CONSTITUTION OF "QUEER AT SMC"
As Amended September 22, 2003


Article I: Name and Definitions

  1. Name:

    The club shall be called "Queer at SMC", hereinafter referred to as q@SMC.

  2. Definitions:

    1. The University of Saint Michael's College shall hereinafter be referred to as "the USMC."

    2. The Saint Michael's College Student Union shall hereinafter be referred to as "SMCSU."

    3. "Queer" shall denote any sexual identity different from the heterosexual mainstream.  This includes, but is not necessarily limited to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, transsexual, intersex, gender-variant, and/or two-spirited identities.

    4. Persons supportive of queer persons and queer issues shall be referred to as "allies".

    5. The online discussion and announcement board(s) run by and for members of q@SMC shall hereinafter be referred to as "the listserve(s)".


Article II: Membership


    1. The following persons shall be eligable to become members of q@SMC:

      1. Full members: including all students, staff, faculty, alumni of the USMC and members or alumni of SMCSU;

      2. Associate members: those who are supportive of the goals and activities of q@SMC.

    2. Membership shall be indicated by signing the q@SMC membership petition or subscription to any official q@SMC listserve.

    3. Membership within q@SMC shall not be taken to imply anything of a member's sexual orientation.

    4. Membership status shall not be divulged without prior consent of the member.
       

Article III: Mission


    1. Aims and Purposes. This club is committed:

      1. To the benefit of all members of the USMC;

      2. To affirming the right to act in freedom and conscience and make personal moral decisions in the choice of lifestyle, partnership and the way of living one's sexuality;

      3. To developing an open and equitable atmosphere within the USMC, specifically concerning queer issues;

      4. To dispelling myths and promoting understanding of non-mainstream sexualities through encouraging discussion and visibility;

      5. To being an advocate for those harassed because of their actual or perceived sexuality;

      6. To providing a safe, supportive social space for queer persons and allies of the USMC;

      7. To welcoming and supporting individuals who are coming out or questioning their sexuality.

  1. The club intends to achieve these goals in the following ways:

    1. By providing a forum through which to discuss oppression of sexual minorities occurring within the USMC;

    2. By providing a link between queer persons at the USMC and the larger queer community;

    3. By encouraging a queer-positive social atmosphere through discussion and social events;

    4. By responding to instances of homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and other harassment, injustice and oppression imposed upon queer members of the USMC;

    5. By providing information on issues relevant to queer persons, including information on HIV and other sexually transmittable diseases.


Article IV: Club Committee

  1. There shall exist a committee of organizers to assist the executive in planning and organizing the political and social activities of q@SMC. This shall be known as the "Club Committee".

  2. Open membership:

    1. All members of q@SMC are eligible to become members of the Club Committee.

    2. Attendance at any meeting of the Club Committee shall be open to any member of q@SMC.

  3. Any q@SMC member shall be considered a voting member of the Club Committee if the member has attended at least two of the previous five Club Committee meetings. In cases of impeachment votes or decisions on Constitutional Amendments as described in Article XI and XII, every full member present may vote.


Article V: Executive


  1. Executive positions, except for executive-at-large positions, are to be elected according to Article IX.

  2. There shall be up to four executive positions.

    1. President. The President is ultimately responsible for

      1. Representation of q@SMC to external organizations such as the University of Toronto, the USMC, the SMCSU, and the media;

      2. Chairing meetings of the Club Committee or appointing a chair in event of necessary absence; 

      3. Ensuring the taking of minutes during meetings of the Club Committee;

      4. Developing the annual budget;

      5. Financial record keeping;

      6. Moderating of the listserve(s);

      7. Developing and maintaining the website;

      8. Maintaining "the archive";

      9. Other business.

    2. Vice President. The Vice President is ultimately responsible for

      1. The planning and execution of all social events;

      2. Developing appropriate advertising for all events;

      3. Ensuring appropriate facilitation of all discussion events;

      4. Fulfilling the responsibilities of the President in event that the President is rendered incapable of doing so.

    3. Executive-at-large. The Club Committee may appoint, by resolution, one or two full members to the position Executive-at-large. The Club Committee may also, by resolution, dismiss any executive-at-large. The Executive(s)-at-large have no specific portfolio, but are expected to assist with group duties as required.


Article VI: Officers


  1. The Club Committee may delegate specific responsibilities to any q@SMC member, including those listed in Article V. A person appointed in such a procedure shall be called an "Officer".

  2. The President and Vice President are ultimately responsible for their portfolios as listed in Article V, regardless of the appointment of any officer position.

  3. The Club Committee shall be empowered to create, modify and remove officer positions by resolution at any meeting of the Club Committee.


Article VII: Finances


    1. Expenditure of Funds

      1. The funds of q@SMC shall only be spent by resolution of the Club Committee.

      2. The president and one other member, chosen by resolution of the Club Committee, shall be cosigners on any q@SMC accounts. Withdrawal from any account shall require both signatures.

    2. All financial records will be available to the Club Committee upon request.


Article VIII: Meetings


    1. Club Committee Meetings:

      1. The club committee should meet a minimum of once per month of the academic year, except where circumstances prevent holding such a meeting.

      2. At every meeting, the date of the next meeting of the Club Committee shall be decided. This date should be advertised on the listserve(s) a minimum of one week before the next meeting takes place.

    2. Social and Discussion Events:

      1. At least one social event and one discussion event shall be held per month of the academic year, except where circumstances prevent such a meeting.

      2. Such events shall be advertised by both electronic and non-electronic means a minimum of one week before the event occurs.


Article IX: Elections


  1. All full members of q@SMC may vote in elections.

  2. In the first month of the academic year, the Club Committee shall decide by resolution on the following:

    1. The nomination period, which will be at least seven (7) days in duration and occur in October.

    2. The campaign period, which will be at least seven (7) days in duration and occur in October.

    3. The election period, which will be at least seven (7) days in duration and occur in October.

    4. The Chief Returning Officer (CRO).

  3. Nomination

    Only full q@SMC members may be nominated for the executive.

  4. Chief Returning Officer

    The CRO shall maintain impartiality throughout the election campaign.

  5. The president and Vice President shall be elected by a plurality of votes for the period until the next regular annual election.


Article X: Impeachment


    1. Circumstances Leading to Impeachment:

      Impeachment of an executive member may be considered in extraordinary circumstances such as abuse of power, misuse of funds, failure to fulfill responsibilities, or acting contrary to the aims and purposes of q@SMC as stated in Article II of the constitution.

    1. Motion for Impeachment:

      A motion for impeachment shall be made by a full member at a meeting of the Club Committee. If the motion is supported by the majority of the Club Committee members present, the executive member shall be suspended from office until the next Club Committee meeting. The motion for impeachment must be posted to the listserve(s) within one week.

    1. Impeachment Vote

      At the next Club Committee Meeting, an impeachment debate and vote will be held. The accused executive in shall be removed from office with a 2/3 majority vote of full members present. The Club Committee shall resolve to plan a by-election.

Article XI: By-elections

    1. Circumstances leading to a by-election include impeachment, resignation or incapacitation of an executive member.

    2. The Club Committee shall execute an election within one month as described in Article IX.


Article XII: Amendments 


    1. Motion for Constitutional Amendment:

      Any motion for Constitutional Amendment shall be made at a Club Committee Meeting. A written text of the proposed amendment must be made available at this time. If the motion is supported by the majority of the Club Committee members present, the motion for amendment and the proposed amendment will be posted to the listserve(s) within one week.

    2. Vote for Constitutional Amendment:

      At the next Club Committee Meeting, a vote for amendment will be held. The constitution shall be considered amended if the vote passes with a 2/3 majority of the vote of the full memberships of q@SMC and at least one of the two executive votes.


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