DSU Society Constitution Template

Transcription

1 DSU Society Constitution Template How to use this template The following pages contain within them all the necessary components of a complete constitution. Although you are welcome to add more sections or detail to your constitution as you see necessary, these pieces are the bare minimum: all sections must be included in your constitution (with the exception of Article 9(e) if you are not a levied society. You can use this template verbatim if you wish, with only the blanks filled in with the appropriate details. Alternatively, you can choose to re write all or some sections of this template, but if you choose to do so you must take care to include all sections with an appropriate level of detail. Text in bold italics will help guide you in adding some common special (and optional) provisions. Be sure to remove this text (as well at this first page) before submitting your constitution. On the next page you find a summary of all the sections necessary in a proper constitution. These sections are already in the example constitution if you wish to use it. As long as your constitution has these sections, you can tailor the specifics to suit your needs. The constitution provided is simply a template for your benefit. Once you have completed your constitution, you may wish to apply for ratification. The step-by-step guide will help you navigate Tiger Society and the ratification process. Once you have submitted a request for ratification, the Society Review Committee, which meets every two weeks, will review your constitution. As long as you have followed the template/guidelines below, you should be ratified. If for some reason you cannot be ratified, or if there was a missing section of your constitution, you will be notified within 48 hours of the Society Review Committee meeting at which your constitution was reviewed. If you have any questions about the process, or if you are having trouble understanding this template or with writing your constitution, please feel free to contact the Society Coordinator at society.coordinator@dal.ca or the Vice President (Internal) of the DSU at dsuvpi@dal.ca.

2 Required Sections Section Purpose Membership Executive Officers Meetings Elections Impeachment Constitutional Amendments Finances Risk Management Expectation Purpose/objectives of society is/are outlined Only DAL (DAL/King s if joint society) student members can vote Only student members can hold executive positions If joint: at least 1 executive must be a Dal student and a signing authority Does not limit by age, gender, race, religion Duties of each executive officer described in detail Is there more than one type of meeting (general, executive, AGM) Quorum for each type of meeting What constitutes a winning vote in order to pass a motion Advance notice of all meetings will be sent to all eligible members Voting on motions must go before the general membership Position responsible for overseeing elections Position who will oversee elections if the person above wishes to run Process for submitting nominations Type of meeting at which elections are held How members vote in elections (secret ballot, show of hands, , etc.) Percentage required to declare a winner Each member can only hold one executive position. Elections must occur every year Conditions/behaviours that warrant a motion to impeach Process for moving a motion to impeach Type of meeting at which a motion to impeach will be addressed Motion to impeach must be put to the general membership How members vote on motion to impeach. Percentage required for motion to impeach to pass Member up for impeachment will be given the opportunity to speak at the meeting before the vote on motion to impeach Procedure for members to propose an amendment Type of meeting called to vote on proposed amendments Amendments must be voted on by general membership How members vote on motion to amend (secret ballot, show of hands, etc.) Percentage required to pass constitutional amendments At least 3 executive positions who will have signing authority At least 2 signing officers must sign each cheque An executive cannot sign on a cheque made out to him/her self Procedure for passing society s budget Must submit books to be audited by the DSU VPFO twice a year (feebased/levied societies only) Release of liability waivers required?

3 Constitution of the [Insert Society name here] [Insert author(s) name(s) here] Last revised:

4 Article 1: Society Name A. The society will be known as the [Insert Society name here] (Known as the [Insert Society acronym here], hereafter referred to as the Society ). Article 2: Purpose A. The purpose of the Society is to [describe society goals, objectives, etc. This should be a general statement about what the society hopes to accomplish in any given year, not a list of planned events for the specific present year.]. Article 3: Membership A. Any student enrolled at Dalhousie University is eligible to be a member of the Society. Only members may vote in elections and hold executive positions. B. The society does not place any limits on members based on age, gender, race, religion, language, or disability. If appropriate, you may also choose to include Kings students in your society (if it is a joint society), or specify the faculty/department that your society is targeting. For example, you may wish to say that all students enrolled in at least one class in the Department of are eligible to be a member of the society. If your society is a joint society, at least one executive member must be a Dalhousie student and signing authority. Article 4: Executive Officers This section template will use a simple 3 officer system, but you can tailor it to fit your needs. You must have at least 3 executive, and 3 of the executive must be signing officers (See Article 9). You are free to name each officer as you please, but be sure to provide details on what their respective roles are. A. The executive will be made up of 3 officers. In order of ascension, these officers are i. President ii. Vice-President iii. Treasurer B. The duties of each executive officer are as follows: i. The President shall a) Be responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of the society. b) Set the agenda for all meetings. c) Sit of chair of all meetings. d) Attend Dalhousie Student Union Society Training Day at the date specified by the Vice President (Internal) of the DSU. e) Read and understand DSU Society Policy. f) Be responsible for establishing an annual vision for the Society. Page 1

5 ii. iii. g) Be responsible for ensuring his or her successor is properly transitioned into the role of President. h) Be responsible for reapplying every year for Ratification with the Dalhousie Student Union. i) Act as a signing officer of the Society. The Vice-President shall a) Act as second in command to the President. b) Act as deputy chair in all meetings. c) Attend Dalhousie Student Union Society Training Day at the date specified by the Vice President (Internal) of the DSU. d) Collect and disseminate information pertinent to members of the Society. e) Take minutes at all meetings. f) Maintain the Society s Tiger Society page. g) Provide notice to all member regarding upcoming events, meetings, and motions. h) Act as a signing officer of the Society. i) Act as chair of all meetings in the absence of the President. The Treasurer shall: a) Keep records of all spending within the Society in accordance with DSU regulations. b) Create and maintain the annual budget. c) Attend Dalhousie Student Union Society Training Day at the date specified by the Vice President (Internal) of the DSU. d) Act as a signing officer of the Society. e) Be responsible for creating and/or managing the Society bank account. f) Manage applications for Society Grants to the DSU, and aid members in applying for individual Member Grants through the DSU. g) Read and understand DSU Grants Policy. h) Act of chair of meetings in the absence of both the President and the Vice- President. Article 5: Meetings As with the section above, you can choose to structure your meetings as you wish, but be sure to include at least two types, and be sure that the types you are the same types that are used elsewhere in this constitution. A. There will be three types of meetings: general meetings, executive meetings, and annual general meetings (AGM s). B. The regulations regarding each type of meeting are as follows: i. General meetings Page 2

6 ii. iii. a) Quorum for general meetings shall be 2/3 of the executive and the lesser of 50% of the general membership or 5 (non-executive) members. b) Voting on motions put forth at general meetings must go before the general membership. c) Voting will be conducted via a show of hands, though any member may request that the motion be voted on by secret ballot. If any one member requests this for any motion, voting must be done by secret ballot. d) A majority vote is needed to pass a motion (a majority signifying 50%+1 of all members in attendance). e) The Vice-President of the Society will be responsible for giving advance notice of all motions to be voted on at any meeting not less than 48 (forty-eight) hours before the meeting, and this notice must be given to all members of the society. Executive meetings a) Quorum for executive meetings shall be 2/3 of the executive. b) Executive meetings shall be used at the discretion of the executive to ensure the smooth operation of the Society. c) All members of the Society are permitted to join in Executive meetings, though notice of the meeting need not be given. d) Any motions must be voted on by the general membership, and as such motions cannot be passed during Executive meetings. Annual general meetings (AGM s) a) Quorum for an AGM shall be all Executive members along with 50% of the general membership. b) An AGM must be called at least once per academic year by the President. c) There will be at least one AGM during the moths of February or March, during which elections will take place (see Article 6). d) Any additional AGM s may be called at the request of all Executive, or at the request of a member of the general membership with a petition for an AGM signed by 75% of the general members. e) Constitutional amendments can only be made at an AGM (see Article 8). f) Voting on motions must go before the general membership. g) Voting will be conducted via a show of hands, though any member may request that the motion be voted on by secret ballot. If any one member requests this for any motion, voting must be done by secret ballot. h) A majority vote is needed to pass a motion. i) Notice of an AGM must be given to all members not less than one week before the AGM, and the Vice-President is responsible for delivering this notice. Article 6: Elections A. Elections shall be held at an AGM no later than March 31 of each year. B. The President shall be responsible for overseeing elections. Page 3

7 C. If the President wishes to re-run for any position, then the Vice-President shall act as chair. D. In the event that both the President and Vice-President wish to run for any position, the members present at the AGM shall nominate and vote on a chair from the general membership. E. Nominations for elections can be given to the Vice-President before the AGM at which elections shall take place, and notice of nominees will be given at the same time notice of the AGM is given to the rest of the general membership. Alternatively, nominations will be taken from the floor during the AGM at which the elections are taking place. F. Voting will be conducted via a show of hands, though any member may request that the motion be voted on by secret ballot. If any one member requests this for any motion, voting must be conducted by secret ballot. G. A majority vote is required to elect each position. H. Each member can hold at most one executive position at a time. Article 7: Impeachment A. No member of the executive may be recalled without just cause, or in any manner not specified in this constitution. B. Just cause is defined by this constitution as: i. Failing to attend 4 consecutive executive or general meetings. ii. Failing to fulfill the majority their mandates as dictated by this constitution, within reasonable limits, and without reasonable excuse. iii. Conduct likely to result de-ratification of the Society, or conduct likely to bring the Society into disrepute. iv. In the case of the President, failing to submit a request for Ratification before November 1 st of the year of their Presidency without reasonable excuse. v. Other gross misconduct. C. Any member may put forth a motion to impeach provided they have a petition signed by 75% of current members, and this petition can also serve to request an AGM as directed by Article 5(iii)(d). D. A motion to impeach may alternatively be E. A vote to impeach an executive member can only be brought forth at an AGM. F. Advance notice of a motion to impeach must be given to the member up for impeachment, and that member must have the ability to speak in their defence before the vote is taken. G. A vote of 75% +1 of the general membership is required to impeach an Executive member. Voting will be conducted by secret ballot. Article 8: Constitutional Amendments A. In the event that the Society cannot be ratified as a result of the content of this constitution, the current Executive have the ability to make such changes as are deemed necessary by the Vice President (Internal) of the Dalhousie Student Union. These changes become official upon ratification. Page 4

8 i. If any member of the Society wishes to contest the changes, they may do so at the next AGM, or petition the President to call one as per Article 5(iii)(d). B. With the exception of circumstances in Article 8(A), amendments to this constitution are subject to the following regulations: i. Amendments to the constitution can only be made at an AGM. ii. Motions to amend the Constitution must be presented to the Vice-President of the Society no less than one-week before the AGM at which the constitution will be amended. iii. All members are entitled to vote on amendments to the constitution. iv. Voting will be conducted via a show of hands, though any member may request that the motion be voted on by secret ballot. If any one member requests this for any motion, voting must be done by secret ballot. v. A 2/3 vote is required to pass a motion to amend the constitution. Article 9: Finances A. As stated in Article 4, the President, Vice-President, and Treasurer will be the signing officers of the Society. B. At least two signing officers must sign every cheque from the bank account of the Society. C. An executive officer cannot sign a cheque made out to his/her self. D. The budget will be created each year by the Treasurer, and will be passed by the executive at an Executive meeting. If necessary, you may also need to add another section for risk management (i.e. whether or not members need to sign waivers). This may also be placed under Membership. Page 5