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Clark University Speakers Forum Charter |
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Speakers Forum Amended 4/20/2009 Speakers Forum brings an eclectic group of speakers, both with and without significant name recognition, to give entertaining and/or informative lectures on the Clark University Campus. Speakers Forum is open to sponsoring events with other student groups that fit with the mission of Speakers Forum. The speakers that Speakers Forum brings to speakers to Clark to discuss a diverse array of topics throughout the academic year. In some cases these speakers will present uncommon or unpopular views on the topics they discuss. Speakers Forum will not ever use its full budget on one speaker, as this will prevent the organization from bringing a large variety of Speakers that present a diversity of viewpoints on an eclectic group of topics. Furthermore, Speakers Forum will not limit itself to bringing Speakers that are expected to attract a large audience, as this may hinder the bringing of speakers on such an array of issues. However, Speakers Forum is committed to bringing a least two Speakers each year that are expected to draw a large audience, as determined by Speakers Forum. Bylaw 124 Be it enacted by the Clark University Student Council that all Student Council recognized organizations receiving funding from the Student Activities Fund must: Sec 1a Be open to membership to all members if the Clark Undergraduate Student Body, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or handicap. Sec 1b Be continuously available for additional membership, activities, and participation by all members of the Clark Undergraduate Community. Sec 1c Have an Executive Board. Sec 2a Open and widely publicize all organizational meetings and events, and activities that the organizations hold, sponsor, or co-sponsor (excluding the Spree Day Committee). Sec 2b Allow events and activities held, sponsored, or co-sponsored to be open for the participation of all members of the Clark Undergraduate Student Body regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or handicap. Sec 3a Submit one (1) copy of its charter, if changed to the Judiciary Committee of the Student Council for approval by that committee. Sec 3b Submit one (1) copy of all executive board changes, as necessary, with updated contact information to the Judiciary Committee of the Student Council. Sec 3c Keep on file for their reference, and the reference of their members, a copy of their charter. Sec 4 Notify the Student Council Secretary in writing at least one week in advance of any organizational elections for the purpose of openly and widely publicizing the said elections. Sec 5 Have an advisor; said advisor can not be an undergraduate student. Sec 6 Failure to comply with any portion of this bylaw will be cause for an organization to be considered ineligible for SAF funding. Section 1: Membership 1. Membership in Speakers Forum is open to all undergraduate students at Clark University, regardless of sex, race, religion, creed, nationality, sexual orientation, or handicap. 2. Any undergraduate student may become a voting member of Speakers Forum by attending three (3) Speakers Forum meetings. On the third Speakers Forum meeting attended by a student, that student becomes a voting member of Speakers Forum and is eligible to cast one (1) vote in any Speakers Forum vote or election. 3. A voting member will lose their voting status if they miss more than three (3) consecutive meetings, with the exception of E-Board members, who have to be formally removed. 3a voting member who studies abroad will regain their voting status at the first Speakers Forum meeting that student attends upon their return to studies at the main Clark campus in Worcester, MA. 3b. Automatic loss of voting rights may be reversed by a simple majority vote at the meeting that a member would lose his/her voting rights. 4. All students are invited to attend meetings and suggest speaker ideas, formally make a proposal, or seek co-sponsorship. Only undergraduate students who have attained voting member status are eligible to vote on any proposal. 5. At the end of each academic year, any voting member may run for and/or vote for any member to fill the five (5) Executive Board positions in the following academic year. The Executive Board will include a president, a vice president, a treasurer, a publicity director, and a secretary. 6. The date of the aforementioned election will be determined by the current president, and will be announced during the preceding Speakers Forum meeting and to all Speakers Forum members by email prior to the actual election. The announcement and email will also outline the format of the election as determined by the President and agreed upon by a simple majority of the E-Board. 7. In the event that a full eboard can not be elected at the end of the year, the newly-elected eboard members will serve as the full eboard, until the third meeting of Speakers Forum in the following academic year, where new voting members can run in a special election to fill any vacant e-board positions. 8. A member of the Executive Board may be removed from office by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the voting body present, excluding the member in question. The member in question must be given one week’s time to defend him/herself before a vote on impeachment may take place. Both the person who proposed the vote or their representative and the defendant will be given an equal and fair chance to state their cases before the vote takes place. Section 2: Meetings 1. Speakers Forum will meet weekly or bi-weekly, depending on the need for meetings, as determined by the current president of Speakers Forum 2. Meeting times will be determined at the beginning of the academic year by the full E-Board, and then publicized by email and the Speakers Forum website.. Section 3: Proposals and Voting 1. A meeting will be considered to have quorum if three fifths (3/5) of total voting members are present at that meeting. In the event the quorum cannot be achieved at a given meeting, that meeting may take place, but no binding votes may be held. 2. A proposal may be presented be any student at any scheduled meeting of Speakers Forum. A proposal can encourage sponsorship of an event with another group or independent sponsorship of an event. All proposals must be submitted in writing and be verbally communicated at any scheduled meeting of Speakers Forum. Any proposal must include the estimated cost of the event, a description of the event and the speaker, and the names of any other groups that will be sponsoring the event. If requested a proposal template will be provided. 3. Any vote on a proposal may not take place until a meeting that is considered to have quorum. Voting outcome may include the allocation of funds, or the setting aside of funding for future allocation upon meeting conditions to be described at the time of the vote, or the postponement of an official vote until a later date. Simple majority plus one will determine voting outcome. 4. No binding vote may take place if any member requests to debate an issue. A cloture vote of a 3/5 supermajority may be used to force after ten (10) minutes of debate on a given topic. 5. Binding Votes may generally only take place at publicized meetings of Speakers Forum. The one exception to this is if a physical meeting of the Speakers Forum is impossible. In that event, a binding online vote on any issue that can be voted on during a physical speakers Forum meeting may be held. 6. Online voting must have a question or issue clearly stated and emailed to the all voting members of Speakers Forum. All online votes must be held open for five (5) days or until all voting members or Speakers Forum cast a vote. 7. Binding votes may also be used to issue statements on behalf of Speakers Forum. Statements on behalf of the Speakers Forum must reflect the will and opinion of the entire membership of Speakers Forum. In that spirit, votes on group statements must be unanimous among the voting and non-voting members of Speakers Forum. Section 4: Funds 1. Speakers Forum is funded by students via the Student Activity Fee, and its annual budget is provided through the Campus Programming Board 2. Money from the Speakers Forum account may not be used for personal use of any kind by any student. 3. Money from the Speakers Forum account may only be used for the bringing of Speakers to the Clark University campus, costs associated with such speaking events, or Speakers Forum business. Section 5: Events 1. The students responsible for ensuring the smoothness of an event will be determined by a vote of simple majority plus one of all present voting member of Speakers Forum prior to the event. 2. Because Speakers Forum is funded by the Clark University undergraduate student body, all events solely sponsored by Speakers Forum will be free to undergraduate Clark students. 3. If Speakers Forum charges non-Clark undergraduate students, it may do so to cover its expenses, and may not charge in an effort to make a profit. 4. At events solely sponsored by Speakers Forum, the person/persons who presented the proposal will have the right to introduce the Speaker. If this/these persons do not wish to introduce the speaker, the option to do so will go to members of the Executive Board in the order that follows: the president, the vice-president, the treasurer, the publicity director, and the secretary. Section 6: Amendment 1. Amendments to this charter may be proposed by any voting member of Speakers Forum, and must then be seconded by another member. After the amendment has been seconded an open floor discussion must take place that will last no fewer then five (5) minutes. After the open discussion a two thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present is required to ratify the proposed amendment. The Clark University Undergraduate Student Council Judiciary Committee must approve any changes or amendments to this charter. Organization and Responsibility of Executive Board
President · Is a voting member of Speakers Forum · Schedules and facilitates Speakers Forum meetings · May cast a tie-breaking vote in addition to his/her normal vote, except for votes on the impeachment or election of executive board members · Creates agendas for all Speakers Forum meetings · Spokesperson for Speaker Forum to other clubs, offices, and facets of campus · Responsible for handling any paperwork needed for any speaking event · The president may elect to hold signing rights for Speakers Forum Vice President · Is a voting member of Speakers Forum · Facilitates meetings in the president’s absence · Becomes president in the event of the president’s removal, resignation, or inability to serve Treasurer · Is a voting member of the Speakers Forum · Holds signing rights if the president chooses not to do so · Is responsible for maintaining, processing, and executing business and financial affairs for Speakers Forum · Produces financial reports and all other financial paperwork Secretary
· Is a voting member of the Speakers Forum · Responsible for making publicity for upcoming programs and coming up with event names · Hangs Fliers in public buildings on campus and drops fliers at RLH Office and in University Center Info Desk for hanging · Produces and hangs banner in University Center for events, at the discretion of the president · Maintains and updates Speakers Forum website · Is responsible for sending weekly emails to Speakers Forum members and keeping notes on Speakers Forum meetings. Speakers Forum Contact List: President: Chris Traft CTraft@clarku.edu Vice President: Kylie Kutney KKutney@clarku.edu Treasurer: Dan Gilbert DGilbert@clarku.edu Secretary: Hillary Gleason HGleason@clarku.edu Advisor: Alexander Abels AlexAbel@aol.com |
