NAME The name of the association will be THE ASSOCIATION OF THE CLASS OF 1957, UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY, hereafter referred to as the "ASSOCIATION".

PURPOSE The purpose of the ASSOCIATION is to provide for the organization and administration of the Class of 1957 and to encourage participation and dedication by all members in the furtherance of projects undertaken by the ASSOCIATION.

1. Voting Membership All persons who were members of the Class of 1957 of the United States Naval Academy at any time are members of the ASSOCIATION without election.

2. Non-voting Membership

a. Widows: Widows of members of the Class of 1957, United States Naval Academy, are non-voting Associate Members without election, unless they decline.

b. Honorary Members: Any voting member of the ASSOCIATION may nominate a candidate for non-voting Honorary Membership. Nominations will be approved by a majority of the Executive Committee and ratified by the President of the ASSOCIATION. Honorary memberships will normally be restricted to those who have established a special relationship of service or fellowship with the Class. The President of the ASSOCIATION will provide Honorary Members with formal notification of election to membership.

I. Officers

A. The Officers of the ASSOCIATION are the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Officers of the Executive Committee are the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

B. The offices of President and Vice President will be filled by members of the ASSOCIATION for a term of five years. The President and Vice President are eligible for reelection, but will not serve in the same office for more than two consecutive elected terms.

C. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer will be filled by members of the ASSOCIATION who are elected to the offices of Secretary and Treasurer of the Executive Committee in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 5 below.

D. The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Washington Chapter of the ASSOCIATION will be filled by Washington Chapter members and elected in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 5 below.

2. Duties and Responsibilities

A. The PRESIDENT will insure that the provisions of this Charter are properly carried out. He will exercise management over all areas of ASSOCIATION activity and will have authority to disburse and invest funds. He will make annually, a report of the affairs of the ASSOCIATION to all locatable members, to include a financial statement.

B. The VICE PRESIDENT will assist the President in his duties and will succeed the President in the event the President is unable to serve for any reason. He will be responsible for membership related matters, including the management of decedent affairs, dealings with Associate Members and oversight of the Memorial Chairs Fund.

C. The SECRETARY will assist the President, and the Chairman of the Executive Committee, in the secretarial duties of that office and be responsible for the maintenance of a complete and updated list of the membership of the ASSOCIATION. He will retain the official Charter of the ASSOCIATION. The Secretary may be assisted by a Corresponding Secretary who coordinates input to the Class column of Shipmate. The Corresponding Secretary is a voluntary position. The Secretary will be second in line of succession to the President.

D. The TREASURER will assist the President, and the Chairman of the Executive Committee, in the supervision of the ASSOCIATION funds. He will be responsible for the accounting of all ASSOCIATION funds, except the Memorial Chairs Fund, advise the President on the management of ASSOCIATION assets, and will make an annual written report of audit (as of 31 December, yearly) to the President by no later than 31 January of the following year. The Treasurer will be the third in line of succession to the Presidency.

E. The Chairman of the Executive Committee is responsible for the routine management of the Washington Chapter of the ASSOCIATION and for providing administrative support to ASSOCIATION officers in their execution of ASSOCIATION business.

F. Assigned responsibilities and duties may be delegated to other members as
circumstances dictate.

3. Provisions for Filling Vacancy

In the event the President is unable to serve, his succession shall be as provided for in Article IV Section 2. Should the Vice President be unable to serve for any reason, the President shall appoint a successor to serve in his stead for the remainder of his term. The succession of any officer other than the President or Vice President shall be as provided for in Article IV Section 5.

4. Chapters

A. There shall be a permanently established Washington Chapter of the ASSOCIATION, which will consist of all Members, Associate Members, and Honorary Members residing or employed within 50 miles of Washington, D.C. Any Members, Associate Members and Honorary Members residing outside the aforementioned boundary of the Washington Chapter may also become members of the Washington Chapter by informing the Chairman of the Executive Committee of their intent.

B. Members residing outside the boundary of the Washington Chapter may establish other Chapters of the ASSOCIATION as they desire, and establish local rules for governance which are consistent with this Charter for the ASSOCIATION.

5. Executive Committee

The Washington Chapter shall elect an Executive Committee to provide required management and administrative support functions. The Executive Committee shall consist of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and three committee members, all members of the Washington Chapter. Members of the Executive Committee will be elected for two-year terms by the Washington Chapter. To provide for continuity, terms shall overlap so that no more than four new members are elected in any year. Officers of the Executive Committee will be eligible for reelection. If a Vacancy in Executive Committee Officer membership should occur, the senior member of the committee will appoint a successor from among the elected committee members. The committee member vacancy so created shall be filled by appointment from the Chapter Membership, to serve out the unexpired term. A quorum shall consist of four members of the Executive Committee.

6. Duties Defined

A. The Chairman of the Executive Committee will be responsible for the management of the activities of the Washington Chapter and for the routine administrative support of the ASSOCIATION, including but not limited to:

(1) serve as an advisory board for ASSOCIATION business,

(2) conduct elections and referendums,

(3) coordinate arrangements for annual reunions,

(4) develop financial management strategies for the ASSOCIATION, together with transmission of appropriate recommendations in this regard to the ASSOCIATION President, and

(5) appoint a member of the Washington Chapter to audit the ASSOCIATION's annual financial report.

1. Authority: The assets of the ASSOCIATION shall be managed in any way the President, in coordination with the elected officers, exercising reasonable prudence, judges appropriate. The President's authority to manage and disburse funds recognizes the fundamental need of the ASSOCIATION to have ready access to certain resources to support ongoing activities. Reasonable efforts to manage surplus assets to achieve growth for future needs is likewise appropriate. Assets of the Washington Chapter and other Chapters as may be established will be managed by the Chairman of the respective Chapter in coordination with Chapter elected officers.

2. Accounts: To provide sound financial management of all assets which are readily auditable with clear concise reports to members when rendered, the following accounts, but not limited thereto, shall be established with appropriate accounting records:

A. Association Operating Fund: This account shall provide for expenditures associated with ASSOCIATION activities.

B. Association Investment Fund: Monies construed to be in excess of nearterm requirements in the Operating Fund shall be invested in an appropriate manner to obtain higher yield than immediately liquidable funds.

C. Memorial Chairs Fund: Monies donated, generally by company mates of a deceased classmate, in excess of the amount required to procure a chair in the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, shall be accounted for, by company, in a separate ASSOCIATION fund. This fund may be readily liquidable or invested to obtain higher yield as deemed advisable. This fund is managed by the Vice President.

D. Washington Chapter Operating Fund: This account shall normally have resources to provide for anticipated expenditures associated with Washington Chapter activities or Washington Chapter-sponsored disbursements. Net income realized from Washington Chapter activities shall be the normal source of replenishment of such resources.

E. Washington Chapter Investment Fund: Monies construed by the Chairman of the Washington Chapter to be in excess of near term requirements in the operating fund may be invested in appropriate manner to obtain higher yield than immediately liquidable funds.

1. Election of ASSOCIATION Officers: Elections of ASSOCIATION Officers will be held as follows:

A. Elections will be administered by the Executive Committee.

B. Notice of the election, and the election date, will be promulgated to the membership of the ASSOCIATION during May of the election year.

C. Nominations for the offices of President and Vice President may be made by any ASSOCIATION member. Nominations must be submitted to the Executive Committee not later than 1 June of the election year. Nominations must include the current address of the nominee.

D. Nominations submitted by members of the ASSOCIATION at large will be the basis of a slate of candidates prepared by the Executive Committee for the election to ASSOCIATION offices. The Executive Committee will confirm the willingness of nominated persons to serve and will conduct the election in sufficient time to complete the proceedings by "Homecoming" of that year.

E. The election of the President and Vice President will be conducted in 1990 and every five years thereafter.

F. The election of the ASSOCIATION Treasurer and Secretary will be conducted every two years in connection with the election of Executive Committee members in accordance with the provisions of Article IV Section 5.

G. Newly elected officers will assume their duties as of the 1st of January following the election.

2. Petition and Referendum; Petitions for action signed by at least ten members may be submitted to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall inform the ASSOCIATION Officers of the nature of all petitions. Referendum issues will be submitted to the members of the ASSOCIATION within three months of the receipt of the petition. Notices of a referendum will be disseminated to all members, either by mail, or by publishing the referendum in two successive issues of Shipmate, after which a vote of the ASSOCIATION shall be conducted.

3. Voting

A. Each voting member of the ASSOCIATION is entitled to one vote.

B. Voting by proxy is prohibited.

C. Voting shall be by mail, or by count at meetings of ASSOCIATION Chapters.

D. Votes shall be counted by at least two members of the Executive Committee, or Ad Hoc Nominating Committee.

E. A referendum shall pass if it receives a simple majority of votes cast.

F. Those members receiving the most votes (plurality) for a given office shall be elected.

G. Voting will be closed thirty days after the election date or the postmarked mailing date of the ballots to the members of the ASSOCIATION, whichever method is used.

H. Results of election/referendum voting will be published in the Shipmate column at the earliest opportunity, at which time they will become effective.

AMENDMENTS Amendments to the Charter may be proposed by petition and approved by referendum as provided for in Article VI. If approved, an amendment will become effective 90 days after notice of results are published.

 [ Ratified and made effective 1 March 1999 at meeting of Class Officers ]