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(As approved by the Executive Committee February 8, 2002.  Editorial revisions made in February and June 2003.  Other editorial changes, and updating of some portions of the Constitution were made in July, 2007.)

ARTICLE I
NAME

The name of this organization is The University of Texas at Austin Retired Faculty-Staff Association.  It was founded in 1982 and operates under the office of the President of the University and is administered by The Ex-Students' Association.

ARTICLE II
PURPOSE

The Retired Faculty-Staff Association has four purposes. 

1. To render service to The University of Texas at Austin.  For example, members might be called upon by the President or other University officials for assistance with issues where their insights and years of experience would be helpful.  Members might initiate fund-raising activities to benefit the University, its programs, or its students. 

            2.  To enrich the retirement experience of members through the provision of activities, information or other events permitting continuing social and professional contact with fellow retirees.    

            3. To provide feedback to UT officials regarding the viability of current retirement benefits and providers, and to offer suggestions about additional needed services.

            4.  To represent members' concerns related to information and possible changes impacting their retirement benefits and status with The University of Texas at Austin.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP

            Section 1.  Prospective members of the Association will be invited to attend a welcoming meeting in the fall. Prior to this meeting they will be mailed information outlining the benefits of membership in the Association.  Application forms will be included in that mailing.  This same information will be available at the meeting.  Application forms are also available on the web site:  http://www.utexas.edu/rfsa or contact Carol Barrett at 471-8081 or by e-mail at barrett@alumniutexas.edu.

            Section 2.  Upon application to the  Membership Committee of the Association, retired persons, and persons on modified service or phased retirement programs, who  have been full-time employees of The University of Texas at Austin, and their spouses (or significant others), may be admitted to membership in the Association.  Retired faculty and staff, and their spouses (or significant others), who were employed full-time at another University of Texas component institution, or other academic institution, are eligible, with recommendation from a current member and approval of the Membership Committee, for membership in the Association.  The dues for new members are waived for their first year of membership.

            Section 3.  Spouses (or significant others), whose circumstances change (due to death, illness, or divorce), are eligible to continue their own membership, and may apply for membership in the Association for a new spouse or significant other.

            Section 4.  Members who are unable to participate in activities of the Association, due to serious and ongoing health problems, may be granted inactive status membership by the Membership Committee, and while on inactive status pay no annual dues.  Inactive status will be indicated in the Directory.

ARTICLE IV
MEETINGS

            Section 1.  The Association will have at least two formal meetings per year, one in the spring and one in the fall.  Times and places for the meetings will be determined by the RFSA President, in consultation with the UT President and The Ex-Students' Association.

            Section 2.  The fall meeting welcomes members and recent retirees and invites them to join the Association.  The time and location of the meeting will be announced in advance in the RFSA Activity Calendar.  The RFSA President may give a report on the Association's activities and RFSA business may be transacted if two weeks' notice has been provided.  Other University officials may give brief talks or reports.

            Section 3.  The spring meeting is the annual business meeting of the Association.  The time and location of the meeting will be announced in advance in the RFSA Activity Calendar.  Reports will be received from the President, the Treasurer and other Officers, for the coming year will be elected, and such business as may come before the body will be conducted.  Officials of The University may be invited to address the group.

            Section 4. To conduct the ongoing business of the Association, the Executive Officers, other Officers, and Chairs of Interest Groups, shall hold at least two meetings during the year.

            Section 5.  For some years the Chancellor of The University of Texas System has hosted a Winter Reception for the Association members.  In the event that this pleasant custom continues, notice of the time and location of the reception will be communicated in the RFSA Activity Calendar.  Decisions by the Executive Committee, as to arrangements for refreshments, will be included in the RFSA Newsletter.

            Section 6.  Other meetings of the Association may be called by the President or the Executive Committee to dispose of urgent business.  Such meetings must be advertised by mail to individual members, giving the time and location of the meeting, and the notice must be mailed at least two weeks in advance of such meeting.

ARTICLE V
OFFICERS

            Section 1.  The officers of the Association are the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and three Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee.

            Section 2.  Officers will be elected each year at the spring meeting.  Nominations shall be made by a nominating committee made up of the Immediate Past-President plus two other members appointed by the President.  Other nominations may be made from the floor.  Election to each position shall be by majority vote of the members attending and voting.

            Section 3.  Each officer will take office immediately after the adjournment of the spring meeting.

            Section 4.  Each officer shall serve for one calendar year, or until his or her successor has been elected.

            Section 5.  The President shall serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Association, and shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee.

            Section 6.  The President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President in the event the President is unable to function.

            Section 7.  The office of the Secretary is responsible for the minutes of meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee, and for writing letters of condolence, in cooperation with the Historian, to the family of members of the Association who die.    The Ex-Students' Association staff will send out notices and agendas of Association meetings, and will maintain a list of members.

            Section 8.  The Treasurer shall be in charge of the financial transactions of the Association. The Association's financial records shall be maintained by The Ex-Students' Association.

            Section 9.  The Historian is responsible for maintaining the archives of the Association, and for sending condolences, in cooperation with the Secretary, to the family of members of the Association who die.

ARTICLE VI
COMMITTEES

            Section I.  The Officers listed in Article V, Section 1, and elected at the spring meeting, together with the Immediate Past-President, shall constitute the Executive Committee, which may transact business in the name of the Association.

            Section 2.  The Executive Committee shall appoint persons to such standing or ad hoc committees and positions as may be necessary to conduct the business of the Association.

            Section 3.  In the event an Officer is unable to serve, or to complete his or her term of office, the Nominating Committee shall submit the name of a substitute for that office to the Executive Committee for confirmation.

ARTICLE VII
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

            Section 1.  Special Interest Groups may be constituted upon the petition of ten or more members of the Association, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.

            Section 2.  The organization, activities and meetings of each Special Interest Group shall be determined by the Chairperson(s) of the group, in consultation with the members of the group.

ARTICLE VIII
DUES

            Members shall pay dues, as set by the Executive Committee, except that dues are waived for individuals in their first year of membership.    Dues are listed on the application form and the Association's web site.

ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS

            Section 1.  Proposed amendments to this constitution that alter the essential objectives, structure, or functioning of the Association must be submitted to members at least 14 days before the meeting at which they are to be considered.  Adoption of such changes shall require an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members voting.

            Section 2.  Proposed amendments that do not alter the essential objectives, structure, or functioning of the Association may be adopted by the Executive Committee and reported to the membership.