Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America, Inc

CONSTITUTION

Article I
Names and Objectives

1. encourage breeders to bring to perfection the natural qualities of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier as described in the SCWTCA, Inc. Breed Standard.
2. encourage the organization of independent local Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Specialty Clubs in those localities where there are sufficient fanciers of the breed to meet the requirements of the American Kennel Club.
3. urge members and breeders to accept the Breed Standard as approved by the American Kennel Club as the only standard of excellence by which Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers shall be judged.
4. do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed and to encourage sportsmanlike competition at dog shows and all other events held under the auspices of the American Kennel Club.
5. conduct sanctioned matches, specialty shows, obedience trials, and any other events for which the club is eligible under the rules and regulations of the American Kennel Club.
6. guard against the commercial exploitation of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.
7. accept and abide by the Code of Ethics of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America, Inc.
8. support and promote all areas of health and research of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.

• Individual – one adult at one address paying dues, carrying one vote and eligible to hold office.
• Dual – two (2) adult members residing in the same household paying modified dues, each eligible to vote and hold office.

Five (5) memberships will enjoy all Club privileges EXCEPT: the right to vote on Club matters and hold office, to serve on the Nominating                     Committee, to sponsor new members and to be included on the Breeders List. (International members will retain their right of eligibility
for inclusion on the Breeders List.) These memberships shall not count in determining a quorum.

• Lifetime Individual – members who have thirty (30) years of paid membership dues to SCWTCA, Inc. will have the option to no longer pay dues. Those exercising this option will relinquish the aforementioned Club privileges. (Right to vote on Club matters, hold office, serve on the Nominating Committee, sponsor new members and be included on the Breeders List.) Also, to retain non-paying status, all membership forms must be signed and returned to the Treasurer on or before February 15 and no later than March 1 annually.
  Any member who chose Lifetime status prior to the Bylaws change in 2012, and who does not pay dues, will retain all Club privileges through grandfathering.
• International – open to all persons living outside of the United States paying dues. As per AKC policy, International members cannot vote or hold office and shall not count in the determination of a quorum.
• Honorary – awarded to persons for extraordinary service to SCWTCA, Inc. by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board. Honorary members will not be required to pay dues and are not eligible to vote or hold office. Prospective members shall be in good standing with the American Kennel Club and subscribe to the Constitution, Bylaws and Code of Ethics of SCWTCA, Inc.
• Associate – individuals eighteen (18) years or older who may not yet qualify for individual membership, but support the mission of SCWTCA, Inc. One voting member recommendation is required for application.
• Junior – individuals under eighteen (18) years of age who own, co-own, have owned, or whose immediate family owns, co-owns, or has owned a SCWT and support the mission of SCWTCA, Inc.

1. by resignation. Any member in good standing may resign from the Club upon written notice to the Recording Secretary, but no member may resign when in debt to the Club. Dues obligations are considered a debt to the Club and they become incurred on the first day of each fiscal year.
2. by lapsing. A membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such member’s dues remain unpaid March 1; however, the Board may grant an additional 30 days of grace to such delinquent members in meritorious cases. In no case may a person be entitled to vote whose dues are unpaid.
3. by expulsion. A membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI of these Bylaws.

1. that every Board member shall be enabled to participate in the electronic conduct of such business;
2. that the identity of the participants is verified to determine that the participant is a Board member eligible to participate in such electronic conduct of such business;
3. that the Board members verified to be eligible to participate in the electronic conduct of such business are receiving all data and information that is disseminated through the electronic process; and
4. that all Board members have agreed to the conduct of such business through electronic process.

1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Board and shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of the President in addition to those particularly specified in these Bylaws. The President will serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
2. The Vice President shall have the duties and exercise the powers of the President in case of the President’s death, absence or incapacity. The Vice President is responsible for Policy and Procedures Manual updates.
3. The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of the following:
   1. a written summary of all meetings and votes of the Club and of the Board and shall report the summary of the membership votes and individual votes of members of the Board of Directors in Wavelengths;
   2. committee reports;
   3. official membership roll and current addresses; and
   4. special and standing rules.

   The Recording Secretary shall:

   1. notify Officers and Committee Members of appointment and furnish committees with any documents necessary for the performance of duties;
   2. sign all certified acts of the Club;
   3. receive all votes and ballots except those of the Annual Election of Officers and Directors, proposed Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws and proposed changes to the Breed Standard for the Breed and Code of Ethics;
   4. receive any additional nominations and any resignations; and
   5. publish reports, actions and minutes of all Board meetings in an electronic form to the general membership or mail such documents upon special request.
4. The Corresponding Secretary shall:
   1. have charge of all general correspondence of the Club, i.e., correspondence which is not the function of other offices or committee chairmen;
   2. receive the slate of Officers and Board Members from the Nominating Committee Chairman and so notify the General Membership;
   3. send all ballots;
   4. send written notice of all meetings; and
   5. handle all correspondence concerning charges against a member.
5. The Treasurer shall:
   1. collect and receive all monies due or belonging to the Club;
   2. deposit the same in a bank approved by the Board, in the name of the Club;
   3. make all books at all times open to inspection by the Board;
   4. report at every meeting the condition of the Club’s finances and every item of receipt or payment, not before reported;
   5. maintain official membership roll and current addresses;
   6. at the Annual Meeting, render an account of all monies received and expended during the previous fiscal year; and
   7. be bonded in such amount as the Board of Directors shall determine.

1. represents the SCWTCA Board of Directors on issues that the Board wishes to present to the AKC,
2. serves as Board liaison to the AKC,
3. attends Delegates’ Meetings and Forums four times a year,
4. presents issues to the SCWTCA Board that will require their direction and then votes accordingly,
5. reports to the SCWTCA Board on pertinent information and on AKC Meetings on a timely basis, and
6. prepares an annual report and other periodic reports for the membership.

1. The Nominating Committee shall nominate from among the eligible members of the Club, one (1) candidate for each office and one (1) candidate for each of the four (4) other positions on the Board, and shall procure, in writing, and send to the Corresponding Secretary, prior to June 15, the name and written acceptance of each nominee so chosen. The Nominating Committee should, where possible, consider geographical representation of the membership in the selection of the Board nominees. The Board will dictate policy to ensure such consideration. The Corresponding Secretary shall, upon receipt of written confirmation of all nominees, mail or email the list of candidates, including their full name and the name of the state in which each resides, to each member of the Club on or before July 1, so that additional nominations may be made to the Recording Secretary by the members if they so desire.
2. Additional nomination of eligible members may be made by written petition addressed to the Recording Secretary and received at the Recording Secretary’s address on or before August 1, signed by five (5) members and accompanied by the written acceptance of each additional nominee signifying his willingness to be a candidate. No person shall be a candidate for more than one (1) position and the additional nominations which are provided for herein may be made only from among those members who have not accepted a nomination from the Nominating Committee.
3. If no valid additional nominations are received by the Recording Secretary on or before August 1, the Nominating Committee’s slate shall be declared elected at the time of the Annual Meeting and no balloting will be required.
4. If one or more valid additional nominations are received by the Recording Secretary on or before August 1, the Corresponding Secretary shall, on or before August 15, mail to each member in good standing, a ballot listing, in alphabetical order, all of the nominees for each position with the names of the states in which they reside, together with a return envelope marked “ballot” and bearing the name and return address of the member to whom it was sent. This envelope shall be pre-addressed to an independent expert, selected by the Recording Secretary, with Board approval. The ballot shall specify a date not less than thirty (30) days after the date of mailing by which all ballots must be returned to the independent expert. The Recording Secretary shall provide the independent expert with a list of members eligible to vote (See Article IV, Section 2), against which the independent expert shall check the return addresses on the ballot envelopes and shall certify the eligibility of the voters as well as the results of the voting. This expert shall send, by certified mail, the results of the election to both the President and to the Recording Secretary in time to be announced at the Annual Meeting, or in the case of amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws, Code of Ethics or the Breed Standard, in time to be announced at the next Board Meeting and by mail to the Membership as a part of the Annual or Board Meeting Minutes. The deadline for receiving ballots shall be determined by requirements set forth by the person/firm tabulating the votes.
5. Nominations cannot be made at the Annual Meeting or in any manner other than as provided above.

The Board may each year appoint additional committees to advance the work of the Club in such matters as dog shows, obedience trials, trophies, annual prizes, membership, and other fields which may well be served by committees. Such committees shall always be subject to the final authority of the Board. Special committees may also be appointed by the Board to aid it on particular projects and will function until dismissed by the Board.