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CLUBSARTICLE I (Name)
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be:
ARTICLE II (Purpose)
Section 1. List the purpose(s) for which your organization was formed. Be sure this information is clear and specific. This could be considered the most important article in this document.
ARTICLE III (Affiliation)
Section 1. If your organization is to be affiliated with a local, state, or national organization, a statement declaring the nature of the affiliation must be included. The relationship between the campus group and the organization it is to be affiliated with must be described. If no affiliation exists, a statement reflecting that fact must be included.
ARTICLE IV (Membership)
Section 1. List the qualifications for membership in the organization (e.g., class level, major, special interest).
Section 2. List the procedures for selecting members, if any.
Section 3. Include the following statement: "Voting membership is restricted to matriculated, currently enrolled students, faculty, and staff at CSU, San Marcos." (Note: You may be more restrictive in determining voting membership.)
Section 4. Include the following statement: "At least eighty percent (80%) of all members of the organization are matriculated, currently enrolled students at CSU, San Marcos." (Note: You may specify a higher percentage.)
Section 5. Include the following statement: "Membership in the organization will not be denied to anyone on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, veteran's status, or sexual orientation, except as sanctioned by law (California Administrative Code, Title 5, Section 41500; Education amendments of 1972, Title IX)."
Section 6. Include the following statement: "There shall be no hazing."
ARTICLE V (Officers)
Section 1. List the titles of the officers of the organization. For example: "The officers of this organization will be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer." State the term of office. For example: "Term of office shall be from the time of election until new officers take office immediately following the next election" or "Term of office shall be one semester".
Section 2. Describe how the organization will fill vacancies that occur in any of the offices. By appointment? By a special election?
Section 3. Include the following statement: "All officers of this organization are matriculated currently enrolled students at CSU, San Marcos."
Section 4. If your organization has an Executive Committee, it may described here (or in a separate article).
ARTICLE VI (Duties of Officers)
In separate sections, describe the duties of each officer. This is a very important article and should be written with great care. For example:
Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings, name all special committees, appoint all committee chairs, and...,etc.
Section 2 The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in his/her absence. The Vice-President shall also...,etc.
Section 3. The Secretary shall record the minutes of each meeting, maintain accurate records of all business pertaining to the organization, receive and respond to all official correspondence, and..., etc.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall collect and disburse funds as directed by the organization, make monthly financial reports to the general membership, and...,etc.
ARTICLE VII (Nominations and Elections)
Section 1: Describe how people are nominated for office. If a Nominating Committee is used, describe when it will meet and when it must report to the full membership. If nominations are made from the Board, specify when this is to take place in relation to the elections. At the same meeting as elections? Two weeks before elections?
Section 2: State when during the year or semester elections will take place.
Section 3 Describe how members will cast their votes. Written secret ballot? Oral voice vote?
Section 4. List the qualifications to vote, if any.
Section 5 State whether officers will be elected by plurality or majority vote. A plurality vote means that one candidate must get more votes than anyone else. A majority vote means that a candidate must receive one more than half (50% + 1) of all votes cast.
ARTICLE VIII (Installation)
Section 1: Describe the time and place of the installation of your officers. If your organization has a special installation ceremony, this would be the place to describe it.
ARTICLE IX (Meetings)
Section 1: State the frequency of regular meetings. Time and place of meetings may also be specified here. If your organization has different types of meetings (e.g., business meetings and practice sessions), be sure they are each accounted for in this article.
Section 2. State who has the authority to call special meetings. The President? A proportion of the membership?
Section 3. State how members will be notified of any special meetings. State who has the responsibility to notify members and what methods will be used (e.g., newsletter, phone calls, bulletin board postings).
Section 4. Specify your quorum. A quorum is the minimum number of members who must be present at a meeting in order for business to be conducted. State a number that is large enough to insure that the meeting will be representative of your whole organization, but not so large that establishing a quorum is difficult. The quorum may be stated as a percentage of total membership or as an absolute number of members.
Section 5. Establish a parliamentary authority for your organization. For example: "The parliamentary authority of this organization shall be Robert's Rules of Order."
Section 6. Specify your attendance rules, if any.
ARTICLE X (Committees)
Section 1. State who has the authority to name committees and committee chairpersons.
Section 2. In separate sections, list the regular or standing committees for your organization, if any. Include specific committee size and duties.
ARTICLE XI (Dues, fees)
Section 1. Make a statement about the dues or other fees that are collected by your organization. If there are none, make a statement to that effect.
ARTICLE XII (Amendments)
Section 1. State who can originate an amendment. An individual? A committee? A percentage of X membership?
Section 2. State the manner of presenting the amendment to the group. Usually the amendment must be read in one or two meetings preceding the vote or posted for one or two weeks for all to read.
Section 3. Describe the number of votes needed to adopt the amendment. This is usually two-thirds of he total membership of the organization.
Section 4. State the time when the amendment becomes effective. In a week? Immediately?
Record the date the constitution/bylaws were adopted here.