STANDARDS FOR CREATING A CLUB CONSTITUTION

LEARNING OUTCOMES This presentation: Explain each component to aid your club in writing a constitution Writing a constitution: Increase transparency for members by putting into writing, standard operating principals and procedural rules to ensure efficiency, clarification and continuity in regular club operations Identify and plan for future problems

CONSTITUTION COMPONENTS Title Preamble Article I- University Compliance Article II- Membership Article III- Club Finances & Equipment Article IV- Club Executive Leadership Article V- Meetings Article VI- Constitution Approval & Amendments Ratification

TITLE All official club names follow the format of “Queen’s Recreational _____ Club” Insert your Activity/Sport here

PREAMBLE In this section you should: List full official name of the club (see previous slide) Clearly state the club purpose/mission List benefits of participation Example: physical activity, opportunity for competition, opportunity to travel on organized trips List and define any affiliations Example: Our club is affiliated with the Ontario University Equestrian Association. The club pays a membership fee to the league and travels to compete in approximately 6 competitions associated with this league. No affiliations? Change this line to “Our club has no affiliations with other leagues or organizations.

ARTICLE I- UNIVERSITY COMPLIANCE This Article will be standard for all clubs as follows:

ARTICLE II- MEMBERSHIP Section I: Eligibility to be a club member This is standard for all clubs First part of this is standard. For those of you with unique registration steps- list them here Example: Once registered at the ARC, must email the club executive for access to register for trips Do you have a competitive option? Outline details of your selection process such as timeline, who’s involved, how is this communicate, etc.. No competitive option? Eliminate this point altogether

ARTICLE II- MEMBERSHIP Section II: Member Rights/ Inclusion This section standard for all clubs

ARTICLE II- MEMBERSHIP Section III: Club Fees How much are your fees? How often are the collected? Example: Fees are $90 for a full year membership or $50 for a 1-semester membership. This is standard for all clubs If you don’t have a trial week, remove the first part of this point. The refund policy is standard for all clubs. If you have unique refund policies in addition to the A&R blanket policy, please list those as well Example: Refunds for trips cannot be awarded unless someone is found to take your spot on the trip. Sometimes clubs waive fees for executive. If this is not the case, remove this point altogether! List expenses that club fees are used for. Can include but not limited to: equipment, facilities, food for general meetings, food for executive meetings. In addition, if collecting additional fees, please outline what those are used for Example: Cost recovery for travel, cost recovery for clothing, etc. Be as detailed as possible- we want to be transparent for members!

ARTICLE III- CLUB FINANCES & EQUIPMENT Section I: Budget Management This is standard for all clubs. Add anything that your club does that differs from what is outlined When possible, try to limit reimbursements to just the treasurer and/or president. Substantial paperwork is needed to set someone up for reimbursement, so this should be done at the beginning of the year if needed to speed up processes. And, when possible- have A&R make direct purchases for you instead of going out of pocket!

ARTICLE III- CLUB FINANCES & EQUIPMENT Section II: Equipment List any equipment that has been purchased for club use. Indicate where it is stored, who has access. If stored off-campus, indicate how the equipment is transitioned to the next club leadership. List any equipment that club members will need to participate. Example: The club owns a stereo system. This is stored in the Studio 4 closet and is accessible by all club executive and instructors. In the summer months, it is stored in the Club Storage room on LL2. Club members are responsible for purchasing recital costumes. Is all equipment provided? Delete the last line!

ARTICLE III- CLUB FINANCES & EQUIPMENT Section III: Dissolution What happen to club resources if the club is no longer sanctioned? Who is involved in this process? Example: If the club loses sanctioned status with A&R, remaining club funds and equipment will be released to the elected President. Before release the president must indicate their intent for the resources and, signatures of approval will be required from the Treasurer, along with one additional officer and general club member.

ARTICLE IV- CLUB EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Section I: Officer Positions Indicate the length of term for executive positions and the dates for each term Example: running from April 1 to April 30 of the following year All descriptions are general. If your executive have specific/additional tasks, please add them here. Example: travel coordinator, social coordinator, vice president

ARTICLE IV- CLUB EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Section II: Officer Nominations & Elections When/where are elections held? How will you tell your members and who can attend? Example: Elections are held on campus at the beginning of March. Official date and location will be communicated to all members by email at the beginning of the winter semester. All members will be invited to attend and executive will be selected based on majority vote or the general membership. Who coordinates the election? Who votes and how? How is a winner selected? Example: Elections are lead by the current president. All voting is open to general membership and will be done via ballots. If a member cannot attend the election but would like to participate in the vote, they must email their selections to the club president prior to the election meeting. Winner will be announced once votes are counted, prior to the end of the election meeting. The first part of this is standard for all clubs, but do you have additional requirements for certain positions? Example: In order to run for president, one must have served on the club executive for at least one year. Do members have to be present to vote? Remove the details about proxy voting!

ARTICLE IV- CLUB EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Section III: Recall & Impeachment of Officers Is someone not upholding their officer responsibilities? What is the process to remove them from office? Who can make the official decision to remove them. Example: If an officer is not performing their outlined duties, or is violating the terms of the club constitution, members or other executive can propose their impeachment. This proposal should be made in writing to the club executive. The decision for impeachment shall be made by majority vote of the club executive officers. If removed from office, can they still be a member of are they removed from the club altogether? Example: If an officer impeached, they can remain a general member of the club.

ARTICLE IV- CLUB EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Section IV: Vacancies in Office If a position on the executive becomes vacant, how is it filled? Example: If an executive position becomes vacant, the position will be filled based on a majority vote from the remaining members of the executive.

ARTICLE V- MEETINGS Section I: Membership Meetings Does the club hold regular meetings for the general membership? Where/when/how long do they last? Example: The club holds one kick-off meeting in the fall semester at the ARC, lasting approximately 1 hour. Additional meetings are held at the beginning of the winter semester, along with an Annual General Meeting held in January and April respectively. These meetings are both held on campus and last approximately 1.5 hours. Snacks for meetings are purchased using club funds. Who holds the meetings and how are they communicated to members? Example: All meetings are run by the club executive officers. All meeting dates are circulated by email at the beginning of the academic year and are published on the club website. Do you serve food at a meeting? You may want to include that here!

ARTICLE V- MEETINGS Section II: Executive Meetings Does the club hold regular meetings for the executive? Where/when/how long do they last? Who can attend? Example: The club holds executive meetings once a month at an off-campus location, all of which are approximately 1 hour in length. All active executive as outlined in the constitution are invited to attend. Semester wrap-up meetings are held at the end of each semester at a restaurant- meals are purchased for executive officers using club funds. Do you serve food at a meeting? You may want to include that here!

ARTICLE V- MEETINGS Section III: Agenda and Minutes Standard for all clubs. Are agendas and meeting minutes available to your membership? Where can they find them? Example: Meeting agendas for both general membership and executive meetings are posted to the club website one-week prior to the meeting. Meeting minutes will also be posted to the club website within one-week of the meeting.

ARTICLE VI- APPROVAL & AMENDMENTS Section I: Approval Where is the constitution posted? How is it shared/presented to members each year? How is the constitution approved or rejected? Example: The constitution is available on the club website. The constitution will be shared and voted on at the first club meeting each academic year. The constitution is coted on by general membership and approved by a majority vote of those in attendance at the general membership meeting.

ARTICLE VI- APPROVAL & AMENDMENTS Section II: Amendments Who can propose amendments and how should they do it? Example: Amendments to the constitution can be proposed by any club members by submission in writing to the club executive. Who discusses and votes on amendments? How are amendments passed or rejected? Example: The proposed amendments will be discussed and voted on by the club executive identified in the constitution. A majority vote of club executive officers will decide the outcome. If amendments are approved, they will be presented to A&R for approval and then communicated to all members. Changes will take effect immediately. Standard for all clubs!

RATIFICATION The constitution must be presented and voted on by general membership. Once complete, the following information must be submitted to the ARC Recommend having multiple officers sign as witnesses and attaching the meeting attendance of general members.