Students Advocating for Gender Equality Constitution
Article I
Purpose
To foster support for gender equality, gender awareness, and participation in activist
events. To provide a safe space for individuals of all genders to explore, research gender,
engage in discussions, and have opportunities to participate in events.
Mission Statement
The mission statement of Students Advocating for Gender Equality (SAGE) is to actively
work toward gender equality both at Westfield State University and in the greater
community. To achieve this mission, SAGE will participate in various campaigns and
hold events and informational meetings to raise awareness about gender related topics.
SAGE is also committed to working to ensure all genders are represented at Westfield
State University and given the same access to resources as all other WSU students.
SAGE realizes that more than two binary genders exist and will not pressure gendervariant students to conform to a binary gender assignment. SAGE also understands that
gender roles are flexible and will not pressure students to conform to traditional gender
roles.
Article II
Name:
Section 1:
The name of this organization shall be known as Students Advocating for
Gender Equality.
Article III
Membership:
Section 1:
Membership shall be open to all full-time and part-time undergraduate
students of Westfield State University who have paid their student
activities fee for the current academic semester.
Section 2:
A member will be considered active if the member attends three-fourths
(3/4) of the meetings to date (since they joined) and has participated in, or
is part of a committee to participate in, a club event.
Article IV
Officers:
SAGE will have (4) officer positions.
President:
The president will hold the meetings and work with the Vice President on
all events and meetings. The president will not be a dictator. The president
will oversee all club activities, but decisions will be a club decision.
Vice-President: The Vice-President will run the meetings in the absence of the club
president. The vice president will work together with the president to set
the club meeting agenda.
Secretary:
The Secretary will take minutes at all meetings and email them to all club
members before the next scheduled meeting. The secretary will also be
responsible for deadlines for events, information, forms, ect. The secretary
will also be responsible for member attendance and determining who is an
active member or who is inactive.
Treasurer:
The Treasurer will be responsible for the budget of the club. The budget
will be voted on by all active club members.
Section 1:
Section 2:
Section 3:
Section 4:
Section 5:
All officers will work together. There will be an officers meeting monthly
or more often if needed.
Any active member is eligible for an officer position.
Officer elections will be held prior to May 1st of every year.
The term will begin May 1st and end April 30th. Each term will be 1 year
(2 semesters).
No member shall hold the same office for longer than 1 term.
Article V
Advisors:
Section 1:
Section 2:
Section 3:
The faculty advisor(s) shall be appointed by a majority vote of the club
members.
The faculty advisor(s) shall advise the club, when consulted, in planning
the activities of the club.
The number of advisors shall not be limited.
Article VI
Meetings:
Section 1:
Section 2:
Section 3:
Section 4:
Meetings shall be determined by club members.
Special meeting may be called by club members after a majority vote is
reached.
Meetings and activities shall be held in space accessible by all students, as
specified in Massachusetts Disability Laws.
Minutes will be taken at each meeting and will be accessible to all
members.
Article VII
Committees:
Events will be designated as committees. Club members are required to join at least one
committee per academic year to be an active member. Each committee will have 2 coleaders who are responsible for the event. Committee leaders will attend officer meetings
during the event prep-time and report progress weekly to the club members at the weekly
meeting.
The following committees will be established:
Domestic Violence Awareness Month:
This committee will be responsible for an awareness event during Domestic Violence
Awareness Month in October.
White Ribbon Campaign Committee:
This committee will be responsible for the White Ribbon Campaign on Westfield State
College campus during February. Members are responsible for finding out the date of the
Massachusetts White Ribbon Campaign Day (Usually February 14th). The Campaign
should end the last night of the Vagina Monologues.
Month Celebrating Woman:
This committee will be responsible for planning an event for the month celebrating
woman at Westfield State College. This will usually occur in March. Students should
consult with the calendar of events and faculty members are necessary.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month:
This committee will be responsible for an awareness event during Sexual Assault
Awareness Month in April. Ideas for the event include a Healing Fire and Take Back the
Night events.
Committees can be added at any time during the academic year to provide support for
more activities.
SAGE will work together with similar clubs, like the QSA (Queer Straight Alliance), on
events that support both club mission statements. For example, the Transgender Day of
Remembrance in November, and AIDS awareness in December.
All events and activities are open to co-sponsorship. All events and activities are open to
the WSC campus, and when feasible, the community. All events should be accessible and
substance free.
Article VIII
Vacancies:
Section 1:
If an office is vacated for any reasons, nominations will be made at earliest
meeting possible.
Section 2:
Elections procedures will be followed accordingly to fill vacancies.
Article IX
Amending the Constitution:
Section 1:
The Constitution will be accessible to all members.
Section 2:
The Constitution will be reviewed at the beginning of each academic year.
A majority vote will be taken to change to the Constitution.
Section 3:
The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of
the voting members in the club and if approved by Rules and Regulations
committee of the student Government Association.
Article X
Removal from office:
Section 1:
Section 2:
If an officer is not performing his/her duties, she/he may be removed by a
two-thirds (2/3) vote. The replacement will be chosen by election at the
following meeting and elections will follow normal procedure.
If an advisor is not performing his/her said duties, she/he may be removed
by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. The replacement will be chosen by a two-thirds
(2/3) vote at the following meeting.
Article XI
Elections:
Section 1:
Members may neither nominate nor second the nomination of themselves.
Any member may nominate or second the nomination of another. The
nomination and seconds of the nominations will be done verbally.
Section 2:
No election shall be held if there is not a quorum of fifty percent (50%) of
the club members plus one present at the meetings.
Article XII
Voting:
Section 1:
All active members can vote. The President will only vote as a tie-breaker.
Section 2:
A two-thirds (2/3) written, anonymous vote will determine the officers.
The advisor or faculty support member shall count the votes.
Section 3:
In the case of a tie, all active members and the President will vote again.
Before this second vote, the individuals who tied will be given an
opportunity to speak to the club about why they should be elected.
Typed up on Monday, October 15, 2012