special meeting of the National Board. Notice of intent to amend must be given National Board members two weeks prior to the meeting.