Aerial view of Lone Mountain see from behind.

USF Bylaws

A California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation without Members

As adopted December 12, 1980, amended through June 5, 1998
Restated June 5, 2006, amended March 27, 2015, amended September 25, 2015, amended December 4, 2020, amended June 1, 2022

ARTICLE I

Offices, Agent, and Corporate Seal

Section 1.1. Principal Office. The principal office of the corporation shall be located at 2130 Fulton Street in the City and County of San Francisco, California. The Board of Trustees may change the location of the principal office of the corporation; any such change of location must be noted by the Secretary of the Corporation on these bylaws opposite this section. Additional offices of the corporation shall be located at such place or places, within or outside the State of California, as the Board of Trustees may from time to time authorize.

Section 1.2. Registered Agent. The corporation shall have and continuously maintain in the State of California a registered office and a registered agent whose office is identical with such registered office. The registered office may be, but need not be identical with the principal office in the State of California, and the Board of Trustees may change the address of the registered office from time to time.

Section 1.3. Corporate Seal. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the corporation and the state and date of its incorporation. Such seal may be engraved, lithographed, printed, stamped, impressed upon or affixed to any contract, conveyance or other instrument executed by the corporation.

ARTICLE II

Construction and Definitions

Section 2.1. Construction and Definitions. Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction, and definitions in the Nonprofit Corporation Law of the State of California (the "Nonprofit Corporation Law") shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, the masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter, the singular includes the plural, the plural includes the singular, and the term "person" includes both a legal entity and a natural person. Without limiting the foregoing, "shall" is mandatory and "may" is permissive.

ARTICLE III

Members

Section 3.1. Members. This corporation shall have no members.

Section 3.2. Approval of Board of Trustees. Pursuant to Section 5310(b) of the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law of the State of California (the "Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law"), any action which would otherwise, under law or the provisions of the articles of incorporation or bylaws of this corporation, require approval of the majority of all members or approval by the members, shall only require the approval of the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE IV

Board of Trustees

Section 4.1. Powers. Subject to the provisions and limitations of the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law and any other applicable laws, the activities and affairs of the corporation shall be managed, and all corporate powers shall be exercised, by or under the direction of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may delegate the management of the activities of the corporation to any person or persons, or to any committee, however composed, provided that the activities and affairs of the corporation shall be managed and all corporate powers shall be exercised under the ultimate direction of the Board of Trustees.

Section 4.2. Number of Trustees. The authorized number of Trustees of the corporation shall be forty-five (45) until changed by a duly adopted amendment of these bylaws. No reduction of the authorized number of Trustees shall remove any Trustee prior to the expiration of such Trustee's term of office.

Section 4.3. Election of Trustees, Terms, and Qualifications.

  1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this Section 4.3, all Trustees of the corporation shall be elected by the Board of Trustees. The term of office of each Trustee shall be three (3) years and shall begin at the conclusion of the meeting at which the election occurs, unless a later time is stated in the resolution of election. No Trustee shall serve more than three successive terms; after an interval of at least one year, such Trustee may be reelected. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the current term of John F. Nicolai as a Trustee shall be four (4) years, through and until June 14, 2022.
  2. The President of the Corporation and the Rector of the Jesuit Community at the University of San Francisco shall each be an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees, but shall be ineligible to serve as Chair or Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 4.3(a), the President of the Corporation and the Rector of the Jesuit Community at the University of San Francisco may each serve as Trustees for the duration of their respective terms of office as President or as Rector of the Jesuit Community at the University of San Francisco, as such terms may be extended from time to time.
  3. In electing Trustees, the Board of Trustees shall assure that a minimum of seven (7) trustees, including the Rector of the Jesuit Community, are members of the Society of Jesus; provided, however, that no action taken by the Board of Trustees shall be invalidated because, through resignation or otherwise, fewer than seven (7) trustees are members of the Society of Jesus.
  4. No person shall be eligible to serve as a Trustee who has not attained the age of majority as established by the laws of the State of California.

Section 4.4. Emerita/Emeritus and Honorary Trusteeship.

  1. Emerita/Emeritus Trusteeship. At the discretion of the Board of Trustees and by the affirmative vote of a two-thirds of the Trustees present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, a Trustee who has retired from the active service of the Board may be elected as a Trustee Emerita/Emeritus. Emerita/Emeritus Trusteeship shall be reserved for those Trustees with records of faithful and distinguished service to the Board of Trustees and to the University of San Francisco.
  2. Honorary Trusteeship. At the discretion of the Board of Trustees and by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Trustees present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, the Board may elect any individual as an Honorary Trustee, who has contributed outstanding service to the corporation.
  3. Rights of the Emerita/Emeritus and Honorary Trustees
    1. Emerita/Emeritus or Honorary Trustees shall be entitled to attend all meetings of the Board of Trustees, Commencement Exercises and to offer advice and counsel, but shall not have the right to vote or hold office. They shall be entitled to appointment by the Board of Trustees to membership, on standing committees (except the Executive Committee and the Committee on Trustees) and special committees of the Board.
    2. Emerita/Emeritus or Honorary Trustees shall serve for indefinite terms. An Emerita/Emeritus Trustee or an Honorary Trustee may be removed by the vote of two-thirds of the Trustees then in office.
    3. Emerita/Emeritus or Honorary Trustees shall not be counted in determining a quorum for a Board of Trustees meeting, or for any other purpose.

Section 4.5. Resignations. Any Trustee may resign effective upon giving written notice to the Chair of the Board, the President, the Secretary or the Board of Trustees, unless the notice specifies a later time for the effectiveness of such resignation. If the resignation specifies effectiveness at a future time, a successor may be elected pursuant to Section 4.3 of these bylaws to take office on the date the resignation becomes effective. Unless otherwise specified in the notice, the resignation need not be accepted to be effective. Any resignation shall be without prejudice to any rights of the corporation under any contract to which the Trustee is a party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except upon notice to the Attorney General of the State of California, no Trustee may resign if such resignation would leave the corporation without a duly elected Trustee or Trustees in charge of its affairs.

Section 4.6. Removal.

  1. The Board of Trustees may declare vacant the office of a Trustee who has been declared of unsound mind by a final order of court, or has been convicted of a felony, or who has been found by a final order or judgment of any court to have breached any duty under Chapter 2, Article 3 of the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law.
  2. Any Trustee may be removed by the vote of two-thirds of the other Trustees then in office if, in their judgment, such Trustee has been rendered incapable of discharging the duties of office or has neglected or refused to perform such duties.
  3. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 4.6 or Section 4.4(c)(2), no Trustee may be removed from office prior to the expiration of such Trustee's term.

Section 4.7. Vacancies. A vacancy or vacancies on the Board of Trustees shall be deemed to exist in case of the death, resignation or removal of any Trustee, or upon any increase in the authorized number of Trustees or if, for whatever reason, there are fewer Trustees on the Board of Trustees than the full number authorized. Any such vacancy may be filled by two-thirds vote of the remaining Trustees, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining Trustee.

Section 4.8. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be held at such times, places and dates fixed by the Board of Trustees; provided, however, that at least four (4) regular meetings shall be held each year.

Section 4.9. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Trustees for any purpose may be called by the Chair of the Board or any eight (8) Trustees.

Section 4.10. Notice of Meeting: Waiver of Notice.

  1. Notice of the date, time and place of all meetings of the Board of Trustees, including regular meetings held pursuant to Section 4.7 hereinabove, shall be delivered personally, orally or in writing, or by telephone or telegraph, including a voice messaging system or other system or technology designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, electronic mail or other electronic means, to each Trustee at least forty-eight (48) hours before the meeting, or sent in writing to each Trustee by first-class mail, charges prepaid, at least four (4) days before the meeting. Such notice may be given by the Secretary of the Corporation or by the person or persons who called the meeting. Such notice need not specify the purpose of the meeting.
  2. Notice of any meeting of the Board of Trustees need not be given to any Trustee who signs a waiver of notice of such meeting or a consent to holding the meeting or an approval of the minutes thereof, either before or after the meeting, or who attends the meeting without protesting the lack of notice prior thereto or at its commencement. All such waivers, consents and approvals shall be filed with the corporate records and made a part of the minutes of the meeting.

Section 4.11. Place of Meeting. Meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be held at any place, that has been designated in the notice of the meeting or, by resolution of the Board of Trustees or if not so designated, at the principal office of the corporation.

Section 4.12. Meetings by Telephone or Other Telecommunications Equipment. A meeting of the Board of Trustees may be held by conference telephone, electronic video screen communication, or other communications equipment, if the Board of Trustees, with the approval of the Chair of the Board, or the Trustees calling a special meeting, as applicable, designates the use of such communications equipment in the applicable notice of meeting. Designation of the use of such communications equipment shall be limited to extraordinary circumstances as may be defined by the Chair of the Board. Participation in a meeting under this Section shall constitute presence in person at the meeting if all of the following apply:

  1. Each Trustee participating in the meeting can communicate concurrently with all other Trustees.
  2. Each Trustee is provided the means of participating in all matters before the Board of Trustees, including the capacity to propose, or to interpose an objection to, a specific action to be taken by the corporation.
  3. The Board of Trustees has adopted and implemented a means of verifying both of the following:
    1. A person participating in the meeting is a Trustee or other person entitled to participate in the meeting of the Board of Trustees.
    2. All actions of or votes by the Board of Trustees are taken or cast only by the Trustees and not by persons who are not Trustees.

Section 4.13. Action by Written Consent Without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board of Trustees may be taken without a meeting if all Trustees individually or collectively consent in writing or by e-mail to such action. Such written consent or consents shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Trustees. For purposes of this Section 4.13 only, "all Trustees" shall not include an "interested director" as defined in Section 5233 of the Nonprofit Corporation Law.

Section 4.14. Quorum and Transaction of Business.

  1. A majority of the number of Trustees in office (but in no event less than one-fifth (1/5) of the authorized number of Trustees) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Every act or decision done or made by two-thirds of the Trustees present at a meeting duly held at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Trustees, unless the law, the articles of incorporation of the corporation or these bylaws specifically require a greater number. A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business, notwithstanding withdrawal of Trustees, if any action taken is approved by at least two-thirds of the number of Trustees constituting a quorum for such meeting (or such greater proportion as is required by the law, the articles of incorporation of this corporation or these bylaws). In the absence of a quorum at any meeting of the Board of Trustees, a majority of the Trustees present may adjourn the meeting, as provided in Section 4.15 of these bylaws.
  2. Approval of any of the following shall require the vote of two-thirds of the Trustees then in office:
    1. amendment of the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws;
    2. election or removal of the President of the Corporation;
    3. appointment or removal of members of the Executive Committee besides the Chair of the Board of Trustees and the President of the Corporation; and
    4. creation of a committee or appointment of Trustees to or removal of Trustees from a committee pursuant to Section 4.19.

Section 4.15. Adjournment. Two-thirds of the Trustees present, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn any meeting to another time and place. Notice of the time and place of holding an adjourned meeting need not be given unless the original meeting is adjourned for more than 24 hours. If the original meeting is adjourned for more than 24 hours, notice of any adjournment to another time and place shall be given, before the time of the adjourned meeting, to the Trustees who were not present at the time of the adjournment.

Section 4.16. Organization. The Chair of the Board, if present, shall preside at every meeting of the Board of Trustees. If there is no Chair of the Board, or if the Chair is not present, the Vice Chair shall act as chair. The Secretary of the Corporation or, in the absence of the secretary, any person appointed by the Chair of the Board shall act as secretary of any meeting.

Section 4.17. Compensation. Trustees and members of committees may receive reimbursement for reasonable expenses, as may be fixed or determined by the Board of Trustees by resolution as just and reasonable to the corporation at the time that the resolution is adopted and in accordance with the University Travel and Entertainment Policy, as amended from time to time (the "University Policy"). Trustees shall not receive compensation for their services as a Trustee.

Section 4.18. Executive Committee. The corporation shall have an Executive Committee consisting of eight (8) Trustees. The Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, the President of the corporation, the Chairs of the Core Committees and the Rector of the Jesuit Community shall each be an ex officio member of the Executive Committee. The Chair of the Board of Trustees may appoint additional ex officio members of the Executive Committee from the Chairs of the standing committees. Vice Chairs from each represented committee shall serve as alternate members of the Executive Committee to replace the respective Chairs of those committees who are absent at any meeting of the Executive Committee. In no event will the Executive Committee consist of members who are not voting members of the Board of Trustees. Subject to the control of the Board of Trustees, the Executive Committee shall have and may exercise all of the authority of the Board of Trustees, except with respect to:

  1. the approval of any final action for which, if the corporation had members, approval of the members or approval of a majority of all members would be required under the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law.
  2. the filling of vacancies on the Board of Trustees or any committee which has the authority of the Board of Trustees;
  3. the fixing of compensation of Trustees serving on the Board of Trustees or on any committee;
  4. the amendment or repeal of the articles of incorporation of the corporation or these bylaws or the adoption of new articles of incorporation or bylaws;
  5. the amendment or repeal of any resolution of the Board of Trustees that by its express terms is not so amendable or repealable;
  6. the creation of other committees of the Board of Trustees or the appointing of the members of other committees of the Board of Trustees;
  7. the expenditure of corporate funds to support a nominee for Trustee after there are more people nominated for Trustee than can be elected; or
  8. the approval of any contract or transaction to which the corporation is a party and in which one or more of its Trustees has a material financial interest, except as special approval is provided for in Section 5233(d)(3) of the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law.

Section 4.19. Other Committees.

  1. The Board of Trustees may, by resolution adopted by two-thirds of the Trustees then in office, provided a quorum is present, create one or more committees (in addition to the Executive Committee), each consisting of two (2) or more Trustees, to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees. Appointments to and removals from such committee shall be by a two-thirds vote of the Trustees then in office. The Board of Trustees may appoint one or more Trustees as alternate members to replace any absent member at any meeting of such committee. Any such committee shall have the authority to act in the manner and to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Trustees, and may have all the authority of the Board of Trustees in the management of the activities and affairs of the corporation, except with respect to any matter listed in subsections (a) through (h) of Section 4.18 hereinabove.
  2. The foregoing provisions of this Section 4.19 shall not apply to any committee that is not authorized to exercise the authority of the Board of Trustees.

Section 4.20. Committee Meetings; Minutes.

  1. Meetings and actions of committees of the Board of Trustees shall be governed by, held, and taken under the provisions of these bylaws concerning meetings and other board actions, except that the time for general meetings of such committees and the calling of special meetings of such committees may be set either by resolution of the Board of Trustees, or, if none, by resolution of the committee. Minutes of each meeting shall be kept and shall be filed with the corporate records. The Board of Trustees may adopt rules for the governance of any committee as long as the rules are consistent with these bylaws. If the Board of Trustees has not adopted rules, the committee may do so. Any committee may from time to time provide by resolution for regular meetings at specified times and places. If the date of such a meeting falls on a legal holiday, then the meeting shall be held at the same time on the next succeeding full business day. Such regular meetings need not be held if the committee shall so determine at any time before or after the time when such meeting would otherwise have taken place. Committee meetings may be called at any time in the same manner and by the same persons as stated in Sections 4.9 and 4.10 of these bylaws for meetings of the Board of Trustees. The provisions of Sections 4.11, 4.12, 4.13,4.14 and 4.15 of these bylaws shall apply to committees, committee members and committee meetings as if the words "committee" and "committee member" were substituted for the words "Board of Trustees" and "Trustee," respectively, throughout such sections.
  2. Any notices given to members of the Executive Committee in connection with meetings of the Executive Committee shall, when practicable, also be given to all other Trustees. The minutes of each meeting of the Executive Committee shall be distributed to all Trustees after the meeting, and the proceedings and actions of the Executive Committee shall be reported at each meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Section 4.21. Interested Persons. At no time shall more than forty-nine percent (49%) of the Trustees of the corporation be either:

  1. persons currently being compensated by the corporation for services rendered to it within the previous twelve (12) months, whether as a full-time or part-time employee, independent contractor or otherwise, excluding any reasonable compensation paid to a Trustee as a Trustee; or
  2. any brother, sister, ancestor, descendant, spouse, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, or father-in-law of any person described in subsection (a) above. However, any violation of this Section shall not affect the validity or enforceability of transactions entered into by the corporation.

ARTICLE V

Officers

Section 5.1. Officers. The officers of this corporation shall be a Chair of the Board, a Vice-Chair, a President, a Secretary, a Chief Financial Officer and such other officers with such titles and duties as the Board of Trustees may determine. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, except that neither the Secretary nor the Chief Financial Officer may serve concurrently as the President or Chair of the Board.

Section 5.2. Election. All officers shall be elected by the Board of Trustees; provided, however, that the Board of Trustees may empower the President of the Corporation to appoint such officers, other than Chair of the Board or Secretary, as the activities of the corporation may require. Election and removal of the President shall require the vote of two-thirds of the Trustees then in office. All officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees, subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under contract of employment.

Section 5.3. Inability to Act. In the case of absence or inability to act of any officer of the corporation or of any person authorized by these bylaws to act in such officer's place, the Board of Trustees may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of such officer to any other officer, or any Trustee or other person whom it may select, for such period of time as the Board of Trustees deems necessary.

Section 5.4. Removal. Any officer may be removed from office at any time, with or without cause, but subject to the rights, if any, of such officer under any contract of employment, by the Board of Trustees or by a committee to whom such power of removal has been duly delegated, or, with regard to any officer who has been appointed by the President pursuant to Section 5.2 hereinabove, by the President or any other officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board of Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, removal of the President shall require the vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Trustees then in office.

Section 5.5. Resignations. Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the corporation. The resignation shall take effect on the date the notice is received by the Chair of the Board, the President, the Secretary or the Board of Trustees, or at any later time specified in the notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice, the resignation need not be accepted to be effective. Any resignation shall be without prejudice to any rights of the corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

Section 5.6. Vacancies. A vacancy occurring in any office for any reason may be filled by the Board of Trustees in the manner prescribed by this Article for initial election or appointment to such office.

Section 5.7. Chair of the Board. The Chair of the Board shall be elected by the Board of Trustees for a term of two (2) years or such lesser term as coincides with that person's current term as a Trustee, and shall be eligible for reelection. There shall also be a Vice Chair of the Board who shall be elected by the Board of Trustees according to the same terms. The Chair of the Board, or in the absence of the chair, the Vice Chair, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and shall exercise and perform such other powers and duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Board of Trustees or prescribed by these bylaws.

Section 5.8. President.

  1. The President shall be the general manager and chief executive officer of the corporation and shall have general supervision and control over the activities and affairs of the corporation, subject to the control of the Board of Trustees. The President may sign and execute, in the name of the corporation, any instrument authorized by the Board of Trustees, except when the signing and execution thereof shall have been expressly delegated by the Board of Trustees or by these bylaws to some other officer or agent of the corporation. The President shall have the general powers of management usually vested in the president of a corporation, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Trustees or these bylaws. The President shall have discretion to prescribe the duties of other officers and employees of the corporation in a manner not inconsistent with the provisions of these bylaws and the directions of the Board of Trustees.
  2. The President of the Corporation is also specifically responsible for:
    1. articulating and advancing the Jesuit Catholic character of the university;
    2. animating the university community to embrace a distinctively Jesuit way of proceeding in advancing its mission;
    3. maintaining and developing a strong relationship with the Jesuit community at the University, especially with its rector/superior;
    4. maintaining and developing a strong relationship with the local Church and the larger Jesuit order and its works, including the superior general of the order and the local provincial, and other Jesuit colleges and universities, especially in the United States.
  3. It is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees and the search committee to understand the expectations enumerated in 5.8(b) and, through the search committee, to share them with all candidates early in the search process for a new president. In the search process for a new president, the Board shall follow the then current guidelines of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and Jesuit Conference regarding the role of the Society of Jesus in the selection of a university president.
  4. The Board of Trustees shall evaluate the President of the Corporation two years prior to the Board of Trustee's decision regarding contract renewal for the President. The Executive Committee of the Board, after consultation with the President, shall recommend the scope and manner of each evaluation, and shall nominate the Chair of the Evaluation Committee. These recommendations and nominations shall be submitted to the Board of Trustees for its approval. The Evaluation Committee shall communicate its findings to the Board of Trustees at the meeting that follows the completion of the evaluation. The Chair of the Board will conduct an annual, informal evaluation with the President.
  5. In the temporary absence or disability of the President, the President may appoint a vice president or the chancellor of the University of San Francisco as acting president. In the event of a vacancy in the office of president or the long-term disability of the president, an acting president shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees, pursuant to Section 5.3 of these bylaws. Such officer, when so acting, shall have all the powers of, and be subject to all the restrictions on, the President.

Section 5.9. Vice Presidents. The Vice Presidents shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed for them from time to time by the President or pursuant to these bylaws. If the President is absent or disabled, prior to the appointment of an acting president pursuant to Section 5.8(c), the Vice Presidents, if any, in order of their rank as fixed by the President or, if not ranked, a Vice President designated by the President, shall perform all duties of the President. When so acting, a Vice President shall have all powers of and be subject to all restrictions on the President. The Vice Presidents shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as the President, the Board of Trustees or the bylaws may require.

Section 5.10. Secretary. The Secretary shall:

  1. keep, or cause to be kept, minutes of all meetings, proceedings and actions of the Board of Trustees and committees of the Board of Trustees, if any. Such minutes shall be kept in written form;
  2. keep, or cause to be kept, at the principal office of the corporation an original or copy of the articles of incorporation of the corporation and these bylaws, as amended;
  3. give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the Trustees and committees of the Board of Trustees, as required by law or by these bylaws;
  4. keep the seal of the corporation in safe custody; and
  5. exercise such powers and perform such duties as are usually vested in the office of secretary of a corporation, and exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Trustees or these bylaws.

If any assistant secretaries are appointed, the assistant secretary, or one of the assistant secretaries in the order of their rank as fixed by the Board of Trustees, or, if they are not so ranked, the assistant secretary designated by the Board of Trustees, in the absence or disability of the Secretary or in the event of such officer's refusal to act or if a vacancy exists in the office of Secretary, shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary and discharge such duties as may be assigned from time to time pursuant to these bylaws or by the Board of Trustees.

Section 5.11. Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer, who shall have the title Vice President for Business and Finance, shall:

  1. be responsible for all functions and duties of the treasurer of the corporation;
  2. keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained, adequate and correct books and accounts of the corporation’s properties and transactions;
  3. send or cause to be given to the Board of Trustees such financial statements and reports as are required to be given by law, by these bylaws, or by the Board of Trustees;
  4. receive, or be responsible for the receipt of all monies due and payable to the corporation from any source whatsoever; have charge and custody of, and be responsible for, all monies and other valuables of the corporation and be responsible for deposit of all such monies in the name and to the credit of the corporation with such depositaries as may be designated by the Board of Trustees or a duly appointed and authorized committee of the Board of Trustees;
  5. disburse, or be responsible for the disbursement of, the corporation’s funds as may be ordered by the Board of Trustees or a duly appointed and authorized committee of the Board of Trustees;
  6. render to the President and the Board of Trustees when requested, an account of all transactions as chief financial officer and of the financial condition of the corporation; and
  7. exercise such powers and perform such duties as are usually vested in the office of chief financial officer of a corporation, and exercise such other power and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees or these bylaws.

If any assistant financial officer is appointed, the assistant financial officer, or one of the assistant financial officers, if there are more than one, in the order of their rank as fixed by the Board of Trustees, or, if they are not so ranked, the assistant financial officer designated by the Board of Trustees, in the absence or disability of the Chief Financial Officer or in the event of such officer's refusal to act, shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chief Financial Officer and discharge such duties as may be assigned from time to time pursuant to these bylaws or by the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE VI

Contracts, Loans, Bank Accounts, Checks and Drafts

Section 6.1. Execution of Contracts and Other Instruments. Except as these bylaws may otherwise provide, the Board of Trustees or its duly appointed and authorized committee may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents, to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the corporation, and such authorization may be general or confined to specific instances. Except as so authorized or otherwise expressly provided in these bylaws, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or in any amount.

Section 6.2. Contracts With Directors. No Trustee of this corporation nor any other corporation, firm, association, or other entity in which one or more of this corporation's Trustees are directors or have a material financial interest, shall be interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract or transaction with this corporation, unless (a) the material facts regarding that Trustee's financial interest in such contract or transaction or regarding such common directorship, officership, or financial interest are fully disclosed in good faith and noted in the minutes, or are known to all members of the Board of Trustees prior to the Board of Trustee's consideration of such contract or transaction; (b) such contract or transaction is authorized in good faith by two-thirds of the Board of Trustees by a vote sufficient for that purpose without counting the votes of the interested Trustees; (c) before authorizing or approving the transaction, the Board of Trustees considers and in good faith decides after reasonable investigation that the corporation could not obtain a more advantageous arrangement with reasonable effort under the circumstances; and (d) the corporation for its own benefit enters into the transaction, which is fair and reasonable to the corporation at the time the transaction is entered into.

This Section does not apply to a transaction that is part of an educational or charitable program of this corporation if it (a) is approved or authorized by the corporation in good faith and without unjustified favoritism and (b) results in a benefit to one or more Trustees or their families because they are in the class of persons intended to be benefited by the educational or charitable program of this corporation.

Section 6.3. Loans. No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the corporation and no negotiable paper shall be issued in its name, unless and except as authorized by the Board of Trustees or its duly appointed and authorized committee. When so authorized by the Board of Trustees or such committee, any officer or agent of the corporation may effect loans and advances at any time for the corporation from any bank, trust company or other institutions, or from any firm, corporation or individual, and for such loans and advances may make, execute and deliver promissory notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of the corporation and, when authorized as aforesaid, may mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or transfer any and all stocks, securities and other property, real or personal, at any time held by the corporation, and to that end endorse, assign and deliver the same as security for the payment of any and all loans, advances, indebtedness and liabilities of the corporation. Such authorization may be general or confined to specific instances.

Section 6.4. Bank Accounts. The Board of Trustees or its duly appointed and authorized committee from time to time may authorize the opening and keeping of general and/or special bank accounts with such banks, trust companies or other depositaries as may be selected by the Board of Trustees, its duly appointed and authorized committee or by any officer or officers, agent or agents, of the corporation to whom such power may be delegated from time to time by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees or its duly appointed and authorized committee may make such rules and regulations with respect to such bank accounts, not inconsistent with the provisions of these bylaws, as are deemed advisable.

Section 6.5. Checks, Drafts, Etc. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes, acceptances or other evidence of indebtedness issued in the name of the corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents, of the corporation, and in such manner, as shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Trustees or its duly appointed and authorized committee. Endorsements for deposit to the credit of the corporation in any of its duly authorized depositaries may be made, without countersignature, by the President or any vice president or the Chief Financial Officer or any assistant financial officer or by any other officer or agent of the corporation to whom the Board of Trustees or its duly appointed and authorized committee, by resolution, shall have delegated such power, or by hand-stamped impression in the name of the corporation.

ARTICLE VII

Miscellaneous

Section 7.1. Fiscal Year. Unless otherwise fixed by resolution of the Board of Trustees, the fiscal year of the corporation shall end on the last day of May in each calendar year.

Section 7.2. Trustee Inspection Rights. Every Trustee shall have the absolute right at any reasonable time to inspect and copy all books, records and documents of every kind of the corporation and to inspect the physical properties of the corporation. Such inspection may be made by the Trustee in person, or by agent or attorney, and the right of inspection includes the right to copy and make extracts of documents.

Section 7.3. Bylaw Amendment. These bylaws may be amended or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by the vote of two-thirds of the Trustees then in office.

Section 7.4. Annual Statement of Specific Transactions. This secretary of this corporation shall cause the corporation to mail or deliver to all Trustees within 120 days of the close of the fiscal year, a statement which briefly describes the amount and circumstances of any indemnification or transaction in which the corporation was a party, and in which a Trustee or officer had a direct or indirect material financial interest. The above statement need only be provided with respect to a transaction during the previous fiscal year involving more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) or which was one of a number of transactions with the same persons involving, in the aggregate, more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000). Similarly, the statement need only be provided with respect to indemnification or advances aggregating more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) paid during the previous fiscal year to any director or officer. Any statement required by this Section shall state the names of the interested persons involved in such transactions, stating each person's relationship to the corporation, the nature of such person's interest in the transaction, and where practical, the amount of such interest, provided that in the case of a transaction with a partnership of which such person is a partner, only the interest of the partnership need be stated. Any statement required by this Section may be provided by electronic transmission by the corporation.

Section 7.5. Annual Report. The Board of Trustees shall cause an annual report to be furnished not later than 120 days after the close of the corporation’s fiscal year to all Trustees of the corporation, which report shall contain the following information in appropriate detail:

  1. the assets and liabilities, including the trust funds, of the corporation as at the end of the fiscal year;
  2. the principal changes in assets and liabilities, including trust funds, during the fiscal year;
  3. the revenue or receipts of the corporation, both unrestricted and restricted to particular purposes, for the fiscal year;
  4. the expenses or disbursements of the corporation, for both general and restricted purposes, during the fiscal year;
  5. any information required by Section7.4.

The annual report shall be accompanied by any report thereon of independent accounts, or, if there is no such report, the certificate of an authorized officer of the corporation that such statements were prepared without audit and from the books and records of the corporation. The annual report may be provided by electronic transmission by the corporation.

Section 7.6. Prohibition Against Sharing Corporate Profits and Assets. This corporation's assets are irrevocably dedicated to public benefit purposes. No part of the net earnings, properties or assets of the corporation, on dissolution or otherwise, shall inure to the benefit of any private person or individual, or to any Trustee or officer of the corporation. On liquidation or dissolution, all properties and assets remaining after payment, or provision for payment, of all debts and liabilities of the corporation shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation or corporation that is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes and that has established its exempt status under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3).

ARTICLE VIII

Trustees’ Responsibilities

Section 8.1. Trustees’ Responsibilities. In carrying out their responsibilities, Trustees shall be guided by University Policy, and shall consider the applicability of the following sections of the California Corporation Code: 5233 ("Self Dealing Transactions; Interest Director; Exceptions; Actions; Burden of Proof; Limitations; Remedies"), 5234 ("Mutual Directors; Voidability of Contracts or Transactions"); 5235 ("Compensation; Liability for Unreasonable Amount") and 5236 ("Loans, Guarantees, Advancements; Life Insurance; Financing Residence of Officer").

ARTICLE IX

Indemnification

Section 9.1. Indemnification Of Directors And Officers. The corporation shall, to the maximum extent and in the manner permitted by the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law, indemnify each of its Trustees and officers against expenses (as defined in Section 5238(a) of the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law), judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any proceeding (as defined in Section 5238(a) of the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law), arising by reason of the fact that such person is or was an agent of the corporation. For purposes of this Article IX, a "Trustee" or "officer" of the corporation includes any person (a) who is or was a Trustee or officer of the corporation, (b) who is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or (c) who was a director or officer of a corporation which was a predecessor corporation of the corporation or of another enterprise at the request of such predecessor corporation.

Section 9.2. Indemnification Of Others. The corporation shall have the power, to the extent and in the manner permitted by the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law, to indemnify each of its employees and agents (other than Trustees and officers) against expenses (as defined in Section 5238(a) of the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law), judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any proceeding (as defined in Section 5238(a) of the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law), arising by reason of the fact that such person is or was an agent of the corporation. For purposes of this Article IX, an "employee" or "agent" of the corporation (other than a Trustee or officer) includes any person (a) who is or was an employee or agent of the corporation, (b) who is or was serving at the request of the corporation as an employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or (c) who was an employee or agent of a corporation which was a predecessor corporation of the corporation or of another enterprise at the request of such predecessor corporation.

Section 9.3. Payment Of Expenses In Advance. Expenses incurred in defending any civil or criminal action or proceeding for which indemnification is required pursuant to Section 9.1 or for which indemnification is permitted pursuant to Section 9.2 following authorization thereof by the Board of Trustees shall be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the indemnified party to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that the indemnified party is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized in this Article IX.

Section 9.4. Indemnity Not Exclusive. The indemnification provided by this Article IX shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, or vote of disinterested Trustees or otherwise, both as to action in an official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, to the extent that such additional rights to indemnification are authorized in the articles of incorporation.

Section 9.5. Insurance Indemnification. The corporation shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the corporation against any liability asserted against or incurred by such person in such capacity or arising out of such person's status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of this Article IX.

Section 9.6. Conflicts. No indemnification or advance shall be made under this Article IX, except where such indemnification or advance is required by law or the order, judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, in any circumstance where it appears:

  1. That it would be inconsistent with a provision of applicable law, the articles of incorporation, these bylaws, or an agreement in effect at the time of the accrual of the alleged cause of the action asserted in the proceeding in which the expenses were incurred or other amounts were paid, which prohibits or otherwise limits indemnification; or
  2. That it would be inconsistent with any condition expressly imposed by a court in approving a settlement.