Creating a Student Organization Constitution

Creating a Constitution for your Student Organization

An effective club/organization constitution should reflect the purpose and goals of the organization. Your constitution should

1. Be simple and concise
2. Be created by several members of the organization
3. Include appropriate guidelines to govern your organization
4. Review the TCUJ By-Laws for student organization guidelines
5. Review the TCU (Tufts Community Union) Website and Constitution

Please feel free to use the framework below to create your student organization constitution. Keep in mind some of these points may need further clarification or additional sections may need to be added based on the particulars of the organization.

Article I: Name, Purpose, and Affiliation

• Section 1. The name of this organization shall be…
• Section 2. Describe or list the purpose and goals of the organization.
• Section 3. List any affiliation with any local, state, or national organizations if applicable.

Article II: Membership

• Section 1. Describe membership requirements (list as “a”, “b”, “c”, etc.)
  • Who may be a voting member? Nonvoting?
  • Do you require a minimum GPA? Etc.
• Section 2. Describe membership privileges.
• Section 3. Describe how individuals are selected or appointed to positions.
• Section 4. Describe any ex-officio members, i.e. advisors, honorary members, etc.
• Section 5. Discrimination disclaimer i.e. said organization does not discriminate based upon race, religion, gender, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, age, etc.

Article III: Officers

• Section 1. Define officers and describe their position(s) and duties.
• Section 2. Define officer qualifications i.e. GPA, full-time status, etc.
• Section 3. Define voting procedures of officers.

Article IV: Election and Impeachment

• Section 1: Describe the officer election process and timeline.
• Section 2. If necessary, define method of voting, campaigning restrictions, etc.
• Section 3. Explain impeachment/removal procedures.

Article V: Meetings

• Section 1. Define meeting frequency, i.e. weekly, bi-weekly, etc.
• Section 2. Define provisions necessary for calling special/emergency meetings.
• Section 3. Define attendance policy for meetings and establish an accountability system.
• Section 4. Define quorum and when it is necessary.
• Section 5. Define voting rules: majority vote, 2/3 vote, etc.
• Section 6. Define parliamentary procedure to be used (Robert’s Rules of Order)

Article VI: Committees

• Section 1. Define committees, their meeting processes and membership.

Article VII: Amendments and By-Laws

• Section 1. Define who may propose an amendment to the constitution.
• Section 2. Define the method in which an amendment must be submitted or presented.
• Section 3. Define ratification process for amendments, i.e. simple majority, 2/3 vote, etc.
• Section 4. Define use of by-laws typically used to clarify constitution or define detail in organization.

Article VIII: Adherence to College Policies

• Section 1. Statement of adherence to college rules, regulations and policies.
• Section 2. Statement of adherence to all local, state and federal laws.

Article IX

• Section 1. Describe the advisor selection process.
• Section 2. Define the role of the advisor.