Constitution of the UMass Objectivist Club
date originated: 16 September 1996
ARTICLE 1
(title)
The name of the organization shall be "The UMass Objectivist Club".
ARTICLE 2
(objectives)
The purpose of the UMass Objectivist Club is to provide a forum for the discussion and presentation of Ayn Rand's philosophy, Objectivism. This includes, but is not limited to discussion of Objectivism, its applications to current events and art, and presentation of speakers, films, tapes and literature to the Club, University, and community.
ARTICLE 3
(membership)
- SECTION 1: Members are classified as active and associate.
- SECTION 2: Only currently enrolled undergraduate Student Activities fee-paying students attending the University of Massachusetts-Amherst are eligible for active membership.
- SECTION 3: All others, including but not limited to faculty, staff, graduate students, Five-College students, and community members are eligible for associate membership. Associate members may not hold office, vote, preside, officiate or solicit funds on behalf of the Club.
- SECTION 4: Currently registerer Student Activities fee-paying undergraduates must be admitted as active members.
ARTICLE 4
(officers)
- SECTION 1: Only active members are eligible to be officers. Only full-time, officially registered, Student Activities fee-paying students are eligible to serve as appointed or elected officers. All full-time registered Student Activities fee-paying students who are active members are eligible. An activie member may hold multiple offices.
- SECTION 2: Offices/Powers and Duties
- A. President--The powers and duties of the President include managing all of the Club's activities, such as: calling meetings; presiding at meetings; coordinating between the Club, its advisor, and other University bodies; assigning tasks to other officers; and arranging for presentations.
- B. Vice-President--The powers and duties of the Vice President are to assist the President in all Club activities be performing assigned atasks, to become Acting President when the Presidency is vacant, and to preside at meeting in absence of the President.
- C. Treasurer--The powers and duties of the Treasurer are ot oversee the finances of the club, to deposit funds to and withdraw funds from the Club's bank account, and to prepare a treasurer's report to be read at each meeting. All financial transactions are to be conducted through the University accounting system.
- D. Secretary--The powers and duties of the Secretary are to take minutes of each meeting of the Club, to bring copies of this Constitution to each meeting, and to make revisions of the Consititution as necessary.
- SECTION 3: The term of office for all elected officers is one year, beginning September 1 and proceeding until the following August 31.
- SECTION 4: Vacant offices will be filled at the first meeting following the vacancy, except when the Presidency is vacated, in which case the Vice President shall be Acting President until the second meeting of the fall semester, during which the vacant office will be filled.
- SECTION 5: The quorum is 50%+1 of the active membership.
- SECTION 6: The required majority to elect a new officer is 50% + 1 of the active membership present at the meeting. If 50% + 1 is not obtained by one of the candidates, the candidate having the lowest number of votes is eliminated, and the members will vote again.
- SECTION 7: When nominations are being taken to fill unexpired terms, any member may nominate any other member or him/herself by simply raising his/her hand and indicating such when recognized. Nominations to office require one seconding motion from active members.
- SECTION 8: Election is by secret ballot unless by unanimous agreement by a show of hands members vote to use some specific, alternate method.
- SECTION 9: Normal nominations and elections will be held at a meeting during the month of May each spring semester. All current terms of office expire at this meeting, and all new terms of office begin at this meeting.
ARTICLE 5
(amendments)
- SECTION 1: Amendments will be introduced and passed at the first meeting after they are formulated.
- SECTION 2: The quorum is 50% + 1 of the active membership. The required majority is 66% of the active membership present.
- SECTION 3: An Amendment may be formulated or introduced by any member, but must be seconded by three active members before voted upon.
- SECTION 4: All Amendmentsare subject to the approval of the SGA.
ARTICLE 6
(meetings)
- SECTION 1: There will be at least three meetings each semester.
- SECTION 2: Adequate notice will be given for all meetings.
- SECTION 3: Parliamentary authority is Robert's Rules of Order--Newly Revised by Sarah Corbin Roberts; it is to be used in all cases not covered by this constitution.
- SECTION 4: A copy of the Constitition will be mad available to any individual upon request.
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