Constitution
Article I – Green Action
The name of the organization is Green Action.
Article II – Purpose
Green Action (GA) is a student-led organization whose mission is to help our local and global communities become a greener place with social, economic, political, and cultural change. We do this through organizing public events and projects to advocate for climate justice, to educate and support students, faculty and community members to work for a greener and healthier Richmond for all citizens. Our goal is to support actions and coalitions to affect a just transition to a society that replenishes and protects our shared bioregion so that all persons can live well together.
Article III – Membership
Section 1: Membership in Green Action shall be open to any and all students at VCU. The criteria for membership is those interested in the mission and vision of Green Action.
Section 2: This organization shall not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability, or veteran status. This policy will include, but not limited to recruiting, membership, organization activities, or opportunities to hold office.
Section 3: Per VCU regulations, non-VCU students are able to be members, however they cannot make decisions on behalf of the organization or hold leadership positions.
Section 4: No dues are required for membership. However, there may be optional events for which fees are required to attend. The collection of fees will be conducted by the treasurer, if necessary.
Article IV – Officers
Section 1: The officers of this organization shall consist of a President, Vice President, Events Coordinator, Social Media Manager, and Treasurer. The officers shall be responsible for all administrative duties of the organization. Officers will hold their positions for one academic year, with the possibility of renewal for a second and third term, with the approval of the membership. In January, the existing officers will interview and select an appropriate number of Tabling Coordinator(s) and/or Officer Interns from students early on in their time at VCU who have demonstrated and expressed continued interest in the club. The purpose of these Officer Interns is to prepare the next generation of officers. The designation of positions such as two co-Vice Presidents or other such arrangements may be permissible with the approval of the club.
Section 2: The qualifications and duties for each of the positions is as follows: Each officer shall be in good academic standing and committed to the mission of Green Action.
The responsibilities for each officer shall include but are not limited to the following:
President: Responsible for advancing the mission of Green Action. This includes organizing and co-moderating Green Action meetings, planning, and events.
Vice-President: Responsible for co-moderating meetings, assuming responsibility for the duties of the president if the president is unable to carry out these duties, and provides advice to the president on advancing the mission of Green Action.
Events Coordinator: Responsible for keeping attendance at meetings, outreach to other organizations both within and outside the university, along with sending out reminders and updating our organization's RamsConnect.
Treasurer: Responsible for overseeing cost of events and making sure students pay for optional events. This position will also be responsible for handling SGA funding, keeping accurate records on funds and expenses.
Social Media Manager: Responsible for posting events consistently ahead of time, designing graphics, and maintaining a social media presence by responding to DMs.
Section 2: Officers will be elected by written ballot, with present members who have attended at least two previous Green Action events being able to cast a ballot. A majority of votes will constitute a victory. Elections of officers will take place a week before the last day of classes during the spring semester. Officers will assume office for a period of one year.
Section 3: The order of succession shall be: (1) President, (2) Vice President, (3) Treasurer, (4) Events Coordinator, (5) Social Media Manager.
Section 4: Vacancies occurring in any of the elected offices shall be officially filled at the next regular organization meeting following the occurrence of such a vacancy or vacancies. The order of succession shall be followed in the filling of any vacant office during any unexpired term. If an officer declines to succeed to a vacant office, then an election shall be held to fill the office for the remainder of the unexpired term. The election procedure for filling the unexpired term of a vacant office shall be the same as for the normal procedure for elections.
Section 5: The officers of the organization must be in good academic standing with a 2.5 cumulative GPA as required by Virginia Commonwealth University.
Article V – Advisor
The Advisor supports the success of the mission and vision of Green Action. The advisor does not have voting privilege but acts in an advisory role vis-a-vis the officers and organization as a whole.
Article VI – Meetings
Section 1: General membership meetings shall be held bi-weekly, with additional meeting called by the President as needed. Notice of required additional meetings must be given to all members in a timely manner, usually not less than one week prior to the called meeting. The official means of notifying members shall be agreed upon at the first meeting held after the election of a new President, and will generally use GroupMe and email for communications.
Section 2: For the purposes of voting, a quorum shall be defined as at least 25 percent plus one of the total numbers of organization membership.
Article VII – Sanctioning, Impeachment, and Removal
Any member may be removed from membership for violation of the purposes of the organization by a two-thirds vote of the membership. All members must be notified of this pending action at least one week prior to the removal decision. Removal from office can occur either for failure to carry out the responsibilities of that office, or for actions which violate the purposes of the organization. Voting for removal from membership is to be done by secret ballot. The member in question must be notified immediately of the outcome of the vote. The Advisor will provide guidance regarding these procedures. The Advisor may also step in when officers are in violation of the VCU Code of Conduct, etc.
Article VIII – Rules of Procedure
Meetings will be called by the president.
Minutes from the previous meeting will be approved by majority vote.
The Agenda for the current meeting shall be approved by majority vote. The agenda is set by the leadership officers and team with input from the general membership. Suggestions for agenda items must be submitted at least one week prior to the membership meeting.
The Agenda will be co-moderated by the President and Vice-President
Action items will be identified (e.g. organizing a lecture for the club) with responsibilities and deadlines for completing those actions and/or steps to complete actions specified in a shared google doc.
Motions can be made at any point to introduce new items for discussion. Motions require a second, followed by discussion, and then a call to approve the introduction of new item.
Article IX - Compliance Statement
In order to maintain active status, this organization will comply with all VCU policies and procedures, including financial regulations, which pertain to student organizations.
Article X – Amendments
Members may propose amendments to the Constitution to the president. The president will then call a meeting of the officers at which the amendment will be discussed and, if accepted, put before the full membership for comments. Comment period will last one week. At that point a vote shall be taken to modified the constitution.
Bylaws
Article I – Duties of Officers
President:
Coordinates activities of the organization
Calls regular and special meetings
Prepares agendas for meetings
Oversees implementation of organizational plans.
Vice-President:
Moderates meetings
Assumes duties of the president if the president is unable to carry out these duties.
Provides advice to the president on advancing the mission of Green Action!
Events Coordinator:
Keeps notes and records on meetings and events.
Sends invitations and reminders regarding meetings and events.
Manages organization's RamsConnect.
Maintain relationships with other contacts.
Help in finding spaces and organizing other logistics of events.
Treasury:
Manages SGA funds, including the requisition and accounting for expenses.
Reports on status of funds to the leadership team and general membership.
Social Media Manager:
Design graphics, promote events, and maintain a social media presence.
Article II – Duties of Advisor
The Advisor supports the success of the mission and vision of Green Action! The advisor does not have voting privilege but acts in an advisory role vis-a-vis the officers and organization as a whole.
Article III – Finances
The treasurer is responsible for submitting requests, handing, and keeping track of SGA funding, including keeping records of funds and expenses, and providing financial reports to membership.
Section 1: The organization shall, as it deems necessary, undertake fundraisers to support its projects. All fundraising shall be conducted in accordance with University Policies.