Bucknell College Democrats Constitution
Preamble
In order to promote a better America, with equality, opportunity, and
freedom within a just and strong society, we dedicate ourselves to
organizing the participation of the Bucknell Democratic students. As
college students, we call for action based on principles and for
principles based on action. As Democrats, we pledge ourselves to
continue the great thoughts of our Party and to bring forth new ideas
to keep the tradition alive. As citizens of today and leaders of the
future, we shall strive to shape our party, communities, states and
nation. In this mission, we call for full participation without regard
to sex, race or ethnic origin, religion, physical handicap,
socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation.
Understanding the importance of participation in the Democratic Party
to the preservation of our values and principles, we pledge to organize
and activate the latent people power of Bucknell’s Democratic students
to further the philosophy of the Democratic Party.
For these ends and upon these principles, we, Democratic college
students, do hereby associate ourselves and adopt this Constitution.
Article 1: Name and Purpose
A. Name: The name of this organization shall be the Bucknell College
Democrats.
B. Purpose: To promote political activism, awareness of current
political issues, as well as to assist with the campaigns of Democratic
candidates on the national, state, and local level.
Article 2: Organizational Structure
A. Structure: The Executive Board shall determine the activities of the
Bucknell College Democrats and run the day-to-day operations of the
club. The club members will assist the executive board in deciding on,
organizing, and carrying out the activities of the Bucknell College
Democrats.
Article 3: Executive Board
A. Authority and Responsibility: The Executive Board shall have
responsibility for determining the directions and goals of the Bucknell
College Democrats.
B. Composition: The Executive Board shall be composed of the President,
Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Union County Democratic Party
Liaison, and any other officers the President sees necessary to create
to successfully carry out the goals of the Bucknell College Democrats.
C. Meetings: The Executive Board shall meet on a regular basis as
determined by the President or the majority of the Board.
D. Vacancies: A vacancy shall be declared when a member of the
Executive Board dies, resigns, or is removed from office. If the
vacancy is the Vice President or another of the student officers, the
President shall appoint a successor with the majority consent of the
remaining Executive Board. If the vacancy is the President, the
automatic replacement is the Vice President.
E. Duties of the President: The President shall:
1. Attend and preside over meetings of the Executive Board and meetings
of the entire Bucknell College Democrats membership and assist in
determining the goals of the Bucknell College Democrats.
2. Along with the Vice President, be responsible for the implementation
of the goals of the CDA as set by the Executive Board.
F. Duties of the Vice President: The Vice President shall:
1. Attend and preside over meetings of the Executive Board and meetings
of the entire Bucknell College Democrats membership and assist in
determining the goals of the Bucknell College Democrats.
2. Along with the Executive Director and President, be responsible for
the implementation of the goals of the CDA as set by the Executive
Board.
G. Duties of the Treasurer: The Treasurer shall:
1. Draft the annual budget for the Bucknell College Democrats.
2. Keep track of club expenses.
3. When necessary, reimburse club members for expenses incurred on
behalf of the Bucknell College Democrats and deal with the
Appropriations Committee.
H. Duties of the Secretary: The Secretary shall:
1. Take minutes at each general meeting and Executive Board meeting.
2. Be responsible for any publications, lists, and files as decided by
the President.
I. Duties of the Union County Democratic Party Liaison: The Liaison
shall:
1. Represent the interests of the Bucknell College Democrats to the
Union County Democratic Party at the Party’s monthly meetings
2. If it be the will of the executive board, help coordinate events
between the Union County Democratic Party and the Bucknell College
Democrats
i. The Liaison shall not have the power to enter the Bucknell College
Democrats into binding resolutions except with the prior expressed
permission of the President or the executive board.
J. Removal:
1. Causes for removal shall be defined as malfeasance, misfeasance, or
nonfeasance of constitutionally assigned duties; being convicted of a
felony; or upon other grounds or upon other grounds found by all other
members of the Executive Board to constitute good and sufficient cause.
2. To begin the process for removal, another member of the Bucknell
College Democrats must charge the member with the reasons for his or
her removal at least thirty days prior to the general club meeting at
which the member’s removal will be voted upon. The member in question
must be offered and opportunity at that meeting to present a defense.
Three-fourths of the formal voting body must vote to remove the officer
in question.
K. Elections:
1. Elections for the positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer
and Secretary shall be held annually at the first meeting in April for
positions of the coming academic year. The candidate who receives the
most votes shall win the election.
Article 4: Amendments
A. Specifics: This constitution can be amended by a two-thirds vote of
the formal members of the Bucknell College Democrats.
College Democrats Bylaws
Section 1: Elections
- Elections shall be conducted by the Vice President, unless the Vice
President is running for office opposed, in which case the elections
shall be conducted by the highest-ranking officer that is not running
for a position.
- Members that intend to run for office must declare their candidacy at
the meeting directly preceding the election meeting, which is held
during the first meeting in April. At the election meeting, candidates
must also present themselves to the voting members.
- Votes shall be tallied by the entire executive board.
- Voting shall be by secret ballot; however, no write-in ballots will
be counted.
- If there is a tie, the candidates who did not tie will be struck from
the list, and the remaining candidates shall present themselves again
to the voting members. Following their presentations, candidates must
leave the room and the members will re-examine their qualifications and
vote again.
Section 2: Executive Board
- Meetings shall be presided over by the President, or, in absentia,
the next highest-ranking officer.
- All elected officials and any ad hoc chairs must attend meetings.
- Only elected officials have voting privileges at executive meetings;
ad hoc chairs do not hold voting privileges unless also an elected
official.
- At least half of the executive board must be present to vote on an
issue.
- Meetings will be held on weekly basis, and are open to the entire
Bucknell community.
- Meeting minutes will be read within one week of the meeting.
Section 3: General Meetings
- General meetings are open to the entire Bucknell community.
- Meetings will be presided over by the President, or, in absentia, the
Vice President.
- Only formal members may vote; formal membership is defined as having
attended at least fifty percent of the general meetings.
- Agenda will be set by President, and shall include any public
comments and any reports by ad hoc committee chairs.
Section 4: Amending the Bylaws
Any member in good standing can propose an amendment to the bylaws; for
it to pass there must be at least fifty percent of voting members
present and it must pass with a two thirds majority