Sexual Assault Prevention (SAP) Constitution
Sexual Assault Prevention Club
Article I: Name and Purpose
Section 1: Name
Sexual Assault Prevention Club (SAP)
Section 2: Purpose/Mission
The purpose of this club is to lower the number of sexual assaults and sexual violence that occur on and off campus at CSBSJU. We plan on implementing interactional and educational meetings and events into each semester to engage students in learning more about the effects of sexual assault, steps and procedures to follow if you are a victim of sexual assault, and what you can do to prevent sexual assault on and off campus. This club holds true to the Benedictine values, with the respect for persons in particular.
Section 3: Affiliation
N/A at the moment, but are looking into it and open to affiliation in the future.
Article II: Membership
Section 1: Eligibility for Membership
The SAP Club is open to any student registered at CSB or SJU.
Section 2: Voting Member Criteria
A student becomes a voting member upon joining the club. To keep voting rights, the member must take an active part in the club by attending at least 3 club meetings and 1/2 of the SAP Club sponsored events/activities during the school year based upon attendance taken at the meetings/activities/events.
Section 3: Removal of Members
To remain in an appropriate standing with the SAP Club, all members must be respectful of and willing to support the mission and purpose of the club. If there are questions regarding a member's standing, these questions may be directed towards any officer of the group in a private setting. The process to remove any member who is not in appropriate standing with the club is as follows: the student whose membership is in question will receive an email notification from the club secretary two weeks prior to the meeting which has on its agenda the vote for removal. If the student would like to remain in the club, he/she may notify the club secretary who will bring this request to the club officers for consideration.
Article III: Officers
Section 1: Officer Qualifications
The qualifications a student must have to be eligible to be an officer are as follows: Willingness to commit themselves to the duties of his or her position, and must be respectful and supportive of the mission and purpose of the club. All officers must be current CSB or SJU students and must comply with JCB policies and procedures. See Article IV for Election procedures.
Section 2: Elected Officers
The positions in a non-hierarchical structure are President, Vice-President, Co-Treasurers, Co-Secretaries, Co-Media/Communications Chairs, and Co-Events Chairs. The Department of Student Activities contact is the President, the Co-Funding Board (CFB) contact is the Treasurer, and the Joint Club Board (JCB) contact is the Vice-President.
Section 3: Duties of Officers
Terms of office will be the academic year, April 1 - March 31, unless there is knowledge of only being able to serve one semester, in which case two people will be elected for that position, one to serve in the summer/fall semester (April 1-December 20) and one to serve the spring semester (December 20-March 31).
The Duties of officers are as follows:
President: plan and lead activities at meetings with the Vice-President, preside at meetings, call special meetings, serve as the primary contact with the institutions, and run the election process.
Vice-President: plan and lead activities at meetings with the President, assume the President's duties in his/her absence, schedule meeting/practice rooms/facilities, and serve as the primary contact with the JCB.
Secretary: take and distribute minutes of all club meetings, serve as the club recorder keeper (current and past members, files minutes, etc), serve as the club historian, notify members of meetings, handle the official correspondence of the club, and maintain club website.
Treasurer: keep all financial records, submit monthly audit statements to CFB contact (this is a mandatory requirement if you receive CFB funds), notify organization of financial issues, and prepare budget/allocation requests.
Media/Communications Chair- handles all social media accounts, email, and media/communication duties.
Events Chair- sets up events and meetings.
All club officers are responsible for recruitment of members. Officers must also be prepared to answer or research answers to any questions regarding club operations or policies.
Section 4: Vacancy in Office
In the event that a vacancy should occur (resignation or removal), provisions will be made to fill the vacancy. In the event that the President leaves office, the Vice President will assume those duties until a special election is held. See the special election section of Article IV.
Section 5: Removal of Officers
A petition to remove the officer in question must be submitted to another officer after consultation with the club advisor. This petition must contain the signatures of 60% of voting members. When such petition is received, the President (or Vice-President if the student President is in question) shall call a meeting of the club to determine whether or not the officer should be removed. Grounds for removal are presented by the presiding officer at a regular or special club meeting. The officer in question shall be provided an opportunity to present a defense either in person or in writing. More than 75% of the club shall be present, and a simple majority vote of the voting members shall decide upon removal.
Section 6: Appeal of Removal of Officers
To appeal the club's decision for removal, a removed officer may petition for reinstatement after consultation with all the club officers and club advisor.
Article IV: Elections
Section 1: Nomination Process
Officer candidates will be nominated by club members or through self-nomination at the nomination meeting.
Section 2: Election
Elections are held at the designated election meeting to be once every spring before April 1. The Department of Student Activities will be notified of the new officers before April 1.
Election procedures are as followed: nominated officer candidates will give a brief speech to the club as to their motivations and intentions to becoming a club officer, after all the candidates for a specific position speak, a vote by secret ballot shall be taken, and the candidate with the most votes will become the officer for that position. This process will be repeated for each officer position. A quorum will be present at the elections meeting. A person may serve a maximum of two terms in a particular position.
Section 3: Special Elections
Within "4" weeks of vacancy occurring, a new officer must be elected. The same procedures from Section 2 are to be followed, with dates revised as appropriate.
Article V: Advisor
Section 1: Selection
The club advisor shall be chosen by a vote.
Section 2: Duties
The advisor duties are as follows: provide continuity for the club from year to year, act as a resource to the group, attend programs that may have liability/risk for the institutions, intervene when knowledge of illegal activity contrary to CSB/SJU policy occur, and attend some meetings/activities.
Article VI: Meetings
Section 1: Regular Meeting/Club Activities
Regular club meetings will be held every other week unless specified otherwise. Meetings do not require a quorum.
Section 2: Special Meetings
Special meetings may be called in order to accommodate specific activities, discuss certain club information, and as needed. The process used to call these meetings will be notification by email.
Section 3: Parliamentary Authority
Robert's Rules of Order will serve as a guide for meetings.
Section 4: Quorum
2/3 of voting members present constitute a quorum.
Article VII: Committees
Section 1: Committee Structure
Committees will be formed as necessary to plan and organize club activities/events. A volunteer club member will become the committee chair.
Article VIII: Finances
Section 1: Co-Funding Board
The club will apply for CFB monies, and if allocated resources, the club will follow all CFB and institutional regulations.
Section 2: Honorariums
Officers or members will not receive an honorarium/stipend from the organization.
Article IX: Amendments
Section 1: Ratification
The process to be used regarding proposed constitutional amendments: A petition for an amendment will be brought to the club officers who will add the proposed amendment to the agenda. Proposed amendments to the constitution will be sent to the membership in advance of the meeting where a vote on the amendment will take place. At a regularly scheduled meeting the vote on the amendment will take place. A quorum of voting members must be present and 80% of those in attendance must vote for the amendment. If the amendment is passed, the change will take place as soon as the DSA and JCB approve the amendment.
Section 2: Submittal to Department of Student Activities and Joint Club Board
Any changes made to this constitution must be submitted to the Department of Student Activities and the JCB.
Article X
The Sexual Assault Prevention Club admits students without regard to their race, religion, color, sex, age, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and other activities, generally accorded or made available to members of the organization.
Article XI
The Sexual Assault Prevention Club considers hazing to be a degrading and destructive activity which is inconsistent with the standards of this student organization. Witness Me recognizes the dignity of every person and opposes all forms of hazing.