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| UPM Bylaws as revised on March 1, 2001 |
United Pagan Ministries Bylaws
Article I: Name
United Pagan Ministries (UPM)
Article II: Purpose
It is the purpose of UPM to provide services, support, advocacy and education
for the Pagan communities of Cornell University, Ithaca, New York and the
surrounding area. UPM also seeks to provide an environment which enables
people of various Pagan spiritualities to practice and share their faiths. It is
furthermore the purpose of UPM to provide education regarding Pagans and
Paganism in general, to participate in the development of a vibrant academic
study of Pagan religions, and to promote interreligious understanding in the
global community. UPM will abide by all points outlined in the UPM Charter.
Article III: Affiliation
Any individual may choose to affiliate themselves with UPM with the
understanding that all affiliates must abide by the UPM Charter and Bylaws
when representing UPM.
Article IV: Consensus
Consensus is defined as a sense of accord or general agreement. In the decision
making process, individuals may block consensus due to strong objections or
religious conviction. An individual may raise objections without blocking consensus.
Resolution of minor objections is advisable.
Article V: Standing Rules
- Decisions will be made by consensus unless otherwise stated.
- Any persons attending a UPM meeting or event whose behavior violates the
statement of philosophy found within the UPM Charter may be expelled from
that meeting or event.
Article VI: Business Meetings
The purpose of the UPM Business Meetings shall be as follows: to recognize,
support and encourage the leadership of affiliates; to determine sponsorship of
UPM events; to facilitate the organization of worship and observances
appropriate to various Pagan religions, in accordance with the statement of
philosophy; to issue statements on behalf of UPM; to set UPM policies; and to
maintain a good working relationship with CURW.
All official UPM decisions shall be made at UPM Business Meetings unless
otherwise specified in the Bylaws.
All decisions made at UPM Business Meetings shall be made by consensus.
All UPM Business Meetings must be announced and advertised at least one
week in advance. No business may be conducted at any UPM meeting with
fewer than three affiliates present.
Any UPM Affiliate can call for a UPM Business meeting. The Affiliate calling
the UPM Business Meeting is responsible for ensuring that the meeting is
properly announced and advertised, for ensuring that meeting space is acquired
for the meeting, and for ensuring that minutes are recorded and posted.
There shall be at least one UPM Business Meeting each year.
Article VII: Chaplain, Webweaver, and Treasurer
The UPM Affiliates shall delegate responsibilities among themselves to fulfill the
needs of UPM, including the positions of Chaplain, Webweaver, and Treasurer.
The responsibility of the Webweaver shall include: Maintaining the UPM website;
Archiving UPM documents, such as the UPM charter and by-laws, meeting
minutes, and UPM statements and policies; Maintaining in confidence the UPM
email/affiliate lists; and posting event and meeting announcements to the UPM website.
The responsibility of the Treasurer shall include: Maintaining UPM finances; by
recording transactions, balancing the checkbook, making deposits, approving
withdrawals and proposing budgets.
The responsibility of the Chaplain shall include: Regular attendance at CURW Chaplains
meetings; Polling the local Pagan community for interests, needs, and concerns;
Maintaining contacts with groups outside of UPM; Providing a contact point for the
media; Providing contact point for others interested in UPM; Facilitating emergency
religious services; and comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable. The
Chaplain may also make decisions for UPM when emergency circumstances prevent
the timely call of a UPM Business Meeting. Any such emergency decisions must be
reported to the UPM affiliates and ratified at the next UPM Business Meeting.
The Webweaver, Treasurer, and Chaplain shall all make regular reports on their
activities at UPM General Meetings.
The Treasurer and the Chaplain must both approve any expenditure in writing.
Article VIII: Sponsored Events
Public events and religious services may be sponsored by UPM by a decision of
UPM affiliates at a UPM business meeting.
Private religious services may be sponsored by UPM at the discretion of the UPM
Chaplain. The Chaplain must report on all such services at the next UPM Business
meeting.
Emergency religious services of a timely nature, public or private, may be sponsored
by UPM at the discretion of the UPM Chaplain. The Chaplain must report on all
uch services at the next UPM Business meeting.
All events and religious services sponsored by UPM shall be in accordance with the
Charter and Bylaws.
Article IX: Public Relations
UPM is dedicated to services, support, advocacy and education regarding issues
which may be of importance to Pagans and Paganism. UPM shall maintain the
confidentiality of all of its affiliates. Relations with the media shall be conducted by
the Board Member assigned as the UPM spokesperson. No others shall attempt to
speak for UPM unless authorized by the UPM Board; media statements not averred
by the UPM spokesperson are not to be considered the policy of UPM. There will be
no attempt to censor the statements of individuals expressing personal beliefs or
opinions. Any and all acts attributed to UPM which violate the Charter or Bylaws
may be publicly Discredited as having no association with United Pagan Ministries.
Article X: Ratification and Amendments
The methods for amendment and ratification of these bylaws shall proceed as follows:
- Amendments to the bylaws may be proposed by any affiliate.
- Any Amendment agreed to at a business meeting must be ratified at the next
business meeting, which must be at least one week later. No changes may be
made to the amendment between agreement and ratification.
Article XI: Compliance with Rules and Regulations
UPM will comply with all local, state and federal laws, Cornell policies, and CURW covenants.
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