Pseudonym Club Constitution

Pseudonym Club Constitution

Article I: Name and Purpose

Section 1: Name
This club will be titled and henceforth referred to as Pseudonym.

Section 2: Purpose/Mission
The purpose of Pseudonym will be to provide a source of news and information regarding English related, on or off campus events which might be of interest to club members and the campus community and to facilitate and encourage student writing projects. In accordance with the Benedictine tradition of CSB/SJU, Pseudonym will build a community of students interested in literature and writing and to thereby provide support and encouragement to academic endeavors in literature. Pseudonym will:

  • Provide, through the organization of club activities, opportunities for individuals interested in English writing and literature to interact and foster that interest.
  • Provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of student work in creative and non-fictional writing.
  • Provide, through club interaction and various programs designed to bring professional authors and students together, for the education of students concerning opportunities in writing.
  • Provide, through club interactions and various programs, the means for students to improve and expand writing skills.
  • Provide, through planned events and excursions, the opportunity for students to experience the presentation of literature.

Section 3: Affiliation
Pseudonym is not affiliated with any regional or national organizations.

Article II: Membership

Section 1: Eligibility for Membership
Membership in Pseudonym is open to all students of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University. It is the hope of Pseudonym to create an organization bringing writers and literary enthusiasts from many majors and backgrounds together. All students are therefore welcome to take an active role in the club. CSB/SJU faculty and staff may occupy non-voting, affiliate membership for the purposes of advising the club.

Students may become a Pseudonym club member by contacting an officer of Pseudonym directly or through the Involvement Fair. After being added to the club distribution list, the student must maintain his or her membership by attending club meetings regularly. Members who fail to attend three consecutive meetings without contacting the club leadership with a suitable explanation of their absence will be considered for removal. In addition, club members are expected to exhibit good conduct at all club meetings and events. Rude, rowdy, and disrespectful conduct toward visiting authors, other students, or students' writing efforts will provide grounds for removal.

Section 2: Dues
Club Members are not required to pay dues.

Section 3: Voting Member Criteria
Due to the close cooperation anticipated between Pseudonym and the CSB/SJU Writing Center, Writing Center staff will hold non-voting membership, thereby maintaining the right to speak and participate in club meetings and events. Writing Center staff are, or course, eligible for full and formal membership which may be attained through the usual channels.

Section 4: Removal of Members
A club member wishing to lodge a complaint against another club member may do so by contacting the Pseudonym club leadership. A member of the club leadership will be designated to monitor meeting attendance and to notify the leadership if a member's membership status is in question. A student who is being considered for removal will be first notified via e-mail that his or her membership may be terminated following the next meeting of Pseudonym. At said meeting, following an explanation of the violation committed by the student, the student will be offered the chance to defend his or her actions or to account for his or her absences from club meetings. If 2/3 of the club members are present, the club may vote on the student's culpability for his or her actions. A vote of two thirds of the members present is required to find the student culpable. Should the club find that the charges leveled against the student are worthy of punishment, the club may then choose to place the student on probation, to suspend the student, or to remove the student from the club. 2/3 of the students present must agree on the punishment chosen. Probation shall last for a period of no more than three meetings. During this time, the student will remain eligible to attend and participate in club meetings and events, but will not be allowed to vote on club business. A suspension shall last no less than one month and no more than one year, during which time the student is banned from club meetings and events. At the end of the suspension, however, the student is eligible to reapply for membership in the club. An expulsion from the club is considered to be permanent, lasting for the duration of the student's educational experience at CSB/SJU.

Article III: Officers

Section 1: Officer Qualifications
A student wishing to become an officer of Pseudonym must have spent at least one semester as a member in good standing of the club. Members interested in occupying the position of Co-Funding Board contact must demonstrate strong organizational and mathematical skills in addition to the good character and leadership ability demanded of all club officers.

Section 2: Elected Officers
Pseudonym has decided to use a non-hierarchical structure. Officers will function as a leadership committee, with many responsibilities rotating among the members of the group. Rotating responsibilities include presiding over meetings, chairing committees, scheduling meetings and notifying membership of meetings, taking minutes and keeping records of club activities. The officers shall preside over election procedures as a committee. Because of the nature of certain tasks, however, specific officers will be designated to perform some tasks for the duration of their tenure. The list below contains the tasks which will be apportioned to officers on a permanent basis. The numbering of officers should in no way be understood to indicate a hierarchical structure.

Officer 1:
Department of Student Activities contact

Officer 2:
Co-Funding Board/Treasurer contact

Officer 3:
Joint Club Board contact

Tresusrer and VP
Should the membership deem it necessary, other tasks may also be assigned to specific officers for the duration of the officers' time in office.

Section 3: Duties of Officers
Officers shall be elected for a period of one year, after which they may stand for re-election.

Section 4: Vacancy in Office
In the event that a vacancy in office should occur, a special election may be called to fill the vacancy. Until such time as an election may be organized, the remaining officers are collectively responsible for fulfilling the duties of the former officer. The membership may choose not to fulfill an officer vacancy, so long as at least three officers remain and the remaining officers consent to the maintenance of the former officer's duties on a permanent basis. For information on special election procedures, see Article IV.

Section 5: Removal of Officers
Officers may be removed from office for the misuse of authority, for consistent failure to complete or adequately fulfill assigned tasks, or for failure to cooperate with fellow officers. Disputes between officers must first be presented to the club advisor for arbitration. Should arbitration fail to dissipate the dispute, grounds for removal may be presented to the membership with the support of a majority of the officers. A petition for the removal of the offending officer may then be circulated among the membership. Should 2/3 of the membership express support for the removal of the officer, the officer in question must be notified and afforded an opportunity to defend him or herself before the membership. Following said defense, the present membership must agree by a 2/3 majority in order to remove the officer from duty. Removal from office does not constitute removal from the club. An officer who has been removed from office retains all privileges of a member in good standing. A separate motion may be brought, however, to remove the former officer from the club if his or her behavior as an officer provides grounds (See Article II Section 3). A motion to remove an officer may also originate with the membership. Any member or group of members may approach the club advisor and request arbitrage of a dispute with an officer. Should arbitration fail, the club members may request consideration of the officer's standing at the next Pseudonym meeting. Ensuing steps follow the steps taken in an officer initiated movement for removal, i.e. petition, notification, defense, and vote.

Section 6: Appeal of Removal of Officers
Following his or her removal, an officer will be given ten days to attempt a reconciliation with the club membership and the officers. The officer must issue a written apology [because we are a writer's club] and further justification of his or her actions. In response, the club membership must convene to consider the apology/justification and determine if the officer may be reinstated in his or her duties. A 2/3 vote of voting members present is required to reinstate an officer.

Article IV: Elections

Section 1: Nomination Process
Officer candidates may be self-nominated or nominated by any voting member of the club. In the former case, the nominated officer must accept the nomination before being placed on the ballot.

Section 2: Election
Election of officers will take place in the first week of March at a special meeting at which a quorum is present. Following nominations, the officer candidates and the club membership, including non-voting members, will be accorded the opportunity to address the membership in support or opposition to a candidacy. Voting will then proceed by secret ballot. Ballots will be collected and counted by the outgoing officers and the club advisor. Results of the election are to be announced to the club membership within twenty four hours of the election. The Department of Student Activities will then be notified of the new officers by April 1. There is no limit to the number of terms an officer may serve.

Section 3: Special Elections
Special elections may be held in the event that an officer decides to leave office or is removed from office by the club membership. An officer choosing to leave office must notify the membership in writing of this intention and the date of his or her last day in office. Elections must then occur within two weeks of the date specified by the officer. Elections to replace an officer removed from office will occur within one week after the appeals process has been concluded.

The following offices will be filled:

  • Chair: The Pseudonym Chair is responsible for calling and running meetings of the Pseudonym club and for supervising the use of club funds for the activities of Pseudonym.
  • Co-Chair: The vice-president is responsible for assisting the president in calling and running meetings of the Pseudonym. The vice-president will preferably be a non-senior and will work closely with the president. Then the vice-president will take over the duties of the president when he or she graduates or resigns.
  • Treasurer: These two positions help with the planning and fiscal responsibility for the club. These positions can overlook of act as committee chairs. They will be responsible for any specific types of activities the club wishes to undertake for that year. All the officers are fiscally responsible.
  • Advisor: The Advisor will help the Pseudonym in dealings with the administration and faculty when necessary.

Article V: Advisor

Section 1: Selection
An Advisor will be chosen based on their interests relating to the goals and function of the club.

Section 2: Duties
The Advisor will be available for questions regarding various procedures on campus and for advice on club proceedings.

Article VI: Meetings

Section 1: Regular Meeting/Club Activities
All Meetings will be informally run. Officers will present the meeting agenda and club business and facilitate discussion concerning club business. All club members-voting and nonvoting-will be given the chance to express their thoughts, though members should indicate their wish to speak by raising their hand or otherwise gaining the attention of the facilitating officer.

Section 2: Special Meetings
Special meetings may be called due to the proximity of a special club event, the need for a special election, or due to an emergency regarding the activities, leadership, or existence of the club. Members of Pseudonym must be notified of a special meeting eight hours prior to the meeting. A quorum must be present for any club action to be agreed upon.

Section 3: Parliamentary Authority
All club business, except the election of officers or the removal the officers or a club member, must be supported by a simple majority of the members present. Such support may be shown by show of hands.

Section 4: Quorum*
Two-thirds of the voting members of Pseudonym must be present for business to occur.

Article VII: Committees

Section 1: Committee Structure
The club maintains no standing committees, but committees will be established on an ad hoc basis for the planning of club events. These committees will bear the title of the event which they are planning and will be constituted of 3-7 club members depending on the size and difficulty of the organization effort required. Committee members may volunteer or be appointed to committees by Pseudonym club officers. Committees are responsible for electing their own internal leadership and rules. In the case that an event is co-sponsored with another organization or entity, a joint committee in which all members carry voting privileges may be formed. Include what committees (if any) that your club will have. Include responsibilities of each committee and who is responsible for each committee. Examples include Membership, Programs, Elections, Fundraising, etc.

Section 2: Special/Ad-Hoc Committees
No special/ad-hoc committees will be formed.

Article VIII: Finances

Section 1: Co-Funding Board
Pseudonym will approach the CSB/SJU Co-Funding Board for funds to support club activities. In addition, the club may engage in fund raising activities which are approved by the club membership and are in accordance with the mission and dignity of Pseudonym and CSB/SJU. No officer or member shall receive a stipend from the organization.

Section 2: Honorariums
Pseudonym offers no honorarium.

Article IX: Amendments

Section 1: Ratification
This constitution and all officer positions are subject to change anytime during the year as necessary. Dependent upon a vote of three-fourths of the existing body of members. For such a purpose any member of the club can call a special meeting.

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 following is a required statement for all organizations
The Pseudonym 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 following is a required statement for all organizations:
The Pseudonym Club considers hazing to be a degrading and destructive activity which is inconsistent with the standards of this student organization. The Pseudonym Club recognizes the dignity of every person and opposes all forms of hazing.