Bhakti-Yoga club (BYC) Constitution
Article I - Name
1.1 Bhakti-Yoga club (formerly known as Vedic Cultural Society club)
Article II – Objectives
2.1 To educate students about bhakti-yoga and its essence
2.2 To share Vedic philosophy, wisdom, and lifestyle
2.3 To promote vegetarianism and a sustainable, simple way of life
2.4 To bring a vibrant, enthusiastic, and happy university campus atmosphere through various
frequent events. Examples include musical ‘’mantra’’ (kirtan) performances, philosophical
classes, meditation workshops, and more.
2.5 To provide a space for spiritual association and discussion
Article III - Membership
3.1 Any member of the CSU may become a full member by signing the membership list and
attending at least one meeting. Full members commit to attending at least one event per
semester in order to remain in their category. Otherwise, they will be classified associate
members.
3.2 Any other person may become an associate member by signing the membership list and
attending at least one meeting.
3.3 Eligibility for membership shall not be based on any the following criteria: race, colour,
ethnicity, age, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, civil status, religion, political
convictions, language, social condition, handicap or the use of means to manage a handicap.
3.4 Members shall be able to express their opinions and concerns, and be heard. The club should
keep as a goal to serve its members. The members can take part in all the activities and events
of the club. The members and associates should be respectful to the club’s policies.
3.5 Respect and tolerance will be the only qualification of all members, and failure to follow this can
and will result in disqualification of membership and its related privileges.
Article IV – Officers
The officers of the Bhakti-Yoga club shall be one President, one VP Finance, one VP marketing,
one VP internal, and one VP operations.
The duties of the officers are as follow:
4.1 President as a chief executive officer, shall represent the members at all official occasions and in
all official relations with the Concordia Students Union, and shall also coordinate discussions,
speakers, and other events at the club’s regular general meetings. The president is required to
plan, direct and closely control the activities of BYC. He must make sure other officers are doing
their prescribed duties and that the club is running well. The President shall also be responsible
for the promotion of the group’s events and of BYC’s services. This includes duties such as
writing press releases, postering, coordinating tabling, placing newspaper announcements, and
the preparation and release of other publicity.
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4.2 VP Finance shall coordinate the preparation of the budget, maintain a ledger of all financial
transactions of the club, act as a financial liaison with CSU, and coordinate any fundraising
activities. She will organize the vegetarian project budget along with the President.
4.3 VP marketing shall act as a liaison with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(ISKCON), as well as other groups within the Concordia and Montreal communities whom the
club may work with, especially in the coordination of joint events. She will communicate with
the associate and full members for the advertisement of coming events and create a Facebook
page for that purpose.
4.4 VP Internal shall be responsible for the filing of all documents received, coordination of office
hours among the executive and general members, maintenance of the office’s resource center,
correspondence with members of the group, co-ordination with the club’s booking officer, and
other internal administrative matters as deemed necessary. Furthermore, the office manager
shall actively promote the club’s library resources. This position’s responsibilities are the
equivalent of secretarial functions.
4.5 VP operations shall be responsible to regulate the flow of activities carried out by the group.
This includes duties such as overlooking execs’ duties such that they are fulfilled efficiently and
in a timely manner, feasibility analysis of activities both financially and non-financially, obtaining
feedback on events, etc.
Article V - Finances
5.1 The President and the VP Finance shall act as signing officers for the group.
5.2 The club will not keep a bank account, and instead any sponsorships or funds raised through
events will be deposited into the club's internal account with the CSU
Article VI – Elections
6.1 The current executives will remain in their posts for the duration of one school year (fall, winter,
and summer). After that period, an election will occur. Officers shall be elected by secret ballot
at a general meeting, with a quorum of 50% of the Full Members present and voting. The
winning candidate for each position must receive above 50% of all valid votes cast. A full
member can only be elected as an executive for a maximum of 2 consecutive periods (2 years).
Only Full Members may run for an executive position or vote in the election. Their terms of
office shall run for one school year. In case of any unfilled position after election, a second ballot
will take place for the remaining positions. Full members who will run for officer post are
expected to be active and capable of meeting the club’s managerial expectations (i.e.,
coordinate events, publicize, etc.).
Article VII - Replacement and Impeachment Procedures
An executive member may be impeached in one of the following ways:
7.1 1) Submittal of a petition calling for their resignation, signed by more than half of full members.
The petition must include Name, ID Number, Faculty and Signature.
2) A 2/3 majority vote at a general meeting, with a quorum of 75% of the full members present
and voting
7.2 Replacement of the impeached executive will be conducted by secret ballot, with candidacy and
voting requirements identical to those of the general elections. The impeached executive is
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eligible for re-election (unless the offense is judged serious). The election shall take place in no
less than 2 weeks, and no more then a month after the impeachment. The executive committee
will take on the responsibilities of the impeached executive until the next member is elected.
7.3 However, a letter containing a valid reason must be provided if any executive is to be impeached
and replaced.
Article VIII - General Meetings
8.1 The President shall call at least one general meeting during the regular academic year. All
motions passed at general meetings shall become official of the group and shall be binding on
the officers. In order for a general meeting to take place, a quorum of 40% of the full members
should be present. The executive members must attend this meeting, and only under their
approval will any change occur.
8.2 The President will also call executive meeting where officers only will gather to plan and
organize the club activities.
Article IX - Activities
9.1 BYC will offer monthly programs consisting of:
- Musical chanting ‘’kirtan’’ performances
- Philosophy classes
- vegetarian food serving after a program
- some sweets and treats
- etc.
9.2 In order to promote the Bhakti-Yoga club, the club shall advertise the club events before
they happen through fliers, posters, etc. BYC will also hold book tables where Vedic literatures
can be taken by students.
9.3 BYC will have special speakers give a presentation/seminar at least once per semester.
9.4 A vegetarian food service will be started and developed gradually. BYC will use its own
facilities for the cooking and distribute in the SGW campus (H-building).
Article X – Affiliation
10.1 The Bhakti-Yoga Club will function in affiliation with the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness (ISKCON) (non-profit organization #: 11897 1019 RR0001).
Article XI - Amendment:
11.1 This constitution may be amended only through the adoption by a simple majority vote of
the full members present at a general meeting called for that purpose. As mentioned, executives
must give consent.
11.2 Any constitutional amendments will be sent to the CSU VP Clubs, along with an updated
version of the constitution.
Article XII - Disputes & Appeals:
12.1 In the case of any dispute or appeal relating to this constitution, the authority to rule upon
such a dispute or appeal shall be granted to the Judicial Board.
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Article XIII- CSU Constitution:
13.1 Where items are not defined in this constitution or there are inconsistencies with the CSU's
By-Laws, regulations, and policies, the CSU's By-Laws, regulations, and policies shall take effect.
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