Constitution of the U of U Astronomical Society (UUAS)

 

Originally Adopted on September 16, 1999

Re-Written and Proposed in October 2002

Re-Ratified on January 8, 2003

Amended on January 30, 2003

 

Article I. (Name)

The official name of the organization is the “U of U Astronomical Society”.  The words “at the University of Utah” may follow the name but they are not part of the official name.

 

Article II. (Purpose)

1.      To increase the astronomical knowledge of its members and guests.

2.      To make progress towards establishing an Astronomy Program at the University of Utah and building an Observatory to conduct real astronomical research.

 

Article III. (Membership)

1.      Members must be interested in Astronomy.

2.      Members must provide sufficient contact information.

3.      Members must contribute their time and abilities towards benefiting the organizations interests and goals.

4.      Members must demonstrate their interest by attending at least one meeting a month.

5.      The Executive Board will keep an updated list of the members and may choose to remove members who do not fit the above criteria.

 

Article IV. (Meetings)

1.      Star Parties will be held every Wednesday starting at sunset and ending about 3 hours after sunset.

2.      Star Parties may be held on other nights if the Executive Board, a professor, or a group would like to come up.

3.      Traveling Star Parties will be held when the Executive Board is able to conduct them.

 

Article V. (Executive Board)

1.      The Executive Board will be made up of the President and several Vice Presidents.

a.       The President will perform some of the duties of the Executive Board and delegate the rest to the Vice Presidents.  If the Executive Board votes on anything and there is a tie then the President can break the tie.

b.      The Vice Presidents will perform some of the duties of the Executive Board and the duties delegated to them by the President.

2.      Duties of the Executive Board:

a.       Conduct Star Parties on the roof of the South Physics Building at the University of Utah every Wednesday and traveling Star Parties when they are able to.

b.      Inform the astro list about star parties and what is visible.

c.       Maintain the astro website.

d.      Advertise Star Parties.

e.       Maintain an open and respectful atmosphere at Star Parties.

f.        Provide Astrophotography demonstrations.

g.       Pursue funding for refreshments and equipment.

h.       Promote the study of Astronomy at the University of Utah

i.         Improve the Observational Astronomy Class.

j.        Be involved in the progress towards establishing an Astronomy Program at the University of Utah and building an Observatory to conduct real research.

3.      If the Presidency becomes vacant then the Executive Board will nominate a new President.  The Executive Board will then vote to allow that person to take office.  A majority must be reached to allow the nominated person to take office.  If a Vice President resigns then the Executive Board may go through the same procedure or share the duties.  If the vote is a tie then the President can break the tie.

 

Article VI. (Elections)

  1. The Executive Board nominates people for the Presidency when it becomes vacant.  They nominate people for the Vice Presidency when they think it is needed.  Once someone is nominated the Executive Board votes to allow that person to take office.  A majority vote is needed for the nominee to take office.  If the vote is a tie then the President can break the tie.
  2. The length of a term in the Executive Board is as long as each person wants to stay in his/her office and can perform his/her duties.  When an Executive Board member resigns he/she must notify the rest of the Executive Board.
  3. A person may be removed from the Executive Board if he/she is not performing his/her duties adequately and all the other Executive Board members vote to remove that person.

 

Article VII. (Funds)

All funds received by the society will go to the Executive Board who will decide by a majority vote what the funds will be used for.  A priority list will be made to decide what to spend the money on first.

 

Article VIII. (Committees)

            The Executive Board is the only committee.

 

Article IX. (Affiliations)

The Executive Board may form affiliations with other societies after a majority vote to do so.

 

Article X. (Advisors)

The Executive Board will select one or more Advisors from the faculty of the University of Utah.  The Executive Board may also select a Graduate Student Advisor.

 

Article XI. (Ratification)

This Constitution will be ratified when the Executive Board votes to ratify it.  A majority vote is needed in the Executive Board to ratify it.  This Constitution will completely replace the Constitution that was adopted on September 16, 1999.  The September 16, 1999 Constitution will be kept around for historical purposes only and it will be null and void.

 

Article XII. (Amendments)

            This Constitution may be amended by the Executive Board with a majority vote.

 

Article XIII. (Bylaws)

This Constitution is the Bylaws.  If the society becomes a member of another society then this society may include the other society’s Bylaws.

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