Student OrgsUnited States Institute for Theatre Technology, Gustavus Student Chapter

Small Liberal Arts College USITT Student Chapter By-Laws 5/23/08 Updated 9/23/19 I.Purposes A.This Chapter shall implement the purposes of USITT as stated in Article II, Section 1 of the By Laws of USITT and shall encourage the performing arts as a right rather than a privilege for all the people of Minnesota; therefore we will encourage and stimulate the finding of performance artists, and the creation of production facilities and audiences in the state of Minnesota and particularly in our immediate area. B.This Chapter shall work to better relations between theatre departments in small liberal arts colleges. C.Each Chapter shall work to meet the technical theatre needs of their theatre department and other non-profit theatres and other entertainment venues that may be in the area. II.Members A.Membership in this Chapter shall not be limited to members in good standing of USITT; neither shall it be limited to students at the colleges associate with the student chapter, but to college and university students in the immediate area that for reasons unto themselves cannot form Chapters at their own colleges and universities. B.Each member must have a completed membership form on file with the chapter Secretary. C.Each member must participate in half of the events and fundraisers each year. D.Chapter members of good standing are able to access organization money to pay for events, USITT conferences, or other technical theatre workshops. Under certain circumstances, application process may be required. III.Membership Meetings -This chapter shall follow Article III, Section 3 of the USITT (national) By Laws except that special meetings may be called by the Officers (rather than the Board of Directors) and the meetings shall be monthly not annually. Two thirds of members on campus shall constitute a quorum (rather than five percent as noted in the national By Laws). -The term "Chapter" shall be substituted for the term "Corporation" as used in the national By Laws IV.Officers A.Each college in Chapter shall have General Officers. The officers shall be: - Chair (President) and possibly Co-Chair (Co-President) -Vice Chair -Treasurer -Secretary (Position may be filled by the Treasurer if necessary) -Risk Manager (Position may be filled by another Officer) B.The officers shall approve the agenda of any regular or special meeting of the Chapter. C.Chair (President) and possibly Co-Chair (Co-President) - Term shall be for one year and shall be filled by an upper class student or member of the next highest grade level. The term shall be for one year and renewable upon election. -The Chair shall preside at meetings and shall take general charge of the activities of the Chapter. -In addition s/he shall be responsible for working with the other Chairs to provide the periodic Chapter reports to the USITT Vice President for Sections & Chapters. The annual report to the Vice President for Sections & Chapters, which is required by USITT for annual action by the Board of Directors in order to renew the Chapter Charter, must be prepared by the Chairs for forwarding to the Vice President for Sections & Chapters to arrive on or before the appointed date each year. -The Chair shall be responsible for the appointment of the various Chapter committees. -The Chair shall organize the election for new officers and create the ballots two weeks before elections, which may be electronic. -The Chair shall be responsible for enforcing the by-laws and adhering to the mission of the Chapter. D.Vice Chair -Term shall be for one year and renewable for election. -The Vice-Chair shall oversee the committees for events and fundraisers -The Vice Chair shall, in the absence or incapacity of the Chair, perform all the functions of the Chair and such duties as may be assigned to him/her by the Chair. -The Vice-Chair shall replace the Secretary/Treasurer at meetings if positions are combined or both absent from meeting. -The Vice-Chair shall be responsible for enforcing the by-laws and adhering to the mission of the Chapter. E.Treasurer -Term shall be for one year and renewable for election. -The Treasurer shall be responsible for the care and custody of the funds of the Chapter and, subject to the review of the officers, shall be responsible for depositing same in the name of the Chapter in such banks, trust companies, and safe vaults as the officers may designate. -The Treasurer shall supervise the collection of and receipt of charges and moneys payable to the Chapter and shall have supervision of the books and records showing all receipts and expenditures. An audit of these books and records must be provided to the officers at the end of each fiscal year. -The Treasurer shall deliver a report on the funds at each meeting. -The Treasurer shall be responsible for any other rules and regulations that the school may have concerning organization funds. -The Treasurer shall, in the absence or incapacity of the Vice-Chair, perform all the functions of the Vice-Chair and such duties as may be assigned to him/her by the Chair. -The Treasurer shall replace the Secretary at meetings if absent from meeting. -The Treasurer shall be responsible for enforcing the by-laws and adhering to the mission of the Chapter. F.Secretary -Term shall be for one year and renewable for election. -The Secretary shall act as secretary for all meetings of the members, the Executive Committee, and the officers, and keep minutes thereof. -The Secretary shall keep and file all records of meetings and membership forms. -The Secretary shall notify all members of the Chapter of special and monthly meetings and record the proceedings thereof. -The Secretary shall, in the absence or incapacity of the Treasurer, perform all the functions of the Treasurer and such duties as may be assigned to him/her by the Chair. - The Secretary shall be responsible for enforcing the by-laws and adhering to the mission of the chapter. V.Voting of Officers A.Elections for officers will be held the first month of Spring Semester and the officers shall take control of Chapter after the National USITT Conference. -Nominations for officers will be taken in December or last month of the school year. (Absentee nominations for members who are studying abroad or off campus may be sent to Chair before meeting) -Absentee ballots will be accepted by members who are studying abroad or off campus and can be e-mailed to the current Chair. -Officers must receive the majority vote from absentee votes and votes taken at first meeting of Spring Semester or online. -Members may accept nominations for multiple offices but can only accept one position, except in special circumstances. -If a nominee receives majority vote for multiple offices, the nominee may decide which office to take and there will be a Run Off election to fill vacant office(s). B.Removal from Office -In the event of an officer being suspected of misconduct or unfulfilling duties of office, the issue must be reported to the faculty sponsor. -The faculty sponsor can call for a shift of position based on article four of Chapter by-laws and a vote will be taken during the next meeting to determine if officer should be removed from office. -An affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members present at meeting is needed to remove an officer or online. -If an officer is removed, an emergency election will be held to fill position. C.Emergency, Run Off Election and Office Resignation -Nominations will be conducted via e-mail -Nominees will be contacted via e-mail to confirm or deny nomination -Ballots will be prepared and elections will take place at the next meeting or online VI.Executive Committee A.The Committee shall consist of the Chair (Co-Chair), Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Risk Manager from each school. B.Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held at the Northern Boundary Section Workshop or at such times and places as may be fixed by a majority of the Executive Committee. C.The Executive Committee shall be empowered to carry on all regular business of the Chapter. In all such meetings it shall be guided in good faith by policies previously established by the Chapter and by USITT. D.A quorum shall consist of two officers, one of who must be the Chair or the Vice Chair, from each school. VII.Faculty Sponsor A.Each school in the Chapter must have at least one faculty sponsor who is a member in good standing of USITT. B.The term for each sponsor is from the final meeting in May until the final meeting of the following May. C.The members of the Chapter may invite a faculty member to be a sponsor only after an affirmative vote in favor of the faculty member has been given by a majority of the Chapter members. D.Annual renewal of the invitation shall be extended to the sponsor only after an affirmative vote in favor of the faculty member has been given by a majority of the Chapter members. E.The invitation for sponsorship may be withdrawn at any time provided that the Chapter members have voted, and two thirds of those voting have voted against the retention of the faculty member as a sponsor. VIII.All contracts, agreements, checks, and other negotiable instrument and endorsements thereof shall be signed by the Treasurer and the Faculty Sponsor and must follow the rules and guidelines of the school. IX.The fiscal year of the Chapter shall commence on the last day of classes each year. X.Amendments A.Proposal for amendments. These By Laws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Chapter in the following manner: -Any school within the chapter may propose an amendment to the by-laws. -Any proposal, for such amendment, shall be in writing, subscribed to by five percent or more of the members of the school Chapter and filed with the Secretary. -Upon such filing the Secretary shall notify the membership of the Executive Committee. -Each school will then have a meeting to vote on the amendment. The date of the meeting shall not be less than ten days nor more than twenty days following the date the members were notified of such a meeting. B.Adoption of Amendments. -An amendment shall be adopted if at least two-thirds of the schools associated with the Chapter approve the amendment. -For a school to approve an amendment, an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members present at the meeting is needed. C.Notice: The Secretary shall mail or otherwise distribute a copy of each amendment to all members of the chapter, and to the USITT Vice President for Sections & Chapters within thirty days of the adoption of the amendment. D.Forwarding a copy of the By Laws and amendments thereto, the secretary and Treasurer of the Northern Boundary Section of USITT shall be done as a matter of courtesy. Such items are for information only, as the Chapter is not a subsidiary of the Northern Boundary Section.