Post by Pem on Oct 13, 2008 9:00:38 GMT -7
A .doc file will be made available on request.
Article 1. Name and Mission
1. This clan is named "The Skeptic Society," hereinafter abbreviated to "SS"
2. The mission of the SS is to
a) Provide a community for atheists, agnostics, humanists, sceptics, naturalists, and all other forms and/or types of freethinkers;
b) Foster the acceptance of atheists, agnostics, humanists, and all other forms and/or types of free thinkers;
c) Foster ethical and moral attitudes based on secular humanism and rationality as opposed to revelation;
d) Advocate for separation of church and state;
e) Promote the scientific method as the best known means of examining the universe and the place of humanity within it;
f) Promote sceptical inquiry and critical thinking;
g) Organize events related to Article 1.2. (a-f)
Article 2. Membership
1. Membership in the SS is open to all sentient beings, regardless of species, race, colour, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, age, handicap, veteran status, etc.
2. Membership
a) Entitles the holder to full voting privileges, including the right to abstain from voting;
b) Initiates when the interested person notifies an executive member of his or her
interest in joining the SS and said executive member grants entrance into the clan.
3. Members are expected to obey the following code of conduct:
a) Members are acting as representatives of the SS while attending events hosted or promoted by the SS, advertising the SS, or participating in online forums administered or affiliated with the SS.
b) While representing the SS, in accordance with Article 2.3. a), members shall:
i) Be reasonably knowledgeable about potential topics of debate, including,
but not limited to: atheist ethics, arguments for atheism, intelligent design, etc.;
ii) Act in groups of two or more to deter potential acts verbal or physical
abuse;
iii) Not act in a way that may reflect poorly on the SS and its membership. This includes, but is not limited to, vandalism, shouting matches, verbal and physical abuse, and anything else deemed illegal by the rules of Sonic and Pals’ forums or the member’s country of residence.
iv) Not discriminate against any individuals for reasons of race, colour, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, age, handicap, veteran status, etc.
4. A person’s membership terminates upon
a) His or her submission of a request to leave the SS to an executive officer;
b) A period of no less then three months of inactivity.
c) Expulsion by executive vote in accordance to Article 6.1. c).
Article 3. Executive Officers
1. The executive officers comprise of:
a) The President – responsible for:
i) Organizing and presiding over meetings, activities, and events;
ii) Acting as the official spokesperson for the SS;
iii) Ensuring that the letter and spirit of the Constitution is upheld;
iv) Abstain from voting, except in the event of a tie, where the vote of the president shall decide the issue;
v) Exercising absolute discretion in all matters for which a vote is not specifically mandated under Article 9.1. ;
b) The Vice-President External – responsible for:
i) Assisting the President in any of his or her responsibilities as delegated by the President;
ii) Assuming the responsibilities of the President should he or she be absent;
iii) Inviting and thanking speakers who are invited to any SS-organized event;
c) The Vice-President Internal – responsible for:
i) Assisting the President in any of his or her responsibilities as delegated by the President;
ii) Organizing club functions and fundraising;
iii) Communication of information within the SS;
iv) Planning, organizing, and coordinating SS functions with the President;
v) Overseeing the recruitment of new members;
2. An executive officer may resign his or her position by providing notice to the executive.
3. In the event that an executive vacancy arises under Article 3.2. , the executive shall appoint a replacement to the vacancy via a majority vote as quickly as possible.
4. No executive officer or appointed advisor shall receive any remuneration for their services.
5. By majority vote, the executive may appoint a former executive member to act as a nonvoting executive advisor in an executive motion pursuant to Article 9.1. a).
Article 4. Regulations of the Election of Executive Officers
1. All members shall receive advance notice of at least 14 days prior to an election being held.
2. A returning officer, who will not be running in the election, shall be appointed by the incumbent executive per Article 9.1. a).
3. Eligibility for election is restricted to members of the SS.
4. The election shall employ a secret ballot, supervised by the returning officer who shall tally votes.
5. Nominations for the executive position will close immediately prior to the voting for that position.
6. Nominations may be made by motion, and require another member to second the motion.
7. A member must be present at the elections to be nominated, and any member may reject their nomination.
8. Executive positions shall be voted for independently in order of precedence, as per Article 3.1. .
9. Each candidate for a position shall be allowed a reasonable amount of time to give a speech on their platform for the contested position.
10. In the event of only one candidate running for a position, a yes or no vote shall be held.
11. If that candidate fails to pass, the executive who are elected shall appoint a member to the unclaimed positions by an executive motion pursuant to Article 9.1. a), as quickly as possible.
12. In the event of a tie, all candidates deemed by the returning officer to no longer be in contention shall be stricken from the ballot and the position will be voted for once again. This procedure shall be repeated as many times as necessary to reduce the number of candidates to two. Should this vote also result in a tie, each candidate shall be given another amount of time to speak, and then voting shall continue until one candidate receives a majority of the votes.
13. The elected candidates’ terms of office shall commence on the day following the election and shall end on the day of the following election.
14. A member may only hold one position at a time.
15. A member may hold an executive office for as many terms as they are eligible.
Article 5. Impeachment of Executive Officers
1. Where a sufficient body of evidence exists to impugn the credibility, competence, or commitment of any of the executive officers, the provisions herein may be activated.
2. Any member may submit a complaint regarding an executive officer under Article 5.1. , which must cite evidence to support its contents.
3. Complaints must be submitted to the executive, in writing, for review before impeachment proceedings can commence.
4. Should the executive decide that the complaint is sufficiently serious to warrant impeachment proceedings, they shall have recourse to these procedures:
a) A hearing will be hosted by the executive, in which they will adjudicate on the complaint against the executive officer.
b) The complaint will be read aloud to allow all parties present to have a complete understanding of the complainant’s case.
c) The executive officer named shall have the opportunity to respond to the complaint.
d) When all submissions have been considered by the executive, they will decide whether the complaint warrants the executive officer’s impeachment.
e) In the interests of arriving at a fair decision, the executive officers are not obligated to decide on the complaint immediately; their decision is due, at the latest, seven days after the conclusion of the hearing.
f) Throughout these proceedings, the complainant may choose to be named or remain anonymous.
5. If an executive officer is impeached, he or she will be replaced as soon as possible by another member appointed by an executive motion pursuant to Article 9.1. a).
Article 6. Meetings
1. Three types of meetings characterize the assembly of the SS:
a) General meetings,
i) Which must happen at least once per term;
ii) Require prior notice of at least thirty days; and
iii) Are open to all members.
b) Executive meetings,
i) Which are convened at the discretion of the executive,
ii) Require prior notice of at least seven days; and
iii) Are only open to members of the executive and their invited guests.
c) Special meetings,
i) Which are convened by executive officers to address urgent matters;
ii) Require as much prior notice as possible, given the exceptional circumstances that justify a special meeting; and
iii) Are open to all members.
2. Voting may only occur at a meeting that satisfies the criteria listed in Article 6.1. , provided that quorum is present.
3. Notwithstanding Article 11.2. , quorum for a general meeting shall be either
a) One-tenth of the regular membership; or
b) Ten regular members, whichever is greater.
4. Notwithstanding Article 11.2. , quorum for an executive meeting shall be three members of the executive
5. Meeting minutes shall
a) Be taken at all meetings under Article 6.1. ;
b) Be taken by an appointed member by an executive motion pursuant to Article 9.1. a);
c) Be made available to members on the SS forum within seven days of the meeting.
Article 7. Committees
1. Committees may be formed to consider propositions on any matter affecting the SS.
2. The formation of a committee may be suggested by any member.
3. The executive is competent to
a) Form and structure committees;
b) Appoint a committee chair from the membership or executive;
c) Request that committees report on their progress; and
d) Dissolve committees.
4. All action taken pursuant to Article 7.3. must be approved by an executive motion pursuant to Article 9.1. a).
Article 8. Finance
1. Should financial issues ever become apparent, an amendment is needed and shall be brought forward in accordance to Article 9.1. a).
Article 9. Executive and General Motions
1. The SS is competent to pass three types of internally binding legislation:
a) Executive motions,
i) Provides the day-to-day management of the SS;
ii) Which need the approval the entire executive at an executive meeting in accordance with Article 6.1. b) to pass;
b) General motions,
i) Provides overall direction and structure for the SS;
ii) Which need only the approval of a majority of members at a general meeting in accordance with Article 6.1. a) to pass;
c) Constitutional amendments
i) (discussed in Article 10).
2. Any member may propose an executive or general motion.
3. The member proposing the motion may decide whether it should be an executive or general motion.
4. The executive retains the authority to classify proposed executive motions as general motions.
5. A record of all motions, that are described under Article 9.1., that are passed, shall be kept.
Article 10. Constitutional Amendments
1. Any member may propose a constitutional amendment.
2. A general meeting, in accordance with Article 6.1. a), convened for the purposes of voting on a constitutional amendment must be preceded by advance notice of at least fourteen days.
3. The following procedure shall be observed at the general meeting:
a) The full text of the proposed amendment shall be read aloud.
b) The names of the members proposing the amendment shall also be read aloud.
c) The members proposing the amendment shall have the opportunity to submit to the members present their reasoning for the amendment.
d) All members present shall have the opportunity to comment on the amendment.
e) At the conclusion of the discussion, a general motion shall be made to call for a vote to be taken.
f) Members shall indicate their support for or opposition to the proposed amendment by a show of hands.
g) A proposed amendment may only be incorporated into the constitution if two-thirds of the attendees approve of it.
Article 11. Dissolution
1. The Clan may be dissolved by a unanimous vote of all members.
2. A dissolution vote may only be taken at a general meeting, with a quorum of:
a) three-tenths of the membership; or
b) Fifteen members, whichever is greater.
3. Notwithstanding Article 11.2. , the executive may dissolve the SS at an executive meeting, in accordance with Article 6.1. b), by a unanimous vote of the executive, if it is impossible, due to exceptional circumstances, to attract a sufficient number of regular members to satisfy quorum at a dissolution meeting.
Article 1. Name and Mission
1. This clan is named "The Skeptic Society," hereinafter abbreviated to "SS"
2. The mission of the SS is to
a) Provide a community for atheists, agnostics, humanists, sceptics, naturalists, and all other forms and/or types of freethinkers;
b) Foster the acceptance of atheists, agnostics, humanists, and all other forms and/or types of free thinkers;
c) Foster ethical and moral attitudes based on secular humanism and rationality as opposed to revelation;
d) Advocate for separation of church and state;
e) Promote the scientific method as the best known means of examining the universe and the place of humanity within it;
f) Promote sceptical inquiry and critical thinking;
g) Organize events related to Article 1.2. (a-f)
Article 2. Membership
1. Membership in the SS is open to all sentient beings, regardless of species, race, colour, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, age, handicap, veteran status, etc.
2. Membership
a) Entitles the holder to full voting privileges, including the right to abstain from voting;
b) Initiates when the interested person notifies an executive member of his or her
interest in joining the SS and said executive member grants entrance into the clan.
3. Members are expected to obey the following code of conduct:
a) Members are acting as representatives of the SS while attending events hosted or promoted by the SS, advertising the SS, or participating in online forums administered or affiliated with the SS.
b) While representing the SS, in accordance with Article 2.3. a), members shall:
i) Be reasonably knowledgeable about potential topics of debate, including,
but not limited to: atheist ethics, arguments for atheism, intelligent design, etc.;
ii) Act in groups of two or more to deter potential acts verbal or physical
abuse;
iii) Not act in a way that may reflect poorly on the SS and its membership. This includes, but is not limited to, vandalism, shouting matches, verbal and physical abuse, and anything else deemed illegal by the rules of Sonic and Pals’ forums or the member’s country of residence.
iv) Not discriminate against any individuals for reasons of race, colour, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, age, handicap, veteran status, etc.
4. A person’s membership terminates upon
a) His or her submission of a request to leave the SS to an executive officer;
b) A period of no less then three months of inactivity.
c) Expulsion by executive vote in accordance to Article 6.1. c).
Article 3. Executive Officers
1. The executive officers comprise of:
a) The President – responsible for:
i) Organizing and presiding over meetings, activities, and events;
ii) Acting as the official spokesperson for the SS;
iii) Ensuring that the letter and spirit of the Constitution is upheld;
iv) Abstain from voting, except in the event of a tie, where the vote of the president shall decide the issue;
v) Exercising absolute discretion in all matters for which a vote is not specifically mandated under Article 9.1. ;
b) The Vice-President External – responsible for:
i) Assisting the President in any of his or her responsibilities as delegated by the President;
ii) Assuming the responsibilities of the President should he or she be absent;
iii) Inviting and thanking speakers who are invited to any SS-organized event;
c) The Vice-President Internal – responsible for:
i) Assisting the President in any of his or her responsibilities as delegated by the President;
ii) Organizing club functions and fundraising;
iii) Communication of information within the SS;
iv) Planning, organizing, and coordinating SS functions with the President;
v) Overseeing the recruitment of new members;
2. An executive officer may resign his or her position by providing notice to the executive.
3. In the event that an executive vacancy arises under Article 3.2. , the executive shall appoint a replacement to the vacancy via a majority vote as quickly as possible.
4. No executive officer or appointed advisor shall receive any remuneration for their services.
5. By majority vote, the executive may appoint a former executive member to act as a nonvoting executive advisor in an executive motion pursuant to Article 9.1. a).
Article 4. Regulations of the Election of Executive Officers
1. All members shall receive advance notice of at least 14 days prior to an election being held.
2. A returning officer, who will not be running in the election, shall be appointed by the incumbent executive per Article 9.1. a).
3. Eligibility for election is restricted to members of the SS.
4. The election shall employ a secret ballot, supervised by the returning officer who shall tally votes.
5. Nominations for the executive position will close immediately prior to the voting for that position.
6. Nominations may be made by motion, and require another member to second the motion.
7. A member must be present at the elections to be nominated, and any member may reject their nomination.
8. Executive positions shall be voted for independently in order of precedence, as per Article 3.1. .
9. Each candidate for a position shall be allowed a reasonable amount of time to give a speech on their platform for the contested position.
10. In the event of only one candidate running for a position, a yes or no vote shall be held.
11. If that candidate fails to pass, the executive who are elected shall appoint a member to the unclaimed positions by an executive motion pursuant to Article 9.1. a), as quickly as possible.
12. In the event of a tie, all candidates deemed by the returning officer to no longer be in contention shall be stricken from the ballot and the position will be voted for once again. This procedure shall be repeated as many times as necessary to reduce the number of candidates to two. Should this vote also result in a tie, each candidate shall be given another amount of time to speak, and then voting shall continue until one candidate receives a majority of the votes.
13. The elected candidates’ terms of office shall commence on the day following the election and shall end on the day of the following election.
14. A member may only hold one position at a time.
15. A member may hold an executive office for as many terms as they are eligible.
Article 5. Impeachment of Executive Officers
1. Where a sufficient body of evidence exists to impugn the credibility, competence, or commitment of any of the executive officers, the provisions herein may be activated.
2. Any member may submit a complaint regarding an executive officer under Article 5.1. , which must cite evidence to support its contents.
3. Complaints must be submitted to the executive, in writing, for review before impeachment proceedings can commence.
4. Should the executive decide that the complaint is sufficiently serious to warrant impeachment proceedings, they shall have recourse to these procedures:
a) A hearing will be hosted by the executive, in which they will adjudicate on the complaint against the executive officer.
b) The complaint will be read aloud to allow all parties present to have a complete understanding of the complainant’s case.
c) The executive officer named shall have the opportunity to respond to the complaint.
d) When all submissions have been considered by the executive, they will decide whether the complaint warrants the executive officer’s impeachment.
e) In the interests of arriving at a fair decision, the executive officers are not obligated to decide on the complaint immediately; their decision is due, at the latest, seven days after the conclusion of the hearing.
f) Throughout these proceedings, the complainant may choose to be named or remain anonymous.
5. If an executive officer is impeached, he or she will be replaced as soon as possible by another member appointed by an executive motion pursuant to Article 9.1. a).
Article 6. Meetings
1. Three types of meetings characterize the assembly of the SS:
a) General meetings,
i) Which must happen at least once per term;
ii) Require prior notice of at least thirty days; and
iii) Are open to all members.
b) Executive meetings,
i) Which are convened at the discretion of the executive,
ii) Require prior notice of at least seven days; and
iii) Are only open to members of the executive and their invited guests.
c) Special meetings,
i) Which are convened by executive officers to address urgent matters;
ii) Require as much prior notice as possible, given the exceptional circumstances that justify a special meeting; and
iii) Are open to all members.
2. Voting may only occur at a meeting that satisfies the criteria listed in Article 6.1. , provided that quorum is present.
3. Notwithstanding Article 11.2. , quorum for a general meeting shall be either
a) One-tenth of the regular membership; or
b) Ten regular members, whichever is greater.
4. Notwithstanding Article 11.2. , quorum for an executive meeting shall be three members of the executive
5. Meeting minutes shall
a) Be taken at all meetings under Article 6.1. ;
b) Be taken by an appointed member by an executive motion pursuant to Article 9.1. a);
c) Be made available to members on the SS forum within seven days of the meeting.
Article 7. Committees
1. Committees may be formed to consider propositions on any matter affecting the SS.
2. The formation of a committee may be suggested by any member.
3. The executive is competent to
a) Form and structure committees;
b) Appoint a committee chair from the membership or executive;
c) Request that committees report on their progress; and
d) Dissolve committees.
4. All action taken pursuant to Article 7.3. must be approved by an executive motion pursuant to Article 9.1. a).
Article 8. Finance
1. Should financial issues ever become apparent, an amendment is needed and shall be brought forward in accordance to Article 9.1. a).
Article 9. Executive and General Motions
1. The SS is competent to pass three types of internally binding legislation:
a) Executive motions,
i) Provides the day-to-day management of the SS;
ii) Which need the approval the entire executive at an executive meeting in accordance with Article 6.1. b) to pass;
b) General motions,
i) Provides overall direction and structure for the SS;
ii) Which need only the approval of a majority of members at a general meeting in accordance with Article 6.1. a) to pass;
c) Constitutional amendments
i) (discussed in Article 10).
2. Any member may propose an executive or general motion.
3. The member proposing the motion may decide whether it should be an executive or general motion.
4. The executive retains the authority to classify proposed executive motions as general motions.
5. A record of all motions, that are described under Article 9.1., that are passed, shall be kept.
Article 10. Constitutional Amendments
1. Any member may propose a constitutional amendment.
2. A general meeting, in accordance with Article 6.1. a), convened for the purposes of voting on a constitutional amendment must be preceded by advance notice of at least fourteen days.
3. The following procedure shall be observed at the general meeting:
a) The full text of the proposed amendment shall be read aloud.
b) The names of the members proposing the amendment shall also be read aloud.
c) The members proposing the amendment shall have the opportunity to submit to the members present their reasoning for the amendment.
d) All members present shall have the opportunity to comment on the amendment.
e) At the conclusion of the discussion, a general motion shall be made to call for a vote to be taken.
f) Members shall indicate their support for or opposition to the proposed amendment by a show of hands.
g) A proposed amendment may only be incorporated into the constitution if two-thirds of the attendees approve of it.
Article 11. Dissolution
1. The Clan may be dissolved by a unanimous vote of all members.
2. A dissolution vote may only be taken at a general meeting, with a quorum of:
a) three-tenths of the membership; or
b) Fifteen members, whichever is greater.
3. Notwithstanding Article 11.2. , the executive may dissolve the SS at an executive meeting, in accordance with Article 6.1. b), by a unanimous vote of the executive, if it is impossible, due to exceptional circumstances, to attract a sufficient number of regular members to satisfy quorum at a dissolution meeting.