Q&A Constitution

Preamble

Queers & Allies is based upon fundamental principles of equality and dignity:
Discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity is wrong, and degrading to all persons as individuals and as a community. We believe in the inalienable right of all people to live and love without being judged by his or her gender or the gender of those with whom he or she chooses to have a loving, consensual relationship.
Queers & Allies is an inseparable and dynamic part of the University of Kansas. People of all genders and sexual expressions add invaluable diversity to the existence of the university, and its students should be encouraged to express themselves and their lives freely.
Lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer, and intersex people (and those who support them) must have a healthy, positive support organization in the university community. Queers & Allies, in existence for over three decades, aims to provide such support in all it does.
Each and every member of the human race has a right to live free from fear, oppression, discrimination, and harassment. Everyone has a right to a university, town, state, country, and world which recognizes and values them.
For these reasons, Queers & Allies: LGBTIQ Services of Kansas, exists.

Article I: Organization Goals
Queers & Allies resolves to accomplish the following in a positive manner:

To provide support services to the queer community;
To educate ourselves and others about issues surrounding sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression;
To sponsor social activities to foster a sense of community among lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer, and intersex people and their allies;
To coordinate educational activities on campus and in the community;
To encourage the reform of all heterosexist and gender discriminatory laws and policies;
To provide a friendly, accepting, and hospitable atmosphere for all, both in the Queers & Allies office and at Queers & Allies functions;
To encourage the understanding and acceptance of collective and individual differences within and among the lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, queer, and intersex communities.

Article II: Policy of Non-Discrimination
All Queers & Allies functions and activities are open to all interested persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, gender, sexual orientation or veteran status.

Article III: The Executive Board
The Executive Board shall be elected and appointed from the general membership. The elected offices of the organization are: Executive Director, Treasurer, Public Relations Manager, Student Senator, Activities Coordinator, Director of Educational Outreach, Pride Week Coordinator, Administrative Manager, Technology Director, and Activism Chair. Additional offices can be created and filled by the Executive Director if deemed necessary or useful to the organization. All active members are eligible to be members of the Executive Board, though only one office may be held at a time.
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 Director has been notified in advance of the absence;
To respond to all relevant correspondence and calls;
To secure funds from the Treasurer and plan publicity with the Public Relations Manager for all planned events, when appropriate;
To receive 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 suggest intra-organizational improvement when necessary;
To abide by the beliefs of the organization, as laid out in the Preamble of this document.

Elected Offices
I. Executive Director
The Executive Director shall work as a diplomat both inside and outside the organization. The Executive Director is also charged with facilitating the day-to-day operations 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 appoint members to offices as necessary;
To work with the LBGT Resource Coordinator in the Student Involvement and Leadership Center;
To work with the Treasurer and Student Senator to submit and defend all Student Senate budget requests;
To act on an behalf of an Executive Board member in the event that they are unavailable;
To work with the faculty advisor to promote open lines of communication;
To excuse meeting requirements for members of the Executive Board as necessary;
To chair all business meetings;
To work with the Public Relations Manager 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 set up an office hours schedule at the beginning of each semester;
To submit updated lists of Executive Board members and their hours to the Student Involvement and 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 maintain student status as per University regulations;
To co-sign all checks pertaining to the organization’s expenses;
To review this document regularly and seek changes or updates as appropriate.

II. Treasurer
The Treasurer 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 Student Senate and all other 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 inform all Executive Board members of the proper procedure for filling out Purchase Orders (PO's);
To maintain regular contact with all members of the E. Motions requiring a 'yea' or 'nay' must acquire a majority vote of 'yea' to pass.
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 request in coordination with the Executive Director and Student Senator.

III. Pride Week Coordinator
The Pride Week Coordinator organizes an annual Pride Week which celebrates the entire lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and intersex community.
Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To select a one-week period of the school year to pronounce "Pride Week";
To survey the membership for recommendations and feedback regarding Pride Week;
To schedule, plan, and execute no less than five events over the course of Pride Week, taking into consideration the many genders, races, and sexual identities of the membership;
To work with the Executive Director, Treasurer, and Student Senator to secure funds;
To work with the Public Relations Manager to create and distribute advertising for each event of Pride Week;
To maintain student status as per University regulations;
To secure contracts for speakers and performers as necessary;
To reserve rooms and spaces for events as necessary.

IV. Public Relations Manager
The Public Relations Manager is responsible for promoting the organization by providing adequate publicity for all activities via print and 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 UDK;
To work with the Technology Director in sending organizational updates to the membership via email;
To work with the Technology Director and Activities Coordinator to publicize events on internet networking websites;
To work cooperatively with other members of the Executive Board to decide upon appropriate publicity for their events;
To coordinate the creation and distribution of fliers, posters, and chalking for the purpose of advertising.

V. 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 for the duration of election or to send a designee;
To follow all Student Senate Guidelines;
To report on Student Senate to the Executive Board about issues of interest of Queers & Allies;
To work with the Executive Director and the Treasurer to submit and defend all Student Senate budget requests;
To work with the Executive Director on bills to be presented to Student Senate.

VI. Activities Coordinator
The Activities Coordinator is charged with planning, coordinating, and implementing all of the organization's general functions (with the exception of Pride Week); these may be for the purpose of socializing, educating, or entertaining.
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, Treasurer and Director concerning fundraising and Student Senate funding requests;
To work with the Public Relations Manager 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 survey members of organization for ideas and feedback.

VII. Director of Educational Outreach
The Director of Educational Outreach Chair'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 recruit panelists for the Speaker's Bureau;
To maintain an updated list of possible speakers and their phone numbers;
To work with the Public Relations Manager to advertise the Speaker's Bureau program at the start of each semester;
To set up and coordinate speaking engagements as requested;
To inform volunteer speakers of engagements and to secure two to four persons to speak each time;
To organize at least one community service project each semester for the organization;
To educate the membership about sexually transmitted infections and safe sex.

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

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

To ensure that minutes are taken at all business meetings;
To keep the organization's office space neat and organized;
To be responsible for the office bulletin boards;
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;
To ensure that the organization is completing enough hours to retain their office space.

IX. Technology Director
The Technology Director addresses the technological needs of the organization. This includes maintaining a website and sending emails.
Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To maintain and regularly update a website for the organization, which must include a calendar of events, contact information for all Executive Board members, and a copy of this document;
To work with the Executive Director and Public Relations Manager to determine a policy for responding to emails to the organization;
To work with the Public Relations Manager in sending organizational updates to the membership via email;
To create and update an email list of all members of the organization;
To address problems of a technical nature;
To work with the Public Relations Coordinator and Activities Coordinator to publicize events on internet networking websites.

X. Activism Chair
The Activism Chair oversees activities related to advocacy and politics. The Activism Chair also leads the Activism Committee, which shall work to generate and execute activist ideas of a public nature.
Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

To coordinate with the Activities Coordinator recognition of civil awareness days including (but not limited to) National Coming Out Day, Queer History Month, and World AIDS Day;
To coordinate no less than one activist event every month;
To chair the Activism Committee, which shall meet no less than once a month;
To plan with the Pride Week Coordinator at least one activist event during Pride Week;
To work cooperatively with other organizations and groups as necessary or appropriate.

Appointed Offices
The Executive Director has the responsibility to create and fill offices as necessary. The Executive Director, along with other appropriate members of the Executive Board, shall screen the candidates to ensure the best possible appointment is made. Past appointed offices are listed below.
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 assemble and edit The Vanguard on a regular basis;
To ensure The Vanguard is printed in a timely manner;
To distribute The Vanguard at general meetings and elsewhere as appropriate;
To coordinate with the appropriate Executive Board members with regard to articles and announcements;
To ensure the University Libraries receive copies of The Vanguard as it becomes available.

Historian
The Historian is charged with collecting and organizing information of the organization’s events.

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

To compile a historical record 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.

Article IV: The Decision-Making Process
In matters of general decision making, each person present at a general meeting where the decision is to be made (and who has attended at least one previous meeting) shall be accorded one vote. The only exception comes in voting for officers, for which a member must have attended at least two meetings each semester during the current academic year.
A quorum (50%) of Executive Board members must be present for a vote to take place at a business meeting; all elected members will be accorded one vote. Votes in matters requiring only approval or denial may be cast as “yea,” “nay,” or “abstain.” In special cases requiring a vote other than “yea” or “nay,” the Executive Director shall determine the list of appropriate responses.
Motions requiring a “yea” or “nay” must acquire a majority vote of “yea” to pass.

Motions not requiring a “yea” or “nay” to pass (e.g. voting on a Pride Week speaker from three choices) require a simple majority.
In cases of a tie vote, the Executive Director shall cast the deciding vote.

No vote shall be conducted until all discussion has ceased.
A majority decision of those voting during a decision-making process may postpone a non-election vote for a maximum of two weeks.
The Executive Director may veto a 'yea' or 'nay' motion that passed.
The Executive Director's veto can be overridden by a further vote on the same motion that garners a two-thirds majority of eligible members; only one further vote is permitted and the vote must take place during the subsequent appropriate meeting.

Article V: Election & Impeachment of Executive Board Members
Elections of all Executive Board Members shall take place at the general meeting immediately prior to the last business meeting of the spring semester each year with the exception of Student Senator, which shall be elected at the first meeting during the month of April. Any offices unfilled by the start of summer term will be left vacant until the fall semester, with an election held at the first business meeting.
Elected offices may be permanently filled only by election.
Members of the Executive Board will serve until the end of the academic year and will be eligible for re-election.
Prior to the election, written and verbal nominations will be accepted. Self-nomination is permitted.
All voting will be done by secret written ballot, even in the event of unopposed nominees. "No" votes against nominees are allowed, as is a vote of “abstain.”
Results will be tabulated by the faculty advisor in conjunction with one student who will not run for any offices.

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 advisor is not present to tabulate votes, then a second student will be selected to assist with vote tabulation. This student is subject to the same stipulations placed upon the first student.

Final results will be announced by the Executive Director.
All Executive Board members will assume their office after the last general meeting of the spring semester.
An Executive Board member, elected or appointed, may only be impeached at a business meeting, though the whole of the Executive Board must be given one week of notice that impeachment proceedings are planned. If the officer facing impeachment will not attend, the vote may be conducted without them. Removal of an officer will require a two-thirds vote of those present to do so.
Any officer may be removed from an office for the following reasons:

Failure for required officers to maintain student status;
Inability and/or unwillingness or refusal to fulfill the duties outlined in this constitution;
Gross misconduct;
Excessive absences without prior notification to the Executive Director.

An Executive Board member may resign from office at any time by alerting the Executive Director in writing.
Openings in elected offices shall be filled by emergency election, held no less than three weeks after the position is vacated. All elected officer positions except Executive Director can be filled temporarily via appointment by the Executive Director. The position of Executive Director must be filled through an election presided over by another elected officer.

Article VI: 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.

	
  	Contact Us:
	Queers & Allies
	1301 Jayhawk Blvd. Room 423
	Lawrence, KS 66046
	qanda@ku.edu

This website was last updated on February 27, 2008