Club Constitution

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Name

Discussion Club (DC)

Purpose & Objectives

This club is an avenue where people seeking answers can come together and search for them. Such topics include philosophy, political science, psychology, history, ethics, law, religion, and other fields from the humanities and social sciences. This club may not cater towards STEM fields, but it is not closed to them. In fact, we encourage students from different fields and different walks of life to participate so that all can benefit from listening to diverse perspectives. If you have any deep questions that have been troubling you, or theories you want scrutinized, feel free to state your thoughts in this club and listen to what others have to say. Hopefully you will receive something meaningful out of it.

Meetings will be held once a month, during the first day of the month designated by members. The discussions will include either a conversation regarding an issue announced beforehand. Meetings will last 2 hours in a seminar-like manner.

This club is predicated upon respect for civil discourse and as such, everything is up for discussion. Members cannot hinder the spirit of this club by performing activities with intent to obstruct others from practicing in civil discourse [details under Termination of Membership].

2. Membership

Membership to the group is open to all the University of Toronto members (students, staff, faculty and alumni). U of T club members are permitted to run, nominate, and vote in elections and constitutional amendments. The group is open to non-U of T members. However, these members do not hold the aforementioned rights and will be considered pre-members. There is no membership fee.

In order to become a member, those interested must read the club constitution, agree to abide by it, and respect the club’s constitution. Afterwards, they must attend one meeting and sign up for membership through the club website.

Members are allowed to run for executive positions in elections, offer suggestions for the benefit of the club, aid in club activities and events including advertising events, participate in upholding the club’s financial health, hold voting power during the termination of membership of a club member, and hold voting power on the issue of constitutional amendments.

3. Termination of Membership

Although termination of membership is extremely rare, it is still possible. It is used as a last resort to solve issues that negatively impact the club, its interests, and its spirit. Any member of the club who commits an act negatively affecting the interests of the club and its members may be given notice of removal. Termination can be possible upon failure to disclose a significant or continuing conflict of interest, engaging in physically violent behaviour, purposefully failing to complete a critical duty that the person was understood to have taken responsibility for, and acting in a way contrary to the values/spirit of the club. Acting against the spirit of club essentially means to disrespect civil discourse. Such behaviour includes but is not limited to: talking over others, causing a raucous, raising voices, verbosity, and putting down other people’s opinions in a manner that resembles bullying. It will be up to the club to decide, when this behaviour is shown, whether or not its intent is to obstruct other people’s opportunity to engage in civil discourse.

After witnessing such an occurrence, executives will discuss amongst themselves whether a person is eligible for removal. If they determine that the person has acted in a way that justifies membership termination, they will contact the person and schedule a meeting with them during an Executive Meeting. At the Executive Meeting, the executives will inform the person of their intent, lay out their justifications and evidence, and formally ask the person for an explanation for why the person should not be removed including a justification and/or apology for their actions. If the person does not provide a good enough justification, does not disprove the allegations, does not appear sincere in his apology, or performed an activity beyond the realm of repentance, the executives will terminate their membership. The member will have the right to an appeal before the general membership if he demands it at the end of the Executive Meeting, and the general membership will have the final say on the matter.

The charge will be laid in front of club members during an Annual General Meeting. An executive will inform the club of the identity of the person who is to be terminated and provide reasons with evidence for why the person should be removed including relaying the relevant incident(s). At that point, the accused will have the opportunity to defend himself in front his peers. Afterwards, a majority vote of the current members present in favor of removal will be required in order to terminate the person’s membership.

Upon termination of membership, the ex-member will be removed from the club’s membership and will lose all member privileges. They will also be ineligible to participate as a pre-member.

Executive members are subject to the same termination or impeachment process and, as determined by the vote, may lose their executive position along with their membership to the group.

4. Meetings

There are 3 types of meetings.

A) General Sessions (GS)

General Sessions consist of regular club activities outlined under Purpose and Objectives. GS will be held once a month in a location approved or provided by Ulife or UTSU and will be structured in a seminar-like fashion. Due to the Covid pandemic, meetings will most-likely take place via online platforms. General Sessions will mostly be up to 2 hours long and organized by the executives.

B) Annual General Meetings (AGMs):

The group shall hold an AGM at least once a year. The Executive Committee will announce these dates one week prior to holding the meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to inform the club of any significant developments and come to a decision by democratic means. Issues include going over the group’s annual activity plan, financial health, proposals or votes on constitutional amendments, and deciding on terminating a member’s membership. These sorts of matters can be scheduled on a day aside from the weekly GS and members are expected to attend. Smaller matters like hearing ideas about how the club can improve, planning club events, and overall housekeeping matters can occur during the start of monthly GS. Motions will require a majority of registered members in attendance for a vote to be cast. The motion with the most votes will be passed.

C) Executive Meetings:

The executive committee shall meet several times a month in preparation for GS and for other administrative purposes such as advertising, club membership, financial matters, constitutional amendments, transferring executive positions through elections, maintaining contact with Ulife and UTSU, etc.

5. Finances

Although this club is not expected to take part in matters that require excessive funding or exorbitant financial endeavours, members may be encouraged to contribute in funding occasional activities or projects related to advertising or improving the experience of weekly sessions.

The Treasurer shall keep records of all income and expenses. The Treasurer shall present the group’s financial health at the annual general meetings. The Executive Committee will vote on expenditures of over $100.00 by majority vote at an executive meeting.

The group’s executive or members may not engage in activities that are essentially commercial in nature. This is not intended to preclude the collection of membership fees to cover the expenses of the group, or of charges for specific activities, programs or events, or to prohibit groups from engaging in legitimate fundraising. However, the group will not have as a major activity a function that makes it an on-campus part of a commercial organization, will not provide services and goods at a profit when that profit is used for purposes other than those of the organization, and will not pay salaries to some or all of its officers.

6. Executive Positions

The President shall:

Oversee the operations, management, success, and vision of the group
Be the spokesperson for the group
Hold signing officer authority along with the Treasurer for financial purposes
Preside over executive meetings as well as general meetings
Aid executives in their tasks
Ensure transition of office to the future Executives

The Vice-President shall:

Assume duties of the President in his/her absence
Oversee the various committees
Ensure that all the activities of the club meet regulations and policies of the University of Toronto
Coordinate organizational recruitment efforts
Book meeting locations

The Secretary shall:

Make a list of all registered members and update the mailing list
Keep attendance

Record notes and motions for meetings
Notify all members of meetings
Handle official correspondence of the organization

The Treasurer shall:

Record all financial transactions of the group
Hold signing officer authority along with the President for financial purposes
Maintain a budget of income and expenses along with receipts
Advise members on financial position of the group
Prepare an annual budget for the group as well as budgets for specific events

The Outreach Coordinator shall:

Manage advertising projects
Email potential collaborators including clubs, professors, and organizations
Communicate with the Treasurer and President extensively to review the club’s financial situation
Present ideas to Executives and Members
Be present at all outreach events

Social Media Director

Responsible for creating or maintaining existing social media platforms
Provide weekly updates which (at the very least) must include details about upcoming meetings
Should reach out to other clubs and associations working with DC, including forwarding their advertisements
Shall run all posts through the President before officially posting them on the page

The group may appoint Directors or Coordinators for various committees such as social committee, publicity committee, and so on; however, such positions do not hold executive decision-making authority.

Roles may be shifted among executives at the discretion of the President.

In the event of the three founders being unable to fulfil their duties as executives, they may form a consultative body whose aim is to uphold the spirit of the club. The founding President holds persuasive say in regards to the management of the club.

7. Elections

The executive committee shall strike the Elections Committee and appoint (with their consent) one (1) Chief Returning Officer (CRO) and two (2) Scrutinizers from the membership on the committee to conduct and hold elections in October. This will be done by October 1st. All members of the Elections Committee shall be non-biased in the results of the election and shall be required to disclose any and all conflicts of interest in the election. To guarantee the elimination of some biased, the CRO and Scrutinizers will not be allowed to run for executive offices.

The CRO Returning Officer shall accept nominations only from group members that are also registered U of T members (staff, faculty, students and alumni) for candidacy of executive positions from members before the beginning of October. Candidates and nominators have to be members in good standing and be members of the group for at least 4 General Sessions as a Member in the previous school term/year (fall and winter terms).

The CRO shall select three (3) election dates from October 1st - November 1st for the voting period. These dates will be announced in a minimum of two (1) week prior to elections dates and must fall on weekdays. The CRO and Scrutinizers shall provide each U of T member with a paper ballot on the voting dates and ask the member to place their ballot in an enclosed box.

In preparation for a tie, the CRO shall select the President to cast their ballot and seal it in an envelope. In the event of a tie for an executive position, one of the two Scrutinizers shall break the seal and count the ballot in order to break the tie.

After the election is over, the CRO and Scrutinizers shall count the ballots. The candidate with the most votes shall be elected to the position. The CRO and Scrutinizers shall submit a report of the results of the elections to the Executive Committee and general members.

Registered U of T members may not vote by proxy. Non-U of T members may not nominate or vote in elections. Only U of T members who have been a member in good standing for 4 General Sessions as a Member in the previous school term/year (fall and winter terms) are eligible for voting. Term of executive positions shall be from November 1st to September 30th.

8. Constitutional Amendments

Any registered U of T club Members may propose and vote on amendments to this constitution. The Executive Committee will first discuss the amendment and if 3/5 decide that the amendment should be implemented, it will be taken to the club members. Executives will administer the process of having amendments discussed at general meetings.

Constitutional amendments shall require a 2/3 majority to be passed at an Annual General Meeting by registered U of T club members in attendance.

The Executive Committee shall formally adopt the new constitution and submit the revised constitution to the respective University offices (i.e. The Office of Student Life, The University of Toronto Students’ Union, etc) within two (2) weeks of its approval by general members.

STATUTUM ET ORDINATUM EST.

JURO EGO.