Article I: Name and Purpose s1

No Labels Constitution

Article I: Name and Purpose

Section 1

The name of this organization shall be No Labels at The Ohio State University.

Section 2

The purpose of this organization shall be to further the No Labels movement by engaging college students with a new politics of problem solving. No Labels at The Ohio State University enables and activates students by providing platforms to begin and further their political experience. This organization serves to facilitate growth in communication and deliberation to further the abilities of effective problem solving.

Article II: Policy

Section 1

Locally, this chapter shall affiliate with members of the Problem Solvers Caucus in Ohio and nationally with the non-profit organization No Labels.

Section 2

This chapter will follow the university’s rules and policies regarding the function of a student organization.

Article III: Membership

Section 1

Any student currently enrolled at The Ohio State University is eligible for membership. When an interested student submits his or her name, email address, and zip code to the organization, said student becomes a No Labels activist. An activist is a student on the email list and may attend No Labels meetings, yet does not receive the benefits of full membership.

Section 2

When an activist completes the new member process (Article III, Section 5), that student shall then be considered a full-fledged member of the No Labels Ohio State University chapter.

Section 3

Membership entitles a student the privilege to vote in elections for the Executive Board, receive a No Labels book and T-shirt, and take part in chapter events.

Section 4

This chapter will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religious beliefs, party affiliation, disability, age, ancestry or national or ethnic origin.

Section 5

The new member process consists of undergoing a brief No Labels introductory meeting, paying a $10 membership fee, meeting with an executive board member, and attending at least two full chapter meetings.

Article IV: Executive Board

Section 1

The Executive Board shall act as the governing body of the chapter by making policies and supervising the organization.

Section 2

The Executive Board shall consist of the following elected positions: President(s), Vice President of Finance, Vice President of Communications, Vice President of New Membership, Vice President of Internal Affairs, and Vice President of Social Engagement.

Section 3

The Executive Board shall add or eliminate existing positions by an amendment to the constitution, outlined in Article VIII. Any new positions shall be filled through the election process outlined in Article VI.

Section 4

Executive Board meetings shall be held at least once a month, with additional meetings added at the Board’s discretion. These meetings are open to all members except when a majority vote of the Executive Board decides to close the meeting.

Section 5

Decisions made by the executive board may be overruled by a ⅔ majority of general members present at a general membership meeting.

Section 6

The executive board shall consist of two co-presidents, until the first chapter election, expected to be held in April 2016.

Article V: Powers of the Elected Executive Board

Section 1 – President

The President(s) shall be the official representative and spokesperson of the chapter. He or she will create an agenda for and preside over each meeting. The President will also be the contact for the national organization to discuss progress and share ideas for events and fundraising the chapter can do.

Section 2 – Vice President of Finance

The Vice President of Finance will be responsible for the financial obligations of the chapter. This includes maintaining a budget, submitting financial paperwork to the proper organizations within the university on time. The Vice President of Finance will submit a budget report at least once every semester to the Executive Board. The Vice President of Finance is also responsible for sending a budget report to the national organization for funding requests, as well as searching for additional financing via grants and strategic partnerships. The Vice President of Finance must annually complete the treasurer training as dictated by Ohio State University Student Life. Finally, the Vice President of Finance will be responsible for reimbursements in the chapter’s name.

Section 3 – Vice President of Communication

The Vice President of Communication will be responsible for the branding and image of No Labels at The Ohio State University, primarily through public outreach both on social media and through local media sources. The Vice President of Communication shall actively promote chapter events and accomplishments, create regular press releases, and seek further outlets for publicity. The Vice President of Communication will be tasked with operation and maintenance of the email list-serv.

Section 4 – Vice President of Internal Affairs

The Vice President of Internal Affairs will be tasked with recording minutes of meetings, keeping up-to-date records of current membership and recording vote totals at all meetings, after the president and advisor have counted the votes. Further, the Vice President of Internal Affairs will be responsible for the chapter’s official calendar. This includes collaborating with the President(s) and other executive board members on constructing the calendar and disseminating the schedule of monthly events through a GoogleCal and printed calendars.

Section 5 – Vice President of New Membership

The Vice President of New Membership shall be responsible for the chapter’s recruitment program to bring new members into the chapter. The Vice President of New Membership shall conceive of and disseminate an overall plan and strategy to reach the chapter’s recruitment goals, the general vision of which shall be the recruitment of the highest-number of politically interested students, who are enthusiastic about problem solving, as possible. The Vice President of New Membership shall lead the chapter’s Involvement Fair tabling efforts, as well as continuously reaching out to potential new members, through scholars programs, greek life, and student government.

Section 6 – Vice President of Social Engagement

The Vice President of Social Engagement shall collaborate with the President(s) and the executive board in promoting social interactions between organization members. The VPSE shall hold no less than two social events per academic semester and shall be tasked with keeping member retention and engagement high. The VPSE will work with the President(s) in scheduling and facilitating chapter dinners with speakers.

Article VI: Executive Board Elections

Section 1 – Eligibility

In order to be eligible to run for an office a candidate must have attended at least three general meetings. Nominations shall be officially made on the day of the election by an active member who is not a candidate for an office. Selection and election of the Executive Board shall ideally reflect a diversity of experiences to demonstrate a an organization-wide commitment to valuing differences. Nominated candidates shall be committed to further the No Labels movement. During nominations and voting, members shall keep in mind the need to sustain the chapter, thus the inclusion of underclassmen is encouraged.

Section 2 – Election Guidelines

Elections shall be announced one month prior, and members shall be notified when the election process begins. Annual elections will occur during the month of April at a regularly scheduled club meeting determined at the discretion of the Executive Board. Each active member in attendance is given one vote for each office excluding the president who serves as an impartial administrator who shall count the votes and monitor all electoral activities. Candidates will have five minutes each to speak on their own behalf, followed by a five minute question and answer period, before votes are cast. Votes are cast after candidates for each office give their speeches and counted immediately by the president, who will then announce the winner. In the event of a tie there will be another round of speeches during which active members can pose questions to be answered by both candidates. After this, there will be a runoff election. If that does not determine the winner the president will choose the victor. Club members are notified of election results via email immediately after the election takes place and at the next club meeting.

Section 3 - Removing an Executive Board Member

If an Executive Board Member is unable or does not adequately complete his or her responsibilities, this student may be removed from the Executive Board by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board, excluding his or her vote.

Article VII: Organizational Meetings

Section 1

Regular meetings shall be held at least once a month unless otherwise decided by the Executive Board. The president has the authority to call emergency meetings in the event that holding a meeting is necessary before the next scheduled meeting.

Section 2

The quorum required for a chapter vote is a minimum of half the active chapter members, as is determined by the Vice President of Internal Affairs.

Article VIII: Amendments to the Constitution

Section 1

Amendments to the constitution may be made at any chapter meeting, after

(a) the amendment has been recommended for a vote by a simple majority of the executive board;

(b) the amendment has been approved by a ⅔ majority of chapter members, when a quorum is present (outlined in Article VII, Section 2);

(c) the amendment vote has been announced a week in advance.

Section 2

Any amendments to the constitution made prior to January 1, 2016 may bypass the process outlined in Article VIII, Section 1 if approved by both co-Presidents.