To save, right-click here.
The following is the constitution of the Mustard & Cheese Drama Society.
It was voted on and
ratified at the end of semester picnic on
It was amended on
As always, please direct questions or concerns to any club officer.
MUSTARD & CHEESE DRAMA SOCIETY
CONSTITUTION
Preamble:
We Students, in Order to form a more perfect Theatre Organization, establish further Education, insure Theatrical Expression, provide for Community Interaction, promote Theatrical Activity, and secure the Blessings of The Muses to ourselves and our Progeny, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Mustard & Cheese Drama Society of Lehigh University.
Article I: General Provisions
Section A: Official Club Name
The name of this organization shall be the Mustard & Cheese Drama Society; also known as the M&C.
Section B: Supremacy of the Constitution
This shall be the official constitution of the Mustard & Cheese Drama Society and supercede all previous documents.
Article II: Purpose
The purpose of the Mustard & Cheese Drama
Society shall be to serve, support, and promote theatrical activity at
Article III: Membership
Section A: Eligibility
1.
Membership is unlimited and is open to all regularly
enrolled undergraduate and graduate students at
2. A student becomes eligible for membership by earning 2 M&C credits. A M&C credit is earned as follows:
a. Acting in any M&C approved Theatrical activity on campus.
b. Filling a production position in any such activity, whether for credit, pay, or volunteer.
c. Working for 2 full semesters in the costume or scene shops.
3. Anyone not meeting the eligibility criteria given above, such as University staff and faculty, or guest artists may be inducted as an honorary member with the approval of the Executive Board.
4.
Membership is considered official only upon the
completion of an Induction Ceremony held at the end of each semester.
Section B: Membership Status
1.
A any person satisfying the
eligibility requirements and completing induction who is also currently
enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at
2. Upon graduation, an Active Member becomes an Alumnus Member.
3. The term of Honorary Membership status is indefinite.
Section C: Induction
1. Inductions will be held at the end of each semester, and conducted by the Executive Board and active members.
2. The Induction Ceremony will be planned by the Executive Board, but generally includes a performance or games for the inductees, and a recitation of the Oath of Membership.
3.
Inductees shall receive an official M&C membership
certificate upon completion of the induction.
Article IV: Executive Board
Section A: Eligibility
1. University regulations stipulate that a club officer must not be on academic probation. An officer must also not be on social and/or disciplinary probation.
2. Prospective officers must be in residence at Lehigh (not studying abroad or at another campus) during the entire academic year of service.
3. Only Active Members can run for an Executive Board position.
4. Any member wishing to run for the office of President must have served on the Executive Board during a prior term.
Section B: Elections and Voting
1. Elections shall be held at the end of the spring semester, immediately following the spring induction ceremony.
2. Any active member may nominate a candidate for office. The nomination must be seconded by another active member to be considered for a vote.
3. The vote shall be by an open ballot of active members present. Election is by plurality. The nominees shall neither be present during the election nor have a vote.
Section C: Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Board
1. The Executive Board shall consist of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, Events Coordinator, Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator, and Membership Coordinator. The club's faculty advisor will be included in the committee's planning and decision-making and should be invited to sit with all meetings of the Executive Board.
2. The Executive Board receives its authority to act on the club's behalf from the club's membership. The Executive Board has the authority to act in an matter of immediate importance when it is not productive to hold a general meeting of all club members. Any Member of the Mustard & Cheese Drama Society may attend Executive Board meetings.
3. It will be the duty of the Executive Board to appoint a person or persons to the following positions:
a. Webmaster – Maintain and assume responsibility for the Mustard and Cheese Drama Society Web Page (www.lehigh.edu/~inmac) for each academic year.
b. Photographer – Attend and photograph all Mustard and Cheese events, then create a scrapbook outlining the events of the year.
4. All members of the Executive Board shall attend any and all meetings of both the Executive Board and the general membership. In the event that a member of the Executive Board cannot attend, that member shall be responsible for familiarizing himself/herself with the subject matter discussed in his/her absence.
5. No Executive Board Decisions can be made in the absence of any Executive Board member and must pass with a two-thirds vote of the entire Executive Board. In the case that a member of the Executive Board is submitting a proposal for sponsorship by the M&C, that Executive Board member shall neither have a vote nor be present during the voting of the remaining Executive Board members.
1. The duties and responsibilities of the office of President shall include but are not limited to the following:
a. Presiding over weekly Executive Board meetings and preparing an agenda for these meetings to be handed out before the meeting begins.
b. Convening and presiding over meetings of the general membership, which must be convened at least twice per semester.
c. Supervising the work of the other Executive Board members, directing them in planning, and calling for reports from other Executive Board members.
d.
Representing the M&C to the Lehigh University
Student Senate, the Lehigh University Department of Theatre, and other
2. The duties and responsibilities of the
office of Secretary shall include but are not limited to the following:
a. In the absence of the President, presiding over meetings of the Executive Board and the general membership.
b. Taking minutes of all Executive Board and general membership meetings and submitting them in typed form to the general membership within three days of the meeting.
c. Posting all minutes on the M&C web site.
d. Maintaining an e-mail list of M&C members.
3. The duties and responsibilities of the office of Treasurer shall include but are not limited to the following:
a. Preparing the budget for the following academic year, in consultation with the faculty advisor and the members, for submission to the Student Senate.
b. Supervising fund-raising operations, including inventory control, cash accounting and staffing.
c. Monitoring the club's expense account and making regular financial reports to the Executive Board.
d. Supervising any and all withdrawals of club funds.
e. Keeping a detailed record of all club expenditures for purposes of accounting and reporting to the Student Senate when called upon.
4. The duties and responsibilities of the office of Events Coordinator shall include but are not limited to the following:
a. Coordinating and supervising all events including but not limited to: opening night receptions, Wednesday Wing Nights, strike parties, concessions, workshops, trips, picnics, speakers, Alumni Day, and so on including purchasing, preparation, and strike.
b. Handling all hospitality for M&C.
c. Coordinating M&C’s involvement in student productions including but not limited to: musical theatre, advanced directing, and any other proposals to M&C.
d. Working
with the Department of Theatre, the
e. To maintain a calendar of events for M&C, with things scheduled at least two months in advance.
5. The duties and responsibilities of the office of Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator shall include but are not limited to the following:
a. Keeping M&C members informed of activities, events, and meetings in conjunction with the Secretary & Events Coordinator.
b. Advertising all M&C and Department of Theatre events to the public including but not limited to: creation and distribution of posters, advertisements in places like the Brown & White or Lehigh Live, creation and distribution of T-shirts, designing the M&C yearbook page, and maintaining a M&C newsletter that is published at least once a semester.
6. The duties and responsibilities of the office of Membership Coordinator shall include but are not limited to the following:
a. Keeping track of potential members including but not limited to: maintaining a list of students eligible for membership, and preparing membership materials for new initiates.
b. Keeping tabs on current members in accordance with Article III by keeping records of members’ attendance and maintaining official lists of active and inactive members.
c. Keeping in touch with former members including but not limited to: maintaining and updating the alumni database, distributing the newsletter to the alumni mailing list, working with the Events Coordinator to plan Alumni Days and bring in Alumni speakers.
Article V: Appropriation of Available Funds
Section A: Budgeted Funds
1. Funds shall be allocated to events as outlined in the prepared budget as approved by the Student Senate.
2. In cases of a budget surplus, those funds shall be appropriated as the Executive Board sees fit in accordance with the club's mission and purpose.
Section B: Appropriating Funds to Student Productions
1. Any and all requests for financial support should be presented to the Executive Board in both written and verbal form.
a. A written proposal must first be submitted to the Executive Board.
b. The Executive Board should have ample time to review the written proposal, not to exceed two weeks.
c. The initiator of the proposal must then meet with the Executive Board to discuss the proposal.
d. The Executive Board should have one week to review the proposal and to make a final decision and notify the initiator of the proposal.
2. A certain amount of money shall be set aside each year in the M&C's budget to assist in the production of "Lab Theatre" presentations. Said "Lab Theatre" presentations include but are not limited to student directed plays presented by the Lehigh University Department of Theatre's directing and acting classes.
3. The M&C may sponsor any on-campus theatre production at the discretion of the Executive Board.
4. In the case that any production is financially sponsored by both the M&C and the Lehigh University Department of Theatre, all arrangements are to be made between the Executive Board and the Chairperson of the Department of Theatre. The Chairperson would then use the funds in the manner specified by the Executive Board.
a. The Chairperson of the Lehigh University Department of Theatre may select a department representative to make proposals to and negotiate with the Executive Board.
b. The department representative chosen by the Chairperson must not be the faculty advisor of the M&C.
c. In the event that the Chairperson of the Department of Theatre also serves as faculty advisor to the M&C, a department representative must be appointed.
5. In the case that the Executive Board decides to sponsor any theatre project that is independent of the Lehigh University Department of Theatre, funds will be given directly to the individual or group in charge of the project.
6. The Executive Board must give final approval to how club funds are to be used.
7. In the case that a member of the Executive Board is submitting a proposal for sponsorship by the M&C, that Executive Board member shall neither have a vote nor be present during the voting of the remaining Executive Board members.
8. The M&C is not bound in any way to support any project. Funds will be given only when available and when the appropriation of such funds is approved by the Executive Board.
Article VI: Amendments
Section A: Proposing Amendments
1. Amendments may be proposed by any active member.
2. It is not required that the Executive Board be part of the Amendment process but it is recommended that the Executive Board be used to facilitate communication with the entire membership.
Section B: Process for Ratifying Amendments
1. This constitution may be amended with a two-thirds vote of the entire active membership.
2. Absentee voting is permitted for Amendments.
Article VII: Ratification
The Ratification of all current Executive Board members and two thirds of active and present members shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution.