Article I. Name

 

The official name of the organization shall be PUNE INSTITUTE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA. The organization may also be known as PICTAAA, hereinafter referred to as the “Association”.

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Article II. Purposes

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The Association is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, scientific and literary purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law) and the regulations thereunder (as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended) ("Section 501 (c) (3)") for the following purposes:

1. To build commitment, involvement and financial support for, and enhance the image of, the Pune Institute of Computer Technology (the "Institute" as defined in Article III, Section 0 below) with the broadest possible alumni/ae base. 

2. To serve the Institute's needs for human, financial, infrastructure and intellectual resources. 

3. To strengthen the connections between alumni/ae and to provide services to alumni/ae, by fostering individual growth, enhancing ties to the Institute and otherwise.

4. To act as a coordinating organization for associations representing specialized groups of alumni/ae of the Institute.

5. When appropriate, to maintain contact with, support, organize, control and/or coordinate with, other groups (including non-alumni/ae groups) having connections with the Institute or alumni/ae or services necessary or convenient to carry out such purposes.

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Article III. Membership

Section 0. The Institute

1. Definition of The Institute:
   The Institute is defined as “Society For Computer Technology & Research’s PUNE INSTITUTE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY” with its Registrar’s office currently located at Survey No. 27, Near Trimurti Chowk, Bharati Vidyapeeth Campus, Dhankawadi, Pune, Maharashtra 411043.

2. Succession:
   If, as ascertained by the President or the Chief Executive Officer of the Association, the Institute is dissolved due to any event or absorbed into another organization, they shall inform the Board of the Association to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Board to initiate a special “Succession Committee” (See Article V, Section 3, “Special Committees of the Association” in Bylaws of the Association) to search & propose a successor Institute or dissolution of the Association.

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Section 1. Alumni and Alumnae Members

1. Eligibility:

The following persons are Alumni/ae Members of the Association:

1. 1. All persons who have received a degree from the Institute and residing in the USA.

   2. All persons who have been registered as students in a degree-granting program at the Institute for (i) at least one full year in any undergraduate class which has already graduated and residing in the USA; or (ii) for one full year as graduate students and residing in the USA.

2. Member Benefits:

   1. Alumni/ae Members shall be entitled to:

   2. Vote for members of the Alumni Association Selection Committee 

   3. For amendments to this Constitution, 

   4. Shall be eligible for any position selected by the Alumni Association Committee

   5. Shall be entitled to such other privileges, if any, as may be provided for in this Constitution or the Bylaws.

3. Fees:

All Alumni/ae Members are subject to membership fees as decided by the board on an annual basis.

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Section 2. Associate Members

1. Eligibility:

The following persons are Associate Members of the Association:

1. 1. All persons who have completed at least one term of a full-time, non-degree granting undergraduate-level program, provided (i) that admission to such program was determined by the Institute or an academic department in accordance with relevant standards and (ii) that the program has been approved for Associate Member status by the Board of Directors;

   2. All persons who have completed at least two terms of a full-time, non-degree granting graduate-level program, provided (i) that admission to such program was determined by the Institute or an academic department in accordance with relevant standards and (ii) that the program has been approved for Associate Member status by the Board of Directors; and

   3. A person who has been registered in a degree-granting program at the Institute but who does not meet the criteria set forth in Section 1 above and who has either (i) made application for membership or (ii) been nominated for membership by an Alumni/ae Member of the Association and who is then duly elected as an Associate Member by the Board of Directors.

2. Benefits:

   1. Associate Members shall be entitled to such of the privileges of Alumni/ae Members as shall be determined by the Board of Directors from time to time, except the rights to: 

(A) serve as directors of the Association; 

(B) hold any office in the Association expressly reserved for Alumni/ae Members; 

(C) vote for members of the Alumni Association Selection Committee; 

(D) vote for amendments to this Constitution; provided that the prohibitions of (A) and (B) may be waived by a specific vote of the Board of Directors after nomination of an Associate Member by an Alumni/ae Member.

3.   Fees:

All Associate Members are subject to membership fees as decided by the board on an annual basis.

 

Section 3. Honorary Members

1. Eligibility:

Honorary Members shall be persons who:​

1. After nomination by an Alumni/ae Member, are determined by the Board of Directors to have rendered outstanding service to the Association or the Institute and are then elected Honorary Members by the Board of Directors.

2.  Benefits:

1. Honorary Members shall be entitled to such of the privileges of Alumni/ae Members as shall be determined by the Board of Directors from time to time, except the rights to: 

(A) serve as directors of the Association; 

(B) hold any office in the Association expressly reserved for Alumni/ae Members; 

(C) vote for members of the Alumni Association Selection Committee;

(D) vote for amendments to this Constitution.

3.  Fees:

All Honorary Members are exempt from annual membership fees.

 

Section 4. Members

Alumni/ae Members, Associate Members and Honorary Members shall collectively be referred to as "Members".

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Article IV. Powers; Proscribed Activities

1. The Association is a nonprofit enterprise and, in furtherance of the purposes herein above set out, shall have the power to solicit, accept and receive funds from any person, organization or other entity, including but not limited to other charitable or educational organizations, profit-making corporations and individuals.

2. Consistent with the objective and purposes set forth herein above, the Association may exercise all powers available to an association under the General Laws of California, subject to the restrictions, if any, contained in this Constitution and the Bylaws, including the powers specified in Schedule A. However, notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, specifically including the preceding sentence, the Association shall exercise only such powers and shall conduct or carry on only such activities as are consistent with the exempt status of organizations described in Section 501 (c) (3), and no part of the net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of any director, officer, or Member of the Association, or to any individual.

3. No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall consist of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Association shall not in any manner participate in or intervene in (including by the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

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Article V. Dissolution

Upon the dissolution or termination of the Association or the winding up of its affairs, the remaining assets of the Association shall be distributed exclusively to organizations which then qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501 (c) (3), which are organized and operated for a purpose that is, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, found to be consistent with the purposes of the Association, and no director, officer, or Member of the Association or any individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the Association's assets upon dissolution of the Association.

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Article VI. Nonstock Association

The Association shall have no stock, and no dividends or pecuniary profits shall be declared or paid to the members, directors, or officers thereof or any other individual thereof (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the Association effecting one or more of its purposes).

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Article VII. Bylaws; Board of Directors

1. The Association shall have Bylaws. The Bylaws shall govern, in all respects, the operation of the Association to the extent not inconsistent with this Constitution or any applicable law. The Board of Directors shall have the power to make, amend, and repeal the Bylaws, in whole or in part, in the manner provided for in the Bylaws.

2. The governing body of the Association shall be the Board of Directors. Only Alumni/ae Members of the Association shall be eligible to serve as directors, unless exception is made for an Associate Member as provided in Article III, Section 2. The Board of Directors shall consist of that number of persons specified by the Bylaws and shall be composed of:

   1. Those Alumni/ae Members selected by the Alumni Association Selection Committee pursuant to the procedures specified in the Bylaws

   2. The two immediate past Presidents, the President, and the President-Elect of the Association

   3. Any Alumni/ae Members selected by a majority vote of the full Board of Directors in office at the time of such vote, provided, however, that the number of such persons so selected shall be less than the number of persons who have been selected pursuant to clause (1) above. 

   4. Each director shall serve a term as specified in the Bylaws. 

   5. The President-Elect shall be selected by the Alumni Association Selection Committee and shall serve as President for the next year once selected. 

   6. The duties, rights, responsibilities and privileges of the Board of Directors shall be as provided for in the Bylaws.

Article VIII. Alumni Association Selection Committee

1. The Alumni Association Selection Committee shall be composed of that number of Alumni/ae Members specified in the Bylaws and a Chairperson. 

2. The members of the Committee shall be elected by the Alumni/ae Members of the Association, in accordance with the procedure specified in the Bylaws, and the Chairperson shall be appointed by the Board of Directors of the Association. 

3. The members and Chairperson shall serve for a term of two years with the term of one-third (or as nearly as possible) of the members (including the Chairperson as a member) expiring each year as specified in the Bylaws. 

4. The Chairperson shall be a nonvoting member of the Alumni Association Selection Committee, except to break any tie vote of the Alumni Association Selection Committee.

Article IX. Annual Fund

1. The Association shall sponsor the solicitation and collection of an Annual Fund each year for the benefit of the Institute. 

2. The solicitation and collection of such Annual Fund shall be in addition to general solicitation of funds from alumni/ae on a periodic basis and shall be conducted as prescribed in the Bylaws.

Article X. Meetings

1. All meetings of the Association shall be held at such place, either within or without the State of California, as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. 

2. Special meetings of the Association may be called at any time by the President or the Board of Directors and shall be so called at the request, in writing, of any three directors of the Association entitled to vote at the meeting, or at the request in writing of three hundred Alumni/ae Members of the Association.

Article XI. Amendments

Section 1. Procedure

This Constitution may be amended in accordance with the following procedure:

1. Any proposed amendment must be presented in writing and approved by a three-quarters vote of the Board of Directors at two consecutive meetings of the Board. 

2. The President or any Vice President or the Secretary of the Association will then present such proposed amendment so approved by the Board to PICTAAA Website for publication and/ or by mail to the membership.

3. Such amendment will become effective on the sixtieth day after the date of such publication or such mailing, unless within such sixty-day period, three hundred Alumni/ae Members, by petition, require the Board of Directors to present the amendment to the full membership of the Association for a vote.

4. If so required due to the presentation of a petition as described in clause (3) above, the proposed amendment shall be presented for such a vote by the Secretary mailing the proposed amendment to all Alumni/ae Members of the Association with a notice specifying the time, which shall be not less than thirty days and not more than ninety days from the date upon which the notice is first mailed to the Alumni/ae Members, of the closing of the polls. 

5. In order to be counted, a vote for or against the proposed amendment must be returned to the Secretary enclosed in an envelope or via email, endorsed with the voter's signature and class or graduate course. 

6. The Board of Directors shall thereupon review all such Ballots and announce the result. 

7. A proposed amendment subject to vote by the Alumni/ae Membership as described in this paragraph will not become effective unless and until such proposed amendment is approved by a majority of the members voting.

 

Section 2. Protection of Purpose

No amendment shall change the charitable objects or purposes of the Association or the disposition of its property on dissolution or shall otherwise be inconsistent with the status of an organization to which contributions are deductible for Federal income tax purposes or amend this Section.

Schedule A

The Association shall have, and may exercise in furtherance of its organizational name, the power:

1. To have perpetual succession in its name;

2. To sue and be sued;

3. To have a seal, which it may alter at pleasure;

4. To elect or appoint directors, officers, employees, and other agents, to fix their compensation and define their duties and obligations, and to indemnify such personnel;

5. To purchase, receive, take by grant, gift, device, bequest or otherwise, lease, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, employ, use and otherwise deal in and with, real or personal property, or any interest therein, wherever situated;

6. To sell, convey, lease, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of, mortgage, pledge, encumber or create a security interest in, all or any of its property, or any interest therein, wherever situated;

7. To purchase, take, receive, subscribe for, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, vote, employ, sell, lend, lease, exchange, transfer, or otherwise dispose of, mortgage, pledge, use and otherwise deal in and with, bonds and other obligations, shares, or other securities or interests issued by others, whether engaged in similar or different business, governmental, or other activities;

8. To make contracts, give guarantees and incur liabilities, borrow money at such rates of interest as the Association may determine, issue its notes, bonds, and other obligations, and secure any of its obligations by mortgage, pledge or encumbrance of, or security interest in, all or any of its property or any interest therein, wherever situated;

9. To lend money, invest and reinvest its funds, and take and hold real and personal property as security for the payment of funds so loaned or invested;

10. To do business, carry on its operations, and have offices and exercise the powers granted by the General Laws of the State of California in any jurisdiction within or without the United States;

11. To make donations, irrespective of the Association's benefit, for the public welfare or for community fund, hospital, charitable, religious, educational, scientific, civic or similar purposes, and in time of war or other national emergency in aid thereof;

12. To pay pensions, establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase, share option, savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts and provisions for any or all of its directors, officers and employees, and for any or all of the directors, officers and employees of any corporation, fifty percent or more of the shares of which outstanding and entitled to vote on the election of directors are owned, directly or indirectly, by it;

13. To participate as a subscriber in the exchanging of insurance contracts specified in the laws of California;

14. To be an incorporator of other corporations of any type or kind;

15. To be a partner in any business enterprise that the Association would have the power to conduct itself; 

16. To have and exercise all powers necessary or convenient to effect any or all of the purposes for which the Association is formed; provided that no such power shall be exercised in a manner inconsistent with the General Laws of the State of California.

 

END

version 1.0 (Oct 2020)