Student group constitutions do not have to be long-winded, Victorian-style proclamations. Groups get clearer direction from short, uncomplicated constitutions that give general guidelines than they do from constitutions cluttered with specific rules for every conceivable circumstance.
The following outline listed below is intended as a suggested format for a constitution, although the governing body and office under which you seek recognition may require additional terms or stipulations in your constitution.
Preamble
The preamble should introduce the rest of the document in no more than two or three sentences. It should state the reasons for, and intent of, the group and the Constitution.
Article I - Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be (insert full name of organization), hereafter referred to as "(shortened name as it will appear in the Constitution)."
Section 2. The officers of (name) shall make up the Executive Board of (name), hereafter referred to as the ‘Board’.
Article II - Purpose
Section 1. The purpose of this organization shall be (short definition of group’s purpose).
Section 2. The Executive Board shall (purpose of the Executive Board).
Article III - Membership
Section 1. The general body of the organization must be comprised of at least two-thirds Columbia College and Columbia Engineering students. The specific requirements for membership are (list requirements).
Section 2. The privileges and responsibilities of membership are (insert).
Section 3. In regards to membership requirements, the following language is required by all student groups:
Membership in a recognized student group must be open to all students interested in supporting the group’s mission, regardless of race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, immigration status, age, disability, marital status, military status, or any other legally protected classes, or perceived membership in such a class, and regardless of personal characteristics or beliefs, such as political views. To the extent that student groups impose eligibility or membership requirements, those requirements must be closely connected to the group’s mission and must be consistent with Columbia’s Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment policies.
Note: Columbia University policy requires that there be no arbitrary exclusion from membership on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability.
Article IV - Meetings and Procedures
Section 1. Indicate how often regularly scheduled meetings are held and who has authority to call meetings.
Section 2. Indicate how policy decisions are made and how formal votes are carried out.
Article IV - Officers
Section 1. The organization shall have the following officers... (Indicate methods of nomination and election, and who is eligible to hold office.)
Section 2. The duties of these officers shall be...
Section 3. Indicate lengths of terms of office and term limitations.
Section 4. Only members who are undergraduate students in Columbia College or Columbia Engineering may hold the position of president or treasurer. If an organization is also recognized by the Barnard Student Government Association, undergraduate students in Barnard College may hold the position of president or treasurer. No single member may be both the president and treasurer simultaneously.
Section 5. In regards to additional requirements of officers, the following language is required by all student groups:
Section 5.1. Additional requirements of board members:
All members of the Board must attend one sexual respect workshop and a follow-up discussion each semester. The workshop will be organized by the President/Vice President in coordination with Columbia Health’s Sexual Violence Response (SVR).
The date of the workshop will be finalized and sent out by the President/Vice President by the second week of the semester.
All Board members will attend the SVR semesterly workshop together. General Body members are also invited to attend, and information regarding the workshop will be shared via the Institute newsletter.
The President/Vice President (and any other interested Board members) will host a follow-up discussion with the Board during the Board’s following meeting.
Board members who are unable to attend either the workshop or discussion due to extenuating circumstances must notify the President/Vice President at least 48 hours prior to the respective meeting.
If a Board member misses some or all of the workshop, they must complete the following assignments:
Absent from the workshop (but not the discussion): Must go over slide deck/materials before attending the discussion.
Absent from the discussion (but not the workshop): Must answer questions given by the discussion leaders.
Absent from both parts: Must complete both assignments listed above.
If a Board member misses some or all of the board’s follow-up discussion, they must respond to the questions posed by the President/Vice President at the Board meeting.
Failure to provide proper notice to the President/Vice President and failure to make up a missed meeting are grounds for removal from a Board position.
When a Board member (henceforth referred to as “Confidant”) is approached in their official Board capacity by any member (henceforth referred to as “Confider”) of the group with an incident of sexual misconduct (sexual assault, stalking, violence, harassment, etc.), it is the Confidant’s responsibility to provide the member with resources and potential next steps, including but not limited to reporting or seeking counseling.
The Confidant is not a mandated reporter, nor a confidential resource
The Confidant may take the following actions:
Report the concern formally through University Reporting channels
Report the concern to the student group’s USL adviser, who is a mandated reporter and may be required to submit a formal report
Provide information about resources, including the Sexual Violence Response office, Title IX office, club adviser, Office of Institutional Equity
Connect the Confider with another member of Board who is not the accused, should the original Confidant feel as though they are not in a mental state to offer help
Disclose to the Confider which resources are mandated reporters and which are confidential resources
The Confidant is strongly encouraged to report the concern formally or to the student group’s adviser if there is a real safety concern on the part of the Confider
If a formal report is filed by the Confidant, the Confider, or the student group’s adviser, the Confider may always decide how to proceed (or not proceed), and may decline any further communication or action
The student group leader role is crucial in helping club members get connected with resources, and the Confidant should be cognizant of the responsibilities that come along with that role
As such, the Confidant should always prioritize the safety and wellbeing of fellow club members and recognize that their role is not to adjudicate the situation, but connect the Confider with administrators who can do so
Section 5.2. Conflict Resolution
If a conflict emerges between Board members regarding a working relationship, the members are encouraged to reach out to the President and Vice President to set up a conversation.
If members do not feel as though the President/Vice President will be the proper resource, or they do not feel comfortable reaching out to them, the members should contact the club advisor.
The President/Vice President will respond to messages with this topic within 48 hours.
If the conflict cannot be solved by the members themselves, or with the help of the President/Vice President, the members are encouraged to contact the club advisor (who is a Mandated Reporter), or a third-party mediator outside of the Institute. Such individual, interpersonal conflicts should not be addressed or mediated through the Institute Board.
This measure is intended to ensure that personal relationships do not affect the way the situation is rectified.
If the conflict is a potential policy violation, it can only be resolved through the Columbia University Student Code of Conduct.
Article VI - Electing, Appointing and Removing Officers
Section 1. Organizational elections must take place at least once per year. (Insert other general election rules. Specific election rules should be placed in the by-laws.)
Section 2. Insert general appointment procedures for appointing officers. Specific appointment procedures should be placed in the by-laws.
Section 3. In the event of a mid-term vacancy of an elected officer… (Insert procedure for temporary and/or permanent replacement).
Section 4. In regards to the removal of board or group members, the following language is required by all student groups:
Section 4.1. In the case of operational concerns for [Group Name] pertaining to the actions of a particular member of the group (henceforth referred to as “the member of concern”) any member of the board may seek to document their concerns by sending written reports to the group’s adviser. All concerns about a member of concern must be discussed with the group’s adviser, and no action against the member of concern may be taken by group members, except in conjunction with the group’s adviser as outlined below.
Operational concerns may include
Role abandonment - a board member is not fulfilling their role, as laid out in Section _ of this constitution.
Financial mismanagement - a board or group member is mismanaging the group’s funds. This type of concern may involve the SGARB.
Going against the group’s mission - a board or group member has taken actions that violate the mission of the group, as laid out in Article II of this constitution.
Other concerns on a case-by-case basis, decided through discussion with the group’s adviser.
Documentation of the concern may look like:
Sending an email with screenshots, documents, or a written narrative to the group’s adviser.
Meeting with the group’s adviser to discuss the concern, to be followed up in writing.
The concerned group members must follow the guidelines set forth below when they are considering a member of concern.
Group members may not:
Request FERPA-protected information from the member of concern
Seek to impeach or remove the member of concern from a board position or from the group
Deny the member of concern access to social gatherings, events, or board meetings
Group members may:
Document their concerns via emails sent to the group’s adviser
Meet with the group’s adviser to discuss the concern and discuss any next steps as determined by the group’s adviser
If the group’s adviser determines that the documentation warrants further action, they will communicate this in person with the member of concern as well as with the president of the group. The adviser reserves the right to take no action.
Section 4.2. In the case of policy concerns for [Group Name] that pertain to the actions of a particular member of the group (henceforth referred to as “the member of concern”), any member of the group may submit a formal report through proper University reporting channels. No action against the member of concern may be taken by group members.
These concerns include all violations of University Policy, and any violations that are already subject to a specific process.
Examples may include:
SGARB policy
OIE policy
Rules
Individual conduct that violates any University policy
In the case that the group’s adviser receives notice or documentation of a concern that is of a policy nature, they will be mandated to report the concern via proper University channels.
Article VII - Committees
Section 1. The standing committees of this organization shall be… (List all standing committees).
Section 2. The duties of each of these standing committees shall be...
Section 3. Insert how committee members will be selected and removed.
Section 4. Additional committees may be formed and dissolved by the organization (State the procedures for adding and removing committees).
Article VIII - By-Laws
Section 1. By-laws of the organization shall be established and altered by… (Insert procedures for adding and altering organization’s by-laws).
Section 2. By-laws of the Board shall be established and altered by… (Insert procedures for adding and altering by-laws of the Board).
Article IX - Amendments to the Constitution
State how amendments are to be proposed and by whom, and what vote is required to adopt an amendment; two-thirds of the voting membership is the norm.
Article X - Ratification
This constitution shall be established by a vote of a (insert fraction; three-fourths is recommended) majority of the membership of the organization.
