McMaster University - DeGroote School of Business
DeGroote Commerce Society Constitution
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREAMBLE
3
SECTION A: GENERAL PROVISIONS
4
ARTICLE 1:
NAME
4
ARTICLE 2:
BRAND AND LOGO
4
ARTICLE 3:
DEFINITIONS
4
ARTICLE 4:
MISSION AND VISION
6
ARTICLE 5:
MEMBERSHIP
7
ARTICLE 6:
STUDENT LEVY FEES
7
ARTICLE 7:
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
7
SECTION B: THE EXECUTIVE
8
ARTICLE 8:
EXECUTIVE STRUCTURE
8
ARTICLE 9:
MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE
9
ARTICLE 10: REMOVAL OF THE EXECUTIVE
9
SECTION C: ELECTIONS
10
ARTICLE 11: ELECTIONS BYLAWS
10
SECTION D: FINANCIAL POLICY
10
ARTICLE 12:
ANNUAL BUDGET
10
SECTION E: CRISIS MANAGEMENT
11
ARTICLE 13:
11
ANNUAL BUDGET AND FINANCIAL POLICIES
SECTION F: THE CONSTITUTION
11
ARTICLE 14: AUTHORITY OF THE CONSTITUTION
11
ARTICLE 15: REGARDING BYLAWS
11
ARTICLE 16: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
13
PREAMBLE
The DeGroote Commerce Society (DCS) strives to provide its undergraduate commerce student
body with opportunities that will enrich their university experience while preparing them for
life after graduation.
A diverse student body with distinct needs gives the Society reason to offer a wide variety of
services. The DCS embodies three key values that shape the events and activities that are
offered:
1. Academic Excellence
2. Personal and Professional Development
3. Social Experiences
The Society does this by holding events, overseeing DCS committees, and collaborating with
DeGroote clubs.
In order for these services to be fully utilized, the Society assists in fostering an inclusive
community for all DeGroote students to be a part of. Through this community, a peer support
network is developed, resources are shared, and ultimately, the student body will be better
prepared to become successful future business leaders.
The Society works with the DeGroote School of Business faculty and staff to improve the
undergraduate commerce program. The Society acts as the main liaison between students,
internal and external groups, advocates for student interest, strives to improve existing
opportunities, and introduces new and enriching experiences. Furthermore, the surrounding
community is important to the DCS; the Society gives back to the community by working
collaboratively with non-profit organizations, corporate partners, and community leaders
through a variety of initiatives.
The Society hopes that, upon receiving their diplomas at commencement, students are able to
rejoice in the personal and professional growth they have undergone, and the unforgettable
memories they have at DeGroote.
SECTION A: GENERAL PROVISIONS
The following is the constitution of the DeGroote Commerce Society (DCS), the organization
representing the undergraduate students of the DeGroote School of Business.
In all instances, this document forms binding terms of reference for all of the Society’s operational activities, and policies except where this document may be expanded upon by such
bylaws passed by the Society.
ARTICLE 1: NAME
1.1. The official name of this organization shall be “DeGroote Commerce Society”. The organization shall exercise its rights and shall perform its obligations under that name.
ARTICLE 2: BRAND AND LOGO
2.1
The DeGroote Commerce Society and all the Society’s subgroups are to adhere to all operational branding standards outlined within the Society branding standards manual.
2.2
The Society’s logo is comprised of four main components. The overall circular shape of
the logo represents the DeGroote community. The large segment on the bottom
right of the logo represents the DeGroote student body. The top left segment
represents DeGroote faculty and staff. Lastly, the small central segment within the
circle represents the liaison facilitated by student leaders bridging the gap between
students, staff and faculty.
ARTICLE 3: DEFINITIONS
3.1 The following terms will be used throughout this document and are hereby defined:
The Society:
The DeGroote Commerce Society, the acronym of which is “DCS,” that is, the student-run association that offers value added
services to all students within the DeGroote School of Business at
McMaster University.
General Member:
Any full-time, undergraduate student enrolled in the DeGroote
School of Business who pays the student levy. The McMaster
University definition of “Part-Time Student” and “Full-Time
Student” will also be used for this Constitution.
The Executive:
President, Vice Presidents, and the Year Representatives of the
DCS.
The University:
McMaster University, including the DeGroote School of Business.
DeGroote School
of Business:
The DeGroote School of Business of McMaster University, the
acronym of which is “DSB”.
Annual General Meeting:
Assembly open to all members of the DCS, which must be held
twice per year, which may also be referred to as a general
meeting.
Annual Elections:
Committee:
The process by which the elected positions of the DCS, with the
Under the DCS umbrella, each Committee shall be a goaland/or project-oriented group to serve a particular, unique
purpose to the DeGroote student body.
Chief Returning Officer:
The acronym of which is “CRO”, is the Administrative Assistant to
the Dean’s Office, who acts as a third objective party for elections. Board Of Advisors:
Board of Advisors of the DCS, comprised of all Club Presidents
and the DCS President, the acronym of which is “BOA”.
DeGroote Club:
A DeGroote Club falls under the umbrella of the DCS with the
President sitting on the BOA. Each DeGroote Club shall represent
a distinct major of study or department within McMaster
University and the DeGroote School of Business.
By-Election:
The process by which elected positions of the DCS left vacant
following an Electoral Event may be elected, or by which a
Referendum may be held.
Calendar Year:
The twelve (12) month period of a standard Julian calendar lasting
from January 1st through to December 31st of the same year.
Academic Year:
The eight (8) month period that generally represents the fall and
winter semesters at the University (being September of one
Calendar Year through April of the following Calendar Year).
Executive Term:
The twelve (12) month period lasting April 1st of one Calendar
Year through to March 31st of the following Calendar Year.
Referendum:
The process by which a question is approved by the DCS and
put to the Regular Members for a vote. The result of a
Referendum is binding upon all relevant bodies of the
organization.
Simple Majority:
50%+1 of a designated voting group
Simple Resolution:
A resolution adopted by Simple Majority
Special General Meeting:
Assembly of the Regular Members called for a specific purpose.
Special Resolution:
A resolution adopted by a two-third majority.
Constitution:
The Constitution of the Association which stands as the binding
rules and regulations of the Association and the document that
generally governs its affairs and operations.
The Student Levy:
A mandatory fee (“levy”) that is collected on top of the tuition from all eligible DeGroote School of Business students.
Quorum:
Quorum of an Annual General meeting, Special General meeting,
or Referendum must be at least 2% of membership.
Society Branding
Standards Manual:
Petition:
The Society branding standards manual is the reference by-law of
for marketing guidelines.
Is the process of collecting a (2%) number of signatures to hold a
Special General Meeting. Petition forms are provided by the
Society.
ARTICLE 4: VISION AND MISSION
Vision:
“To create and develop; opportunities for student growth, faculty collaboration, and community
relationships, that will grow and strengthen the undergraduate DeGroote student body.”
Mission:
“Our mission is to serve the best interests of DeGroote students by fostering principled,
innovative, and genuine leaders through enriching their undergraduate student experience by
providing opportunity.”
ARTICLE 5: MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Every full-time undergraduate student registered in the faculty of business at the
DeGroote School of Business shall be considered a Regular Member of the DCS.
4.2 General Members have the right to vote in all annual elections, annual general meetings,
by-elections, referenda, special general meeting held by the DCS, to run for and hold an
elected office in the DCS, and to hold appointed positions on the Executive and the
Committees as provided for in this Constitution. Moreover, all general members have the
right to create a petition, to voice concerns at DCS AGM’s or Town halls, and to attend DCS
held events.
4.3 Honourary membership may be granted to individuals by a majority vote of the Society
Executive. Honourary membership shall be entitled to all the honours and privileges of the
membership of the Society except the right to vote or sit on the Executive. There shall be
no fee for honourary membership.
ARTICLE 6: STUDENT LEVY FEES
5.1 The DCS may, through approval by quorum of the general members voted on either at an
Annual General Meeting or during a Referendum, fix a fee payable by all regular members
to finance its regular activities.
5.2 All Levy Fee changes must pass through quorum.
ARTICLE 7: ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
6.1 Annual General Meeting
6.1.1
A minimum of two general meetings shall be held for all full and honorary
members of the society through the course of the year.
6.1.2
General meetings shall be called by the President.
6.1.3
Quorum of the general meeting must be at least two percent of membership.
6.1.4 All resolutions passed at a general meeting shall be binding on the Society.
6.1.5 The general members alone have the power to approve or make amendments to
the constitution or by-laws of the society.
6.1.6 Proposed amendments must be brought to a member of the Society Executive and
distributed to members at least five business days before the general meeting.
6.2 Special General Meeting
6.2.1 A Special general meeting shall arise in response to a petition of two percent of the
general membership.
6.2.2 Upon validation of petition, or resolution to hold a general meeting, notice shall be
posted through all DCS communication channels with at least ten days’ notice prior to the meeting.
6.2.3 Quorum of the general meeting must be at least two percent membership.
SECTION B: THE EXECUTIVE
ARTICLE 8: EXECUTIVE STRUCTURE
7.1 The society will be comprised of the following twelve voting positions:
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Vice President Academic
Vice President External Relations
Vice President Human Resources and Administration
Vice President Internal Relations
Vice President Marketing
1st Year Representative
2nd Year Representative
3rd Year Representative
4th Year Representative
7.2 The President & CEO shall be elected from the membership according to the DCS Election
Bylaws. The CFO, COO, and Vice President positions shall be selected through an interview
process which is noted under the bylaws of Human Resource Strategies.
7.3 The society may employ specific task committees to carry out the business of the society
as it sees fit. All committees shall have at least one chairperson and shall be bound by the
constitution, by-laws, and policies of the society.
7.4 All Executive positions will have a term of one year beginning on April 1st and ending on
March 31st of the following year. Under no circumstance may an executive position be
extended for a second year, however, should a student should wish to continue in their
position for a second year they may reapply and undergo the interview process.
ARTICLE 9: EXECUTIVE MEETINGS
8.1 The DCS executive shall hold weekly meetings throughout the academic year. The
President & CEO may propose to cancel said weekly meeting if both the President and the
majority of the team agree.
8.2 The Society shall also hold meetings open to all members at four times a semester; these
meetings will conclude with a question and answer period to address any comments,
questions or concerns had by students.
ARTICLE 10: REMOVAL OF THE EXECUTIVE
8.4 Removal of the Executive
8.4.1
Any member of the DCS Executive may be removed from their position if:
8.4.1.1 They fail to attend two or more executive meetings without proper notification.
8.4.1.2 The Leadership Team, comprised of the CEO, CFO, and COO majority agrees upon
removal. Reasons for this include, but are not limited to:
8.4.1.2.1
8.4.1.2.2
8.4.1.2.3
8.4.1.2.4
Gross misconduct
Improper representation of the DCS brand
Harassment (in any form)
Failure to properly fulfill their role
8.4.2 If a DCS Executive is removed, the position may remain vacant or be advertised
and rehired at the discretion of the DCS President.
8.5 Impeachment
8.5.1
Impeachment of the DCS President may occur under two circumstances:
8.5.1.1 Any form of impeachment must give ten (10) business days’ notice before
the voting day
8.5.1.2 Two-thirds (2/3) vote in favour of impeachment cast by the DCS Executive
team
8.5.1.3 Students call for a general meeting through petition and a majority vote
to impeach the President is reached provided that quorum is present.
8.5.2 If the President is impeached, the current CFO and COO will work together to take
on the Presidential role and lead the DCS for the remainder of the term.
8.6 Quorum of the Executive
8.6.1 Quorum, in regards to the executive, shall consist of at least sixty percent of the
voting seats of the executive; the society shall not transact business or make policy
decisions until quorum is present.
SECTION C: ELECTIONS
ARTICLE 11: ELECTION RULES
9.1 Elections must be carried out as detailed by the DCS election bylaws which can be found in
a separate document on the DCS website.
SECTION D: FINANCIAL POLICY
ARTICLE 12: ANNUAL BUDGET AND FINANCIAL POLICIES
10.1 DCS Annual Budget
10.1.1 The CFO is responsible for creating and maintaining the budget for the year. The
executive must approve the budget before it is published on the DCS website. The
budget shall be completed by and shared with the general membership by July 1st
of each year
10.1.2 Each executive member is responsible for creating and working with the CFO to
ensure their individual budget is accurate.
10.2 Financial Policies
10.2.1
All members of the Society must follow the Financial Policies that are on the DCS
website.
SECTION E: CRISIS MANAGEMENT
ARTICLE 13: CRISIS MANAGEMENT
In the case of an event that may harm the reputation of the DeGroote Commerce Society,
DeGroote School of Business, or McMaster University, this section will provide guidance on
how the DCS shall handle the event or situation internally and externally.
11.2 Upon recognition of a serious event or situation that may harm the reputation of the
Society or University, the President & CEO of the DCS should be privately notified of what has
occurred.
11.3 No executive of the DCS should communicate any details of the event or situation to
outside parties without approval from the President & CEO.
11.4 It is the responsibility of the President & CEO to first inform all executive members of the
DCS; he or she shall then take the steps necessary to ensure the situation is handled
correctly for example, calling a general meeting.
11.5 Should the President & CEO not be available, the COO and CFO shall act on behalf of the
President.
SECTION F: THE CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 14: AUTHORITY OF THE CONSTITUTION
12.1 This Constitution serves as the governing framework for the bylaws, rules and regulations
of the DCS. All regulations, resolutions, motions and decisions of the DCS, including, but not
limited to, those made by the BOA, The Executive and the Subsidiaries, must be made in
conformity with this Constitution.
12.2In the event of any conflict between this Constitution and any other document produced
by the DCS, including but not limited to the Policies & Bylaws, this Constitution shall take
precedence.
ARTICLE 15: REGARDING BYLAWS
13.1 A “Bylaw” shall constitute all legislative documents outside of this Constitution.
13.2 Only The Executive shall have the power to enact, amend or rescind bylaws, and can only
be passed by a two-thirds majority vote of the current Executives.
13.3 Subject to the provisions of this document, a Bylaw shall have the power to;
13.3.1 Establish administrative protocol, particularly concerning, but not limited to,
Hiring Policies, Financial Policies, what constitutes as a DeGroote Club, roles
and responsibility of individuals and standing committees.
ARTICLE 16: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
14.1Amendments to Constitution;
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
m)
n)
o)
p)
X) ENABLING CLAUSE
The Constitution of the McMaster Commerce Society was voted upon and adopted at the
General meeting on March 23, 1976;
Subsequent change to election by-law #8 was voted upon and adopted at the General
meeting on March 19, 1984;
Amendment to the Constitution of the McMaster Commerce Society was voted upon and
adopted at the General meeting on February 10, 1986;
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was voted on and adopted at the General
meeting on November 5, 1992;
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was amended and ratified on January 27,
1993;
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was amended and ratified on January 26,
1994;
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was amended and ratified on February 7,
1996;
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was amended and ratified on January 16,
1997;
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was amended and ratified on January 15,
1998;
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was amended and ratified on January 14,
1999;
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was amended and ratified on January 27,
2000;
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was amended and ratified on January 24,
2002;
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was amended and ratified on January 14,
2003
The Constitution of McMaster Commerce Society was amended and ratified on January 12,
2004
The Constitution of the DeGroote Commerce Society was amended and ratified on February
14, 2006.
The Constitution of the DeGroote Commerce Society is to be ratified in 2010.
q) The Constitution of the DeGroote Commerce Society is to be ratified and amended in April 2015.