CONSTITUTION OF THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DEMOCRATS
Revised March 27, 2016
Article I. Name and Purpose
Section 1.
The name of this organization shall be the George Washington University College Democrats, hereafter referred to as the GWCD.
Section 2.
The purpose of this organization is to stimulate college students’ political thought and active interest in governmental affairs, and to support and promote the principles, ideas and candidates of the Democratic Party of the United States. Furthermore, GWCD declares its intention to work actively for increased participation of college students in the Democratic Party.
Article II. Policy
Section 1.
GWCD shall affiliate locally with the Democratic Party of the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia Federation of the College Democrats, and nationally with the Democratic National Committee of the United States and the College Democrats of America.
Section 2.
GWCD may endorse candidates for any national, state, local or student office.
Section 3.
All endorsements shall require a majority vote of those active organization members present and voting at a general organization meeting except in the endorsement of candidates for student office, which shall only require a majority vote of the executive board.
Section 4.
GWCDs will abide by the university rules and policies of the George Washington University, including but not limited to the regulations of the Center for Student Engagement.
Article III. Membership and Privileges
Section 1.
Any currently enrolled student of the George Washington University is eligible for organization membership. Any person who submits his/her dues to the Finance Director of GWCD shall be considered an active organization member.
Section 2.
Only active organization members are entitled to vote on endorsements and elections.
Section 3.
Upon payment of the membership dues, status as a lifetime active organization member is conferred.
Section 4.
Membership dues shall be determined by the GWCD Executive Board in plenary session upon a full financial report of the GWCD Finance Director.
Section 5.
Any person, upon recommendation of the Executive Board and a majority vote of those organization members present and voting at a general body meeting, shall become an Honorary Member of the GWCDs.
Section 6.
The GW College Democrats will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, religion, disability, age, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.
Article IV. Executive Board
Section 1.
The Executive Board shall be the policy-making body of the GWCD, and shall act as the supervisory and administrative body of the organization.
Section 2.
The Executive Board shall consist of the following elected positions: President, Executive Vice President, Vice President of Political Affairs, Vice President of Communications, Vice President of Membership, Vice President of Community Service, Vice President of Development, Freshman Representative of Foggy Bottom, and Freshman Representative of Mount Vernon.
Section 3.
The following positions of the Executive Board will be appointed by the elected officers of the Executive Board: Chief of Staff, Programming Director, Campaign Director, Finance Director, Technology Director, and Events and Social Director.
Section 4.
The Executive Board will be divided into departments.
Subsection A.
The Executive Department shall be chaired by the President and include the Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff.
Subsection B.
The Political Affairs Department shall be chaired by the Vice President of Political Affairs and include Campaign and Programming Directors. Deputy Political Affairs Directors, such as Deputy Director of Voter Registration, Deputy Director of Debate, Deputy Director of Advocacy, and others, can be appointed at the discretion of the Vice President of Political Affairs with guidance from the Executive Department.
Subsection C.
The Communications Department shall be chaired by the Vice President of Communications and include the Technology Director. Deputy Director of Photography, Deputy Blog Director, Deputy Director of Social Media, and other Deputy Communications Directors will be appointed at the discretion of the Vice President of Communications with guidance from the Executive Department.
Subsection D.
The Membership Department shall be chaired by the Vice President of Membership and include the Events and Social Director. Deputy Director of New Member Acquisition, Deputy Director of Outreach and other Deputy Membership Directors will be appointed at the discretion of the Vice President of Membership with guidance from the Executive Department.
Subsection E.
The Community Service Department shall be chaired by the Vice President of Community Service. Deputy Director of Volunteers and other Deputy Community Service Directors will be appointed at the discretion of the Vice President of Community Service with guidance from the Executive Department.
Subsection F.
The Development Department shall be chaired by the Vice President of Development and include the Finance Director. Deputy Directors of Fundraising, Deputy Director of Student Association Relationships and other Deputy Development Directors will be appointed at the discretion of the Vice President of Development with guidance from the Executive Department.
Subsection G.
If a Freshmen Committee is deemed as necessary, it shall be chaired by the Freshmen Representatives of both Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon. It may consist of up to ten dues-paying freshmen members to be appointed through interviews by the President, Executive Vice President, Vice President of Membership and Freshmen Representatives from both campuses.
Subsection H
Deputy Director Positions are ad hoc appointees. The positions can be created and terminated at any time. They are not voting members of the Executive Board, and will be created/appointed at the discretion of the VP of the proposed department and the Executive Department.
Section 5.
The Executive Board shall create or eliminate existing appointed executive board positions by a 2/3 majority of a quorum of existing Executive Board members. The creation of an elected executive board position shall adhere to the constitutional amendment process as defined in Article IX. Upon creation of a new Executive Board position, a majority vote of the Executive Board shall decide whether to fill said position through appointment or election.
Subsection A.
Consideration for an appointed position shall be based on interviews open to all paid members. Members shall be notified at least one week prior to the interviews, and shall be filled by a majority vote of the elected members of the Executive Board.
Subsection B.
Elected positions shall be filled through either an appointment process or an ad-hoc election of the general membership according to guidelines set in Article VII, with a 2/3 vote by the Executive Board needed to avoid the election process.
Section 6.
Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at the discretion of the Board with at least two meetings being held each month. Meetings shall be open to all active organization members, except when closed by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
Section 7.
All Executive Board Members shall be notified of any changes in the time of an Executive Board meeting.
Section 8.
A quorum to conduct business at an Executive Board meeting shall be a majority of the members of the Board unless there is a request for a 2/3 quorum by at least two Executive Board members, at which time, the motion in question will be tabled until a 2/3 quorum can be reached.
Section 9.
No member shall hold more than one position on the Executive Board at any one time.
Section 10.
Executive Board decisions may be overruled by a 2/3 majority of active GWCD members present and voting at a general membership meeting.
Section 11.
If a voting member of the Executive Board cannot attend a meeting of the Executive Board and wishes to assign a proxy, said member must notify the president and at least one other board member who will be present at that meeting.
Subsection A.
Each person may act as proxy for only one other member.
Section 12.
All Board votes are to be hand-held except when a majority of the Board votes for secret ballot.
Article V. Powers of the Elected Executive Board
Section 1. – President
Subsection A.
The President will be the official spokesperson for the GWCD.
Subsection B.
The President will preside over all Executive Board meetings and ensure that an agenda is formulated for each meeting.
Subsection C.
The President shall have the right to veto any decision made by the Executive Board. The Board may override this veto with a 2/3 vote after a period of discussion determined by a majority of the Board members present.
Subsection D.
The President may appoint or create any committees that he/she/they sees/see fit.
Subsection E.
The President will maintain the official copy of the GWCD Constitution.
Section 2. – Executive Vice President
Subsection A.
The Executive Vice President shall assist the President in all official duties.
Subsection B.
The Executive Vice President shall assume the responsibilities if the President, for any reason, cannot complete the Presidential duties.
Subsection C.
The Chief of Staff will also serve as the liaison between GWCD and The George Washington University, notably the Marvin Center, Center for Student Engagement, and the Office of Events and Venues.
Section 3. – Vice President of Political Affairs
Subsection A.
The Vice President of Political Affairs will oversee the planning, organization, and execution of all political events.
Subsection B.
The Vice President of Political Affairs will craft the political and policy messages for the College Democrats.
Subsection C.
The Vice President of Political Affairs is responsible for all voter registration efforts, on campus and in the larger DMV area.
Subsection D.
The Vice President of Political Affairs will also be the primary liaison between the GWCD and Democratic and progressive organizations.
Section 4. – Vice President of Communications
Subsection A.
The Vice President of Communications will be responsible for ensuring that the GWCDs maintain a working relationship with all campus and local media.
Subsection B.
The Vice President of Communications will work with all members of the executive board to gather up to date information about all activities of the organization.
Subsection C.
The Vice President of Communications will work with the communications department to ensure that all activities of the organization are publicized to the media, general public, and the membership.
Section 5. – Vice President of Membership
Subsection A.
The Vice President of Membership is responsible for recruiting new members and encouraging Democratic Party affiliation on campus.
Subsection B.
The Vice President of Membership will plan social events to foster a sense of community within the organization.
Section 6. – Vice President of Community Service
Subsection A.
The Vice President of Community Service is responsible for planning, organizing, and executing all community service events for the College Democrats.
Subsection B.
The Vice President of Community Service will also work closely with the Finance Director to raise donation money for important causes and organizations.
Section 7. – Vice President of Development
Subsection A.
The Vice President of Development will be responsible for generating additional outside funds for the College Democrats. He or she will create a fundraising plan including contacting donors, organizing fundraising events, and securing corporate sponsorships and donations.
Subsection B.
The Vice President of Development will be responsible for organizing an alumni outreach network for the College Democrats.
Subsection C.
The Vice President of Development will be responsible for submitting fundraising reports at least two times per semester to the Executive Board.
Section 8. – Freshman Representative of Foggy Bottom
Subsection A.
The Freshman Representative for the Foggy Bottom Campus will be a liaison between the College Democrats and the freshman class located on the Foggy Bottom Campus.
Section 9. – Freshman Representative of Mount Vernon
Subsection A.
The Freshman Representative for the Mount Vernon Campus will be a liaison between the College Democrats and the freshman class located on the Mount Vernon Campus.
Article VI. Powers of the Appointed Executive Board
Section 1. – Chief of Staff
Subsection A.
The Chief of Staff shall serve as an assistant to both the President and Executive Vice President.
Subsection B.
The Chief of Staff will manage all of the administrative duties of the College Democrats, including managing the organization’s public and private calendar and email correspondence.
Subsection C.
In addition to taking minutes at meetings and managing administrative paperwork and record-keeping for the College Democrats, the Chief of Staff will also serve as the special projects manager for the Executive Board.
Section 2. – Programming Director
Subsection A.
The Programming Director will be responsible for inviting speakers to speak to the GWCD membership. The Programming Director is also responsible for planning and executing the entire event.
Section 3. – Campaign Director
Subsection A.
The Campaign Director will be primarily responsible for organizing opportunities for members to volunteer in Democratic campaigns during election season.
Subsection B.
The Campaign Director will be responsible for organizing and executing all off-campus College Democrats including but not limited to: trainings, opportunities around Capitol Hill or the larger DC area, rallies, demonstrations, and protests, and any other political event that occurs off-campus.
Subsection C.
The Campaign Director will serve as the secondary liaison between Democratic and Progressive groups and the College Democrats.
Subsection D.
The Campaign Director will be responsible for organizing activism and awareness events and projects on campus to promote the Democratic Party’s ideals, values, and policies.
Subsection E.
The Campaign Director will also organize campaigns to advocate for the adoption of progressive values by the University in its policies and procedures.
Section 4. – Assistant Membership Director
Subsection A.
The Assistant Membership Director will assist the Vice President of Membership in all official duties.
Subsection B.
The Assistant Membership Director is also responsible for working with the Technology Director to design event-appropriate posters and related social-event publicity items.
Subsection C.
The Assistant Membership Director will be responsible for serving as the social liaison between the Executive Board and the GWCD membership, advising the Executive Board on what activities the membership is likely to participate in and enjoy.
Section 5. – Technology Director
Subsection A.
The Technology Director will be responsible for the design of posters, palm cards, and all other printed publicity.
Subsection B.
The Technology Director is also responsible for updating the GWCD bulletin board located in the Marvin Center.
Subsection C.
The Technology Director will be responsible for regularly updating the College Democrats’ website and managing the internship database, and Facebook group.
Section 6. – Finance Director
Subsection A.
The Finance Director shall be responsible for all financial and monetary duties of the College Democrats. This includes maintaining an accurate accounting of the College Democrats’ budget, submitting all necessary financial paperwork to the Student Association and Center for Student Engagement, helping to construct the College Democrats’ budget, and submitting budget reports at least two times per semester to the Executive Board.
Article VII. Executive Board Elections
Section 1. – Election Commission
Subsection A.
The Election Commission, hereafter referred to as the Commission, is responsible for all election procedures, including but not limited to: certifying candidacies, monitoring candidate behavior, responding to complaints, ruling on complaints, proctoring the election, counting ballots, certifying election results, and all election-related communication to the general membership.
Subsection B.
The Commission shall consist of a minimum of two individuals and a maximum of five individuals. Spots on the Commission will be first offered to seniors on the Executive Board in order of rank. If there are no seniors on the board, the commission shall be formed of executive board members who are not running for elected office in the College Democrats during this election. The Commission shall be formed at the confirmation by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
Subsection C.
Members of the Commission may not run for elected office in the College Democrats during the election which they serve the Commission or declare their intention to run for appointed positions until after the results of the election have been announced.
Subsection D.
Members of the Commission may not endorse any candidate for a position on the Executive Board and must remain strictly neutral while serving on the Commission.
Subsection E.
A member of the Election Commission can be removed only by a unanimous vote of the rest of the Commission. All other decisions and rulings of the commission require a simple majority vote.
Section 2. – Voter Eligibility
Subsection A.
In order to vote in the election, the voter must be a dues-paid member in good standing by the candidate registration deadline.
Subsection B.
The dues amount is twenty dollars per member for lifetime membership. This amount allows the member to receive a GWCD t-shirt, have access to GWCD speakers and events, and either run for office or vote in the officers election.
Subsection C.
Dues can only be submitted in person by the person seeking membership. Dues must be paid directly to members of the election commission. Dues can only be given to an executive board member at either the GWCD office or at an official College Democrats events in which dues are being accepted in order to qualify for membership. A minimum of four hours must be kept in the office for submission of dues by the election commission.
Section 3. – Registration of Candidacy
Subsection A.
Candidates must be members in good standing before the registration deadline.
Subsection B.
In order to register a candidacy with the Commission, the member must submit a candidacy statement declaring the intent to run for an elected position on the Executive Board. If this statement exceeds 300 words, it shall be truncated by the Commission before publication to the membership. This statement must be sent to an e-mail inbox specified by the Commission.
Subsection C.
The deadline for the registration of candidacy shall be set by the Commission but shall be no later than 10 days from the election.
Subsection D.
The Commission must notify candidates of the certification of their candidacy. All candidates must meet the constitutional requirements for office. Any candidate who fails to meet the requirements for office will be notified by the Commission and permitted to run for an office which he/she/they is/are eligible and to amend their statement to reflect the new office sought.
Subsection E.
Once the Commission has certified all candidacies, the statements must be publicized to the membership via e-mail at least once and by at least five days from the election.
Subsection F.
A candidate may only run for one position.
Section 4. – Campaign Rules
Subsection A.
Candidates may not begin campaigning on a public scale until their candidacy has been certified by the Commission. Public campaigning is defined as any of the following: establishing a Facebook group or page, distribution of printed literature, posters, apparel, campaign materials, correspondence to a listserv e-mail or blast e-mails to multiple recipients which promote the member’s intention to run or candidacy. All candidates shall be held responsible for the actions of anyone who is campaigning on their behalf.
Subsection B.
Candidates are forbidden from running on a slate, which is defined as publicizing or mentioning any other candidate in any campaign correspondence. Candidates may only campaign for themselves.
Subsection C.
The use of official GWCD property for campaign purposes is strictly forbidden. GWCD property includes but is not limited to: the office and its contents, any version of the membership list, any version of the e-mail list, the listserv, sign-in sheets, Facebook group and pages, and website. Regardless of how any of these resources are procured, they are strictly forbidden from use for campaign purposes.
Subsection D.
No candidate may campaign at any CD-sponsored functions/events, except they may distribute literature/palm cards about themselves at the Election meeting only.
Subsection E.
While candidates are permitted to contact members, if any member reports to the Commission that they are being harassed or are contacted after informing a candidate that they no longer wish to be contacted, the candidate making such contact may be removed from the ballot.
Subsection F.
Any violations of these rules will be litigated on a case by case basis at the commission’s discretion.
Section 5. – Election Procedures
Subsection A.
All candidates will be able to view the ballot box at the outset of the election to confirm that it is empty.
Subsection B.
In order to vote in the election of a position, the member voting must be present to obtain and deposit the ballot.
Subsection C.
Candidates will be guaranteed a minimum of two minutes for a speech and one minute for question and answer from the audience to be proctored by the Commission. Candidates for president and executive vice president will be offered an additional two minutes of minimum speech time.
Subsection D.
Ballots must be counted in the public view of candidates and voters.
Subsection E.
A recount of ballots shall be conducted during the election meeting at the request of any candidate.
Subsection F.
Voting shall be conducted by secret ballot.
Subsection G.
The Commission shall outline and decide on a procedure for breaking any ties.
Subsection H.
The precise format of the election shall be decided by the Commission but must be in compliance with the aforementioned rules. A brief of the election format must be publicized at least once to the membership and all candidates.
Section 6. – Vacancies
Subsection A.
If a board member in an elected position takes a leave of absence, the Executive Board can appoint a proxy until the end of the leave of absence by a 2/3 vote. If the absence extends more than three months, a special election should be held to fill the position. Notice of a leave of absence should be given in writing to the President, including intended day of return and a reason for the absence. If the board member on a leave of absence decides to resign from the Executive Board before the end of the designated three month period, the Executive Board should follow the procedures for as established in Article 7, Sections 8 and 9.
Article VIII. Transition of the Executive Board
Section 1.
The newly elected executive board will not assume office until May 15th or the day after the last day of spring semester final examinations, whichever is sooner. Until that time, the organization’s data, private information, resources, property, and registration with the Center for Student Engagement remains under control of the outgoing board.
Section 2.
The current board shall publicize the incoming board’s application and notifications for appointed positions to the membership at the incoming board’s discretion.
Section 3.
The appointed positions must be filled before the transition summit, the date of which is to be set by the outgoing board. Only incoming elected board members may vote in the appointment process.
Article IX. Removal from Office
Section 1.
Any officer shall be impeached if the Executive Board receives a petition containing the signatures of 1/3 of the total active members requesting such or 2/3 of the Executive Board votes for removal.
Section 2.
Grounds for impeachment shall be unethical or incompetent behavior, or consistent absences.
Section 3.
If an Executive Board member misses 3 meetings without sufficient cause in one semester, the President shall notify said member that the Executive Board shall be required to vote on whether to request the resignation of said member. The board member must be given one (1) week prior to the impeachment vote. Unless said member can give sufficient cause, to be judged by the Executive Board, to miss the next meeting, said vote shall be held with or without the presence of said member. If the Board votes to request resignation, the President shall submit written notice to said member. If said member refuses to resign or does not respond in time of one week, the Executive Board shall automatically move to impeach said member pursuant to Article IX, Section 1.
Article X. Amendments
Section 1.
Amendments to the constitution shall be adopted upon a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board. These amendments must be proposed at a meeting of the Executive Board seven calendar days prior to a vote.
Article XI. Ratification
Section 1.
Ratification of this constitution shall occur upon a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board.