GMU CR Constitution

College Republican Constitution

PREAMBLE

We, as students of George Mason University, in order to further the cause of conservatives and the Republican Party among the future leaders of America, do hereby establish and ordain this Constitution for the George Mason University College Republicans.

 

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the student organization under this Constitution shall be the George Mason University College Republicans, hereafter referred to in this Constitution as “CR”.

 

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE

The purpose of this organization shall be to bring young Americans into the Republican Party, to mold and train those youth as well directed, effective, and loyal Americans in accordance with the conservative ideals of the Republican Party, to support and assist in the election of Republican nominees in their respective elections, and to create and spread, throughout George Mason University, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States of America, goodwill toward conservatives and the Republican Party.

 

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

 

SECTION 1. MEMBERS SHALL:

  1. Be enrolled as students of George Mason University.
  2. Have completed a membership form.

 

SECTION 2. CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS

  1. Members in Good Standing are those Members who have met the requirements of Article III, Section 1 of this Constitution.
  2. Active Members are those Members who have met the requirements of Art. III, Sec. 1 of this Constitution, and have been a Member in Good Standing for longer than two calendar weeks.

A. Active Members shall have voting rights as defined by Art. V, Sec. 5, Par. 3, Line A of this Constitution.

B. Active Members shall have paid membership dues if they are to be collected as defined by Art. VII, Sec. 2 of this Constitution.

C. Status as Active Member shall be retained as long as the Member does not accumulate three consecutive unexcused absences in one semester.

D. Upon an Active Member accumulating three consecutive unexcused absences in one semester, his status is thus changed to a Member in Good Standing until status as Active Member is re-established, according to Art. III, Sec. 2, Par. 2 of this Constitution.

  1. Honorary Members are those Members who do not meet one or more of the requirements of Art. III, Sec. 1 of this Constitution, but by a majority vote of Active Members at a General Meeting, are given the status of an Honorary Member.
  2. Membership shall only be revoked for violation of Article II of this Constitution.
  3. Membership shall be revoked only after a trial by peers, with a two-thirds majority vote of Active Members at the proceedings.

A. The Executive Board shall prosecute the defendant.

B. The defendant shall be allowed one self-appointed representative, in addition to his own defense of self, if he so chooses.

  1. A transfer student, having proven status as an Active Member in a previous Conservative Organization, shall be granted status as an Active Member in the CR.

ARTICLE IV

MEETINGS

Meetings of the CR, hereafter referred to in this Constitution as “General Meetings”, shall be held no less than twice per month, during the fall and spring semesters, at a time and place to be designated by the Chairman.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

 

SECTION 1. THE EXECUTIVE BOARD SHALL:  

  1. Enforce this Constitution.
  2. Consist of a Chairman, 1st Vice-Chairman, 2nd Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer.
  3. Introduce, approve, and implement all actions and activities necessary and proper for the functioning of the CR.
  4. Hold meetings, hereafter referred to in this Constitution as “Executive Board Meetings”, no less than twice per month during the fall and spring semesters, at the request of the Chairman, or at the request of a majority of the Executive Board.
  5. Pass all votes raised by a majority of the Officers present.

 

SECTION 2. OFFICERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD SHALL:

  1. Be Active Members of the George Mason University College Republicans.
  2. At the time of their candidacy, be students in good standing, as defined by the George Mason University Office of Student Activities.
  3. Be elected at an annual organizational meeting, which must be held by 01 April, and shall have been announced to the entire membership, by the preceding Chairman, at least 4 weeks prior to the election.
  4. Be installed at the last General Meeting of the spring semester.
  5. Attend every Executive Board Meeting and General Meeting.
  6. Under no circumstances be allowed any unexcused absences from any meeting of the CR.

SECTION 3. DUTIES AND POWERS

  1. The Chairman Shall:

A. Enforce this Constitution.

B. Be the Chief Executive Officer of the CR.

C. Act as a liaison between the Executive Board and the Faculty Sponsors.

D. Call generalmeetings whenever necessary and proper.

E. Chair and establish an agenda for all Executive Board Meetings and General Meetings.

F. Be an ex-officio member of all committees.

G. Be the official spokesman for the CR.

H. Be the official liaison to the College Republican Federation of Virginia and the Republican Party and all of its subsidiaries.

I. Co-sign, with the Treasurer, all checks written on the CR checking account.

J. Have the authority to create all committees.

K. Have the authority to appoint the chairman of committees, following a vote of confidence by the majority of Active Members at a General Meeting.

L. Have the authority to appoint project coordinators.

M. Have the authority to appoint a Cabinet, following the approval of a majority of the Executive Board.

N. Have the authority to appoint, to an Active Member, when necessary and proper, the duties that would have normally been reserved to a member of the Executive Board.

O. Be limited to two terms, not necessarily in succession.

2. The 1st Vice-Chairman Shall:

A. Enforce this Constitution.

B. In the event of his absence, inability, or refusal to perform them, carry on the duties of the Chairman.

C. In the event of his removal from office, assume both the title and all responsibilities of the Chairman.

D. Serve as a liaison between the CR and all other student and professional organizations on campus.

E. Oversee the planning and implementation of public programs of the CR.

F. Perform other such duties as assigned by the Chairman.

3. The 2nd Vice-Chairman Shall:

A. Enforce this Constitution.

B. In the event of his absence, inability, or refusal to perform them, carry on the duties of the 1st Vice-Chairman.

C. In the event of his removal from office, assume both the title and all responsibilities of the 1st Vice-Chairman.

D. Oversee membership and both the planning and implementation of the membership recruitment and retention programs.

E. Serve as the liaison to all speakers to the CR.

F. Perform other such duties as assigned by the Chairman.

4. The Secretary Shall:

A. Enforce this Constitution.

B. Keep the minutes of all Executive Board Meetings and General Meetings.

C. Keep records of the attendance at all Executive Board Meetings and General Meetings.

D. Maintain any and all records pertaining to the CR.

E. Perform other such duties as assigned by the Chairman.

5. The Treasurer Shall:

A. Enforce this Constitution.

B. Receive, deposit, and account for all dues and funds collected under authority of the CR.

C. Co-sign, with the Chairman, all checks written on the CR checking account.

D. Maintain current statements of the financial position of the CR and submit them into the minutes at each Executive Board Meeting and General Meeting.

E. Perform other such duties as assigned by the Chairman.

F. Be limited to two terms, not necessarily in succession.

 

SECTION 5. ELECTIONS:

 

1. Four weeks prior to the date of the annual organizational meeting, at which the election of Executive Board Officers shall be held, the Chairman shall notify all members of the CR of the upcoming election.

2. On the date of notification of the CR election, a Rules and Credentials Committee shall be created, and shall:

A. Enforce all rules of the election, as established by Art. V, Sec. 5, Par. 3 of this Constitution.

B. Be chaired by the nomination of the CR Chairman, as approved by a majority vote of Active Members at a General Meeting.

C. Shall consist of a minimum of four additional members, established by the Committee Chair, none of whom shall be existing Executive Board Officers, nor candidates in the upcoming election.

D. Verify the credentials of both the candidates and Active Members participating in the election.

E. Preside over all aspects of the election.

F. Establish and distribute the election ballot.

G. Have the authority to implement and enforce any other rules as it deems necessary and proper for the functioning of the election.

3. Elections shall proceed as follows:

A. Active Members who have attained their status two weeks prior to the election shall be granted the right to both run for office and vote in the election.

B. Candidates shall provide, to the Rules and Credentials Committee, an official academic transcript, which shall be verified by said Committee.

C. Candidates shall declare their candidacy before the CR at a General Meeting at least two weeks prior to the election.

D. The Rules and Credentials Committee shall establish a time and venue, at least one week prior to the election, for the candidates to address the CR.

E. The election shall be held by 01 April.

F. The only ballots counted shall be those cast for publicly declared candidates who have been verified by the Rules and Credentials Committee, in accordance with Art. V, Sec. 5, Par. 3, Lines B and C of this Constitution.

G. Absentee ballots shall only be provided to Active Members who have requested such a ballot from the Rules and Credentials Committee at least two weeks prior to the election.  These ballots must be distributed to those Active Members at least one week prior to the election and must be submitted to the Committee before the close of the election.

H. The Rules and Credentials Committee shall have the authority to implement and enforce any other rules as it deems necessary and proper for the functioning of the election.

 

SECTION 6. VACANCY OF OFFICE:

  1. Any Officer, who, having been found guilty of violating Article II by a jury of his peers, as established by Art. III, Sec. 2, Par. 4 of this Constitution, shall be removed from office and expelled from the CR.
  2. In the event of a vacancy on the Executive Board, the Board shall appoint an Active Member, who, having fulfilled the requirements set forth in Art. V, Sec. 5, Par. 3, Lines B and C of this Constitution, having been verified by the Executive Board, and having been approved by a vote of confidence by the majority of Active Members at the next General Meeting, shall fill the vacant office for the remainder of the term.

 

ARTICLE VI

STANDING RULES

The Executive Board may adopt any standing rules for the CR, provided that they do not conflict with this Constitution, have been approved by a two-thirds majority vote of Active Members at a General Meeting, and shall remain in effect no longer than the duration of the current term.

ARTICLE VII

FINANCES

 

SECTION 1. HANDLING OF FUNDS

  1. All monies belonging to the CR shall be deposited and dispersed through a bank account established for the CR.
  2. The Treasurer shall administer the CR Bank account, and the Executive Board shall approve all transactions.
  3. The Treasurer must account for all funds.
  4. The Chairman and the Treasurer shall co-sign all checks written on the CR checking account.
  5. A record of the financial standing of the CR shall be entered into the minutes of each Executive Board Meeting and General Meeting.

SECTION 2. DUES

  1. The Executive Board may collect membership dues, at a rate set by a majority of the Executive Board, and as approved by a two-thirds majority vote of Active Members at a General Meeting, held within the first three weeks of the fall semester.
  2. Once set, the dues rate shall not be increased for the remainder of the term.

ARTICLE VIII

AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may only be amended by a written submission to the Executive Board, a presentation at a General Meeting, and, two weeks thereafter, a vote at a General Meeting.  Only Active Members, as defined by Art. III, Sec. 2, Par. 2 of this Constitution, shall have the right to vote on any proposed amendment.  Any amendment shall require a two-thirds majority vote of the Active Members at a General Meeting.

ARTICLE IX

ADOPTION

This Constitution shall be approved upon a two-thirds majority vote of Active Members at the General Meeting on 13 February, 2007.  This Constitution shall be enacted upon the installation of the Executive Board of the 2007-2008 school year.   This Article shall expire upon installation of the Executive Board of the 2007-2008 school year and the enactment of this Constitution.