Article I. Name
The name of this organization is Private Illinois Colleges and Universities; hereafter referred to as PICU.
Article II. Purpose and Objectives of PICU
The goal of PICU is to increase matriculation of Illinois community college students to private colleges and universities. To accomplish this goal, the following objectives will be implemented:
Section 1. Increase community college awareness of private colleges and universities in the State of Illinois.
Section 2. Educate community college students, counselors and faculty about the value and financial resources available at private institutions.
Section 3. Promote private institutions’ contacts with students, counselors and faculty at community colleges.
Article III. Minimum Criteria for New Membership
Section 1. Member colleges and universities must be private institutions accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and are members of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, or directly accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
Section 2. Membership is not available to individual departments or programs within an institution.
Section 3. Member colleges and universities must offer and award bachelor’s degrees (no technical, vocational or stand alone graduate schools).
Section 4. The representatives of participating colleges and universities must be direct employees of the institution able to provide advising and evaluation of transfer credit, in addition to serving in the traditional recruiting role.
Section 5. New membership is limited to institutions that offer site-based courses within the state of Illinois leading to a baccalaureate degree.
Section 6. Membership is limited to institutions who do not commit improprieties concerning recruiting practices, offering counselors incentives for making quotas, offering incentives to students for applying, etc.
Article IV. Responsibilities of Membership
Section 1. Payment of an annual membership fee shall be $250 for new membership and $150 for renewal membership.
Section 2. Members are required to attend at least 10 transfer college fairs during each academic year – including the update session with community college counselors – (those who attend fewer than 10 fairs will be required to attend every fair in their respective region), provide an institutional update in the standard format, and attend at least one of the three general membership meetings.
Section 3. Members are expected to support PICU through participation in the management and development of the organization.
Section 4. Severance of Membership
A. Members will be dropped from membership for nonpayment of membership fees.
B. Members may be dropped from membership for not attending fairs and/or counselor update meetings. If the stipulations regarding PICU fair/counselor meetings listed in Article IV, Section 2 are not met for two consecutive semesters, the Steering Committee shall convene and decide whether to terminate membership of the institution in question. Said institution will be sent a warning notice from the President after the first semester of non-attendance.
C. Any member of PICU may be dropped from membership for conduct that is contrary to or destructive of its purposes according to the PICU Bylaws, or to the IACAC Statement of Practices and Courtesies. Any member charged with engaging in any such conduct shall be given the opportunity to present evidence through witnesses or shall have the right to appear and have a hearing before the Steering Committee, whose decision shall be final.
Article V. Miscellaneous Guidelines Pertaining to Membership
Section 1. To be eligible for membership, potential members must meet all six criteria in Article III unless waived at the current member institutions’ discretion, and with the assistance of the Steering Committee.
Section 2. Current members that do not meet the six criteria in Article III are hereby allowed to remain in the organization, provided that they maintain the standards established in Article IV.
Section 3. New members will be accepted June through August for the fall semester fairs, and November through January for the spring semester fairs.
Article VI. Steering Committee/Appointed Officers
Section 1. The Steering Committee of PICU consists of the President, Treasurer/Membership Chair, Secretary, and four Regional Chairs. Members of the Steering Committee are elected to three-year terms except for the Regional Chairs whose terms are continuous. The Appointed Officers serve as Chairs of the following committees: Arrangements, Education, Marketing, and Technology/Webmaster. The Steering Committee shall meet at least twice a year, and shall serve as the Nominating Committee in election years (see Article VII).
Section 2. The Steering Committee and Appointed Officers shall carry out the duties specified by the PICU Bylaws and those normally associated with their positions that are not so specified:
A. President
The President shall be the chief elected officer of PICU, shall preside at all general meetings and Steering Committee meetings of PICU, and set the agenda of said meetings with the assistance of the Steering Committee and any suggestions from the membership.
B. Treasurer/Membership Chair
The Treasurer/Membership Chair shall have the custody of, and be responsible for, all funds and investments of PICU. The Treasurer shall approve all expenditures after consulting the President and Secretary, keep receipts and an accurate record of those expenditures and deposit all monies of PICU into such bank or depositories as the Steering Committee may approve. The Treasurer shall provide financial reports to the Steering Committee. The Treasurer also maintain records of all PICU members and sends renewal notices to members.
C. Secretary
The Secretary shall keep all records of PICU, take and distribute accurate minutes of the general meetings, notify membership of future meetings and take care of general correspondence.
D. Regional Chairs (4)
The four Regional Chairs of PICU shall plan, in association with the Arrangements Chair, all PICU events in their specific regions of Illinois. Regional Chairs shall also ensure that community colleges in their region be made aware of PICU activities and establish relationships with appropriate community college personnel.The Regional Chairs are expected to facilitate the PICU counselor update sessions during the PICU fairs.
E. Past-President
The Past-President shall serve PICU during the year following the three-year term as President in the role of mentor and advisor for the new President and Steering Committee, ensure a smooth transition of responsibility, and shall conduct business meetings in the event of the President’s absence.
F. Arrangements Chair
The Arrangements Chair shall work closely with the Regional Chairs to establish and distribute a yearly calendar of PICU programs.
G.Education Chair
The Education Chair shall plan and coordinate all program/sessions for PICU. Such programs are to educate students and community college personnel to the benefits of private colleges and universities.
H.Marketing Chair
The Marketing Chair shall develop educational brochures about PICU, its functions and its goals. Such publications may include a private college/university poster and or a poster listing degree programs at PICU institutions. The Marketing Chair is also responsible for all publicity surrounding PICU events.
I.Technology Chair/Webmaster
The Technology Chair/Webmaster shall conduct research as to the various technological methods that PICU can use to research its audience and achieve its goals. This officer is mainly responsible for facilitating updates and overall operation of the PICU web site, and shall report such updates to the Steering Committee and membership as needed.
Section 3. PICU shall not compensate any member or auxiliary party for services rendered to PICU, except for expenses incurred in the performance of duties to PICU that have been approved by a majority vote of the Steering Committee and/or the membership.
Section 4. The Steering Committee shall transact all necessary business of PICU, formulate and recommend policies to the membership, and shall carry out such activities as directed by the membership.
Article VII. Election of Officers
Section 1. The President, Treasurer/Membership Chair and Secretary of PICU shall be elected at the annual spring meeting and shall assume the leadership role immediately following the election. If the election of officers shall not be held at such meeting, an ad hoc election may be held soon thereafter as conveniently as may be. If no other candidate for either office accepts a nomination, and one member runs unopposed, the outgoing President shall declare the election over and the new officers shall assume their leadership roles immediately. Nominations shall be made in the spring of each election year or at another time determined by the Steering Committee or the President.
Section 2. In the event that any Elected/Appointed position becomes vacant, the Steering Committee shall appoint someone from the membership to assume that role and serve the remainder of the term. Officers may be removed from office by a majority vote of the Steering Committee and/or the membership for failure to perform the duties of the office or failure to uphold the provisions of the Bylaws.
Article VIII. Amendments
Amendments to the Bylaws may be discussed at any PICU membership meeting and need to be presented in writing if significant changes are being proposed. Any amendments to the Bylaws require the consideration of a quorum of the members present. A Quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the PICU members present.
Article IX. Non-Discrimination Policy
PICU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age; affectional/sexual orientation, or disability in any of its policies, procedures or practices. This non-discrimination policy covers membership and access to PICU programs and activities.