The Residents’ Action Council Constitution
Preamble
WetheresidentsofOhioUniversityinordertouniteallstudentswholive intheresidencehallshere by establishthisconstitutiontopromotetheadvancementofthe residentialcommunity,andgive residents an activevoiceon campus.
ArticleIName
ThenameofthisorganizationshallbetheResidents’Action
Council(tRAC)atOhioUniversity.
ArticleIIPurpose
Section1:tRACshallservetouniteallstudentswholiveintheresidencehalls andtogive themanactivevoiceonthecampusofOhioUniversity, whileimproving relations withOhioUniversityofficials.
Section 2:tRACshallprovideandsupportsocial,cultural,educational
andrecreationalprogrammingforon-campusstudents,aswellas opportunities to servethesurroundingcommunity.
Section 3:tRAC shall promote, support and develop Hall Councils at Ohio
University through leadership development, funding, and recognition.
ArticleIIIMembership
Section1:Anystudentliving inoneoftheresidencehallsontheOhioUniversity campuscanattendandparticipateintRACmeetings.
Section2:ResidenceHall/ComplexRepresentation
2.1Eachhall/complexshallbeentitledtoonevotingrepresentative, called thetRACRepresentative,atthegeneralbodyoftRAC.
2.2Multiplestudentsfromthesamehall/complexmayattendtRAC, butfor votingpurposestheymustworktogethertoproduce decisions.
2.3Eachhall/complexmustregisteratRACrepresentativeand that representativemustmeettheattendancerequirements forthehall/complextobeconsideredamember oftRAC.Therepresentative mustbeahallcouncilmemberoraresidentassistant.
Section3:Attendance
3.1Forahall/complextobeacceptedasamemberoftRACthehall/complexmustpresent arepresentativefortwoconsecutive meetings.
3.2Inordertocontinuemembershipahall/complexcannotmiss two consecutivemeetings.
3.3If atanypointmembershipforahall/complexis lost it canbe reinstatedbyattendingtwoconsecutivemeetings.
3.4Attendancewillbekeptateverymeeting. Failuretomeetmembership statusmakesahall/complexineligible forfunding andequipmentrental.
Section4:Voting
4.1Eachhall/complexwillbeconsideredavotingentityandwillhaveone collectivevote.
4.2OnlytRACrepresentativeswillbeabletovoteduringtRAC generalbodymeetings.
Section5:Executive BoardMembers
5.1Executive Boardmemberswillcountashall/complexrepresentatives for attendanceonly.Therefore,if ahall/complex hasanexecutiveboard membertheydonothavetosendrepresentativeunlesstheyare presentingaprogram proposalorwouldlike tohavevotingrights.
5.2Executive memberswillnotbeabletovoteonbehalfoftheirhall/complexandwillnotbeabletopresentfundingrequests forcouncilsorstaffs.
ArticleIVExecutiveBoardMembers
Section1:TheExecutiveBoard
1.1Sevenexecutiveofficersshallbeelectedfromallstudents living intheresidencehalls:
A.President
B.VicePresidentforAdministrativeAffairs
C.VicePresidentforFinanceCFOD.Vice PresidentforProgramming
Updated March 2016
E.VicePresidentforStudentServices
F.VicePresidentforMarketingPublicRelations
G.NationalCommunicationsCoordinator(NCC)
1.2ArepresentativefromTheNationalResidenceHallHonorary willalso serveasanex-officiomemberoftheexecutive board.
1.3AnyOhioUniversitystudentelectedtoaregionalornationalboardof directorsforCAACURHorNACURHshallbemadeanex-officio memberoftheexecutiveboard.
1.4Futureappointmentsforadhocpositionsmaybeaddedby asimple majorityofexecutivemembers.
Section2:Selection/AppointmentofExecutiveMembers
2.1Allstudentsliving intheresidencehallsatthetimeoftheselection process, aswellasthenextacademicyear,areeligible torun for executive office.
2.2IncomingExecutiveBoardMemberswillbechosenbyamajority vote fromallofficialtRACRepresentatives.
2.3Selectionbythecommitteewillbebasedoncandidatepresentations to thegeneralbodywithanevaluation.Allindividuals runningforanyoffice willberequiredtohandinawrittenproposalandpermittedthe opportunity toaddress thegeneralbodyduringtheelections.
2.4ThecurrentPresidentwilloverseetheelectionprocessandwillonlyvote intheeventofatie.ThePresident’sfinalvoteduringatiemustbeapprovedbyamajorityofthe ExecutiveBoardMembers.
2.5TheNRHHmemberswillselecttheNRHH
representative.
Section3:TermofOffice
Updated March 2016
3.1FollowingtheElections,thenewofficerswillbegivenatwo-week trainingperiodduringwhichtheoutgoingExecutive willremaininthe postwhileworkingwiththeincoming Executives.Uponthecompletion ofthetwoweeks thenewlyelectedExecutivewilloverseealloperations withintheirpost.
3.2Executivemembersshallfullyassumeoffice/dutiesuponcompletionofthe executiveretreatduringSpringQuarter Semesteror afterthetwoweektrainingperiod.
3.3Eachexecutiveofficershallremainactiveatleast untilcompletionofthe executiveretreattoassistinthetransitionofnewexecutiveofficersoruntil thecompletionof thetwoweektrainingperiod.
3.4Votingrightsshallbetransitionedtonewexecutivesatthe timeofduty transitions.
Section4:Vacancies
4.1InthecaseofavacancyofthePresident,theremainingExecutive Board shallnominateanExecutiveBoardMember toassumetheofficeand dutiesofthePresidentfortheremainder oftheterm.Thisshouldbe passedbythe generalbodywithamajorityvote.
A.TheExecutiveBoardwillretainthepowerto
replacethevacatedpositionbyappointing whotheysee fit.The boardmusthave2/3majority
agreementontheindividualfillingthevacancy.
B.If noExecutiveBoardMemberis willingtotakethePresident position.Ageneralelectionwillbeheldusing theproceduresfrom ArticleIV,Section2.
4.2In case of a vacancy of an executive member except the President, the executive board shall choose to either appoint a replacement or hold an election to replace the executive. Each decision will be to fill the executive position for the remainder of the term. If the executive board chooses to appoint a replacement, the general body must approve with a two-thirds majority vote.
Section5:ImpeachmentofExecutiveMembers
Updated March 2016
5.1Inthecasethatanexecutivememberfailstofulfilltheduties ofoffice, amotionmay bemadebyanytRACmember beforetheexecutive boardtoimpeachtheexecutive member.
5.2Theexecutiveboardwilldiscusspossibleremovaloftheexecutive memberatthenextscheduledexecutivemeeting, tobeattendedbyat least oneoftheadvisors.
5.3Amotiontodismisstheexecutivemembermaybemadeby anyexecutive member.
5.4Theexecutivememberinquestionhastheoptiontobepresent throughouttheimpeachment process,howevermay notparticipateinthevotingfordismissal.
5.5Allhall/complexvotingentitieswillbeappraisedofthesituationwhich has lead totheimpeachment proceedingsduring themeetingatwhichthevote is tobetaken.
5.6Avotetodismisspasseswhenapprovedbyatwo-thirdsmajority ofallremainingexecutivesandhall/complexvoting entities.
5.7AnimpeachmentofanExecutiveBoardMembermotioned byanother Executive BoardMemberwillfirst
beaddressedbytheExecutiveBoard.A2/3majorityvotemust be reachedfortheimpeachmentprocesstoreachthe generalbody.If a2/3 majorityvoteis reachedbythe
executiveboardthememberbeingaddressedhastheoptionof resigningormoving thevotetothegeneralbody.
ArticleVMeetings
Section1:RegularMeetings
1.1tRACshalldeterminethefrequencyofmeetings.
1.2Thereshallbeatleast tworegularmeetingspercalendarmonthwiththe exceptionsofMay, June,July,AugustandDecember.
Section2:SpecialMeetings
Updated March 2016
2.1Theexecutiveboardshallhavetheauthoritytocallspecialmeetings.
2.2If aspecialmeetingis called,a24-hournoticemustbegiventoallmembers.
2.3Regularandspecialmeetingsare tobeconsideredscheduled meetings.
Section3:ExecutiveBoard Meetings
3.1ExecutiveBoardMembersarerequiredtoattendallregular, special, andexecutivemeetings.
3.2If anexecutiveboardmemberis unabletoattendameeting theymustnotifythePresidentandinclude theirreasoning.
3.3Failuretoattendmeetingswillbereviewedbytheexecutive boardandmayresultinimpeachment procedures.
ArticleVIHall CouncilsRecommendTemplate
Section1:Hallcouncilsshouldinclude:President,VicePresident,Secretary, Treasurer,tRACRepresentative,HallCouncilAdvisor, FloorSectionRepresentatives,andallotherVotingMembers.
Section2:PowersandDutiesofHallGovernment
2.1Coordinatehallcouncilprograms.
Updated March 2016
2.2Toapprovethehallcouncilbudgetandfundingrequests.
2.3Toserveasliaisonbetweenresidentsandexternalparties.
2.4Torepresenttheconcernsoftheresidents.
2.5ToholdregularHallCouncilmeetings.
Section3:Members
3.1VotingMembers
A.Anyindividual living inaresidencehallisentitledtovoting membershipwithintheirrespectivehallcouncil.
ArticleVIIFunding
Section1:FundingInformation
1.1Fundingshallbeprovidedforresidencehallprogramming completed byhall/complexcouncils, Housing and Residence life staff, and student organizationsthat meet tRAC’s missionofeducation, motivationandempowermentofOhio University on-campusresidents.
1.2Fundingshallsupportsocial,cultural,educationalandrecreationalprogrammingforoncampusstudents,aswellasopportunities to serve thesurroundingcommunity.
1.3Preferenceshallbegiventoprogramsfulfillingoneormore ofthe goalssetforthbytheHousing and Residence life.
1.4Fundingrequestsmaybesubmittedbyhallcouncils,residentialhousing staffs,orresidentassistants.ThetRAC representativefor that hall/complex willpresentthefunding requesttotRAC.
1.5 Co-sponsorships may be submitted by Student Organizations a representative from that organization will present their request for a co-sponsorship to tRAC.
Section2:ProgrammingExpectations
2.1Allprogrammingmustbedesignatedasalcoholfree.
2.2Noalcoholmaybepermittedortoleratedatanyprogramsponsored bytRAC.Inaddition,allotherrulesoftheOhio UniversityStudentCodeof Conductmustbefollowed.
2.3FailuretofollowtheseruleswillresultintherevocationoftRAC funding immediate notificationoftheDirectorof Housing and Residence Life.
2.4Otherdisciplinaryactionsmaybetakenatthediscretionof theexecutive board.
Section3:FundingGuidelines:
3.1Theguidelinesinthissectionmustbefollowedinordertoreceive funding. Fundingmay berevokedforafailuretocomplete allrequirements.
3.2Completeafundingrequestform,locatedat under the fundingtab, and submit it online, tothetRACoffice located in the Living Learning Center room 260, or our mailbox located on the second floor of the Living Learning Center.This needs tobedoneatleast one-weekprior before the Monday you wish to present to the General Body. Funding requests will not be heard if the event is the same week as the funding proposal.Untimely proposals aresubjecttorejection.Thefollowing informationmustbeincluded:
A.Detaileddescriptionoftheprogram.B.Target audienceoftheprogram
C.Goal(s)oftheprogram
a.Housing and Residence Life staffprogrammustreflect departmentalgoals.
D.Breakdownoftheprogram’sexpenses.
E.Explain(ifapplicable)howtheprogramfulfillsone
ormoreofHousing and Residence Life’s goals.
F. Date of program
G. Projected attendance for program
H. Methods of advertising for the program
3.3Aftertheprogram,completeorcollectthefollowingandsubmit it tothe VicePresident forFinance:
A.ProgramReportForm
B.Allfliers (mustinclude thetRAClogo)
Section4:AdditionalGuidelines
4.1Allfundinginformationis tobeavailableonthe tRAC
website.
4.2All fundingrequestsarelimited toa totalamountof $1,000.00.
4.3 Co-sponsorship are limited to a total amount of $500.
4.4Additional limitationsandguidelinesarepostedonthetRAC website.
ArticleVIII Amendment
Section1:AmendmenttotheConstitution
1.1AmotiontoamendthisconstitutionmaybemadebeforetRAC atany scheduledmeeting.
1.2Allmotionstoamendtheconstitutionshallbeapprovedby atleast one memberoftheexecutiveboard.
1.3Anamendmentshallbepassedbytwo-thirdsmajorityofallpresentvotingrepresentation.
1.4Anamendmenttotheconstitutionmayalsobemadeatthe executive retreatanddeterminedbyatwo-thirdsmajority ofallvotingexecutive members.
Updated March 2016