BCC Constitution:
Preamble:
The goal of the Branford College Council is to provide a defined link between Branfordians and the staff of Branford College, the University, and the city of New Haven. Its mission is to provide an optimal living situation in
Branford by hosting events, taking on issues that affect the Branford community, and facilitating a close and supportive community for all Branfordians.
Article I
Officers
Section 1: A President shall be elected to: chair meetings of the Council and Executive Board; manage and supervise the Council; designate an officer to run an event in the absence of the President and Vice-President; be the first point of contact between the Council and the Master’s Office; be responsible for the execution of events; be a co-owner of the Council’s email panlists; coordinate with committee chairmen; and update the auxiliary book annually.
Section 2: A Vice-President shall be elected to: run meetings of the Council in the absence of the President; sit on the Executive Board; coordinate between the Council and other Branford or Yale College organizations; be the liaison between the Council and the graduate affiliates.
Section 3: A Secretary shall be elected to: write the minutes of the Council’s meetings; to sit on the Executive Board; be responsible for the Council’s bulletin board; be in charge of written and electronic communication with the college; to co-own and update the Council’s email panlists.
Section 4: A Treasurer shall be elected to: sit on the Executive Board; keep a record of active accounts; manage receipts and keep receipts on file; audit the Council every semester; and submit a report to the Council and ensure that the audit is put in the auxiliary book.
Section 5: Two Student Activities Chairs shall be elected to: be responsible for the success of social activities; to sit on the Executive Board; be the liaison with the Social Activities Committees of other colleges.
Section 6: Three Class Representatives per class will be elected to: run class-specific events; be responsible for event staffing; and participate in committee work.
Section 7: All officers shall: be present at meetings of the Council, and, if applicable, the Executive Board; report to the Treasurer all Council-related expenditures; and, if sitting on the Executive Board, to write an exit memo at the end of his term.
Article II
Election of Officers
Section 1: The President of the Council and the Chairman of the By-Laws Committee together share responsibility for the conduct of elections, including the setting of dates, rules, and procedures.
Section 2: Elections for Officers sitting on the Executive Board shall be held on an office-by-office basis.
Section 3: Elections for Officers sitting on the Executive Board shall occur after Spring Recess, and shall conclude no fewer than ten days before the start of the Reading Period. However, elections for President shall be held one week before elections for the other Officers.
Section 4: A candidate may run for only one office. However, a candidate who loses an election for President may run for another office.
Section 4: Elections for Class Representative shall be held in the first month of classes in the Fall Term.
Section 5: Voting polls shall be open for no fewer than 48 hours.
Section 6: Two weeks of public notice shall be given for all elections, and a schedule shall be published.
Section 7: If there is no candidate for a particular office, applications will be accepted by the Executive Board for the position, and the Board will choose which person is selected.
Section 8: If an office becomes vacant via resignation or via the procedure outlined in Article III, a special election shall be held as soon as possible.
Article III
Removal of Officers
Section 1: A special meeting of the Council will be held to consider removing an officer sitting on the Executive Board from his position upon the vote of three other Executive Board members, a vote of three-quarters of the Class Representatives, or a petition signed by one-tenth of the entire Branford undergraduate community.
Section 2: A special meeting of the Council will be held to consider removing a Class Representative from office upon the vote of three Executive Board members or a petition signed by one-quarter of the Representative’s class.
Section 3: Public notice for this special meeting of the Council shall be no less than one week.
Section 4: A vote of two-thirds of all Branfordians present at the special meeting shall be required to remove from office.
Section 5: If the President of the Council is the officer facing removal, the Vice-President shall preside at the meeting.
Section 6: Quorum at the special meeting of the Council shall be eighteen people.
Article IV
By-Laws Committee
Section 1: The By-Laws Committee shall be the sole body for rendering interpretation of this Constitution and ensuring that it is properly followed. The Master of the College also has discretionary power to interpret the constitution. The By-Laws Committee is also responsible for offering amendments to this constitution if it sees need.
Section 2: The By-Laws Committee shall meet at least twice each term.
Section 3: The President of the Council shall call the first meeting of the By-Laws Committee no more than two weeks after the start of classes in the Fall Term.
Section 4: The first meeting of the By-Laws Committee each term shall be open to all Branfordians. Subsequent meetings shall be open only to those who attended the first meeting.
Section 5: The By-Laws Committee shall consist of no fewer than three members.
Section 6: The By-Laws Committee shall, at its first meeting of the year, elect a chairman, who must be a junior or senior. The chairman shall be ultimately responsible for the success of the Committee.
Section 7: In the event of a tie in the election for chairman, further balloting will be held. If, after the third ballot, there is still a tie, the President of the Council shall break it.
Section 8: The chairman or a majority of members of the By-Laws Committee shall have the power to call meetings of the Committee with 48 hours of public notice.
Section 9: The By-Laws Committee shall take no action without the majority vote of its members.
Article V
Other committees
Section 1: Nothing in this article shall be construed to apply to the By-Laws Committee.
Section 2: The following committees shall be permanently constituted: a Dining Committee; a Facilities Committee; an Apparel and Paraphernalia Committee; and a Community Service Committee.
Section 3: Attendance at all meetings of these committees shall be open to all Branfordians. There is no requirement for a minimum or maximum membership.
Section 4: Each committee shall, at its first meeting of the year, elect a chairman. Any Branfordian is eligible to chair a committee. The chairman shall be responsible for its committee’s agenda and for the ultimate success of the committee’s purview. The chairman shall have the power to delegate the powers of the chair to any number of other members of the committee; however, the ultimate responsibility for the committee remains with the chairman.
Section 5: In the event of a tie in the election for chairman, further balloting will be held. If, after a third ballot, there is still a tie, the President of the Council shall break it.
Section 6: The President of the Council shall be empowered to create and dissolve ad hoc committees as shall be deemed appropriate.
Section 7: The rules for membership and chairmanship of an ad hoc committee shall be the same as those for the permanent committees. If, however, its purpose is construed to fall under the purview of a member of the Executive Board, its chairman shall be the appropriate officer, though that officer may delegate this responsibility.
Section 8: The chairman of each committee shall remain in contact with the President of the Council in order to facilitate smoother operations and communication.
Article VI
Procedure
Section 1: Both the Council and the Executive Board shall meet on a weekly basis. The President of the Council is responsible for notifying the college every week of the agenda of the upcoming Council meeting.
Section 2: Quorum at meetings of the Council shall consist either of one-third of the total number Class Representatives or of twelve total people. If quorum is not attained, no decision taken at that meeting shall be considered final.
Section 3: If a vote taken at a meeting of the Council is to be considered final, it must be introduced by a formal motion with a second.
Section 4: If a vote contains more than two options, and none receives an absolute majority of votes, a run-off shall be held with the only the two options which received the most votes previously.
Section 5: A roll-call vote shall be allowed if an Officer or Class Representative requests one and there is a second.
Section 6: Decisions of the Council may be overturned by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board. The President of the Council shall notify the College of this decision.
Section 7: Each month, the Executive Board shall submit to the Council for its approval a plan for its activities in the coming month. This plan shall be amendable at any meeting to add or remove an event or activity. Approval shall not be required for events that cost less than $100.
Section 8: The standing and ad hoc committees shall present reports to the Council as needed in order to receive approval for their activities.
Article VII
Amendment and Ratification
Section 1: This constitution shall be considered ratified if it is approved by 60% of those undergraduate Branfordians voting and not abstaining in a free poll, to be open for no fewer than 48 hours.
Section 2: An amendment may be submitted to the Council for ratification upon the vote of three-fifths of the By-Laws Committee, the vote of three-quarters of the Class Representatives and Executive Board officers, or a petition of one-tenth of undergraduate Branfordians.
Section 3: The President of the Council shall call a special meeting of the council, at which the amendment shall be ratified by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting.
Section 4: Public notice for this special meeting shall be no less than one week.
Section 5: All amendments, including this Constitution, take effect at the beginning of the Term following their ratification.