BHSU Student Engagement and Leadership Center
Organization Constitution Template
Please use this form to construct a constitution that will fit the needs of your
organization’s operations. All of the following items should be addressed in your
constitution. The provisions in italics must be copied as-is into your constitution. Start
by filling in your organization’s name below. Then right click anywhere “Name” appears
and choose “Update Field.” Your organization’s name will be replicated in each field.
In many spaces where there is a drop-down box, there is also an open text box to its
right; this is in case the drop-down box does not meet your criteria. If the drop down
box does meet your criteria, please delete the gray text box to its right. On most boxes
there is a help function controlled using the F1 button (when the document protection
is on). Hints/clues are also displayed in the lower left hand corner of the document
window when the text box is selected.
*To toggle on/off the form functions:
 Review Tab
 Protect Document
 Restrict Formatting and Editing
 Stop Protection or Yes, Start Enforcing Protection (whichever you are doing)
 If you get a password prompt, just click OK
For your final revision please delete everything above your organization’s name and
format the entire document to 12pt font, no italics, bold or underlining.
Constitution of
Name
Black Hills State University
Article I – Name
Section 1. This organization shall be known as Name or Acronym or
Abbreviation.
Article II – Purpose/Mission Statement
Section 1. It is the responsibility of Name to uphold the Student Code and the
educational mission of Black Hills State University.
Section 2. The purpose of Name is:
A. List purposes here.
B.
C.
Section 3. The goals of Name are:
A. List goals here.
B.
C.
Article III – Membership
Section 1. We, members of Name, will not discriminate on the basis of race,
religion, color, creed, veteran status, national origin, sex, sexual
orientation, age, marital status, disability or status due to receipt of
public assistance.
Section 2. The members of, Name, agree to comply with Black Hills State
University and South Dakota Board of Regents’ policies governing
organizational use of alcohol and other drugs.
Section 3. Membership is open to all enrolled BHSU students, and BHSU
students must comprise 75 percent of the total membership.
Section 4. There shall be 3 types of members: List membership types here.
A. Active
members are: Make sure you specify whether each
type of member can vote or hold office; also add how each
member may become inactive .
B. Alumni
members are:
.
C. Auxiliary
members are:
.
D. Honorary
members are:
.
Section 5. The process for member or officer removal is as follows:
A. Grounds for expulsion include a member who:
1. is not fulfilling his/her duty,
2. is in violation of the University's policies,
3. is in violation of the organization's constitution,
4. is in violation of the organization's purpose,
5. or
.
B. Motion for expulsion can be made by any member
general assembly
.
C. A vote on the motion will take place one meeting
the initial motion is made.
to
after
D. The offending member or officer will have a chance to address
the membership in defense of the charges.
E. A two-thirds vote of whom will be required for member
expulsion.
Article IV – Voting Procedures
Section 1. Elections will be held in the following manner:
A. Elections will be held
B. The
may call special elections under the following
circumstances:
1.
2.
3.
Section 2. Nominations will be through self nominating, filing, petition,
application.
Section 3. Votes will be cast utilizing secret ballot, show of hands, verbal.
Article IV – Officers
Section 1. To be eligible for office, members must have the following
qualifications: currently enrolled BHSU student, a GPA above 2.5,
a GPA above 2.5, a GPA above 2.5, a GPA above 2.5,
a GPA above 2.5,
.
Section 2. The Name will have the following officers
and subsequent
duties:
A. President
1.
2.
3.
B. Vice President
1.
2.
3.
C. Secretary
1.
2.
3.
D. Treasurer
1.
2.
3.
E. Historian
1.
2.
3.
F. Publicity
1.
2.
3.
Section 3. Officers are elected
with fifty percent vote of whom?.
Section 4. All officers’ terms of office will be for one year starting when?.
Section 5. Officer vacancies will be filled in the following manner:
.
Article V – Advisor
Section 1. The Name will have an advisor registered with the Student
Engagement Office who is a current staff or faculty member at
BHSU.
Section 2. The advisor will be elected with a fifty percent vote of whom?.
Section 3. The advisor will serve a term of one semester starting when?.
Section 4. The duties of the advisor are: attend meetings, attend meetings
, attend meetings, attend meetings,
.
Section 5. In the event of the need to consider removing an advisor, the
organization will consult with the Student Engagement and
Programming Coordinator regarding possible options.
Section 6. If in the event an agreeable solution cannot be made between the
Advisor and the organization the following procedures will be
followed:
.
Article VI – Finances
Section 1. The ultimate responsibility for financial obligations of Name rests
with the membership.
Section 2. The Name will utilize an on-campus account only to deposit and
expend its funds. If Name shall become and remain inactive for a
period of eighteen consecutive months all funds in accounts
belonging to Name shall be transferred back to the University.
Section 3. The President and Vice President will sign off on all expenditures
over
dollars.
Section 4. The Name will have the following guidelines in regard to
membership dues:
A. Dues are established by majority vote of whom?.
B. Dues will be set by the University start date.
C. Dues will be paid by which members.
E. Dues will be paid by the start of the semester
.
F. Members who do not pay their dues are subject to
.
Article VII – Quorum
Section 1. Two-thirds of whom? will constitute quorum.
Article VIII – Method to Amend Constitution
Section 1. The Name constitution may be amended by the following process:
A. Proposed amendments will be submitted to membership by
any member
to general assembly
for review
at least one week
prior to being voted upon.
B. Two-thirds vote of whom? will be needed to amend the
constitution.
Section 2. Amendments, unless specified, will go into effect immediately
upon approval.
Article IX – Statement of National or Local Affiliation
Section 1. The Name is affiliated with a national chapter of
.
Section 2. In the event of a conflict between the Name constitution and BHSU
policies and procedures, BHSU policies and procedures shall
supersede.
Article X – Statement of Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. The rules contained in the current edition of
shall govern the
organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which
they are not inconsistent with these by-laws and any special rules of
order which the organization may adopt.
Article XI – Effective Date
Section 1. This constitution will go into effect immediately following the
outlined approval of the membership.