Download 1 Reference Guide to Creating a Club Constitution The purpose of a

ReferenceGuidetoCreatingaClubConstitution
Thepurposeofaclubconstitutionistoensurethattheclubhasastructurein
placeforselectingindividualstoactonbehalfandforthemandateoftheclub.
Havingawell-craftedconstitutionencouragesasustainableandstableclubthatcan
maintainitsactivitiesfromoneyeartothenextwithlimiteddowntimedueto
learningcurves,lackofclarity,uncertainprocess,orperceived/actualunfairnessin
selectionofexecutives.
Theconstitutiondoesthesethingsbysettingouttheexecutiveofficer
positionsoftheclub,howthepositionsarefilled,aswellasrolesand
responsibilitiesofeachposition.Bydoingso,theindividualsfulfillingtheseroles
benefitfromhavingasetofclearandconsistentduties,whichmakesiteasierfor
themtodothebestjobpossiblefortheclub.
Eachsectionoftheconstitutionshouldbeclear,concise,andrelevanttothe
club’sownchosenstructure,environment,andactivities.Thereisnoneedtomake
itunnecessarilycomplicatedorobscure.Anyclubmembershouldbeableto
understandtheconstitution.
Theconstitutionshouldcontainthefollowingelements:
-Identification(name;acronym,ifany;mandate)
-Membership(whoisamember,membershipcategories)
-MeetingsofMembership(frequency,quorum,proceduresforfullclub
meetingsandmeetingsoftheclubexecutive)
-CompositionofClubExecutive(positions,eligibility)
-RolesandResponsibilitiesofExecutiveOfficers(duties)
-ElectionofExecutiveOfficers(when,electionformat,nominations,term
length,dealingwithvacancies)
-RemovalofExecutiveOfficers(when,why,how)
-Finances(membershipfees,ifany;signingauthorities;budget/expense
requirements)
-ClubAdvisor/Delegates(roles,selection)
-Affiliations(eg.MacEwanchapterofotherorganisations)
-Amendment
-Closure
-FactSheet(datesofapproval,authorisedsignatures)
Therearemanydifferentandlegitimatewaysoforganisingacluband
runningmeetings.Organisationalstructureisnot‘onesizefitsall’.Determinefirst
howtheclubwillfulfillitsmandateandthroughwhatsortofactivities.Havingan
ideaofwhattheclubwillbedoingcanhelpidentifytheexecutivepositionsthatwill
supporttheseaims.FeelfreetoconsulttheClubsDepartmentwithanyquestionsor
bigideastodowithstructureandoperationoftheclub.Wecanhelpyoufind
somethingthatworksforyourclub.
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Name
Identifytheofficialnameoftheclub,aswellasthepreferredacronymif
thereisone.NamesaresubjecttorequirementssetbySAMUprocedure.Changes
mustbeprovidedtotheClubsManagerforapproval.
Mandate
Thiscomesfromtheobjectivesapprovedintheclub’sinitialapplicationor
fromsubsequentchangesthathavebeenapprovedbymembers.Thesearethe
reasonstheclubwasformedandcontinuestooperate.Theclubsactivitiesand
eventsshouldalwaysworktowardsachievingtheaimssetoutintheclub’s
mandate.Ifyourclub’sfocushaschanged,themembersshouldbeconsultedandthe
mandateupdatedifappropriate.
Membership
MembershipcategoriescanincludecurrentMacEwanstudents,alumni,
studentsatotherinstitutions,communitypartners,advisorymembers,professional
resources,affiliates,andassociatemembers.Ifusinganyofthesecategories,they
shouldbedefinedintheconstitutionaswell.
Membershipinclubsisopentoallstudents.Ifthereareotheroptionsand
categoriesformembership,theyaretobeidentifiedinthissection.Eachclubshould
maintainamembershiplistthatiskeptconfidential.Thishelpstheclub
communicatewithmembersaboutbusinessandvariouseventsoractivities,andto
letthemknowaboutanyexecutivepositionopportunitiesandselections.Makesure
thelistisnotabusedandpromptlyremoveanyonewhorequeststobetakenoff.
Meetings
Generalmeetingsaredifferentthanaclub’sregularmeetingsthattypically
arethemainsocial/activity/planninggatheringsoftheclubthroughouttheyear.
Generalmeeting–meetingofmemberstomakeformaldecisions(suchas
executiveelections)forthecluborgetfeedbackoncertaintopics
Executivemeeting–meetingofexecutivestomanagetheclub
Regularmeeting–typicallythemainactivityoftheclubtogatheranddowhateverit
does;thiscouldbethingssuchastheweeklyormonthlygatheringsforsocialising
orchosendiscussiontopicswithguests
Generalmeetingsoftheclubarefordecision-makingandconsultation.
Someoneshouldberesponsibleforthesmoothrunningofthemeeting,typicallythe
president.Someone,typicallythesecretary,shouldtakenotesandmakesurethat
votesanddecisionsarerecorded.Generalmeetingsareforspecificpurposes
relatingtothingssuchastherunningorstructureoftheclub.
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VotingThresholds
Theclubcanalsodeterminewhatformofdecision-makingbestsuitstheclub
andtheirmembers’preferences.Thesecanincludesimplemajorityandconsensus
mostcommonly.Therearemanyotherapproaches,soifyouwanttotakeadifferent
route,theClubsDepartmentcanhelpyoufindsomethingthatfits.
ExecutiveOfficers
Theexecutiveofficersarethestudentswhoprovideleadershipandmanage
theclub.Alotofdifferentstructuresandrolesarepossible,butitisimportantthat
eachpersonwhoisanexecutiveofficerknowstheroleandresponsibilitiesforthe
position.Itcanbeusefultokeepdutiesgeneralintheconstitutionandthenexpand
oneachpositioninaseparatejobprofile.Thisapproachallowsforagoodamountof
flexibilitytoupdatethejobprofilewhenneeded,withoutnecessarilyneedingto
changetheconstitution.
Executiveofficersshouldalwaysberecruited/electedaccordingtotheclub’s
constitution.Theyarealsoresponsibleingeneraltomakesuretheyandtheclubare
followingtheconstitutionandthevariousrelevantpoliciesandproceduresofSAMU
andMacEwanUniversity.TheClubsDepartmentisavailabletohelpwithanything
thatmightbeconfusinginthisregard,aswellastohelpgivedirectionorfacilitatea
discussionifanexecutiveteamexperiencesdifficultyatanytime.Ifanexecutivehas
notbeenfulfillingtheirrole,theremovalprocessforexecutiveofficersshouldalso
beaddressedintheclub’sconstitutionsothatconflictcanbeminimisedasmuchas
possible.
Foradministrativepurposes,thereshouldalwaysbeapresident,vicepresident,treasurer,andsecretaryidentified.Ifdifferentnamesareusedforthese
functions,makeitclearthatthesedutiesarebeingmaintained.Tohelpwith
processingfinances,clubsareencouragedtodesignatefivepeopleassigning
authorities.Thesepeoplecouldbeadditionalexecutiveswhohaveanotherportfolio
ofduties,suchasaVPCommunications,ormaysimplybeasigningauthorityonly.
Noteveryoneinvolvedintheoperationsoftheclubneedstobeanexecutive
orsigningauthority;doingsocansometimescreateproblemsandconfusion.A
situationof‘toomanycooksinthekitchen’candevelop.Itisfinetohavepeople
contributeindesignatedvolunteerroles(suchasaneventplannerorsocialmedia
coordinator)thatdoonlythosethingsonthedirectionoftheexecutiveand
membership.
SampleExecutiveOfficerPositions
President
Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer
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SampleAlternative/AdditionalExecutiveOfficerPositions
VPCommunications
VPInternal
VPExternal
VPFinance
VPEvents
VPAdministration
VPFundraising
SampleDutiesandResponsibilitiesforExecutiveOfficers
Generalleadershipandguidance
Memberrecruitment
Fundraising
Budgeting
Deposits
Expenditures
Recordkeeping
Preparinganddistributingagendaformeetings
Eventorganising
Updatingchangestoexecutives/signingauthorities
Communications(incoming,outgoing–members,outgoing–others)
Websitemaintenance
Socialmedia
Reportingrequirements
Designatedliaison(ClubsDepartment/SAMU,faculty,universitydepartment,
externalcommunity/organisations)
Regularprogramming/activitycoordination
Officialdelegatesforaffiliateorganisations
Volunteercoordination/management
Election
Electionofexecutiveofficerscantakemanyforms.Themostimportant
aspectofelectingexecutiveofficersistomakesureitisanopen,transparent,and
participatoryprocessthatinvolvesthewholemembership.Itdoesn’tneedtobe
extravagantoroverlycomplicated.Membersshouldknowwhattheprocessisand
beawareoftheopportunitytobothbeacandidateandcontributetotheselectionof
candidates.
Typesofelectionscaninclude:affirmativevote,preferentialballot,slate
nomineeconfirmation,andacclamation.Clubsmayapplynominationcriteriafor
candidatessuchasanapplication/letterofinterest,minimumpriormembership
duration,shadowingofcurrentexecutives,etc.
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Finances
AllfinancesareheldthroughSAMU’saccountingsystem.Thefinancesection
oftheconstitutionreaffirmsthisrequirement.Itcanalsobeusedtoaddressany
otherfinancialmatters,suchaskeepingatargetminimumbalanceforthefollowing
year.Iftheclubassessesamembershipfee,thedetailsofhowmuchthefeeis,when
itistobepaid,andbywhom,shouldbenotedhere.
ClubAdvisor
Someclubsmayfinditbeneficialtohaveanadvisor.Thesepositionsare
filledbystaff/facultymembersattheuniversity.Havinganadvisorcanhelpclubs
gainaccesstoadditionalexpertise,especiallyaboutspecificindustriesorsubject
disciplines,thatcanmakeiteasierfortheclubtofulfillitsmandate.Advisorsshould
takeasupportingrole;theclubmembersshouldstillmakethedecisions.
OfficialDelegate/Affiliation
Iftheclubisapartofalargerorganisation,theclub’srelationshipwiththe
otherorganisationshouldbeidentified.Iftheclubhasdelegateselection
responsibilitiesorroles/votingprivilegesotherwise,itisgoodtodeterminehow
thesethingswillbehandled.
Amendment
Asaclubevolves,grows,orshiftsfocus,itmayfindthatcertainpartsofthe
constitutionshouldbeupdated.Theseupdatesaredonebyfollowingthe
constitution’samendmentprocess.Whateverprocessisdecided,itneedstobe
followedfortheamendmenttobevalid.TheClubsDepartmentneedstobe
providedwiththeupdatedconstitution,andthenewversiondoesnothaveeffect
untilitisapprovedbythedepartment.
Theprocessshouldbeselectedsothereisathoroughandopenconsultation
procedures.Itshouldalsostrikeabalancebetweenbeingflexibleenoughtochange
andbeingreservedsothattheconstitutionisnotchangedtoofrequentlyorona
whim.Becausetheconstitutionguidestheoverallstructureoftheclub,itis
importanttoengagethefullmembershipoftheclubonconstitutionalmatters.
Supportcanbemadeavailabletofacilitatethatkindofconsultationifyourclub
wouldbenefitfromit.
Closure
Settingoutaclosureprocessforthecluballowsforasmoothwindingdown
totakeplace.Ithelpsthefinalgroupofexecutiveofficerstoknowwhatneedstobe
doneandhowtogoaboutdoingitinordertowrapuptheclub’slastitemsof
business.
FactSheet
Thefactsheethelpstracktheapprovalprocessoftheconstitutionandany
amendments.Italsohelpswithrecordkeepingsothatthereisneveranyquestion
aboutwhichversionoftheconstitutionistheoneineffect.
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Definitions:
Acclamation:theautomaticelectionofanindividualtoapositionwhenthereare
noothercandidatesforthatposition.
Adopt:toapproveadocumentas-iswhenpresentedtothegroup.
Advisor:afacultymemberwhoservesasamentor/liaisonforaclub.
Affiliation:theformaltiebetweenaclubandanotherorganisation.
Agenda:thedocumentthatcontainsmeetingdetailsandtheitemstobediscussed
anddecidedatthemeeting.
Amendment:thechangetoadocumentthatisproposedandvotedon.
AmendmentProposal:theidentificationofthechangesforadocumentandthe
rationaleforthechanges.
Consensus:decisionsmadebycompromiseandcooperationtofindacommon
groundsolutionthatcanbeacceptedbyallparties.
Constitution:theframeworkdocumentthatestablishesaclub’sstructureand
expectations.
Decision-MakingModel:theprocessselectedbyagroupforhowthatgroupwill
makedecisions.
Delegate:thepersonselectedtorepresenttheclubatconferencesorother
organisations’meetings.
GeneralMeeting:themeetingoftheclubwhenformalbusinessitemsaredecidedif
thereareany,suchastheelectionofexecutives.
Nomination:thenamingofanindividualasacandidateforelectiontoaposition.
Notice:thewrittenidentificationofthemeetingdetailsandagendaprovidedtoclub
members.
Petition:awrittenrequestmadeforaspecificactiontobetaken.
Quorum:theminimumnumberofmembersthatmustbepresentandabletovote
beforeavotecanbetaken.
Recurrent:arepeatingeventorrequirement.
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SimpleMajority:decisionsmadebyadirectvotewith50%+1votinginfavour.
Solicit:toseekanindividualforaspecificpurpose,action,orrole.
Term:thetimeanexecutiveholdsapositionandhasauthoritytoactfortheclub
accordingtotheclub’sconstitution.
Unanimity:aconditionofconsensusthatrequiresthatnopartyisopposedtoa
votingitem.
Vacancy:anunfilledexecutivepositionwhenanexecutiveresigns,isremoved,or
nooneiselected.
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