PREAMBLE

The name of the organization shall be known as the Coe Alliance.

ARTICLE I (Purpose)

To promote the education, awareness, and respect of and about persons of all sexual orientations (including gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and heterosexual orientations). The Coe Alliance believes that education is a powerful tool for ending homophobia and heterosexism, so our work is focused on providing education strategies which can be used to battle these and other oppressions. To this end, Coe Alliance members will serve as a resource for information about issues pertaining to sexual orientation. We are committed to a process which celebrates diversity, promotes love and support, and provides alternatives to oppression. Most of all, our goal is to create bridges of respect and friendship between people of all sexual orientations.

ARTICLE II (Membership)

The Coe Alliance places no restrictions on membership; due to the nature of our organization this type of practice would be self-defeating. The membership will consist of those people who have requested to be on the Coe Alliance mailing list. The Coe Alliance requests that its members hold in confidence any personal disclosures made at meetings.

All members of this organization will be treated with equal respect and dignity.

Removal of members will be based solely on breach of confidence of the organization, and will occur only after a group vote has been held to determine whether or not a confidence has been broken and if that person should be expelled from the group.

ARTICLE III (Officers)

There shall be five officers to hold the following positions and duties:

Two Co-Moderators, the duties of whom shall include, but not be limited to, organizing each meeting, establishing individual committees, and keeping advisors abreast of the organization's activities. One of the two co-moderators must be present at each meeting of the Coe Alliance.

Secretary, the duties of whom shall include maintaining a current mailing list of the membership, taking minutes of meetings, distributing said minutes to each member of the organization within 4 days after the meeting, keeping a list of proxy votes for members unable to attend a meeting at which a vote will be taken, and reporting a tally of proxy votes to the advisors when a vote is taken, as well as any other duties delegated to this office by the Co-Moderators.

Treasurer, the duties of whom shall include recording and distributing all monetary transactions which have received approval of each of the four officers, as well as any other duties delegated to this office by the Co-Moderators.

Historian, the duties of whom shall include writing the annual review to be submitted to the Student Affairs Committee in accordance with the Student Handbook; archiving meeting minutes and budgets; and maintaining a record of all Coe Alliance events with such materials as correspondence, press releases and newspaper clippings, photographs, and memorabilia of events, as well as any other duties delegated to this office by the Co-Moderators.

ARTICLE IV (Advisors)

There will be two advisors to the group, serving overlapping two year terms with no restrictions placed on the number of terms served. A new advisor will be selected after new officers have been elected and before the end of the spring term to replace the outgoing advisor.

The advisors of this organization will be chosen from the current Coe faculty and staff. Nominations from interested members of the Coe community to the executive board will be presented to the membership for a vote following voting procedures described in Article V. The executive board will invite the selected member of the faculty or staff to become the advisors to the group. Upon accepting such an invitation will a faculty or staff member become an advisor to the group.

The duties of these advisors shall include, but not be limited to, informing the officers of their powers and limitations, facilitating communication as conduits of information between the Coe Alliance and the College's administrative and instructional staffs, and tallying votes for elections and constitutional amendments and revisions. One of the two advisors must be present at each meeting of the Coe Alliance.

ARTICLE V (Meetings)

Meetings will be held weekly or at the discretion of the Co-Moderators, with times and locations specified by the Co-Moderators. Co-Moderators are responsible for overseeing meetings and conducting them as appropriate to the topics covered.

For all votes except election of officers and votes to amend or revise the constitution, votes may be cast in person at a meeting or by proxy vote sent to the Secretary. Outcomes will be determined by the majority of votes cast. In the event of a tie vote, votes will be recast at the next meeting.

ARTICLE VI (Elections)

The five officers will be elected by a majority vote of all members two weeks before spring break each year. Elections will require the notification of the membership of nominated candidates for the upcoming vote by at least one mail notice and at least one meeting announcement prior to the meeting at which the vote will take place. Votes will be taken by written ballots counted by the advisor(s) present at the meeting, with individual votes remaining confidential and the outcome of the voting procedure announced by the advisor(s). In all other respects elections shall follow voting procedures described in Article V.

A transition period to facilitate the smooth transfer of duties, with length to be determined by outgoing and incoming officers, will follow the election, with the incoming executive board taking office before the conclusion of the spring term.

If any officer graduates or leaves Coe before the completion of his or her term, an interim officer will be elected by the membership to complete the term following election voting procedures.

ARTICLE VII (Finances)

The members of this organization will not be required to contribute any dues.

Single-item expenditures greater than 5% of the annual budget must be approved by majority vote in accordance with voting procedures described in Article V.

If the organization dissolves, any remaining funds shall be returns directly to the Student Senate.

ARTICLE VIII (Amendments and Revisions)

Constitutional amendments or revisions will require the notification of the membership of an upcoming vote by at least one mail notice and at least one meeting announcement prior to the meeting at which the vote will take place.

A two-thirds vote of all current members shall be required to ratify an amendment or revise the constitution. Votes will be taken by a show of hands counted by the advisor(s) present at the meeting. In all other respects voting on Constitutional amendments and revisions shall follow voting procedures described in Article V.

In addition, all proposed amendments to and revisions of this constitution shall be submitted to the Student Affairs Committee for approval.

Revised 11/1/95 by Nialle Woods, Valerie Sowell (Chair), Eric Haugee, and Ellen Bradburn.

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