NPCD Constitution

1. Article I: Preamble

1.1 The New Paltz College Democrats exists to promote the ideas and values of Democrats on campus including, but not limited to, raising the minimum wage, fully funding SUNY, healthcare for all, expanding abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and combating climate change.

1.2 This club falls under the branch of the Student Association and is affiliated with one of the Houses within the branch. This club is recognized under the House of Advocacy. Henceforth, this constitution shadows the superior Constitution of the Student Association.

2. Article II: Name

2.1 The name of this student run organization shall be New Paltz College Democrats; hereafter it may be referred to as NPCD for short.

3. Article III: Membership

All activity-fee paying students attending SUNY New Paltz shall be members of NPCD as found in the Student Association 2020-2021 Constitution. Membership is open to all SUNY New Paltz students enrolled in the current semester of operation.

3.1 Policies, regulations, and practices do not restrict membership on the basis of race, creed, natural origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, ethnicity, or gender expression.

3.2 Members need not be registered Democrats, however they should have an interest in the Democratic Party.

3.3 Voting members are members who have attended at least 50% of meetings. These members can vote in group decisions and E-Board elections. Attendance will be taken ten minutes into each meeting by the Secretary.

3.4 A member will face immediate expulsion from the NPCD due to discriminatory behavior, violations of the SUNY New Paltz Code of Conduct, or abusive, harmful behavior towards others. “Abusive, harmful behavior” includes, but is not limited to, threats, stalking, doxxing, physical confrontations, verbal harassment, and sexual harassment. These behaviors will not be tolerated.

4. Article IV: Meetings

4.1 Meetings will be weekly, the day and time will be set by the members at the start of each semester. We will discuss current events and the Democratic Party's actions in New York and around the country. Meetings are open to the public.

4.2 During the COVID-19 crisis, the digital meeting link will be posted on our social media accounts and emailed to members.

4.3 E-Board meetings will be held once a month, and will be recorded by the Secretary. These will be floating meetings, coordinated by all E-Board officers. All E-Board officers must be present at every meeting.

5. Article V: Executive Board (E-Board)

5.1 President must set the agenda for and host each meeting. Must be responsible for keeping members aware of events regarding the club. Must make sure that all paperwork related to the club and events sponsored by the club are managed properly. Must send out reminders regarding meeting dates, as well as any changes in meeting times.

5.2 Council of Organizations Representative must attend the bi-weekly Council of Organization meetings and inform the club about the content of those meetings.

5.3 Secretary must record notes and minutes in a document that is made accessible to E-Board officers. Must make a PDF of each meeting’s notes and email it to members, clearly detailing the date and time of the next meeting.

5.4 Vice President must assist the President in their responsibilities involving the club and stand in for the President if they are unavailable.

5.5 Treasurer must manage financial matters when the club needs to spend money and make sure the club’s budget is properly managed.

5.6 Historian must document important events and activities in the lives of the club’s members such as birthdays and graduations. Must take pictures and videos of members who have consented to appear on social media.

5.7 Social Media Director must actively create posts for the NPCD’s Instagram and Twitter accounts. Must be in contact with the Historian when sourcing content for posts. Must communicate with the E-Board before posting information onto the social media accounts.

5.8 All student E-Board members must maintain a 2.0 GPA and good standing according to the SUNY New Paltz Student Code of Conduct and attend at least 75% of club meetings in the respective semester.

5.9 Vacancies in an E-Board position are to be filled by a simple majority vote by remaining members of the E-Board. If the Presidency falls vacant, the Vice President assumes the Presidency automatically.

5.10 Length of Term: All E-Board members serve for the maximum of a semester unless otherwise voted into the same office. All E-Board members can run for another E-Board position.

5.11 Leadership positions are as follows: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. Operational positions are as follows: Council of Organizations Representative, Historian, and Social Media Director.

5.12 All members can run for up to two E-Board positions a semester, with the exception of two positions listed under Leadership.

6. Article VI: Elections

6.1 Elections are held at the last meeting of each semester. At the second to last meeting of the semester, members of the club can announce they are running for the E-Board for the following semester.

6.2 Procedures and Process: The election will be held by a secret ballot. Simple majority will prevail. If there is a tie there will be a revote until the tie is resolved.

6.3 Voting eligibility is outlined in Article III Section 4 of this Constitution.

6.4 For the Spring 2021 semester the E-Board will be selected by the current President. At the end of the Spring 2021 semester there will be an election to determine the Fall 2021 E-Board.

7. Article VII: Conflict Resolution

7.1 All irresolvable conflicts must be brought to the attention of the Council Chair.

7.2 If a conflict arises between two or more members of the club, the E-Board holds responsibility for discussing and resolving the conflict with the respective members. If the conflict cannot be resolved effectively or efficiently, the Advisor will be involved.

7.3 If a conflict arises between two or more E-Board officers, the club Advisor will assume responsibility for discussing and resolving conflicts between the respective E-Board officers. If the Advisor finds the conflict is irresolvable then the Council Chair is called on for mediation.

7.4 Personal conflicts between any members that do not directly impact club business or operation and that do not involve a violation of responsibilities listed herein do not fall under club responsibility.

8. Article VIII: Impeachment/Removal of Officers

8.1 Grounds of Impeachment: If a presiding officer fails to attend 75% of club meetings or fails to abide by their respective responsibilities outlined herein, their actions place them under grounds for impeachment. If a presiding officer engages in any discriminatory behaviors, their actions place them under grounds for impeachment. If an officer fails to follow the SUNY New Paltz Code of Conduct, their actions place them under grounds for impeachment.

8.2 Any member of the organization has the power to initiate impeachment proceedings. Any E-Board officer can be impeached and removed.

8.3 Given an impeachment or expulsion in the middle of a semester, the respective office will be filled through a majority decision by the remaining E-Board officers.

9. Article IX: Succession

9.1 If the Presidency falls vacant, the Vice President fills the post.

9.2 All other vacancies are filled by the election process or other such process determined in the previous articles.

10. Article X: Committees

10.1 The NPCD will not have any standing committees.

11. Article XI: Advisor(s)

11.1 Selection Process: The E-Board meets at the end of the semester to decide who should be the Advisor for the club. E-Board officers will discuss qualifications for the Advisor role, and send invitations to SUNY New Paltz faculty members that show interest in the club’s goals. If our first choice for Advisor does not accept our invitation, we will continue to reach out to other qualified faculty members until one accepts. If we decide to keep the same Advisor as in the previous semester, then we do not need to initiate this process.

11.2 Roles and Responsibilities: The club Advisor for SUNY New Paltz College Democrats must assist in planning events and guiding us in our activities and goals as a club. The Advisor must keep in regular contact with the President through emails and/or meetings. The Advisor must be available to sign off on necessary paperwork.

12. Article XII: Amendments

12.1 Procedures: Any member can propose an amendment to change the club’s Constitution. If there is a proposed amendment the E-Board will discuss it with the club members. The President will make a final decision on whether the amendment will be proposed to the Office of Student Activities and Union Services.

12.2 The proposed amendment is then ratified after it is given approval by the Council Chair. The Council Chair, as well as all the members of the organization, should be notified of any and all changes within 48 hours. Failure to notify the Council Chair within the time frame will declare the amendments null and void, reverting back to the last constitution on file. All changes must be submitted to the Council Chair and kept on file in the organization’s records.

13. Article XIII: Additional Notes

13.1 Have a nice day!