SF & F Club: Constitution

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS FOR THE WAYNE STATE COLLEGE
SCIENCE FICTION and FANTASY CLUB

2006-2007 Academic year

Article I – Name

The name of this organization shall be the Wayne State College Science Fiction and Fantasy Club (hereafter called the "Club").

Article II – Authorization

The Club is organized under the general policies of Wayne State College Student Activities Board for Organizations.

Article III – Purposes and Objects

The purpose and objective of the Club is to create an atmosphere conducive to personal development, social interaction, academic study, intellectual curiosity, cultural examination, and to provide experiences in which members can develop an understanding and respect for literature, technology, motion pictures, history, and sociology, as it "could be." To develop a "what if" attitude, and to have fun doing it.

Article IV – Provisions and Restrictions

There shall be no discrimination of members based on national origin, color, handicap, gender, age, race, sexual or gender orientation, or religion. All members have the right to participate in the Club activities and to have a voice in decisions concerning their welfare. Regular members shall be full voting members, while supporting members can not vote on financial issues dealing with funds contributed by Wayne State College. In accordance with these rights, the membership shall receive a copy of the constitution and by-laws of the Club upon becoming an active member.

Article V – Membership

The regular membership shall consist of anyone who: 1) is a student currently enrolled at Wayne State College; 2) pays the membership dues required; 3) supports the goals and activities of the club; and 4) attends regular scheduled meetings of the club.

 

Supporting membership shall consist of staff, faculty, or members of the intellectual community who show an interest as described in the purpose and objectives section of the constitution. Supporting members must: 1) pay any membership dues required (supporting faculty are exempt from paying dues); and 2) support the goals and activities of the club (it may not be possible for supporting members to attend the regular scheduled meetings).

 

Members may vote on issues either in person at the regularly scheduled club meetings, or by a proxy vote via e-mail or in written form, said vote to be given to an officer or the advisor before the meeting where the issue voted upon takes place.

Article VI – Meetings Scheduled & Order of Business

Meetings of the Club shall be called once a week, to be scheduled on the first meeting of the fall semester. All members should attend as they are responsible for all information discussed at the meeting. Special meetings shall be called as deemed necessary by the Club’s executive board or Advisor.

 

Order of Business: This changes as the needs of the club change, but the following should normally be followed:

Call to order
Reading of the minutes, corrections, and approval
Report of the Treasurer
Reports of Standing Committees
Reports of Special Committees
Unfinished Business
Announcements
New Business
Miscellaneous
Adjournment

Article VII – Executive Board

The officers shall see to the official responsibilities of the club. The officers and the Advisor(s) shall be an executive board as needed. The Executive Board shall have the responsibility to create plans, directions, and develop activities to propose to the general membership. At times quick decisions are required that don't allow waiting for the entire membership to discuss. The Executive Committee shall be authorized to make these decisions, and when time permits, present them to the general membership.

 

Section I: Officers

 

The officers shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Officer, and Historian. The duties of the officers are to organize and carry out activities pertaining to the Club and to represent the membership. The officers shall meet in advance of a general meeting once each month. This meeting time is to be decided at the discretion of the officers. The officers are responsible for taking into consideration the requests of the members’. Officers’ names, positions, and phone numbers shall be distributed to all Club members.

 

Section II: Officers’ Duties

 

President: To preside over all meetings in an orderly and impartial manner; see that all officers are doing their jobs as prescribed by this constitution; prepare an agenda for all club meetings; have the power to appoint committees and delegate duties to other officers and members; primary spokesperson of the club, or to designate someone as the spokesperson as needed.

 

Vice-President: To be in charge of all meeting in the absence of the president; be available for all committees and to ensure these committees are doing their assigned tasks.

 

Secretary: To keep accurate typed minutes at general and officers’ meetings and keep attendance and progress reports from committee members. The minutes should be approved by the Advisor or President before release. Normally the minutes shall be distributed via e-mail by the end of each week. An Agenda for each meeting shall be made by the president and secretary, printed and available to all members at the time of the meeting.

 

Treasurer: To disperse all checks, record all income and expenditures in the checkbook and ledger book, prepare and give a financial report at the end of each month including sources of income and expenditures by subject. Copies of this report shall be filed in the Advisors office, the Presidential file, and the Secretary's file. The report will be referred to by the treasurer to assist in preparation of the following year’s budget.

The Treasurer (with Advisor oversight) shall be responsible for collecting and managing moneys at club events. Because the club sponsors an Art Show and Auction where taxable items are sold, the Treasurer will work with the Advisor to keep track of and report sale taxes, and to submit payment to the Nebraska Department of Revenue as required.

Public Relations: To prepare press releases; plan announcements and advertising of planned activities; prepare mass mailings; schedule club members to help with public relations activities, and; to promote all club activities and chair sub-committees responsible for such promotion.

 

Historian: To maintain a scrapbook every semester and to take pictures at all activities, maintain articles from newspapers and copies of all flyers, brochures, mass mailings, electronic files, etc.

 

Section III: Officers Elections

 

Officers shall be elected by simple majority vote of the attending members at the last regularly scheduled meeting of the Spring semester for the following year. Absentee ballots will be accepted if e-mailed or given to an officer or advisor before the start of that meeting. All officers shall be elected for one academic year.

 

Ballots shall be collected and counted by the club advisors, and the announcement of new officers shall be made immediately following the ballot counting. If there is a tie for any office, the advisors shall vote to select the officer.

 

Section IV: Qualifications

 

Candidates for officers of the Club shall be students currently enrolled and in good standing at Wayne State College. All officers must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above. Officers must be members of the Club. Candidates must also have an understanding of the constitution and the duties of the position they are running for.

 

Elected officers must attend a majority of the meetings and show an extra¬ordinary amount of effort in club activities.

 

Section V: Procedures

 

Individuals may nominate themselves or another member of the club for a position as officer during the last three weeks of the Spring semester.

 

Section VI: Resignations & Recall

 

An officer may resign by notifying the membership at one of its regular meetings, or by notifying an Advisor.

 

Members can hold a "vote of confidence" recall with a two week written proposal. An Advisor will announce the electoral results. Elected officers shall hold their position from the first meeting of the Fall semester until the last meeting of the Spring semester.

 

Section VII: Replacements

 

The Advisor(s) shall appoint an interim replacement for officers who resign or are removed from office without a voted replacement, until an officer is elected by the membership as a replacement, or the end of the Spring Semester, whichever comes first. A sign-up sheet shall be posted and all qualified members who are interested in filling out the officer’s term may sign it. The Advisor(s) shall direct the election for a replacement officer.

Article VIII – Policies

The membership must approve all policies of the Club by a simple majority vote of the members at a regular scheduled meeting. The officers may institute interim policies subject to the later approval of the membership.

Article IX – Finances

Section I – Dues

The amount of dues to be paid by the membership shall be $5 per academic year, or if a person will only be here one semester, their dues will be reduced to $2.50. Only those people who have paid their dues are eligible to vote at club meetings. Dues must be paid by the end of the first month in each semester to be considered a member of the Club

 

A portion of the dues or other available funds may be used for subscriptions to magazines or newspapers that are relevant to the Club. The balance shall be used for activities and needs as determined by the membership.

 

Section II: Budget procedures

 

The Treasurer shall be responsible for dispersing all funds and meeting all expenses of the Club (from the Club account). The Club checks shall require two signatures on each check. The Club shall approve all expenditures above $100.

 

Each event the Club is involved in exceeding $500, shall require that a projected budget of expenses be brought before the club at the time the event is being planned. The projected budget may be modified as approved by the membership during a regular club meeting.

At the beginning of each year (fall semester) the advisors shall meet with the Treasurer and review the existing financial records. The treasurer shall hold all financial records (bank statements, checks, etc.) during the school year. The treasurer shall hand those records to an advisor at the end of the Spring Semester of each year.

 

Section III - Federal ID & State Taxes

 

In order to have our own checking account the Club must have a Federal ID number. Because the Club holds activities where material is sold on a commission bases, we must pay sales taxes. The Treasurer will assist the Advisor to file the state sales tax form in accordance with the State Tax Laws of Nebraska.

Article X - Advisor(s)

Advisors may consist of anyone employed by Wayne State College. Co-advisors must indicate to either the officers or at a club meeting that they are available as an advisor. Advisors may not vote on issues at club meetings unless they are needed to break a tie vote.

Article XI - Standing Committees

There will be three standing committees, with additional temporary committees as needed, either appointed by the President or approved by the general membership.

Public Relations Committee: This standing committee shall be chaired by the Public Relations Officer. It shall be responsible for all advertising, production of flyers, press releases, and other forms of communications to the public in support of club activities.

 

Haunted House Committee: This standing committee chair shall be appointed by the president to carry out all activities related to development and production of the annual Haunted House activity.

 

WillyCon Committee: This standing committee chair shall be appointed by the President to carry out all activities, and coordination of other organizations and personnel, related to the development and production of the annual WillyCon Convention. Advisor oversight is required for all activities related to WillyCon to ensure that college regulations and procedures are followed appropriately.

 

Temporary committees that have been and may well be re-established in the future consist of:

Membership Committee: Charged with encouraging new members to the club.

Ways and Means Committee: Sometimes called the Fund-raiser Committee. Responsible for finding ways to raise money for club activities.

 

Programming Committee: Responsible for planning programs or activities for the club.

Article XII – Amendments

Any member or members wishing to amend this constitution must draw up a petition stating the desired amendment(s) and send them to the Advisor(s), who will then decide whether the proposed amendments are viable and in the best interests of the Club. If the amendments are viable and will enhance the constitution and be of benefit to the Club as a whole, the Advisor(s) will bring the proposed amendment(s)s to the Executive Board for their perusal and to have the amendment(s) placed on the agenda.

 

The petition must be presented at a club meeting one week in advance of the club voting for it. A majority vote of the membership is required to pass the amendment(s). The amendment(s) shall take effect immediately unless otherwise stated.

 

A copy of the amended Constitution and Bylaws shall be signed and dated by an Advisor and the Secretary and sent to the Student Senate office.

Article XIII – Ratification

This constitution shall take effect immediately following ratification. A record of the date of ratification shall be kept together with a copy of this constitution in the files of the Secretary, President and Advisor.

Article XIV – Parliamentary procedures

A simplified form of Robert's Rules of Order (latest edition) shall be used for parliamentary procedures. This organization shall adhere to all college policies, rules, and regulations.