University of Vermont Inter-Residence Association Constitution

University of Vermont Inter-Residence Association Constitution Ratified on February 25th, 2009 Article I Name Section 1: Names and abbreviations A. The name of this organization shall be the University of Vermont Inter-Residence Association.

B. This organization shall hereinafter be referred to as IRA and the institution shall hereinafter be referred to as UVM. C. Sub-parts of IRA consist of Residence Hall Councils and shall hereinafter be referred to as RHC. Article II Purpose Section 1: Objectives A. To act as a liaison between the campus residents of UVM and administrative offices at UVM. B. To represent and defend rights of the UVM campus residents.

C. To maintain and upgrade the quality of life on campus by: a. Providing appropriate service and programming to meet residential students’ needs. b. Reviewing and initiating Department of Residential Life policies. c. Administering IRA funds in a fair and equitable manner.

D. To serve as the unifying body, this brings together the residential campuses at UVM. E. To offer support and provide financial management to each RHC. Article III Membership Section 1: Definition A. All UVM students living in any of the residence halls and pay the IRA fee shall be considered members of IRA. B. Resident Advisors (RAs) are not eligible to serve on the Executive Board.

Article IV The Executive Board Section 1: Structure

1

A. Shall serve in a facilitative role and has the ability to make executive decisions if needed.

B. Shall consist of the following seven (7) positions: President, Vice President and Treasurer, Director of Student Advocacy, Director of Public Relations, Director of Social Programming, Director of Community Service and Educational Programming and the National Communications Coordinator.

C. Executive Board officers shall have the option of running for Executive Board positions for the following academic year.

D. Shall meet on a weekly basis as determined at the beginning of each academic year.

E. Shall establish, for a specific time, ad-hoc committees as it deems necessary.

F. Shall advocate on behalf of the UVM campus residents.

Section 2: Eligibility A. Must have at least a two point five (2.5) GPA to maintain an officer position.

B. Must reside in a University residence hall.

C. Must be a full-time undergraduate matriculated student at UVM. D. Must be a member of IRA. E. Must be eligible for participation in student activities under University regulations.

Section 3: Duties of all Executive Board officers A. Shall attend all Executive Board meetings as scheduled. a. The President shall be responsible for granting excused or unexcused absences. i. The President’s absence shall be excused only by the Advisors or the Vice President and Treasurer.

B. Shall attend all General Body meetings as scheduled. a. The President shall be responsible for granting excused or unexcused absences. i. The President’s absence shall be excused only by the Advisors or the Vice President and Treasurer.

C. Shall attend all IRA events. a. The President shall be responsible for granting excused or unexcused absences i. The President’s absence shall be excused only by the Advisors or the Vice President and Treasurer.

D. Shall hold their position from the date of election or appointment for one academic year. a. If appointed or elected after spring elections and appointments his or her term shall last until the end of the current academic year.

E. In the event of a resignation or impeachment: a. Compensation shall be prorated and the removed officer must pay back the difference between the starting compensation amount and the prorated amount.

F. Shall work closely with the IRA Advisors and meet on a weekly basis through the form of “one-on-ones”.

2

G. Shall abide by community standards that are set at the beginning of each academic year by the Executive Board.

H. Shall prepare presentations for NEACURH, Mini-No Frills and NACURH as deemed necessary Section 4: Specific role responsibilities A. President a. Shall preside over all Executive Board and General Body meetings. b. Plan all agendas for Executive Board and General Body meetings. c. Shall serve as the spokesperson for IRA. d. Shall represent all members of IRA to Residential Life. e. Shall represent IRA at University functions. f. Ensure the yearly establishment and fulfillment of IRA goals. g. Work a required five (5) hours of office hours a week. h. Shall be responsible for booking the General Body and Executive Board meeting spaces prior to the start of the academic year. i. Delegate responsibilities as necessary. j. Plan and execute all training and retreats in collaboration with the Committee on Community and Leadership Development. k. Shall provide training to all newly elected Executive Board officers. l. Maintain records of each Executive Board officer’s monthly update to compile for the successor of each respective Executive Board position. m. Shall coordinate policy proposals and issues which affect IRA with the Department of Residential Life and other administrative offices around campus. n. May veto any action of IRA within five (5) business days. o. Shall be responsible for notifying the General Body in the case of a Presidential veto. p. Provide recognition to the Executive Board and the General Body. q. Meet regularly with other Executive Board officers as he or she sees fit. r. Communicate with regional RHA Presidents as necessary. s. Communicate with the IRA Executive Board, General Body, Residential Life, other student organizations, Student Life, and other University entities as deemed necessary. t. Attend and help prepare for NACURH, NEACURH and Mini-No Frills. u. Attend sub-regional meetings when possible. v. Shall provide guidance and oversight of all sub-parts of IRA. w. Serve as a representative to the Residential Education Team Committee on Community and Leadership Development (CALD). x. Shall serve as a member to the Associated Directors for the Appointment of the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College Student Trustees, Inc. y. Shall serve on the Dining Services Advisory Board. z. Shall chair or co-chair the Constitution Revision Committee in conjunction with the Vice President and Treasurer.

B. Vice President and Treasurer a. Perform all duties of the President in his or her absence.

3

b. Assist the President with duties as necessary. c. Work a minimum of five (5) office hours a week. d. Shall oversee committee structure and communicate weekly with committee chairs within IRA. e. Shall oversee the IRA Rep elections process through communication with Hall Council Presidents and their respective Advisors. f. Shall be responsible for IRA General Body training and development. g. Shall be responsible for organizing a General Body retreat each semester. h. Shall be responsible for appointing IRA Reps to one of the four standing committees. i. Assist the President with coordinating policy proposals which affect IRA with the Department of Residential Life and other administrative offices around campus. j. Assist the President with communication and advocacy between the Executive Board, General Body, Student and Campus Life and other organizations. k. Meet regularly with other Executive Board officers as he or she sees fit. l. Shall set the IRA budget for the following academic year prior to the last General Body meeting in April of each academic year. m. Responsible for maintaining accurate and up to date records of the organization’s income and expenses. n. Shall submit and present budget updates to the IRA Executive Board and General Body at the first meeting of each month. o. Responsible for preparing and delivering all purchasing forms. p. Responsible for ensuring that all bills, invoices, transfers, re-imbursements and co-sponsorships are paid on time. q. Shall work with each Executive Board officer to meet their budget needs and ensure their respective budgets are balanced. r. Shall serve as a member to the Associated Directors for the Appointment of the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College Student Trustees, Inc. s. Shall oversee the maintenance of the IRA office through stocking supplies and ensuring cleanliness. t. Shall chair or co-chair the Constitution Revision Committee in conjunction with the President.

C. Director of Student Advocacy a. Chair the Student Advocacy Committee. b. Meet weekly with the Student Advocacy Committee. c. Create an agenda for all Student Advocacy Committee meetings. d. Work with committee to address on-campus issues that meet the needs of the on-campus student population. e. Shall be responsible for overseeing the development and execution of at least two campus wide forums, in conjunction with the Student Advocacy Committee, each academic year. f. Meet with Student Life, Residential Life and other campus staff as deemed necessary.

4

g. Communicate clearly and effectively with the IRA Executive Board, Residence Hall Councils, student organizations, Residential Life staff and other entities as deemed necessary. h. Make proper arrangements for event space and scheduling. i. Shall work with the IRA Vice President and Treasurer to maintain a balanced Student Advocacy budget. j. Be fiscally responsible with their budget. k. Shall work a minimum of three (3) office hours per week. l. Serve as a representative to the Dining Services Advisory Board. m. Shall educate and facilitate training sessions on legislation authorship to the General Body during the first month of each semester or when multiple IRA Reps have been elected.

D. Director of Public Relations a. Chair the Public Relations Committee. b. Meet weekly with the Public Relations Committee. c. Create an agenda for all Public Relations Committee meetings. d. Preside over all Public Relations Committee meetings. e. Write, compose or create any publicity and other materials (letters, posters, advertisements, etc.) as requested. f. Develop a year-round plan for the organization’s public relations. g. Take minutes at all Executive Board and General Body meetings. h. Communicate minutes to the Executive Board and General Body via email. i. Keep records of attendance. j. Determine whether or not there is quorum in conjunction with another Executive Board officer when necessary. k. Prepare contact and sign-up sheets for meetings as necessary. l. Catalog communication between the General Body and the Executive Board. m. Maintain a directory of all current RHC members and all current IRA Representatives. n. Ensure that the IRA website is kept up to date and moderate the IRA listserv. o. Delegate the task of taking minutes in the event that he or she must miss a meeting. p. Shall work with the IRA Vice President and Treasurer to maintain a balanced Public Relations budget. q. Be fiscally responsible with their budget. r. Shall work a minimum of three (3) office hours per week. s. Shall serve as the archivist of the organization.

E. Director of Social Programming a. Chair the Social Programming Committee. b. Meet weekly with Social Programming Committee. c. Preside over all Social Programming Committee meetings. d. Create an agenda for all Social Programming Committee meetings.

5

e. Shall be responsible for overseeing the development and execution of at least four campus wide programs, in conjunction with the Social Programming Committee, each academic year. f. Responsible for social programming including, but not limited to, developing a programming calendar and all programming logistics and details. g. Work with the committee to implement on-campus programming to meet the needs of the on-campus student population. h. Meet with Student Life, Residential Life and other campus staff as necessary. i. Communicate clearly and effectively with the IRA Executive Board, Residence Hall Councils, other student organizations, Residential Life staff and other entities as deemed necessary. j. Make proper arrangements for event space and scheduling. k. Shall work with the IRA Vice President and Treasurer to maintain a balanced Social Programming budget. l. Be fiscally responsible with their budget. m. Shall work a minimum of thee (3) office hours per week.

F. Director of Community Service and Educational Programming a. Chair the Community Service and Educational Programming Committee. b. Meet weekly with Community Service and Educational Programming Committee. c. Preside over all Community Service and Educational Programming Committee meetings. d. Create an agenda for all Community Service and Educational Programming Committee meetings. e. Program around special issues, awareness issues and quality of life concerns. f. Shall be responsible for overseeing the development and execution of at least two campus wide educational programs, in conjunction with the Community Service and Educational Programming Committee, each academic year. g. Shall plan and execute community service events in conjunction with the Community Service and Educational Programming Committee. h. Shall work with the IRA Vice President and Treasurer to maintain a balanced Community Service and Educational Programming budget. i. Be fiscally responsible with their budget. j. Communicate with other student organizations, on campus resources, nonprofit and educational organizations. k. Make the IRA General Body and RHC aware of their opportunities for community service on and off campus. l. Shall work a minimum of three (3) office hours per week.

G. National Communications Coordinator a. Ensure that IRA and NRHH are affiliated with NEACURH and NACURH by filing the RFI Report, paying dues on time and resubmitting the affiliation form.

6

b. Train the Executive Board and General Body on the use of the Resource File Index (RFI) and 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 NEACURH, Mini No-Frills and NACURH related meetings. k. Submit articles for regional newsletters. l. Share NEACURH newsletters with the Executive Board and General Body. m. Educate the Executive Board and General Body about NEACURH, NACURH, and policy and legislation changes as deemed necessary. n. Shall work a minimum of three (3) office hours per week. o. Shall educate and facilitate training sessions about NACURH, NEACURH and Mini-No Frills at the beginning of each semester or after the election of multiple IRA Reps to the General Body.

Section 5: Accountability Protocol A. Failure to complete one of the responsibilities and duties outlined in Section 2, 3 and 4 of this Article will result in the following: a. Protocol for Executive officers holding other Executive officers accountable. i. If an Executive Board officer notices another officer failing to complete a duty, it is their responsibility to bring it to the attention of the violating officer.

A. The violating officer shall bring it to the attention of the Executive Board of his or her violation(s) at the next Executive Board meeting.

B. Such information shall be documented in the meeting minutes. ii. If the alleged violator does not honor the acknowledgement from the respective officer and bring his or her violation(s) to the attention of the Executive Board at the next meeting: A. An e-mail shall be sent from the respective officer to the alleged violator with the advisors “cc’ed” on the e-mail, addressing the issue that had been neglected from the previous week.

B. At the next meeting, if the violating officer fails to again bring to the attention to the Executive Board of his or her violation it will be the responsibility of the Advisors to

7

bring the violation(s) to the attention of the Executive Board at the end of the meeting b. Protocol for Advisors holding Executive Board officers accountable. i. If the Advisors are made aware of a violation of University policy by an Executive Board officer they must email the officer requesting that he or she address this matter at the next Executive Board meeting.

A. At the next meeting, if the violating officer fails to again bring to the attention to the Executive Board of his or her violation it will be the responsibility of the Advisors to bring the violation(s) to the attention of the Executive Board at the end of the meeting B. Consistently violating any area of either Section 2, 3, or 4 of this Article shall result in the following: a. Shall speak before the Executive Board as to why he or she has consistent violations. i. Any documentation pertaining to such violations must be brought forth by either the President or the Advisors of the organization. b. The Executive Board will be given the opportunity to then ask questions to the officer. c. After questions have been answered, the officer will be asked to leave the board room and an executive session shall begin amongst the remaining Executive Board officers. i. During executive session the Executive Board officers shall discuss appropriate measures that ought to be taken. ii. Minutes shall not be taken in executive session. d. Once the Executive Board has reached a decision as to the proper measure of disciplinary action, the removed officer will be asked to rejoin the group and the President will read the decision of the Executive Board. i. If the President is the removed officer, the Vice President and Treasurer shall read the decision of the Executive Board. e. The Executive Board reserves the right to ask the violating officer to resign if appropriate. i. If the officer is asked to resign and he or she accepts the resignation, the resigned officer has one week to transition out of the role and will have their compensation prorated. ii. If the officer is asked to resign and he or she declines such a request, the Executive Board reserves the right to follow through with an Impeachment Process as outline in Section 6 of this Article.

Section 6: Impeachment Process A. If an Executive Board officer is asked to resign and he or she declines such a request, the Executive Board reserves the right to follow through with the Impeachment Process. a. Any petition submitted must first be reviewed by the Advisors of the organization.

8

b. A written petition with evidence of violation(s) of Section 2, 3, or 4 of this Article must be presented to the IRA Executive Board. c. The petition must then be approved by a two thirds (2/3) of the Executive Board officers who are not being impeached. d. Once approved by the Executive Board, the General Body shall be given the opportunity to review the petition. e. After the petition has been addressed to the General Body, the Executive Board officer facing impeachment will be given the opportunity to address the General Body. f. The General Body will then be given the opportunity to vote on the impeachment of the Executive Board officer. i. Quorum must be met in order for the General Body to proceed with voting.

1. Quorum is defined as fifty (50) percent of the Reps plus one. ii. A two-thirds (2/3) vote is required for the completion of impeachment and immediate removal of the Executive Board officer.

Section 7: Resignation A. Officers may resign from their positions by submitting a written letter of intent to the IRA Advisors.

B. An exit interview with the IRA Advisors shall be required.

C. Compensation shall be prorated in accordance with Section 3 of this Article.

D. All IRA property must be returned to the IRA Advisors and or the President upon leaving the organization.

E. If an officer resigns, their position will be filled according to Article V Section 4.

Article V Elections and Appointments Section 1: Spring Elections A. Eligibility a. Must fulfill the Executive Board eligibility requirements for the following year, as outlined in Article IV Section 2. b. Must submit a letter of intent to the IRA Advisors for the position he or she would like to run for by the last day in the month of February. c. Must abide by the campaign rules set forth by the Executive Board.

B. Campaigning a. Shall submit answers to platform questions, as outlined by the Executive Board, to the Advisors and Director of Public Relations by the Friday prior to the start of Spring Break.

A. The Director of Public Relations shall be responsible for uploading the platform of each candidate to the IRA website within one week.

C. Elections Procedure a. Elections shall occur no later than the 4th week in March. b. Elections shall be overseen and facilitated by the IRA Advisors.

9

c. Elections must occur online.

A. All members of IRA shall be given this opportunity to vote.

B. An email to the Resident Listserv shall include a link to the voting website. d. A candidate will be elected to his or her intended position by receiving the most votes out of all other candidates running for the position.

Section 2: Appointments A. In the event of a vacancy within Executive Board prior to the start of the academic year, the Executive Board reserves the right to appoint a member of IRA to the respective position.

B. In the event of a vacancy within the Executive Board after the start of the academic year: a. Campus wide notification shall be sent out to garner applicants. b. Candidates shall give speeches at the following General Body meeting. c. The General Body shall have the sole authority of voting in the candidate they feel is best for the position and the organization. d. Voting shall be done by method of secret ballot. e. The candidate with the most votes from the General Body shall be appointed to the respective position in which they ran for. f. The process shall be overseen by the IRA Advisors.

Article VI General Body Section 1: Structure A. Membership a. Shall consist of IRA Reps b. A minimum of eleven (11) Reps must be elected or appointed by the RHCs in order to convene a General Body. c. A maximum of forty four (44) Reps may be elected or appointed by the RHCs to the General Body d. Shall consist of the following Executive Board officers: i. Director of Student Advocacy ii. Director of Public Relations iii. Director of Social Programming iv. Director of Community Service and Educational Programming v. National Communications Coordinator B. Shall exceed no more than forty nine (49) people.

C. Committees a. There shall be four standing committees within the General Body: Student Advocacy Committee, Community Service and Educational Programming Committee, Social Programming Committee, and the Public Relations Committee. b. Student Advocacy Committee i. Shall meet on a weekly basis or as deemed necessary by the committee chair.

10

ii. Shall be responsible for proposing legislation that addresses student concerns, recommendations, interests, etc. iii. Shall be responsible for assisting the committee chair with the development and execution of at least two campus wide forums each academic year. iv. Shall be responsible for serving on various task forces across the University as an advocate for the residential population of the University. c. Community Service and Educational Programming Committee i. Shall meet on a weekly basis or as deemed necessary by the committee chair. ii. Shall be responsible for assisting the committee chair with the development and execution of a minimum of two (2) campus wide educational programs each academic year. iii. Shall be responsible for the development and/or research of community service opportunities for residents. iv. Shall work with the Public Relations committee, as deemed necessary, to publicize community service opportunities. v. Shall write and propose legislation at the discretion of its committee members. d. Social Programming Committee i. Shall meet on a weekly basis or as deemed necessary by the committee chair. ii. Shall be responsible for assisting the committee chair with the development and execution of a minimum of four (4) campus wide social programs each academic year. iii. Shall work to develop programs for and/or with RHCs. iv. Shall work to ensure that programming meets the needs of the oncampus student population. v. Shall write and propose legislation at the discretion of its committee members. e. Public Relations Committee i. Shall meet on a weekly basis or as deemed necessary by the committee chair. ii. Shall create publicity for all community service events and educational and social programs hosted by the organizations. iii. Shall have the sole responsibility for the design and printing of IRA T-Shirts each academic year. iv. Shall have the sole responsibility for selecting the Give-Aways. v. Shall focus on outreach to other organizations to help build relationships. vi. Shall plan events, as deemed necessary by the committee, with other organizations. vii. Shall write and propose legislation at the discretion of its committee members.

D. Ad-hoc committees

11

a. Provisions i. Shall be created and convened at the discretion of the Executive Board. ii. Shall be a non-permanent committee of the organization. iii. Shall last for a specified amount of time by the officer that creates the committee. b. Constitution Revision Committee i. Shall meet on a yearly basis or as deemed necessary. ii. Shall work to amend the constitution as deemed necessary. iii. Shall have the sole authority to propose amendments to the constitution. iv. Shall consist of one member from each of the four (4) committees of IRA. v. Shall have the sole ability to recommend the adoption or dissolution of the IRA Constitution. vi. Shall be chaired by either or both the President or Vice President and Treasurer of IRA. vii. Any member of the IRA General Body is eligible to be a part of the committee.

Section 2: IRA Reps A. Membership a. Must be members of IRA. b. Reps shall be elected or appointed by their respective RHC. c. There shall be a minimum of one (1) IRA Rep per RHC. d. There shall be a maximum of four (4) IRA Reps per RHC. B. Duties a. Shall advocate on behalf of the on-campus residents. b. Shall hold voting rights within the IRA General Body. c. Shall be responsible for voting on all matters pertaining to IRA. d. Shall hold the position as IRA Rep for the entire academic year. e. Shall attend all General Body meetings during his or her term with the exception of an excused absence by his or her respective chair. f. Shall work with the committee he or she is appointed to by the Vice President and Treasurer. g. Shall attend all committee meetings unless otherwise excused by the committee chair. h. Shall inform the committee chair if he or she is to be absent from a General Body meeting. i. Shall attend RHC meetings as determined by the RHC and the IRA Rep upon election or appointment to the position.

Section 3: Legislation A. Legislation shall consist of bills, resolutions or provisions.

B. Any member of the General Body can write and propose legislation.

C. Legislation being introduced to the General Body must be sent out at least one week in advance prior the next General Body meeting.

Section 4: Quorum

12

A. Quorum is reached when at least half (1/2) plus one (1) of all IRA Reps are present.

B. Quorum is needed to conduct any business that requires voting.

Section 5: Voting A. All actions of IRA requiring a vote shall pass by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote from all members present and voting, with the exception of amendments to the Constitution, in which case three fourths (3/4) majority vote is necessary.

B. The General Body has the sole authority to vote on all business with the exception of elections, which shall be open to all members of IRA. C. Shall have the authority to overrule a Presidential veto by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote of all IRA Reps present and voting. This must happen within two (2) General Body meetings following the veto.

D. In the case where there is a conflict of interest for any General Body member, he or she must abstain from voting.

Section 6: Meeting procedure A. Schedule a. Shall meet once every two weeks throughout the academic year excluding University vacations and holidays. b. Shall meet on Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm.

B. Agenda a. Each regularly scheduled meeting shall proceed according to the agenda created by the President.

C. Business a. Business may be presented in either written or spoken form. b. Discussion on a Business item 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 VIII Residence Hall Councils Section 1: 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. d. Recognizing and awarding the achievements of members of the complex community. e. Working closely with IRA to best serve all residential students at UVM. Section 2: Membership A. Any member of IRA in a particular complex at UVM is eligible to become a member of their respective RHC. B. Each floor in the complex is strongly encouraged to have at least one resident join their respective RHC.

13

C. Any attendance policies are up to the discretion of the Executive Board officers within each RHC. D. The attendance policy for IRA Reps is stated in Article VI Section 2.

Section 3: Resident Advisors (RA) A. Are considered residents of a living community.

B. Are not eligible to hold any officer position on RHC. C. Shall hold voting rights at RHC, except where a conflict of interest is present. In the instance where a conflict of interest is called by another member is present the RA must abstain from voting.

D. May be members of the IRA General Body via election or appointment to the position of an IRA Rep from their respective RHC. Section 4: Duties of RHC Executive Board officers A. Structure a. RHC shall have at least the following three (3) positions: Co-chairs and a Financial Manager. b. Each RHC reserves the right to add additional positions as deemed necessary.

B. All Members a. Shall attend leadership workshops hosted by IRA. b. Shall hold a term of office from September to May of each academic year. c. Shall attend all RHC and RHC Executive Board meetings.

C. Co-Chairs a. Shall create agendas and preside over RHC meetings and officer meetings. b. Shall work closely with the Resident Directors (RDs) and Assistant Resident Directors (ARDs) to implement programs and initiatives in their complex. c. Shall communicate regularly with the President of IRA. d. Shall coordinate in-complex recognition activities.

D. Financial Manager a. Shall work closely with the RD and ARD to monitor the RHC budget. b. Shall coordinate in-complex program funding requests. c. Shall create monthly budget reports to present to the RHC. E. IRA Rep(s) a. Shall adhere to the attendance policy outlined in Article VI Section 2. b. Shall attend all IRA meetings and adhere to the attendance policy found in Article VI Section 2. c. Shall vote on behalf of the complex at IRA meetings, representing community views.

F. Resident Advisor (RA) Liaison(s) a. Shall attend all RHC meetings b. Shall relay information between the Residential Staff and the RHC. c. Shall vote on behalf of the RAs at RHC meetings.

Section 5: Elections and appointments A. Shall elect or appoint at least one (1) IRA Rep to represent the complex at all IRA General Body meetings

14

B. Shall elect or appoint a maximum of four (4) IRA Reps to represent the complex at all IRA General Body meetings.

Section 6: RHC funding A. Each RHC shall receive a budget from the IRA Budget to be determined by the IRA Vice President and Treasurer in conjunction with the Business Manager of Residential Life.

Article IX Finances and Appropriations Section 1: Funds collected A. The IRA Activity Fee collected by Residential Life shall be deposited into the IRA General Funds.

B. Each academic semester, all residents shall pay fifteen dollars ($15.00) to Residential Life to then be deposited into the IRA General Fund.

C. Funds shall be allocated in such a way that the IRA General Fund will receive seventy five percent (75%) of the total funds collected a. RHCs shall receive twenty five percent (25%) of the total funds collected each academic semester.

Section 2: Fiscal responsibility A. The IRA Budget for the following academic year, as drafted by the Vice President and Treasurer, is subject to approval by the General Body prior to the last meeting of the General Body each 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 the IRA General Fund at the close of the academic year shall be rolled over into the appropriate accounts for the following year.

B. Funds remaining in the account of the RHC Budgets at the end of the academic year shall be rolled over into the respective RHC accounts for the following fiscal year.

Article X Advisors Section 1: Selection A. Assigned Advisors from the Department of Residential Life shall be: a. Assistant Director of Residential Education. b. Coordinator for Community and Leadership Development.

Section 2: Responsibilities and duties A. Shall abide by the responsibilities and duties outlined in his or her respective position within Residential Life.

B. Shall not have voting rights within the organization C. Shall be allowed to speak during General Body in times where clarification or guidance is necessary.

Article XI Constitutional changes Section 1: Amendments and ratification process

15

A. Amendments shall be suggested by the Constitution Revision Committee.

B. Amendments shall be voted on by the General Body.

C. Once amendments have been suggested, voted on, and passed by the General Body, the constitution then shall be ratified by a three fourths ( 他 ) vote of all General Body members present and voting.

D. Amendments passed by the General Body shall not take effect until the Constitution has been ratified.

Section 2: Adoption and dissolution A. Adoption of a new constitution and dissolution of this Constitution must be presented to the General Body and all members of IRA at least two weeks prior to voting on it.

B. Adoption of a new constitution and dissolution of this Constitution shall only occur with a motion from the General Body and a subsequent two thirds (2/3) majority vote of all members present and voting.

C. Adoption of a new constitution and dissolution to this Constitution must pass by a three fourths (他) majority vote of all members present and voting.

D. Adoption of a new constitution and dissolution of this Constitution must occur simultaneously.

University of Vermont Inter-Residence Association Bylaws Adopted on February 25th, 2009 Article I

16