Constitution
Table of Contents
Article I:
Section 1: The National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH)
Article II:
Section 1: Purpose
Section 2: Pillars
Section 2: Affiliation
Article III:
Section 1: Classes of Members
Section 2: Membership Qualifications
Section 2: Membership Capacity
Section 3: Special Status
Section 4: Application and Selection Process
Section 5: Induction
Article IV:
Section 1: Executive Board Membership
Section 2: Authority
Section 3: Term of Office
Section 4: Qualifications and Elections
Section 5: Job Descriptions and Responsibilities
Section 6: Filling Vacancies
Section 7: Impeachment Process
Article V:
Section 1: List of Committees
Section 2: Committee Descriptions
Article VI:
Section 1: Quorum
Section 2: Frequency
Section 3: Special Meetings
Section 4: Meeting Procedures
Article VII:
Section 1: Amendment Process
Section 2: Interpretation
1 | UCSB NRHH Constitution
National Residence Hall Honorary
Margaret Getman Chapter, University of California Santa Barbara
Constitution
Preamble
We, the members of the National Residence Hall Honorary of the Margaret Getman Chapter at the University of California,
Santa Barbara, in order to honor and recognize outstanding members of the residence hall community, to serve the residence hall
community with utmost care, to promote academic success of all students, and to promote a higher style of involvement in the
residence halls, do ordain and establish this constitution.
Article I
The name of this organization shall be the Margaret Getman Chapter of the University of California, Santa Barbara of the
National Residence Hall Honorary, hereinafter referred to as the NRHH.
Article II
Section 1
The purpose of the NRHH is to provide recognition for those individuals living in the residence halls who have provided
outstanding service via their leadership roles. The Chapter will promote the advancement of students and academics within the
University of California, Santa Barbara, and promote community service within Residential Life. The NRHH will also promote
safe and positive environments within the residence halls. In addition, the NRHH will continue to inspire creativity and growth
within the organization and have an open mind to changes which will further benefit the residence halls.
Section 2
The pillars by which the NRHH strives to include and promote are Leadership, Recognition, Scholastics, and Service.
Section 2
This Chapter is affiliated with the National Association of College and University Residence Halls, Incorporated, which shall
hereinafter be referred to as NACURH, Inc. This Chapter is also affiliated with the Residence Halls Association at the University
of California, Santa Barbara, which shall hereinafter be referred to as the RHA. As declared by affiliation guidelines, this Chapter
must pay annual dues as designated by NACURH on an annual basis.
Article III
Section 1
A. Active Members: Active members shall be defined as students who have been inducted into the Margaret Getman
Chapter, after serving as Provisionary status members for a quarter, and currently live within the residence halls at UC
Santa Barbara. They shall not exceed one percent (1%) of the housing population for the year. Active members shall
constitute the entire voting body of the NRHH and shall have voting privileges for every matter related to the NRHH.
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B.Early Alumni Members: Early alumni members are defined as members of NRHH who no longer live on campus. Early
alumni members shall hold a vote on official matters related to the Chapter. Should an alumni member move off
campus and then return, they shall only be eligible for active membership based on available spaces. There shall be no
limit to the number of early alumni members in this Chapter.
C. Alumni Members: Alumni members are defined as members of NRHH who no longer live on campus and have
graduated from UC Santa Barbara. Alumni members shall not hold a vote on official matters related to the Chapter.
There shall be no limit to the number of Alumni members in this Chapter.
D. Honorary Members: Honorary members are defined as administrator, non-student, graduate student, or off-campus
persons who have made outstanding contributions or provided exceptional leadership in promoting the positive
advancement of the residence hall community. Individuals who qualify for active, alumni and early alumni membership
with the exception of graduating seniors, cannot be inducted as honorary members. Special exceptions can be made for
membership based on a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the active members. Honorary members shall not have any voting
rights on official matters related to the Chapter. The number of honorary members the Chapter shall be able to induct
per academic year will not exceed ten percent (10%) of the Chapter’s membership cap.
Section 2
A. Persons qualifying for Active membership must meet the following requirements:
a. May have been elected as a Hall Council Recognition or Community Service Chair, which in the case will
exempt the individual from needed to complete the NRHH Application.
a. Completion of a NRHH application.
b. Must have a current minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7.
c. Must have lived in the residence halls for at least two (2) quarter during the academic year or previous year,
in which they apply or are nominated.
d. Must have been active and exhibited outstanding leadership and service within the residence hall community.
e. Must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.7 and be in good judicial standing (not on probation) with the university
to continue as an active member. Failure to maintain either will result in the member being designated as an
inactive member.
f.
Must participate in at least one (1) NRHH program per quarter, unless otherwise specified by the NRHH
President and Advisor.
g. Must participate in at least one (1) NRHH committee per quarter, unless otherwise specified by the NRHH
President and Advisor.
h. Must participate in at least one (1) All Hands on Deck program per quarter, as found in Article V, Section 2,
unless otherwise specified by the NRHH President and Advisor.
i.
j.
Must attend all NRHH meetings, unless otherwise approved by the NRHH President or Advisor.
Must write a minimum of one (1) Of-the-Month award per month.
A. Persons qualifying for Early Alumni membership status must meet the following requirements:
a.
Must complete the early alumni application, which shall include the signature of: Chapter President, Chapter
Advisor, and chapter member.
b. Must have been an active member of NRHH.
c. Must maintain UCSB student standing.
d. Must maintain a current minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7.
e. Must write a minimum of one (1) Of-the-Month award per month.
C. Persons qualifying for Alumni Membership Status under the following conditions:
a.
b.
c.
d.
The person moves off-campus.
They do not meet the academic requirements to maintain Active Membership Status.
They are unable to meet the attendance and involvement within NRHH requirements.
The person graduates from UCSB.
D. Persons qualifying for Honorary membership status must meet the following requirements:
a. Must be nominated by an active or early alumni member.
b. Must be full-time or part-time faculty or staff at UC Santa Barbara.
c. Must not meet the requirements to be an active, early alumni, or alumni member.
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d.
Status may be given by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board of this Chapter.
E. Membership status in the Margaret Getman Chapter will not be denied to anyone under the basis of race, ethnicity,
religion, national origin, sex, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic class standing, or any
other area of diversity except sanctioned by the law (California Administrative Code Title 5, section 41500; Education
Amendments of 1972, Title IX).
Section 2
The total active membership of the UCSB NRHH Margaret Getman Chapter may include up to, but not more than, one
percent (1%) of the total residence hall population that year, or twenty (20) members, whichever is larger. The total one percent
(1%) membership does not include alumni, early alumni or honorary members.
Section 3
A. Inactive Status: Inactive status shall be defined as active members who no longer meet active membership qualifications,
or as voted on by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the active members. Individuals with Inactive status shall not have
any voting rights.
B. Provisionary Status: Individuals with Provisionary status shall be defined as all Hall Council Recognition or Community
Service Chairs (if they so choose), and/or residents who have applied and been accepted without having lived in the
residence halls for one (1) quarter. Individuals with Provisionary status shall serve as active members with voting
rights, and after a quarter as provisionary status members they are inducted into the Chapter the subsequent quarter, if
they so choose to become active members.
a. Persons qualifying for Provisionary status must meet the following requirements:
i.
Must have been elected as a Hall Council Recognition or Community Service Chair.
ii.
Must have completed a NRHH application and gained acceptance from the Selection Committee, in
accordance with Article III, Section 4, line C.
iii.
iv.
Must attend all NRHH meetings, unless otherwise approved by the NRHH President or Advisor.
v.
Must participate in at least one (1) NRHH committee per quarter, unless otherwise specified by the
NRHH President and Advisor.
vi.
Must participate in at least one (1) All Hands on Deck program per quarter, unless otherwise specified
by the NRHH President and Advisor.
Must participate in at least one (1) NRHH program per quarter, unless otherwise specified by the
NRHH President and Advisor.
vii. Must write a minimum of one (1) Of-the-Month award per month.
viii. Must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.7 and be in good judicial standing (not on probation) with the
university to be inducted after their provisionary quarter. Failure to maintain either will result in the
member not being inducted into the Chapter.
Section 4
A. Membership Campaign
a. The Executive Board will initiate a membership campaign at least once per quarter, unless noted by the
NRHH President and the NRHH Advisor.
b. Each membership campaign shall allow two weeks for residents to be able to submit the application.
B. Application Process
a. The application shall be created or chosen at the discretion of the NRHH President.
C. Selection Process
a. The Selection Committee will consist of at least three (3) people: the NRHH President, the NRHH Advisor,
and a minimum of one (1) NRHH member.
b. The Selection Committee must meet within one (1) week after the application deadline.
c. The Selection Committee will choose members solely based on their qualifications and ability to meet the
Chapter’s requirements.
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d. The NRHH President shall ensure all applicants are contacted whether or not their application is accepted
after the Selection Committee chooses the new members and before the next NRHH meeting.
Section 5
Upon gaining acceptance and completing a provisionary period, an individual who has fulfilled the requirements listed for Active
Membership is eligible for induction into the UCSB NRHH Margaret Getman Chapter. Inductions shall take place before the
fourth week of each quarter. Once an individual is inducted as an NRHH member, that person is an NRHH member for life.
Article IV
Section 1
The Executive Board will consist of the officers and the NRHH Advisor(s). The Executive Board will also count towards the one
percent (1%) membership cap of the residence hall population.
Section 2
The Executive Board shall have the general supervision of the affairs of NRHH between its business meetings and during the
summer interim, make recommendations to NRHH, and shall perform such duties as specified in this constitution.
Section 3
The elected members of the Executive Board shall hold office until the end of the spring quarter (as designated by the UC Santa
Barbara academic calendar) unless they become inactive members or vacate the position.
Section 4
A. Qualifications
a. At no time may any NRHH member hold an executive position in both the NRHH and the RHA Executive
Board, nor can a RHA Executive Board member hold an NRHH Executive Board position, with the
exception of the NRHH President, who shall be the liaison between the NRHH and RHA Coordinating
Board, and the Advisor, who may also be an Advisor for the RHA.
b. The NRHH President may not simultaneously hold the NRHH Presidency position and a Resident Assistant
position, and neither may any of the NRHH Executive Board members.
c. All Executive Board members, with the exception of the President, shall count towards quorum in all NRHH
meetings and will have a vote in all matters concerning the Chapter’s proceedings.
A. Elections
a. Elections for the NRHH President of the following academic year will commence at the beginning of the
Winter quarter, and a NRHH President-Elect shall be elected no later than the end of that quarter, as
determined by the NRHH President and the Advisor.
b. The NRHH President-Elect must attend the NACURH conference as a representative for the UC Santa
Barbara Margaret Getman NRHH Chapter.
c. Elections for the Executive Board of the following academic year will take place no later than the first month
of the new year, as determined by the NRHH President-Elect.
d. Members wishing to run for office must fill out an application a minimum of one (1) week prior to the
election meeting. This application will include questions about the applicant’s involvement within the
residence halls and require a statement of intent describing why the applicant wishes to run for the position.
This application will be available for members to review prior to or at the election meeting.
e. Each candidate nominated for a position will have up to a five (5) minute time period in which the candidate
may give a speech in front of the general body.
f.
Candidates who receive a majority vote from voting members present at the election meeting shall take office
immediately thereafter and meet with the NRHH President to further discuss position duties.
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g. In the event that a position does not have any candidates, written bids will be accepted by a designated date
and appointments to the position, with the advisement of a selection committee, approval by the NRHH
Advisor, and a majority vote, will be determined by the active members at the next NRHH meeting.
h. Candidates shall be voted upon by a secret ballot method as defined by Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 5
A. The President shall:
a. Be the official representative of the University of California, Santa Barbara NRHH Margaret Getman
Chapter.
b. Be an ex-officio member of all committees within the Chapter.
c. Have the authority to appoint members to vacant Executive Board positions as described in Article IV,
Section 4.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Serve as the Parliamentarian for the Chapter meetings.
i.
Be responsible for welcoming new members and providing Chapter-related information before their
attendance at their first NRHH meeting.
j.
Meet with newly elected or appointed Executive Board members before their first meeting in their new
position and provide position specific information to prepare them for the remainder of the their term.
Have authority to appoint ad hoc committees.
Oversee the RHA Coordinating Board “Board Buddies” and the NRHH “Pillar Pals” programs each quarter.
Maintain the Of-the-Month Database
Send monthly Of-the-Month results to the Vice President of Media, once results are made available and
before the next Chapter meeting.
k. Have the authority to call emergency meetings providing twenty-four (24) hours notice to all members of the
Chapter.
l. Co-Sign for Chapter funds.
m. Be the official representative at NACURH/PACURH/NRHH business meetings in which the NRHH
President or Co-Presidents has/have a vote.
n. May serve as the direct contact for all Recognition Chairs and Community Service Chairs within the nine (9)
Hall Councils, lead the Recognition introduction at the RHA Leadership Forum, and send a check-in email at
least once per quarter.
o. Commit to no more than ten (10) hours of outside extra-curricular activities per week or with approval from
the direct NRHH advisor(s).
p.
q.
r.
s.
Write a transition report by the end of the term, as specified by the RHA Judicial Review Board.
Not be required to live on-campus within the residence halls.
Have biweekly one-on-ones or scheduled one-on-ones when necessary with the NRHH Advisor(s).
Fulfill all other duties as assigned in the UCSB RHA Constitution.
A.The Administrative Vice President shall:
a. Assume the duties of the President in an absence and/or resignation.
b. Prepare and distribute an agenda at each meeting, upon approval by the President.
c. Keep official and accurate records of attendance and minutes at the meetings.
d. Distribute official minutes to the members of the Chapter within two days after each meeting.
e. Be responsible for keeping track of the status of members: Active, Alumni, and Honorary.
f. Maintain the financial records of the Chapter.
g. Prepare and present an annual budget to the Chapter to be approved within two (2) weeks of the beginning of
the Fall quarter, unless otherwise specified by the NRHH President or Advisor.
h. Report an updated balance of the Chapter’s budget at the beginning of each meeting.
i. Co-sign for Chapter funds.
j. Chair the Fundraiser committee.
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k. Be responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing any fundraisers put on by the Chapter, with
assistance from Fundraiser committee members.
l. Not be a Resident Assistant.
m. Attend one (1) meeting at the beginning of each quarter with the NRHH President and other NRHH officers.
n. Have a minimum of one (1) one-on-one with the NRHH Advisor(s) per quarter.
A.The Vice President of Programming shall:
a. Be the primary executive contact for all NRHH programming.
b. Be an ex-officio member of all programming committees within the Chapter.
c. Ensure that a minimum of nine (9) programs, per academic year, are organized and executed by the Chapter
members:
i. Two (2) programs per quarter, not directly related to community service, and one (1) program per
quarter directly related to community service.
ii. Refer to Article V.
d. Be the direct contact for all Community Service Chairs within the nine (9) Hall Councils, lead the
Community Service introduction at the RHA Leadership Forum, and send a check-in email at least once per
quarter.
e. Not be a Resident Assistant.
f. Attend one (1) meeting at the beginning of each quarter with the NRHH President and other NRHH officers.
g. Have a minimum of one (1) one-on-one with the NRHH Advisor(s) per quarter.
A.The Vice President of Media shall:
a. Maintain a bi-weekly advertisement/Chapter update in the RHA’s Flush publication.
b. Create and submit all DigiKnow advertisements for the Chapter.
c. Maintain and update the NRHH Facebook person administrators of the page .
d. Maintain and update the NRHH Facebook page.
e. Maintain and update the NRHH information on the UCSB RHA website, by submitting weekly updates to the
RHA Web Manager, or manually updating the NRHH tab.
f. Make and distribute the Of-the-Month award certificates in a timely manner.
g. Act as the official NRHH historian, responsible for documenting all events and activities put on by the
Chapter.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
Chair the Publicity and Outreach committee.
Co-lead the Publicity introduction with the RHA Media Coordinator at the RHA Leadership Forum.
Not be a Resident Assistant.
Attend one (1) meeting at the beginning of each quarter with the NRHH President and other NRHH officers.
Have a minimum of one (1) one-on-one with the NRHH Advisor(s) per quarter.
A. The Advisor(s) shall:
a. Be appointed by the Department of Housing and Residential Services.
b. Have no voting privileges, but ensure the Chapter follows and supports the University of California, Santa
Barbara policies and procedures.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Confirm the GPA checks for all active and prospective members.
Be the primary signatory authority for the Chapter.
Assist the President when filling a vacancy.
Hold quarterly one-on-ones with all NRHH officers
Section 6
A. While filling a vacant position a candidate shall be selected by the NRHH President, with the advisement of the
current Executive Board, approval of the NRHH Advisor, and approval by a majority vote of the members present at
the meeting in which the candidate is presented to the general body.
7 | UCSB NRHH Constitution
B. Officers elected or selected upon vacancy throughout the year shall assume the responsibility of the position
immediately, following approval by a majority vote of the members present at the meeting in which the position is
voted upon.
C. If no suitable candidate can fill a vacancy, then the responsibilities of the position shall be distributed throughout the
current Executive Board and/or the membership of the Chapter. Appointments shall be for the remainder of the vacated
term.
Section 6
A.
B.
C.
D.
Any voting member may originate the impeachment.
The NRHH President may be impeached at any regular NRHH meeting where quorum is met.
The proposed impeachment must be submitted in writing to the NRHH Advisor at the previous meeting.
The vote must pass with a minimum of two-thirds (2/3) vote in favor of the impeachment.
Article V
Section 1
A. Fundraising
B. Programming
a.
b.
c.
General
Community Service
Finals Kits
C. Publicity and Outreach
D. Recognition
Section 2
A. All active committees shall have a minimum of three (3) NRHH members at all times.
a. Committees are considered active until their program requirements for the quarter and/or year are fulfilled.
B. No single program may fulfill multiple committee program requirements. For example, a fundraiser may not also count
as one of the three (3) subcommittee programs required each quarter, specifications during program presentations will
assist in distinguishing which committee a program falls under.
C. Members may alternate between which committees they would like to work on each quarter, however, they may not be
in more than two (2) active committees in any given quarter, unless a committee is working on an “All Hands on Deck”
program.
a. NRHH “All Hands on Deck” programming will be designated by the NRHH President and Advisor(s)
i.These events include and are not limited to:
a. Finals Kits program
b. OTM Banquet
c. NRHH Retreats
D. The Fundraising Committee shall:
a. Be chaired by the Administrative Vice President.
b. Be responsible for the planning, coordination and implementation of a minimum of three (3) fundraising efforts
per academic year.
c. Collaborate with the Community Service subcommittee to choose a charity organization, which the fundraised
money will go to.
d. Present their fundraiser idea(s) and selected charity organization(s) by the third meeting of each quarter, if the
desired date of the fundraiser is within the same quarter. However, the committee has until the third week of the
8 | UCSB NRHH Constitution
Spring quarter to present their third fundraiser, or until three weeks prior to the “Dead Week” of Spring Quarter
for implementation of any additional fundraisers.
i. All fundraisers and selected charity organizations must be approved by a simple majority of all active
members at the meeting a fundraiser is proposed.
E. The three (3) Programming Committees (Community Service, Finals Kits, General) shall:
a. Be overseen by the Vice President of Programming.
b. Organize and execute a minimum of one (1) subcommittee program per quarter, for a total of three (3)
programs, put on with the assistance of NRHH Chapter members.
c. Designate specific people to be in charge of individual programs and those people, a minimum of two per
program, will present a detailed agenda and budget to the Chapter at least three (3) weeks before the desired
program date.
F. The Publicity and Outreach Committee shall:
a. Be chaired by the Vice President of Media.
b. Organize a minimum of one (1) NRHH social program per quarter to outreach to the residence hall population.
c. Organize a schedule so Chapter members will have outreached to all nine residence halls by the end of the year.
d. Create a minimum of one (1) publicity item for the Chapter to use throughout the year to promote the
organization. Ideas should be created and ready to present no later than the ninth week of the Fall quarter, and
any idea must receive a minimum of two-thirds (2/3) vote in favor of the item(s).
e. Ensure the item chosen is distributed by the NRHH Chapter members during any tabling or NRHH
programming.
G.The Recognition Committee shall:
a. Be chaired by the President.
b. Organize and execute an Of-the-Month Banquet once per quarter, presenting the program information to the
Chapter a minimum of four weeks before the desired program date.
c. Read and select the Of-the-Month Regional Winners, Campus Winners, and Campus Honorable Mentions
within the Chapter and the residence halls for the months in the given quarter.
d. Recognize outstanding residents within the residence halls, through program recommendations to the General
Programming subcommittee.
e. Assist the Vice President of Media in making and distributing Of-The-Month award certificates.
f. Assist President in putting on quarterly Induction ceremony. Provisionary status members may not assist.
Article VI
Section 1
A. A simple majority (50% plus 1 member) of voting members shall constitute quorum.
Section 2
A. The Chapter shall meet a minimum of once per week during the academic school year, including Fall, Winter, and
Spring quarter.
B. The date, time, and place shall be determined by the NRHH President in order to ensure quorum of NRHH members.
Section 3
A. The Executive Board or a quorum of voting members may call a Special Meeting.
B. Members shall be notified of a special meeting a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours in advance.
Section 4
9 | UCSB NRHH Constitution
A. The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the Chapter in all cases to which
they are applicable and which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and any special rules of order the Chapter
may adopt.
B. NRHH will follow the agenda set forth by the Administrative Vice President, with approval from the President.
Article VIII
Section 1
A.
B.
C.
D.
Any voting member may originate an amendment.
The Constitution may be amended at any regular NRHH meeting where quorum is met.
The proposed amendment must be submitted in writing at the previous meeting.
The vote must pass with a minimum of two-thirds (2/3) vote in favor of the amendment.
Section 2
A. In the event any question concerning the interpretation of this Constitution arises, the President and Administrative
Vice President shall interpret the passage or passages in question with advisement of the Advisor or another University
Housing Official. The interpretation shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of approval from the Chapter.
Date Revised: January 2, 2014
Approved On: May 3, 2012
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