KU Q&A

The Constitution
Queers & Allies of the University of Kansas

Preamble

People of all genders and sexualities add invaluable diversity to the existence of the university, and its students should be encouraged to express themselves freely. Everyone has a right to a university, town, state, country, and world in which they are recognized and valued.

We believe in the inalienable right of all people to live and love in peace, without fear of assault on their identity. We fight not only for ourselves, but for all those oppressed by societal norms, forces, and attitudes.

The queer community, and those allied with it, must have a healthy, positive support organization in the university community. As an inseparable and dynamic part of the University of Kansas, Queers & Allies will stand against ignorance and better the campus environment. Though the path is long, we recognize that our efforts are essential for full equality to be realized.

For these reasons, Queers & Allies of the University of Kansas exists.

Article I: Goals of the Organization

Queers & Allies resolves to accomplish the following in a positive manner:

To provide support services to the queer community;
To maintain a positive image of the queer community within the university and city;
To educate ourselves and others about issues surrounding sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression;
To foster a sense of community among lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer, pansexual, asexual, and intersex people and their allies;
To encourage the reform of all heterosexist and gender discriminatory laws and policies, advocating for queer rights through any and all peaceful outlets;
To create an empowering atmosphere for all, both in the Queers & Allies office and at Queers & Allies functions.

Article II: Policy of Non-Discrimination

All Queers & Allies functions and activities are open to all interested persons regardless of actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, national origin, appearance, age, ancestry, marital status, disability, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or veteran status.

Article III: The Executive Board

The Executive Board shall be elected and appointed from the general membership. Anyone is eligible to serve on the Executive Board, though only one office may be held at a time.

SECTION 3A: General Responsibilities for All Members of the Executive Board

To schedule and maintain at least 2 weekly hours in the Queers & Allies office;
To attend all business and general meetings unless the President has been notified in advance of the absence;
To respond to all relevant correspondence and calls;
To secure funds from the Financial Director when appropriate;
To plan publicity with the Media Coordinator for all events;
To receive and consider feedback from other members of the Executive Board on the planning and implementation of all events;
To support and participate in the events planned by other members of the Executive Board;
To work with other interested and relevant organizations;
To co-host events with other officers whenever possible;
To suggest intra-organizational improvement when necessary;
To be knowledgeable of all duties outlined in this document;
To abide by the beliefs of the organization, as laid out in the Preamble of this document.

SECTION 3B: Elected Offices

I. President
The President shall work as a diplomat both for and within Queers & Allies. Additionally, the President is charged with conducting all managerial business of the organization.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To build and maintain relations with various organizations of the University of Kansas, city of Lawrence, and state of Kansas;
To coordinate elections according to the election procedure;
To create offices when necessary;
To appoint members to offices when necessary;
To work with the Financial Director and Student Senator to submit and defend all Student Senate budget requests;
To act on an behalf of an Executive Board members in the event of absence;
To attend Student Senate meetings in the absence of the Student Senator, if available;
To promote open lines of communication with both the Faculty and Graduate Advisors;
To excuse meeting requirements for members of the Executive Board as necessary;
To chair all business meetings;
To work with the Media Coordinator to positively promote the organization to the media and other interested parties;
To ensure that the office remains a safe space for persons to work and visit;
To arrange and chair impeachment hearings, when necessary;
To submit updated lists of Executive Board members and their office hours to the Student Involvement & Leadership Center to secure key cards;
To schedule a day of discussion and planning for the Executive Board before the start of each semester;
To co-sign all checks pertaining to the organization’s expenses;
To review this document regularly and seek changes or updates as appropriate;
To respond to any correspondence addressed to the general organization, both in print and online;
To organize at least one community service project each semester for the organization;
To oversee the organization of Pride including the coordination of one event;
To maintain student status as per University regulations.

II. Financial Director
The Financial Director is charged with overseeing all financial transactions for the organization and with providing financial accountability for and to Queers & Allies.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To make regular financial reports at all business meetings;
To maintain and make available upon request accurate records of income and expenditures;
To deposit all money collected on behalf of the organization in a timely manner;
To pay all bills of the organization;
To review all contracts;
To maintain regular contact with all members of the Executive Board to determine if and when expenditures will be required;
To reimburse members who have paid for approved Queers & Allies supplies with their own money within 2 weeks of receiving the receipt(s);
To submit and defend all Student Senate budget requests in coordination with the President and Student Senator;
To determine methods of fundraising for the organization;
To conduct organizational business in the temporary absence of the President;
To maintain student status as per University regulations.

III. Student Senator
The Student Senator is charged with acting in a responsible manner when representing Queers & Allies in Student Senate.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To attend every Student Senate meeting or to send a designee;
To follow all Student Senate Guidelines;
To report on Student Senate to the Executive Board regarding issues of interest to Queers & Allies;
To work with the President and the Financial Director to submit and defend all Student Senate budget requests;
To work with the President on bills to be presented to Student Senate;
To maintain student status as per University regulations.

IV. Media Coordinator
The Media Coordinator is responsible for promoting the organization by providing adequate publicity for all activities via print and/or internet resources.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To inform media outlets of Queers & Allies events;
To submit advertisements to the University Daily Kansan;
To send organizational updates to the membership via email;
To work cooperatively with other members of the Executive Board to decide upon appropriate publicity for their events;
To maintain and regularly update a website for the organization, which must include a calendar of events, contact information for all Executive Board members, an archive of minutes taken at business meetings, and a copy of this document;

To keep all source material accessible to the Executive Board;

To create and update an email list of all members of the organization;
To coordinate the creation and distribution of fliers, posters, and chalking for the purpose of advertising.

V. Activities Coordinator
The Activities Coordinator is charged with planning, coordinating, and implementing all of the organization's social functions.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To plan and execute no less than one event a month;
To work with the Student Senator, Financial Director and President concerning fundraising and Student Senate funding requests;
To work with the Media Coordinator to ensure adequate publicity for events;
To set times and dates for each function;
To ensure that all Queers & Allies activities are inclusive of the general membership;
To organize at least one event during Pride;
To survey members of the organization for ideas and feedback.

VI. Director of Educational Outreach
The Director of Educational Outreach’s primary responsibility is the Speaker's Bureau program, which is designed to create an open dialogue about gender and sexuality. Additionally, the Director of Educational Outreach shall coordinate opportunities for education and service.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To Manage the Speaker’s Bureau Program

To recruit panelists for the Speaker's Bureau;
To maintain an updated list of possible speakers and their contact information;
To advertise the Speaker's Bureau program at the start of each semester;
To inform volunteer speakers of engagements and to secure two to four persons to speak each time;

To manage the Safe Space Ally Program

To advertise for SSAP;
To organize SSAP facilitator training sessions;
To maintain an updated list of facilitators and their contact information;

To create any additional programming necessary to educate the public about the queer community;
To organize at least one event during Pride.

VII. Administrative Manager
The Administrative Manager is responsible for aspects of Queers & Allies relating to organization and recordkeeping.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To ensure that minutes are taken at all business meetings and then distributed to the Executive Board;
To keep the organization's office space neat and organized, to promote a fabulously inviting environment for all who enter;

To be responsible for the office bulletin board;
To request office supplies as needed;
To maintain the Queers & Allies library and files;
To establish a schedule of office hours for the Executive Board at the start of each semester;
To keep the office computer organized;

To ensure that the organization is completing enough hours to retain their office space;
To continue formally recording the history of the organization;

To maintain the record by making revisions and additions as necessary;

To coordinate with all Executive Board members the collection of all material related to the organization for archival maintenance.

VIII. Activism Chair
The Activism Chair oversees activities related to advocacy and politics and shall work to generate and coordinate activist ideas of a public nature.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To coordinate recognition of civil awareness days including (but not limited to) National Coming Out Day, Queer History Month, World AIDS Day, and Freedom to Marry Day;
To be actively abreast of local, state, and national queer news;

To coordinate no less than one activist event every month or when appropriate;

To chair the Activism Committee, which shall meet no less than once a month;
To organize at least one event during Pride;
To be a liaison to interested media regarding activism events;
To work cooperatively with other organizations and groups as necessary or appropriate.

Section 3C: Appointed Offices

The President has the responsibility to create and fill offices as necessary. The President, along with other appropriate members of the Executive Board, shall screen the candidates to ensure the best possible appointment is made. Suggested positions are listed below.

Faculty Advisor
Though the Faculty Advisor is an appointed position, the Student Involvement & Leadership Center mandates that all organizations select one. The Faculty Advisor shall serve as a mentor to the Executive Board, providing a perspective from outside the student body. The Faculty Advisor position may be filled by any faculty or staff member of the University of Kansas. They do not have voting rights.

To provide guidance to the organization on any areas of which they have knowledge;
To suggest any resources they deem pertinent;
To sign any paperwork requiring their signature;
To foster open lines of communication with the President.

Graduate Advisor
The Graduate Advisor position shall only be filled by the LGBT Resource Coordinator of the Student Involvement & Leadership Center. The Graduate Advisor shall serve as a mentor to the Executive Board, providing a view from within the Graduate School. They do not have voting rights.

To provide guidance to the organization on any areas of which they have knowledge;
To suggest any resources they deem pertinent;
To collaborate with the organization on programming whenever possible;
To strengthen the relationship between Queers & Allies and the Student Involvement & Leadership Center;
To request feedback from the organization whenever needed;
To foster open lines of communication with the President.

Vanguard Editor
The Vanguard is the organization's regular informational packet, serving as the voice of Queers & Allies to its members and the public at large.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To gather staff members who will create content for the Vanguard;
To assemble and edit The Vanguard on a regular basis;
To distribute The Vanguard, in print, during specially selected times of the year such as Pride;

To ensure the University Libraries receive copies of The Vanguard as it becomes available.

To coordinate with the appropriate Executive Board members with regard to articles and announcements.

Article IV: Procedure for Making Decisions

In matters of general decision making at a business meeting, those present and eligible are afforded one vote. In order to be considered eligible, a member must have attended two business meetings during the semester. A quorum (50%) of Executive Board members must be present for a vote to take place at a business meeting. No vote shall be conducted until all discussion has ceased.

Votes in matters requiring only approval or denial may be cast as “yea,” “nay,” or “abstain.” These motions must acquire a majority vote of “yea” to pass.
In cases requiring a vote other than “yea” or “nay,” the President shall determine the list of appropriate responses. These motions are determined by a simple majority.
In the case of a tie, the President shall cast the deciding vote.
The President may veto a motion that passed.

The President's veto can be overridden by a further vote on the same motion. This requires a two-thirds majority of votes, and only one further vote is permitted. The vote must take place at the same or subsequent meeting.

A majority of those voting may also postpone a vote; this period of postponement may not exceed two weeks.

Article V: Election of Executive Board Members

Election of all Executive Board Members shall take place at the general meeting immediately prior to the last business meeting of the spring semester, and those elected will assume office after the year’s final meeting. Any offices unfilled by the start of summer term will be left vacant until the fall semester.

Those elected to a position on the Executive Board will serve until the end of the academic year and are eligible for re-election. Though the President may temporarily fill positions when necessary, elected offices may be permanently filled only by election.

The process for electing each position is as follows:

Written and verbal nominations may be made by any current members of the organization. Self-nomination is permitted. An individual must be physically present to be nominated for office.
Each candidate will have one minute to state their qualifications for the position.
Members of the organization will ask questions of the candidates. These questions may be posed to all of the candidates or to one of them. This portion shall not exceed fifteen minutes, but a motion may be made to extend time for questions if necessary.
Each candidate will have one minute to make a closing argument. After all the candidates have finished, they must exit the room until the votes have been tabulated.
The individuals left inside the room are able to discuss the candidates for a period not exceeding twenty minutes.
Voting will be conducted via secret ballot, even in the event of unopposed nominees. In order to vote, a member must have attended at least two meetings during the semester. Members may not vote in the election of any positions for which they are a candidate.

In the case of only one candidate, votes shall be cast as either "yes" or “no.” A vote of “abstain” is permitted.

The ballots will be tabulated by one student who will not run for any offices and the Faculty Advisor. To win an election, a candidate must garner the greatest number of votes.

If any group member objects to the student who is selected to assist in vote tabulation, then another student will be selected. In the case that no student can be selected to assist with vote tabulation, all votes will be opened, one at a time, in front of all attendees.
If the Faculty Advisor is not present to tabulate votes, then the Graduate Advisor shall assist with vote tabulation. If neither Advisor is present, then a second student shall be selected in their place. This student is subject to the same stipulations placed upon the first student.
In the case of a tie, the President shall cast the deciding vote.

If the President is a candidate in the tied election, then the membership shall have the opportunity to further question the candidates. They shall then revote until one candidate receives a majority of votes.

Final results will be announced by the President, except for any election in which they are a candidate.

Article VI: Removal of Executive Status

Article VI may not be suspended by the organization. All rules herein must be followed exactly.

Section 6A: Impeachment

Impeachment hearings may be held for any member of the Executive Board, elected or appointed. An impeachment hearing does not guarantee the removal of an Executive Board member from office, but instead provides an opportunity for Executive Board members to review and discuss the officer’s performance. Impeachment hearings may be called for the following reasons:

Inability and/or unwillingness to fulfill the duties outlined in this constitution;
Gross misconduct;
Excessive absence, even if the President has been notified in advance.

The process for impeaching officers is as follows:

Three or more members of the Executive Board must submit a petition for impeachment to the President. This is to be given in writing and must contain their rationale for impeachment.
The President will set a date, time, and location for the hearings. This must be scheduled no less than three weeks after receipt of the petition. The officer facing impeachment, and the entire Executive Board, must be notified a minimum of one week beforehand.

The hearing must be held immediately before or after a business meeting, unless the officer facing impeachment provides adequate grounds for an alternative.
If the officer facing impeachment will not attend, the hearings may proceed without them.

The hearing shall be chaired by the President, and may commence when a quorum (2/3) of the Executive Board is present. Non-officers may also attend.

If the President faces impeachment, or there is objection to the President chairing the hearing, the hearing shall be chaired by the Faculty or Graduate Advisor. If neither individual is willing or able to chair the hearings, a student may be selected to chair the hearings. This student must be selected without opposition.

The chair shall read the rationale for impeachment, as submitted in 6A.1. Those who submitted the initial petition for impeachment need not be named.
Those present will then be given a period not exceeding 45 minutes in which to question the officer facing impeachment.
The officer facing impeachment shall have a period of no more than 10 minutes in which to make a concluding statement, and then they will exit the room.
Those remaining will have a period of no more than one hour in which to discuss the charges. They should consider both the contributions and shortcomings of the officer facing impeachment.

If further questioning is needed, the officer facing impeachment may return. However, they are not to be present for any discussion or voting.

When discussion has come to an end, the Executive Board will vote on removal from office. Voting must be done verbally and in front of all those present. Removal requires a 2/3 majority of voters.

Non-officers may not vote, nor may absent individuals.

The officer facing impeachment will be called into the room, and the chair of the hearings shall announce the results of the vote.

If the officer is dismissed, the organization shall refer to Section 6C to find a replacement.

Section 6B: Resignation

An Executive Board member may resign from office at any time by alerting the President in writing. An officer must resign if they will be absent or incapacitated for a period exceeding one month while class is in session. Additionally, resignation is required of the President, Financial Director, and Student Senator if they fail to maintain student status.

Section 6C: Replacement

Vacancies in elected offices may only be filled by an emergency election. This election shall follow the procedure outlined in Article V and must be held no less than four weeks after the position is vacated. For the duration of these four weeks, the President may appoint a temporary replacement.

The position of President may only be filled through an election, which shall be presided over by the Faculty or Graduate Advisor. If neither Advisor is available, a student may be selected to oversee the election. This student must be selected without objection.

The Financial Director may temporarily act as President, though this period may not exceed four weeks.
No permanent line of succession shall be created. There can be no certainty that an individual inhabiting a given office has adequate skill or desire to serve as President.

Article VII: Pride Celebration

The annual Pride Celebration coordinated by Queers & Allies at the University of Kansas is an important tradition that recognizes and celebrates the entire queer community and its allies.

Pride events are generated via individual and/or collaborative efforts among the officers of the Executive Board and should take into consideration the many genders, races, and sexual identities of the membership.

Duties of officers coordinating Pride events include, but are not limited to, the following:

To schedule, plan, and execute no less than five events over the course of Pride;
To survey the membership for recommendations and feedback regarding Pride;
To work with the Media Coordinator to create and distribute advertising for each event of Pride;
To secure contracts for speakers and performers as necessary;
To reserve rooms and spaces for events as necessary;
To work with the President, Financial Director, and Student Senator to secure funds.

Article VIII: Constitutional Revisions

This constitution may be amended or re-written by a two-thirds 'yea' vote of those voting at a Queers & Allies business meeting. Amendments to or re-writings of this constitution must be presented in writing and reviewed at a minimum of one meeting and prior to said vote.

Last revised on 22 April 2010 by Sara Thompson, Queers & Allies President.