Students Advocating for Gender Equality Constitution

Students Advocating for Gender Equality Constitution

Article I

Purpose

To foster support for gender equality, gender awareness, and participation in activist events. To provide a safe space for individuals of all genders to explore, research gender, engage in discussions, and have opportunities to participate in events.

Mission Statement

The mission statement of Students Advocating for Gender Equality (SAGE) is to actively work toward gender equality both at Westfield State University and in the greater community. To achieve this mission, SAGE will participate in various campaigns and hold events and informational meetings to raise awareness about gender related topics.

SAGE is also committed to working to ensure all genders are represented at Westfield State University and given the same access to resources as all other WSU students. SAGE realizes that more than two binary genders exist and will not pressure gender-variant students to conform to a binary gender assignment. SAGE also understands that gender roles are flexible and will not pressure students to conform to traditional gender roles.

Article II

Name:

Section 1:The name of this organization shall be known as Students Advocating for Gender Equality.

Article III

Membership:

Section 1:Membership shall be open to all full-time and part-time undergraduate students of Westfield State University who have paid their student activities fee for the current academic semester.

Section 2:A member will be considered active if the member attends three-fourths (3/4) of the meetings to date (since they joined) and has participated in, or is part of a committee to participate in, a club event.

Article IV

Officers:

SAGE will have (4) officer positions.

President: The president will hold the meetings and work with the Vice President on all events and meetings. The president will not be a dictator. The president will oversee all club activities, but decisions will be a club decision.

Vice-President: The Vice-President will run the meetings in the absence of the club president. The vice president will work together with the president to set the club meeting agenda.

Secretary: The Secretary will take minutes at all meetings and email them to all club members before the next scheduled meeting. The secretary will also be responsible for deadlines for events, information, forms, ect. The secretary will also be responsible for member attendance and determining who is an active member or who is inactive.

Treasurer:The Treasurer will be responsible for the budget of the club. The budget will be voted on by all active club members.

Section 1:All officers will work together. There will be an officers meeting monthly or more often if needed.

Section 2:Any active member is eligible for an officer position.

Section 3:Officer elections will be held prior to May 1st of every year.

Section 4:The term will begin May 1st and end April 30th. Each term will be 1 year (2 semesters).

Section 5:No member shall hold the same office for longer than 1 term.

Article V

Advisors:

Section 1:The faculty advisor(s) shall be appointed by a majority vote of the club members.

Section 2:The faculty advisor(s) shall advise the club, when consulted, in planning the activities of the club.

Section 3:The number of advisors shall not be limited.

Article VI

Meetings:

Section 1:Meetings shall be determined by club members.

Section 2:Special meeting may be called by club members after a majority vote is reached.

Section 3:Meetings and activities shall be held in space accessible by all students, as specified in Massachusetts Disability Laws.

Section 4:Minutes will be taken at each meeting and will be accessible to all members.

Article VII

Committees:

Events will be designated as committees. Club members are required to join at least one committee per academic year to be an active member. Each committee will have 2 co-leaders who are responsible for the event. Committee leaders will attend officer meetings during the event prep-time and report progress weekly to the club members at the weekly meeting.

The following committees will be established:

Domestic Violence Awareness Month:

This committee will be responsible for an awareness event during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.

White Ribbon Campaign Committee:

This committee will be responsible for the White Ribbon Campaign on Westfield State College campus during February. Members are responsible for finding out the date of the Massachusetts White Ribbon Campaign Day (Usually February 14th). The Campaign should end the last night of the Vagina Monologues.

Month Celebrating Woman:

This committee will be responsible for planning an event for the month celebrating woman at Westfield State College. This will usually occur in March. Students should consult with the calendar of events and faculty members are necessary.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month:

This committee will be responsible for an awareness event during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. Ideas for the event include a Healing Fire and Take Back the Night events.

Committees can be added at any time during the academic year to provide support for more activities.

SAGE will work together with similar clubs, like the QSA (Queer Straight Alliance), on events that support both club mission statements. For example, the Transgender Day of Remembrance in November, and AIDS awareness in December.

All events and activities are open to co-sponsorship. All events and activities are open to the WSC campus, and when feasible, the community. All events should be accessible and substance free.

Article VIII

Vacancies:

Section 1:If an office is vacated for any reasons, nominations will be made at earliest meeting possible.

Section 2:Elections procedures will be followed accordingly to fill vacancies.

Article IX

Amending the Constitution:

Section 1:The Constitution will be accessible to all members.

Section 2:The Constitution will be reviewed at the beginning of each academic year. A majority vote will be taken to change to the Constitution.

Section 3:The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the voting members in the club and if approved by Rules and Regulations committee of the student Government Association.

Article X

Removal from office:

Section 1:If an officer is not performing his/her duties, she/he may be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. The replacement will be chosen by election at the following meeting and elections will follow normal procedure.

Section 2:If an advisor is not performing his/her said duties, she/he may be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. The replacement will be chosen by a two-thirds (2/3) vote at the following meeting.

Article XI

Elections:

Section 1:Members may neither nominate nor second the nomination of themselves. Any member may nominate or second the nomination of another. The nomination and seconds of the nominations will be done verbally.

Section 2:No election shall be held if there is not a quorum of fifty percent (50%) of the club members plus one present at the meetings.

Article XII

Voting:

Section 1:All active members can vote. The President will only vote as a tie-breaker.

Section 2:A two-thirds (2/3) written, anonymous vote will determine the officers. The advisor or faculty support member shall count the votes.

Section 3:In the case of a tie, all active members and the President will vote again. Before this second vote, the individuals who tied will be given an opportunity to speak to the club about why they should be elected.

Typed up on Monday, October 15, 2012