ELECTIONS

Click here to vote in the 2008 Memphis College of Art Alumni Executive Committee Election. (Note: A password is required to vote.)


WELCOME

In May 2004, as Memphis College of Art celebrated one of the largest graduating classes in its history, it also welcomed back a renewed and revitalized Alumni Association.

Since September 2003, plans have been developed to maintain an effective and operational association. In February 2004, a delightful 'valentine' note written by our beloved faculty member, Tom Lee, was sent out to reconnect with all MCA alums. As a result of Tom’s effort, more than half of our alumni were reunited.

Nearly two weeks after Tom's valentines were mailed, the first Alumni Association meeting in over four years was held on February 27, 2004. At this meeting, the commitment to create a lifelong relationship between Memphis College of Art and its Alumni' was established.

Since the initial meeting in February, the association has met every month, and the number of Alumni attendees at each meeting has increased. On May 10, 2004, the Alumni Association held its first election in four years.

There are many projects planned for our Association, including an Alumni Directory for all MCAAA members, an Alumni Exhibition, and the second Annual Alumni Reunion. Beyond 2006, the MCA Alumni Association hopes to branch out into chapters across the country, arrange exciting trips for members, and develop an Alumni Gallery at the Memphis College of Art.

The future looks bright for our young association. Our success will depend in part on our willingness and commitment to come together and stay together. We would like to hear your ideas and opinions about how we can make our association a successful one.

Membership Brochure

Click here to download the Application for Alumni Association Membership form in PDF Format (669 Kb.)

Memphis College of Art Alumni Association Officers

Current    
President Katey Henriksen BFA 1997 Graphic Design/Papermaking/Book Arts
Vice President Sabe Lewellyn BFA 2002 Photography
Secretary Trice Patterson BFA 2005 Photography
Treasurer Dani Harris BFA 1987 Illustration
Historian Jeanne Seagle BFA 1977 Advertising Design/Illustration
Immediate Past President Carrie Bartlett BFA 1989 Graphic Design
     
     
Past    
President Carrie Bartlett BFA 1989 Graphic Design
Vice President Katey Henriksen BFA 1997 Papermaking/Book Arts
Secretary Sandra Walker BFA 2003 Painting
Treasurer Anita Whatley-Khalphani MFA 1994 Fibers/Surface Design
Historian Jeanne Seagle BFA 1977 Advertising Design/Illustration
Immediate Past President Carroll Todd BFA 1976 Sculpture

CONSTITUTION

Article 1: Name of Association.

The name of this organization is Memphis College of Art Alumni Association.

Article 2: Purpose.

The Memphis College of Art Alumni Association exists primarily to promote MCA by establishing mutually beneficial relations between the College and its alumni.

Article 3: Status.

This association will be an approved organization sponsored by the College and as such will adhere to the standards and practices of the College.

Article 4: Office Location.

The Alumni Association office will be in the central offices of MCA.

Article 5: Membership.

Any former student of MCA who has completed 30 semester hours in the degree program or two semesters in the Masters Program. The level of membership shall be determined by the dues paid by the member to the Association.

Article 6: Privileges.

All members shall be entitled to attend and vote at all annual and special meetings of the Alumni Association. They shall receive reasonable advance notice of such meetings, shall receive the publications and annual reports from Memphis College of Art.

Dues paying members shall be entitled to access and use of the Library, shall receive an Alumni Association card, shall be entitled to Career Services, shall receive invitations to all events, exhibitions, trips, reunions, and homecomings, free transcript requests, discount at the MCA art center, and discounted tuition for Community Education classes.

Lifetime members shall receive the already mentioned privileges as well as, limited use of the Campus facility for personal events and box seat tickets to Memphis Redbirds games. These privileges are subject to approval from Memphis College of Art's Administration.

Article 7: Dues.

Membership dues will be imposed as a condition of the membership. The imposition of dues and the determination of the amounts thereof shall be as determined by the Alumni Council. All dues collected shall be applied or disbursed for the privileges of membership and in furtherance of the purposes of the Association.

Article 8: The Alumni Council.

The policies, affairs, and property of the Association shall be managed and controlled by an Alumni Council which shall be composed of the Executive Committee, The Board of Directors, and the Alumni Relations Director as appointed by Memphis College of Art's administration.

1. Directors. The directors are members of the Board of Directors, with duties that are assigned to them from time to time by the president.

2. Alumni Affairs Director. The Alumni Affairs Director, representing the administration of MCA, shall be a non-voting member.

Article 9: Officers.

The officers of the Association shall be a President, Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. All elected by the Alumni Council from its volunteer members. The officers serve for three-year terms or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The powers and duties of the officers shall be as provided in the by-laws.

Article 10: By-Laws.

The association will adopt by-laws to set forth the policies and the procedures for the internal administration of the association.

Article 11: Amendments.

The constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at a duly constituted and convened meeting of the association provided that the exact language of the amendment to be voted on has been submitted to the membership not less than 60 days prior to said meeting.

Article 12: Alumni Affairs Director.

The Alumni Affairs Director is that person responsible for the conduct of an alumni program as a member of the Office of Development at Memphis College of Art. He/She will work closely with the Association, and its Alumni Council, and with its approval, cause the programs and activities of the Association to be conducted, and shall attend to such usual and ordinary business of the Association as shall not have been conferred otherwise upon the members, officers, or Alumni Council of the Association.

Article 13: Immediate Past President.

The immediate past president of the Association, through conduct of his official duties during the prior year, is a valuable resource whose council can be expected to provide continuity and the benefits of experience to the Association's affairs.

Article 14: Meetings.

There shall be an annual meeting of the Association for the purpose of the election of the Alumni Council members, the presentation of an annual report of the Affairs of the Association, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting. Special meetings of the Association may be called. The procedures for call, notice, and conduct of such annual and special meetings shall be as provided in the by-laws.

Article 15: Nominations.

The nominating committee nominates one candidate for each office to be filled at the annual meeting. The secretary sent the nominations to the members not later than sixty nor earlier than ninety days before such meetings. Other nominations may be made by any ten members in good standing. Such nominations, if received by the secretary in writing not less than thirty days before the meeting, are valid nominations and are published forthwith along with and in the same manner as those of the nominating committee. No further nominations are made.

Article 16: Committees.

Nominating Committee. A nominating committee, with duties described above, is elected at the annual meeting. Three members are elected each year for three-year Dissolution. The association may be dissolved by a two-thirds vote of the membership. After the payment of all liabilities, a two-third vote of the membership shall determine how to confer any remaining assets to the College.

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE 1: Offices.

Headquarters of the Association shall be located in the Development Office of Memphis College of Art, in the city of Memphis, in the state of Tennessee. The Association may also maintain offices at such other places as the Alumni Council may, from time to time, determine.

ARTICLE 2: Meetings of the Association.

Section 1: Annual Meetings.


The annual meeting will be held at the time and place selected by the Alumni Council with 30 days written notice of such meeting being given to the membership. The purpose of the annual meeting will be electing of Council members, presentation of the annual report of the Association and the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

Section 2: Special Meetings.

Special Meetings of the Association may be called at any time by the majority of the Alumni Council membership or by the President, and shall be called by the President or the Secretary of the Association at the written request of twenty-five percent (25%) of the then members of the Association entitled to vote at such meeting.

Section 3: Place of Meetings.

All meetings of the Association shall be held at such place or places designated in the notices of such meetings.

Section 4: Notice of Meetings.


(a) Written notice of each annual meeting of the Association, stating the time when and the place where it is to be held shall be served either personally, by mail, or by email, not less than thirty days before the annual meeting, upon each member of the Association entitled to vote at such meeting. Written notice of a special meeting of the Association, stating the time when and place where it is to be held, shall be served either personally, by mail, or by email, not less than fifteen days before the meeting is to be held, upon each member entitled to vote at such meeting. Notice of a special meeting shall also state the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, and shall indicate that it is being issued by, or at the direction of, the persons calling the meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be directed to each member at their address as the same appears on the records of the members of the Association, unless such member shall have previously filed with the Secretary of the Association a written request that notices intended for he/she be mailed to some other address, in which case it shall be mailed to the address so designated in such request.

(b) Notice of any meeting need not be given to any member who became a member after the mailing of such notice and prior to the meeting, nor to any member who attends such meeting, not to any member who submits a signed waiver of notice either before, at or after such meeting. Written notice of any adjourned meeting of the Association, stating the time when and the place where it is to be held, shall be served either personally, by mail, or by email not less than fifteen days before such adjourned meeting, upon each member of the Association entitled to vote at such meeting.

Section 5: Quorum.

(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, or in the Constitution, at all annual meetings of the Association, the presence at the commencement of such annual meeting of members constituting a majority of the membership of the Association shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Except as otherwise provided herein or in the Constitution, the presence at the commencement of such special meeting of any number of members shall be sufficient to constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. The withdrawal of any member after the commencement of an annual or special meeting shall have no effect on the existence of a quorum after a quorum has been established at such meeting.

(b) Despite the absences of a quorum at any meeting of the Association, the members, by a majority of the votes cast by the members thereat, may adjourn the meeting. At any such adjourned annual meeting at which a quorum is present, may be transacted that which might have been transacted at the annual meeting as originally called if a quorum had been present.

Section 6: Membership.

(a) All Alumni groups that conform to Article 5 of the Constitution shall be deemed eligible for membership in the Association. Applications for membership will be accepted by the designated chairman prior to, or at the annual meeting.

(b) An Alumni group may, with written notice to the Alumni Council, resign or withdraw from the Association.

(c) An Alumni group which withdraws from the Association while it is not in good standing, must, in reapplying for admittance, correct all deficiencies. No additional penalties shall apply.

Section 7: Voting.

(a) Except as otherwise provided by the Constitution, any Association action shall be authorized by a majority of votes cast at a meeting of the Association by the members entitled to vote therein.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by the Constitution, at each meeting of the Association, each member entitled to vote thereat shall be entitled to cast one vote on every matter requiring a vote of the Association, provided said member is in good standing and membership fee is paid.

(c) A mail vote or a written ballot may be taken on question upon which it is necessary or desirable to secure prompt action. The vote of the majority of the members shall be as binding and conclusive as though taken at a meeting duly called for that purpose. The results of such mail vote or written ballot shall be entered in proper order in the minute book of the Association. In the event that a majority vote has not been recorded in favor of or against the matter being voted upon within fourteen days, a second notice in regard thereto shall be mailed to all members not having voted, and, in the event that after ten additional days, no majority vote has been obtained, the question shall be deemed to have been tabled.

ARTICLE 3: Council.


Section 1: Number.

The number of Alumni Council members shall be as provided in the Constitution.

Section 2.: Election and Term.

The Board of Directors of the Alumni Council shall be elected by the voting delegates of the Association at the business meeting of its annual meeting. The term of a Director shall be two years. A Director may not serve more than three terms consecutively. Directors shall be elected each year, commencing in May 2004 with the election of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. Each Director and Officer shall hold office until the annual meeting of the Association two years subsequent to his/her election, and until the successor is elected and qualified, or until his/her prior death, resignation, and/or removal.

Section 3: Power and Duties.

The Council shall be responsible for the control and management of the affairs, properties, and interests of the Association, and may exercise all powers of the Association, except as are expressly conferred upon or reserved to the members of the Association. The nature of the business and purposes of the Council shall encompass:

(a) Maximum use of the abundant resources of the alumni, including the talents, services, and appropriate financial assistance, to the attainment of the purposes of Memphis College of Art.

(b) Promotion, establishment and maintenance of the appropriate communications and other relationships between MCA and the Association.

(c) Promotion of a unifying interest and loyalty of present, former and prospective students and others interested in the welfare of MCA and the stimulation of their willingness to participate actively in the programs and activities of MCA.

(d) Assistance to MCA in attracting outstanding students, faculty and administrators to its campuses.