JAPANESE FILM AND ANIMATION SOCIETY

(Formerly Comic Book Association)

 CONSTITUTION 

Created  Fall     1994

Updated Spring 2004

Article 1.          This organization shall be known as the JAPANESE FILM AND ANIMATION SOCIETY.

Article 2.          The purpose of this organization is to organize individuals interested in the same hobby – Japanese film and animation.

Article 3.               

I.          MEMBERSHIP.

A.      Membership in this organization is open to the entire IIT community, as long as the individual requesting membership has an interest in Japanese film and animation.

1.   The membership of this organization shall consist of both full-time and part-time undergraduate, graduate and Vandercook students.

2.   Membership shall not be discriminated upon based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, veteran status and/or economic status.

Article 4.

                I.      OFFICERS.

The officers for this organization shall be the Past-President (only after there has been one President), the President, the Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and the Webmaster.

                II.     QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE.

                        A.         The Past-President is the individual who has just completed a term as President.

B.         The President is an individual who has been a member of the organization for at least two semesters and is in good academic standing. The individual cannot be a graduating senior at the time of election.

C.         The Vice President is an individual who has been a member of the organization for at least two semesters and is in good academic standing.

D.         The Treasurer is an individual who has been a member of the organization for at least one semester and is in good academic standing. The individual cannot be a graduating senior at the time of election.

E.                   The Secretary is a member of the organization in good academic standing.

F.                   The Webmaster is a member of the organization in good academic standing.

III.        TERM OF OFFICE.

Each officer will serve a two semester term beginning in the Spring semester of one year and ending in the Fall semester of the next.

                IV.    DUTIES.

A.         The Past-President is responsible for ensuring a smooth transition from one Executive Board to the next. To accomplish this, that individual is in charge of establishing turnover files which will include, but are not limited to:

            1.             The goals his/her Executive Board had.

            2.             His/Her Executive Board’s actual accomplishments.

3.             A step by step account of how the accomplishments were achieved.

4.             Ideas that were attempted but failed, with explanations for the failure.

                                    5.             All projects currently in progress, and work done on them.

                                    6.             A list of all important contacts, with addresses and phone numbers.

                                    7.             All of the minute’s from the meetings his/her Executive Board oversaw.

8.                          All financial statements.

9.             Access (user name and password) to all internet resources including the club website, email, and listserv.

10.           Job descriptions for each officer.

   The Past-President is also responsible for breaking ties on votes about motions or during elections. Finally, the

   Past-President may sit on any committee and offer advice.

B.         The President is responsible for scheduling and running Executive Board, Regular, and Special meetings, obtaining the turnover files from the Past-President, ensuring that the officers and committees are accomplishing their tasks; requesting permission to screen film and animation titles; making and implementing plans with the rest of the Executive Board; and chairing the standing committee of his/her choice.

C.         The Vice President is responsible for learning how to manage the organization; running Regular and Special meetings when the President is unavailable; making and implementing plans with the rest of the Executive Board; and chairing the standing committee of his/her choice (as long as it does not conflict with the President’s choice).

D.         The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining the organization’s finances; making and implementing plans with the rest of the Executive Board; and chairing the standing committee of his/her choice (as long as it does not conflict with the choices of either the President or Vice President).

E.          The Secretary is responsible for recording attendance and voting rights; maintaining organizational correspondence; taking minutes at Executive Board, Regular and Special meetings; following parliamentary procedure; making and implementing plans with the rest of the Executive Board; and chairing the remaining standing committee.

F.          The Webmaster is responsible for maintaining and updating the club website; managing all internet resources; making and implementing plans with the rest of the Executive Board; and filling any empty standing committee chair positions.

V.                  REMOVAL FROM OFFICE.

During new business of a regular or special meeting, a motion for a vote of no confidence must be made and seconded. If quorum is not met discussion of this motion will be tabled until the next meeting. In the interim, the Secretary will notify all members of the organization of the motion, and the fact that it will be discussed and voted upon at the next meeting.

During old business of the next meeting, or new business of the current meeting if quorum is made, the individuals who made and seconded the motion for the vote of no confidence will have the floor to state their reasons for the motion. The officer will have an opportunity to respond. The floor will then open for discussion. Once discussion has concluded, there will be a vote on the motion.

A 2/3 vote of individuals with voting rights present is necessary to remove the individual from his/her office.

VI.                REPLACEMENT OF OFFICERS.

Nominations for positions will be open during new business of the second to last Regular meeting of the first semester of each academic year, and will re-open during old business of the last Regular meeting of said semester.

During new business of the last Regular meeting of said semester, elections will be held. Candidates must be present to run and will give a speech.   A simple majority vote of the members with voting rights present will determine the winners.   The Past-President has no voting rights during the election, but will cast the deciding vote in case of a tie.

In the event that an office opens during the semester, regular election procedures will apply with the exception that nominations and a special election will be held at the next Regular or Special meeting.  The individual who is elected will only serve the remaining term of the person he/she replaced.

                VII.    NOTIFICATION.

                         The Secretary will notify the members who are not present for the elections of the results.

Article 5.

                I.       MEETINGS.

This organization will have four types of meetings:   Regular meetings, which will be held monthly; Special meetings, which may be called by the Executive Board with two days advance notice; Executive Board meetings, which are held at the discretion of the Executive Board; and Standing Committee meetings, which are held at the discretion of each standing committee.

                II.      QUORUM.

A quorum shall consist of 1/2 of the organization’s voting members present at Regular or Special meetings.

Article 6.

                I.      VOTING RIGHTS.

Voting rights are the ability to vote on any motion or during any election. Initially, all of the organization’s members will have voting rights. However, to retain those voting rights, an individual must have attended one of the two prior Regular or Special meetings. The prior meetings do not include the meeting where the motion or election is being voted on.

II.                   VOTING.

All individuals with voting rights, except for the Past-President, may cast one vote for all motions and during each election.   The Past-President may only vote to break a tie.

III.        TYPES OF VOTES.

An individual may vote for a specific individual or motion, against a motion, or abstain from the vote.  Abstentions will be added to the majority.

IV.         PROXY.

An individual may grant another member of the organization the right to represent him/her on motions or during elections if:

A.         That individual cannot be present at the Regular or Special meeting where the motion or election is being voted on;

B.         That individual has written out a statement granting permission for another member of the organization to represent him/her; and

C.         The written permission is presented to the Executive Board before the beginning of the Regular or Special meeting where the vote will occur.

V.         NOTIFICATION.

The Secretary will notify the members who are not present for the Regular or Special meeting of the results.

Article 7.

                I.      EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY

                        The Executive Authority of this organization shall be vested in the Executive Board.

II.          EXECUTIVE BOARD.

The Executive Board will consist of the Past-President, President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Webmaster.

III.         POWERS AND DUTIES.

The Executive Board is responsible for setting the organization’s goals; making and implementing plans, including necessary policies; overseeing all committees; keeping the membership informed; and serving as good-will ambassadors to the campus and other similar organizations.

IV.        REPORTING TO MEMBERSHIP.

Each Executive Board officer will give a report at all Regular and Special meetings as necessary. Written reports will also be turned in to the Secretary.

Article 8.

I.          ADVISOR.

There shall be one advisor who is a non-voting member, unless he/she is substituting for the Past-President.

II.         ADVISOR SELECTION.

The members of the organization will discuss possible candidates and then vote to determine who should be approached. The President will ask the individual who was selected. Should that individual decline, the process will continue until an advisor is found.

III.        DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

The advisor may attend all Executive Board, Regular, and Special meetings, offer advice, and help plan all events.  The advisor will substitute for the Past-President when necessary (i.e. during the organization’s first year).

Article 9.

I.          STANDING COMMITTEES.

The organization will maintain four standing committees.  These committees are:   Special Events; Sponsorship; Communications; and Discussion.

II.         COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP.

Each of these four committees will be chaired by an Executive Board member (not including the Past-President). The committees are open to all members of the organization. However, the President will have the right to appoint individuals to a committee if they have not selected one on their own, or if there is an understaffed committee.

III.        COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS.

A.         The Special Events committee is responsible for planning all events (i.e. speakers, trips, conventions, etc.).

B.         The Sponsorship committee is responsible for obtaining sponsors and holding fundraisers to defray the cost of events (i.e. other student organizations, IIT, corporations).

C.         The Communications committee is responsible for communicating with similar organizations and publicizing the organization.

D.         The Discussion committee is responsible for organizing discussions on topics related to any aspect of Japanese film and animation, including selection of new material to screen.

IV.        REPORTING.

Each committee will give a report at all regular meetings, and special meetings as necessary. A written report will also be given to the Secretary.

V.         APPROVAL.

All committee plans are subject to the approval of the general membership.  This requirement is satisfied by the approval of the minutes from a Regular or Special meeting.

Article 10.

                I.      DUES.

A.         The need for the collection of dues for this organization shall be determined by the Executive Board at the beginning of each Presidential term.

B.         If dues are to be collected during the semester, the cost of the dues for this organization shall be determined by the Executive Board and approved by the members in the first Regular meeting of said semester.

Article 11.

                I.      COMPLIANCE WITH CAMPUS REGULATIONS.

A.         This organization shall comply with all university and campus policies and regulations. This organization shall also comply with all local, state, and federal laws.

B.         This organization will not conspire to engage in hazing, or commit any act that causes or is likely to cause bodily danger, physical harm, or personal degradation or disgrace resulting in physical or mental harm to any fellow student or person attending the institution.

Article 12.

I.          AMENDMENTS.

                        A.         This constitution may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the total membership.

B.         Amendments must be presented in writing during new business of a Regular or Special meeting and will be tabled for two Regular meetings after the initial discussion.   The proposed amendments may be discussed during old business of these two Regular meetings.   The amendment may be voted on during new business of the second Regular meeting after which it was tabled.