Preamble

The Trinity College Polish Club shall be subject to the jurisdiction of Trinity College and the Student Government Association.

Article I: Name

The name of the organization shall be the Trinity College Polish Club.

Article II:  Purpose

The purpose of the Trinity College Polish Club is to inform, educate, and increase awareness of Polish culture, language, and traditions within the Trinity College community and in the Greater Hartford area.

Article III:  Membership

1. Eligibility

Any member of the Trinity College community is eligible to become a member of the Polish Club.  Members will be accepted without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, age, creed, or marital status.

2. Dues

There are currently no plans to collect dues from members.

3. Active Status

Members are encouraged to attend all meetings, lecture, and events.  Active members attend at least fifty percent of all meetings.  Inactive status will confer to those who do not fulfill the previous requirement.

Article IV:  Officers

1. Executive Board

i.         The Polish Club shall be governed by an Executive Board, which will consist of four members: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary.

ii.       Each member of the Executive Board shall serve a full year term starting and ending on the date of elections.

iii.     Each Executive Board member shall have one vote.  The President shall cast the deciding vote in the case of a tie.

iv.      Each Executive Board member shall attend all official Club meetings.  Excused absences may only be given with prior notice to the President by phone or email.  Any Executive Board member who has more than three unexcused absences may be reprimanded at the discretion of the rest of the Executive Board.

v.        The Executive Board shall have all administrative control over the operation, planning, and funding of the Club. 

vi.      The Executive Board shall have power to decide whether additional officers are needed, or in special cases, whether an office shall be shared by two officers.  In such a case, the co-officers must be approved by the Executive Board and have the consent of the general membership.

2. Advisory Board

i.         The Advisory Board shall consist of any members of the Club who have served at least one full year on the Executive Board and are not currently members of the Executive Board.  Serving on the Advisory Board is voluntary and need not be approved by a vote.

ii.       Any Advisory Board member shall be considered “active” if he/she attends at least thirty percent of all Executive Board meetings.

iii.     The Advisory Board shall:

                                                             1.      advise the Executive Board with matters relating to operations and ethical issues.

                                                             2.      ensure that the Executive Board does not stray from the ideals set forth in this Constitution.

3. Elections

i.         Elections for the Executive Board shall occur at the last scheduled meeting of the spring semester.

ii.       During the second to last scheduled meeting, nominations will be taken via secret ballot.  The Secretary shall notify the nominated individuals.  Upon notification, an individual must decline or accept the nomination.  The Secretary will then notify all members of the nominees.  An opportunity will be offered for members to vote en absentia.

iii.     During the last scheduled meeting, nominees may present their campaign speeches, and subsequently elections shall take place.  Election to the Executive Board shall be by secret ballot and requires a simple majority of members.  If more than two people are running for a position and no one nominee wins a majority, then the person with the fewest votes is dropped from the ballot and votes are recast.

iv.      If there are no nominations for a certain position, the current Executive Board may appoint a member for that position with a vote of confidence from the membership.

v.        The term of office runs from the time of the election until the next election.

4. Eligibility

Only members with active status may nominate, be nominated, or vote in the elections of Executive Board members.

5. Duties of Officers

i.         The President shall:

                                                 1.      Officially represent the Polish Club in relation to any other campus organizations, to the College, and to local organizations.

                                                 2.      Preside over all meetings.

                                                 3.      Schedule meetings.

                                                 4.      Ensure the proper operation of the Club and the functioning of the Executive Board.

                                                 5.      Meet with the Advisory Board as needed.

                                                 6.      Assist the Treasurer in the preparation of the budget.

                                                 7.      Appoint committees and serve ex-officio (non-voting) of said committees.

ii.       The Vice President shall:

                                                 1.      Aid the President.

                                                 2.      In the case of the absence or disability of the President, assume the duties of the President.

                                                 3.      Call all meetings to order and adjourn each said meeting.

                                                 4.      See to it that all activities taken by the Club are in accordance with the bylaws of the College and this Constitution.

                                                 5.      See to it that all members are given the chance to speak and be heard at meetings.

                                                 6.      Supervise elections and see that they are carried out as set forth in this Constitution.

iii.     The Treasurer shall:

                                                 1.      Manage the accounts allocated to the Club and/or any independent sources of income.

                                                 2.      Maintain updated financial records for the Executive Board.

                                                 3.      Seek alternate sources of income.

                                                 4.      Handle any money in connection with the Club.

                                                 5.      Sign all financial paperwork.

iv.      The Secretary shall:

                                                 1.      Keep a list of all current Club members.

                                                 2.      Keep attendance at meetings, record the minutes of meetings, and distribute the minutes before the following meeting.

                                                 3.      Inform members of all Club activities and maintain the calendar of events.

6. Vacancies of Offices

i.         If a position becomes vacant, the Executive Board may appoint a replacement until an election is held to fill the vacant position.

7. Removal of Officers/Members

i.         Formal charges for removal must be submitted to the Executive Board for action.

ii.       A majority of two-thirds vote can remove officers from office or revoke membership based on violations of the Club’s Constitution and/or College policies.

Article V:  Meetings

1. General Meetings

i.         Meetings of the general membership shall be held at a time and day that is agreeable to a simple majority of members and officers at the beginning of each semester.

2. Executive Board Meetings

i.         Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held once monthly at a time and day that is agreeable to the majority of the officers.

Article VI:  Advisor

The Advisor of the Trinity College Polish Club shall be a non-voting member who actively participates in meetings and oversees the Executive Board and the general membership on matters relevant to the purposes set forth in this Constitution.  The Advisor must be a member of the faculty, staff, or administration of Trinity College.

Article VII:  Amendments

1. Proposal

i.         Any member with active status shall be able to propose amendments to the Constitution.

2. Subsequent Procedures

i.         Amendments shall be developed by a special committee on a case-by-case basis.  The committee chair shall be the member who originally proposed the amendment.

3. Approval

i.         The Constitution shall only be amended with the unanimous support of the Executive Board, at least 5/6 majority of current members present at the vote, and at least one vote from an “active” Advisory Board member (if such exists).