The Constitution of Ballroom at Maryland
Preamble
We, the members of Ballroom at Maryland do hereby establish this Constitution to provide a more organized structure for the management and continuance of our group.
Article I - Name
The Name of the organization will be Ballroom at Maryland, henceforth referred to as Ballroom at Maryland.
Article II - Purpose
Section 1:
Ballroom at Maryland is established for the purpose of promoting an on-campus ballroom dancing community, promoting ballroom dance, and establishing a competitive ballroom dance team to represent the University at collegiate and amateur competitions. In support of this goal we provide instruction, social events, and organization.
Section 2:
Ballroom at Maryland understands and is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities of abiding by University of Maryland policies.
Article III - Membership
Section 1:
Active membership will be limited to those people who are affiliated with the University of Maryland. Active members are those who have paid their dues, or who have contributed to the club and have had their dues waived by the president and treasurer. These may be University of Maryland undergraduate students, graduate students, staff, faculty, and members of the alumni association.
Section 2:
Ballroom at Maryland openly admits students to its membership and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, personal appearance, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Article IV - Officers
Section 1:
Ballroom at Maryland will elect a President. The role of the president will be to supervise all aspects of the club’s operations and to oversee the responsibilities of the other officers.
Section 2:
Ballroom at Maryland shall also elect two Vice Presidents. The Vice President of Daily Operations will oversee all aspects of the day to day activities of the club. The Vice President of Special Events will plan and execute all workshops, competitions, and social dances sponsored by Ballroom at Maryland.
Section 3:
Club members will also elect a Treasurer who will be SGA Liaison, and who will be in charge of managing the club's finances, submitting budgets to the SGA and the CRS, and handling all financial matters.
Section 4:
Club members will also elect a Secretary who will be in charge of the club’s inventory and will take and distribute notes at all officer meetings.
Section 5:
The faculty advisor will aid the club at the request of the officers and will provide continuity for the club during transitions of leadership.
Article V - Operations
Section 1:
All voting members and all officers must be full time undergraduates.
Section 2:
All officers shall be elected by a majority vote of members of Ballroom at Maryland. A voting member must be an active member of Ballroom at Maryland, as defined in Article III section 1. All voting is done with a secret ballot unless the position is uncontested. Uncontested voting will be done by show of hands and run by the current president or by a vice president. Voting will take place in November.
Section 3:
An officer's term will begin at the beginning of the Spring semester, and will last one year.
Section 4:
Active members who wish to run for an office must submit their primary and secondary choice of office to the current president at least one week before the elections are set to take place.
Section 5:
During elections, votes will be counted by two current officers who are not running for the position being voted upon.
Section 6:
Removal. Any officer of Ballroom at Maryland in violation of the Organization's purpose or constitution may be removed from office by the following process:
- A written request by at least three active members of Ballroom at Maryland must be submitted to the officers and to the faculty advisor.
- A meeting of active members of the club will be called for the officer in question to speak in his or her defense. This meeting must take place during the calendar school year. There must be at least a two week interval between submission of the requests and the meeting.
- Written notification of the complaints must be given to the officer in question at least one week before the date of the meeting. This will include the date of the meeting, and a request that the officer speak at said meeting.
- A two–thirds (2/3) majority vote of the active members present at this meeting is necessary to remove the officer. Voting will be done by secret ballot.
- All active members must be made aware of the date and purpose of this meeting at least one week in advance.
Section 7:
A club member can be removed from Ballroom at Maryland. At least one letter of complaint must be submitted to the officers. The officers will consider the case and can pass it on to the Office of Judicial Programs. If not passed on, the officers will give the accused the choice of either having the case heard by the officers, or having the case passed on to the club at large, following the procedure established for the removal of officers. When the case is heard only by the officers, the member may be removed by unanimous vote.
Article VI - Finances
Section 1:
Ballroom at Maryland will finance its activities in the following means: Competition and social team dues, profits from competitions and social dances, fundraising, workshops, and other profit making resources that Ballroom at Maryland officers deem appropriate.
Section 2:
Ballroom at Maryland will submit a budget and secondary budget proposal to the SGA each spring and fall. In addition they will submit a budget proposal to the CRS in early May when the officers find it necessary.
Article VII - Amendments
Amendments can be made to the constitution, suggested by any Ballroom at Maryland club member, approved by the officers, and voted on by active club members. A meeting for the purpose of this voting must be announced to all active club members at least one week in advance. This meeting must take place during the academic school year. All active members present at this meeting will vote by show of hands, and a two-thirds (2/3) majority will pass the amendment.
Article VIII - Registration Renewal
Ballroom at Maryland will apply to the office of campus programs for registration on an annual basis one month after Ballroom at Maryland's new officer elections.
Article IX - Bylaws
Section 1:
Committees can be formed by any officer or auxiliary officer at any time when they find it appropriate. The officer or auxiliary officer who forms the committee determines the duties of and is responsible for the productivity of the committee.
Section 2:
Auxiliary officers will be appointed by the officers at the beginning of the spring semester. Their term will last one year. Auxiliary officers can be removed by the officers. The officers determine what auxiliary positions are needed and what their duties will be.
Section 3:
In the event that a position is left vacant mid-term, a new election will be held as soon as possible, following the election guidelines set forth in Article VIII.