Student OrgsThe Environmental Action Coalition

The Environmental Action Coalition (EAC) is an on-campus organization that supports and promotes all aspects of sustainability through climate justice, community engagement, and zero-waste practices.

EAC:

The Environmental Action Coalition (EAC) is an on-campus organization promoting climate justice, zero-waste, and community engagement through awareness, stewardship, and mobilization at Gustavus Adolphus College. 

Article 1: Environmental Action Coalition (EAC)

Article 2: The purpose of the EAC is to promote climate justice, waste reduction, and community sustainability through initiating events, furthering awareness, and advocating stewardship at Gustavus Adolphus College and in the surrounding community. 

Article 3: Membership 

• Section 1: Membership is open to all students, faculty, and staff who express interest in the environmental, political, social, or economic aspects of climate justice, waste reduction, and community sustainability, or other matters related to the EAC. 
• Section 2: New members accepted continuously throughout the year.
• Section 3: Members cannot be on academic probation. 

Article 4: Officer Positions - Co-Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer, Risk Manager

Article 5: Meetings 

• Section 1: Meetings will be held on a weekly basis throughout the academic year, in a predetermined location. 
• Section 2: The Executive Board will also meet bi weekly to discuss meeting agendas and events, as well as to set activity dates. The Secretary is responsible for informing members of meetings. will meet at the beginning of each semester to set tentative meeting dates. The Secretary is responsible for informing members of meetings. 
• Section 3: The Co-Chairs or Advisors have the capability of calling special meetings for any matters they feel cannot wait until the next regularly scheduled meeting. Members must be given at least 3 days notice of any special meetings. 

Article 6: Board of Officers

The following officer positions shall exist: Co-presidents, secretary, treasurer, and risk manager. Duties of each officer: 

• Co-Chairs: To set, with input from E-Board members and general members from previous meetings, the agenda for the meetings; to organize and initiate meetings; to act as a spokesperson for the EAC; to facilitate communication among members, including students, faculty, staff, and community members; to work with and update advisors and other members of the organization.
• Secretary: to take minutes at the meetings; to send out emails of the minutes and reminders of the meetings; to keep members informed of what's going on; to assist in the organization's goals; to attend board meetings as needed. The Secretary may also serve as the Diversity Leadership Council (DLC) representative for the EAC. 
• Treasurer: to maintain finances and accurate records of those; to set a budget for the EAC and to keep track of any sales/transactions; to keep track of fundraising efforts; to assist in organizations goals; to attend board meetings and act as a link to Senate and DLC regarding monetary matters.
• Risk manager: To make sure that everyone is safe at all costs and to assess risk when collecting and working with donations. Term of office begins with the start of Fall semester and continues through the Spring (September-May).

If the majority of the members feel that a board member is not keeping up with his or her responsibilities or based on another good cause, they should bring it up and nominate a new board member at the next meeting.

Article 7: The EAC will function through three primary committees, each with a specific focus, though all united and connected through the mission of the EAC.

1. 1. Climate Justice: With a primarily political - though nonpartisan - focus, the climate justice committee will promote citizen engagement, especially in matters of environmental and climate policy, and political awareness (extension of Climate Justice Coalition).

• Campus/Community Sustainability: This committee places emphasis on sustainability measures and awareness on campus, including but not limited to: composting, solar/energy, recycling, community building, and importance of diversity (extension of Gustavus Greens).

1. Zero-Waste/Waste Reduction: Striving for zero-waste involves a focus on food waste/compost, recycling, up-cycling clothing and other materials, reducing energy use, and the like. This branch will also continue the practices of the Gustavus Pop-Up Thrift Shop, which include small clothing/shoes/material exchanges, dorm pick-ups at the end of the year, and facilitation of the Hilltop Knick Knacks Facebook page. 

Article 8: Funds for the organization shall be acquired primarily through funds allocated by Student Senate and DLC, as well as fundraising, donations, and if necessary, membership dues.

• Section 1: Upon dissolution of the EAC, any financial assets will be credited to the two previously established organizations of Gustavus Greens and Climate Justice Coalition in order to continue environmental advocacy on the campus. 

Article 9: By-laws

• Section 1: By-laws can be established and reviewed by members at the start of each semester. Any member can propose by-laws. 
• Section 2: Members will be informed of voting for by-laws prior to the meeting the voting will take place. 
• Section 3: Members must be present at the meeting to vote on by-laws. A majority vote (⅔) will be needed to pass a by-law

Article 10: Amendments

• Section 1: All members in good standing may propose amendments. Proposed amendments should be submitted to the Executive Board for review. Amendments will be submitted to members in writing at least a week before voting is to take place. 
• Section 2: All members in good standing are eligible to vote, but must be present at the meeting to do so. A two-thirds (2/3) majority is needed to allow the amendment to pass. 
• Section 3: If amendments are passed they take effect at the end of the meeting during which they are passed.

Greens:

The Gustavus Greens is an on-campus organization promoting environmental sustainability through stewardship at Gustavus Adolphus College.  We strive to be a visual group on campus that fundamentally changes how the Gustavus community and that of St. Peter address new pressing issues regarding the environment. We intend to accomplish this through advocating sustainable policy and development on campus as well as individual awareness of environmental issues lawful, positive, and cooperative manner.

While we would like to address all environmental issues concerning Gustavus, we feel our efforts will be most effective and beneficial when we focus on a finite number of projects.  We endeavor for quality of actions, not quantity of actions.

Involvement with and membership in the Greens is open to all members of the Gustavus and St. Peter community, including but not limited to students, faculty, and staff.   It is because we recognize that environmental concerns encompass all levels of a community, we want utilize to the fullest extent the human resources and connections available to us.  We are willing to serve as a resource for non-members who are interested in developing and implementing individual projects.

The Greens has two Co-Presidents, a Secretary, and a Treasurer (which the latter two may be combined), with elections held at the second to last meeting of each semester.  The Co-Presidents’ terms are two consecutive semesters, with the Co-Presidents being elected on alternate semesters, thus allowing each new Co-President to serve their first semester with an experienced President. Re-election of Co-Presidents is discouraged except when there are no other willing candidates. The Co-Presidents’ duties are to organize and host weekly meetings, and function as a mouthpiece for the group.  Details regarding how to run meetings and activities are left to the discretion of the Co-Pres under consent of Greens members. Secretary and Treasurer terms are single semester. Secretarial duties include but are not limited to taking minutes, updating the website and other online info.  The Treasurer is responsible for budgetary concerns and monetary issues, and MUST be designated in order for the group to be recognized by the Student Activities Office.  Secretaries and Treasurers may be re-elected.  Other positions can be created when needed and extended terms are permissible under extenuating circumstances

Amendments to this constitution may take place if an open brainstorming meeting is advertised to Greens members with input solicited from members even if they are not present.  Once all changes have been proposed a formal meeting is called by the Co-Presidents to read and approve of said changes, which will be instituted upon approval of a majority vote of those attending.

Lastly, while we take the issue of environmental stewardship very seriously, all members of the Greens, with particular emphasis on officers, are required to have fun.

              Edited and enacted Fall 2009

Thrift Shop

Article 1: Name “Gustavus Thrift Shop” 

Article 2: Purpose The purpose of the Gustavus Thrift Shop is to promote environmental sustainability and waste reduction through initiating re-use events on campus. 

Article 3: Membership 

• Section 1: Membership is open to all students who express interest in waste reduction, environmental sustainability, or other matters related to the thrift shop. 
• Section 2: New members accepted continuously throughout the year.
•  Section 3: Members cannot be on academic probation. 

Article 4: Officers Two Co-Presidents Secretary Treasurer and Risk Manager 

Article 5: Meetings 

• Section 1: Meetings will be held a minimum of once a month during the academic year. 
• Section 2: The Executive Board will meet at the beginning of each semester to set tentative meeting dates. We will also meet bimonthly and meet 15 minutes before everyone meets as a group. The Secretary is responsible for informing members of meetings. The President will set the agenda for the meetings with input from all members and Executive Board members. 
• Section 3: The President or Advisor has the capability of calling special meetings for any matters they feel cannot wait until the next regularly scheduled meeting. Members must be given at least 3 days notice of any special meetings. 

Article 6: Board of Officers

The following officer positions shall exist: Co-presidents, secretary, treasurer, and risk manager. Duties of each officer: 

• Co-presidents: to organize and initiate meetings; to act as a spokesperson for the Gustavus Thrift Shop; to facilitate communication among members; to help in the organization and preparation for events; to work with advisers and other members of the organization. - 
• Secretary: to take minutes at the meetings; to send out emails of the minutes and reminders of the meetings; to keep members informed of what's going on; to assist in the organization's goals; to attend board meetings 
• Treasurer: to maintain finances and accurate records of those; to keep track of sales; to keep track of fund raisers efforts, to assist in organizations goals; to attend board meetings. 
• Risk manager: To make sure that everyone is safe at all costs and to assess risk when collecting and working with donations. Term of office begins with the start of Fall semester and continues through the Spring. (September-May) 
• Section 5: if the majority of the members feel that a board member is not keeping up with his or her responsibilities or based on another good cause, they should bring it up and nominate a new board member at the next meeting.

 Article 7: Committees No committees will be set at first. With the addition of new members and events committees will be implemented if needed. Proposed committees for the future could include: donation/collection, recruitment, advertisement, education, 

Article 8: Finances Funds of the organization shall be raised primarily through fundraising, donations, funds allocated by the Student Senate, and if necessary, membership dues. 

• Section 2: Upon dissolution of Gustavus Thrift Shop, any financial assets will be credited to the Gustavus Greens in order to continue environmental advocacy on the campus. 

Article 9: By-laws 

• Section 1. By-laws can be established and reviewed by members at the start of each semester. Any member can propose by-laws. 
• Section 2: Members will be informed of voting for by-laws prior to the meeting the voting will take place. 
• Section 3: Members must be present at the meeting to vote on by-laws. A majority vote (⅔) will be needed to pass a by-law

Article 10: Amendments

•  Section 1: All members in good standing may propose amendments. Proposed amendments should be submitted to the Executive Board for review. Amendments will be submitted to members in writing at least a week before voting is to take place. 
• Section 2: All members in good standing are eligible to vote, but must be present at the meeting to do so. A two-thirds (2/3) majority is needed to allow the amendment to pass. 
• Section 3: If amendments are passed they take effect at the end of the meeting during which they are passed.