MISSION STATEMENT

Queers & Allies seeks to offer support and promote education, awareness and advocacy of GLBTQA (Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender-Questioning-Allied) issues.  We will support these individuals by providing a psychological and physical safe-space.  Working in collaboration with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Student Health Cluster and other departments and organizations that facilitate diversity and well-being, we will supply resources and create programming to further campus-wide understanding and harmony.  In order to increase the visibility and cohesiveness of Rice’s GLBTQA community, we will reach out to and involve ourselves with local, national and international social and advocacy organizations.

CONSTITUTION

1. The name of this organization is Queers & Allies
2. The purpose of this organization shall be as follows:
1. to provide support and promote education, awareness and advocacy of GLBTQA issues;
2. to offer a psychological and physical safe-space; 
3. to supply resources and create programming to further campus-wide understanding and harmony;
4. to increase visibility and cohesiveness of the Rice GLBTQA community;
5. to reach out to and involve ourselves in local, national and international social and advocacy organizations; and
6. to fulfill Rice University’s educational goals and non-discrimination policy.
3. Queers & Allies shall be organized as follows:
1. Executive Board- With the exception of the Faculty Advisor position, all voting Board members must be current Rice graduate or undergraduate students.   
2. Regular members- All Rice students, faculty and staff are eligible.
3. Honorary members- All other persons interested in joining the organization (alumni or community members) are eligible.
4. The Executive Board will conduct itself as follows:
1. Each Executive Board member must
1. complete specific responsibilities outlined for his or her position;
2. represent Queers & Allies in a professional manner;
3. attend all regularly scheduled Board meetings
4. suggest amendments to the Queers & Allies constitution as needed (a 2/3 majority of the voting Board is necessary to finalize an amendment).

2. Voting members are delineated below and responsible for the following:

1. The President will call and oversee all meetings and activities and will ensure that Queers & Allies abides by rules and regulations set forth by the Student Association of Rice University.  He or she also has the ability to create committees to coordinate specific events.  He or she will represent Queers & Allies unless another delegate has been selected.
2. The Internal Vice-President obtains resources, oversees the office, and schedules volunteers to staff the office.
3. The External Vice-President cultivates and maintains relationships with relevant social, political and educational groups both on and off campus.  Publicizes and promotes all Queers & Allies’s events.
4. The Treasurer manages the finances of the group including the club bank account and fundraising efforts.
5. The Secretary takes minutes during meetings, maintains the list-serve, and assists the External Vice-President with advertising all Queers & Allies events.
6. The Faculty Advisor acts as both a human resource and a liaison to other faculty and staff and provides guidance, perspective and continuity through organizational history.

3. Non-voting members have the same responsibilities as the at-large faculty or staff, with the additional goal of bringing their unique wellness or multicultural perspective and disseminating information to their respective organizations.  

1. Director of the Wellness Center
2. Director of Multicultural Affairs

5. The Executive Board members will be chosen as follows:
1. Every April, members of the prospective Executive Board will be nominated by the regular membership and elected by the existing Executive Board. 
2. An Executive Board member’s term of office is one year, from April to April.   A person may serve on the Board for as many years as he or she is at Rice.
3. In the event that an Executive Board member cannot fulfill his or her entire term, refer to normal election procedures (5a) in order to fill that position.  The process must be completed by the next regularly-scheduled Board meeting.  
4. Any Board member can begin a movement to impeach another Board member who is not effectively fulfilling his or her responsibilities.  After the necessary 2/3 majority of Board votes is secured to finalize the impeachment, refer to normal election procedures (5a) to fill the vacated position.
5. The Faculty Advisor is not subject to any limit on the length of their term.  They are chosen by a committee appointed by the President.
6. The Executive Board will proceed as follows:
1. Each semester, the Board will hold a minimum of four Board meetings.
2. All decisions will be voted on by the voting Executive Board members.  In order to make a decision, a majority of the Board’s voting members must be present.  In order to pass a decision, a majority of the present voting members most vote in the affirmative.
3. Committee chairs appointed by the President can subdivide their responsibilities as they see fit. All interested regular members comprise the committees.

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