Affiliation Policy

1. Definition

It shall be the policy of the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers, Inc. (SARA) to enter into mutual affiliation with like-minded educational, amateur radio, astronomy, and radio astronomy organizations. Such affiliation is a mechanism for formalizing collaboration and cooperation between organizations with common goals and objectives. Neither SARA nor any affiliated organization will incur any financial obligations through the act of affiliation.

2. Eligibility

Any organization, which expresses sympathy with and support for the SARA Mission Statement, is eligible to apply for affiliation. To be considered for such affiliation, a simple majority of the members of the applicant organization must be members in good standing of SARA. This requirement may be waived by the SARA Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis, when such waiver is recommended by the President and deemed in the best interests of SARA.

3. Application Process

Applications for affiliation shall be submitted by letter or email to the President, along with a copy of the applicant's membership roster, annotated to indicate which members of said applicant organization are SARA members in good standing.

The SARA president, in discretionary consultation with the Board of Directors, shall determine that the applicant organization is worthy of, and qualified for, such affiliation.

4. Privileges

Organizations affiliated with SARA may display a facsimile of the official SARA logo and corporate seal in their publications and periodicals. Affiliates will provide SARA with three (3) copies of any publication or periodical displaying said logo and seal. Affiliates will notify SARA of any electronic reproduction or distribution made by them of said logo and seal.

Each affiliated organization shall be offered the opportunity to nominate one of its members to the slate of candidates in each election for SARA Directors, provided such candidate is individually a member in good standing of both SARA and the affiliated organization in his or her own right.

5. Limitations

An organization's affiliation with SARA in no way conveys SARA membership status and voting privileges upon any individual member of such affiliated organization, unless that member is individually a member in good standing of SARA in his or her own right.

Affiliation of any organization with SARA shall in no way be construed as conferring non-profit status upon that organization. SARA's tax exempt status as an IRS [501)(c)(3)] organization does not extend to its affiliates. Affiliated organizations are prohibited from soliciting and collecting tax-exempt contributions in the name of SARA, unless such funds are collected for the exclusive use of SARA, and such solicitation is specifically authorized by the SARA Board of Directors. Affiliates soliciting contributions or raising funds for their own use must do so in their own name and under their own charter, if it so permits. SARA will not be liable for any financial liabilities of any affiliated organization.

6. Publications

Any affiliated organization which publishes a membership journal or periodical is respectfully requested to supply one copy of each issue of said journal or periodical to the Editor of the SARA journal Radio Astronomy. The SARA journal editor will in turn provide the affiliated organization's editor with one copy of each issue of Radio Astronomy. All contents of Radio Astronomy are protected under international copyright law, and any reproduction of such contents by any affiliated organization, in whole or in part, must be in compliance with all provisions of such copyright law, and specifically authorized by the SARA Board of Directors.

7. Termination

The affiliation of any organization may be terminated by majority vote of the SARA Board of Directors, should the Board deem the continuation of such affiliation to be prejudicial to the best interests of SARA.

8. Effectivity

These policies shall have the force and effect of Operating Rules of SARA. They may be amended as necessary from time to time by majority vote of the SARA Board of Directors. Amendments or revisions shall become effective as of the date of their posting to the SARA World Wide Web site.