Preamble

In order to promote a better America, with equality, opportunity, and freedom within a just and strong society, we dedicate ourselves to organizing the participation of Democratic college students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As college students, we call for action based on principles and for principles backed by action. As Democrats, we pledge ourselves to continue the great thoughts of our Party and to bring forth new ideas to keep that tradition alive. As citizens of today and leaders of the future, we shall strive to shape our Party, communities, states, and nation. In this mission we call for full participation without regard to sex, race, ethnic origin, religion, physical handicap, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation.

Understanding the importance of participation in the Democratic Party to the preservation of our values and principles, we pledge to help to organize and activate the latent people power of our nation’s Democratic students to further the philosophy of the Democratic Party.

For these ends and upon these principles, we Democratic college students, do hereby associate ourselves and adopt this Constitution as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology College Democrats.

Article 1. Name and Purpose

A. Name: The name of this organization shall be the Massachusetts of Institute of Technology College Democrats.

B. Purpose: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology College Democrats, upon chartering by the Association of the College Democrats of America (“CDA”) shall be a member organization and, pledges itself to support the philosophy and candidates of the Democratic Party. Furthermore, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology College Democrats declares its intention to support efforts to increase the participation of college students in Democratic Party affairs. To these ends, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology College Democrats shall educate and train its members so that they may be better able to:

1. Educate students about the philosophy of the Democratic Party;
2. Assist in the election of local, state, and national Democratic candidates.
3. Increase political awareness on campus.

Article 2. Membership

A. Members: membership shall be open to any college student currently enrolled in Massachusetts Institute of Technology who wishes to be known as a College Democrat regardless of sex, race, ethnic origin, religion, physical handicap, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation.

B. Members in Good Standing: Members in Good Standing shall be defined as any member, as defined above, who has participated in College Democrat events.

Article 3. Executive Council

A. Authority and Responsibility: The Executive Council shall have general authority and responsibility for the ongoing affairs of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology College Democrats. Executive council decisions may only be overruled if three members of the Executive Council vote to bring the issue before the Members in Good Standing who then vote by a 2/3 majority to overrule the decision in question.

B. Composition: The Executive Council shall be composed of the Co-Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Director of Publicity, and Webmaster.

C. Meetings: The Executive Council shall meet at least twice a month when school is in session. This is subject to change as Council sees fit.

D. Quorum: A quorum of the Executive Council shall be noted when a minimum of five of the Executive Council members are present in person.

E. Elections: Elections for the Executive Council shall take place in the following manner:

1. When: Elections for the Executive Council shall take place during the first week of March each year.
2. Eligibility for Candidacy and Voting: Only members in good standing are eligible to vote or run for office.
3. Procedure: Each candidate shall have the opportunity to speak before the assembly for no more than three minutes. The Members in Good Standing who are present and eligible to vote will elect a winner by a simple majority vote. Should no candidate receive a majority, a runoff will be held between the two candidates who received the most votes. The process will be repeated for the elections for each office. If at the meeting, there are not at least ten members in good standing present, elections will be held over e-mail.

F. Removal: Executive Council members may be removed in the following manner:

1. Cause for Removal: Cause for removal shall be defined as malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance of assigned duties, being convicted of a felony, or upon other grounds found by all of the other members of the Executive Council to constitute good and sufficient cause;
2. Process for Removal: To begin the process removal, another member of the Executive Council must charge the officer with the reasons for his/her removal at a meeting of the Executive Council. The officer in question must be offered an opportunity at the meeting to defend his/her self. After a period of two weeks, the issue will be put to a vote. Each of the other members of the Executive Council must vote for removal for an officer to be removed.

G. Vacancies: A vacancy shall be declared when a member of the Executive Council dies, resigns or is removed from office. If the vacancy occurs in an Executive Council position other than the Co-Presidents, the Co-Presidents will appoint a successor with the majority consent of the remaining Executive Council. If the vacancy is one of the Co-President positions, then the other will assume full responsibility. If both Co-President positions are declared vacant, then the Director of political and community affairs will assume responsibility until elections are held.

H. Note: The Co-President cannot also hold the position of treasurer in the same term.

Article 4. Duties of the Officers

A. Duties of the Co-Presidents
The Co-Presidents shall:

1. Be the Chief Executives of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology College Democrats;
2. Act as the official representatives to other political groups and the media;
3. Define the agenda of the organization for their tenure;
4. Carry out the mandates, policies, and directives of the Executive Council;
5. Appoint, after appropriate consultation with and subject to reconsideration by the Executive Council at any meeting subsequent to such an appointment, standing and ad-hoc committees and directors of such committees.
6. Preside over all official meetings.

B. Secretary
The Secretary shall:

1. Make all necessary preparations for organizational meetings and record and distribute all minutes of meetings in a timely fashion;
2. Coordinate all membership drives; maintain an accurate list of all members and Members in Good Standing;
3. Perform such duties as the Executive Council or Co-Presidents may assign;
4. Assume responsibility of Co-Presidents if they vacate the office.

C. Treasurer
The Treasurer shall:

1. Direct fund-raising activities (including collecting membership dues);
2. Maintain complete records of all expenditures and receipts;
3. Perform such duties as the Executive Council or Co-Presidents may assign.

D. Duties of the Publicity Director
The Director shall:

1. Produce and distribute the newsletter;
2. Produce and distribute flyers regarding events of Massachusetts Institute of Technology College Democrats;
3. Perform such duties as the Executive Council or Co-Presidents may assign.

E. Duties of the Webmaster
The Webmaster shall:

1. Create, maintain, and update the MIT CDs home page;
2. Keep members informed through electronic mail;
3. Perform such duties as the Executive Council or Co-Presidents may assign.

Article 5. Amendments

A. Specifics: This constitution can be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Members in Good Standing

. Article 6. Association of Student Activities God Clause

A. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology College Democrats agrees to abide by the rules and regulations of the Association of Student Activities and its executive board. This constitution, amendments to it, and bylaws of the organization shall be subject to review by the ASA executive board to ensure that they are in accordance with the aforementioned rules and regulations.

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