Parents Association By-Laws

By-Laws: January, 2007

ARTICLE I

Name

This association shall be known as: University of Dallas Parents Association

ARTICLE II

Membership

Members of the University of Dallas Parents Association will be comprised of all parents and guardians of currently enrolled students and parents of alumni. There are no dues for membership.

ARTICLE III

Mission

The mission of the Parents Association is to promote and sustain an effective working partnership between parents and the University for the benefit and wellbeing of the students and the University. The Association will provide local parents opportunities to be involved on campus and to meet and work with other parents on programs and fundraising projects that will promote and vitalize the University. The Parents Association regional groups will enable parents to participate in recruitment and fundraising initiatives.

ARTICLE IV

Governance

The Parents Association shall be governed by the Parents Council. The Council shall be comprised of the Chair and Co-Chair couples, the Standing Committees, and non-voting ex-officio members to include: The Director of Parent Relations, The Dean of Students, an Enrollment Department representative and one faculty representative. The members of the Council shall hold a term of office of two years. The Council will meet at least three times a year. One of these meetings shall occur during Parents Weekend with all regional parent representatives invited. The Standing Committees shall meet before each General Council meeting. Additional Council meetings can be called as needed by the Chair-Couple or Standing Committee meetings by the Committee Chairs with a minimum of two weeks notice.

ARTICLE V

University Support of the Parents Association

A strong, well-functioning Parents Association is of great importance to the University of Dallas. The University will provide staff and operating budget for its activities. The principal staff will be the Director of Parent Programs. The Director will advise the Chair, Co-Chairs, and Vice-Chairs on planning and implementing outreach programs to promote the growth and development of an informed, involved and supportive parent body.

ARTICLE VI

Parents Council

The Parents Council will include:
A) The Parents Council Chair and Co-Chair Couples
B) Seven Standing Committee Chairs, two parents for each Committee
C) Ex-officio members: Director of Parent Relations, Dean of Students, one representative from Enrollment Department, and one faculty representative
D) Members of the Parents Council shall hold office for a term of two years

ARTICLE VII

Standing Committees

The Council Chair Couple will be advisory members of each committee.

A) Events Committee: The committee chairs will identify and organize local parent-volunteers to help with Freshmen Parents Orientation, Parents Weekend, Graduation and other events that develop.

B) Class Representative Committee: The committee chairs will work with parent-volunteers representing the freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior classes to develop camaraderie among parents and projects to benefit each class.

C) Fundraising Committee: The committee chairs will identify and organize parent-volunteers to participate in Parent-to-Parent Phonathon in fall and spring, send call kits to parents away from campus, help author and sign parent-to-parent annual fund appeal letters.

D) Parents of Alumni Committee: The committee chairs will identify and organize parent representatives from the classes of ‘06, ’05, ’04, ’03 to cooperate with the Fundraising Committee in the Parent-to-Parent Phonathon and other annual fund raising projects.

E) Communications Committee: The committee chairs will identify and organize parent volunteers to make “welcome” calls to parents of accepted students and will work with the Events Committee during Freshmen Parent Orientation to be available to answer questions from incoming parents.

F) Regional Activities Committee: The committee chairs will communicate with and coordinate projects with Regional Parent Representatives in each of the University’s six recruitment regions. Projects will include Send-Off parties, local student recruitment efforts assisting the Enrollment Department and local fundraising efforts.

G) Career Advisory Committee: the committee chairs will identify and organize other parents to work in conjunction with the Career Development office to advise current and past students in finding creative ways of expanding job opportunities.