BY-LAWS
OF
_________________
ARTICLE I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
______________, an institution related to the _________________, is a coeducational,
four-year, liberal arts College. _____________ offers, in a Christian environment, a liberal art s
program which encourages a breadth of vision and self-discipline, and has as its aim the ma ximum
potential development of each student intellectually, spiritually, culturally, and physically. As a Christian institution, the College accepts the Bible as the Word of God and expects
the faculty, individually and collectively, in classroom and private life, to be governed by its
precepts.
ARTICLE II. BOARD OF TRUSTEES
SECTION 1. Meetings. Regular Meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be held in April
and October of each year. Special Meetings may be held at other times upon the call of the
Chairman of the Board, the Executive Committee, or the President of the Colle ge. Notice of all
Regular Meetings shall be mailed to each member of the Board at least fi ve (5) days prior to the
date of such meeting. The call for a Special Meeting shall state the nat ure of the business to be
considered and shall be mailed at least five (5) days before the day on which the meeting is to be
held. Notice of a Regular or Special Meeting shall be deemed to be delivered whe n deposited in
the United States mail addressed to the Trustee with postage thereon prepaid. Such ca ll or notice
of Regular Meetings may be waived by Resolution of the Board of Trustees. All meetings of the
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Board of Trustees shall be held at ______________ in _________, ___, unless otherwise directed
by the Board of Trustees. SECTION 2. Expenses. Expenses of members of the Board attending Regular Meetings,
Special Meetings, or Committee Meetings, shall be reimbursed by the College at the rate per mile
in general usage among institutions of higher learning, if traveling by automobile, and for actual
expenses by public conveyance, plus any other necessary expenses incurred such as lodging and
meals. SECTION 3. Membership.
A. _______________, a Mississippi non-profit corporation, shall
have no members, and all corporate powers shall be vested in and exercised by the
Board of Trustees of the College, and/or the committees and officers as established
or authorized by the Board of Trustees, except as otherwise expressly provided by
law or by the Charter of Incorporation or by these By-Laws.
B. The Board of Trustees of ______________ shall consist of not
less than three (3) nor more than thirty-six (36) members of whom one-third (1/3)
shall be elected each year by the Board of Trustees to serve for terms of three (3)
years. Trustees shall be eligible for re-election for three (3) consecutive three-year
terms. A Trustee who has served three (3) consecutive three-year terms shall not
be eligible for re-election until three (3) years have expired since the end of sai d
Trustee's last term of office; provided, however, that Trustees serving as of
____________, ___, shall be eligible for re-election for three (3) additional
consecutive three-year terms regardless of past service on the Board. Each Trustee
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shall hold office until his successor enters upon his duties. Persons elected to fill a
vacancy shall fill the unexpired term of the office to which they succeed. C. All vacancies on the Board of Trustees shall be filled at any
Regular or Special Meeting of the Board as soon as conveniently possible by the
election to the Board of a person selected by the majority of the remaining
members of the Board as constituted from time to time. D. The Board shall elect its Trustees as follows: At least fifty-
five (55%) of the Trustees from the supporting Synods, Presbyteries and
Presbyterian congregations, and Christian business and Christian professional
leaders from the community. The remaining Trustees shall be elected at large. E. A retiring or retired member of the Board of Trustees who has
served with distinction for a minimum aggregate of fifteen (15) years will be
eligible for selection as a Trustee Emeritus, upon nomination by a majority vote of
the Board. With the exception of voting rights, the Trustee Emeritus will have all
the privileges of an active Trustee. F. The Board may enter into covenant relationships with
Presbyterian bodies. The covenant relationship should contain this covenant
among others: That the (church body) pledges its spiritual and financial
support to the College and further pledge to encourage all of its
constituents to support whole-heartedly _________, both spiritually
and financially, and by promoting the attendance of its young people
as students.
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The annual report of ________________ to bodies with whom it has a covenant
relationship shall include the names of Board members belonging to the
denomination of which such body is a part.
SECTION 4. Quorum. The presence in person of not less than Fifty Percent (50%) of the
Trustees of the Board then in office shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business, but a smaller number may adjourn any meeting to later date , and at least
one day's notice of such adjournment date shall be given to each member of the B oard who was
not present at such meeting. SECTION 5. Rules of Order. General parliamentary rules, as modified by rules and
regulations of the Board, shall be observed in conducting the business of the Board. SECTION 6. Duties of the Board. It shall be the responsibility of the Board:
A. To determine the policies of the College.
B. To devise ways and means of promoting the welfare of the
institution. C. To elect the President of the College.
D. To supervise the administration and the business management
of the institution, and to require an accurate accounting of all funds handled by the
administration. E. To provide for the handling and investment of all endowment
and permanent funds.
F. To adopt an annual budget and to have an audit made of the
financial affairs of the institution.
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G. To make an annual report to Presbyterian bodies in covenant
relationship with the College.
SECTION 7. Order of Business. The following shall be the order of business at each
meeting of the Board, but the rules of order may be suspended and any matter considered or
postponed by action of the Board:
A. Call to Order -- Prayer.
B. Roll Call.
C. Consideration of minutes of last Regular Meeting and any
Special Meetings held subsequently, and minutes of meetings of the Executive
Committee, and their approval or amendment. D. Report of the President.
E. Reports of Standing Committees.
F. Reports of Special Committees.
G. Unfinished Business.
H. New Business.
I. Petitions and Communications.
ARTICLE III. COLLEGE FISCAL YEAR
The College fiscal year shall begin and end .
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
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SECTION 1. The Board shall elect from its membership at its Regular April Meeting the
following officers to serve for terms of three (3) years each, and to be eligible for re-elec tion for
one (1) additional term of three (3) years, or until their successors shall have been ele cted and shall
have qualified: a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary. In the event of a failure for any reason to elect any or all of said officers, or in c ase any
vacancy occurs in said offices from any cause, an election may be held at any Speci al Meeting, a
majority of all of the Trustees being present and notice of such election having bee n given in the
notice of the call for the meeting, or at any Regular Meeting. SECTION 2. Duties of Chairman. The Chairman of the Board shall preside at the
meetings of the Board and shall discharge the duties which ordinarily pertain to the offi ce. He
shall execute, with the Secretary attesting, contracts and instruments authorize d or issued by
authority of the Board requiring his signature. SECTION 3. Duties of Vice-Chairman. The Vice-Chairman of the Board in the absence
or disability of the Chairman shall perform all the duties of the Chairman of the Board. In the
absence or disability of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Board, the Chairman of the
Business Affairs Committee shall act as Chairman of the Board. SECTION 4. Duties of Secretary. The Secretary shall perform the usual duties pertaining
to this office. He shall keep full and true minutes of all meetings of the Board and of such Special
Meetings as shall be requested of him. He shall see to the keeping of, and shall re ceive minutes
of, all meetings of all Standing Committees of the Board and shall be the custodi an of all
documents committed to his care.
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He shall transmit promptly to each Trustee a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the
Board, and notify all persons concerned, of the actions taken by the Board with respect to
appointments, promotions, terms of service, and appropriations for their work and of any other
matter.
He shall see that all bonds required by officers and employees of the College for the
faithful performance of their duties are filed properly at the College. SECTION 5. Bonding of Officers and Employees. The Senior Business Administrator,
or otherwise designated chief financial officer, shall file with the Secretary of the Board of
Trustees a bond conditioned to require the faithful performance of his duties, which bond shall be
conditioned according to law and in such sum as may be fixed by the Board. Said bond shall be
by a surety company duly qualified to do business in the State of Mississippi, and the premiums
and expenses of said bond shall be paid by the College. All employees of the College who handle cash funds, other than petty cash items, shall
give bond for the faithful performance of their duties (unless by the unanimous action of the B oard
the giving of bond is waived) in such amount as may be determined by the Business Affairs
Committee. SECTION 6. Further Financial Regulations. The Board of Trustees may, from time to
time, promulgate regulations and instructions concerning the duties of the chief financial officer,
access to securities held by the College, receipt of funds, supervision and keeping of ac counts,
examination of accounts and methods of signing checks or vouchers on endowment funds,
operating funds, building funds, current funds and funds for special purposes.
ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD
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SECTION 1. Standing Committees. There shall be four (4) Standing Committees of the
Board of Trustees, namely: A. The Executive Committee.
B. The Academic, Student Affairs and Christian Life Committee.
C. The Business Affairs Committee.
D. The Development Committee.
SECTION 2. Appointment of Committees. The Standing Committees of the Board of
Trustees, other than the Executive Committee, shall be appointed by the Chairma n of the Board,
with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees, and the appointment shall be made on a n annual
basis at the April meeting of the Board of Trustees, with committee appointme nt to coincide with
the fiscal year of the College. In making the appointment of said committee men, the Chairman of
the Board shall designate a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman of each committ ee, except the
Executive Committee, of which the Chairman of the Board shall be Chairman, unle ss he finds it
inconvenient for him to act, in which event the committee shall elect it s own Chairman for such
term as is requested by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. SECTION 3. Duties of Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be
composed of the elected officers of the Board and the Chairmen of the remaining Sta nding
Committees. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees shall be the Chairman of the Executive
Committee. The retiring Chairman of the Board shall be an ex officio member of the Executive
Committee. The Executive Committee shall meet in February, May, July, and Sept ember of each
year, and at such other times as needed upon call of the Chairman. The Execut ive Committee
shall arrange for the execution of orders and resolutions not otherwise specifically provided for by
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the Board of Trustees. Between meetings of the Board, and, in accordance with the general policy
of the Board, it shall have the care and direction of matters pertaining to t he welfare of the
College, and especially shall discharge such duties as the Board may assign to it from time to time.
It shall make a formal report of its actions to the Board at its next Regular Meeting and shall cause
to be kept an accurate record of its proceedings which shall be subject to review by the Board. SECTION 4. Duties of the Academic, Student Affairs, and Christian Life Committee. It
shall be the duty of this committee to evaluate the system of instruction, educat ional effectiveness,
management, and all other matters pertaining to the educational objecti ves of the College, and to
report and make recommendations thereon to the Board. It shall also be the duty of this committee
to evaluate the system of student discipline, rules and regulations governing student conduct on
campus, and athletic programs and events, and to recommend to the Board any changes de emed
necessary. In addition, it shall be the duty of this committee to review Christian life on campus
including chapel and other religious programs and events.
SECTION 5. Duties of the Business Affairs Committee. The Business Affairs
Committee has the duty and responsibility of reviewing annual budget recommendations of the
President, and submitting to the Board of Trustees no later than the April meet ing a budget for the
upcoming fiscal year of the institution. The budget submitted shall include an itemi zed statement
of the probable income of the College available for its expenses, the source from which the
income is to be derived, and an itemized list of the estimated expenses for a ll programs and
operations of the College. The committee shall exercise supervision over the care and control of
all buildings, grounds, and equipment of the College. The committee shall investigate the need for
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new buildings and shall report to the Board, recommending needed construction, suitable sites and
architects. It shall be responsible for supervising the construction of new buildings as the Board
may determine necessary, call for bids, and recommend to the Board for approval necessary
contractors. The committee shall see that the buildings and property, both real and personal, of the
College, wherever located, are adequately and properly insured against such hazards as the
committee deems desirable, and that the premiums thereof are paid as and when due . The
committee has the responsibility for overseeing the College Retirement Plan, Group L ife
Insurance, Medical and Hospitalization Insurance, Disability and Liability Insurance affe cting
faculty, staff, and students, and to make recommendations to the Board of Trustees relative to such
changes in insurance and such changes in underwriting companies as may be desirable. The
committee shall have full power and authority to hold, invest, reinvest and collect endowment and
other funds and contributions of real and personal property, in whatever shape or form, and is
hereby designated as the agent of ______________, with full power and authority, on payment
thereof, to cancel Deeds of Trust securing indebtednesses to _______________, which constitute a
part of endowment or other trust funds, and also to act for and on behalf of ______________as
owner or beneficiary in any and all instruments, and in cancellation in whole or in part thereof. In
order to more efficiently perform its many duties the committee shall consist of the following
subcommittees, namely: A. Budget and Audit;
B. Buildings and Grounds;
C. Insurance;
D. Investments; and
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E. Any other subcommittees deemed necessary or desirable.
SECTION 6. Duties of the Development Committee. The Development Committee shall
prepare and submit to the Board, as amended from time to time, a plan for the l ong-range physical
and financial development of the College, with particular emphasis upon the establi shment,
maintenance, creation and collection of endowment funds, building funds and other specia l funds,
including the dissemination of information to the general public and supporting Synods,
Presbyteries, Churches, and other organizations of the needs, goals and programs of the College,
and the encouragement of liberality of giving to the causes of the College. SECTION 7. Personnel of Committees. Each committee appointed as aforesaid shall
consist of not less than three (3) members of the Board, and, in addition, the Chairman of the
Board and the President of the College as ex officio (nonvoting) members, provided, however, that
in addition to the foregoing, the chief financial officer of the College shall a lso be an ex officio
(nonvoting) member of the Business Affairs Committee. SECTION 8. Quorum of Committees. A majority of the appointed members of the
foregoing committees or subcommittees shall constitute a quorum of the committee or
subcommittee as the case may be. All committee or subcommittee meetings, unless otherwise
provided, shall be held at the College unless the notice designates otherwise, which notice shall
also designate the time of such meetings. SECTION 9. Minutes of Committees. A record of the actions of each committee shall be
kept by a member of the committee appointed by its Chairman and shall be available to the Board.
ARTICLE VI. PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
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SECTION 1. The President of the College shall be elected by the Board of Trustees for a
term of office fixed by the Board. The President shall be the chief executive head of all
departments of the College, exercising such supervision and direction as will promote the ir
efficiency. He shall preside at the meetings of the faculty, or appoint someone in his stead, and
shall be the official medium of communication between the faculty, staff and st udents, and the
Board of Trustees. He shall report to the Board of Trustees through the Academic Affairs
Committee all promotions and appointments for the faculty. He shall report to the Board of
Trustees through the Executive Committee all the promotions and appointments for the
administration and staff. He shall, under the Board of Trustees, have charge of, and control ove r,
the College, its policies, officers, faculty and staff, curriculum, students, and the management and
direction of the business of the College.
The President shall be authorized to execute any and all documents as specifica lly
authorized by the Board. SECTION 2. Acting President. In the event the office of the President of the College
becomes vacant or the President becomes unable to serve, the Board may appoint an Act ing
President of the College.
ARTICLE VII. REPEAL AND AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1. Prior By-Laws Repealed. All prior and former By-Laws and amendments
thereto of the Board of Trustees of_____________are hereby repealed. SECTION 2. Amendments. The By-Laws may be amended by action of a majority vote
of the Board of Trustees then in office at any Regular of Special Meeting, provided that if any
such amendment is to be considered at a Special Meeting, the substance thereof sha ll be stated in
the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.
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ARTICLE VIII. INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 1. To the extent not prohibited by applicable law, each Trustee and officer of
____________ now or hereafter serving as such, shall be indemnified by the College against any
and all claims and liabilities to which he has or shall become subject by reason of serving or
having served as such Trustee or officer, or by reason of any action alleged to have been take n,
omitted, or neglected by him as such Trustee or officer; and the College shall rei mburse each such
person for all legal expenses reasonably incurred by him in connection with any such claim or
liability, provided, however, that no such person shall be indemnified against, or be reimburse d for
any expenses incurred in connection with, any claim or liability arising out of his own willful
misconduct or gross negligence. SECTION 2. The amount paid to any officer or Trustee by way of indemnification shall
not exceed his actual, reasonable, and necessary expenses incurred in connection with t he matter
involved. SECTION 3. The right of indemnification hereinabove provided for shall not be
exclusive of any rights to which any Trustee or officer of the College may otherwise be e ntitled by
law.
* * * * *
The foregoing By-Laws of __________________, containing Articles I through VIII, are
hereby certified to be a true copy of the By-Laws adopted by the Board of Trustees of
_______________, effective as of the _____ day of __________, 20__.
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Secretary