Texas Roundtable Constitution
Mission, Rules, and Bylaws of Texas Roundtable
As of Fall 2018
Table of Contents
Article I - Purpose 4
Article II - Membership 4 Human Rights Clause 4 Three Classes of Membership in Texas Roundtable 4 Executive Board (must be a member in good standing) 4 Presidents: 4 Selected Representative 5 Temporary Members 5 Procedure for Selection of Membership. 5 Procedure for Membership Transition 6
Article III - Officers/Executives and Duties 6 Officer Status 6 Available Positions 6 Available Positions 6 President: 6 Vice-President - Internal 7 Vice-President - External 7 Secretary: 8 Treasurer: 8 Executive Board Accountability 8
Article V – Meetings 9 Executive Board Meetings 9 General Membership Meetings 9 Special Meetings 9 General Membership Meeting Attendance Requirements 9
Article VI - Elections 10 Election Notification 10 Timing 10 Election Requirements 10 Election Requirements 10 Nominating Processes for Elections 10 Election Results 10 Article VII - Finances 10 Dues 10
Article VIII - Amendments 11 Amendment Process 11 Amendment Notification 11 Required Vote 11 Amendment Documentation 11
Article X – Annual Structure 11 Fall Semester 11 Roundtable Reflections 11 Campus Community Fundraising Cause Selection 12 Spring Semester 12 Pancakes for Parkinson’s 12 Campus Community Fundraising Event Execution 13
Article IX - Ratification 13 Ratification 13
Article I - Purpose
The purpose of this organization is to bring together presidents of established social, spirit, and honorary student organizations around The University of Texas at Austin. We exist to both establish this vein of communication among leaders, and also use our collective membership to advance the campus environment for students.
Article II - Membership
Section A. Human Rights Clause
In no aspect of Texas Roundtables programs shall there be any difference in the treatment of persons on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, gender identity, associational preferences, or any other classification which would deprive the person of consideration as an individual. The organization will guarantee that equal opportunity and equal access to membership, programming, facilities, and benefits shall be open to all persons.
Section B. Three Classes of Membership in Texas Roundtable
1. Executive Board (must be a member in good standing) ➢ President (Primary Representative) ➢ Vice-President Internal (Secondary Representative) ➢ Vice-President External (Secondary Representative) ➢ Secretary (Authorized Signer 1) ➢ Treasurer (Authorized Signer 2)
2. Presidents: ➢ UT Student Presidents of Student Organizations. Organization must have been in existence for ten years and/or voted into the council by 2/3 vote.
➢ Membership as of 11/28/2018: 1. Absolute Texxas 2. Forever Texas 3. Interfraternity Council 4. MenCanEnd 5. Student Athletic Advisory Council 6. Student Engineering Council 7. Senate of College Councils 8. UT Student Government 9. Tejas Club 10. Texas APO 11. Texas Blazers 12. Texas Darlins 13. Texas Iron Spikes 14. Texas Lassos 15. Texas Lonestars 16. Texas Orange Jackets 17. Texas Silver Spurs 18. Texas Spirits 19. Texas Sweethearts 20.Texas Wranglers 21. Texas Real Beauty
3. Selected Representative ➢ As it may be needed, each organization can send one selected representative in the place of their president if that person is unable to attend the selected meeting time. These members may vote in their president’s absence. ➢ If the organization would like to have a representative in the case that they are unable to attend meetings, the organization must notify the Executive Board of who the selected representative is by the fourth meeting of the semester.
4. Temporary Members ➢ In addition, as our cause might demand, each organization can have an active member from their membership body to assist in the outreach, development, and communication of our current initiative. These members do not have a vote on Texas Roundtable.
Section C. Procedure for Selection of Membership. 1. All University of Texas students meeting the above criteria are entitled to full membership in the organization. 2. All faculty, staff, and interested community members may request to receive general membership in the organization, but are not guaranteed.
Section D. Procedure for Membership Transition 1. Upon your organization's election of a new President, that President has until the end of the semester in which the election occurred to terminate their membership in Roundtable and transition their new President into the role.
Article III - Officers/Executives and Duties
Section A. Officer Status 1. Officers must be enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin. Officers may run again for all positions.
Section B. Available Positions 1. The following officers shall be elected every semester from the current Texas Roundtable member body:
1. Available Positions The following officers shall be elected every semester from the current Texas Roundtable member body:
➢ President: All candidates running for President shall have had at least one semester of membership in Roundtable. If no individual on Roundtable is available to return as President, the current members will select a President from eligible incoming organization Presidents, who will be members of Texas Roundtable the following semester. The duties of the President shall include, but shall not be limited to: ✓ Maintaining and enforcing the Constitution and University registration of the organization. ✓ Managing membership roster including a list of organization presidents and selected representatives. a. Secretary will use this membership roster to take attendance. ✓ Keeping in contact with the organization(s) advisor(s). ✓ Organizing and conducting periodic board meetings. ✓ Preparing meeting logistics (room reservations, etc), agendas, and collecting information from board members on projects/tasks. ✓ President shall have general executive power in settling disputes with the organization's Executive Board. ✓ Communicating Executive Board expectation and general membership requirements to Roundtable members in the beginning of the semester and throughout. ✓ Assisting Officers with excessive duties.
➢ Vice-President - Internal All candidates running for Vice-President Internal shall have had at least one semester of membership in Roundtable. The duties of the Vice-President Internal shall include, but shall not be limited to: ✓ Assisting with meetings and matters concerning the organization. ✓ Working with the President to complete tasks and succeeding the President in the event he or she is unable to perform assigned duties. ✓ Organizing social activities for Texas Roundtable members to network and strengthen communication with each other. ✓ Managing and updating status/records of organization membership at the end of the semester by evaluating completion of membership requirements. ✓ Managing alumni relations and communicating with alumni about events and Texas Roundtable updates.
➢ Vice-President - External All candidates running for Vice-President External shall have had at least one semester of membership in Roundtable. The duties of the Vice President shall include, but shall not be limited to: ✓ Updating the organization's website, social media, and managing public relations. ✓ Managing, planning, and organizing the Roundtable Campus Community Fundraising Event during the spring semester. ✓ Working with university organizations, support services, or student programs to inform members of potential fundraising efforts for the Spring semester. ✓ Designing and distributing materials pertaining to upcoming group events to group members and advisors.
➢ Secretary: All candidates running for Secretary shall have had at least one semester of membership in Roundtable. The duties of the Secretary shall include, but shall not be limited to: ✓ Updating every organization’s contact information (including individual organization meeting times). ✓ Taking meeting attendance and managing excuses/ records for meeting attendance. a. In the event that members have unexcused absences, Secretary must communicate with members and notify them of their status. ✓ Recording, typing, and distributing meeting minutes of board and group meetings. ✓ Sending emails for all upcoming organization events, as well as, additional reminders the day preceding or day of an event ✓ Sending weekly updates to members of the organization through the weekly newsletter RoundtheTable. ✓ Gathering announcements from organizational membership to share with members of Roundtable.
➢ Treasurer: All candidates running for Treasurer shall have had at least one semester of membership in Roundtable. The duties of the Secretary shall include, but shall not be limited to: ✓ Managing Roundtable finances and creating semesterly updated budgets for the following: a. Pancakes for Parkinson’s b. Campus Community Fundraising Event c. Texas Roundtable website fee ✓ Collecting and managing membership dues ✓ Collecting and managing alumni donations if received
2. Executive Board Accountability ➢ All Executive Board members are expected to attend all meetings each semester unless a previous arrangement has been made or a pre-existing engagement prevents them from attending. All members of the Executive Board are strongly encouraged to attend other activities and general meetings. ➢ Should an Executive Board Member need to be removed from office, a mandatory meeting of the Executive Board shall be held and a vote taken, with removal occurring as the results of a majority vote. A reason for removal includes, but is not limited to, failure to comply with officer duties.
Article V – Meetings Section A. Executive Board Meetings 1. The Executive Board will have weekly meetings to discuss the initiative and plan for ways to utilize Texas Roundtable’s wide-reaching membership. 2. These meetings will be held more frequently as needed by a 2/3 Executive Board Vote
Section B. General Membership Meetings 1. Texas Roundtable will hold meetings weekly to keep these communication channels alive and remind every member of their duty with regard to the initiative. 2. These meeting times will be decided on by the current membership to most fit the member’s schedules. The Executive Board will make the final call on these meeting times. 3. Quorum is 3/5 of voting members
Section C. Special Meetings 1. As our agenda may necessitate, there might be a need to hold a special planning meeting(s) to prepare for heavier commitment weeks and for times when logistics are imperative (e.g. 40 for 40, large funding weeks)
Section D. General Membership Meeting Attendance Requirements 1. Members are required to attend all meetings throughout the semester unless otherwise excused by the Executive Board. ➢ Selected representatives and temporary members are allowed to attend meetings on behalf of members. ➢ If a member or selected representative needs to miss a general meeting and they cannot find a temporary member to attend in their absence, they must inform the Secretary with the reason why they are missing prior to the meeting. 2. After three (3) unexcused absences, the member shall be informed of violating attendance requirements and their organization will be placed on a probationary period the consecutive semester. ➢ During this probationary period, the member will be expected to follow general membership meeting attendance requirements. If the member has more than three (3) unexcused absences during this period, they may be brought before the Executive Board to contest membership dismissal. Membership decisions shall be left to the discretion of the Executive Board. Article VI - Elections
Section A. Election Notification 1. Membership will be notified of upcoming elections at least two weeks in advance by announcement at a previous general meeting and by email communication.
Section B. Timing 1. Elections will occur each semester with two weeks remaining in the semester
Section C. Election Requirements 1. There is no attendance or specific membership requirement to participate in elections, and announce candidacy. Section D. Election Requirements 1. In order to participate in elections, be eligible to announce candidacy, or run for an officer position, the member must be a member or selected representative and the organization the member is representing must be in good standing.
Section E. Nominating Processes for Elections 1. Officer elections will be a three step process: 2. Candidates who wish to run for a position will be given up to two minutes to justify their interest at a general membership meeting prior to voting. 3. At the second to last meeting of each semester, members will vote for candidates that completed the nominations/e 4. lections processes. 5. All candidates who expressed interest are eligible to run, and elections will be held the following meeting by secret ballot conducted by a non-interested party on the Executive Board.
Section F. Election Results 1. Elections will be conducted by virtual vote or paper ballot depending on attendance at the voting meeting with the winner receiving 51% of the vote.
Article VII - Finances
Section A. Dues 1. Membership dues shall be $100.00 per year, (can be) payable as a donation to Pancakes for Parkinson’s Foundation. 2. The Executive Board shall be responsible for all collection of dues, budget application processes, disbursement of funds, and payment authorization.
Article VIII - Amendments
Section A. Amendment Process 1. There will be two readings of a proposed amendment before a vote will be taken to adopt changes to the organization's constitution. Section B. Amendment Notification 1. Members will be notified of a proposed amendment by two consecutive readings at a general membership meeting. 2. Members will be notified of a proposed amendment by email communication and Groupme. Section C. Required Vote 1. A 2/3 vote is required by members in good-standing to ratify an amendment. Section D. Amendment Documentation 1. All amendments or changes to this constitution will be reflected in an updated constitution to be uploaded to the drive following the amendment ratification.
Article X – Annual Structure Section A. Fall Semester
1. Roundtable Reflections ➢ Fall semester will serve as a collective reflection period in order to strengthen communication and support amongst general membership. ➢ Members of Roundtable will establish a discussion agenda for the semester focused on topics that improve and support general membership. These topics may include but are not limited to: ✓ Improving student organizations by discussing various issues and solutions ✓ Advancing the campus environment for students
2. Campus Community Fundraising Cause Selection ➢ The Executive Board will release an application for any UT affiliated entity or organization to apply for their cause to be considered to be supported by Texas Roundtable. ➢ Members of Roundtable will vote to focus on fundraising efforts for one cause. This cause will be decided in the beginning of the Fall semester by the fourth Texas Roundtable meeting by a majority vote. ➢ The vision for the fundraising event is decided by Texas Roundtable members. If no event is decided or organized, Texas Roundtable will host their annual Bites of the Roundtable fundraiser during the spring semester. ➢ The fundraising event for the campus community cause will be decided upon by two weeks prior to the last Roundtable general meeting and executed during the spring semester.
Section B. Spring Semester 1. Pancakes for Parkinson’s Pancakes for Parkinson’s is hosted by Texas Roundtable to support the Michael J. Fox Foundation. This annual fundraiser was founded with the idea that Roundtable organizations could bridge their efforts to support Dr. James Vick and fight for a cure for Parkinson’s disease. This is one of the biggest philanthropy events on campus where members of Texas Roundtable organizations and the campus community come together and volunteer to flip pancakes for their fellow Longhorns in the central hub of UT - Gregory Gym Plaza. Everyone is invited to enjoy pancakes, share their own experiences with Parkinson’s, and donate to Parkinson’s research.
➢ Members of Roundtable will focus on supporting the fundraising efforts for Pancakes for Parkinson’s during the Spring semester. ➢ Each member of Roundtable must recruit at least one Pancakes for Parkinson’s representative who is an active member of their organization to be a part of a Pancakes for Parkinson’s committee. These representatives will collectively work together to plan and execute Pancakes for Parkinson’s. ➢ Two members of Roundtable will serve as the Co-Directors of Pancakes for Parkinson’s. ✓ Co-Director Duties and Accountability: a. Co-Directors will be responsible for managing committees, organizing meetings, planning, and executing Pancakes for Parkinson’s. b. Co-Directors must maintain communication and update general membership and the Executive Board on Pancakes for Parkinson’s at each general meeting. c. Should either of the Co-Directors need to be removed from office, a mandatory meeting of the Executive Board shall be held and a majority vote taken, with removal occurring as the results of a majority vote. A reason for removal includes, but is not limited to, failure to comply with Co-Director duties. d. President shall have general executive power in settling disputes between the Co-Directors. ➢ The Executive Board must ensure that the Co-Directors are selected.
2. Campus Community Fundraising Event Execution ➢ Members of Roundtable will plan and execute the fundraising event for the cause of their choice that was voted and decided upon during the fall semester. ➢ The date of this event must be decided by the fourth general meeting of the spring semester.
Article IX - Ratification
Section A. Ratification 1. This constitution was ratified on November 28th, 2018. Changes to the constitution include Article I, Article II Section B, Article III Section B, Article VI Section D, adding Article X, and Article V Section D to the constitution.