(old) Constitution of the Association of Residents of Burton-Conner

THIS CONSTITUTION WAS REPLACED BY A NEWER VERSION IN 2002.

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be The Association of Residents of Burton-Conner of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, hereinafter referred to as Burton-Conner. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is hereinafter referred to as MIT.

Article II: Membership

The members of Burton-Conner shall be all undergraduate students, and all graduate and faculty residents and their spouses, whose term address is 410 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Article III: Authority

Burton-Conner shall govern itself through the House Meeting of Burton-Conner (House Meeting) and the Executive Committee of Burton-Conner (Executive Committee). Together they shall have full governing authority in making legislative decisions for the members of Burton-Conner as granted by this Constitution. All acts and decisions of the House Meeting and the Executive Committee shall be considered to be acts and decisions of Burton-Conner. Burton-Conner shall have sole authority to regulate the use of the names Burton, Conner, and Burton-Conner.

Article IV: House Meeting

Section 1: Participation

All members of Burton-Conner may attend any House Meeting and exercise one vote on each question. No other person may vote, and proxies are not allowed.

Section 2: Quorum

A quorum for business at the House Meeting shall be 35 members of Burton-Conner. If a quorum is not present, a meeting may be held, but no business may be transacted.

Section 3: Meetings

A House Meeting shall be held at least twice during the regular academic terms of MIT. The first, the Budget Meeting, as described in Article IV, Section 9, will be held during the first month of the term. The second, held during the last month of the term, will include Coordinator/House Officer Elections as well as any other items of business the Executive Committee wishes to place on the agenda. Additional House Meetings may be held if the Executive Committee proposes an agenda for another meeting or if any member of the Executive Committee is presented with a petition signed by at least 35 members of Burton-Conner. Then, the Executive Committee shall call a House Meeting within seven days of that date, excluding those periods designated as academic vacations or the final exam period by MIT. No meetings may be held during a period so designated. The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order (latest edition) shall govern the House Meeting in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution.

Section 4: Functions

The members of Burton-Conner, through the House Meeting, shall make all legislative decisions concerning Burton-Conner, except as hereinafter provided.

Section 5: Agenda

The business that may be transacted at a House Meeting shall be those and only those items that have been placed on the agenda by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall draw up the House Meeting Agenda. If any member of the Executive Committee is presented with a petition, signed by at least 35 members of Burton-Conner at least 72 hours prior to a House Meeting, which requests the placement of an item on the Agenda, the Executive Committee shall place that item on the agenda.

Section 6: Authority

Decisions of the House Meeting shall be binding on all committees, officers, and members of Burton-Conner, with the exceptions of decisions that are inconsistent with this Constitution.

Section 7: Removal from Office

The members of Burton-Conner, through the House Meeting, may remove any Officer (except Floor Representative), Coordinator, or Judicial Committee Member from office by a vote of at least 3/4 of those members present, provided that at least 50 members of Burton-Conner are present.

Section 8: Closed Meetings

A portion of a meeting may be designated as closed by a majority vote of the members of Burton-Conner who are present at such a meeting; this motion shall be a subsidiary motion, and shall take precedence over all other subsidiary motions. No business may be transacted or any vote taken during this part of the meeting. No mention of any discussion during a closed part of a House Meeting shall appear in The Reflector or in any other publication using Burton-Conner funds or facilities for the writing, printing, preparation, or distributing of such publication. A discussion of the merits of candidates for any position which is filled by an election at a House Meeting shall be closed.

Section 9: Budget Meeting

The first House Meeting of each term shall be called the Budget Meeting. The procedure by which persons, coordinators, or groups may request funds are described in Article V, Section 5. When a new budget is adopted, the old budget shall become void. The budget may be changed at subsequent House Meetings. Restrictions on the House Meeting in regards to budgeting are described in Article VI, Section 2. Items unrelated to the budget may also appear on the agenda for the Budget Meeting.

Sections 10: Publicity

The Secretary shall publicize each House Meeting. The publicity shall be distributed in writing at least 48 hours prior to the House Meeting to each member of Burton-Conner, and shall contain the date, time, place, and Agenda for the House Meeting, as well as any other relevant information that the Executive Committee may wish to include.

Article V: Executive Committee

Section 1: Membership

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, and the Floor Representatives.

Section 2: Powers and Duties

The Executive Committee shall make all executive decisions for the members of Burton-Conner. It shall have sole authority over the House Meeting Agenda and over the disbursement of funds in accordance with the established budget. It shall have the authority and the responsibility to execute all provisions of the Constitution and all decisions of Burton-Conner as made in the House Meeting. It shall have the authority to determine and make decisions upon routine matters. It shall be responsible for all facilities in Burton-Conner unless otherwise specified in this Constitution; it shall call House Meetings as specified in Article V, Section 3 of this Constitution; and it shall set the Agenda for, and publicize, all House Meetings as specified in Article IV, Sections 5 and 10. The Executive Committee shall have the power to hire, subject to approval by a majority of the subsequent House Meeting, or to remove a paid manager by a 2/3 vote. It shall also determine the pay of each manager and may withhold payment if it desires by a 2/3 vote. The Executive Committee must review managerial post appointments and consider new applicants for each managerial post at least once a term. The normal time for such review shall be the Executive Committee meeting immediately preceding the last House Meeting of each term. At this meeting the Executive Committee must verify that the deposit and expenditure records of the Vice-President are in order.

Section 3: Quorum

A quorum for conducting business shall be two officers and six of the Floor Representatives or their proxies. If a quorum is not present, a meeting may be held but no business may be transacted.

Section 4: Meetings

All meetings of the Executive Committee shall be open to all members of Burton-Conner; however, only the members of the Executive Committee may vote, and only one vote per floor is allowed. Executive Committee meetings shall be held at least once per week during regular academic terms of MIT. The Secretary shall give the members of Burton-Conner notice of an Executive Committee meeting at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. If a decision concerning Burton-Conner must be made before the Executive Committee can be convened as stated above, the President, or in his absence the Vice-President, may call an Extraordinary Meeting of the Executive Committee to decide only the issue which necessitated the calling of the Meeting. The rule requiring 2/3 of the residents of Burton One to agree in writing to the opening of the Dining Hall door entering Burton One may not be waived at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Executive Committee. The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order (latest edition) shall govern the Executive Committee Meeting in all cases in which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution or with any other rule governing its meetings that the Executive Committee may wish to establish.

Section 5: House Budget Recommendations

The Executive Committee shall recommend a term budget for the House at the Executive Committee meeting prior to the Budget Meeting. Any person, coordinator, or group requesting funds shall submit to the Vice-President/Treasurer at least 72 hours in advance of this Executive Committee meeting an itemized request for funds for that term. All such requests shall be placed on the Agenda for the Budget Meeting by the Executive Committee, along with the Executive Committee's recommended budget.

Article VI: Officers

Section 1: President

The President shall represent Burton-Conner to MIT. He or she shall chair House Meetings and Executive Committee Meetings, and shall call Executive Committee Meetings as specified in Article V, Section 4 of this Constitution. He or she shall supervise all officers and oversee the general activity of Burton-Conner. He or she shall foster policies to improve dorm community and administration. In cases of conflict or disagreement arising from the wording of this Constitution, he or she shall have the power to interpret the meaning or intent therein, subject to the reversal of the interpretation by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. He or she shall be one of the co-signatories of all Burton-Conner bank accounts.

Section 2: Vice-President

The Vice-President shall assist the President in the performance of his or her duties, and shall act as President in the absence of the President. The Vice-President shall supervise the activity of all the coordinators in the dormitory and keep the President well informed on the performance of the coordinators. It is the duty of the Vice-President to represent the dormitory in meetings in the dormitory and on campus when the President is unable to do so.

Section 3: Treasurer

The treasurer of Burton-Conner shall be responsible for all financial transactions of Burton-Conner as authorized by the Executive Committee. He or she shall keep permanent financial records and shall submit written reports to the Executive Committee and to the House Meeting as directed. The financial records of the Treasurer shall be open for inspection to all members of Burton-Conner. The Treasurer shall submit a complete financial report to the Executive Committee at its first meeting of each term. He or she shall keep copies of all financial reports presented to the Executive Committee or at House Meetings. He or she shall transact such business as is necessary in maintaining all bank accounts of Burton-Conner. He or she shall be one of the co-signators of all Burton-Conner bank accounts. The Treasurer shall maintain as part of the permanent financial records a separate balance for each of the three categories: current term House Tax, House Reserves, and Copier. All funds received from the House Copier shall be tallied in the Copier balance. Only expenses related to the operation of the House Copier shall be paid from this balance. The current term House Tax balance shall consist of the current term House Tax check. At the receipt of the following term's House Tax check, any funds remaining in this balance shall be transferred to the House Reserves balance. The House Reserves balance shall consist of all funds received by the House which are not generated by House Tax and all funds which roll over from the House Tax balance at the end of each term. It shall require a two-thirds vote to spend funds from the House Reserves balance. The Treasurer is responsible for arranging for Burton-Conner to earn a high rate-of-return on this money, if it is feasible.

Section 4: Secretary

The Secretary shall be responsible for all records of Burton-Conner except those specifically assigned to others. He or she shall record minutes of all Executive Committee Meetings and of all House Meetings. He or she shall be responsible for the publication and distribution of these minutes within three days of the meeting for which they were recorded. He or she shall distribute a copy of this Constitution and a summary of judicial and other Burton-Conner rules and regulations to all new members of Burton-Conner at the beginning of each term. He or she shall be responsible for the dissemination of any and all information concerning Burton-Conner, as directed by the Executive Committee or by the House Meeting. The Secretary shall preserve written reports from all coordinators. He or she shall be responsible for all bulletin boards of Burton-Conner. He or she shall keep an up-to-date ledger of all decisions of Burton-Conner. The records of the Secretary shall be open to inspection to all members of Burton-Conner. The Secretary shall be responsible for the House Office Room and properties.

Section 5: Floor Representatives

Each Floor Representative shall represent his or her floor to the Executive Committee. It shall be his or her responsibility to ensure that the residents of his floor have ample opportunity to be well-informed, active participants in all activities of Burton-Conner.

Article VII: Judicial Committee

Section 1: Membership

The Judicial Committee shall consist of a Chairman, two representatives from Conner, and three from Burton.

Section 2: Duties

The Judicial Committee shall make all judicial decisions for the members of Burton-Conner. It may formulate and enforce any rules and regulations for its own operation, provided that they do not conflict with any provision of this Constitution. It shall conduct elections as specified in Article X of this Constitution. It shall enforce all judicial regulations as it deems appropriate.

Section 3: Room Searches

No Judicial Committee Member may, when on official business, enter a room or suite unless accompanied by a Dean of Student Affairs, a Campus Patrol Officer, the House Manager of Burton-Conner or a faculty resident of Burton-Conner except upon the invitation of one or more official residents of that room or suite. If entrance on official business is not by invitation, the Judicial Committee Member must also be accompanied by another student resident of Burton-Conner, and the resident of the room or suite entered must, within 48 hours of the time of entry, be notified in writing of the date, the time, and the purpose of the entry, as well as of the identities of the persons accompanying the Judicial Committee Member. A copy of the notification must be kept in the records of the Judicial Committee. No member of the Judicial Committee shall have any right of search or seizure except by written direction of a Dean for Student Affairs, a Campus Patrol Officer, the Manager of Burton-Conner, or faculty resident of Burton-Conner.

Section 4: Hearings

The Judicial Committee shall be responsible for holding hearings concerning suspected breaches of the rules of Burton-Conner. It shall be responsible for investigating said suspicions, and for warning alleged participants that they are in violation of the rules. It may act on the receipt of a complaint, or it may act in a preemptive manner if, in a Judicial Committee Member's opinion, such action will prevent a breach of a rule or regulation.

Article VIII: Coordinators and Managers

Section 1: General

All Coordinators shall have the authority to establish rules and regulations for the use and/or operation of the facilities and equipment over which they have jurisdiction, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. Two members of Burton-Conner may jointly hold a Coordinator position as Co-Coordinators. All of the above applies to managers as well. Managers hold paid positions.

Section 2: Arts Coordinator

The Arts Coordinator shall have authority over and responsibility for the Burton-Conner Art Gallery. He or she shall work with the MIT Council of the Arts and the Provost of the Arts to promote the arts in Burton-Conner. These duties shall include, but not be limited to, obtaining art for display in the gallery and coordinating performances. The Arts Coordinator shall also head a committee that will work with MIT on the Burton/Theater program renovations to the Dining Hall.

Section 3: Athletic Coordinator

The Athletic Coordinator shall plan, publicize, and execute all Burton-Conner athletic events. He or she shall affiliate Burton House with the Intramural Athletics Council at the beginning of each semester. The Athletic Coordinator shall also be responsible for organizing house tournaments in a variety of sports, and enter teams in all intramural sports in which sufficient interest is expressed. He or she shall have responsibility for and jurisdiction over all athletic equipment of Burton-Conner.

Section 4: Bicycle Room Coordinator

The Bicycle Room Coordinator shall have authority over and responsibility for all bicycle and motorcycle storage areas of Burton-Conner. All members of Burton-Conner shall have access to the storage areas; however, a refundable deposit ($5) will be charged for a key to these areas. The House Manager will handle the distribution of keys.

Section 5: Client Team Chair

The Client Team Chair will serve as the head of the Burton-Conner Client Team. He or she shall be responsible for organizing and conducting Client Team meetings a few times each semester. The Client Team Chair should work with the House Manager, House Masters, and House Government to find ways to improve the living conditions is Burton-Conner. He or she, along with the House President, shall act as Burton-Conner's representative to MIT concerning matters of physical environment of Burton Conner.

Section 6: Copier Manager

The Copier Manager shall have authority over and responsibility for the House photocopier. He or she shall be responsible for making sure the machine is properly maintained, for ordering paper, and for recording the Copier income. The Copier coordinator must keep the records of the Copier Income well- maintained and open to any resident of the house. The Copier coordinator must turn in a detailed financial report to the Executive Committee before the end of the semester.

Section 7: Darkroom Coordinator

The Darkroom Coordinator shall have authority over and responsibility for the Darkroom (Room 011 except for 011A) and all related properties.

Section 8: Drafting Room Coordinator

The Drafting Room Coordinator shall have authority over and responsibility for the maintenance of the Burton-Conner Drafting Room (room ), and all the properties thereof.

Section 9: Hobby Shop Coordinator

The Hobby Shop Coordinator shall have authority over and responsibility for the maintenance of the Burton-Conner Hobby Shop and for all the properties therein. The Hobby Shop Coordinator shall be especially concerned with the safety of the equipment in this area.

Section 10: Library Coordinator

The Library Coordinator shall have the authority over and responsibility for the maintenance of the Burton-Conner Library (Room 124) and the House Study Carrel Room (Room 123A) and for all the properties thereof, and the scheduling of the library to student groups.

Section 11: Game Room / Lounge Coordinator

The Game Room / Lounge Coordinator shall be responsible for and have authority over all lounge areas and equipment of Burton-Conner, including the ping-pong room, the Rathskeller Lounge, billiards equipment, the television, VCR, and any other items deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee.

Section 12: Music Coordinator

The Music Coordinator shall have authority over and responsibility for the Music Practice rooms (Room 025 and 026), the Steinway and all other related properties.

Section 13: Parking Coordinator

The Parking Coordinator, as a member of the Resident Student Parking Committee, shall assist in the enforcement of MIT parking regulations. He or she shall also distribute to undergraduate members of Burton-Conner those parking permits allotted to Burton-Conner, according to the following priorities:

• Seniors shall have priority over juniors, and sophomores; juniors shall have priority over sophomores; freshmen are not allowed to obtain parking spaces, per MIT rules.
• Priority among the members of each class shall be determined by a random lottery, to be held at the beginning of the term in which that class enters Burton-Conner.
• When a member of Burton-Conner receives a parking permit, he or she automatically assumes the lowest priority among the members of his or her class.

Parking permits shall be issued only to those members of Burton-Conner who have registered an operative vehicle with the MIT Campus Police. Such permits shall not be transferable. Absolutely no exceptions to the above method of distributing parking permits shall be made.

Section 14: Residence / Orientation Co-Coordinators

The Residence / Orientation Co-Coordinators shall be responsible for running a comprehensive program designed to acquaint freshmen with Burton-Conner. They shall also be responsible for the article about Burton-Conner in the MIT Undergraduate Residence Handbook, and for any other matters relating to Residence / Orientation Week. There must be at least two people in this position; one cannot be Residence / Orientation Coordinator alone.

Section 15: Social Coordinator

The Social Coordinator shall be responsible for the planning, publicity, and execution of all Burton-Conner social events. He or she shall submit to the Executive Committee detailed financial report after each Burton-Conner social event.

Section 16: Recycling Coordinator

The Recycling Coordinator shall be responsible for operating and coordinating Burton-Conner's recycling program. He or she shall maintain the contents of Room 011A, the recycling room. He or she shall also coordinate with the floors to arrange floor-by-floor recycling, and arrange for removal of trash that is to be recycled.

Section 17: Reflector Editor

The editor of the Burton-Conner newsletter, the Reflector, shall have the status of a Coordinator. He or she shall have joint responsibility with the Secretary for the House Office Room and properties thereof. Editorial policy of the Reflector shall in no way be determined by any organ of House Government. The Editor of the Reflector shall make available to all House Officers and Coordinators space in the Reflector to be used for official business relating to their positions.

Section 18: Room Assignments Coordinator

The Room Assignments Coordinator shall be responsible for the execution of the Room Assignment Policy of Burton-Conner. In cases of conflict or disagreement arising from the wording of the Room Assignment Policy, he or she shall have the power to interpret the meaning or intent therein, subject to reversal of the interpretation by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

Section 19: Scheduling Coordinator

The Scheduling Coordinator shall be responsible for and have authority over the properties of Troost Lounge and the Burton-Conner Conference Room and the properties therein. He or she will also be in charge of scheduling the use of the Ping-Pong Room, the Rathskeller, and the Barbecue Pits. He or she shall be responsible for the scheduling and maintenance of the House speakers, and any other items or areas the Executive Committee deems appropriate.

Section 20: Snack Bar Manager

The Snack Bar Manager shall be responsible for the operating of the Snack Bar. He or she shall recommend major policy decisions and shall execute them as approved by the Executive Committee. He or she shall keep financial records, relating to the Snack Bar, which shall be open for inspection by any member of Burton-Conner. He or she shall submit financial reports to the Executive Committee whenever directed to do so.

Section 21: Vending Coordinator

The Vending Coordinator shall be responsible for the care and maintenance of the vending facilities, such as beverage, food, video game, and pinball machines. He or she is responsible for assessing the demands of the residents of Burton-Conner and obtaining machines that will satisfy their needs. He or she is also responsible for making refunds.

Section 22: Video Coordinator

The Video Coordinator shall be responsible for the care and maintenance of the Burton-Conner VCRs and video collection. He is responsible for purchasing new equipment and videos when needed and keeping an up-to-date listing of the video library at desk.

Section 23: Weight Room Coordinator

The Weight Room Coordinator shall have responsibility and jurisdiction for the Weight Room (Room 055) and all the equipment therein.

Section 24: Other Coordinators

The Executive Committee may establish other Coordinator positions as it deems necessary.

Article IX: Floor Government

Section 1: Membership

The members of the Floor Government of each floor shall be those members of Burton-Conner who reside on that floor. Each resident of a duplex suite shall, at the beginning of each term, decide which Floor Government he or she will be a member of for that term, and shall notify the Floor Chairman of that Floor Government; he or she may choose to be a member of only one of the two Floor Governments whose floors are associated with his or her suite.

Section 2: Authority

Each Floor Government shall have authority over that portion of the House Tax Refunds allocated to it. Each Floor Government shall have authority over all matters that are solely the concern of that Floor Government and over all common areas of that Floor.

Section 3: Officers

Floors shall elect one or two persons to serve as representatives to the Executive Committee, but each floor will only have one vote. Each Floor Government may also elect such officers as it deems necessary. The members of a Floor Government may, at any time, remove their Floor Representative or any other Floor Officer from office by a petition signed by a majority of the members of that Floor Government. Vacancies in the office of Floor Representative shall be filled by an election at a Floor Meeting. This Meeting must be announced at least one week in advance, and must be attended by at least 2/3 of that Floor Government and by a Judicial Committee member who is a member of a different Floor Government.

Section 4: Floor Meetings

All business of a Floor Government shall be conducted at a Floor Meeting, or by a petition signed by a 2/3 majority of the members of that Floor Government. The Floor Chairman shall call Floor Meetings as often as necessary. If a Floor Chairman is presented with a petition signed by at least ten members of his Floor Government, he or shell shall call a Floor Meeting within one week of that time, excluding those periods designated as academic vacations or the final exam period by MIT. No meetings may be held during periods so designated. The Floor Chairman shall publicize all Floor Meetings well in advance. All decisions shall be posted immediately after they are made. A decision made at a Floor Meeting may be repealed by a petition signed by a majority of that Floor Government, within three days of that Floor Meeting. All members of a Floor Government may attend any Meeting of that Floor Government, and may exercise one vote on each question. No other person may vote, and proxies are not allowed. Decisions of a Floor Government shall be binding on that Floor Government, with the exception of any decisions that are inconsistent with this Constitution. Any member of a Floor Government may place any item of business on the Agenda for a Floor Meeting.

Article X: Elections

Section 1: General

All positions mentioned in this Constitution may be held only by members of Burton-Conner.

• A person may hold more than one Coordinator position.
• A Floor Representative may not hold any Coordinator position for which there is a salary.
• JudComm members may not hold a seat on the Executive Committee.
• If a vacancy exists in a Coordinator position, an Officer may hold that position until that vacancy can be filled, with the approval of two-thirds of the Executive Committee. The Officer may not participate in this vote, and they may not under any circumstances hold any coordinator position for which there is a salary.

A person may run for more that one position during an election. If they are required to hold only one of the positions or if they do not desire to hold all of the positions that they have been listed for on the ballot, the person must indicate to the Judicial Committee Chairman before the election which office(s) they would choose to hold should the person be elected to more than one office. The choice would not be made known before the election. Voting for all positions mentioned in this Constitution shall be preferential, as described in Article 10, Section 6.

Section 2: Terms of Office

The President, Vice-President and Secretary shall take office at a House Meeting to be held within two weeks of their election. The Judicial Committee Chairman, the Judicial Committee Members, and the Coordinators shall take office immediately following the announcement of their elections with the exception of the Room Assignments Coordinator. The Coordinators shall take office for one term with the following exceptions:

• The Residence/Orientation Coordinator shall be elected only at the last House Meeting of the Fall term.
• The Athletic and Parking Coordinators shall be elected only at the last House Meeting of the Spring term.
• The Room Assignments Coordinator shall be elected at the first House Meeting of the Fall Term, but shall not take office until the last House Meeting of the Fall Term.

The Floor Representatives shall hold office for a period to be determined by their Floor Government, not to exceed one year.

Section 3: Officers

The elections for President, Vice-President and Secretary shall take place on either the last Tuesday of November or the first Tuesday of December. These elections shall be conducted by the Judicial Committee. Nomination for these positions shall be made by petitions, which shall be filed with the Judicial Committee Chairman before midnight on the Saturday preceding the election. Nominating petitions shall be available from the Judicial Committee Chairman at least three weeks prior to the election, but no reasonable facsimile of said petitions may be refused. Said petitions shall contain the candidate's name, the office for which they are running, the class, and address in Burton-Conner. Petitions for the office of President, Vice-President and Secretary must contain at least 75 valid signatures of current residents of Burton-Conner. A member of Burton-Conner may sign as many petitions as they see fit, but they may sign a single candidate's petition only once. The Judicial Committee Chairman shall post the petition cover sheets at least 24 hours before the voting is to begin. The names of the candidates shall be placed on the ballot in alphabetical order. On the day of the election, eligible persons may vote from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and no ballots shall be counted until the balloting has been completed. Under extenuating circumstances, any member of Burton-Conner may cast, in advance of the election, an absentee ballot with the Judicial Committee.

Section 4: Judicial Committee

Nominations for the position of Judicial Committee Chair and the Judicial Committee shall be accepted from the floor at the House Meeting immediately preceding Officer elections. Following all nominations, there shall be a period during which all candidates may be questioned by all members of Burton-Conner. The election shall take place concurrently with Officer elections. The election shall take place as follows:

• All candidates for the position of Judicial Committee Chair shall automatically be placed in contention for the other places on the Judicial Committee along with the other Judicial Committee candidates.
• Three members of the Judicial Committee shall be elected preferentially from among all the candidates from the Burton Floors.
• Two members of the Judicial Committee shall be elected preferentially from among all the candidates from the Conner Floors.
• In the Judicial Committee members election, the newly elected Judicial Committee Chairman shall be considered to be removed from the ballot.

Section 5: Coordinators

Nominations for the Coordinator positions for which there is no salary (except Rooming Coordinator) shall be taken from the floor at the last House Meeting of each term. These elections shall take place at this House Meeting. The Executive Committee shall interview and hire all coordinators for which there is a salary. These coordinators shall be hired before the first House Meeting of each term.

Section 6: Floor Representatives

The election of Floor Representatives shall take place at a Floor Meeting of a Floor Government. This meeting must be announced at least one week in advance, and must be attended by at least two-thirds of that Floor Government and a Judicial Committee Member from a different Floor Government.

Section 7: Preferential Voting

The ballots in all preferential elections shall be marked, counted and tabulated as follows:

• All ballots shall be marked with a (1), (2), (3), or as many preferences as the voter chooses to indicate. (1) shall indicate the voter's first, (2) the voter's second choice, and so forth, except that a single (x) or (/) shall be considered a (1) vote.
• Before tabulation, the total number of ballots cast shall be ascertained.
• During tabulation, all ballots shall be distributed according to the first place choice indicated thereon, and each candidate shall be credited with as many first place votes as they have first place ballots. If any candidate has a majority of the total votes cast, they are elected.
• The candidate having the fewest first place ballots, and all other candidates having less than 5% of the total first place ballots shall be dropped after the initial tabulation, and their first place votes distributed to the second choices indicated on those ballots. If any candidate now has a majority of the total votes cast, including void votes, they are elected.
• If no candidate now has a majority of the votes cast, this redistribution process shall continue until some candidate has a majority or until there are only two candidates left. In the case where two candidates remain without a majority, the candidate with the largest number of votes at that time is elected, unless there is a tie, in which case the candidate with the largest number of first place votes is elected.
• If the two remaining candidates are also tied in the original count, each shall be credited with two points for each first place ballot they possess and one point for each second place ballot they have received through the distribution; the candidate with the larger number of points is elected.
• If, at any time before the final stage, there is a tie among the lowest candidates, the tied candidate who has the least number of first place votes shall be dropped first. If there is also a tie on the original count, both candidates shall be dropped simultaneously.
• No more than one candidate shall be dropped at any time except as provided above.
• If more than one person is to be elected to the same office, all other candidates shall be returned to the count, and the process began again, with the majority remaining the same. The second choices on the first place ballots of the person elected shall be distributed first.
• Ballots shall be considered void if the preferences indicated have been exhausted in the distributions.
• Void votes shall be deleted from the ballot and higher numbered votes renumbered accordingly.
• Ballots shall be considered void at and beyond any point of discontinuity in the indication of preferences. All ballots, to be valid, must indicate a first choice. Ballots giving first preferences other than (1) shall be void, except that a single (x) or (/) shall be considered a (1) vote.
• In the event of a tie which cannot be resolved, there will be a runoff election.

Section 8: Vacancies

In the event of a vacancy in a Burton-Conner office, a special election shall be held. If the vacancy occurs in the office of President, Vice-President or Secretary, the Judicial Committee shall conduct a special election in accordance with Article X, Section 3. Vacancies in the office of Floor Representative shall be filled as specified in Article X, Section 6. The special elections for the positions of President, Vice-President or Secretary shall be held within two weeks of the determination by the Judicial Committee that such a vacancy exists. In the event of a vacancy on the Judicial Committee or in a Coordinator position, the Executive Committee shall place on the Agenda for the next House Meeting a special election to fill said vacancy.

Article XI: Amendments

This Constitution can be amended by a vote of at least 3/4 of those members of Burton-Conner present at a House Meeting, provided that there are at least 50 Members of Burton-Conner present and voting at such a meeting.

Article XII: Ratification

This Constitution shall be ratified by a 3/4 majority of the residents of 410 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts, voting in a House-wide referendum on Constitutional Ratification, provided that a copy of this Constitution is provided to each of these residents at least 48 hours prior to the vote. The Constitution shall go into effect immediately upon ratification. Any previous enactment of a prior government of Burton-Conner which conflicts with this Constitution shall be automatically invalidated. All persons holding any positions mentioned in this Constitution shall hold analogous positions until their regular terms expire.

Article XIII: Fines

The Executive Committee has the right to bring action to the Judicial Committee in matters concerning finable offenses. The Judicial Committee has the right to levy fines subject to rules established by the House. All rules governing finable offenses must be approved by a 2/3 majority at a regular House meeting.