The Constitution of Columbia University Weather Club
Preamble
The Columbia Weather Club is an organization dedicated to the advancement of science, technology, and in particular, meteorology, by the propagation of scientific spirit among undergraduates at Columbia University. We, as members of The Columbia Weather Club, establish this Constitution to advance our shared goals.
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be The Weather Club for Undergraduate Meteorology, hereafter referred to as The Weather Club.
Section 2. The officers of The Columbia Weather Club shall make up the Executive Board of The Weather Club, hereafter referred to as the Board.
Section 1. The purpose of this organization shall be to generate, sustain, and further develop interest in meteorology and all of the sciences among Columbia University undergraduates. To this end, The Weather Club shall be dedicated to providing opportunities for undergraduate participation in scientific endeavors and fostering cooperation between students and faculty. Furthermore, The Weather Club shall be dedicated to extending enthusiasm for science to the wider community that the University serves in the city of New York by means of an electronic weather station generously donated by NBC.
Section 2. The Executive Board, in addition to fulfilling the specific duties detailed in this document, is to provide general guidance and organization for The Weather Club.
Section 1. The requirements of membership are i) enrollment as an undergraduate student in one of the schools of Columbia University and ii) attendance at any combination of two general meetings or Weather Club activities* per semester.
*the definition of which shall be determined by the Board.
Section 2. All members may vote, but only members who are undergraduate students in Barnard College, Columbia College, or the School of Engineering and
Applied Sciences may hold office.
Section 3. The responsibilities of membership are to actively work toward the aims of The Weather Club, including maintenance of the weather station and to responsibly elect the officers of the Board.
Section 4. Membership may be revoked by full agreement of the Board and two-thirds agreement of the quorum.
* Criteria by which membership may come into question include instances of unethical conduct and shall be further defined by the board as situations arise.
*a quorum is one-third of all Weather Club members.
Regularly scheduled meetings shall be determined by the Board. The dates and times of meetings shall be determined by majority vote* at the first general meeting of each academic semester. Officers have the authority to call supplementary meetings during the semester.
*all undergraduates present may vote.
Section 1. The Weather Club shall have the following officers: President (Co-President, on occasion), Secretary, and Treasurer. All undergraduates who have been members for at least one semester are eligible to hold office. A member must nominate a candidate. Self-nomination is allowed. Another member must then second the nomination. A secret ballot election shall be held, and the candidate with a majority of votes shall hold office for one term.
Section 2. The duties of these officers shall be to provide leadership and organization for The Weather Club. The officers should divide the responsibilities of leadership equally; however, in particular, the President shall coordinate activities, the Secretary shall maintain records of the club, ant the Treasurer shall oversee the club's finances.
Section 3. The duration of each office shall be for one year, beginning at the start of the spring semester and ending at the close of the fall semester. Officers may serve in a position for two terms.
Section 1. General elections shall take place toward the end of the semester during which the terms of office expire. Members shall vote by secret ballot. Specific election rules shall be described in the bylaws.
Section 2. If there is any need to appoint officers during the term, they shall be appointed by majority vote of the Board and two-thirds of the quorum. Specific appointment procedures shall be described in the bylaws.
Section 3. Unethical behavior, failure to fulfill duties of office, or separation from the university constitutes sufficient grounds for removal from office. A letter explaining why an officer should be impeached must be submitted to the Board or brought to the attention of The Weather Club during a general meeting. This may not be done anonymously. The quorum shall then vote by ballot on whether to continue the impeachment procedure. If impeachment procedures continue, a committee made up of members shall be appointed by a faculty member to make an inquiry into the accusations. The results of this inquiry shall be presented to the members, and the members shall then vote. The officers of the Board can be impeached by two-thirds of the quorum.
Section 4. Officers may resign.
Section 5. In case of a midterm vacancy of an elected officer, the Board can appoint a temporary officer until the members elect a permanent replacement.
The Board may appoint committees.
Section 1. By-laws of The Weather Club shall be established and altered by the Board. They must be approved by a two-thirds agreement of at least a quorum during a general meeting.
Section 2. By-laws of the Board shall be established or altered by the Board and must be approved by a two-thirds agreement of at least a quorum during a general meeting.
Any member of The Weather Club may propose amendments to the Constitution. A two-thirds agreement of at least a quorum during a general meeting is required for the adoption of an amendment.
This Constitution shall be established by a two-thirds vote of the membership of The Weather Club.