Official Constitution of The Cornell College Republicans

Article I. Name and Affiliation

SECTION 1. The name of this organization shall be the Cornell College Republicans, herein referred to as the College Republicans, or Cornell Republicans.

SECTION 2. The College Republicans shall be the recognized campus affiliate of the Iowa Federation of College Republicans and the College Republican National Committee and shall be subject to and abide by the Constitutions, Bylaws, and Resolutions thereof.

Article II. Purposes

SECTION 1. To make known and promote the principles of the Republican Party among members of the Cornell College campus and community.

SECTION 2. To aid in the election of Republican candidates at all levels of government.

SECTION 3. To encourage and assist in the organization and active functioning of the Republican Party at local, state, and national levels.

SECTION 4. To develop political skills and leadership abilities among Republican students as preparation for future service to the Republican Party and community.

SECTION 5. To help meet these goals the College Republicans shall have a minimum of one meeting per academic block.

Article III. Membership

SECTION 1. Any person affiliated or associated with the Cornell College community may become a member of the College Republicans.

SECTION 2. Any person who has attended one College Republican meeting in the current academic year may be a member of the College Republicans.

Article IV. Officers

SECTION 1. The officers of the College Republicans shall be the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.

SECTION 2. All officers shall be elected at a regular College Republican meeting during the eighth block of the year but shall not take office until the termination of the academic year.

SECTION 3. Nominations of candidates for office of the College Republicans are to be made from the floor by any member.

SECTION 4. Officers shall be elected by a simple majority of those present and voting.

SECTION 5. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.

SECTION 6. Vacancies occurring among the officers shall be filled by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board at the first meeting following the occurrence of the vacancy. Notice of an election must be included in an official notice of the Board meeting. A person elected to fill a vacancy shall serve as officer until the next regular election.

Article V. Executive Board

SECTION 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the College Republicans as well as the Chair of each standing committee.

SECTION 3. The Executive Board shall introduce, approve, and implement all actions and activities necessary and proper for the functioning of the College Republicans that are not in violation of this Constitution or the Bylaws.

SECTION 4. All Executive Board members must attend all meetings. If an Executive Board member is unable to attend a meeting, they must notify another member of the executive board prior to the meeting.

SECTION 5. Duties of the Chair - The Chair shall organize and preside over all meetings. The Chair will serve as official spokesperson for College Republicans unless the Chair or Vice-Chair specifically authorizes another person.

SECTION 6. Duties of the Vice-Chair - The Vice-Chair shall assume the duties of the Chair whenever the Chair is unable to fulfill those duties. The Vice-Chair shall assume the duties of any member of the Executive Board if that person is not able to carry out those duties temporarily. In the case of resignation of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall assume all duties, responsibilities and authority of the Chair, and be known as "Interim Chair" until a new chair is chosen pursuant to Article IV Section 6.

SECTION 7. Duties of the Treasurer - The Treasurer will keep up-to-date a ledger of the finances of the College Republicans and is responsible for all payments that need to be made in the organization's name. The Treasurer will also be responsible for keeping the organization checkbook and ledger, as well as drafting proposals for Student Senate appropriations requests. The Treasurer shall deposit all receipts and money with the Business Office of the college in the Student Activities Fee account, and shall make disbursements by check through that account.

SECTION 8. Duties of the Secretary - The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping a list of current members, and sending out notices announcing meetings and events. It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to maintain an organized e-mail distribution list of interested individuals and organizations. The Secretary shall take minutes at all general meetings, ad hoc meetings and all College Republican events, and if he/she is not able to do so, shall appoint a proxy to do so.

Article VI. Standing Committees

SECTION 1. A standing committee may be formed at any regular meeting and shall be under the supervision of the Executive Board and the Committee Chair.

SECTION 2. A Committee Chair will be selected by simple majority vote of those members present.

SECTION 3. Any member of College Republicans may petition to be made a member of a standing committee, and shall be appointed at the discretion of either the committee Chair or a member of the Executive Council.

Article VII. Ad hoc Committees

SECTION 1. An Ad hoc committee may be formed at any time and shall be under the supervision of the Executive Council. A Chairperson will be selected by simple majority vote of those members of the Executive Council present.

Article VIII. Impeachment

SECTION 1. Any officer who, during his/her term in office, has demonstrated disloyalty to the Republican Party, negligence or incompetence in the performance of his prescribed Constitutional duties, or willfully impeded the College Republican program, may be impeached and removed from office.

SECTION 2. Specific charges against the impeached officer must be approved by absolute majority of the officers of the College Republican, excluding the officer being impeached, at a meeting of the Executive Board. Any member of the College Republicans may bring charges against any officer.

SECTION 3. From the approval of the charges until the next meeting of the Executive Board, the impeached officer shall remain in his/her office and be allowed to prepare his defense against the charges.

SECTION 4. At the first Executive Board meeting after the meeting in which the charges were approved, an officer or other person selected by the officers shall present the charges and the impeached officer shall present his/her defense. Following these presentations, the impeached officer may be removed from his office by a three-fifths majority vote by the Executive Board, excluding the charged officer.

Article IX. Amendmecnts and Bylaws

SECTION 1. A bylaw may be proposed by any member of the College Republicans, the full text of the bylaw and a notice that it is to be voted upon must be included in the official notice that a meeting is to occur.

SECTION 2. There must be time allowed for debate of a bylaw before a vote is taken on adopting it. A simple majority is required to adopt a bylaw.

SECTION 3. A bylaw may not in any way violate the Constitution of the College Republicans, the Cornell College Student Senate, the Iowa Federation of College Republicans or those of the College Republican National Committee.

SECTION 4. Any amendments to the College Republican Constitution must follow the same notice procedures (Article IX, Sections 1 and 2) given for bylaws. To approve an Amendment to the Constitution a 3/5 majority vote is required.

SECTION 3. An amendment to the College Republican Constitution may not in any way violate the Constitution of the Cornell College Student Senate, the Iowa Federation of College Republicans or those of the College Republican National Committee.

Article X. Parliamentary Authority

SECTION 1. The parliamentary rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the College Republicans, when necessary, in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution or inconsistent with the Constitution or Bylaws of the Iowa Federation of College Republicans or those of the College Republican National Committee.

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