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By-Laws

BY-LAWS

CENTRAL ILLINOIS YORK RITE

COLLEGE NUMBER FORTY-TWO

ARTICLE I

NAME AND NUMBER

   This college shall be known by the name and number of CENTRAL ILLINOIS YORK RITE COLLEGE NUMBER FORTY-TWO, meeting by authority of the York Rite Sovereign College of North America and declaring fealty to the most Worshipful Grand Lodge A.F. &A.M. of the State of Illinois and the York Rite Sovereign College of North America.

ARTICLE II

PURPOSES

   The principle purposes of this York Rite College shall be:

   (a) To foster a spirit of cooperation and coordination among each of the York Rite Masonic bodies.

   (b) To promote and perpetuate the best interests of all the York Rite branches of Freemasonry and to encourage and assist the symbolic Ancient Free and Accepted Masonic lodges in spreading the objects and ideals of Freemasonry.

   (c) To promote the general purposes and ideals of the York Rite Sovereign College of North America.

   (d) To assist in worthy efforts to improve the ritualistic and dramatic presentation of York Rite degrees and orders.

 ARTICLE III

ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP

   Membership in the College shall be restricted to those who are members in good standing in a lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, a Council of Cryptic Masons, and a Commandery of Knights Templar, and who are actively engaged in working for the York Rite.

 ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS AND TENURE

   The officers of the York Rite College shall consist of a

                1. Governor

                2. Deputy Governor

                3. Chancellor

                4. Treasurer

                5. Secretary

                6. Primate

                7. Preceptor

                8. Seneschal

                9. Marshal

            10. Sentinel

and as many York Rite Heralds as the York Rite Governor may desire to appoint. Their terms of address shall be those used in the Official Ritual furnished by the York Rite Sovereign College .

   The first five named officers shall be elected and shall constitute the Council of this York Rite College , and they shall be charged with carrying out the program of the College. Said five officers shall be elected at the annual meeting of the College by a majority vote of the members present. In the event of a vacancy in any elective office, the vacancy shall be filled in the following manner: In the event of a vacancy in the Governor or Deputy positions, the next ranking elected officer or officers will be advanced to fill the vacancy. Vacancies in the Chancellor, Treasurer or Secretary positions shall be filled by Governor appointment on a pro-tem basis until the next annual meeting and election.

   The normal term of office for the York Rite Governor shall be one year.

   Automatic promotion to a higher office solely by reason of tenure in a lower office shall not apply to this College. Advancement shall depend on the officer’s demonstrated ability to serve his College, his attendance at the meetings and the approbation of the members.

 ARTICLE V

MEETINGS

   The annual meeting shall be held in May. In addition to the annual meeting there shall be three regular meetings each year, at such dates as agreed upon by the Council, and at least one shall be held in each quarter. The Governor shall call such additional meetings as necessity dictates.

   A notice of all regular and annual meetings shall be sent to the membership not later than ten days prior to date of meeting.

   A quorum shall consist of nine (9) members, including officers, and a majority vote of those present will be required to pass on any motion.

   The Order of Knight of York shall be conferred at least once each year. It may be conferred at the regular meetings or at any other time or place, or in conjunction with another college or colleges in the same district, at the order of the Council.

ARTICLE VI

COMMITTEES

   The College shall have regular committees whose selection and duties are as follows:

   (a) A Steering Committee composed of the York Rite Governor, the Grand Governor, and a minimum of three additional members appointed by the incoming York Rite Governor at each annual meeting to serve with him as an advisory and planning group between meetings of the College.

   (b) A Membership Committee composed of six members appointed by the incoming Council at each annual meeting and whose duties are set forth in Article IX.

   (c) A Nominating Committee composed of five members appointed by the Governor at least three months prior to the annual meeting. This Committee shall make recommendations for the elective offices and may make recommendations for the appointive offices. Such nominations and recommendations are not binding on the College or the Council respectively.

   (d) An Awards Committee. The College Council and the holders of the Order of the Purple Cross shall constitute an Awards Committee for this College. This Committee may make nominations for the Order of the Purple Cross and for the Gold Cross Medal for distinctive service. This Committee shall operate within Article VII, Section II of the By-Laws of the York Rite Sovereign College which state that any member may make nominations, but they must be approved unanimously by the College Council and the College’s holders of the Purple Cross, present at a stated meeting, and the approved nominations shall be submitted to the Grand Governor of Illinois for submission to the York Rite Sovereign College.

  ARTICLE VII

DUES AND FEES

   (1) Every member shall pay annually to the York Rite Secretary $20.00 as dues to this College, which shall be due and payable in advance, on or before the first day of July of each year.

   (2) The initial dues for a new member if prorated shall not be less than the per-capita dues.

   (3) The petition fee for the reception of each new member shall be $65.00 payable with the application for the petitioner.

   (4) Fees and per capita shall be paid the York Rite Sovereign College by June 30th each year accompanied by the Annual Report.

  (5)  Provided that the member’s dues are current at the time of purchase, a Life Membership in this College may be obtained through the  payment of a one-time based on the following formulae:  members aged 18 through 39 years, 20 times the then current annual dues (including the Sovereign College per capita tax); members aged 40 through 51 years, 18 times the then current annual dues; members 52 through 63 years, 16 times the annual dues; members aged 64 through 75, 14 times the annual dues; members aged 76 and above, 12 times the annual dues.  Any and all such payments shall be deposited into a separate Life Membership Fund, which shall be a permanent fund, of which only the interest and none of the principal may be withdrawn and paid into the general fund of this College no less often than annually, and which may be invested only in accordance with the rules for investment of individual Lodge funds permitted by the Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of the State of Illinois.    

 ARTICLE VIII

FISCAL YEAR

   The fiscal year shall be from June First to May Thirty-first of each year.

ARTICLE IX

NEW MEMBER PROCEDURE

   The following procedure shall be followed in connection with qualified persons becoming members of this College:

   (1) Any member may propose for membership a qualified person who, in the opinion of such member, has demonstrated ability and willingness to work for the advancement of the York Rite in Illinois . Such proposal shall be made on such standard form as is provided by the Secretary, for that purpose, providing thereon all such information as is available, and signed only by the proposer.

   (2) All proposals for membership shall be transmitted to the membership committee for preliminary approval. If approved by the membership committee, unanimous approval must be had of all members present at a stated or special meeting.

   (3) The favorable proposals for membership shall be presented to the College for a possible discussion and a secret ballot. A unanimous ballot will qualify the person proposed for receiving an invitation to petition the College for membership.

   (4) No member shall reveal to any person being considered for membership or to any non-member the fact that a particular person might be, is being, or has been proposed for membership until after a favorable vote in accordance with the preceding section has been taken.

   (5) Following a favorable vote in accordance with Section 3, a written invitation to join the College, along with a petition, shall be submitted to the proposed person.

   (6) Petitions received pursuant to Section 5 shall be treated as acceptances, and no further balloting is required.

   (7) Petitioners may be obligated at any meeting and may become full-fledged members at any meeting of the college when the Order Knight of York is exemplified at such meeting.

ARTICLE X

SUSPENSION AND REINSTATEMENT

  Any member whose dues payments have been in arrears for two or more years shall be subject to suspension. Prior to the meeting preceding the annual meeting, the Secretary shall notify each member who is subject to suspension, by certified mail, with a return receipt requested. If the member has not settled his account, his name shall be presented at the annual meeting, and he may be suspended by a majority of the members present. A suspended member can request reinstatement in writing. A two-thirds vote of the members present is required for reinstatement, plus payment of such arrears as the College shall deem proper.

 ARTICLE XI

DISBURSEMENTS

   All bills must be approved by a majority of the members present at a duly called meeting. The Secretary shall then issue a voucher to the Treasurer for payment. The bank account shall be in the name of the College and only one signature shall be required for withdrawals, however, two approved signatures, namely, the Treasurer and the York Rite Governor shall be on file with the bank for withdrawal of funds.

 ARTICLE XII

ANNUAL AUDIT

   An audit by a member of the College, designated by the York Rite Governor, shall be made of the fiscal records of the College prior to the annual meeting.

 ARTICLE XIII

AMENDMENTS

   Proposals to amend these By-Laws shall be presented at a regular meeting of the College and shall lay over until the next regular meeting of the College, during which time, and not less than ten days before the next meeting, the Secretary shall notify each member of such proposal. Such amendment shall be effective if it is adopted by two-thirds vote of the membership present, and after it has received the approval of the York Rite Governor General within a period of thirty days following the mailing of written notice of such amendment to him.

 ARTICLE XIV

GOLD HONOR AWARD

   This award is given for long, devoted service in any York Rite body, and preferable to one who has not been previously recognized or sufficiently honored for his service. The recipient need not be a member of this College but should be a member of the Masonic Order.