The Jane Goodall Institute Bylaws

The Jane Goodall Center for Excellence in Environmental Education (JGC) was created at WCSU with the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), by Resolution of the Board of Trustees for the Connecticut State University, on April 7, 1995. The agreement was revised and renewed August 8, 2014 (see Appendix).

Article I—Name

This organization shall be known as the Jane Goodall Center for Excellence in Environmental Education (JGC, and hereafter also referred to as the Center).

Article II – Mission

To promote global peace and compassion, understanding, and respect for all living things on this planet.

Article III—Purpose

1. Spread awareness of global, national and local environmental and humanitarian concerns to the community through public programming and university classes.
2. Sponsor visits by distinguished speakers to spotlight these concerns and foster solutions.
3. Collaborate with Roots & Shoots Club members on fundraising for charities, special events and symposia.
4. Support and promote Roots & Shoots participation and training for all staff, faculty, and students.
5. Secure grant funding for educational programs, speakers and classes that promote the mission of the Center.
6. Support and promote the mission of JGI by participating in social media promotions of mission-related campaigns and peer-to-peer fundraising to support global Roots & Shoots initiatives.
7. Foster sustainable development through environmental education in the university, local, and regional communities.

Article IV—Operations

1. The Center shall be self-funding. The Center may solicit and receive grants and accept contracts, donations, and endowments from the public and private sectors consistent with its objectives.
2. All funds (Article IV, section 1) shall be deposited in the Center’s accounts administered by the WCSU Foundation. Expenditure of such funds shall be under the direct control and administration of the Center.
3. The Center is empowered to compensate students, faculty, staff and others for related activities, events, conferences and forums or, when applicable, delivering services or goods related to the Center mission.

Article V—Governance and Rules of Order

1. The Center shall be managed by a Chair and Governing Board (under the supervision of the Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs). There shall be no salaried members of the Governing Board.
   1. The Governing Board shall consist of six (6) members:
      1. Five (5) members will be elected from the WCSU faculty in general. The election of these members will be coordinated by the WCSU Senate’s Nominations and Elections Committee.
         1. From among those six members, a Chair will be elected by the Governing Board
      2. One (1) student, appointed by the Governing Board in consultation with the WCSU Roots and Shoots Club, who will represent the university’s student population.
   2. The term of office of each Governing Board member shall be three (3) years, commencing on June 1st. Members may be eligible for reelection or reappointment. Elections of seats will be conducted so that each year two seats come up for election.
   3. In the event of a vacancy on the Board, the Governing Board shall promptly appoint a replacement for the remainder of the vacated term.
2. As appropriate, the Governing Board may invite persons from outside the Governing Board to participate in Board meetings on a non-voting basis.
3. The Board shall be regulated in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, and all other proceedings shall be governed by the Bylaws.
4. The Bylaws and any future amendments shall be subject to University Senate approval.
5. The Jane Goodall Center has been in existence since 1995 without benefit of Bylaws. As a result, the Governing Board, as of this writing, consists of volunteer members. As an expedient measure to preserve continuity in the Center while we transition to an elected Board as described in these Bylaws, two of the existing members (chosen by lot) will be replaced every two years until all seats of the Board are occupied by elected members.

Article VI—Quorum

At meetings, a majority (4) of the members of the Governing Board shall constitute a quorum.

Anyone present at the JGC meeting is permitted to vote, including visitors.

Article VII— Officers

1. Officers of the Center will consist of Chair and Assistant Chair
2. The Chair and Assistant Chair shall each be elected by the Governing Board for a three- year (3) term.
3. The Chair shall preside at meetings of the Center.
   1. The daily administration of the Center shall be the responsibility of the Chair. The Chair shall make routine operating decisions under guidelines established in periodic Governing Board meetings.
   2. The Chair shall be a fiscal agent of the Center and will be authorized to sign for disbursement of funds in the Center’s accounts. The Governing Board must approve all disbursements of funds.
   3. The Chair shall be responsible for the preparation of a budget for the ensuing year to be presented to the Governing Board at the annual meeting to be held in May. Said budget shall include the estimated costs of administration and operation and estimated revenues from all sources in support of the Center and its programs.
   4. The Chair shall prepare and provide to each member of the Governing Board at the annual meeting a financial report, as well as a report of the programs and services provided by the Center during the previous academic year. The Chair will also send a copy of the annual report to the University Senate.
4. The Assistant Chair shall assume the duties of the Chair in the absence of or at the request of the Chair.

Article VIII—Meetings

1. The Governing Board shall meet at least four times annually, with the annual meeting to be held in May.
2. Special meetings of the Governing Board may be called at the request of the Center Chair or Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs provided a notice has been given to all members at least 72 hours prior to such a meeting and the agenda has been announced when the meeting is called.
3. All meetings will be held on the WCSU campus unless otherwise specified. All meetings are open to the public.
4. A Recording Secretary shall be appointed on a rotating basis from the board members at each meeting to keep the official minutes. The Chair will archive minutes and make them available to anyone upon request.

Article IX—Amendments

1. Bylaws may be amended by 5 votes of the Governing Board members present at any meeting, provided that written notice of the meeting, containing a copy of the proposed amendment, is given at least 15 days prior to all members.
2. Amended Bylaws must be approved by the University Senate.

 

Senate Approval: 5/9/2018

Administrative Approval: 5/10/2018

Motion Approved 11/8/2023

Senate Approved May 15, 2024