Bylaws of The Art Students League

Article I - Members

Members shall be elected as follows: The candidate's name and address, with the name of the member proposing him or her and of two members who endorse him or her, shall be placed in a book kept for that purpose, accessible to all members, and there remain for one month. The Board of Control shall make diligent inquiry concerning the candidates proposed, and, if deemed eligible, their names shall be submitted to the next Business Meeting of the League. Candidates receiving threefourths of the votes cast shall be declared elected and shall be duly notified by the Corresponding Secretary, who shall at the same time transmit to them a copy of the Constitution and By-Laws.

All, except honorary members, must qualify, by payment of dues and signing the Constitution within thirty days after their election.

No persons shall be admitted to membership, except as honorary members, unless they shall have worked at least three months in the League in one of the regular classes or one school year in a class once a week.

Students who have worked for at least three months in any other than a Life Class of the League may, upon unanimous vote of the Board, be considered as candidates for membership.

Members of good standing for ten years may become life members, with exemption from annual dues, and with the same rights and privileges as active members.

Honorary Members, with the same rights and privileges as other members, may be elected at the Annual Meeting. on unanimous recommendation of the Board of Control, by a four-fifths vote, but the names of all candidates for honorary membership must be posted on the bulletin twenty days before being voted upon.

Article II - Officers

The officers of the League shall be a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, and eight others, all of whom shall be members of the Board of Control.

Article III - President

It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the League and of the Board of Control, to sign all warrants upon the Treasurer, to appoint all committees not otherwise provided for, to call special meetings of the Board and to exercise a general executive superintendence over the interests of the League. He shall be ex-officio a member of all committees. He shall present at the Annual Meeting an address, giving a general statement of the condition of the League, and propose such measures as in his opinion are requisite for its welfare and prosperity.

Article IV - Vice-President

In the absence of the President, either VicePresident may take his place and discharge his duties; but in case of the death, resignation, or disability of the President or either of the Vice-Presidents, a general meeting of the League shall be called within thirty days thereafter, if between October and June, for the purpose of electing a successor. Both Vice-Presidents shall be ex-officio members of all committees.

Article V - Treasurer

It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive all moneys, and to payout the same on warrants signed by the President, such warrants being his vouchers in accounting for the funds of the League; but he shall not payout on any single warrant over fifty dollars without the special authority of the Board of Control. He shall have charge of all the funds and securities of the Society, and deposit the same in such institution as the Board of Control shall from time to time direct. He shall keep an accurate account of all receipts and expenditures, and shall, at each regular meeting of the Board of Control, present a statement of the same, and shall prepare a detailed report of the receipts and expenditures of the past year, to be submitted at the Annual Meeting. He shall attend to the collection of all dues, and shall make such payments as shall be ordered by the Board of Control. He shall give bonds, with one surety, for the faithful performance of his duties, in such amount as the Board of Control may require. His books shall at all times be open to the inspection of the President and the Board of Control.

Article VI - Corresponding Secretary

The Corresponding Secretary shall receive and answer all communications addressed to the League, send notices of its business and special meetings, conduct all its correspondence, and perform such other duties as appertain to his office; and shall, in the absence of the Recording Secretary, discharge the duties of that officer.

Article VII - Recording Secretary

The Recording Secretary shall keep a faithful record of the proceedings of all meetings of the League, and of the Board of Control; he shall keep a roll of the members, the common seal, and preserve all records, documents, reports, minutes, and archives of the League; and in the absence of the Corresponding Secretary he shall discharge the duties of that officer.

Article VIII - Fees & Dues

The Board of Control shall establish an annual fee for membership, and such dues in the several classes as it deems requisite.

The names of members who do not pay the annual membership fees or class dues within three months from the time the same are due, shall after due notice be placed on a retired list, and such members shall not be entitled to any privileges of membership until the said fees or class dues be paid; but the names may be replaced on the list of active members at any time within one year, upon payment of the fees or dues. All members whose names shall have been on the retired list for one year, shall be dropped from the Society. But no one shall be relieved from the responsibility of membership until his resignation shall have been formally presented at a regular meeting of the Society, or until his name shall have been dropped.

The membership fee of members who leave the United States for the purpose of study shall be remitted during such absence, and they shall be considered as non-resident members.

Members whose class dues are thirty days in arrears may be required to give the Treasurer security for their payment.

The Board of Control may, at its discretion, relieve any student from the payment of class dues for a limited time.

Article IX - Grievances

The Board of Control shall investigate and redress all grievances of members which shall be submitted to it in writing.

Article X - Discipline

The Board of Control shall have power to suspend or expel a member of the League by a unanimous vote, if, after a thorough investigation, and the member shall have been given ample opportunity to be heard in his own defense, they shall find him guilty of conduct unbecoming a member of the Society; and anyone so expelled shall be forever disqualified for membership.

Article XI - Meetings

The Annual Meeting of the League shall be held on the evening of the first Wednesday in December at eight o'clock.

There shall be three business meetings of the League each year, which shall convene on the evening of the first Wednesday in November and the third Wednesday in January and April, unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Control.

All nominations of the three elective officers and the three elective members of the Board of Control shall be made at the November meeting. Nominations shall be closed at the termination of this meeting and no further nominations made.

The Board of Control may call Special Meetings of the League at any time.

The Board of Control shall meet at least once in each month, from October to May, for the transaction of business.

Absence on the part of any member of the Board of Control from three consecutive meetings thereof, without satisfactory reasons being submitted to the Board, shall be considered a resignation therefrom.

The President or any three officers may call a Special Meeting of the Board of Control at any time.

A Special Meeting of the members of the League may be called at any time, due notice of the meeting and the object for which it is called being posted on the Bulletin Board of the League two weeks prior to the date of the meeting and signed by fifteen members.
(As Amended October 20, 1965)

Article XII - Annual Election

At the Annual Meeting of the League, after the President's address and the report of the Treasurer, the President shall appoint three inspectors of Election from members not on the Board of Control, to receive and count the votes.

All voting shall be done by ballot, a majority vote to elect; the Inspectors in every case to count the votes and announce the result without retiring.

If no candidate shall have received a majority, another vote shall be taken, and the balloting proceed until a result be reached.

Article XIII - Order of Business

At the Annual Meeting of the League, the Order of Business shall be as follows:
  1. Calling of the Roll.
  2. Reading of the Minutes of the last Annual Meeting, and of the last Business meeting.
  3. Address of the President.
  4. Reports of Treasurer and Auditors.
  5. Appointment of Inspectors of Election.
  6. Election of Officers.
  7. Election of Members.
  8. Miscellaneous Business.
At each Business Meeting:
  1. Reading of Minutes.
  2. Election of Members.
  3. Deferred Business.
  4. New Business.
Board of Control Meeting:
  1. Reading of Minutes.
  2. Report of Treasurer.
  3. Consideration of Candidates for Membership.
  4. Deferred Business.
  5. New Business.
The order of business may be changed by a threefourths vote of the members present.

Article XIV - Quorum

Twenty active members shall constitute a quorum at the stated meetings, except the Annual Meeting.

A majority of the Board of Control shall constitute a quorum at all meetings. The Chairman and one member shall constitute a quorum of all committees.

Article XV - Amendments

These By-Laws may be amended at any regular Business Meeting of the League, by a three-fourths vote of the members present forming a quorum. But no amendment shall be acted upon unless it shall have been submitted to the Board of Control, and have been posted on the bulletin two weeks previous to such meeting.

Article XVI - Entertainment

An Entertainment Committee shall be provided composed of the Committee on Entertainment from the Board of Control, one member and a chairman elected by Fall Members' Meeting, for a term of one year, and such members and students as the Committee shall from time to time choose to serve temporarily;

That this committee shall inaugurate a program of dances, tea dances, receptions, etc. It may suggest functions to the Exhibition Committee or other Committees or Board, or it may be requested by the Board or other Committees to give functions in connection with exhibitions, meetings, etc.

Article XVII - Reinstatement of Members

Former members dropped for non-payment of dues may be reinstated as follows:

Such former members shall make application to the Board of Control in writing. They shall be duly notified by the Corresponding Secretary of the action taken by the Board of Control upon such application.

Former members whose applications are approved by the Board shall qualify by paying dues for the current year within thirty days and upon such payment shall have the rights and privileges equal only to those of newly elected and qualified members except that the preceding years of active membership shall be included in the ten year period required for Life Membership.

Amendments

SINCE MAY 1932

No. 18
The Minutes, or a summary of the Minutes, of each meeting of the Board of Control shall be posted in the League for a period of at least one week following such meeting and that this record shall be called the League Board report. (Adopted November 16, 1932)
No. 19
(Repealed October 20,1965)
No. 20
Newly elected members shall not have the right to vote at the meeting at which they are elected to membership. (Adopted November 16,1932)
No. 21
Instructors who have taught at the League for one summer or winter season may become members of the League, subject to the same conditions as student members, except that it shall not be necessary for instructors to have studied at the League. (Adopted April 19, 1933)
No. 22
No member of the retiring Board of Control whose expiring period of service on the Board is three full consecutive years shall be eligible for reelection or to serve on the Board during the following year, except in the capacity of President. After a lapse of one full year such person shall again be eligible to serve on the Board of Control. (Adopted April 19, 1933)
No. 23
(Repealed November 16, 1960)
No. 24
(Repealed November 16, 1960)
No. 25
(Repealed November 16, 1960)
No. 26
A proxy to vote at a Member's Meeting must be submitted to the League for validation of the proxy-giver's signature at least seven days prior to the date of such Meeting. A proxy which has not been so submitted within such time or which has not been so validated shaH not be voted. (Adopted October 20, 1965)
No. 27
The League admits the students of any race to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and the League does not discriminate on the basis of race in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. (Adopted April 21, 1976)
No. 28
RESOLVED, that ARTICLE XII of the Bylaws of The Art Students League of New York be, and it hereby is, amended by deleting the last two paragraphs thereof and substituting the following in their place: "All votes shall be by ballot cast in person or in absentia in accordance with the provisions set forth in this ARTICLE XII. No votes shall be cast by proxy. Candidates shall be elected by plurality vote. At least four weeks prior to the Annual Meeting, the Board of Control shall cause to be prepared and mailed to all of the Members a ballot listing all of the nominees to be elected at the Meeting, identifying any nominees who are members of the retiring Board of Control, and including any statement of not more than 50 words in length which may have been submitted by the nominee for such purpose. The ballot shall otherwise be in such form and include such provisions as may be approved by the Board of Control. There shall be no electioneering, solicitation or any action favoring any candidate during the electoral process by any employee of the Association. The Board of Control is expressly prohibited from expending any League funds for the purpose of promoting the candidacy of any person except as expressly contemplated in the League's Constitution and By-laws." (Adopted November 1, 2000).
No. 29
RESOLVED, that ARTICLE XIII of the Bylaws be amended by adding the following paragraph to the end thereof: "Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, no matter may be put to a vote of the members at any meeting unless such matter has been submitted to the Board and has been posted on the bulletin not less than four weeks prior to the date of such meeting. The preceding sentence shall not apply to matters relating to the procedures to be followed at the meeting or any adjournment thereof." (Adopted November 1, 2000).
No. 30
  1. The Corporation shall have two categories of Members: (a) "Active Members," who shall have the right to vote on all matters for which a Member of the Corporation is entitled to vote under these By-laws; and (b) "Inactive Members," who shall be Members of the Corporation for all other purposes but who shall not have the right to vote on any other matter for which a Member of the Corporation is entitled to vote under these By-laws.
  2. The Board may conduct a query of its Members from time to time by mail or other means to determine each Member's desire to maintain active voting status. Any Member who does not respond affirmatively in writing to any such query within 60 days of the date of the query notice will be deemed to have elected to become, and shall thereupon become, an Inactive Member. In addition, any Active Member who has not voted in two successive League Member meetings (beginning with the next such Meeting after the date of adoption of this Amendment No. 30) will be automatically deemed to have elected to become an Inactive Member, effective as of the day after the date of the second of such Meetings.
  3. Any Inactive Member may reinstate his or her status as an Active Member either: (a) by voting at any meeting of Members; or (b) by submitting a written request for reinstatement to the Board at least 30 days before a meeting of Members in which such Member desires to vote. In either such event, such person shall thereupon become and be an Active Member, subject to paragraph 2 above. (Adopted April 25, 2001)
No. 31
The Board of Control shall take no action to sell, lease, mortgage, or dispose of the Building or any interest therein (including development or other rights associated with the ownership of the Building) unless and until:
  • (a) the proposed action has been approved by two successive Boards of Control (that is, by the Board as constituted at the time of the first such approval and by the Board as reconstituted after the next annual election of the Board); and
  • (b) the Board has thereafter submitted the proposed transaction to the Members, and a majority of Members entitled to vote (or such greater percentage of Members whose affirmative vote may be required by law from time to time) have approved the proposed transaction. (Adopted April 25, 2001)
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