Constitution
PROBLEM CHILD
Date of origin: January 1987
Last Amendment: Spring 2001, USG Proceedings
Article I: Purpose
A. The purpose of Problem Child is to bi-annually publish the Problem Child Literary Magazine in conjunction with the Schreyer Honors College and to organize and support related functions. The purpose of Problem Child Literary Magazine is to offer an alternative medium for publication of poetry, prose, artworks, essays, and other creative media.
Article II: Membership
A. The membership shall be divided into active and associate members.
1. Active membership shall be defined as currently employed faculty, staff, and currently registered students attending one meeting per year.
2. Associate members shall be defined as anyone who is not currently employed faculty, staff, or currently registered students who attend one meeting and anyone submitting one piece of poetry, prose, artwork, essay, or other creative media.
B. The majority of the active members, that is 50%+, must be currently registered undergraduate students.
C. Only active members may hold office, vote, preside, officiate, or solicit funds on behalf of the organization.
D. Currently registered students must be admitted as an active member, assuming they attend one meeting.
E. The active membership shall contain at least twelve active members at all times.
F. Only currently employed faculty, staff, and currently registered students may be eligible for active membership.
G. Any member may be expelled from the organization by a majority vote (50%+1) of members. A quorum of at least five active members and one officer is needed for this vote to be held.
Article III: Officers
A. Only full time, officially registered students shall be eligible to serve as appointed or elected officers. Limitations are subject to USG Supreme Court approval.
B. Only active members who have served at least one semester on staff and one semester on the Editorial Board, or two semesters on the Editorial Board shall be eligible to serve as elected officers.
1. If there are not enough eligible candidates to fill the officer positions, this limitation may be waved.
C. There shall be two officers: the President and the Treasurer.
1. The President is the spokesperson for the organization and presides over all meetings during funding or organizational matters.
2. The Treasurer handles the finances and serves as the President when the President is unable to attend.
D. All officers serve for a term of one semester beginning the first academic day of a semester and ending the last academic day of a semester.
E. Filling unexpired vacancies of Officers.
1. Nominations are taken at the meeting following the vacancy. Elections also occur at this meeting.
2. A quorum needed to elect a new officer is at least five active members including at least one officer and one editor who are not the same person.
3. The majority to elect a new officer is 50%+1 of the active membership present at the meeting. If 50%+1 is not obtained by one of the candidates, the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes is eliminated and the active members shall vote again.
4. When nominations are being taken to fill unexpired terms, any member of the organization may nominate another member of the organization by simply raising his/her hand and indicating such when recognized.
F. Ideally, the two Co-Editors shall also serve as the two Officers, though this is not required.
Article IV: Co-Editors
A. Only full time, officially registered students shall be eligible to serve as Co-Editors. Limitations are subject to USG Supreme Court approval.
B. Only active members who have served at least one semester on staff and one semester on the Editorial Board, or two semesters on the Editorial Board shall be eligible to serve as editors.
1. If there are not enough candidates to fill the Co-Editor positions who desire the positions, this limitation may be waved.
C. There shall be two Co-Editors each semester, one returning editor and one new editor.
1. The Co-Editors preside over meetings involving submissions, layout and publication. They are responsible for bringing submissions to meetings, tallying voting on submissions, layout and publication.
2. There should always be one experienced editor at any one time if possible.
D. A Co-Editor shall be nominated by the Co-Editors of the previous semester or by one Co-Editor if there is an unexpired vacancy.
E. Each editorship shall consist of two semesters unless no active member desires the editorship or if there is no eligible candidate.
F. A Co-Editor may also serve concurrently as an officer, staff, Editorial Board, and Positions Containing Humorous Titles.
G. If both editorships become vacant, the editorship falls to the President and Vice President. If both editors were President and Vice President, nominations and elections shall be held as outlined in that section of the constitution.
Article V: Staff, Editorial Board, and Other Appointed Offices
A. Staff shall be defined as anyone attending two meetings concerning submissions per semester.
B. The Editorial Board shall be defined as anyone attending 75% of meetings concerning submissions per semester.
1. The editorial boards responsibilities include choosing cover art, editorial votes in ties concerning what goes in the magazine, and assists in layout.
C. Editors Emeriti shall be defined as anyone who has served as an editor in the past and remains on staff.
1. Editors Emeriti shall be advisors to the Editors concerning layout, publication, and voting on submissions.
D. The Co-Editors may also appoint further Positions Containing Humorous Titles if approved by the individual appointed as such.
E. Staff, Editorial Board, Editors Emeritus, and Positions Containing Humorous Titles may serve concurrently as an officer, staff, Editorial Board, Editors Emeritus, and Positions Containing Humorous Titles.
Article VI: Meetings
A. Problem Child will meet at least two times per semester. Generally, Problem Child will meet once per week.
B. Adequate advance notice in person, by phone, or via email of meetings must be given to all active members.
C. Regular meeting times shall be decided and/or changed by a 50%+1 majority of active members present at the meeting.
D. Emergency meetings concerning the organization or funding may be called by an Officer at any time but only if the matter cannot wait until the next meeting.
E. Emergency meetings concerning voting on submissions, layout, or publication may be called by a Co-Editor at any time but only if the matter cannot wait until the next meeting.
F. The Co-Editor or Officer calling the emergency meeting must contact all active members in person, by phone, or via email concerning the time and place of emergency meetings.
Article VII: General Voting
A. Only active members may vote.
B. The quorum needed for general voting is five active members including one Co-Editor and one Officer who are not the same person.
C. A majority is 50%+1 of the active membership present at the meeting, including one Co-Editor and one Officer.
D. Voting on submissions is separate from General Voting and shall be handled by the Co-Editors.
Article VIII: General Business Meetings
A. The quorum needed for the general conduct of business is five active members, including one Editor and one Officer who are not the same person.
B. Layout, publication, and voting on submissions are separate from General Business but may take place at the same meetings.
Article IX: Finances
A. All funds are to be deposited and handled through the Associated Student Activities (ASA) in 202 HUB.
B. This organization shall not collect dues.
C. Problem Child’s annual budget shall be prepared for the following year during the Spring semester.
D. Funds received from the Schreyer Honors College for the purpose of publication must go directly towards publication.
E. Expenses less than $50 may be approved by an agreement of one Co-Editor and one Officer.
F. A semester budget and productivity report should be submitted during the first month of the following semester to the Schreyer Honors College by the President as long as the SHC continues to be involved in the organization.
Article X: Advisor
A. This organization may retain an advisor if it desires.
B. The advisor shall be a Faculty or Staff member of the University community and shall sign a statement acknowledging his or her responsibilities and knowledge of the safety guidelines in place.
Article XI: Elections
A. Nominations and elections shall take place at least one month before the end of a semester.
B. The new terms of office begin the first meeting of the semester.
C. Election codes:
1. The quorum needed to conduct nominations and elections shall be five active members including one Editor and one Officer who are not the same person.
2. The majority needed to elect shall be 50%+1 of the active membership present at the meeting.
3. Any member may nominate an active member for any office by raising his/her hand at the appropriate time and being recognized by the presiding official. Next, the active members shall cast secret, written ballots for the candidate of their choice. Each active member shall have one vote per office.
4. Candidates may nominate themselves.
5. No one involved in conducting the elections may be an official candidate.
6. If 50%+1 cannot be obtained, the candidate with the lowest number of votes shall be dropped from consideration, and the active members shall vote again.
7. Voting for each office must be handled with separate votes. First shall be the President. Second shall be the Treasurer.
Article XII: Amendments
A. Amendments to this constitution may be introduced at the conclusion of any meeting by any active member.
B. Voting shall occur at the meeting following its introduction.
C. The quorum to introduce and vote on constitutional amendments shall be five active members including one Editor and one Officer who are not the same person.
D. The majority needed to pass a constitutional amendment shall be 50%+1 of the active membership present at the meeting.
E. If the amendment passes, it shall be sent to the USG Supreme Court for approval with the amendment taking effect following USG Supreme Court approval.
F. All amendments are subject to the approval of the USG Supreme Court.
Article XIII: Parliamentary Authority
A. Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised by Sarah Corbin Roberts shall be used in all cases not covered by this constitution.
Article XIV: Copies of the Constitution
A. Copies of this constitution shall be made available to anyone upon request.
Article XV: New Membership and Recruitment
A. Any and all new members will be given full disclosure during recruitment, including but not limited to the disclosure of:
1. New Membership Manual
2. Schedule of New Member Events and Activities
3. A list of responsibilities
4. A definition of personal rights, and a copy of the University Hazing policy, prescribed by Policies and Rules for Student Organizations. All of these documents will be available upon request by the USG Supreme Court.
B. All members, including but not limited to new members and recruits, reserve the right to refrain from participating in any activities without consequence, based upon personal values, or moral reserve as defined by the member.
C. Any and all interaction/activity between new members and/or members will be limited to guidelines stated by university policy, as well as local, state, and federal laws.
