Constitution of the Unix Users Group
October 25, 1999
Authored by David Wilburn,
As Amended, May 1, 2003.
Article I - Name
1. This organization shall be called the James Madison University Unix Users
Group. The Unix Users Group is also referred to as the UUG.
Article II - Purpose
1. This organization is devoted to users of the Unix computer operating system.
Its mission:
1. To promote Unix awareness and knowledge, and
2. To provide a means of communication between persons having interest in
the Unix operating system.
Article III - Membership
1. Any member of the JMU student body or faculty or staff who has not previously
been revoked membership in the Unix Users Group, may upon request and
payment of dues become a voting member of this organization.
2. Members have the right to one vote in all elections put to membership vote.
Members have the right to nominate officer candidates in annual election
meetings. Members have the right to attend all meetings and events of the
organization. Members have the right to request meeting minutes from the
Secretary.
3. A member who attends less than 3/4 of the scheduled meetings may be
revoked membership, by a majority vote of the Executive Council.
4. Membership in this organization is open to all JMU students and will not be
restricted on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, national
origin, race, religion, sexual orientation or political affiliation.
5. Membership may be revoked by a 3/4 majority vote of the members of this
organization for any reasons consistent with the anti-discrimination policies
outlined above.
Article IV - Officers
1. The officers of this chapter shall be the President, Vice President,
Secretary, and Treasurer. Each officer must be a member in good standing of
the organization, and a full-time student in good academic standing at James
Madison University.
2. The officers shall be elected at the annual election meeting. They shall take
office immediately after the election meeting and serve until their successors
take office at the end of the next election meeting.
3. Any member who has served in the office of President may not hold either the
office of President or Vice-President during the year immediately following
their presidency.
4. Vacancies in any office other than President caused by resignation, removal or
disability shall be filled by majority vote of the Executive Council. If the
office of President is so vacated, the Vice-President shall immediately assume
that office, and the Executive Council shall then fill the vacant office of
Vice-President.
5. Officers of this organization may be removed from office by a 3/4 vote of all
members. Grounds for removal from office shall be:
1. Loss of membership in this organization,
2. Loss of good academic standing at JMU, or
3. Gross negligence of duties.
Article V - Duties of Officers
1. The President shall preside at all meetings of this organization and of its
Executive Council.
2. The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in the event of
the President's absence. The Vice-President shall assume those duties of the
President that are so delegated by the President.
3. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all chapter meetings and Executive
Council meetings. The Secretary must deliver, in electronic form, meeting
minutes to any member who requests said minutes within one week of the
request. The Secretary shall be responsible for organization publicity, and all
electronic media of the organization.
4. The Treasurer shall collect dues and maintain membership records and access
to official communications channels. The Treasurer shall maintain all financial
records, and shall counter-sign with the President, Vice-President, or Faculty
Adviser all financial transactions.
Article VI - Faculty Adviser
1. The Faculty Adviser shall be selected by the Executive Council immediately
following the annual election meeting by majority vote.
2. The Faculty Adviser shall:
1. Help provide continuity from year to year as student leadership and
personnel change,
2. Promote good student-faculty relationships,
3. Help maintain university standards in all activities of the
organization,
4. Exercise financial supervision if necessary by:
1. Promoting prompt payment of bills and collection of dues, and
2. Overseeing the settlement of all accounts in the event of
dissolution of this chapter, and
5. Represent the organization's interests to the faculty and
administration.
3. The Faculty Adviser shall be a member in good standing of the organization.
4. The Faculty Adviser may be removed from office by a 3/4 vote of all members.
Grounds for removal from office shall be:
1. Loss of membership in this organization,
2. Separation of employment from the university, or
3. Gross negligence of duties.
5. Vacancies in the office Faculty Adviser shall be filled by the Executive
Council.
6. The Faculty Adviser shall be a full-time faculty/staff member of JMU. The
Faculty Adviser will assume those responsibilities as outlined in this
constitution and/or found in University Policy No. 3101 entitled "Faculty
Advisers to Student Organizations." The policy can also be found on the JMU
homepage. Refer to For the JMU Community/For Employees (series 3000)/
Policy Manual #3101.
Article VII - Executive Council
1. The Executive Council shall consist of the officers and the Faculty Adviser.
The Executive Council shall meet and select the Faculty Adviser immediately
following the annual Election Meeting.
2. Except as otherwise provided in this constitution, the Executive Council shall
act for this chapter in all matters except election of officers at the annual
election meeting and amendment of this constitution. Minutes of all Executive
Council meetings shall be available for the inspection by any member of this
chapter and shall be filed with the chapter records.
3. Meetings of the Executive Council shall be called by the President at his or
her discretion or upon request of any member of the Executive Council.
Article VIII - Meetings
1. The annual election meeting shall be held in the month of April of every year.
1. Nominations may be made from the floor by any member.
2. After nominations are closed, the members present may vote.
3. A majority of the votes cast for any office is necessary for election to
that office.
4. In the case that a majority vote was not obtained by any candidate
seeking a particular office, the faculty adviser shall choose the
officer from the list of nominees.
2. There shall be at least six meetings per year.
3. Electronic notices shall be distributed to all members at least one week prior
to any meeting.
4. A quorum consists of a simple majority of the membership plus at least one
officer. Robert's Rules of Order (Newly Revised) shall govern the meetings.
5. The Executive Council may put topics up for vote through electronic means.
Annual elections, annual dues setting, membership revocation, officer removal,
and faculty adviser removal may not be voted upon in this matter. The
following procedure shall be used for electronic votes:
1. The Executive Council shall decide upon the topic to be voted upon.
2. The Secretary shall deliver an announcement of the topic electronically
to all members, including instructions for voting.
3. Each member may cast one vote electronically, as per the instructions.
4. The Secretary shall close the vote one week after its announcement and
shall deliver the results of the vote electronically to all members,
including a listing of how each member voted. If less than a majority of
the members voted, then the results of the election are rejected.
6. Rulings on any point of procedure not included in this constitution shall be
made by the President with approval of the Faculty Adviser.
7. Any meeting may be open to non-members, at the President's discretion.
Article IX - Finances
1. Disbursements from the Treasury for organization expenditures shall be made
under the authorization of the Executive Council and be included in the
minutes of that meeting.
2. Annual dues shall be established upon recommendation of the Executive
Council and approved by a majority vote of the members present at any
organization meeting, providing that the notice for the meeting included this as
an item of business.
Article X - Amendments
1. Amendments to this constitution shall be made in the following manner:
1. The proposed amendment shall be submitted in writing and read at a
regularly announced meeting.
2. The proposed amendment shall be distributed to the membership in
electronic form with notice of a subsequent meeting at which the
amendment will be considered.
3. At the designated meeting the amendment shall be read again, discussed,
and voted upon. In order to adopt the amendment, a vote of 2/3 of the
membership is necessary.
4. The Committee on Club Recognition must approve all amendments to this
constitution.
Article XI - Ratification
1. The constitution shall become effective upon approval by a 3/4 vote from the
membership, the Commission of Student Services and the President of James
Madison University.
Amendment I - Administration of Unix Users Group Systems
1. The UUG Systems Administrator shall be selected by the Executive Council,
with the advice of the current Systems Administrator, immediately following the
annual election meeting.
2. The UUG Systems Administrator shall:
1. Provide direct means of contact to all Unix Users Group members and
system users.
2. Handle account requests in a timely fashion.
3. Make reasonable effort that UUG systems be updated and secure at all
times.
4. Be the liason between the Executive Council and JMU Network Services.
5. Assist the UUG and/or Executive Council in matters related to UUG
Systems.
3. The UUG Systems Administrator may be removed by a 3/4 vote of the
Executive Council for:
1. Loss of membership in the Unix Users Group.
2. Negligence of duties.
Amendment II - Group Communications
1. The Unix Users Group official means of communication shall be the web-based
forum provided by JMU for UUG use.
2. Full access will be provided to all members to the web-based forums.
3. Services provided by the UUG.
1. Access to any mailing lists or other non-official communications
provided as a service by the UUG will be open to the public, and free of
charge.
2. Subscribers to such services may be removed at the disgression of the
administrator of that service for reasons including:
1. Illegal activities or harassment of other members.
2. Misuse of resources.
3. Administrators of public services may be appointed and removed by a 3/4
vote of Executive Council.