CONSTITUTION OF DEMOCRATS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY

RATIFIED JUNE 8, 2024.

ARTICLE 0: Defined Terms

  1. By-Law

    • A governing document that aids in defining the structure of an organization, its purpose, how the organization will run its affairs, and the duties and responsibilities of those involved, by providing more specific details that are not sufficiently detailed through the Constitution.

  2. Comeback Bid

    • In the event a candidate does not succeed in their contest, they may elect to run in a contest for any vacant Executive Board position down the order of succession.

  3. Contest

    • The specific races for candidacy of a vacant Executive Board position. At least one contest is held during an Election.

  4. Election

    • An event where a formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a position is held

  5. Non-University

    • Any persons not affiliated with the University or are no longer affiliated with the University (e.g. Alumni).

  6. Open Agenda

    • The section of an established meeting where there are no predetermined topics or goals. Any topic that has not been previously discussed may be introduced.

  7. Order of Succession

    • The order in which the Executive Board members assume the powers and duties of the President in their absence.

  8. Position Paper

    • Written documents that establish an organization’s stance on an issue or idea.

  9. Quorum

    • The presence of a majority of the voting membership of the respective meeting.

  10. Service Project

    • Volunteering for a political campaign or community service project through the Cornell Democrats, including but not limited to canvasing, phone banking, or other field work that contributes to the wellbeing of the Cornell and Ithaca community. 

  11. Subordinate

    • Lower in rank or priority.

  12. Umbrella

    • An Inter-organizational group, entity, or committee, both internal and external to the University

ARTICLE 1: Fundamental structure

  1. Name

  • The name of this organization shall be the Democrats at Cornell University and may be referred to as the Cornell Democrats or C-Dems.

  • Said name of the organization has received approval from the Campus Activities and University Relations, and is in compliance with the Cornell University Policy 4.10 on Student Organization Branding.

2. Purpose

    • With the philosophy and platform of the Democratic Party guiding our mission as Cornell Democrats, the purpose of the Cornell Democrats is to elect Democrats, foster civic engagement, educate the student body about the philosophy and critical issues of the Democratic Party, and ultimately empower students. Services of Cornell Democrats include but are not limited to:

      1. Registering voters

      2. Informing, educating, and promoting civic engagement

      3. Coordinating and supporting political campaigns affiliated with the Democratic Party

      4. Participating in community service/philanthropic initiatives.

    • The Cornell Democrats is associated with the following local, state, national, or international organization:

      1. College Democrats of New York (CDNY)

3. fundamental structure

  • The Constitution of the Cornell Democrats stands as the paramount legal framework governing the organization. Consequently, any other governing documents within the Cornell Democrats that clash with the Constitution are rendered subordinate and overridden by its provisions.

      1. The Constitution shall be rendered subordinate and overridden by University, local, state, and federal guidelines & bylaws.

      2. Cornell Democrats complies with Cornell University Policy 6.4 of Prohibited Bias, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual and Related Misconduct. 

        1. This policy is also outlined in the Big Red Guidebook.

    1. The Cornell Democrats shall be comprised of an Executive Board and a General Body.

4. Membership

    1. The Cornell Democrats shall consist of any full-time student —graduate, undergraduate, or professional— of Cornell University who are interested in the purpose of the Cornell Democrats and who shall be approved by the Officers via Campus Groups.

      1. Persons that do not fulfill this requirement shall be referred to as Non-University members.

    2. No person shall be denied membership for or office due to race, sex, sexual orientation, nation of origin, physical disability, political or religious beliefs, and all other protected classes stated within University, local, state, and federal guidelines & bylaws.

      1. Additional requirements for office or membership may be established but must receive prior approval from the Office of Student Campus Life.

      2. All active members of the Cornell Democrats are granted voting rights for the general body meetings.

    3. All active members of the Cornell Democrats are eligible to become a member of any committee.

    4. Non-University members may participate, but may not act on behalf of the  Cornell Democrats or perform any of the following functions: 

      1. Holding office in the Cornell Democrats

      2. Presiding in the Cornell Democrats

      3. Officiating in the Cornell Democrats

      4. Voting in the Cornell Democrats

      5. Making/seconding motions at any meeting of the Cornell Democrats

      6. Soliciting funds on campus on behalf of the organization

      7. Working at tables/events on the campus on behalf of the organization

        1. Unless a Member or University faculty/staff is at all times present and responsible for the activity.

    5. Any member of the Executive Board reserves the right to revoke membership and remove any person from a Cornell Democrats affiliated person through the following grounds:

      1. Violation of rules and regulations outlined in the Cornell Student Policies and/or Student Code of Conduct.

      2. Failure to uphold the provisions of the constitution and bylaws.

      3. Does not act in the best interests of the organization and/or is engaged in activity jeopardizing the organization's existence.

      1. The unanimous approval of the Executive Board is needed in order for this clause to be enacted.

5. ACTIVE

    1. Members shall be recognized as “active” after having attended at least one general body meeting (G-body), committee meeting, or service project during the semester.

      1. Attendance in an executive meeting or a general body meeting where elections are being held shall not count towards fulfilling membership requirements to the Cornell Democrats.

    2. Members who have not attended at least one general body meeting (G-body), committee meeting, or service project during the semester, or are part-time students, non-matriculated students, students on a leave of absence, or students who are abroad, shall be considered “inactive.”

6. STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

    1. All members must follow local, state, and federal laws, Cornell University rules, and the organization’s constitution at all functions.

    2. All members will abide by Cornell University Policies, specifically policy 6.4: Prohibited Bias, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual and Related Misconduct.

    3. In case of a violation and/or an active University investigation, the following are options:

      1. Members involved in an active University investigation may receive a temporary suspension or limited membership as determined by a unanimous approval of the Executive Board.

      2. Members found violating university policy may be permanently removed as members as determined by a unanimous approval of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE 2: EXECUTIVE BOARD

  1. Name

  1. The Executive Board of the Cornell Democrats may be referred to as the E-Board.

2. COMPOSITION

    • The Executive Board shall comprise of eight positions (in order of succession):

      1. President

      2. Vice President

      3. Treasurer

      4. Secretary

      5. Operations Director

      6. Political Director

      7. Communications Director

      8. Service Director

    • Within the Executive Board, the Core Four positions are (in order of succession):

      1. President

      2. Vice President

      3. Treasurer

      4. Secretary

    • The Executive Board shall have the power to create ad-hoc positions and elect persons to those positions for a limited purpose, and for a limited time that shall not exceed one academic year.

      1. The creation and election of such positions are to be done with a ⅔ majority vote of the Executive Board.

      2. Ad-hoc positions are not voting members of the Executive Board.

3. ELIGIBILITY

    • All active members of the Cornell Democrats are deemed eligible to run for any Non-Core Four Executive Board positions within Cornell Democrats.

      1. Part-time students, non-matriculated students, students on a leave of absence, or students who are abroad may not serve as officers, executive board, and/or voting members of Cornell Democrats.

    • No person shall seek a Core Four position unless they have been an active member of Cornell Democrats for at least two consecutive semesters prior to the semester they would assume office.

      1. In the event no eligible candidates are available, this restriction shall be waived, allowing for any active members of the Cornell Democrats to seek a Core Four position.

4. ELECTIONS

    • The members of the Executive Board for the subsequent academic year shall be elected at least before the last day of classes of the spring academic semester of the current academic year.

      1. This will be known as the general election for the Cornell Democrats.

    • To declare candidacy for an Executive Board position, the prospective member must do so during the candidacy declaration period.

      1. The medium in which the candidacy declaration period is held shall under the discretion of the current Executive Board.

      2. The candidacy declaration period is required to be open to all members at a minimum of 7 days, with the final day of the candidacy declaration period being 2 days prior to the day of the election. The candidacy declaration period must be adequately notified to all members of the Cornell Democrats.

    • The role of Presiding Officer for the duration of a Cornell Democrats election shall follow the order of succession and shall skip Executive Board members that have declared candidacy for any Executive Board position.

      1. In the event no person is available to be the presiding officer, the executive board shall appoint a Presiding Officer for the duration of the Cornell Democrats election via simple majority, with priority given to active non-Executive Board members.

    • The order in which contests are held shall follow the order of succession.

    • All candidates will be granted 2 minutes of speaking time. This is referred to as the speaking period of the contest.

      1. In the event a candidate is not able to attend the election in-person, accommodations shall be made at the discretion of the Executive Board. Such accommodations may include but are not limited to:

        1. Accepting a written statement and having it read to the general membership.

        2. Recording a video in advance, of the appropriate time limit outline in this Article, and have said video be played at the time of their race in lieu of a speech.

        3. Set-up a virtual meeting for the candidate to attend the election virtually.

          1. If attending virtually, the candidate shall be considered present for the election.

    • All candidates will respond to a total of 3 questions and have 1 minute to respond to each. This is referred to as the questioning period of the contest.

      1. All questions shall apply to all present candidates in their respective elections.

      2. Questions that directly target some candidate(s) shall be overruled by the Presiding Officer and not count towards the number of questions.

    • The Presiding Officer of the election shall have the right to establish a discussion period as seen fit

      1. Candidates will not be present during the discussion period

      2. The Presiding Officer shall have the ability to establish the time limit for the discussion period.

    • Vote counting and declaration of winner will occur directly after the questioning or discussion period.

      1. Candidates will not be present during the voting period.

      2. All votes shall be cast and counted during a Cornell Democrats election.

    • Candidates for an Executive Board position are restricted from voting in their respective elections.

    • Active Members shall be permitted to vote by absentee ballot if they notify the Executive Board of their inability to vote in person at least one week prior to elections.

      1. The circumstances and parameters in which the absentee ballot will be distributed and accepted are at the discretion of the Executive Board, but must be made clear to the membership of Cornell Democrats at the start of the candidacy declaration period.

    • The members of the Executive Board shall be elected during a Cornell Democrats election by a majority (above 50%) of the votes cast for the respective position. The format of voting for each election shall be a ranked-choice voting method.

      1. In the event that none of the candidates have received a majority of the votes cast for the respective position, the candidate with the fewest votes will be dropped from the race, and the dropped ballots shall be re-distributed to their next choice. This repeats until a candidate has received the majority of the votes.

      2. In the event of a tie after ranked preferences have been tabulated, an immediate re-vote for between the tied candidates shall be held.

        1. The Presiding Officer shall have the authority to re-introduce a discussion period if deemed necessary.

          1. Guidelines of such a discussion period shall be in compliance with Article 2.D.g. of the Constitution

    • All candidates are granted one Comeback Bid per election.

5. appointments

    • In the event that a member of the Executive Board were to vacate their position, except for the position of President, (due to leave of absence, resignation, impeachment, etc.), the President shall appoint a person to fill said vacated position.

      1. Said appointment shall be in compliance with Article 2.C. of the Constitution.

      2. Said appointment may be presented to the Legislative & Vetting Review Standing Committee for review before being presented to the Executive Board

      3. Said appointment shall be made within two weeks of said position being vacated, and the appointee shall serve the remainder of the respective position’s term in office

        1. Said appointment shall be approved by a ⅔ majority vote of the filled positions of the Executive Board.

        2. In the event the appointment is not made within two weeks or does not gain the ⅔ approval of the filled positions of the Executive Board, a special election shall be held to fill the vacancy of the position.

          1. This special election shall be in compliance with Article 2.D. of the Constitution.

    • In the event that the President were to vacate their position (due to leave of absence, resignation, impeachment, etc.), the next available member of the Executive Board in order of succession shall assume the role of President for the remainder of the term.

      1. The now vacated positions shall be filled in accordance with Article 2.E.a. of the Constitution.

    • If deemed necessary by the Executive Board, two Political Directors shall be elected/appointed.

      1. A ⅔ majority vote of the filled positions of the Executive Board is needed to enact this clause.

      2. Order of succession between the two political directors shall be established by seniority of assumption of office.

6. term in office

    1. The term in office for the subsequent Executive Board shall commence immediately following the end of the spring academic semester of the current academic year, and said term in office shall terminate immediately following the end of the spring academic semester of the subsequent academic year.

    2. No individual shall hold a specific Executive Board position for more than five semesters.

7. Shared Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Board

    • All Executive Board members are voting members in Executive Board meetings

    • Each Executive Board member shall have the ability to draft amendments, resolutions, endorsements, and position papers, and present them to the Executive Board and/or the General body in their respective meetings.

      1. These drafts are to be submitted to the Operations Director for review before presenting to the Executive Board and the General body in their respective meetings

      2. The Operations Director is to complete the review of said draft within 1 week of submission.

        1. The Operations Director can either recommend the:

          1. Approval of the draft as is

          2. Approval of the draft with amendments

          3. Rejection of the draft 

    • Each Executive Board member shall create, and maintain a transition document regarding their position and responsibilities, including budgets and activities of their respective position.

      1. Each Executive Board member shall provide said document to whoever shall hold their role in the following year upon their election. 

      2. Outgoing Executive Board members shall also make every effort to assist in the transition process, including helping to ensure that incoming Executive Board members are aware of their shared and specific responsibilities.

    • The Executive Board shall develop subsequent measures to fulfill all policies and procedures outlined in the Constitution.

    • The Executive Board shall further the benefits and privileges of being a member of Cornell Democrats.

    • In the absence of the President, the Presiding Officer of meetings in Cornell Democrats shall follow the order of succession.

8. Specific Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Board

    1. President

      1. The President shall:

        1. Be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Cornell Democrats.

          1. Carry out the mandates, policies, and directives of the Executive Board.

        2. Be the official representative and spokesperson of the Cornell Democrats, both internal and external to University.

        3. In consultation with the Executive Board, make all appointment recommendations within the Cornell Democrats.

        4. Be the Presiding Officer of the Executive Board meetings and the general body meetings of the Cornell Democrats.

        5. Shall consult with the Executive Board in the fulfillment of their duties and responsibilities, as outlined in the Constitution.

        6. Monitor and oversee committee membership and productivity along with the Vice President.

        7. Manage membership/affiliation operations with Umbrellas with the approval of the Executive Board along with the Vice President.

        8. Define the priorities of the Cornell Democrats during its tenure.

          1. The president may establish these priorities in consultation with the rest of the Executive Board.

        9. Ensure all officers are full-time students on their campus.

        10. Ensure that Cornell Democrats’ activities and members follow all Cornell University policies.

        11. Delegate all unassigned tasks deemed necessary for the Cornell Democrats to Executive Board members as seen fit.

    2. Vice President

      1. The Vice President shall:

        1. Be the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Cornell Democrats.

        2. Shall assist the President in the coordination of operations within the Executive Board.

        3. Oversee the completion and submission of all relevant registration & paperwork for the Cornell Democrats, including but not limited to:

          1. 25Live or other room reservation mediums/platforms

          2. CampusGroups

        4. Maintain records of Cornell Democrat’s Inventory, which include but are not limited to:

          1. Item

          2. Quantity of Item

          3. Location of storage

          4. Past Usage

          5. Vendor/Source of item purchased

        5. Shall be the ex-officio members of every committee in Cornell Democrats.

        6. Monitor and oversee committee membership and productivity along with the President.

        7. Manage membership/affiliation operations with Umbrellas with the approval of the Executive Board along with the President.

        8. Assist the Director of Operations in:

          1. developing programming dedicated to new member retention.

        9. Ensure that Cornell Democrat’s activities and members follow all Cornell University policies.

    3. Treasurer

      1. The Treasurer shall:

        1. Be the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Cornell Democrats

          1. Be responsible for all budgetary and fiscal matters of the Cornell Democrats.

        2. Be the chair of the Budget & Finance Standing Committee

        3. Ensure that the monies are handled in accordance with University financial policies.

        4. Keep a detailed record of all monies allocated to and raised by the Cornell Democrats.

        5. Manage the bank account, the receipts, and all fiscal paperwork of the Cornell Democrats.

        6. Have the ability to strike down proposed budgetary or operational actions of the Cornell Democrats in the event they are deemed not in accordance with University financial policies or are unable to be feasible fiscally.

          1. In the event the treasurer is to strike down a proposed budgetary or operational action of the Cornell Democrats, this may be overruled by a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of the Executive Board.

        7. Direct fundraising activities and prepare all grant submissions

        8. Process all necessary reimbursements of the Cornell Democrats

        9. Deliver a monthly report to the Executive Board that will outline the current financial state of the Cornell Democrats thus far at that time.

        10. Deliver a semesterly report to the Executive Board that will outline the overall financial state of the Cornell Democrats within the respective semester & recommendations for the next semester.

    4. Secretary

      1. The Secretary shall:

        1. Be the Chief Records Officer (CRO) of the Cornell Democrats

        2. Take minutes, or ensure that minutes are taken, at all meetings

          1. If the Secretary is unavailable, they shall designate another Executive Board Member to take minutes.

        3. Ensure the minutes of open meetings are available to the general membership.

        4. Establish and finalize the agendas for meetings of the executive board and general body membership.

        5. Promulgate information to Cornell students of campaign subgroups, the requirement to create them, and any other pertinent information about subgroups.

        6. Inform the general body of the agenda of the upcoming general body meeting at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

        7. Record and disseminate changes to any governing documents of the Cornell Democrats to the membership within two weeks of adoption.

        8. Keep abreast of campus politics and organize on-campus operations.

          1. Direct outreach efforts by fostering strong relationships with other student groups and their operations, encouraging cosponsorship and cooperation in directing events.

        9. Maintain alumni relations by keeping them connected and up-to-date with the organization, its mission, and its operations.

        10. Ensure meetings and governing documents of the Cornell Democrats adhere to the New York State Open Meetings Law.

    5. Operations Director

      1. The Operations Director shall:

        1. Be the Chief Legal Officer (CLO) of the Cornell Democrats

        2. Have the ability to draft bylaws for the Cornell Democrats in conjunction with the chair of each respective committee.

        3. Be the chair of the Legislative & Vetting Review Standing Committee

        4. Primarily ensure compliance with the Constitution; approved bylaws; and guidelines & bylaws of the University & local, state, and federal government.

        5. Draft amendments in the event the Constitution or any governing documents of the Cornell Democrats conflict with the guidelines & bylaws of the University & local, state, and federal government, such that all governing documents are in compliance with each other.

        6. Review draft amendments, resolutions, and position papers, as outlined in Article 2.F

        7. Organize recruitment and new member operations, holding recruitment drives during peak periods and year-round.

        8. Responsible for maintaining a current and accurate record of all bylaws.

    6. Political Director

      1. The Political Director shall:

        1. Be the Chief Campaign Officer (CCO) of the Cornell Democrats

        2. Be the Chair(s) of the Grassroots & Civic Engagement Standing Committee.

        3. Supervise and work to build campaign subgroups.

        4. Lead organization-wide campaign efforts.

        5. Educate members on the skills and activities relevant to campaign work.

        6. Shall coordinate with campaigns or other organizations to ensure resources are being properly allocated or distributed.

          1. Resources include but are not limited to:

            1. Campaign literature

            2. Rideshares/Transportation

        7. Plan events relevant to Democratic politics & policy, civic engagement, and other related initiatives.

        8. Maintain contacts with elected officials, parties, and other related entities at the local, state, and national levels.

        9. Coordinate for speakers to appear at Cornell Democrats meetings and/or events.

    7. Communications Director

      1. The Communications Director shall:

        1. Be the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of the Cornell Democrats

        2. Be the principal manager of all mediums and platforms of communication of the Cornell Democrats.

        3. Be the chair of the Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility (IDEA) Standing Committee.

        4. Be responsible for the creation of flyers for general body meetings as well as events for all mediums and platforms.

        5. Be responsible for all public dissemination of information of the Cornell Democrats.

        6. Draft Press Release Statements and distribute them to relevant media groups upon approval.

        7. Manage an up-to-date list of internship opportunities and disseminate them to the Cornell Democrats membership.

    8. Service Director

      1. The Service Director shall:

        1. Be the Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO) of the Cornell Democrats

        2. Be the vice-chair of the Budget & Finance Standing Committee

        3. Research and recommend non-profit organizations for the Cornell Democrats to fundraise for.

        4. Organize community service events/projects/initiatives for Cornell Democrats.

          1. Deliver a report to the Executive Board that will outline the aftermath/result of such community service within a week after the event.

        5. Organize a faculty/speakers/formal dinner, fundraisers, and other philanthropic events & activities.

          1. Deliver a report to the Executive Board that will outline the aftermath/result of such philanthropic activity within a week after the event.

        6. Organize social events/projects/initiatives for Cornell Democrats.

ARTICLE 3: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Requirements for Membership

Any Cornell University student who identifies with the mission of the Cornell Democrats is considered to be a member of the Cornell Democrats for that academic year. Membership in the Cornell Democrats is open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.

To be considered as a “voting member” of the Cornell Democrats, said member is required to attend 3 Cornell Democrats events per semester. This member must be on the official Cornell Democrats listserv. Any student studying abroad may not be considered as a voting member.

Section 2: Rights of Members

Any voting member who meets the requirements delineated in Article 3 Section 1 is eligible to vote for Constitutional changes, official endorsements and affiliations, officer elections, and any other concerns that the Executive Board determines appropriate.

Section 3: Membership List

The Secretary, or a person that the Secretary designates, is responsible for maintaining an up-to-date and accurate listserv of Cornell Democrats members. The Secretary is also responsible for maintaining an up-to-date attendance sheet which will be used to verify membership status before all votes.

Section 4: Non-Discrimination Policy

Membership in and affiliation with the Cornell Democrats and all rights and responsibilities associated with such a status shall not be contingent on a person’s actual or perceived: age, creed, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, race, religion, religious affiliation, religious practice, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any combination of these factors or related factors.

article 4: external REPRESENTATION

  1. Advisor

  1. Advisor Selection

    1. Any faculty or staff member at Cornell University capable of corresponding with the university in the official and legal matters of the Cornell Democrats

    2. University/Department advisors are assigned by the university/department to oversee an organization.

  2. Advisor Duties & Responsibilities

    1. Attend general body and/or executive board meetings when needed

    2. Meet regularly with the Cornell Democrats' President to stay updated and serve as a resource

    3. Assist with the annual registration process

    4. Assist with the funding process

  3. Term of service

    1. There is no limit to how long the advisor may hold the position subject to the advisor acting in the Cornell Democrats’ best interests, does not violate any Cornell University Policies rules and/or Student Code of Conduct, and is not engaged in activity jeopardizing the Cornell Democrats’ existence.

2. College Democrats of New York

    1. Members of the Cornell Democrats shall, on behalf of the general body membership, serve as voting delegates to the College Democrats of New York (herein ‘CDNY’).

    2. The President, or their designee, shall serve as the voting delegate to the CDNY.

    3. Additional representatives of Cornell Democrats to the CDNY shall be appointed by the President from among nominated voting members of the Executive Board and General Body.

Article 5: IMPEACHMENT

1. Executive Board

  • A voting member of the Executive Board may be impeached, and subsequently removed from their respective position in office for violations of the Constitution or other Cornell Democrats governing documents.

  • To initiate the impeachment of a member of the Executive Board, a member of the Cornell Democrats shall present the articles of impeachment (including the list of charges and supplemental materials) to any other Executive Board member.

    1. In the event it is a member of the Executive Board that wishes to present the articles of impeachment against another member of the Executive Board, they shall only fulfill the role of “member of the Cornell Democrats” and shall not fulfill the role of “other Executive Board member” simultaneously.

  • The articles of impeachment shall be included into the agenda of the next Executive Board meeting.

    1. In the event where an Executive Board Meeting has not been scheduled after the submission of articles of impeachment, the President shall call to order an additional meeting of the Executive Board on the impeachment process, provided that said meeting is held in adherence to the New York State Open Meetings Law and the Constitution.

    2. The articles of impeachment shall not be included in the agenda of the Executive Board Meeting via Open Agenda or amendment of the agenda itself.

    3. The Executive Board shall be notified immediately upon the inclusion of the agenda, with the specific charges mentioned.

    4. The Executive Board member with articles of impeachment filed against them is then considered to be charged.

  • Upon inclusion into the agenda, an impeachment proceeding must be held, presided over by the President.

    1. The Presiding Officer for the impeachment proceeding shall follow the order of succession, and shall skip Executive Board members that have been charged.

  • Impeachment proceeding shall only be conducted via Executive Session, with the inclusion of the witnesses that have submitted the articles of impeachment.

  • Witnesses that have submitted the articles of impeachment shall have the opportunity to present their evidence in favor of removal of the charged Executive Board member during the impeachment proceedings.

    1. The charged Executive Board member shall temporarily be removed from the impeachment proceeding until the conclusion of the presentation.

  • The charged Executive Board member shall have the opportunity to present any counter-evidence and present a defense during the impeachment proceedings.

    1. The witnesses that have submitted the articles of impeachment shall temporarily be removed from the impeachment proceeding until the conclusion of the presentation.

  • After each side has presented their case, ⅔ majority vote of the filled positions of the Executive Board is needed for the charged Executive Board member to be removed from office.

  • If the charged Executive Board member does not attend the impeachment proceedings, one rescheduling of the proceedings shall be permitted before the Executive Board member in question is automatically removed from the Executive Board.

  • Upon removal from office, the Executive Board member position shall be considered vacant.

2. Appeal Process

    • After a charged officer has been removed from office, they shall have seven (7) calendar days to appeal the removal.

      1. In the event that an appeal has been made, the appointment process shall be temporarily halted until the appeal process is resolved.

    • The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Executive Board and must include any relevant information that has not already been presented. The appeal shall then be sent to the Legislative & Vetting Review Standing Committee.

    • The Articles of Impeachment, Appeal, Executive Board Decision, and Recommendation from the Legislative & Vetting Review Standing Committee shall be presented to the General Body at the next available General Body Meeting.

      1. The general body shall only be made aware of an appeal for Articles of Impeachment, but shall not be made known of further details unless they attend the aforementioned General Body Meeting.

    • Upon presentation of all relevant documents and decisions, a ⅔ majority vote of the present general body is needed for the appeal to be accepted.

      1. In the event the appeal has been accepted, any progress on the appointment process shall be suspended.

Article 6: GOVERNING & RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

1. Committee Review

  • All governing & relevant documents covered within this article shall be introduced to the Operations Director in writing for official reviewal by the Legislative & Vetting Review Standing Committee.

    1. Reviewal of Position papers shall also include the Political Director(s).

2. Resolutions

    • Approval of Resolutions must be done so with a simple majority vote of the present membership of the filled positions of the Executive Board

3. Position Papers

    • Position Papers may also be:

      1. Introduced from the floor at an Executive Board meeting.

        1. Position Papers submitted in this manner shall have the disclaimer of not being vetted by the Legislative & Vetting Review Standing Committee. Said disclaimer will be made known to the Executive Board by the Operations Director.

    • Approval of Position Papers statements must be done so with a ⅔ majority vote of the filled positions of the Executive Board.

4.Press Release Statements

    • Press Release statements may also be:

      1. Introduced from the floor at an Executive Board meeting.

        1. Press Release submitted in this manner shall have the disclaimer of not being vetted by the Legislative & Vetting Review Standing Committee. Said disclaimer will be made known to the Executive Board by the Operations Director.

      2. Introduced via email

        1. Press Release submitted in this manner shall have the disclaimer of not being vetted by the Legislative & Vetting Review Standing Committee. Said disclaimer will be made known to the Executive Board by the Operations Director.

    • Approval of Press Release statements must be done so with a ⅔ majority vote of the filled positions of the Executive Board.

5.Endorsements

    1. Endorsements may be made to any Democratic political candidate and/or policy, or third party candidates that caucus with Democrats or uphold values in line with the Democratic Party.

    2. The Executive Board shall compile a short list of candidates running in federal, state, municipal, and Cornell-wide elections.

    3. The Political Director shall present the platform of each of the short-listed candidates to the general body for their consideration.

    4. The general body membership shall vote to endorse one candidate for each race by ranked-choice voting requiring a ⅔ majority.

    5. In elections where the Cornell Democrats do not officially endorse a candidate, the Cornell Democrats shall facilitate the dissemination of information for all Democratic candidates in that race.

6.Bylaws

    1. Function of Bylaws

      1. Bylaws serve to:

      2. Ensure transparency and accountability within the chapter’s operations. 

      3. Provide mechanisms for resolving disputes and handling disciplinary matters which are more specific than the Constitution. 

      4. Outline the structure and functions of committees and other sub-groups within the chapter as they are created. 

      5. Explain, in more depth, the year-to-year operations, plans, and goals of the chapter. 

      6. Establish further specifications for governing documents not previously established.

    2. Approval of Endorsement must be done so with a simple majority vote of the filled positions of the Executive Board

7.Amendments

    1. Amendments to any governing & relevant documents covered within this article may also be:

      1. Introduced from the floor at a general body meeting and must be submitted to the Operations Director in writing.

        1. Amendments submitted in this manner shall have the disclaimer of not being vetted by the Legislative & Vetting Review Standing Committee. Said disclaimer will be made known to the general body by the Operations Director.

    2. A  ⅔ majority vote of the present general body is necessary for the passage of the amendment. The result of the vote must be reflected in the meeting minutes. A quorum is required.

    3. All amendments must be promptly submitted to the Office of Student Campus Life for final approval.

ARTICLE 7: RATIFICATION

  1. Ratification Process

  1. The constitution on file in CampusGroups is uploaded annually during the re-registration process and is valid until amendments are made. 

  2. Any changes to the constitution must be shared with Campus Activities as a revised constitution for review.

2.Effective

    1. This constitution shall become effective once uploaded to CampusGroups during the annual re-registration process.

Article 8: DISSOLUTION

1.Re-distribution

  1. In the event of the dissolution of the Cornell Democrats, all accrued funds, inventory, and assets shall revert to the Undergraduate Student Assembly.

Follow Us!

 
 

This organization is a registered student organization of Cornell University