The Constitution of PRIDE! Kent – Revised Fall 2008

PREAMBLE

Although human experience is as vastly different as we are individually, we find joy and comfort in our common humanity. We recognize that the inherent basic rights of all human beings have not always been respected due to the prejudice, ignorance, and fear, which results in oppression. By upholding this constitution, we, the members to the PRIDE! Kent pledge ourselves to the employment of legitimate and nonviolent means to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer equality and liberation, as well as the equality and liberation of ALL people as best as we are able.

Article I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be PRIDE! Kent, which stands for “People Respecting Individual Differences Everywhere”. Previous names of this organization include: Kent State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Union, The Kent Gay Liberation Front, and Kent Gay and Lesbian Foundation.

Article II. PURPOSES AND GOALS

            Section A.

To educate our campus and the surrounding community at large about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues.

            Section B.

                        To lobby to all levels of government to further human rights.

            Section C.

                        To provide social programming for our constituency and community members.

            Section D.

To create a supportive environment for those in need from the campus to the surrounding communities, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Article III. MEMBERSHIP

            Section A.

General membership is open to any individual who shows genuine interest in the causes of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, and queers; sexually transmitted diseases; safer sex education; and a willingness to abide by this constitution.

            Section B.

Membership may not be restricted on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation.

            Section C.

                        Voting Members

1.      a) Must have attended at least three (3) meetings during the current academic semester.

b) Or must have attended three (3) meetings the previous semester if the vote is being taken during the first three (3) weeks of the academic semester.

2.      Should any person’s right to vote be challenged, the situation shall be resolved by consulting the Secretary’s attendance records, or by the overruling of the mutual consent between the Executive Director and Faculty/Staff Advisor

3.      Abstentions equate to retracting the right to vote

Section D.

All members and Executive Board members reflect Kent State University and PRIDE! Kent and should act in a way which reflects both in a positive manner. As such, all members must understand they must comply with all university and PRIDE! Kent rules and regulations at all times.

Section E.

Affiliate membership will be granted to any person who is not a student at Kent State University. Affiliate members will be able to serve on any committees and will have the same rights as general membership.

Section F.

                        Member Disciplinary Action

1.      All members of PRIDE! Kent are expected to behave in a safe and supportive manner. If in the event the safety and security of the organization and/or its members are at risk, the member causing the risk will be held accountable for their actions. Regardless of mental, emotional, and physical disabilities, all are sanctioned to the same disciplinary actions. These actions have been put in place to protect all members of PRIDE! Kent, and to ensure that all members feel safe and secure at all weekly meetings and special events, as well as to ensure PRIDE! Kent’s standing as an organization.

2.      After an event has occurred while participating in a PRIDE! Kent sponsored event, the member in question will be expected to speak with the Executive Board and a representative from the Center for Student Involvement, if available, about the incident and what actions are to be taken at that time.

3.      After the meeting, if the member agrees that they will have their membership revoked and attendance to weekly meetings and PRIDE! Kent sponsored events will be barred if another incident occurs, their membership will be kept intact after a probation period.

4.      The probation period is three (3) meetings, before attendance to out-of-meeting events, on and off-campus events included. These three meetings must be with the individual in attendance, not primarily three calendar meetings with no attendance of the individual. 

5.      If the member does not feel that they will be able to control themselves in the future, their membership will be withdrawn immediately.

6.      If in the event that the damage the member has caused is severe, a second chance will not be given and membership will be immediately withdrawn.

7.      Severe damage includes: property damage, hospitalization, police action, disciplinary action of an individual or the PRIDE! Kent organization from the university, or any other action that the Executive Board feels is severe enough to cause withdrawal of membership.

Article IV. EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section A.

            President

1.      Must keep a minimum of three (3) office hours per business week.

2.      Runs the Member and Executive Board meetings.

3.      Ensures that the other officers are fulfilling their job descriptions and that the organization is abiding by its constitutional guidelines.

4.      Ensures that all Office of Campus Life and Undergraduate Student Senate (USS) forms and paperwork are completed and submitted by their specified deadline.

5.      Attends all mandatory allocations workshops and USS meetings with the accompaniment of the Treasurer.

6.      Has the responsibility to add and subtract names from the office key list with the approval of the Executive Board, unless categorized as an emergency with regard to a threat of organizational security.

7.      Has the ability to make executive decisions in the event an immediate decision is necessary, and no other Executive Board member can be reached.

8.      Shall successfully complete his/her term of office except in the case of voluntary resignation due to extreme crisis, failure to meet position requirements, sanction by the Office of Campus Life, or in case of impeachment (outlined in Article VII).

9.      The role of President is a university compensated leadership position to be paid three-fourths (75%) at the beginning of the Spring semester and the last fourth (25%) at the end of the Spring semester, so long as they have fulfilled and met the requirements and guidelines put forth by the Center for Student Involvement.

Section B.

            Vice President

1.      Must keep a minimum of three (3) office hours per business week.

2.      Runs the PRIDE! Kent Speaker’s Bureau, training speakers for panels in classes and conferences.

3.      Is responsible for Member and Executive Board meetings when the President is unable to attend.

4.      Responsible for being a representative/ambassador to other student organizations.

Section C.

            Secretary

1.      Must keep a minimum of three (3) office hours per business week.

2.      Is responsible for recording agenda/minutes form both the Executive Board and Member meetings.

3.      Is responsible for distributing an attendance list during each meeting, including names and e-mail addresses.

4.      Maintains office library.

5.      Handles organizational correspondence communication through the Yahoo! Mail account.

6.      Is responsible for posting the weekly meeting notes on the PRIDE! Kent listserv through the Yahoo! Group.

7.      Maintains the upkeep and updating of the organization’s website PRIDE! Kent Online at the designated web space.

8.      Will serve as PRIDE! Kent Historian, representing our history through a scrapbook.

Section D.

                        Treasurer

1.      Must keep a minimum of three (3) office hours per business week.

2.      Has the responsibility of maintaining the organizational finances and expenditures in compliance with University guidelines.

3.      Maintains the bookkeeping in such a manner that he/she will not be personally jeopardized by the mishandling of any other individual.

4.      Is responsible for the management of any outside organizational account(s).

5.      Must report to the rest of the Executive Board regarding the standing of the organization’s finances and/or any outside account(s) at Executive Board meetings whenever a transaction occurs.

Section E.

            Programming Director

1.      Must keep a minimum of three (3) office hours per business week.

2.      Is responsible for organization, production, and paperwork for programs during or outside of regularly scheduled Member or Executive Board meetings, with the support of the President.

3.      Works to establish publicity for the organization.

4.      Must approve all materials before anything is printed or sent out (i.e. flyers, press releases, posters).

5.      Must work with the Treasurer to do all contingency paperwork and to pay all bills associated with designed programs.

Section F.

            Allies Chair

1.      Must keep a minimum of three (3) office hours per business week.

2.      The Allies Chair position is suggested for a straight identifying member of PRIDE! Kent who will serve as a representative for the rest of the straight identifying student body. They are there to reach out to those students who may feel intimidated because they feel that they wouldn’t belong at PRIDE! Kent.

3.      Is responsible for assisting the Vice President with the Speaker’s Bureau and must have the knowledge to assist in the training of speakers before a program takes place.

            Section G.

                        Committee Members

                                    1. Must attend all committee meetings.

2. Are responsible for completing tasks pertinent to their respective committee (i.e. Fundraising Committee members plan and execute fundraisers and Program Committee members plan and execute programs).

3. Report to their respective Committee Chair.

4. Are non-voting members of the Executive Board and may attend Executive Board meetings when invited by the Chair of their committee.

Article V. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

            Section A.

These officers make up the principle governing body of PRIDE! Kent, and are subject to this constitution and the rules and regulations of Kent State University.

            Section B.

All Executive Board members are expected to attend the weekly Member meetings as well as any Executive Board meetings.

            Section C.

                        All eligible members have the ability to vote in all decisions.

            Section D.

An emergency meeting of the Executive Board can be called by two (2) or more board members.

            Section E.

All Executive Board members are elected for a full academic year, unless contingency exists that have been voted on and accepted by the current Executive Board (outlined in Article VII).

            Section F.

The Executive Board hears requests from individuals with prospective ideas for the organization.

            Section G.

1.      All Executive Board members must assist the Treasurer in the yearly allocations processes.

2.      Prior to withdrawing money from the PRIDE! Kent Account the executive board member must receive permission from at least two other Executive Board members including the President, by proof of signature.

            Section H.

The Executive Board members are seen as spokespersons for the group, and should conduct themselves appropriately.

            Section I.

The Executive Board has the authority to hand down disciplinary sanctions to any member of PRIDE! Kent regardless of rank or title.

            Section J.

If any Executive Board member seeks to create a committee to aid in programming, it is their responsibility to monitor their committee.

Article VI. ELECTIONS

            Section A.

                        PROCEDURES

1.      Elections shall be held during the Member meeting after Spring Break.

2.      Elections may be postponed by a majority vote of the Executive Board under extenuating circumstances. Voting will be conducted by the attending advisor and current President. After ballots are collected, the secretary and advisor hold the responsibility of counting and reporting the results to the group.

3.      If the current President is running for re-election, they may appoint another Executive Board member, not running for re-election, to conduct the voting in their place.

4.      There shall be a training session for all new Executive board members when all positions are filled.

5.      The Executive Board must have at least five board members. If all positions are not filled, the President must propose to the Center for Student Involvement that the semester continues on with only four officers.

a) In this event, the remaining unfilled seats, will have their responsibilities distributed across the newly elected Executive Board.

b) Or if an election is not possible or favorable, the remaining Executive Board members must come to an agreement on a organization member to be sworn in until the next possible election.

Section B.

            Applications for Executive Board Positions

1.      Applications will be made available at least two (2) weeks prior to elections.

2.      Applications will be made public, only to general membership eyes, prior to voting.

3.      General membership will vote by open ballot.

Section C.

            Eligibility

1.      All officers must have a minimum accumulative GPA of 2.25.

2.      Officers must not be on academic probation or semester warning.

3.      All officers my be enrolled in a minimum of nine (9) undergraduate hours, and have reached or passed the position of a second semester Freshman.

4.      All officers must have successfully completed a minimum of six (6) credit hours during the previous semester.

Article VII. RESIGNATIONS, IMPEACHMENTS, AND VACANCIES

            Section A.

Resignations: The resignation of an officer shall be complete upon written notification to the Executive Board.

            Section B.

Removal: The officers and general membership may remove from any officer who is not fulfilling his/her official duties. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote shall determine the outcome, with consultation of the Advisor. A member of the Executive Board shall notify the officer in question, in writing, that the matter will be discussed at the next Member meeting, at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of voting on an outcome.

            Section C.

Committee Seat Vacancies- Should any committee seat become vacant, the Executive Board shall appoint a new officer, who meets all eligibility requirements.

            Section D.

1.      Presidential Vacancy- In case of the removal of the President from office, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the Vice President will take over the responsibilities of the President until the President returns to office, or a Presidential election.

2.      Executive Board Vacancy- In this event, the remaining unfilled seats, will have their responsibilities distributed across the newly elected Executive Board. If an election is not possible or favorable, the remaining Executive Board members must come to an agreement on an organization member who meets all eligibility requirements to be sworn in until the next possible election.

Article VIII. FACULTY/STAFF ADVISOR

            Section A.

The Faculty/Staff Advisor shall be a full time member of Kent State University, and who are supportive of the purposes and goals of PRIDE! Kent.

            Section B.

The Faculty/Staff Advisor shall not vote on any issues, as it is his/her primary role to advise.

            Section C.

Should the role of Faculty/Staff Advisor become vacant, it is the responsibility of the Executive Board to select a new Faculty/Staff Advisor(s).

Article X. RATIFIATION

            Section A.

This constitution may be ratified by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the voting membership at a meeting specified by the Executive Board.

Article XI. AMENDMENTS

            Section A.

Amendments to the constitution can be introduced by any eligible voting member of PRIDE! Kent or any other member of the Executive Board. Approval of the suggested amendment depends on a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all Executive Board members.