Constitution of the Professional Development Program at The Ohio State University
Article l - Name, Purpose, and Non-Discrimination Policy of the Organization.
Section 1: Name:
Professional Development Program
Section 2 - Purpose:
To foster the personal, social, and professional growth of Fisher students by providing training, experience and support which will serve as the foundation for successful careers and thriving futures.
Section 3 - Non-Discrimination Policy:
This organization and its members shall not discriminate against any individual(s) for reasons of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Article II - Membership: Qualifications and categories of membership.
Voting membership will be defined as limited to currently enrolled Ohio State students. Others such as faculty, alumni, professionals, etc. are encouraged to become members but as non-voting associate or honorary members.
Article III - Organization Leadership: Titles, terms of office, type of selection, and duties of the leaders.
Positions of leadership will have a term of one academic year. The term will begin on the first day of the spring quarter academic calendar and will end on the day preceding the first day of the spring quarter academic calendar. Selections will be based on 1) written application, 2) interview process, and 3) attendance at meetings and PDP sponsored events.
1) Written Application: The written application serves the primary purpose of gathering a pool of candidates and ensuring that the candidates meet GPA requirements. As required by the Ohio Union, candidates that maintain an academic GPA of 2.5 or above will fill all positions of leadership. The written application will collect information to ensure that the position desired aligns with the candidates skills & abilities (area of study), short term & long term goals, and that the candidate has a clear knowledge of what the position entails. The candidate will receive a perfect score on the written application section of the process if they fulfill the above purpose.
2) Interview Process: Upon submitting a written application, each candidate will complete an interview with the current President, Vice President, and Executive Board Member serving in the position that they are applying for in a location on campus determined by the President. The purpose of the interview is to best determine 1) Leadership Potential, 2) Desire to serve the purpose of the organization and 3) Commitment/Furtherance of professional development at the Fisher College of Business. Each interviewer will individually submit a rating of the candidate, and the average of the three interviewers scores will be the candidate’s score for this section of the process.
3) Attendance: To determine prior commitment to the organization and desire to attend events hosted by the organization attendance will be the third considered factor in the selection process. Each candidate will receive 2 points for attendance at general meetings and 1 point for attendance at social, community service, and special events sponsored by the organization for all autumn and winter quarter events held from the first day of the current academic year up to the date of the interview listed above in section 2). The candidate will be asked to confirm the attendance record of VP Membership at the interview to ensure accuracy and honesty in the process. All members who were part of the organization before the start of the current academic year, thus in prior years, will receive 1 point for each prior academic year of involvement.
Special Considerations:
- Leave of Absence: In the case that a member who holds a Leadership Position takes a leave of absence from school for an internship or other honorable cause, the positions duties will be assumed by the Vice President for one quarter of absence. If the absence exceeds one quarter, the above selection process will be followed in replacing the candidate.
- Current Executive Board Members: Candidates are eligible to reapply for the same position, but must reapply and go through the above selection process in the same capacity as all other candidates. The interview will be held by an alternative member of the Executive Board selected first by seniority and then by availability.
- Selection of President: Candidates with prior executive board experience, thus a working knowledge of the organization and functions of the executive board, will be given consideration over general members in the selection of President and Vice President positions.
Leadership positions and duties may include any or all and are not limited to the following:
The President is responsible for general planning and leadership of the Professional Development Program in accordance with the statement of purpose of the organization. Additional responsibilities may include/are not limited to: running meetings, overseeing all other aspects, serving as head of the executive board, being in charge of the job shadowing program, and serving as the main contact.
Vice President is responsible for the entirety of the President’s duties in the absence of the President. Additional responsibilities may include/are not limited to: outreach to speakers/alumni, coordination of special events/programming, oversight of executive board members and serving as the second main contact of the organization.
VP College Relations is responsible for the general public relations of the organization within the Fisher College of Business and at the University level. Responsibilities may include/are not limited to: organizing events that collaborate with other student organizations, contracting meeting room assignments, publicizing weekly meetings through email/ list servs, and serving as a delegate for all Undergraduate Business Council meetings and events. Also has duties that may include/are not limited to: recording minutes at the meetings, following up with speakers, taking pictures of events, meetings, etc.and general maintenance of the PDP email account.
VP Marketing is responsible for overseeing the Marketing Department and any Marketing Managers/Officers within. Duties may include/are not limited to: marketing our events, advertising our organization to potential new members, and for general promotion within Fisher including creation of bulletin boards, flyers, signs, etc.
VP Membership has duties that may include/are not limited to: interviewing potential new members, staffing info tables in Fisher lobbies, creating and reviewing applications, and sending acceptance/rejection notices, collecting dues, taking attendance, preparing alist of member’s classes, compiling information of all members- resumes, address, major, etc. Also is responsible for seeking out opportunities within the community to serve others and uphold the Professional Development Program's name. Activities can include, but are not limited to, events to better the professional growth of others outside of the organization. At least one event must be planned each quarter/semester.
Article IV - Executive Committee (if needed): Size and composition of the Committee.
Article V - Standing Committees (if needed): Names, purposes, and composition.
Article VI – Adviser(s) or Advisory Board: Qualification Criteria.
Advisers of student organizations must be full-time members of the University faculty or Administrative & Professional staff. The advisor must be certified by the Office of Student Affairs every 3 years and perform duties determined by the Council on Student Affairs.
Article VII – Meetings of the Organization: Required meetings and their frequency.
A meeting will be held as needed, based on other events/testing schedules/and speaker availability during the fall, winter, and spring quarters.
Article VIII – Method of Amending Constitution: Proposals, notice, and voting requirements.
Proposed amendments should be in writing, should not be acted upon but read in the general meeting in which they are proposed, should be read again at two general meetings and the general meeting in which the votes will be taken, and requires a majority of the entire voting membership of the organization, present or not.
Article IX – Method of Dissolution of Organization.
The Professional Development Program will be dissolved if membership falls below five members. Remaining assets will be given back to the Union.
By-Laws of the Professional Development Program
Article 1 – Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in The Constitution for the Professional Development Program shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the by-laws of this organization.
Article II- Membership
Voting membership is defined as limited to currently enrolled Ohio State students. Others such as faculty, alumni, professionals, etc. are encouraged to become members but as non-voting associate or honorary members. Any Fisher undergraduate student can become a member at any time. Membership will be terminated if a member does not attend at least 50% of the meetings or activities in one school year (3 Quarters excluding Summer Quarter). If a current member is causing problems within the organization (i.e. being disruptive, harassing another member, or stealing funds from the club, etc.) the member will be removed from the group. The member will no longer be able to attend meetings, socials, or community service events. They will be asked to return their PDP t-shirt and will be removed from the PDP email listserv. If the person continues to cause problems, the proper authorities will be reached.
Article III- Election / Appointment of Government Leadership
Candidates need to apply for leadership positions and will be chosen by the President and Vice President. In the case that the President resigns or is impeached, a new President will be voted on by the Executive Committee.
Article IV- Meeting Requirements
Meetings will take place biweekly and will begin with a call to order and declaration of the agenda. To have a vote on an issue, at least 33% of members must be present to have a quorum.
Article V- Method of Amending By-Laws
By-laws may be amended by proposing in writing and reading the change at a general meeting of the membership and then bringing the proposed change up for a vote at the next general meeting with a majority vote of the membership present.
Article VI – Method of Officer removal/impeachment
An officer impeachment can only initially be proposed by the President of the organization. An impeachment is only possible if an officer has missed more than half of the events for a quarter or has failed repeatedly to fulfill their responsibilities. The President will then discuss with the executive board why the person should be removed and the 9 members of the executive board will vote on the officer’s impeachment. A majority vote is necessary for impeachment. This officer will be stripped of their title and it will be announced at the next general body meeting. The role of this officer will be covered until the President finds a capable replacement. This replacement is then voted on by the 9 executive board members. Majority vote required for new officer to be instituted.
Constitution Rev. 9/1/15