The constitution of an organization contains the fundamental principles which govern its operation. The by-laws establish the specific rules of guidance by which the group is to function. All organized groups should have their basic structure and methods of operation in writing. Not only is this a requirement of a recognized student organization at Bellin College, but it assists in the continuity, consistency, and unity of the group.
A constitution allows members and potential members to have a better understanding of what the organization is all about and how it functions. If you keep in mind the value of having a written document that clearly describes the basic framework of your organization, the drafting of the constitution will be a much easier and more rewarding experience.
The constitution of an officially registered organization must minimally contain the following information:
*Components marked with an asterisk are required for student club and organization constitutions. Constitutions submitted without these components will not be approved.
Article I: Name
In this section, state the official name of the organization. An organization’s name may not duplicate the name of any other recognized student organization.
*Section 1 – The name of this club or organization shall be [insert the formal name of the organization.]
Article II: Purpose and Mission Statement
This section contains the purpose of your organization.
*Section 1 – The purpose of this club or organization shall be to [insert the club or organization’s defined purpose and its mission statement.]
Article III: Affiliations
Section 1 – [Identify any local, regional, national, or international groups with which the student club or organization is affiliated.]
*Article IV: Non-Discrimination Statement
Section 1 – This section involves the mandatory non-discrimination statement. It must be word for word as follows:
“It is the policy of Bellin College to be nondiscriminatory because of race, color, creed, national and ethnic origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability in the admission of students, in student programs, and in the employment of College faculty and staff.”
Article VI: Membership
Your membership requirements and dues are addressed here. Membership must be open without regard to age, sex*, gender identity, race, color, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, marital status, mental/physical disability, religion, or any other characteristic protected by the current federal and state statutes. Members must be a registered Bellin College Student.
*Section 1 – Bellin College students must comprise 100% of the student club or organization’s membership.
Section 2 – [Insert eligibility requirements, such as grade point averages, academic majors or minors, and special qualifications that may be required for eligibility that do not illegally discriminate.]
Article VII: Officers
This section lists officer positions, qualifications for holding office (one of which must be a 2.25 GPA), and a description of officer duties when not otherwise addressed.
*Section 1 – The officers of this club or organization shall be: [Insert the number of officers and their titles.]
*Section 2 – [Insert term length of each office.]
*Section 3 – [Insert provisions for removing an officer, in the event it is necessary.]
Article VIII: Elections
This article outlines the process for electing officers.
*Section 1 – Election of officers shall be held [Insert the month of elections and specify which member of the club or organization will oversee them. Who will announce the elections? The candidates? The results? A provision should be made that specifies how far in advance election meetings will be announced.]
Section 2 – [Insert procedures for filling vacancies in positions.]
Section 3 – [Insert procedures for voting in elections.]
Article IX: Due Process
The due process procedures are the mechanics which your organization uses to ensure that all persons are treated fairly in disciplinary matters, etc. It includes information concerning the rights, duties, resignation, and expulsion due process of the membership.
Article X: Meetings
This section states how often meetings will be held and makes provision for calling special meetings. If meetings cannot be held regularly, authority to call meetings may be stated here.
*Section 1 – Regular meetings of this club or organization shall be held [Specify the frequency of meetings. Who has the authority to call a meeting and who has the responsibility of notifying members of meetings?]
*Section 2 – Quorum shall consist of [insert the number of percentage of] voting members.
Section 3 – [Insert what type of order will govern the meetings. Types of order includes Robert’s Rules of Order or the Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure.]
Article XI: Facilitators
This section includes the responsibilities of the club or organization’s advisor and how the advisor will be selected.
*Section 1 – There shall be at least one half to full time Bellin College faculty or staff member who shall serve as a facilitator to the club or organization.
Section 2 – [Insert a description of the duties or responsibilities of the facilitator. This description must be congruent with the guidelines established by Bellin College which can be found in the Bellin College Student Organization handbook.
Article XII: Finances
Section 1 – Dues
This section provides for membership dues if there are any. If dues are required the organization must add here how they plan to ensure that their organization is inclusive and that adding dues will not inhibit students from joining.
Section 2 – How the group will raise funds and what they plan to do with the funds. These could just be ideas.
The constitution covers the fundamental principles but does not define specific procedures. By-laws detail the procedures your group must follow to conduct business in an orderly manner, although they are not required. They provide further definition of the Articles of the Constitution and can be changed more easily as the needs of the organization change.
By-laws must not contradict provisions in the Constitution. They generally contain specific information on the following topics:
- Duties of the executive board and each officer
- What the organization defines as a “quorum” for purposes of conducting business
- A provision for some accepted rules of order or parliamentary procedure to conduct a business meeting; traditionally “Robert’s Rules of Order”
- Date and method of selecting officers and delineating their duties
- Detailed information concerning the rights, duties, resignation, and expulsion due process of the membership and officers
- A provision for amending the by-laws by the organization with little difficulty; usually a simple majority vote is enough, but the mechanism should be flexible and one that is established by the body
Remember the reasons for having a constitution and by-laws. They articulate the purpose of your organization and spell out the procedures to be followed for its orderly functioning. Constitutions usually require a two-thirds vote of the membership for adoption. By-laws only require a simple majority for passage. Once you have developed your constitution and by-laws, review them often (at least yearly). The needs of your group will change over time, and it is important that the constitution and by-laws are kept up to date to reflect the current state of affairs.
Make sure every new member of the organization has a copy of your constitution and by-laws. This will help to unify your members by informing them of the opportunities that exist for participation and the procedures they should follow to be an active, contributing member. A thorough study of the constitution and by-laws should be a part of officer training and transition.