Women's Center

Women's Center
Constitution

Preamble

The Columbia College Women's Center was founded ten years ago when Columbia College integrated women into its community, as a place where women could come and express their concerns as women on this campus. Our role has since expanded from providing advocacy to providing entertainment and forums to educate women and members of the Columbia community. We perceive that seism at Columbia is a symptom of the sexism which exists throughout society, and we feel that it is not only important, but vital that we connect wit the contemporary feminist movement and the large social issues that it examines. The center invited all undergraduate members of the Columbia community to attend its weekly business meetings, collective discussions and special events.

Article I. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Columbia College Women's Center, hereafter referred to as the CCWC.

Article II. Purpose

The purpose of this organization shall be to provide a supportive atmosphere for women and to serve in an informational, educational and cultural capacity, brining programs and activities to Columbia which will raise consciousness and promote discussion and thought on the concerns of women of all societal levels, races, abilities and sexual preferences.

Article III. Membership

Section I.

There are no requirements for membership

Section II.

Only members who are undergraduate students at Barnard College, Columbia College, or the School of Engineering and Applied Science may vote or hold office.

Section III.

Participation in decision making is a privilege of membership open to all those who have participated regularly in business meetings.

Section IV.

Membership of active participants is irrevocable.

Article IV. Meetings and Procedures

Section 1.

Regular business meetings are held weekly and are open to all, providing an opportunity to discuss what activities CCWC should sponsor or hold. Committee meeting are called by any member of the committee when she sees necessary, at a time convenient for the members of that committee.

Section II.

The members of the CB are responsible for reporting developments to member of the regular business meetings and coordinating the actions of their respective business meetings.

Section III

Members of the CB are elected biannually at the end of September and at the last meeting prior to winter break. An officer may be re-elected to the CB only by unanimous vote of her committee.

Article VI Electing, Appointing, and Removing Officers

Section I

All elections are made by majority vote of the membership.

Section II

CCWC elects all of its officers.

Section III.

Any member of the CB may be impeached and removed at a regular business meeting by confidential ballot of the attendant membership at the request of any individual member, following investigation of her behavior by the other members of the CB. This investigation will include interviews with the members of the committee filing the complaint, and results of these interview must be reported at the next business meeting. Following discussion of these results, a vote will be taken.

Section IV.

In the even of a mid-term vacancy of an elected officer, a replacement will be selected by majority vote of the committee in question.

Article VIII Committees

Section I.

The standing committees shall be the five mentioned above.

Section II.

The duties of these standing committees shall be:

Each committee shall implement activities proposed at the weekly meetings and approved by the attendant membership
The Activities Committee shall implement activities proposed at the weekly meetings and approved by the attendant membership.
The CRC is responsible for keeping abreast of contemporary issues in feminism and informing the members of the CCWC and the greater Columbia community of them.
The NP Committee is responsible for maintaining contact with the other campus organizations, primarily those concerned with women's issues, and bringing to the CCWC issues raised by those groups which pertain to women.
The Treasury Committee is responsible for handling all financial matters of the CCW. The use of the center's funds will be determined by approval of the membership.
The CC is responsible for the upkeep of the center, for supervising the library, and for staffing the center during open hours.

Section III

Members of the standing committees are volunteers who will commit themselves to contributing the time and effort necessary for he completion of whatever project they undertake. Following the completion of a project, a member may choose to remove herself from her committee. With the suggestion of new projects, a member may choose to join the committee in charge of the new project.

Section IV.

Additional committees may be formed and dissolved at the discretion of the membership by the procedures stated above.

Article VIII

Section I

By-laws of the organization shall be established and altered by majority vote of the attendant membership.

Section II

By-laws of the Coordinating Body shall be established and altered by unanimous vote of the board and majority vote of attendant membership at the business meeting preceding the CB meeting in which the vote is to be taken.

Article IX

Proposals to amend the constitution are to be submitted to the CB by either a member of a committee. The CB will present proposals at the following business meeting to be ratified by majority vote of the attendant membership, providing that attendant membership is at least two-thirds of the Center's total membership.

Article X

The Constitution shall be established by majority vote of the attendant membership, providing the attendant members constitute at least two-thirds the Center's total membership.

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