University of Vermont Inter-Residence Association Constitution Article I Name A. The name of this organization shall be the University of Vermont Inter-Residence Association. The organization shall be hereinafter referred to as IRA and the institution shall hereinafter be referred to as UVM B. The sub-parts of IRA shall be know as Residence Hall Councils and shall hereinafter be referred to as RHC and National Residence Hall Honorary, which shall hereinafter be referred to as NRHH Article II Statement of Purpose A. To act as a liaison between the campus residents of UVM and administrative offices at UVM B. To represent and defend the rights of the UVM campus residents C. To maintain and upgrade the quality of life on campus by: 1. Providing appropriate services and programming to meet residential students’ needs 2. Reviewing and initiating Department of Residential Life policies 3. Administering IRA funds in a fair and equitable manner E. To serve as the unifying body, that brings together the residential campuses at UVM F. To offer support and provide financial management to each sub-part of IRA Article III Membership A. All UVM students living in any of the residence halls shall be considered members of IRA B. Resident Advisors (RA) are not eligible to serve on the Executive Board Article IV The Executive Board Section 1: Executive Board Member Duties A. The Executive Board will serve in a facilitative role and has the ability to make executive decisions if needed B. The Executive Board should consist of the following seven positions: President, Vice President and Treasurer, Director of Public Relations, National Communications Coordinator, Director of Community Service and Educational Programming, Director of Social Programming, and Director of Student Advocacy C. The IRA Executive Board members from the previous academic year have the option of running for Executive Board positions for the following academic year D. The Executive Board shall meet periodically as determined through a standards process E. The Executive Board shall establish, for a specific time, ad-hoc committees as it deems necessary F. The Executive Board shall advocate on behalf of the on campus student population G. Members shall have voting rights at Executive Board Meetings Section 2: Duties of the Executive Officers
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A. All Members a. All members will attend Executive Board and General Board meetings b. All members will hold positions from the May of their election to May of the following academic year; subject to review c. All members shall review and sign a contract of code, conduct and accountability d. All members will receive $475 in compensation on Cat Scratch and a membership to Wright Fitness Center per semester of participation e. In the event that a member leaves or is terminated before the end of the semester, the decision regarding the compensation will remain at the discretion of the other Executive Board members and the advisors f. All members will be flexible and willing to serve on committees g. All members will work closely with the IRA advisors h. All members will hold a weekly one-on-one meeting with their advisor B. President a. Preside over all Executive Board meetings b. Preside over all General Body meetings c. Serve as the spokesperson for IRA d. Plan all agendas for Executive Board and General Body meetings; e. Oversee and provide training to the Executive Board f. Coordinate policy proposals and issues which affect IRA with the Department of Residential Life/Student Affairs, etc. g. Provide recognition to the Executive Board and the General Body h. Serve as IRA’s representative on the Residential Life Leadership Development Committee and help to plan Leadership Development Committee events i. Meet regularly with IRA Executive Board members one on one as they see fit j. Communicate with Regional RHA (IRA) Presidents k. Communicate with the Executive Board, General Body, Residential Life, other Student Organizations, Student Affairs, and other University entities as necessary l. Attend and prepare for NACURH, NEACURH, and Mini-No-Frills Conferences m. Attend sub-regional meetings when possible n. IRA Appointee to the Dining Services Advisory Board o. IRA Appointee to the Board of Trustee’s Student Trustee Selection Committee C. Vice President and Treasurer a. Assumes the responsibilities of the president in the event of their absence b. IRA Appointee to the Board of Trustee’s Student Trustee Selection Committee c. Assist the President in coordinating policy proposals and issues which affect IRA with the Department of Residential Life/Student affairs, etc d. Assist the President with communication and advocacy between the Executive Board, General Body, Residential Life, other student organizations, Student Affairs, and other University entities as necessary e. Meet with the IRA Executive Board Members one on one as they sees fit f. Shall set the IRA Budget for the academic year by the start of the school year g. Responsible for maintaining accurate and up to date records of the organization’s income and expenses h. Shall submit and present budget updates to the IRA Executive Board and General Body at their first meeting of each month 2
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Responsible for preparing and delivering all purchasing forms as needed. Responsible for ensuring that all bills, invoices, transfers, reimbursements, and co sponsorships are paid on time k. Shall work with each IRA Executive Board member to meet their budget needs and ensure their respective budgets are balanced l. IRA Appointee to the Dining Services Advisory Board
D. Director of Community Service & Education Programming a. Chair the Community Service and Educational Programming Committee b. Recruit and appoint members to the Community Service and Educational Programming Committees c. Plan the Community Service and Educational Programming Committee meeting agendas d. Work with committees to develop programming e. Program around special issues, awareness issues, and quality of life concerns; f. Develop, plan and execute a minimum of two campus wide programs during their term of office g. Coordinate community service and educational program and events h. Make proper arrangements for event space and scheduling i. Meet with members of the Student Life staff as necessary j. Shall be fiscally responsible with their budget. k. Communicate with other student organizations, on-campus resources, non-profit and educational organizations l. Prepare program presentations for NACURH/NEACURH/Mini-No-Frills Conferences as necessary m. General Body and community service participation n. Make IRA General Body and RHCs aware of other opportunities for community service on campus o. Shall preside over all Committee for Educational Programming and Community Service meetings p. Shall serve as the spokesperson for this committee E. Director of Public Relations a. Write, compose or create any publicity and other materials (letters, posters, advertisements, etc.) as requested b. Develop a year-round plan for the organization’s public relations c. Take minutes at all Executive Board and General Body meetings d. Communicate minutes to the Executive Board and General Body via email e. Keep records of attendance and ensure that General Body members comply with the attendance policy outline in their code, conduct and accountability contracts. f. Encourage compliance with attendance policy by contacting community councils and members about attendance status and informing members of attendance policies g. Determine whether or not there is quorum in conjunction with another Executive Board member when necessary h. Prepare, contact and sign-up sheets for meetings as necessary; i. Catalog communication between General Body and Executive Board 3
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Maintain a directory of all current RHC members, and all current IRA representatives Ensure that the IRA website is kept up to date; monitor the IRA list serve Maintain the public relations budget Delegate the task of taking minutes in the event that they must miss a meeting Chair the Public Relations Committee Plan the Public Relations Committee meeting agendas Shall preside over all Public Relations Committee Shall serve as the spokesperson for the Public Relations Committee meetings Shall Be fiscally responsible with their budget
F. Director of Social Programming a. Recruit and appoint members to the Social Programming Committee b. Plan the Social Programming Committee’s meeting agenda c. Work with committee to implement on-campus programming to meet the needs of the on-campus student population d. Responsible for social programming including but not limited to developing a programming calendar, all programming logistics and details and ensuring that programming meets the needs of the on-campus student population e. Develop, plan and execute a minimum of two campus wide programs each semester f. Make proper arrangements for event space and scheduling; g. Meet with Student Life, Residential Life and other campus staff as necessary; h. Work collaboratively with the IRA Vice President and Treasurer to maintain a balanced social programming budget i. Communicate clearly and effectively with IRA Executive Board, Community Action Boards, student organizations, Residential Life staff and other entities as deemed necessary j. Prepare program presentations for NACURH/NEACURH/Mini-No-Frills Conferences as necessary k. Shall preside over all Social Programming Committee meetings l. Shall serve as the spokesperson for the Social Programming Committee m. Shall Chair the Social Programming Committee n. Shall plan agendas for the Social Programming Committee G. Director of Student Advocacy a. Shall preside over all Student Advocacy Committee meetings b. Shall set initiatives for the Student Advocacy Committee c. Shall meet with administrators of Residential Life at least once per semester to update the committee progress d. Shall meet with administrators of Residential Life to discuss relevant proposals e. Shall facilitate any implemented programs that regard student concerns, suggestions, or thoughts f. Shall meet with an IRA advisor once a week to give updates and set initiatives g. Shall serve on the Student Legislation of Residential Life] ( this is still in its proposal stages) 4
h. Shall oversee the membership to the Student Advocacy Committee i. Shall plan, execute, and develop a minimum of two campus wide open forums during his or her term j. Shall serve as the IRA representative on the Resident Advisor Board H. National Communications Coordinator (NCC) a. Ensure that affiliation with NACURH is maintained by filing the NIC Report, paying dues on time and resubmitting the affiliation form b. Train the Executive Board and General Body on the use of the Resource File Index (RFI), National Information Center (NIC) c. Communicate with NEACURH via the NCC listserv and forum d. Stay informed, familiar and up to date with the Regional policy book and legislation e. Select and prepare regional and national conference delegations; f. Attend regional and national conferences g. Attend sub-regional meetings when possible h. Lead regional and national conference delegations when attending conferences i. Prepare and coordinate bid proposals and initiatives j. Represent The University of Vermont at NACURH/NEACURH related meetings k. Submit articles for regional newsletters l. Share NEACURH newsletters with the General Body m. Educate the Executive Board and General Body about NEACURH, NACURH, and policy and legislation changes as deemed necessary Article V Elections and Appointments
Section 1: Election Process A. Elections for IRA Executive Board positions shall be held within the first three weeks of April for the following academic year B. This process shall begin after spring break each spring semester C. All residents living with the residential halls at UVM are eligible to vote in IRA Executive Board elections D. It is the responsibility of the IRA Advisors to conduct the IRA elections each spring. E. At the end of the election process, the incoming and outgoing members of the executive board are required to participate in a transitional meeting F. All candidates are to be elected by an open election process Section 2: Candidates A. All candidates must submit a letter of intent and the candidate information packet to the IRA advisors prior to running B. All candidates must abide by the campaign rules set out in the IRA Executive Board packet C. All candidates must live in a residential complex at UVM and meet the GPA requirement set by IRA during their term of office Section 3: Appointments A. At the beginning of the academic year, any open positions may be filled by appointment of the Executive Board
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Article VI IRA Reps Section 1: Membership of Reps A. Reps shall be appointed by their respective RHC B. A minimum of 2 Reps must be appointed per RHC C. A maximum of 4 Reps may be appointed by the RHC Section 2: Duties of Reps A. The legislative authority of IRA is vested in the IRA Reps. B. IRA Reps shall approve all bills, rules, funding requests, amendments to the constitution and resolutions pertaining to IRA. C. All bills, rules and resolutions may be voted upon and enacted when quorum has been achieved as defined in Article XI of the IRA constitution. D. Shall attend all General Body meetings during their term. E. Shall choose one committee to participate within the first two general body meetings of the academic year. Article VII Sub-parts of IRA
Section 1: RHC Statement of Purpose A. Each residential complex at UVM has a RHC which is charged with: A. Acting as the student voice for all members of the residential community within a particular complex. B. Coordinating social and educational activities for all members of the complex community. C. Spending RHC funds in ways which best benefit all residents of the complex. Recognizing and awarding the achievements of members of the complex community. D. Working closely with IRA to best serve all residential students at UVM. Section 2: RHC Membership A. Any student residing in a particular complex at UVM is eligible to become a member of their respective RHV. B. Each floor in the complex is strongly encouraged to have at least one resident join their respective CAB. C. Any attendance policies are up to the discretion of the board members within each RHC. The attendance policy for IRA lReps is stated in Article VI, Section II. Section 3: Resident Advisors (RA) A. RAs are considered residents of a living community. B. RAs are not eligible to hold any officer position on RHC C. RAs hold voting rights at RHC except where a conflict of interest is present between a single RA or the RA staff and the item to be voted on. In the instance where a conflict of interest is present, the RA must abstain from voting. Section 4: Duties of Residence Hall Council officers. A. All members
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1. RHC will consist of the three following positions at the very least but may add additional officers as deemed necessary. 2. Will attend Leadership workshops hosted by IRA. 3. Will hold a term of office for one academic year from September to May. 4. Will attend all RHC and officer meetings. B. (Co-) Chairs 1. Will create agendas and lead RHC meetings and officer meetings. 2. Will work closely with the Resident Directors (RD) and Assistant Resident Directors (ARD) to implement programs and initiatives of their complex. 3. Will communicate regularly with the IRA Executive Board. 4. Will serve as a liaison from the RHC to other organizations as necessary. 5. Will coordinate in-complex recognition activities. E. Financial Manager 1. Will work with the RD and ARD to monitor the RHC budget. 2. Will coordinate in-complex program funding requests. 3. Will create monthly budget reports to present to the RHC. F. IRA Rep(s) 1. Have the option of attending RHC meetings. 2. Will attend all IRA meetings and adhere to the IRA attendance policy found in Article VI, Section II. 3. Will vote on behalf of the complex at IRA meetings, representing community views. I. Resident Advisor (RA) Liaison(s) 1. Will attend all RHC meetings. 2. Will relay information between the Residential Staff and Residence Hall Council. 3. Will vote on behalf of the RAs at RHC meetings. Section 5: RHC Election Procedures A. Residence Hall Councils shall follow the election or appointment standards and procedures as deemed appropriate by RHC members in the beginning of the academic year. Section 6: RHC Funding A. The budget of each RHC shall be determined as described in Article XIII, Section I of the IRA Constitution. Section 7: NRHH Statement of Purpose A. Recognizes the top %1 of leaders through commitment to leadership development, service to the community and recognition in Residential Life. Section 8: NRHH Membership A. Must have resided in the University of Vermont residence halls for at least one year prior to their active membership. B. Candidates shall have exhibited outstanding leadership and service to the residence halls. C. Candidates shall have a minimum grade point average of at least a 2.5 out of a 4.0 scale D. Candidates must be in good academic standing with the University of Vermont E. Any current Resident Advisor must have contributed beyond their capacity of regular duties 7
Section 9: NRHH Funding A. The budget for the organization shall be determined by the IRA Vice President and Treasurer. ARTICLE VIII Selection of IRA Executive Board Officers Section 1: Election Eligibility A. Any resident student of the University of Vermont is eligible to become a candidate for an IRA Executive Board position, provided that: 1. They will remain an undergraduate for the term elected. 2. The candidate will remain a residential student for the term elected. 2. The candidate is eligible for participation in student activities under University regulations. 3. The candidate has a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or greater. 4. The candidate must not hold a Resident Advisor position for the term elected. Section 2: Election Procedures A. Elections will be held according to Article V Section I of the IRA Constitution. B. Candidates for Executive Board positions may be nominated by any UVM affiliate and have the option to accept or decline their nomination. C. Candidates shall state their qualifications and positions on issues facing residential students prior to elections. D. All residential students are eligible to vote for Executive Board officers. E. Voting shall be done by secret ballot with the officers chosen by majority vote. F. Any Executive Board positions that are not filled by the close of the academic year will be filled according to Article V Section III. G. In the event that any Executive Board member resigns, is terminated or is impeached during the academic year, the position will be filled at the discretion of the General Body via election. ARTICLE IX Removal of Executive Board Officers
Section 1: Impeachment A. Written petitions to impeach any member of the Executive Board may be brought to the IRA Executive Board on the grounds of incompetence, ineligibility, dishonesty, or action in violation of the IRA Constitution, UVM policy or contract of code, conduct and accountability. The petition must cite specific examples of the officer's failure to fulfill their duties. B. Any petition for impeachment shall be directed to the IRA advisor(s). C. A meeting of the Executive Board shall convene after the notification of impeachment is made. Executive Board officers shall determine if there is significant evidence present to bring the charges to the IRA General Body. If the case proceeds, it will move to the IRA General Body, and the officer facing impeachment shall be given an opportunity to present their case.
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D. The IRA General Body shall be given the opportunity to vote on the impeachment of the Board, and a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all IRA reps shall be required for the completion of impeachment and immediate removal of the officer. E. Should an officer be impeached, their position shall be filled via emergency election by the General Body. Section 2: GPA Requirement A. In the event that any Executive Officer has a semester GPA less than a 2.5, they will be asked to resign from their office. B. Should an officer resign due to a low GPA refer to Article VIII Section II. Section 3: Resignation A. Executive Officers may resign their positions by submitting a written statement of intent to the IRA Advisor. B. An exit interview with the IRA Advisors shall be required. C. If an officer resigns, their position will be filled via emergency election according to Article VIII Section II. Article X Committees
Section 1: Formation of Committees A. There shall be four main committees within the General Body: Student Advocacy Committee, Public Relations Committee, Social Programming Committee, and the Educational Programming and Community Service Committee. B. IRA Reps shall select a committee to join within the first two General Body meetings C. The IRA Executive Board members shall oversee their respective committees as outlined in their job duties. D. Ad-hoc committees may be formed as necessary by the Executive Board or General Body and will be chaired by an appointed member of the respective board or body by the respective body. Section 2: Committee Meetings A. Committees will meet as necessary, as determined by the committee chair and the Executive Board. B. Each committee shall present an update on committee status at General Body meetings Article XI Voting
Section 1: Vote Distribution A. Each IRA Rep shall have one (1) vote on all business matters in IRA. Section 2: Quorum A. Quorum is reached when at least three quarters (3/4) of the IRA Reps are present. B. Quorum is needed to conduct any business that requires voting. Section 3: Voting Procedure A. All actions of IRA requiring a vote shall pass by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote from all members present, with the exception of an amendment to the constitution, in which case a three fourths (3/4) is necessary. Article XII 9
Meeting Procedure
Section 1: General Etiquette A. Meetings shall be run according to Robert’s Rules of Order Section 2: Schedule A. The IRA General Body shall meet bi-weekly throughout the academic year, excluding University vacations and holidays. The times and locations of the meetings will follow those published on the IRA website and weekly agendas. Section 3: Agenda A. Each regularly scheduled meeting of the IRA General Body shall proceed according to the agenda created by the President. Section 4: Motions A. Motions may be presented either in written or spoken form. B. Discussion on a motion shall not exceed a time determined in advance by the President. C. The President shall reserve the right to end discussion and call for a vote. Article XIII Finances and Appropriations
Section 1: Funds Collected A. The IRA Activity Fee collected by the University shall be deposited in the IRA Central Account. B. Each academic semester, all residents shall pay fifteen ($15.00) dollars collected via the IRA Activity Fee. C. It shall be allocated in such a way that the IRA Central Account will receive seventy five (75) percent of the total funds collected, while RHC receives twenty five (25) percent of the total funds collected. Section 2: Fiscal Responsibility A. The IRA budget, as drafted by the Executive Board, is subject to approval by the General Body within three weeks of the first IRA General Body meeting of the academic year. B. All subsequent inter-budget reallocations are subject to the approval of the General Body, except where otherwise stated. Section 3: Funds Remaining A. Funds which remain in IRA accounts at the close of the fiscal year shall be rolled over into the appropriate accounts for the following fiscal year. B. Funds remaining in the accounts of the RHC at the end of the fiscal year shall be rolled over into the respective RHC accounts for the following fiscal year. ARTICLE XIV Advisors A. Assigned advisor from the Department of Residential Life shall be: a. Assistant Director of Residential Education b. Coordinator for Community and Leadership Development ARTICLE XV Amendments
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A. The Constitution will be reviewed and amended by the members of IRA at least every two (2) years or at the discretion of the Executive Board. B. Amendments may rise from the floor of the General Body and must follow the format described in Article XII, Section III of the IRA Constitution. C. An amendment must receive a three-fourths (3/4) approval from the General Body to pass. Amended: 9/18/2006 Approved: 10/10/2006 Amended: 2/14/2007 Amended: 10/5/2007 Amended: 4/23/2008
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