Proposed Constitution

Constitution of the Calvin College Conservatives

Mission Statement

The Calvin College Conservatives are committed to making a positive difference in student lives so that they can actively discern and engage God’s world. We promote Christian intellectualism by connecting political issues, speakers, debate and activism guided by conservative principles.

Article I: Official Name

The name of this organization shall be the Calvin College Conservatives, herein and after referred to as the CCC.

Article II: Purpose of the Calvin College Conservatives

Section A. The CCC endeavor to gather together all conservatives on campus into an organized and active club, guiding them towards the conservative principles that are the foundation of the American political system.

Section B. The CCC encourage its members to be active participants in the political process inside and outside of elections.

Section C. The CCC offer its members the opportunities to engage in political activism by volunteering for and supporting candidates at all levels.

Section D. The CCC promote the honorable platform of the CCC through speeches, debates, and other events, in order to educate the students on campus of conservative values, so often missing at the college level and in today’s society.

Section E. The CCC inspire effective political skills and leadership abilities for conservative students in preparation for future service as the next generation of leaders.

Articles III: Officers

Section A. The elected officers of the CCC shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Collectively, they form the Calvin College Conservatives Executive Committee.

Section B. Each officer must be an active member of the Calvin College Conservatives.

Section C. The responsibilities of each officer shall be:

i. The President shall preside over all Calvin College Conservatives meetings and events. The President shall be the primary spokesperson to outside individuals, political campaigns, and organizations, the Calvin College Office of Student Development and the CCC’s faculty advisor. The President shall be the primary voice in internal communication within the CCC, including such correspondences as e-mail newsletters. The President shall cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie in any decision. From time to time, the President shall delegate these responsibilities to other individuals as may be seen necessary.

ii. The Vice-President shall preside over meetings or events in the absence of the President. The Vice-President shall assist the President in external relations and give the President due guidance on decisions to be made. The Vice-President shall provide assistance to the President in all programs and events sponsored by the CCC.

iii. The Secretary shall keep accurate records of happenings within the CCC, including the minutes of all meetings and recording attendance at meetings. The Secretary shall maintain an accurate roll of members, notifying the Executive Committee of changes.

iv. The Treasurer shall serve as the chief financial officer of the CCC, promoting and maintaining the financial well-being of the organization. The Treasurer shall work in conjunction with the President and Vice-President as the primary liaison to the Student Senate Finance Committee and Calvin Financial Services. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the fiscal standing and budget of the CCC including the completion of Student Senate Finance Committee paperwork, reimbursement forms, and the retention of financial records (receipts, expenditures, and any other transactions) all in accordance with Calvin College policy and applicable state and federal laws. From time to time, the Treasurer shall prepare a report to the Executive Committee of information on the fiscal state of the organization and recommend to its consideration such measures as judged necessary.

Section D. Officers elected at the annual election shall assume office on the first day of the month of June and shall serve for a term of one year.

Section E. Officers shall be elected as prescribed by Article VI.

Section F. The removal of officers from office:

i. An officer shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, negligence in the performance of prescribed Constitutional duties, failure to adhere to Calvin College standards of conduct, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

ii. Specific charges of impeachment must be approved by a majority of the Executive Committee, excluding the individual under consideration.

iii. After impeachment, the Executive Committee shall bring the articles of impeachment to the vote of the active members, by secret ballot, for conviction and removal from office. No individual shall be convicted on less than two-thirds vote of the quorum of members.

Section G. In the event of the vacancy of office:

i. In the event of a vacancy occurring in Executive Committee, the President has the right to appoint interim officers, who must be approved by a majority of the Executive Committee and whose commission shall expire at the end of the semester.

ii. If the position of the President is vacated for any reason, the Vice-President will assume the office of President and will have the responsibility of appointing a new Vice-President who must be approved by a majority of Executive Committee.

Article IV: Society Membership

Section A. The Calvin College Conservatives shall open membership of the society to all student and individuals affiliated with Calvin College desirous of membership.

Section B. To maintain membership in the CCC, all individuals’ name must appear on the official membership roll maintained by the Secretary.

i. Active membership shall be defined as those members who attend the various meetings and events hosted by the organization.

ii. Associate membership status will be given to those individuals desirous to be informed of the proceedings of the organization but do not wish to formerly be considered a member of the society.

iii. From time to time, the Executive Committee shall review the necessary minimum qualifications for individuals to be classified as active members, pursuant with the precepts in Article IV, Section B, Sub-section i.

Section C. Members reserve the right to terminate their own membership by correspondence with the Secretary.

Article V: Meetings

Section A. General Meetings of the Calvin College Conservatives shall be held at least once a month at a date, time and place to be announced by the Executive Committee.

Section B. The Executive Committee shall meet no less than twice a month to plan and prepare for General Meetings and to engage in healthy dialogue to the benefit of the society.

Article VI: Elections

Section A. All officers shall be elected as individuals for a specific position.

Section B. The annual election shall be held no later than the last day of April and no earlier than the ides of April.

Section C. Individuals wishing to seek candidacy for the Executive Committee shall submit their credentials to the Secretary to ensure meeting all qualifications and may submit a brief statement to the Secretary to be disseminated to active members prior to voting.

Section D. Individuals seeking candidacy must be active members in the society, pursuant Article III, Section B and Article IV, Section B, Sub-sections i and iii.

Section E. Only active members may vote during elections of CCC Executive Committee. The official active member list shall always be in effect and must be updated prior to a vote. The final active member list and a copy of the ballot must be submitted by the Secretary to the Executive Committee for approval no later than one week prior to the vote. The approval of the active member list and ballot must be approved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee in order to be valid.

Section F. An individual shall be elected with a majority of votes cast.

Section G. All votes shall be counted by no less than two members of the Executive Committee, excluding any individual as candidate for that particular position.

Article VII: Endorsements

Section A. From time to time, the active endorsement of policies and individuals may be desirous to the society.

Section B. Endorsements shall only be made upon the unanimous approval of the Executive Committee upon the advice and consent of the active members of the society.

Section C. All members of the society are free to make their own endorsements irrespective the official endorsements of the society.

Article VIII: External Meetings and Conventions

Section A. From time to time, the CCC shall make provision to engage the broader community in external meetings and conventions.

Section B. In all instances that involve travel away from the Calvin College campus, the Secretary shall maintain records that indicate those in attendance.

Section C. Should more members be desirous to participate in external functions than space permits, active members shall be given preference in waiting lists.

Article IX: Amendments

Section A. All changes and additions to the CCC Constitution must be sponsored by an officer or by no less than five active members.

Section B. This Constitution can be amended by two-thirds of active members voting.

Section C. The vote to amend must be held after the introduction of the amendment and its transmittance, in writing, to the various members of the society.

Section D. A special meeting for the purpose of voting on an amendment may be called by the President.

Independence Day

This weekend, we celebrate Independence Day, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of this great nation. As we rightfully celebrate this holiday, let us be thankful for the many blessings to which we have so richly been granted.

Amidst the fireworks and bottle rockets bursting in air, be thankful that we rarely worry about bombs exploding overhead.

Amidst the red, white and blue bunting decorating homes and offices, I ask you to recall our red, white and blue flag draped over the caskets of honored service members who have made the supreme sacrifice and offer a prayer for their families and loved ones.

Amidst the barbecues and corn dogs, be thankful that our nation has some of the most fertile and productive soil in the world and we do not go hungry because of the hard work of our farmers.

Amidst all of this thankfulness, though, take time to enjoy the holiday. John Adams wrote of the fourth:

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

On behalf of the executive team, I wish you a very happy Independence Day!