Rice Vegetarian Club

CONSTITUTION OF THE RICE VEGETARIAN CLUB

Purpose: To introduce people to a variety of vegetarian foods and to teach cooking of these foods.

Organization and meetings: The club will provide a vegetarian meal, preceded by a cooking demonstration, every week of the academic year with exceptions for campus-wide events or other extenuating circumstances. Voluntary contributions will be accepted to cover the expenses of cooking and club publicity.
Assistance in preparing and serving the meals will be accepted from the local Hare Krishna community, but the club will not engage in promotion of the Krishna Consciousness Movement.

Membership: Any Rice undergraduate or graduate student, staff member, or faculty member may become a member of the the club by requesting to join its electronic mailing list. Community members unaffiliated with the university are welcome at meetings and may join the mailing list, but may not become voting members.
Persons shall be eligible for club membership regardless of race, sex, sexual or affectional orientation, religion, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, or other characterization, including commitment to vegetarian philosophy and behavior.
Membership may be revoked upon unanimous approval of the officers.

Officers: There shall be seven officers, elected in the spring for the forthcoming academic year. Only club members may become officers. If fewer than seven members seek office, the membership shall vote on whether to approve the candidates collectively.
The duties of the officers are as follows and are to be distributed among the officers as they see fit:
  • plan weekly meetings
  • publicize these meetings via email and on-campus fliers
  • maintain an electronic mailing list of members and non-Rice associates
  • organize weekly food preparation
  • set up before and clean up after meetings
  • maintain a WWW page containing information about the club
  • collect donations on behalf of the club
  • disburse club funds as payment for food preparation and other expenses

Finances: No dues aside from the voluntary contributions will be required of the club members.

Amendment procedure: An amendment may be proposed by any member. A 2/3 majority of members shall be sufficient for the passage of such an amendment. Ten members shall constitute a quorum for such vote.

Faculty Sponsor: A faculty sponsor shall be chosen by the officers each year with the advice of the members. The sponsor shall consult with the officers as needed regarding club activities.
October 16, 1997