The Constitution of McConnell Hall

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Table of Contents

• Preamble
• Article I
• Article II: Membership
• Article III: Officers
• Article IV: Officer Responsibilities
  • President(s)
  • Vice President
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Historian
  • Social Chairs
  • Intramural Chair
• Article V: Officer Elections
  • Nomination and Determination of Officers
  • Elections
• Article VI: Removal and Replacement of Officers
• Article VII: The Executive Board
• Article VIII: Meetings
• Article IX: Finances
• Article X: Amendments to the Constitution
• Standing Rules

For the purpose of self-government, promotion of high scholarship, and the stimulation of interest in hall and university activities, we do form and ordain this Constitution of the organization of McConnell Hall.

Section 1: The name of this organization shall be McConnell Hall

Section 2: The purpose of this organization shall be self-government, promotion of high scholarship, fellowship, group improvement and participation as a member of the University of Idaho community.

Section 1: Any current resident of McConnell Hall for whom dues are received is also a member and has the opportunity to participate in any hall activity and/or hold office.

Section 2: Any person who wished to become a member of McConnell Hall must pay dues or receive special permission through simple majority member vote at a hall meeting.

Section 3: Special membership status is granted to Resident Assistants who are not granted voting privileges in either executive board or hall meetings, but are included as members in all other respects.

Section 1: The offices of this organization shall consist of at least: one or two President(s), one Vice President, one Secretary, on Treasurer, on Historian, three Social Chairs, and one Intramural Chair.

Section 2: If two presidents are elected, one shall be male and the other female.

Section 3: Other offices may be added in any given year upon vote of approval from the membership made at least one week prior to elections.

Section 1: President(s)

Clause 1: If there are two presidents, they may divide these duties.

Clause 2: Requirements:

1. Shall be a current member of McConnell Hall.
2. Shall have lived in a residence hall system for at least one semester.

Clause 3: Duties

1. Shall call all executive board and General Member Hall Meetings to order.
2. Shall preside over all executive board and General Member Hall Meetings.
3. Shall appoint all committees.
4. Shall be a representative to the RHA Council.

Section 2: Vice President

Clause 1: Requirements

1. Shall be a current member of McConnell Hall.

Clause 2: Duties

1. Shall assume all duties of the president in his/her/their absence.
2. Shall oversee committee work.
3. Shall be a GDI Week representative.
4. Shall attend Food Service Committee meetings.
5. Exceptions to 3. And 4. May be accepted by member approval or in the event of a change in the organization of GDI week.

Section 3: Secretary

Clause 1: Requirements

1. Shall be a current member of McConnell Hall.

Clause 2: Duties

1. Shall keep permanent record of all executive board and General Member Hall Meetings.
2. Shall post written General Member Hall Meeting minutes within 24 hours after each such meeting on each of the three main floors.
3. Exceptions to 2. may be made at the discretion of the President(s).
4. Shall keep copies of all hall correspondence and shall respond appropriately to all written communication with the hall.
5. Shall maintain current copies of the hall constitution and a current list of all hall members.
6. Shall distribute a list of all hall members including information decided upon at an executive board or General Member Hall Meeting (major, birthdates, phone number, etc.) to all hall members within one month of the beginning of the fall semester.
7. Shall be responsible for ensuring that a hall member attends all RHA Secretaries’ meetings.

Section 4: Treasurer

Clause 1: Requirements

1. Shall be a current member of McConnell Hall.

Clause 2: Duties

1. Shall keep accurate and permanent records of all of the organization’s receipts and expenditures.
2. Shall present an oral or written report of the organization’s financial status as requested by the executive board or general membership at respective meetings.
3. Shall authorize all purchases.
4. Shall be responsible for maintaining an acceptable level of funding in all hall accounts according to RHA rules and membership wishes.
5. Shall be responsible for ensuring that a hall member attends all RHA Treasurers’ meetings.

Section 5: Historian

Clause 1: Requirements

1. Shall be a current member of McConnell Hall.

Clause 2: Duties

1. Shall ensure that photos of hall functions are taken, organized and compiled into a scrapbook.
2. Shall be responsible for maintenance of displays in the trophy case.
3. Shall maintain a test file as requested by organization members.

Section 6: Social Chairs

Clause 1: Requirements

1. Shall be a current member of McConnell Hall.

Clause 2: Duties

1. Shall organize and oversee social functions both within the organization and involving other organizations.
2. Shall ensure that all hall functions follow all appropriate regulations and laws.
3. Shall be responsible for ensuring that a hall member attends all RHA Social Chairs’ meetings.

Section 7: Intramural Chair

Clause 1: Requirements

1. Shall be a current member of McConnell Hall.

Clause 2: Duties

1. Shall organize and oversee formation of teams for all intramural events in which organization members are interested.
2. Shall ensure that members are informed about intramural events.
3. Shall not be responsible for any financial liability due to neglect of team members. Team members involved in any financial loss to the Intramural Chair shall take on the responsibility of that burden as decided by the hall.
4. Shall be responsible for ensuring that a hall member attends all RHA Intramural Chairs’ meetings.

Section 1: Nominations and Determination of Officers

Clause 1: Determination of all Offices for a given semester and nominations for those offices shall be accomplished by the end of the second General Member Hall Meeting of that semester.

Clause 2: Additional nominations maybe made via sign-up sheets on bulletin boards (to number at least one sheet per floor.

Section 2: Elections

Clause 1: All nominees meeting prerequisites as stated in Article IV shall be included on a secret ballot form to be distributed to all hall members.

Clause 2: The Resident Assistants shall be responsible for counting all secret ballots except as approved by a vote of the general hall members at a regular meeting.

Clause 3: Results of the ballots shall be presented to the organization members at a General Member Hall Meeting no more than two weeks after the nominations have been closed.

Clause 4: All ballots for issues other than officer elections shall be distributed and counted in a similar fashion.

Clause 5: Elections shall be held in the spring for the positions of President and Vice President for the following academic year. Other officers may be elected at this time upon majority vote approval of the members at the General Member Hall Meeting selected for the election. All other officers who return to the hall will retain their positions and all rights, privileges and responsibilities therein.

Section 1: Any officer may be recalled from office for not carrying out the responsibilities of his/her office as outlined in Article IV. Grounds for removal shall be written and signed by at least 10% of the members of the hall and posted at least one week prior to the General Member Hall Meeting at which a vote for his/her removal will be held and shall note the date of that meeting.

Section 2: Before the recall vote is held, the officer in question has the right to defend him/herself.

Section 3: A majority vote of the organization members attending the meeting at which the vote is held is required for success of the recall.

Section 4: If, for any reason, an officer cannot continue his/her duties s/he may resign and a replacement shall be elected by a majority vote at a regular meeting no more than two weeks following his/her resignation.

Section 5: If any officer has missed more than ten executive board meetings, s/he may be subjected to removal subject to the discretion of the president(s) and the organization membership.

Section 6: Election shall be by a simple majority of votes cast.

Section 1: The Executive Board shall consist of all hall officers, the Resident Assistants and any other requested to attend by the president(s).

Section 2: The Executive Board is formed to organize information that will be presented to the General Member Hall Meetings, to generate ideas for organization activities and to deal with any record keeping and other bureaucratic issues.

Section 1: General Member Hall Meetings and Executive Board Meetings shall be held once per week or as determined by the membership.

Section 2: Any person may attend, but it should be noted that only those who are current members may vote.

Section 3: Special meetings may be called by the President(s) or upon written request of at least 10% of current members.

Section 4: Attendance may be compulsory for all members if posted as such and approved by the President(s), Resident Assistants, other authorities in RHA or housing or general members as voted upon in a previous General Member Hall Meeting.

Section 1: Decisions regarding most expenses and all voluntary hall expenses exceeding $25.00 shall be approved by a majority vote at a regular or special General Member Hall Meetings.

Section 2: The Executive Board shall have the right to approve expenditures of voluntary expenses up to $25.00 and all involuntary expenses such as fines. Decisions regarding such financial matters may be made at regular or special Executive Board Meetings that are advertised at least 24 hours in advance and shall be by a simple majority vote.

Section 3: All banking accounts shall require the signature of at least two executive board members, one of whom shall be the treasurer and the other a President or Vice President, for withdrawal of funds.

Section 4: All audits and other bookkeeping procedures fall to the treasurer or another Executive Board Member as arranged by the Treasurer.

Section 1: Amendments to the constitution may be suggested in writing and submitted to the President with a petition containing signatures of at least 10% of the organization membership. The petition and proposed amendment shall be posted for at least two weeks prior to a general member vote.

Section 2: Petitions for amendment may be voted upon at a General Member Hall Meeting if that meeting is advertised as such or may be voted upon by secret ballot, subject to recommendation of the Resident Assistants.

Section 3: All amendments to the constitution shall require a two-thirds majority of at least one half of all hall members.

1. Members are responsible for the behavior of their guests and must ensure that they enter and exit the building according to the hall, RHA, Housing and University Rules.
2. Any member damaging or failing to return hall property shall be fined, prosecuted or appropriately handled without further warning.
3. Any noise or other conduct that distracts another student during quiet hours shall be warned and, upon repeat offense, referred to the Executive Board for appropriate action.
4. McConnell Hall periodicals shall be left in the lounge until an appropriate time span has elapsed and then they are recycled.
5. Any items left in the bathrooms longer than 24 hours shall be removed.
6. It is the responsibility of each member to leave the lounges as clean as possible.
7. All University regulations are included by reference.
8. Quiet hours shall be from 11:00 PM until 7:00 AM and may be changed by a majority vote at a General Member Hall Meeting.
9. Quiet hours during Dead Week shall be 22 hours/day.
10. Quiet hours during Finals Week shall be 24 hours/day.
11. There shall be 24 courtesy hours/day.