California Collegiate 4-H Proposal

Collegiate 4-H at UC Davis Constitution

ArticleI. Preamble

It is the intent of this organization to abide by pertinent UC Davis, State, Federal, and University of California ANR policies and guidelines.

Article II. Purpose

Section 1: The purpose of this organization shall be to:

• become an asset to the local 4-H YD program
• work closely with 4-H Youth Development staff
• uphold the motto of 4-H (“To Make the Best Better”) in all that the organization does
• continue to build citizenship, leadership, and life skills among the club’s members and the youth with whom they work
• bridge the gap between youth, leaders, and staff throughout the state
• encourage new UCD students to be active members in Collegiate 4-H
• encourage participation in campus events or functions
• to conduct community service events

Article III. Identification

Section 1: This organization shall be known as the “Collegiate 4-H at UC Davis”. This club is affiliated with the following organizations that may impose additional restrictions:

• YoloCounty 4-H Youth Development program

• 4-H Youth Development Program, administered through the USDA
• CaliforniaState 4-H Office
• National Collegiate 4-H Organization
• UC Davis Student Programs and Activities Council (“SPAC”)

Section 2: The symbol for this organization shall consist of the official 4-H clover. The 4-H Name and Emblem are protected under federal statute (18 U.S.C. 707).

Article IV. Membership

Section 1: Membership shall be open to all students participating in higher education within YoloCounty. Only those affiliated with UC Davis as students, faculty, or staff are eligible for election to office, voting, or being an advisor to the club. In order to obtain membership, one must pay any program fees set by the club.

Section 2: Membership requirements may be modified by UC Davis SPAC as long as they do not conflict with 4-H or related policies.

Section 3: In order to work with youth members of 4-H or attend any 4-H events not directly put on for members of this organization, each member must register to become an adult 4-H volunteer leader in YoloCounty.

Section 4: Persons that serve or contribute to the club may be declared honorary members by the active membership. Honorary members shall have all privileges of membership with the exception of voting and eligibility for election to office.

Section 5: Alumni membership of this organization shall have all privileges of membership with the exception of voting and eligibility for election to an office.

Section 6: There may be no membership discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy (including childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran (covered veterans are special disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Vietnam era veterans, or any other veterans who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized) in any of its programs or activities..

Section 7: This organization or any of its members shall not conspire to commit any act that causes or is likely to cause bodily danger, or physical or emotional harm to any member of the campus community.

Article V. Officers

Section 1: The minimum set of officers of this club shall be a president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer. Officers shall serve a one year term. Officers are elected at the last meeting of spring quarter of the current school year. Offices can be added at any time throughout the year if approved by a majority of the voting membership.

Section 2: Office descriptions:

President: The President shall preside over all meetings of the club and ensure that all activities and programs are carried out in an appropriate manner. This includes reserving facilities, distributing agendas, and administering all events presented by the club. The President may create additional offices with a club majority vote, fill vacant offices and appoint committees. The President shall be a representative to UC Davis and shall oversee the actions of the executive board.

Vice-President: The Vice-President is responsible for all publicity, recruitment, and representation of the club, including relations with the UC Davis SPAC and local 4-H groups. This officer shall preside in the absence of the president at meetings and other functions. This officer shall succeed to the office of president should that office become vacant. The Vice-President is responsible for sitting on all special committees and shall help the President whenever possible.

Secretary: The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping minutes, updating and archiving documents, and maintaining the active member list. This officer shall also keep an updated contact information list of all active, honorary, and alumni members and club affiliates.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of the club’s financial resources and all the transactions that take place. This officer shall submit a budget, maintain a ledger, and fulfill all financial requirements set by UC Davis SPAC in order to maintain club standings on campus. In the absence of campus requirements, financial records shall be kept according to 4-H financial policies.

Section 3: Officers will be elected by a simple majority of the members that vote in a secret ballot election. Ballots may be submitted to the secretary or to an election committee for counting.

Section 4: Any officer may be removed if not fulfilling the duties of the office. Removal may occur at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of the active membership.

Section 5: The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, any additional offices created by the club, and the club advisor.

Section 6: The president shall have power to make emergency decisions upon approval of the Executive Board and/or club advisor. Executive Board meetings can be called in order to decide pressing issues that cannot wait until the next scheduled meeting.

Article VI. Meetings

Section 1: A quorum shall be a majority (fifty percent plus one) of the total active voting membership.

Section 2: A regular meeting shall be announced by mail or email at least seven days prior. There shall be at least one regular meeting per term.

Section 3: The President may call special meetings with the approval of the advisor.

Section 4: Robert’s Rules of Order shall be referred to for all parliamentary procedures not covered by these bylaws.

Article VII. Committees

Section 1: Committees may be appointed by the President. All voting members shall have the opportunity to volunteer for any committees. The President may select the chair of committees.

Article VIII. Finances

Section 1: Funds must be administered according to UC Davis SPAC procedures and 4-H Youth Development Policy Manual Section 700: Financial Policies.

Section 2: Funds may only be dispersed by a majority vote at any regular meeting, or upon emergency authorization of the executive board, with approval of the advisor. Checks must be signed by two members of the executive board.

Article IX. Non-Discrimination Statement

Section 1: The University of California prohibits discrimination or harassment of any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy (including childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran (covered veterans are special disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Vietnam era veterans, or any other veterans who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized) in any of its programs or activities.

University policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws. Inquiries regarding the University’s nondiscrimination policies may be directed to the Affirmative Action/Staff Personnel Services Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 300 Lakeside Drive, 6th Floor, Oakland, CA94612-3550, (510) 987-0096.

Article X. Standing Rules

Section 1: Standing Rules may be established and modified at any regular meeting by a majority vote.

Article XI. Advisor

Section 1: The advisor shall be a member of the teaching or administrative faculty or staff of UC Davis, or 4-H Youth Development staff. The advisor shall be approved by a majority vote of the club at the beginning of the school year.

Article XII. Amendments

Section 1: Amendments to the constitution shall be presented at the meeting prior to the meeting at which they are to be voted upon. Amendments may be passed by a two-thirds vote at a regular meeting.

Section 2: The State 4-H Office must approve amendments before they are effected.

Article XIII. Conflict

Section 1: This Constitution shall be in accordance with the policies of the University of California, ANR and the California 4-H YDP.

Article XIV. Ratification

Section 1: This Constitution shall be ratified by the two-thirds vote of the founding membership.

Article XV. Dissolution of Unit

Section 1: Upon consideration of the dissolution of this 4-H unit, the officers will inform the County 4-H YDP staff and State 4-H Office as to their desire and conformance to the following procedure:

The Collegiate 4-H at UC Davis shall be terminated and dissolved upon majority vote of the membership in favor of dissolution of the 4-H unit. Upon dissolution of the 4-H unit for any reason, the officers shall take full account of the Collegiate 4-H at UC Davis assets and liabilities, and shall liquidate the assets as promptly as is consistent with obtaining the fair value thereof, and shall apply and distribute the proceeds there from in the following order:

a. Payment of the debts and liabilities of the Collegiate 4-H at UC Davis.

b. Setting up of any reserves which the officers may deem necessary for any contingent or unforeseen liabilities or obligations of the unit; such reserves shall be paid over by the Treasurer to the State 4-H Office. The State 4-H Office will hold the funds in an escrow account for three (3) years for the purpose of contingent or unforeseen liabilities or upon re-establishment of the unit. At the expiration of the 3-year period, the balance shall be distributed to the State 4-H Office. The balance remaining shall be distributed to the State 4-H Office for the purpose of program development directly relating to the enrichment of the quality of life of 4-H youth and volunteers.

Section 2: Each of the members shall be furnished with a statement prepared by the Collegiate 4-H unit, setting forth the assets, liabilities, and distribution upon complete liquidation.Upon compliance with the foregoing terms and manner of distribution, the 4-H unit shall cease.

Ratification.

We hereby approve the formation of the Collegiate 4-H at UC Davis.

May 27, 2004

Cynthia SperrySteven WorkerCarole MacNeil

President-ElectState 4-H Program Representative State Director, 4-H Youth Development

AmendmentI. Bylaws
Section 1. Collegiate 4-H at UC Davis shall operate according to bylaws. Where these bylaws conflict with Robert’s Rules of Order, the bylaws shall take precedence.

Section 2. The bylaws shall not be amended without two-thirds approval by the voting membership at any regular meeting.

Section 3. Article V, Sections 2 and 3 shall be stricken from the constitution.

Passed unanimously on May 26, 2005.

The State 4-H Office hereby approves the amendment on September 19, 2005.

Steven WorkerCarole MacNeil

State 4-H Program RepresentativeState Director, 4-H Youth Development

Collegiate 4-H at UC Davis Bylaws

ARTICLEI.Membership

Section 1. Any person interested in the purposes of the organization and involved in higher education in YoloCounty who applies for membership in an appropriate classification of membership shall thereby become a member.

Section 2. Only currently registered and paid UCD students can be active members; only active members may vote, hold office, determine programs, control the group’s money, and represent the group to the University. Currently enrolled UCD students must comprise three-fourths of the organization’s membership.

Section 3. Alumni, PELP, part-time and concurrent (“Open Campus”) students; and community members may participate in all club activities but may not vote, hold office, or handle club finances.

Section 4. Members must attend at least fifty percent of the past quarter’s regular business meetings to be considered “active.” Up to two excused absences are allowed. Excused absences require notification of a member of the executive board prior to the missed meeting. Active participation in club-hosted events may be counted as meeting attendance. Members not considered active at the beginning of a quarter shall be considered active as soon as they have attended fifty percent of the projected meetings for that quarter.

ARTICLE II. Officer Elections

Section 1. Officers shall be elected at the last meeting of the spring quarter and shall serve a one-year term.

Section 2. Officers shall declare their candidacy at the regular business meeting prior to the one at which elections are held. If a candidate is not elected to the office of his or her first choice, that candidate may choose to run for one other office.

Section 3. During elections, each candidate shall deliver his or her campaign statement separately from the other candidates for that position. The other candidates must remain outside the room during the speeches for that office.

Section 4. Voting shall be carried out through secret ballots collected by the club advisor or an elections committee.

ARTICLE III. Executive Board.

Section 1. The President shall preside over all meetings of the club and ensure that all activities and programs are carried out in an appropriate manner. This includes reserving facilities, distributing agendas, and administering all events presented by the club. The President may create additional offices with a club majority vote, fill vacant offices and appoint committees. The President shall be a representative to UC Davis and shall preside over the actions and meetings of the executive board.

Section 2. The Vice-President is responsible for all publicity, recruitment, and representation of the club, including relations with the UC Davis SPAC and local 4-H groups. This officer shall preside in the absence of the president at meetings and other functions. This officer shall succeed to the office of president should that office become vacant. The Vice-President is responsible for sitting on all special committees and shall help the President whenever possible.

Section 3. The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping minutes, updating and archiving documents, and maintaining the active member list. This officer shall also keep attendance for meetings and events and an updated contact information list of all active, honorary, and alumni members and club affiliates.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of the club’s financial resources and all the transactions that take place. This officer shall submit a budget, maintain a ledger, and fulfill all financial requirements set by UC Davis SPAC in order to maintain club standings on campus. In the absence of campus requirements, financial records shall be kept according to 4-H YDP Policies in Section 700 regarding finances. The Treasurer shall submit an annual report to the membership and the State 4-H Office.

Section 5. The advisor shall serve as a voting member of the executive board. The advisor must approve all special meetings and expenditures.

Section 6. Any officer whose active member status changes during the course of the year may be removed from office by the executive board.

ARTICLE IV. Committees

Section 1. Collegiate 4-H at UC Davis should have the following standing committees:

(a) Fundraising. The Treasurer shall serve as the chair of the Fundraising committee. Additional capital (beyond any budgeted money) for fundraising must be approved by the general membership. Monies collected through general fundraising efforts shall become part of the general club budget; those raised through project-specific efforts shall go directly into that project’s budget.

(b) Service. The Service committee is responsible for identifying at least one service opportunity for the club to perform per quarter for active members to maintain their status. Emphasis should be placed on active service in conjunction with other members of the 4-H community and the residents of Yolo County, California.

(c) Website and History. The Website and History committee is responsible for the design and maintenance of the club website. Announcements, minutes, and other relevant documents shall be posted on the website for all members to access at will. The club history shall be maintained online. The History committee may compile a scrapbook for competition at the National Collegiate 4-H Conference.

(d) Social Activities. The Social Activities committee shall plan at least one social activity each month in addition to regular meetings. This committee shall also arrange refreshments for club meetings and activities and plan social events with other California Collegiate 4-H clubs.

(e) You See Davis Days. The You See Davis Days planning committee is responsible for overseeing the planning of the annual You See Davis Days conference, arranging publicity, and arranging the schedule of events.