Group Constitutions
The Columbia University Glee Club
Constitution

ARTICLE I. Name

The name of this organization shall be "The Columbia University Glee Club."

ARTICLE II. Purpose

The objects of the Columbia University Glee Club are to promote fellowship and group singing of the highest excellence at Columbia University; to add to the musical culture of the University community; to promote, encourage, and support worthy and appropriate activities by Glee Clubs and choruses of higher educational institutions; to work for greater recognition of musical activities on the campus by the students, faculty, trustees, administration, and by the public; to represent Columbia University to its students, alumni, and friends both in New York City and outside the metropolitan area.

ARTICLE III. Organizational Structure

A. Membership

  1. Any undergraduate student of the College, the School of Engineering, Barnard, the School of Nursing, or the School of General Studies may become voting members of the Glee Club. Alumni, and students of the other divisions of the Columbia University Community may become singing members of the Glee Club, but will not have voting privileges during the election of officers.
  2. Membership is determined by auditions arranged by the Director and/or Assistant/Associate Director and the Managing Board of the Glee Club.
  3. Membership can be revoked, suspended, or put on probation at the discretion of the Managing Board.

B. Officers

1. All officers must be undergraduate students in good standing in Columbia College, Barnard College, the School of General Studies, the School of Engineering, or the School of Nursing for a full-time program of studies heading to a bachelor's degree and must have successfully completed at least two (2) semesters of full attendance in one of those schools.

ARTICLE III.

A. Officers

  1. Officers must be members in good standing of the Glee Club for at least two (2) semesters before assumption of office.
  2. The President must have been a member of the Glee Club in good standing for at least four (4) semesters prior to his/her assumption of office.
  3. A majority of the officers of the Managing Board must be undergraduates at Columbia College, Barnard College, or the School of Engineering.
  4. Official terms of office shall be from Columbia College Class Day to Columbia College Class Day.
  5. The newly designated Managing Board of the Glee Club shall, in conjunction with the incumbent Managing Board, be empowered to formulate and make arrangements of the following academic year immediately following their election and appointment.

C. Standing Committee

  1. The governing body of the Glee Club shall be called "The Managing Board".
  2. The Managing Board shall consist of:

a. The Executive Committee composed of the:

1) President.
    1. Shall call and preside over all meetings of the Glee Club as a whole and all meetings of the Managing Board.
    2. Shall appoint all committee officers as the Managing Board deems necessary.
    3. Shall have the prerogative of delegating responsibilities.
    4. Shall, along with the Business Manager, with the approval of the Managing Board, have the power to spend money provided for in the Budget.
    5. Shall keep the attendance records for the Glee Club.

2) Business Manager.
  1. Shall handle all financial matters pertaining to the Glee Club.
  2. Shall perform the functions of the President in the absence of the President.
  3. Shall assist the President and assume executive duties and powers of the President when so delegated.
  4. Shall assume the duties and powers of other offices when so delegated by the President and approved by the Managing Board.

ARTICLE IV. Election and Requirements

  1. If no candidate receives a majority in the first balloting, a second shall be held immediately. If no candidate receives a majority in the second balloting, a run-off election shall be held immediately between the two candidates who received the most votes on the second ballot.

  2. The Election Committee composed of three (3) non-candidates shall be chosen from the Glee Club by the Managing Board and approved by the Glee Club. The Election Committee shall be empowered to determine the exact date of the election and shall determine and carry out the procedures of the election in accordance with the Constitution.

  3. The incumbent President shall preside over the proceedings of the Election Committee and the meeting of the Glee Club during which the election is held, except in the case where he/she is a candidate for further office. In the case where the President is a candidate for further office, he/she shall appoint an officer or member of the Glee Club who is not a candidate for elected office at that time to preside over the Election Committee and the meeting of the Glee Club during which the election is held.

  4. The election shall be held at a regularly scheduled rehearsal of the Glee Club no later than the third Monday in March but no earlier than the fourth Monday in February.

  5. The date of the election shall be announced three (3) weeks before the election is to be held. Two-thirds of the voting members of the Glee Club must be in attendance for the election.

  6. Nominations for elected officers will be taken by the elections committee from the eligible voting members during the three (3) regular rehearsals of the Glee Club preceding the election.

  7. Prior to the balloting, each candidate or his/her designated representative may address the Glee Club for a total time not to exceed five (5) minutes. No candidate shall campaign during regular rehearsals for the Glee Club.

  8. Vote for executive offices shall be by secret ballot. Only undergraduate Glee Club members in good standing may vote. A majority of the members voting shall be necessary for a candidate to be elected. The ballots shall be distributed and counted by the Election Committee.

ARTICLE V. Impeachment

  1. The impeachment of the Director and/or the Associate/Assistant Director may be initiated by a written petition signed by twenty-five (25) percent of the members of the Glee Club in good standing. This petition shall call for a hearing no less than one (1) week nor more than three (3) weeks after submission of such a petition to be attended by the Student Activities Director and two-thirds of the Glee Club. A two thirds vote of the Glee Club and the approval of the Director of Student Activities shall be necessary for the removal of the Glee Club Director and/or the Assistant/Associate Director.
  2. The impeachment of a member of the Managing Board who has been elected or approved by the Glee Club may be initiated either by a majority vote of the Managing Board or by a written petition signed by twenty-five (25) percent of the members of the Glee Club in good standing. This petition shall call for a hearing no less than one week nor more than three weeks after submission of such a petition to be attended by two thirds of the Glee Club membership in good standing. A two-thirds vote of the Glee Club shall be necessary for the removal of an officer.
  3. Continued membership may be denied to any member of the Glee Club who is not an officer-by the Managing Board after infraction of the rules and regulations of the Glee Club concerning attendance, performance, conduct, and/or extraordinary circumstances.

ARTICLE VI Reinstatement .

  1. Any suspended member or officer of the Glee Club seeking reinstatement either to membership in good standing or former office may submit a written petition for reinstatement to the Managing Board. This petition will call for a hearing before the Glee Club no less than one (1) week nor more than three (3) weeks after submission of such a petition. A majority vote of the Glee Club at the subsequent hearing shall be necessary for reinstatement.

  2. Any suspended member or officer of the Glee Club failing to receive a majority vote following petition for membership or office shall have the right of appeal to the Director of Student of Activities.

ARTICLE VII. Duties of Membership.

  1. It is incumbent upon each member of the Glee Club to participate in all club activities.
  2. The term "good standing" as used in this document shall mean that a member is neither on probation, suspension, nor on leave of absence from the Glee Club.
  3. The terms of probation, suspension, and leave of absence shall be determined my the Managing Board subject to the approval of the Glee Club.

ARTICLE VIII. Ensembles.

  1. Membership in any small ensemble associated with the Glee Club shall be contingent upon membership in the Glee Club itself. The activities of any such ensemble shall be consistent with the aims of the Glee Club.

ARTICLE IX. Amendments

  1. An amendment may be proposed by a written petition of at least ten members in good standing of the Glee Club. This petition shall be submitted to the Managing Board.

  2. Any proposed amendment shall be placed before the Glee Club by the Managing Board at a regular rehearsal not less than one (1) week nor more than two (2) weeks after the submission of the petition to the Managing Board.

  3. The vote on the proposed amendment shall take place at the next regular rehearsal of the Glee Club at which two-thirds of Glee Club members in good standing are present. A two-thirds majority of the members present and voting shall be required for the passage of the proposed amendment.

ARTICLE X. Ratification

  1. Any proposed constitution shall be formally presented to the Glee Club at a regular rehearsal of the Glee Club.

  2. Immediately following the next regular rehearsal of the Glee Club, this constitution shall be open to discussion by the entire Glee Club.

  3. The vote on the proposed constitution shall take place at the next regular rehearsal of the Glee Club at which two-thirds members in good standing are present. A three-fourths majority of the members present and voting shall be required for the adoption of this constitution.

ARTICLE XI. Supremacy of the Constitution

  1. This constitution shall be the supreme law of the Columbia University Glee Club. It shall supersede and replace all former constitutions of the Glee Club.

AMENDMENT XII. Legends

Each year the membership of the Columbia University Glee Club, in accordance with the following guidelines and procedures, may distinguish as many as three (3) individuals as legends of the Glee Club.

I. Nominations for the distinction of Legend will be accepted by the President of the Glee Club after March 1, but before April 1, of each academic year. A designating petition bearing the signatures of ten Glee Club members is required for nomination. Only qualified individuals may be nominated.

II. An individual will be deemed qualified if he/she is an undergraduate senior in membership, or a Glee Club Alumnus/a, or a benefactor of the Glee Club, who has significantly affected the course of Glee Club affairs and/or history.

III. Legends will be selected, each year, by the Selection Committee. The "Committee" will consist of the Executive Committee of the Glee Club and a five member Constituency Committee appointed from the membership of the Glee Club by the membership of the Glee Club. The "Committee" for any year must be established by April 1 of that year.

Each year the "Committee" must choose no fewer than one (1), but no more than three (3) nominees to be distinguished as Legends of the Glee Club. All nominees (including individuals nominated, but not selected, for the distinction of Legend in past years) must be considered for the distinction of Legend that year.

The President of the Glee Club will record the "Committee's" selection(s). The record must be signed by nine (9) members of the "Committee". This signed record must be submitted to the Director of the Glee Club or his/her authorized agent before May 1 of that year.

IV. The record will remain public and the newly selected Legends duly honored at the Glee Club Banquet at the end of that year. A portrait of each Legend should be displayed in the Glee Club quarters for posterity.

V. It is the duty of the President of the Glee Club to oversee the (proper) execution of these guidelines and procedures.

VI. Revisions of these guidelines and procedures must be approved by three fourths of the voting membership of the Glee Club.

 


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