Constitution of Secular Penn
I. Name
This organization shall be known as Secular Penn, the University of Pennsylvania's home for atheists, agnostics, freethinkers and skeptics. II. Mission Statement The mission of Secular Penn shall be fivefold: (1) to promote and practice free, uncensored and rational discussion of matters of religion, philosophy, and science (2) to provide a community for atheists, agnostics, humanists, skeptics, freethinkers, and other like-minded persons (3) to organize activities and events for the University of Pennsylvania community, for believers and nonbelievers alike (4) to foster acceptance of nonbelievers in society (5) to advocate the increased separation of church and state III. General Membership Membership shall be open to all University of Pennsylvania students, faculty, alumni and staff, and to community members. Only current Penn students (part-time or full-time, undergraduate or graduate) may be voting members. Membership shall not be denied on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or political persuasion. Believers are welcome as members. Penn students must pay the treasurer $5 per semester and attend one meeting to become voting members. A majority of the leadership board may reject an applicant within three days of dues payment if it concludes that the application is disingenuous and contrary to the group's mission statement. In such an event the dues will be promptly returned. Dues may be raised or lowered by a majority of the leadership board, but come into effect the semester after the decision is made. IV. Leadership Board Members of the leadership board must be voting members. The leadership board shall consist of two co-president, a treasurer, an advertiser, and members without portfolio, all serving 12-month terms. The terms of all leadership board members, save one of the co-presidents, begin with the start of the spring semester. The remaining co-president's term begins with the start of the fall semester. Members of the leadership board commit to attending all regularly scheduled general meetings, as well as meetings of the leadership board held twice monthly. V. Secondary Officers Secondary officers must be voting members. Secondary officer positions include a webmaster, a "discussion instigator," and a club historian. These officers commit to attending all regularly scheduled general meetings. These positions also have 12-month terms and begin with the start of the spring semester. VI. Elections and Appointments All officers described above, save leadership board members without portfolio, are elected by a majority of the voting members at the relevant semester's second regularly scheduled and advertised meeting. If no candidate receives a majority vote, a runoff is held between the two candidates with the most votes. With unanimous agreement the leadership board may invite, as needed, additional voting members to become members of the leadership board without portfolio. Such members agree to a level of work and commitment equal to other members of the leadership board and serve for the duration of the semester. VII. Removals Voting members can lose voting rights only by a majority vote of voting members at a regularly scheduled and advertised general meeting. A quorum of half the voting members is required. Only the leadership board, by majority vote, may propose such action. A majority vote of the leadership board may remove a leadership board member or secondary officer from his or her position. VIII. Vacancies Should a vacancy occur on the leadership board (excepting non-portfolio members) or among the secondary officers, a new election is held at the next regularly scheduled and advertised general meeting. IX: Amendments to the Constitution Amendments to the constitution may be proposed by any member and require a two thirds majority of the voting members to come into effect. Such votes may only take place during regularly scheduled and advertised general meetings, and with a quorum of half the voting members. |
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Constitution |