ARTICLE I – Name
The name of this Society shall be the Poetry Society of Texas.
It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
ARTICLE II – Purpose
The purpose of the Society shall be to secure fuller public recognition of the art of poetry, encouraging the writing of poetry by Texans, and to kindle a finer and more intelligent appreciation of poetry, especially the work of living poets who interpret the spirit and heritage of Texas.
ARTICLE III – Membership
Section 1. Members of this Society shall be persons in sympathy with the general purposes of the Society. They shall be classified as follows: Active Members, Associate Members, Honorary Members, Life Members, Student Members, Contributing Members, Sustaining Members, Supporting Members, Benefactors, and Patrons of the Poets.
Section 2. Only Active and Life members shall be eligible to hold elective office, to participate in contests sponsored by the Society, to vote in election of officers and members of the Executive Committee, and to vote upon proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws.
The Society may from time to time sponsor contests open to other classifications of membership or to the general public.
Section 3. ACTIVE MEMBERS – Active members shall be native Texans, citizens of Texas, or former citizens of Texas who were active members of the Society.
Section 4. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS – Associate members shall be persons who desire to associate themselves with the Society. They may transfer to active membership at any time upon presentation of qualifications for active membership. Libraries and schools shall be classified as Associate Members.
Section 5. HONORARY MEMBERS – Subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, honorary membership may be bestowed upon outstanding poets who have made a contribution to the purposes of the Society. The total number of such memberships shall not exceed twenty-five. Honorary members shall be exempt from payment of dues.
Section 6. LIFE MEMBERS – Members who for thirty consecutive years have maintained their active membership in the Society, and active members who have reached the age of seventy-five, after not less than fifteen consecutive years of membership, shall be eligible to receive life membership. Patrons of the Poets who are active members, or other active members who have made an outstanding contribution to the cause of poetry shall, upon recommendation by the Executive Committee, be entitled to life membership. Life members shall be exempt from further payment of dues, but shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of active membership. To each person awarded Life Membership an appropriately worded Certificate shall be issued.
Section 7. STUDENT MEMBERS – Full-time students who are native Texans or who are attending Texas schools may become members of the Society, with all the privileges of active membership except receipt of A Book of the Year, by paying dues of one-half the amount paid by regular members.
Section 8. CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS – Contributing members shall be individuals, business firms, corporations, associations, or societies who contribute $15 per year toward the furtherance of the purposes of the Society.
Section 9. SUSTAINING MEMBERS – Sustaining members shall be individuals, business firms, corporations, associations, or societies who contribute $50 per year toward the furtherance of the purposes of the Society.
Section 10. SUPPORTING MEMBERS – Supporting members shall be individuals, business firms, corporations, associations, or societies who contribute $100 per year toward the furtherance of the purposes of the Society.
Section 11. BENEFACTORS – Benefactors shall be individuals, business firms, corporations, associations, or societies who contribute $300 toward the furtherance of the purposes of the Society.
Section 12. PATRONS OF THE POETS – Patrons of the Poets shall consist of those who, as individuals, business firms, corporations, associations, or societies, promote the art of poetry by contributing $500 toward the furtherance of the purposes of the Society.
Section 13. A MEMBER OR NON-MEMBER may become a Contributing Member, a Sustaining Member, a Supporting Member, a Benefactor, or a Patron of the Poets. Members of the above-named groups shall be Active Members, if otherwise eligible; provided, however, that business firms, corporations, associations, or societies, as such, shall not submit entries to prize contests.
ARTICLE IV – Officers
The officers of the Society shall be President, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer. The President, upon recommendation of the Executive Committee, may appoint assistants to the Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, or Treasurer whenever deemed necessary to expedite the business of the Society.
Upon recommendation of the Executive Committee, an Honorary President and as many Honorary Vice Presidents as may be approved by the Executive Committee shall be appointed by the President.
The past Presidents of the Society shall constitute an Honorary Advisory Board.
ARTICLE V – Executive Committee
The administration of the affairs of the Society shall be by a Board of Directors, to be known as the Executive Committee, consisting of three elected members and the five officers of the Society, who shall be ex officio members of the Executive Committee. Five shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of President, the Vice President shall succeed. In the event of any other vacancy occurring in the Executive Committee, or in an office of the Society, a successor shall be elected by the Executive Committee. Any officer or member of the Executive Committee failing to substantially comply with the requirements and course of procedure recited in the Constitution and/or By-Laws or directed action by the Executive Committee within the terms of the Constitution and By-Laws, may be summarily removed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Committee, a quorum present, or by two-thirds majority vote of the Poetry Society of Texas at any of its regular meetings, provided the matter of removal of such officer is placed before the Society in writing at the previous regular meeting.
The Executive Committee shall meet regularly each calendar month preceding each regular meeting of the Society at a time and place to be designated by the President or Vice President.
ARTICLE VI – Elections
The term of office of officers and members of the Executive Committee shall be for one year and until their successors take office. Elections shall be held at the Annual Meeting, which is the May meeting of the Society. The Executive Committee-Elect shall take office September 1st.
At the March meeting, the President shall announce the members of the Nominating Committee consisting of five members, chosen in consultation with the Executive Committee, to present nominations for the annual elections. The members of the Nominating Committee shall be announced in the April issue of The Bulletin. At the Annual Meeting further nominations for elective offices may be made from the floor. An individual nominated for President of PST by either the nominating committee or from the floor must have previously served as an elected officer or member of the Board of Directors, also known as the Executive Committee of PST. Where more than two nominees are running for any one office and no one receives a majority vote on the first ballot, the two nominees receiving the most votes shall engage in a run-off. The nominee receiving the majority vote shall be declared elected. If the Executive Committee so decides, the Annual Election shall include the votes of absentee members polled by mail.
ARTICLE VII – Appointment of Committees
The appointment of all standing committees shall be by the President, but such appointments shall he subject to confirmation by the Executive Committee. Temporary committees shall be appointed by the President.
ARTICLE VIII – Meetings
Regular meetings of the Society shall be held in the City of Dallas on the second Saturday of each month, September to May inclusive, of each year unless otherwise ordered by the Society or by the Executive Board. A quorum shall consist of those members present.
ARTICLE IX – Headquarters
The headquarters of this Society shall be in the city of Dallas.
ARTICLE X – Amendments
Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be made at any regular meeting, provided written notice of the proposed amendment is filed with the Recording Secretary at the preceding meeting. In order that the proposed amendment may be adopted, it shall receive a vote of confirmation by two-thirds majority vote of those present.