Chap. 80.—An ACT to incorporate the General Alumni Association of the Uni-
versity of Virginia, with authority to issue certificates of membership to local
associations and individuals composing said General Alumni Association.

Approved March 7, 1903.

Whereas, after thirty years’ experience it has been found impracticable
to maintain the Society of Alumni of the University of Virginia under
the terms of the charter enacted by the general assembly of this State
February sixth, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, because said’ society
was founded on the basis of individual membership only ; and,

Whereas, after much consideration and discussion at the annual meet-
ings of the Society of Alumni, it was resolved to organize a General
Alumni Association of the University of Virginia, to be composed of local
associations throughout the United States, including the State of Vir-
ginia, and also of individual alumni from ‘points where no local associa-
tions exist; and,

Whereas, the organization of such an association was fully consum-
mated at the meeting of the General Alumni Association at the June
seventeenth, nineteen hundred and two, commencement of the University
of Virginia by its merger of the Society of Alumni, with its consent, into
said General Alumni Association, and fully put into operation by the
adoption of a constitution and by the election of officers to serve for two
years from the said seventeenth of June, nincteen hundred and two;
therefore,

Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That, from and after
the passage of this act, there shall be legally organized—

1. An incorporation, to be known as the General Alumni Association of
the University of Virginia, as a necessary auxiliary to the progress and
success of that institution, and to be subject at all times to the control
ef the board of visitors of the University of Virginia, with the following
named persons as incorporators, to-wit, the same being named and desig-
nated as its first officers, having been chosen for their respective positions
by the General Alumni Association June seventeenth, nineteen hundred
and two, viz.: James B. Sener, of Washington, District of Columbia,
president; George W. Morris, of Charlottesville, Virginia, first vice-
president; R. Gordon Wilson, of Baltimore, Maryland, second vice-
president ; and the following executive committee, to-wit: R. T. W.
Duke, junior, of Charlottesville; Richard B. Tunstall, of Norfolk;
Jom “ Harrison, of Danville; L. T. Hanckel, of Charlottes-
%4 ACTS OF ASSEMBLY.

ville; Armistead C. Gordon and Edward Echols, of Staunton, and
Dr. H. D. Bruns, of New Orleans, Louisiana; John S. Patton, of
Charlottesville, secretary; and Raleigh C. Minor, of the University of
Virginia, treasurer. Those names herein, except the two vice-presidents,
to constitute the executive committee of said association. The successors
in office of all of the before mentioned officials to be chosen at the annual
meeting of the General Alumni Association, to be held at the University
of Virginia during the June commencement, nineteen hundred and four.
This association, through ite executive committee, is charged with the
special duty of using its best endeavors to promote the welfare of the
General Alumni Association, and to use its active efforts in co-operation
with the board of visitors and faculty of the university to promote th:
success and prosperity of the university.

2. The principal office of said association and the chief business is to
be at the University of Virginia. All the funds which this association
may acquire shall be used, after paying its running expenses, for the use
and benefit of this association and of the University of Virginia. It is
intended that the General Alumni Association, which is to be made up
and composed of local associations and of individual members throughout
the country where no such associations exist, shall take the place of the
Society of Alumni as incorporated February sixth, eighteen hundred and
seventy-three, and succeed to all the rights, privileges, and property, real.
personal and mixed, of the Society of Alumni of the university, which is
hereby dissolved, the General Alumni Association being the legal successor
of said Society of Alumni of the University of Virginia as incorporated
February sixth, eighteen hundred and seventy-three; it being further
intended that this association by this succession shall have and enjoy all
the powers of the Socicty of Alumni which it possessed at the time of
its merger into this association, this association having in view the general
purposes and objects of the Society of Alumni as set out in its charter
of February sixth, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, save as herein
modified.

3. This association shall have authority to grant certificates of member-
ship not only to the local alumni associations now composing it, but to
such new ones as may be hereafter formed, and also to individuals as
contemplated in this act, such certificates to bear the signatures of the
president and secretary of the General Alumni Association and. the seal
of the association, which is given power to adopt a suitable one, and to
require that all such local alumni associations, whether now or hereafter
formed, shall pay into the treasury of the General Association annually
a reasonable tax per capita on the alumni forming such associations, which
in no instance shall exceed one dollar per capita per annum; and before
any individual member shall become a member of the General Alumni
Association he shall pay to the said association the sum of one dollar, and
be required to pay the annual per capita tax levied upon the local associ-
ations, and shall remain an individual member only so long as there
shall exist at the place of his residence, or within convenient distance
near thereto, no local association to which he can attach himself: and
whilst so a member of the General Association such individual member
shall be entitled to a voice in the meetings of the General Association
and to hold office in the association and to such fraction of one vote as
the constitution of said General Alumni Association shall permit.

4. This association is authorized, subject to the control of the board of
visitors as to location, to build a hall on the grounds of the university
for the use and benefit of the association, it being intended that whatever
funds have already been raised by the Society of Alumni, as heretofore
constituted, for the purpose of building such hall, shall pass to and
belong to this association, and be used strictly for that purpose and none
other. And the executive committee is to make all contracts for the
building of said hall whenever there shall be sufficient funds in hand
to do so.

5. The meetings of the General Alumni Association shall be made up
of delegates from local alumni associations, to be, chosen at the annual
meetings of such local associations, and of individual members as herein-
before provided; but if from any cause it should become impracticable
for any local association to hold an annual meeting, then the delegates
from each and every such local alumni association may be appointed by
the executive committee thereof. The number of such delegates from
each local association shall be on such basis of representation as the
General Alumni Association shall prescribe.

6. The General Alumni Association shall meet at least once a year at
the University of Virginia for the transaction of its business. The time
and place of its meetings, which shall be during the university com-
mencement of each year, shall be fixed by the executive committee, and, in
the event of its failure to do so, by the president of the General Associ-
ation. The association may also be called together in an emergency by
the president of the association or by five local associations acting through
their presidents. Any such called meeting shall be held at the University
of Virginia, but only after ten days’ notice thereof printed in one or more
of the Charlottesville papers. At least ten days’ notice shall be given in
like manner of the time and place of the annual meeting of the associa-
tion. The Alumni Association shall hold an annual celebration on Tues-
day during commencement week in the public hall of the university, and
this day shall be known as alumni day. The executive committee of
said Alumni Association shall have full charge and control of the exer-
cises of that day in the public hall and elsewhere, subject only to the
snperior authority of the board of visitors.

7. The General Association, by its executive committee, as in general
meeting it may direct, shall have power to raise an endowment fund for
the use and benefit of the university, to be held by the treasurer of the
State, in Virginia registered century bonds, and all funds belonging to
said association in excess of one thousand dollars, and all those donated
for the purpose of building a public hall, shall be similarly invested, and
only disposed of as they may be needed for the purposes of the association
or of the university. The management and application of all the funds
of the association and the income therefrom are to be under the control
of the executive committee of the association and their successors in office,
subject, however, to any instruction and direction of the General Alumni
Association in annual meeting, which instruction or direction in every
instance shall be given upon a registered aye and nay vote of the associ-
ation, cast according to their respective numerical strength. The
treasurer of the State shall honor all requisitions on the funds in his
hands or under his control belonging to said General Alumni Association,
when signed by the treasurer of said association, countersigned by the
president or acting president thereof, and attested by the secretary thereof,
with the seal of the association thereto attached. ‘The General Associ-
ation may, in any proper way consistent with its general policy and the
laws of the university, and not inconsistent with the laws of the State,
plan and carry into effect ways and means for the advancement of the
interests and prosperity of the University of Virginia.

8. The association shall have power to receive and hold property, real
and personal, donation, passing by grant, conveyance, devise, and bequest
under the general powers of endowment granted in the seventh section of
this act, and also for the building of an alumni hall, as mentioned in the
fourth section. The association may sue and be sued. Any real estate
which the association may acquire by gift, devise, or otherwise in excess
of five acres may be sold as soon as it can conveniently be sold at a fair
price. The property held by this association shall, as to taxation thereof,
stand in all respects upon the same footing as the property belonging to
the University of Virginia.

9. The association may from time to time adopt any constitution and
by-laws and any regulations it may think proper in regard to admitting
or rejecting members of the General Association or of the local associ-
ations, and for any other purposes not inconsistent with the laws and
constitution of this State or the United States, or the constitution of this
association, and it shall also have authority to employ agents to obtain
endowments for scholarships and professorships, and in any other proper
manner to solicit donations for the proper objects in connection with the
university, and to pay all expenses incident to the conduct and manage-
ment of the association or of the executive committee.

10. The executive committee and other officers of the association shall
hold their offices until their successors are chosen, and if it should so
happen that the association should fail at the time appointed for the
election of such officers to choose their successors, then those in office shall
hold on until an election can be legally held. Five of the executive com-
mittee shall constitute a quorum for business, and the executive com-
mittee shall have power to fill vacancies in its own body, to hold until the
next election after the happening of such vacancies. It shall be the duty
of the executive committee, through the president of the association, to
make an annual report to the association in regard to the condition and
progress of the association and the formation of new alumni local associ-
ations, and this report shall also contain statements by the secretary and
treasurer as to the number and condition of the local associations and: the
financial condition of the General Association.

11. This act shall take effect from and after its passage.