Bylaws

Article I

Name

The name of this organization shall be the Institute for Research and Education on Women and Gender (otherwise referred to as IREWG or the Gender Institute) of the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York.

Article II

Mission

The mission of the Gender Institute is to support and promote research and education related to women, gender, sexuality and related social constructions through an array of grants, fellowships, publications, and programs.

Article III

Membership

Membership of the Gender Institute shall be comprised of Affiliates, Friends, and Honorary Lifetime Members.

Section 1.  Affiliates of the Gender Institute.

A. Eligibility.  Membership as Affiliates shall be open to all University at Buffalo faculty, students, and staff who conduct or support research and education related to women and gender and who support the mission of the Gender Institute.  Such persons can become Affiliates by notifying the Director, Deputy Director, or staff assistant of their desire to be affiliated with the Institute. The Executive Committee may establish other criteria for membership as Affiliates, including a schedule of dues, as it deems appropriate.

B.  Duties and Privileges.  The duties and privileges of the Affiliates shall include promoting the mission of the Institute, advising the members of the Executive Committee, submitting nominations for the Executive Committee, voting on the slate of proposed Executive Committee members, and serving on Institute committees. Only Affiliates shall be eligible to serve on the Executive Committee or as a Director or Deputy Director of the Institute.

C.  Resignations.  Any Affiliate may resign from membership as an Affiliate of the Gender Institute at any time by informing the Director, a Deputy Director, or staff assistant of their desire to resign.

Section 2.  Friends of the Gender Institute.  Members of the community who are interested in and support the mission of the Gender Institute may become Friends of the Institute by notifying the Director, a Deputy Director, or staff assistant of their desire to be a Friend of the Institute.  Friends shall have none of the obligations of membership in the Institute, but shall be entitled to all of the privileges except those of making motions, of voting and of holding office.  The Executive Committee may establish other criteria for membership as Friends, including a schedule of dues, as it deems appropriate.

Section 3.  Honorary Lifetime Members of the Gender Institute.  Upon the signed recommendation of one Affiliate, seconded by another Affiliate, and by three-fourths vote by ballot of the Affiliates, honorary lifetime membership may be conferred upon any person who shall have rendered notable service to the Institute.  Any honorary member shall have none of the obligations of membership in the Institute, but shall be entitled to all of the privileges except those of making motions, of voting and of holding office.

Article IV

Governance

The governance structure shall consist of a Director and one or more Deputy Directors, an Executive Committee, and Affiliates.

Section 1.  Director and Deputy Director(s). 
A.  Appointment and Terms of Office.  There shall be a Director and one or more Deputy Directors of the Gender Institute.  Candidates for the offices of Director and Deputy Director(s) of the Institute shall be proposed by the Executive Committee and submitted to the Provost (or the Provost’s designee) for selection.  The Director and Deputy Director(s) will serve at the discretion of the Provost (or the Provost’s designee).  The term of each Director and Deputy Director shall be three years, renewable with the approval of the Executive Committee and at the discretion of the Provost (or the Provost’s designee) for no more than two consecutive terms.  Terms of the Director and Deputy Director(s) shall be staggered in order to provide at least a one-year overlap for purposes of continuity.  The Executive Committee shall consider the following guidelines in proposing Directors and Deputy Directors: candidates shall have had prior involvement with the Gender Institute or similar organizations, and they shall represent, to the extent practicable, the diverse disciplines at the University at Buffalo.

B. Duties.  The duties of the Director shall include providing policy direction for the Institute, developing and overseeing programs, grants, fellowships, and scholarships, acting as a liaison with the University at Buffalo administration and community organizations, supervising development and fundraising, preparing an annual report, and hiring Institute staff. The Director shall appoint the Chairs of the Institute committees and shall serve ex officio on all committees created by the Institute.  The duties of the Deputy Director(s) shall include supporting the Director in fulfilling the mission of the Institute and acting as a designee of the Director in their absence at meetings, programs, and functions of the Institute.

C.  Resignations.  The Director or Deputy Director(s) may resign from office at any time by delivering a resignation in writing to the Executive Committee and to the Provost (or the Provost’s designee), and the acceptance of such resignation, unless required by the terms thereof, shall not be necessary to make such resignation effective.

Section 2.  Executive Committee.
A.  Members.  The Executive Committee shall consist of the following: the Director and Deputy Director(s) of the Gender Institute and elected members who shall number no more than twelve.  The elected members shall be Affiliates of the Institute and shall represent, to the extent practicable, the diverse disciplines, schools, and departments at the University at Buffalo.   The Chair of the Global Gender and Sexuality Studies Department serves on this committee, in order to insure close collaboration between the Institute and the GGSS Department.

B.  Terms of Office.   Elected Executive Committee members shall serve for a three-year term with a maximum of two terms (six years). At the end of serving two terms, a member of the Executive Committee will need to cycle off for three years before being considered again. If a member of the Committee is on sabbatical for a semester or year, this time shall be counted as part of their three-year term and the Committee shall function with one fewer members.  If the leave coincides with the last semester or year of the member’s term, a replacement will be nominated pursuant to the procedure for nominations and selection below.  One third of the Executive Committee shall be elected each year.

C.  Nominations and Selection.  The Executive Committee shall accept nominations and self-nominations from the Affiliates of the Gender Institute.  Members of the current Executive Committee shall present a slate of proposed Executive Committee members to the Director(s) for approval.

D.  Duties.  The duties of the Executive Committee shall include reviewing and approving the Institute budget and programs, establishing and chairing standing and ad hoc committees, proposing a slate of new Executive Committee members to the Affiliates, nominating candidates for the office of Director and Deputy Director, and providing consultation and advice to the Director and Deputy Director(s) on the performance of their duties.

E.  Resignations.  Any member of the Executive Committee may resign from office at any time by delivering a resignation in writing to the Executive Committee, and the acceptance of such resignation, unless required by the terms thereof, shall not be necessary to make such resignation effective.

Article V

Meetings

Section 1.  Meetings.  There shall be an annual meeting of the members.  The Affiliates shall meet a minimum of two times per academic year at such times as may be determined by the Executive Committee.  Special meetings shall be held whenever called by the Executive Committee, the Director, or a Deputy Director.  The Director of the Institute, or in the absence of the Director, their designee, shall preside at all meetings of the Affiliates.  A Deputy Director of the Institute, or their designee, shall act as Secretary at all meetings of the members.

Section 2. Notice of Meetings.  Adequate notice of the place, date and hour of meetings shall be given to each member of the respective committee. Notice of special meetings shall indicate the purpose for which they are called and the person or persons calling the meeting.

Article VI

Fiscal Year

The fiscal year for the Gender Institute shall be coterminous with the fiscal year of the University at Buffalo: July 1 – June 30.

Article VII

Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order New Revised shall govern the Institute in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the Institute may adopt.

Article VIII

Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by the Executive Committee under the following procedures:  Any Affiliate or member of the Executive Committee may propose amendments to these bylaws.  All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing, by electronic mail, to the Affiliates and the members of the Executive Committee at least two weeks before a meeting of the Executive Committee, during which time Affiliates shall have an opportunity to comment in writing on any proposed amendments.  Following this notice and comment period, the proposed amendments shall be voted upon by the Executive Committee and approved or rejected by a two-thirds vote of the members of Executive Committee voting in person at the meeting.

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IRWEG Bylaws were originally established in 1999.

This revised version was established September 15, 2021 by unanimous vote.