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CONSTITUTION FOR THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CHAPTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA
Article 1- Name
The club’s official name will be "Amnesty International". No other name will be used in the advertisement or representation of the club.
Article 2-Purpose for the club’s existence
1. To ensure that every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.
2. To write petitions and action letters to governments who have been found by Amnesty International to be denying the rights of their citizens, or are found to be in contravention of international norms and treaties concerning human rights.
3. To educate and inform the population of the University of Ottawa about human rights and their violation around the world.
Article 3 - Membership
1. Membership is open to all under-graduate and graduate students of the University of Ottawa; a minimum of 70% of the clubs total membership must be under-graduate students at the University of Ottawa.
2. Only under-graduate students at the University of Ottawa are eligible to hold voting privileges and executive positions.
3. To become a member and thus have voting rights, the student must pay the annual membership fee.
Article 4- Executive
1. The executive committee shall consist of:
a) President
b) Vice-President
c) Finance Officer
d) Secretary
2. The executive's term is from the begining of the spring session to the end of the winter session.
3. In case of a split fifty/fifty vote within the membership or the executive, the president's vote will be the deciding one.
Article 5 - Duties of the Executive
1. The President:
a) Will oversee the other members of the executive in their duties
b) Will chair all meetings
c) Will chose the topics for each letter writing campaign
d) Will have signing authority for the club
e) Will deal directly with the Amnesty office, the SFUO and the university's administration
f) Will be expected, if able, to attend all club meetings and events even if they do not pertain to the president's duties
2. The Vice-president:
a) Will assist the President in his/her duties
b) Will assume all powers of the President in his/her absence
c) Will deal with all buisnesses, organisations and student run clubs and associations
d) Will be expected, if able, to attend all club meetings and events even if they do not pertain to the vice-president's duties
3. The Finance Officer:
a) Will be responsible for all financial dealings of the club
b) Will keep complete records of all financial dealings of the club
c) Will have signing authority for the club
d) Will oversee expenditures to ensure that the club does not overspend
e) Will be expected, if able, to attend all club meetings and events even if they do not pertain to the treasurer's duties
4. The Secretary:
a) Will be responsible for recording the minutes of all meetings
b) Will be responsible for keeping all club records save for the financial records
c) Will answer or redirect to the proper person(s) any e-mail received by the club
d) Will send to the members any pertinent information such as upcoming events or future meetings
e) Will be expected, if able, to attend all club meetings and events even if they do not pertain to the secretary's duties
Article 6 - Teams
1. The club shall be composed of an indeterminate number of teams that will help promote Amnesty International, its campaigns and its chapter at the University of Ottawa.
2. Anyone can be on any or all teams.
3. Each team shall have a team leader chosen by the executive.
4. A member of the executive cannot be a team leader.
5. The Fundraising Team and the Publicity Team are to be permanent fixtures.
6. All other teams shall be ad hoc teams created as needed by the executive based on the suggestions of the members.
7. A team must have a minimum of three people on it.
Article 7 - Finances
1. A membership fee will be set by the executive annually.
Article 8 - Meetings
1. At least eight general meetings shall be held during the school year, including the Annual General Meeting.
2. Members will be informed of each of these meetings at least seven days in advance.
Article 9 - Elections
1. At every Annual General Meeting, there will be elections to choose the next executive.
2. To be eligible, you must be a voting member of the club, an under-graduate student at the University of Ottawa, bilingual and have attended at least three meetings and one event during the school year.
3. You cannot run for more than one position at a time.
4. A candidate will have thirty seconds in which to make a statement.
a) This statement cannot attack any other individual(s)
5. After all statements are done, a ballot vote shall be taken.
6. If there is only one person presenting him or herself to a post, he or she must still be acclaimed by fifty percent plus one of the members.
Article 10 - Amendments
1. Amendments to the constitution must win by a two-thirds majority vote of members present.
2. Amendments to the constitution must be approved by the Clubs Council, which must be presented with a typed copy of the proposed amendment as well as typed minutes from the meeting when the amendment was passed in order to prove that this amendment was adopted.
Article 11 - Impeachment
1. Any member of the club who commits an act negatively affecting the interests of the club and its members may be given notice of impeachment.
2. The impeached individual will have the right to defend his/her actions.
3. A two-thirds majority vote of members present will result in the removal of the impeached individual from the club and the loss of any privileges associated with the club.
Article 12 - Agency Clause
Amnesty International is not an agent of the University of Ottawa (and or its Departments and Faculties) or the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa and its views and actions do not represent those of the University of Ottawa or the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa.
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