Constitution

Preamble:

We consider it an indisputable fact that each person is naturally worthy of respect and responsible autonomy.

And in acknowledgement of our imperfect society, we consider it necessary and appropriate to validate the uniqueness of each individual’s orientation and identity.

It is in recognition and celebration of our diverse lives and experiences that we dedicate this The Constitution of the University of Akron’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Union.

Article I – Name

The official name of this organization shall be the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Union of the University of Akron, hereinafter referred to as LGBTU.

Article II – Purposes and Goals

This organization shall strive in all reasonable and deliberate ways to achieve the following purposes and goals:

1. To provide an environment in which gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students can freely assemble in order to provide mutual support and to address the campus and community on pertinent issues.

2. To develop educational programs in order to hasten the elimination of myths, misconceptions, and stereotypes.

3. To support the implementation and enforcement of The University of Akron’s policies prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

4. To work for unity and harmony among the members of the campus community and the community-at-large.

5. To promote the rights of each individual to express his sexual orientation equally and without fear.

6. To provide education pertaining to physically and emotionally healthy behaviors.

Article III – Membership

A. Eligibility

1. Those eligible for membership shall include any post-secondary student, undergraduate student, graduate student, alumni, faculty, university staff member, or any other compensated or official volunteer worker associated with the University of Akron.

2. In addition, membership shall be open to any friend or family member of the above persons who supports the purposes and goals of this organization and its constitution.

B. Types of Membership

1. Voting Membership: A voting member status shall be accorded to any currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate student in good standing with the university who maintains a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.00, and has exhibited a history of regular participation. Disputes regarding voting membership status shall be settled by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

2. Non-Voting Membership: A non-voting membership shall be accorded to all other persons discussed in Article III, section A who are not eligible for voting membership as outlined in Article III, section B, part 1.

C. Revocation of Membership

1. Situations Warranting Revocation: Any person found to be intentionally and malevolently undermining LGBTU as an organization, its membership, or its purposes and goals as outlined in Article II, may have his membership revoked.

2. Revocation Process:

i) The accused member must be informed, by any reasonable means, of any vote regarding his membership status no less than a week before said vote is to occur.

ii) The accused member may choose to attend the voting meeting to speak in his own defense, or the member may furnish a written statement in his defense. However such attendance or statement is not required for said vote to occur.

iii) No less than one week after the accused member has been informed and has had the opportunity to present his case the currently-elected officers shall cast a vote. The accused member will have his membership revoked upon a majority vote of the officers.

3. Reapplication for membership: Any person who has had his membership revoked may request renewed membership no sooner than the first day of the subsequent academic year.

Article IV – Officers

A. Officer Positions

1. Executive Officers: President, Vice-President, and Administrative Officer

2. Secondary Officers: Office manager, Secondary Events Coordinator, Publicity Coordinator, and Technology Coordinator.

B. Qualifications for Holding an Office

1. The candidate must be a voting member of the organization as outlined in Article III, section B, part 1.

2. The candidate must be enrolled at the University of Akron throughout the duration of the academic year.

3. The candidate must uphold this constitution and the rules and regulations of the University of Akron as pertaining to the operation of student organizations.

4. No member may hold more than one elected LGBTU office at one time unless temporarily filling a vacancy as outlined in Article IV, section E.

C. Powers and Duties

1. President

i) Coordinate the functions and activities of LGBTU as determined by the Executive Board.

ii) Maintain communication with/between members.

iii) Serve as, or delegates to, a liaison between members, others student organizations, the faculty and staff, the community, student government, the university, et al.

iv) Responsible for the completion of or ensuring the completion of all administrative requirements of student organizations as determined by the university.

v) Oversee and ensures the completion of all duties of the officers as delegated or described in this section.

vi) Oversee and authorizes disbursement of LGBTU funds as outlined by the Executive Boards annual budget.

vii) Serve on the Board of Officers

viii) Serve on the Executive Board

2. Vice-President

i) Assist the President as delegated/requested.

ii) Oversee the operation of all ad-hoc committees.

iii) Assume the duties and authorities of the President in the event of the President’s temporary absence.

iv) Oversee and authorizes disbursement of LGBTU funds as outlined by the Executive Board’s annual budget.

v) Serve on the Board of Officers

vi) Serve on the Executive Board

3. Administrative Officer

i) Maintain accurate records on the collection and disbursement of all LGBTU funds.

ii) Report reasonably accurate and current records of funds when requested by an officer or the Faculty Advisor.

iii) Distribute LGBTU funds with the approval of the President or Vice-President in accordance with the Executive Board’s annual budget.

iv) Maintain accurate minutes and attendance records of each meeting and be able to present them when requested.

v) Maintain accurate records of the membership including names, student identification numbers (if applicable), email addresses, attendance records, and membership status.

vi) Prepare the annual EAF grant request to the university and ensure that it meets all guidelines.

vii) Prepare a financial report at the end of each semester and submit a copy to each officer.

viii) Assist the Office Manager with inventory of office resources.

ix) Serve on the Board of Officers

x) Serve on the Executive Board

4. Office Manager

i) Oversee and maintain the LGBTU office space and equipment, including the resource library.

ii) Maintain the schedule of office hours for those who have office access.

iii) Ensure that members who should have office access, and only those members, have access to the office.

iv) Draft policies and rules for use of the office, computer, and the resource library to be approved by the Executive Board.

v) Maintain reasonable supervision of office activities and maintain the appearance of the office.

vi) Assist the administrative officer as requested, including the taking of minutes in his absence.

vii) Serve on the Board of Officers

5. Secondary Events Coordinator

i) Plan and coordinate secondary events as designated by or approved by the Executive Board.

ii) Ensure publicity tables/booths are adequately staffed and supplied.

iii) Assist the Executive Board with the planning of major events.

iv) Serve on the Board of Officers

6. Publicity Coordinator

i) As requested or approved by the executive board, utilize any reasonable means to advertise and/or publicize LGBTU events or programs.

ii) Ensure all posters, flyers, or other means of advertising are done satisfactorily and in full compliance with university regulations.

iii) Alter and update advertising materials in cooperation of the officers.

iv) Serve on the Board of Officers

7. Technology Coordinator

i) Maintain the organizations official website and update as appropriate.

ii) Moderate and maintain any other online groups, websites, mailings lists, etc. directly associated with LGBTU.

iii) Utilize the organization’s media equipment to document meetings and events as requested by the officers.

iv) Make any media or online resources available to the officers as necessary.

v) Serve on the Board of Officers

D. Chain of Command: The chain of command of the officers shall be:

1. The President, or in his absence…

2. The Vice-President, or in his absence…

3. The Administrative officer, or in his absence…

4. The Office Manager, or in his absence…

5. The Secondary Events Coordinator, or in his absence…

6. The Publicity Coordinator, or in his absence…

7. The Technology Coordinator

E. Election of Officers

1. Terms of office: The terms of all offices shall begin the first Saturday after the conclusion of the spring semester and continue until the first Saturday after the spring semester of the following academic year.

2. Nomination and Voting Meetings

i) Nominations and voting will take place during regular meeting times.

ii) Voting will take place no less than one but no more than four weeks after nominations.

iii) Nominations and voting will take place during the spring semester and the specific dates will be determined by the Executive Board.

iv) The Executive Board will announce the dates no less than four weeks prior to the meeting when nominations will occur.

v) The dates will be sufficiently advertised to the general membership.

3. Nomination

i) Any member meeting the general requirements of Article IV, section B may be nominated for an office.

ii) Nominations must be made by a voting member as outlined in Article III, section B, part 1.

iii) Any eligible member as outlined above may nominate himself for office.

iv) Eligible members do not need to be in attendance to receive nomination.

v) Any eligible person may accept nomination for no more than two offices.

vi) Members must accept their nomination no more less than two days before the vote is to occur.

4. Voting

i) Voting will take place during the meeting as determined by the Executive Board in accordance with Article IV, section E, part 2.

ii) The ballots of all voting members, in accordance with Article III, section B, part 1, in attendance, and only those in attendance, will count towards the election.

iii) Votes will be marked on a ballot created by the Executive Board that can be submitted anonymously.

iv) Candidates on the ballot need not be in attendance during the voting.

v) After voting is closed, the ballots will be tallied by the Administrative Officer and double-checked by another officer or impartial member.

5. Election to Office

i) After the votes are tallied, the candidate for each office with a plurality of votes cast shall be declared the winner.

ii) In the event that a candidate receives a plurality of votes for two positions, he must determine which one office he will accept within twenty-four hours of the election. The other office shall be awarded to the candidate who received the next highest number of votes.

iii) In the event that a candidate receives a plurality of votes for two positions and the office he does not accept has no other candidate, a special election shall occur. The date of such an election shall be as determined by the Executive Board.

iv) In the event of a tie vote, a revote shall immediately occur between candidates who were tied to determine a winner.

v) In the event of a tie during a revote, the winner shall be determined by the Faculty Advisor.

F. Vacancies of Office

1. In the event of a temporary or short-term absence, the chain of command, as outlined in Article IV, section D, will be followed.

2. In the event that an office becomes vacant for any other reason:

i) The chain of command outlined in Article IV, section D will be followed until the vacant office is filled.

ii) The acting executive board shall determine dates for nominations and voting to be held. Such elections must be held in a timely manner.

iii) The vacancy will be filled by the process outlined in Article IV, section E where applicable.

G. Discharge of Officers

1. Resignation: Any officer may at any time resign from his position if he feels that he can no longer meet the requirements of that office. To resign, a letter of resignation must be submitted to the President, who will promptly submit it to the Board of Officers.

2. Impeachment Charges: Impeachment charges can be brought against any officer by any voting member for any of the following reasons:

i) The officer is intentionally and malevolently undermining LGBTU as an organization, its membership, or its purposes and goals as outlined in Article II.

ii) The officer no longer meets the requirements outlined in Article IV, section B.

iii) The officer is unable to perform his/her duties as outlined in Article IV, section C.

iv) The officer can not work cooperatively with the members and/or officers.

3. Impeachment Process:

i) The accused officer must be informed by a representative of the Executive Board, by any reasonable means, of any vote regarding his officer status no less than one week before his impeachment vote is to occur.

ii) The accused officer may choose to attend the voting meeting to present his case or choose to furnish a written statement in his defense.

iii) The accused officer may choose to resign in accordance with Article IV, section G, part 1 any time prior to the impeachment vote. If this occurs, the officer will immediately forfeit his officer status and the impeachment vote will not occur.

iv) If the accused officer does not resign, an impeachment vote will occur as outlined in Article IV, section G, part 4. This vote will occur regardless of whether or not the accused presents a written or verbal defense.

4. Impeachment Vote

i) In the case of Executive Officers, a unanimous vote between the other Executive Officers must occur in order for the accused officer to have his officer status revoked.

ii) In the case of secondary officers, a majority vote between the board of officers must occur in order for the accused officer to have his officer status revoked.

iii) In the event of a tied vote, the accused officer will not be discharged.

5. Discharged Officers