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Constitution of the UIS Democrats
Preamble
Article 1: Name and Purpose
Article 2. Meetings
Article 3. Membership
Article 4. Executive Board
Article 5. Duties of the Executive Board Officers
Article 6. Amendments
Preamble
In order to promote a better America, with equality,
opportunity, and freedom within a just and strong society, we dedicate
ourselves to organizing the participation of Democratic College students
at the University of Illinois at Springfield. As college students, we
pledge ourselves to continue the great thoughts of our party and to bring
forth-new ideas to keep that tradition alive. As citizens of today and
leaders of the future, we shall strive to shape our party, communities,
states, and nation. In this mission, we call for full participation without
regard to sex, race, ethnic origin, physical handicap, socioeconomic status,
or sexual orientation.
Understanding the importance of participation in the
Democratic Party to the preservation of our values and principles, we
pledge to help organize and activate the latent people power of our nation’s
Democratic students to further the goals of the Democratic Party.
For these ends and upon these principles, we, Democratic
College students, do hereby associate ourselves and adopt this constitution
as the University of Illinois at Springfield College Democrats, a chapter
of the College Democrats of America.
Article
1: Name and Purpose
A. Name: The name of this organization
shall be the “University of Illinois at Springfield College Democrats”
a chapter of the College Democrats of America
B. Purpose: The University of Illinois
at Springfield College Democrats, upon chartering by the College Democrats
of America (CDA) shall be a member organization and, pledges itself
to support the philosophy and candidates of the Democratic Party. Furthermore,
the University of Illinois at Springfield College Democrats declares
its intention to support the efforts to increase the participation of
college students in Democratic Party affairs on a local, state, and
national level. To these ends, the University of Illinois at Springfield
College Democrats shall educate and train its members so that they may
be better able to:
- Educate students about the philosophy of the Democratic Party
- Assist in the election of the local, state, national Democratic
Candidates
- Serve the community
No part of the net earnings of the University of Illinois
at Springfield College Democrats shall inure to the benefits of, or
be distributable to, any of its members, directors, officers, or other
private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and
empowered to pay reasonable compensation for the services rendered and
to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purpose set
forth above.
Article
2. Meetings
A. Bi-Annual Meetings: The Bi-Annual
meetings of the members of the University of Illinois at Springfield
College Democrats will be for the election of Executive officers. These
meetings must be held one month before the end of the spring semester
(election of President and Vice President), and within one month of
the beginning of the fall semester (election of all other Executive
Officers). Time and date of these meetings will be decided upon by the
incumbent executive board. The transaction of regular business, properly
brought before the organization, should be done at regular meetings
decided upon by the President.
B. General Business Meeting: General
Business Meetings are regularly scheduled meetings as called for by
the organization and should occur at least once a month.
C. Special Meetings: Special Meetings
of the members may be called by the Executive Board, the President,
more than two of the other officers in the Executive Board, Advisor,
or a group of the members having not less than one-twentieth of the
votes entitled to be cast at such a meeting.
D. Notice of Meetings: The time, date,
and location of the organization’s meetings shall be broadly publicized
when possible, and shall not be held on a day considered a legal holiday
under state or federal law.
E. Quorum: Quorum for any meeting
other than Executive Board meeting is at least four members of the organization
of which two must be Executive Board members.
F. All organization meetings, which
include those meetings of the executive board, special committee, or
membership, shall be held in accordance with Robert’s Rules of
Order.
Article
3. Membership
A. Members: Membership shall be open
to any college student currently enrolled in classes at the University
of Illinois at Springfield and who wishes to be known as a College Democrat
regardless of sex, race, ethnic origin, physical handicap, socioeconomic
status, or sexual orientation. Former students, may become Alumni members
of the University of Illinois at Springfield College Democrats by paying
a one-time fee of $10. Alumni members are honorary members of the University
of Illinois at Springfield College Democrats, and may not be Executive
Officers.
B. Members in Good Standing: Members
in Good Standing shall be defined as any member that maintains active
participation as established by the organization.
C. Removal of a Member: A member deemed
to be not in good standing may be removed by a simple majority vote
of the members present at the meeting designated as the removal meeting
in the meetings agenda. Initiatives to remove a member can be initiated
by any member currently in good standing with the organization and must
be validated by presentation and passage of a “Removal Resolution”.
The resolution must state specific improprieties and reasons for removal.
Article
4. Executive Board
A. Authority and Responsibility: The
Executive Board shall have general authority and responsibility for
the ongoing affairs of the University of Illinois at Springfield College
Democrats. Executive Board decisions must be reported at the next subsequent
meeting and may be overruled by a 2/3-majority vote of the members in
good standing.
B. Composition: The Executive Board
shall be composed of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary
and the following directors: Membership, Media, and Campaign.
C. Meetings: The Executive Board shall
meet at least monthly when school is in session.
D. Quorum: A quorum for the Executive
Board shall be noted when at least three members of the Executive Board
are present.
E. Election: Elections for the Executive
Board shall take place in the following manor:
- When: Election of the President and Vice President
of the organization will occur within one month of the end of the
spring semester. The rest of the Executive Board members will be
elected at the beginning of the fall semester, no later than September
30. The Bi-Annual meetings must cover the topic of elections before
any other topics can be discussed except for any business that determines
whether or not a quorum is present.
- Eligibility for the Candidacy and Voting: Only
people who have been a member in good standing who are present and
eligible to vote will elect a winner by a simple majority vote.
Should no candidate receive a majority, a runoff will be held between
the two candidates who received the most votes until a majority
is reached. The process will be repeated for the elections for each
officer.
F. Removal: Executive Board members
may be removed in the following manner:
- Cause for Removal: Cause for removal shall be
defined as malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance of assigned
duties, being convicted of a felony, or upon other grounds found
by all remaining members of the Executive Board or a majority vote
of the membership to the constitute good and sufficient cause.
- To begin the process for removal, another member of the Executive
Board must charge the officer with the reasons for his or her removal
at a meeting of the Executive Board. The officer in question must
be offered an opportunity at that meeting to defend his or her self.
After a period of two weeks, the issue will be put to a vote (see
Removal of Members). Each of the other seven members of the Executive
Board must voted for removal for an officer to be removed.
G. Vacancies: A vacancy shall be
declared when a member of the Executive Board dies, resigns, or is removed
from office. If the vacancy occurs in an Executive Board position other
than President, the President shall appoint a successor with the majority
consent of the remaining Executive Board. If the vacancy is the President,
then the Vice President is the automatic replacement.
H. Action(s) without a meeting: (a)
Any action required by law to be taken at any bi-annual or special meeting
of the members entitled to vote, or any other action which may be taken
at a meeting of members entitled to vote may be taken without a meeting
and without a vote if a consent in the writing, setting for the action
so taken, shall be assigned (1) by all members entitled to vote with
respect to the subject matter thereof, or (2) by the members having
not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to
authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all members entitled
to vote thereon where present and voting.
I. Action(s) at a meeting: If quorum
is present, the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes present
and voted, either in person or by proxy, shall be the act of the members,
unless the vote of the greater number is required by law, this document,
or of the University of Illinois at Springfield College Democrats.
Article
5. Duties of the Executive Board Officers
A. Duties of the President: The President
Shall:
- Be the Chief Executive of the University of Illinois at Springfield
College Democrats.
- Act as the official representative to other groups and the media.
- Define the agenda of the organization for his or her tenure.
- Carry out the mandates, policies, and directives of the Executive
Board.
- Appoint, after appropriate consultation with the Executive Board,
members and chairpersons to standing and ad-hoc committees as specified
in this Constitution as he or she sees fit. The appointments must
be confirmed by the membership by a simple majority vote.
- Remove any member that he or she has appointed without the consent
of the members but can be overruled by a 2/3 vote of the membership.
- Represents the University of Illinois at Springfield College Democrats
at Interclub Council Board Meetings.
- Presides over all official meetings.
B. Duties of the Vice President: The
Vice President Shall:
- Be held responsible for overseeing that the Executive Board members
are in compliance with their Constitutional duties.
- Assume the office of President upon the President’s death,
removal, resignation, or incapacitating disability.
- Be the Executive Board member in charge of investigating and carrying
out community service projects.
- Perform such duties as the Executive Board or the President may
assign.
C. Duties of the Secretary: The Secretary
Shall:
- Make all necessary preparation for the organizational meetings
and record and distribute all minutes of meetings in a timely fashion.
- Perform such duties as the Executive Board or the President may
assign.
D. Duties of the Treasurer: The Treasurer
Shall:
- Maintain a complete record of expenditures and receipts for both
on campus funds and off campus bank account(s).
- Be designated as an official signor on any off campus bank account.
- Perform such duties as the Executive Board or the President may
assign.
E. Duties of the Membership Director:
The Membership Director Shall:
- Coordinate all membership drives.
- Maintain an accurate list of all members and the members in good
standing.
- Coordinate any outreach or recruitment efforts to maintain diversity
within the organization.
- Perform such duties as the Executive Board or the President may
assign.
F. Duties of the Campaign Director:
The Campaign Director Shall:
- Coordinate the participation of members in Democratic Campaigns.
- Help organize political internships for members in good standing.
- Be the Executive Board member in charge of filing paper work in
accordance with the Illinois State Board of Elections in regards
to the organization’s Political Action Committee status.
- Perform such duties as the Executive Board or the President may
assign.
G. Duties of the Media Director:
The Media Director Shall:
- Be the Executive Board member that is in charge of contacting
the media to promote events and issues that the organization has
organized.
- Create press releases, advertisements, and other official communications
of the organization.
- Perform such duties as the Executive Board or the President may
assign.
H. Election and Tenure: President
and Vice President of the organizations shall be elected by vote of
the members at each spring bi-annual meeting, and shall hold office
until the next spring bi-annual meeting of the members. All other Executive
Board officers of the organizations shall be elected by vote of the
members at each fall bi-annual meeting, and shall hold office until
the next fall bi-annual meeting of the members.
I. Resignation: An officer may resign
at any time by written notice delivered to next official meeting of
the Executive Board or to the President or Secretary of the organization.
A resignation is effective when notice is delivered until the notice
specifies a date of delivery.
J. Vacancies: Any vacancy occurring
in the Executive Board, Chairperson(s), directors, elected or appointed,
as the case maybe, shall be elected or appointed at the discretion of
the Executive Board for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor
in office. If the officer is elected or appointed because of an increase
in the number of officers, their term of such officers. Shall expire
at the next annual meeting of the members entitled to vote.
Article
6. Amendments
A. Specifics:
- The Executive Board shall read at once meeting, tabled, all proposed
amendments, then voted on at one of the next two official membership
meetings with 2/3 of those members in good standing in attendance
voting yes.
- The Constitution can be amended by a 2/3 vote of the members in
good standing.
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