The Constitution of Rainbow Alliance for Helping Others Perceive Equality
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Revised May 2003
Ratified May 2003
Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be Rainbow Alliance for Helping Others Perceive Equality, herein referred to as HOPE.
Article II: Mission Statement
HOPE is a non-profit social, educational and support organization for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Ally (LGBTQA) community. HOPE strives to support, educate and provide a social environment for the LGBTQA population at UW Oshkosh and in the surrounding community. In accordance with its mission, HOPE will include the following objectives:
- Maintain a safe and supportive atmosphere for those that experience difficulty coping with being part of the LGBTQA community.
- Serve as an educational resource by providing information on a variety of LGBTQA issues, as well as related topics.
- Promote visibility of the LGBTQA community at UW Oshkosh and the surrounding community while working to eliminate discrimination and stereotypes.
- Acknowledge and develop respect, admiration and appreciation for the diversity of all people.
- Create an environment for students to meet, socialize and form friendships with others.
Article III: Membership
A. Any individual may be a member of HOPE.
B. Definition of Membership
Voting Members must adhere to the following qualifications:
- Be a UW Oshkosh student
- Attend three consecutive meetings prior to the elections (i.e. the nomination meeting and one regular meeting prior)
Non-Voting Members encompass all other participants, including the following:
- Non-UW Oshkosh students
- Community members and those that do not attend required HOPE meetings before the elections.
C. Disciplinary Action and Member Suspension
All members and visitors to HOPE are expected to follow rules, specifically those regarding confidentiality, respect and all others included within the Constitution.
Violations of these rules will be handled in the following manner as approved by the president and advisor(s):
- Minor offenses will be dealt with initially by granting the violator with a verbal warning.
- Subsequent offenses by the same individual(s) may result in them being asked leave the
meeting or event.
- Any participant that repeatedly violates the above-mentioned rules or commits a gross infraction will be dealt with by the president and advisor(s). Permanent removal from HOPE meetings and activities may be enforced.
Any HOPE member may file a complaint regarding and issue or issues with other member(s). A complaint must be submitted in writing to the president and advisor(s) for review
within one week of the infraction, after which:
- The president and advisor(s) will discuss the petition and infraction and make a decision based on the information presented.
- Any group member not satisfied with the executive board’s decision may appeal to the group as a whole during the next regularly scheduled meeting.
- In the event that the president is involved with an incident or a complaint is filed against them, the same procedure will be followed with the vice president meeting with advisor(s).
Article IV: Executive Board
A. General Responsibilities: All HOPE executive board members will be required to do the following:
- Be a UW Oshkosh student in good standing, maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.0.
- Attend all scheduled HOPE meetings and executive board meetings.
- Assist other executive board members in creating and distributing positive publicity for the organization.
- Be available to serve a full year term (two consecutive academic semesters).
- Each individual will conduct themselves professionally in a manner that serves the best interests of the organization and its mission.
- Fulfill and/or delegate other executive board duties as needed.
- Other duties in assistance to fellow officers and/or duties assigned by the president and advisor(s).
B. Positional Descriptions
President
- Act as the official representative of HOPE at campus and community events.
- Facilitate all executive board and HOPE meetings.
- Create an agenda for weekly executive board and HOPE meetings.
- Prepare press releases concerning organizational issues as needed.
- Act as an impartial figure during HOPE meetings.
- Work with the faculty advisor(s) and treasurer to apply for allocated funds each year.
- Meet with one advisor(s) each month.
- Work with the faculty advisor(s) to ensure HOPE is adhering to University policies,
including those designated by OSA and the Student Allocations Committee.
Vice President
- Assist the president in planning, organizing, structuring and advising with issues related to the organization.
- Serve as a public relations representative to the statewide LGBTQA community.
- Represent and be knowledgeable of resources for members who wish to file discrimination complaints on campus and in the community, referring to the appropriate officials when appropriate.
- Mentor and advise student expressing difficulty and wishing to meet with a member of HOPE, maintaining confidentiality as warranted.
- Fulfill and/or delegate responsibilities in the absence of the president.
Secretary
- Record and distribute minutes from weekly HOPE meetings and executive board meetings.
- Maintain all information related to the organization at the HOPE desk.
- Maintain HOPE membership records, weekly attendance and email list serve.
- Provide advertisement and reminders for HOPE meetings and activities.
Treasurer
- Chair the Funding Committee and organize fundraisers for the organization.
- Work with faculty advisor(s) and president to apply for allocated funds each year.
- Record and maintain all transactions and accounts held by HOPE and provide reimbursement when necessary.
- Perform any purchasing and authorize approved expenditures.
- Make a monthly budget update available to executive board members, advisor(s) and members upon request.
- Meet with one advisor(s) each month.
Oshkosh Student Association (OSA) Representative
- Attend weekly OSA meetings and vote in representation of HOPE and its mission.
- Keep HOPE members informed of weekly OSA business.
- Be familiar with and abide by all OSA documents (Bylaws and Constitution).
- Advise executive board members and advisor(s) of any changes to OSA policies.
- Assist the programming coordinator in the creation and distribution of advertising for HOPE and all activities planned and/or sponsored by the organization.
Programming Coordinator
- Organize activities in accordance with HOPE’s mission and objectives.
- Contract with speakers and guest for regular HOPE meetings and additional programming.
- Appoint members to chair ad hoc committees for individual programs, delegating the detail-orientated planning of these events the committees as necessary.
- Maintain contact with all ad hoc committees while providing guidance and assistance to members.
- Report weekly to the executive board and advisor(s) about current event planning and ideas.
- Assist the OSA representative in the creation and distribution of advertising for HOPE and all activities planned and/or sponsored by the organization.
Article V: Removal of Officers
A. Resignation Process:
Executive board members wishing to resign from their position must adhere to the following process:
? Resignation must be submitted in writing to the executive board members and advisor(s) a minimum of two weeks before the action will take place.
? Following the letter of resignation the departing executive will issue a letter and post it to the HOPE email list serve announcing their resignation and the open position.
? Executive board members are required to continue in the position for two weeks or until training of the new executive board member is completed.
B. Impeachment Process
Executive board members may be impeached any member of HOPE, including executive board members and advisor(s). Reasons for impeachment include, but are not limited to, gross violation of the HOPE Constitution and accompanying documents, violation of University policy, conviction of a violent crime and blatant disregard or dereliction of outlined duties.
Any member wishing to impeach an executive board member must adhere to the following procedure:
- A letter of intent must be submitted to the advisor(s), outlining reason(s) and providing evidence that an impeachment is warranted.
- The advisor(s) will call a special meeting of the executive board within twenty-four hours of receiving the letter of intent to impeach.
- The executive board will meet and discuss the letter to determine if the charges are viable, following which the charged officer will be given ample time to defend the charges and provide evidence on their own behalf.
- The charged executive board member will not be present for open discussion on the impeachment letter. The executive board will make a tentative decision, to be announced at the following regular HOPE meeting.
- The advisor(s) will announce the tentative decision of the executive board, after which group members will have forty-eight hours to respond with feedback to the advisor(s) via email.
- If no new evidence or information is provided following the forty-eight hour response period, the tentative decision of the executive board will stand. In the event of new information or at the discretion of the advisor(s), a special discussion will be held involving the group and a vote will be taken.
- Only voting members of HOPE are eligible to participate in this discussion and/or vote.
- In the event that an executive board members is impeached, they are required to remain in the position for a minimum of two weeks or until the new executive board member is trained.
Ad Hoc Student Liaisons
The executive board and/or advisor(s) may appoint a current member as a liaison to other campus and community organizations with similar goals and views as HOPE. These liaisons may be invited to executive board meetings but will not have voting rights on executive board decisions.
Elections
A. Eligibility
HOPE members are eligible for nomination based on the following criteria:
- All candidates must be voting members of HOPE.
- All candidates must be UW Oshkosh students.
- All candidates must have a current cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- All candidates may not be on academic, disciplinary or residence hall probation.
B. Election Procedure
The advisor(s) will be responsible for upholding the election procedures as follows:
- Nominations may take place at the beginning of the voting meeting or at the meeting one-week prior.
- Nominations can be made by the candidate or another HOPE member, excluding the president and advisor(s).
- All candidates have the right to accept or decline any nomination.
- Following nominations, candidates for the position will be ranked in alphabetical order by last name, and all but the first candidate will be asked to the leave the room. Candidates may not be present for campaign speeches, questions or voting.
- All candidates will have two minutes for a campaign speech.
- Following each speech, present members may ask the candidate questions for a maximum of five minutes.
C. Voting Procedure
- All candidates for the position will be asked to leave the room.
- Voting will take place by written ballot, with ballots being provided by the advisor(s).
- Ballots will be provided for candidates not in the room.
- Ballots will be counted by advisor(s) and president, if not running for any position. The candidate receiving the most votes wins.
- In the event of a tie, voting will take place between the two candidates receiving equal votes (run-off election). If the second round of voting ends in a tie, candidates will be asked to return next week and participate in the election process again, including speeches, question/answer period and a re-vote.
- If a tie occurs during the second election meeting, the final tiebreaker vote will be cast collectively by the advisor(s).
If only one candidate is running for a position, the original process of speech and question/answer period will be followed. After the candidate leaves the room, a present member may move for a confidence vote. This request must be seconded by another member of the group before being acted upon. For a confidence vote, the advisor will ask for those in favor of electing the candidate, those apposed, and abstentions, adding up the total. A simple majority may elect a single candidate through this method and avoid the written ballot process.
- The candidate may not vote in confidence vote proceedings.
Faculty Advisor(s)
HOPE shall have a minimum of one faculty advisor, with a preferred maximum of two. The advisor duties shall be as follows:
- Attend all HOPE executive board meetings.
- Attend at least one weekly HOPE meeting per month.
- Meet with the president and treasurer on a monthly basis.
- Review and approve all monetary transactions before completion.
- Work with the president to ensure HOPE is adhering to University policies, including those designated by OSA and the Student Allocations Committee.
Weekly Meetings
HOPE meetings are held Monday nights at 9:00pm unless otherwise designated by the executive board.
- Before each meeting a member of HOPE will read the disclaimer, ensuring that all proceedings will be confidential unless otherwise specified by the executive board.
Amendments
The constitution may be amended or ratified, in whole or in part, with a simple majority vote during a regular HOPE meeting.
Any changes to the constitution will take place immediately unless otherwise specified before voting. |
