Post by Mill on Jan 22, 2014 12:34:33 GMT -6
Organizational Constitution for the
Belegarth Society of Platteville: Nogrod
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
PLATTEVILLE
Article I: Organization Name
Section 1 The official name of the organization will be the Belegarth Society of Platteville aka Nogrod
Article II: Mission Statement
Section 1 Nogrod purpose is to promote an understanding and intest of Belegarth on campus and to provide a means by which Belegarth participants can meet, and to provide entertainment for said enthusiasts if they are interested.
Article III: Membership, Eligibility, and Rights
Section 1 Any student, faculty, staff, or member of the community who expresses an intent in Belegarth is eligible. “In accordance with state and federal law and University of Wisconsin System policy, no student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course, or facility of the University of Wisconsin – Platteville because of the student’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, or parental status.” (UW – Platteville Policies and Procedures Handbook)
Section2 All participants must sign a liability waiver whether combatant or not.
Article IV: Meeting Procedure
Section 1 Formal Nogrod meetings will be held every week in the PAC or outside if deemed nice enough. Meeting location changes are the purview of the President.
Section 2 Weekly meetings will begin a time decided upon by the President and other officers.
Section 3 The President can call a formal or informal meeting whenever a special event or the need for a meeting may arise.
Section 4 All formal meetings will be announced on the Nogrod forums or, if they are not accessible, through whatever means the Nogrod President deems acceptable.
Section 5 Informal meetings are defined as club activities where no club business matters are dealt with.
Section 6 Half of the voting membership plus the advisor must be present for a quorum.
Section 7 If the President is unable to maintain order for a meeting, then he/she may declare parliamentary procedure be followed for the remainder of the meeting. The remaining officers can override the President’s decision by a majority vote.
Section 8 The President and other officers will convene for officer meetings whenever deemed necessary by the President. These meetings will occur in a public location and be open to non-officers, but only officers will be able to vote on the issues discussed at them.
Article V: Membership, Finance, and Voting Rights
Section 1 All regular members are required to pay dues. The amount of dues will be set by the officers at the first meeting of the fall semester. All funds will go towards club activities and are non-refundable.
Section 2 Regular membership is open to any current student or faculty of the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. They have full voting rights and are able to run and hold office, provided they meet the requirements.
Section 3 Any one who wishes to be part of the club, yet is not a current student or faculty member of the University of Wisconsin – Platteville will be an associate member. Associate members have the right to vote in club elections and enjoy all benefits of membership but can’t hold or run for office.
Section 4 Any person who has been a regular member prior to graduating or otherwise leaving the University of Wisconsin – Platteville is eligible for an Alumni membership. They have no voting rights and are required to make a one time donation to obtain their alumni status. This contribution is in the form of a payment of dues (in equal value to regular membership dues.) Alumni enjoy all the benefits of membership, but can’t vote for officers, hold or run for office.
Section 5 Officers are exempt from paying membership dues and are counted as regular members for the purposes of rights and voting.
Article VI: Dismissal Procedure
Section 1 Grounds for dismissal will be on any firm basis on which a non-biased reason can be established. Reasons for dismissal include: embezzling club funds, theft of club property, repeated unexcused absences, or any actions or activities that would damage the organization as a whole.
Section 2 Dismissal procedures are as follows:
1. A motion to begin an investigation must be brought up at any formal meeting. At such time, a 2/3 majority of the voting club members present must approve the motion to begin the investigation.
2. At the time of the vote, the dismissing majority must select an Investigator to lead the investigation and be the key speaker for the dismissing majority.
3. A closed door meeting will then be scheduled to hear arguments from both the party being dismissed and the Investigator. The President, Vice President, Publicity Chair, Secretary, Quetermaster and tresuruer , and Club Advisor will be the only other members allowed to attend this meeting. The officers present will then decide if there is enough evidence to justify a vote before the entire club. If the dismissed party is an officer, then he/she will not have a vote in this meeting. If the Investigator fails to obtain a unanimous decision from the officers by the end of the dismissal meeting, then the dismissal charges will be dropped.
4. If the officers vote to bring the dismissal procedure to the club, then during the next formal meeting the evidence and arguments from the closed door meeting will be made public to the club. A vote will then be held for dismissal. A ½ majority vote of all voting members (not only those present) is needed for a vote to pass. Officers are allowed to vote in this second vote as well.
Section 3 In the event that an officer is dismissed, then an election will take place immediately after the voting procedure. Any paid student member will be eligible to run for the now vacated officer position. In the event that the President is dismissed, then the Vice President will run the proceedings. In the event that an officer wishes to run for the office that is now vacated and wins the vacated position, they will vacate their position and another election will occur. Should another officer run for that position and win it, the cycle will continue until all offices are filled.
Article VII: Offices and Responsibilities of Officers
Section 1 The qualifications needed to be an officer are as follows:
1. Must be a student enrolled in the University of Wisconsin – Platteville
2. Must be able to show reason(s) that they will be able to handle the position and its responsibilities
3. Must be a member for at least one full semester prior to taking office.
Section 2 There are 5 different offices, each with their own responsibilities.
1. President – will preside over all meetings and showings, formal or informal. Has the authority to create committees and appoint their Executive. The President represents the club at all formal University events or activities. The signing of all official documentation is done by the President. With the Vice President, handles the club finances. Maintains ties to like-minded organizations on campus, such as the Platteville Gaming Association (PGA). Administrates the club website(s)
2. Vice President- In the absence of the President, the Vice President will oversee the running of all meetings, formal or informal, and will assist the President.
3. Treasurer – keeps track of all club funds, due, and transactions. The Treasurer is also responsible for presenting an itemized budget for any and all activities wherein club funds are used. The Treasurer has final approval of all club expenditures and fund-raisers.
3. Publicity Chair - the Publicity Chair is responsible for making all informational material, posters, banners, or other materials needed by the club or for club activities.
4. Secretary –, the Secretary is responsible for keeping records of all club proceedings and presenting the minutes from club and officer meetings on the Nogrod forum. The Secretary must also maintain a list of all current members and alumni, including their addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses.
5. Quartermaster-, is responsible for bringing the club Armory to Practices. They must also maintain the Armory and monitor checkouts and check-ins of club materials. The Quartermaster must also report the activities of any and all organizations, departments, or other bodies which pertain to our club or personal safety.
Section 3 The length of all terms of office is two semesters, from one election to another election. In the event of a replacement officer, they will hold office until the next election as if they had taken office when their predecessor had.
Section 4 In the event that an officer leaves an office for reasons other than dismissal, the officer “below” them in the list of officers will fill their duties until a new election is able to be held at the next week’s meeting. If the Qutermaster steps out of office, they will be replaced by an appointment until a new election can be held.
Article VII: The Advisor
Section 1 The Advisor can be any faculty or staff member currently employed by the University of Wisconsin – Platteville.
Section 2 The Advisor must be a willing candidate. The officers will approve the advisor by a simple majority vote.
Section 3 The Advisor’s term will last as long as they are willing to serve, or until replaced.
Section 4 The Advisor should play an active role in the meetings or activities of the club.
Article IX: Election and Voting Procedure
Section 1 Elections for Officers will be held on the third to last meeting of the Spring Semester or when declared by a majority vote of the officers.
Section 2 Nominations will take place two weeks prior to election. All nominations will be verbal and will require a second in order to be on the ballot.
Section 3 Elections for the officers will use the following procedure:
1. The offices will be voted on in this order: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Publicity Chair, Secretary, and Quartermaster
2. All voting will be done by a secret ballot.
3. In the event of a tie, the vote will be done until the tie is broken. In the unlikely event that a tie proves unbreakable after 2 revotes, the officers from the last year will vote and decide the new officer, with the President casting the final tiebreaking vote.
4. No person may occupy more than one office position at a given time unless granted special permission by all other officers.
Article X: Procedure for Dissolution
Section 1 At any time the club loses its official recognition on campus, or the club is banned/prevented from organizing officially, the members of the club will continue to meet by the power granted us in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America.
Section 2 If the club should at any time be in such a poor state of affairs that dissolution is the only logical action the following steps will be followed:
1. The President will contact the Advisor and inform him/her of the current state of the club, and request assistance in the following steps.
2. The club account(s) will be emptied and the money will be donated to a worthy cause decided upon by the remaining officers.
3. All club possessions will be returned to their donators or divided up between the remaining members if the donators can’t be found.
4. Once the above parameters have been met, the club will officially no longer exist.
Article XI: How to Make Amendments to the Constitution
Section 1 Proposed Amendments must be announced and submitted to the club, one week prior to a proposed constitutional amendment vote. At that time, those in attendance must nominate someone to present this change at the next meeting. The title of this individual shall be the Chief Architect.
Section 2 Before a constitutional vote, the Chief Architect will present an argument for the proposed change. After the Architect is finished, any regular member may debate the proposed change before the vote.
Section 3 For the change to be ratified, 2/3 of the voting members must approve it.
Article XII: Belegarth Regulations
Section 1 Nogrod will follow regulations instilled by the Belegarth Medieval Combat Society (BMCS), and to also promote growth of BMCS.
Section 2 Nogrod will also follow all Rules as stated in BMCS Book of War.
Section 3 Heralds-Realm officers have the right to determine who is and who is not a Herald. Herald(s) and officers have the final say in which weapons are safe enough and who is and who is not allowed to attend practices. Realm officers and/or Heralds must check all weapons at least once a month, in accordance to the BMCS standards and rules. If a fighter misses that practice, then all of their equipment must be checked at the next practice said fighter attends before they can fight. A Herald must be a paid member of Nogrod or higher rank who has vast knowledge and understanding of the BMCS Book of War. In addition, all officers can serve as Heralds. At least one (1) Herald shall be present on site during any battle. Persons who are allowed to herald will be presented with a yellow tabard.
Article XIII: Constitution Ratification
Section 1 The founding members of Nogrod have reviewed this constitution and find it full of merit, justice, fairness and chivalry. They therefore ratify this document.
Belegarth Society of Platteville: Nogrod
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
PLATTEVILLE
Article I: Organization Name
Section 1 The official name of the organization will be the Belegarth Society of Platteville aka Nogrod
Article II: Mission Statement
Section 1 Nogrod purpose is to promote an understanding and intest of Belegarth on campus and to provide a means by which Belegarth participants can meet, and to provide entertainment for said enthusiasts if they are interested.
Article III: Membership, Eligibility, and Rights
Section 1 Any student, faculty, staff, or member of the community who expresses an intent in Belegarth is eligible. “In accordance with state and federal law and University of Wisconsin System policy, no student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course, or facility of the University of Wisconsin – Platteville because of the student’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, or parental status.” (UW – Platteville Policies and Procedures Handbook)
Section2 All participants must sign a liability waiver whether combatant or not.
Article IV: Meeting Procedure
Section 1 Formal Nogrod meetings will be held every week in the PAC or outside if deemed nice enough. Meeting location changes are the purview of the President.
Section 2 Weekly meetings will begin a time decided upon by the President and other officers.
Section 3 The President can call a formal or informal meeting whenever a special event or the need for a meeting may arise.
Section 4 All formal meetings will be announced on the Nogrod forums or, if they are not accessible, through whatever means the Nogrod President deems acceptable.
Section 5 Informal meetings are defined as club activities where no club business matters are dealt with.
Section 6 Half of the voting membership plus the advisor must be present for a quorum.
Section 7 If the President is unable to maintain order for a meeting, then he/she may declare parliamentary procedure be followed for the remainder of the meeting. The remaining officers can override the President’s decision by a majority vote.
Section 8 The President and other officers will convene for officer meetings whenever deemed necessary by the President. These meetings will occur in a public location and be open to non-officers, but only officers will be able to vote on the issues discussed at them.
Article V: Membership, Finance, and Voting Rights
Section 1 All regular members are required to pay dues. The amount of dues will be set by the officers at the first meeting of the fall semester. All funds will go towards club activities and are non-refundable.
Section 2 Regular membership is open to any current student or faculty of the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. They have full voting rights and are able to run and hold office, provided they meet the requirements.
Section 3 Any one who wishes to be part of the club, yet is not a current student or faculty member of the University of Wisconsin – Platteville will be an associate member. Associate members have the right to vote in club elections and enjoy all benefits of membership but can’t hold or run for office.
Section 4 Any person who has been a regular member prior to graduating or otherwise leaving the University of Wisconsin – Platteville is eligible for an Alumni membership. They have no voting rights and are required to make a one time donation to obtain their alumni status. This contribution is in the form of a payment of dues (in equal value to regular membership dues.) Alumni enjoy all the benefits of membership, but can’t vote for officers, hold or run for office.
Section 5 Officers are exempt from paying membership dues and are counted as regular members for the purposes of rights and voting.
Article VI: Dismissal Procedure
Section 1 Grounds for dismissal will be on any firm basis on which a non-biased reason can be established. Reasons for dismissal include: embezzling club funds, theft of club property, repeated unexcused absences, or any actions or activities that would damage the organization as a whole.
Section 2 Dismissal procedures are as follows:
1. A motion to begin an investigation must be brought up at any formal meeting. At such time, a 2/3 majority of the voting club members present must approve the motion to begin the investigation.
2. At the time of the vote, the dismissing majority must select an Investigator to lead the investigation and be the key speaker for the dismissing majority.
3. A closed door meeting will then be scheduled to hear arguments from both the party being dismissed and the Investigator. The President, Vice President, Publicity Chair, Secretary, Quetermaster and tresuruer , and Club Advisor will be the only other members allowed to attend this meeting. The officers present will then decide if there is enough evidence to justify a vote before the entire club. If the dismissed party is an officer, then he/she will not have a vote in this meeting. If the Investigator fails to obtain a unanimous decision from the officers by the end of the dismissal meeting, then the dismissal charges will be dropped.
4. If the officers vote to bring the dismissal procedure to the club, then during the next formal meeting the evidence and arguments from the closed door meeting will be made public to the club. A vote will then be held for dismissal. A ½ majority vote of all voting members (not only those present) is needed for a vote to pass. Officers are allowed to vote in this second vote as well.
Section 3 In the event that an officer is dismissed, then an election will take place immediately after the voting procedure. Any paid student member will be eligible to run for the now vacated officer position. In the event that the President is dismissed, then the Vice President will run the proceedings. In the event that an officer wishes to run for the office that is now vacated and wins the vacated position, they will vacate their position and another election will occur. Should another officer run for that position and win it, the cycle will continue until all offices are filled.
Article VII: Offices and Responsibilities of Officers
Section 1 The qualifications needed to be an officer are as follows:
1. Must be a student enrolled in the University of Wisconsin – Platteville
2. Must be able to show reason(s) that they will be able to handle the position and its responsibilities
3. Must be a member for at least one full semester prior to taking office.
Section 2 There are 5 different offices, each with their own responsibilities.
1. President – will preside over all meetings and showings, formal or informal. Has the authority to create committees and appoint their Executive. The President represents the club at all formal University events or activities. The signing of all official documentation is done by the President. With the Vice President, handles the club finances. Maintains ties to like-minded organizations on campus, such as the Platteville Gaming Association (PGA). Administrates the club website(s)
2. Vice President- In the absence of the President, the Vice President will oversee the running of all meetings, formal or informal, and will assist the President.
3. Treasurer – keeps track of all club funds, due, and transactions. The Treasurer is also responsible for presenting an itemized budget for any and all activities wherein club funds are used. The Treasurer has final approval of all club expenditures and fund-raisers.
3. Publicity Chair - the Publicity Chair is responsible for making all informational material, posters, banners, or other materials needed by the club or for club activities.
4. Secretary –, the Secretary is responsible for keeping records of all club proceedings and presenting the minutes from club and officer meetings on the Nogrod forum. The Secretary must also maintain a list of all current members and alumni, including their addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses.
5. Quartermaster-, is responsible for bringing the club Armory to Practices. They must also maintain the Armory and monitor checkouts and check-ins of club materials. The Quartermaster must also report the activities of any and all organizations, departments, or other bodies which pertain to our club or personal safety.
Section 3 The length of all terms of office is two semesters, from one election to another election. In the event of a replacement officer, they will hold office until the next election as if they had taken office when their predecessor had.
Section 4 In the event that an officer leaves an office for reasons other than dismissal, the officer “below” them in the list of officers will fill their duties until a new election is able to be held at the next week’s meeting. If the Qutermaster steps out of office, they will be replaced by an appointment until a new election can be held.
Article VII: The Advisor
Section 1 The Advisor can be any faculty or staff member currently employed by the University of Wisconsin – Platteville.
Section 2 The Advisor must be a willing candidate. The officers will approve the advisor by a simple majority vote.
Section 3 The Advisor’s term will last as long as they are willing to serve, or until replaced.
Section 4 The Advisor should play an active role in the meetings or activities of the club.
Article IX: Election and Voting Procedure
Section 1 Elections for Officers will be held on the third to last meeting of the Spring Semester or when declared by a majority vote of the officers.
Section 2 Nominations will take place two weeks prior to election. All nominations will be verbal and will require a second in order to be on the ballot.
Section 3 Elections for the officers will use the following procedure:
1. The offices will be voted on in this order: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Publicity Chair, Secretary, and Quartermaster
2. All voting will be done by a secret ballot.
3. In the event of a tie, the vote will be done until the tie is broken. In the unlikely event that a tie proves unbreakable after 2 revotes, the officers from the last year will vote and decide the new officer, with the President casting the final tiebreaking vote.
4. No person may occupy more than one office position at a given time unless granted special permission by all other officers.
Article X: Procedure for Dissolution
Section 1 At any time the club loses its official recognition on campus, or the club is banned/prevented from organizing officially, the members of the club will continue to meet by the power granted us in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America.
Section 2 If the club should at any time be in such a poor state of affairs that dissolution is the only logical action the following steps will be followed:
1. The President will contact the Advisor and inform him/her of the current state of the club, and request assistance in the following steps.
2. The club account(s) will be emptied and the money will be donated to a worthy cause decided upon by the remaining officers.
3. All club possessions will be returned to their donators or divided up between the remaining members if the donators can’t be found.
4. Once the above parameters have been met, the club will officially no longer exist.
Article XI: How to Make Amendments to the Constitution
Section 1 Proposed Amendments must be announced and submitted to the club, one week prior to a proposed constitutional amendment vote. At that time, those in attendance must nominate someone to present this change at the next meeting. The title of this individual shall be the Chief Architect.
Section 2 Before a constitutional vote, the Chief Architect will present an argument for the proposed change. After the Architect is finished, any regular member may debate the proposed change before the vote.
Section 3 For the change to be ratified, 2/3 of the voting members must approve it.
Article XII: Belegarth Regulations
Section 1 Nogrod will follow regulations instilled by the Belegarth Medieval Combat Society (BMCS), and to also promote growth of BMCS.
Section 2 Nogrod will also follow all Rules as stated in BMCS Book of War.
Section 3 Heralds-Realm officers have the right to determine who is and who is not a Herald. Herald(s) and officers have the final say in which weapons are safe enough and who is and who is not allowed to attend practices. Realm officers and/or Heralds must check all weapons at least once a month, in accordance to the BMCS standards and rules. If a fighter misses that practice, then all of their equipment must be checked at the next practice said fighter attends before they can fight. A Herald must be a paid member of Nogrod or higher rank who has vast knowledge and understanding of the BMCS Book of War. In addition, all officers can serve as Heralds. At least one (1) Herald shall be present on site during any battle. Persons who are allowed to herald will be presented with a yellow tabard.
Article XIII: Constitution Ratification
Section 1 The founding members of Nogrod have reviewed this constitution and find it full of merit, justice, fairness and chivalry. They therefore ratify this document.