The Constitution of the Greek Leadership Council

Purpose of the Greek Leadership Council:

The Greek Leadership Council (hereafter referred to as the GLC or the Council) exists to serve the needs and interests of the students affiliated with Coed, Fraternity, and Sorority (CFS) Greek-letter organizations by providing a discussion forum for Greek issues and helping individual groups to work towards understanding, consensus, and common goals. The GLC also supports the following CFS governing councils in their individual endeavors: the Inter-Fraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council, the Coed Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, and the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations.

The GLC is dedicated to the following principles which transcend the differences between the governing councils and individual organizations:

· Successful Prolongation of the CFS Community: The GLC’s primary goal is to see both its member organizations and the entire Greek community survive and thrive, and to proactively address or prevent situations which may endanger that success.

· Betterment of the Community: The GLC supports any and all initiatives and projects which serve the Dartmouth community and the Upper Valley by developing its infrastructure, benefiting its members, or positively changing its social climate.

· Greek Unity: The GLC strives to support each organization and governing council in their own needs, but also helps the individuals to see their place in a larger group by encouraging co-sponsorship of events and constructive working relationships.

· Development of the Individual: The GLC is an organizational body that encourages and supports its constituents in their pursuit of academics, leadership development, and safety in social environments.

“Going Greek” is an enormously positive experience for a majority of eligible Dartmouth students. The GLC works as an embodiment of combined attitudes and efforts to foster that experience in every facet possible, for as many people as possible, in the best ways possible.

Article 1. The Council Membership

The GLC shall consist of the presidents of the College’s Greek organizations, the presidents of the five Greek governing councils, the Council officers. The Council officers shall include the Moderator, the Treasurer, the Social Events Manager, the Public Relations Manager, and the liaisons to campus offices and organizations (as they exist). Adjunct to the Council are the Internal Mediation Committee and special committees as necessary. All parties acknowledge and agree to uphold the Constitution and Bylaws.

1.1. The Moderator

A. The Moderator bears the greatest amount of responsibility in the Council: leading discussions, attempting to find a balance between the needs of each governing council, attempting to find a balance of power between the governing councils, and interacting regularly with the administration to promote the interests of the GLC’s constituents. The Moderator shall be elected by the GLC for three terms, spring fall and winter from among affiliated (CFS) students in good standing, excluding the presidents of Greek organizations. If any candidate is off campus, he or she is permitted to send proxy in his or her place. If no candidate for moderator meets the criterion of being on for the spring, fall and winter terms, then the GLC may elect a moderator for two of the terms and a temporary moderator for the term that the elected moderator is off campus. The moderator will be elected at the second to last meeting of Winter Term. The Moderator does not receive monetary compensation for holding the office, as a device by which to encourage candidates’ motivations to stand genuinely for the purposes and benefit of the Council and the CFS community.

B. The duties of the Moderator shall include the following:

1. Proposing, on behalf of the organization presidents of the five governing councils, the agenda and location for the Council meeting in advance;

2. Facilitating GLC meetings by introducing topics for discussion, calling measures to a vote, tallying the votes, and ensuring that GLC meetings run within the allotted time;

3. Proposing official items (policy proposals, initiatives, statements of the GLC position, etc.) for review, approval, or removal as necessary;

4. Attending all Council general and executive meetings and keeping attendance;

5. Maintaining no personal position or opinions on a given issue unless on behalf of a consensus of the Council or via official vote, though the Moderator is allowed to suggest courses of action, which then also go to either a vote or consensus;

6. Organizing committees to perform special functions and remaining as an ex-officio member of each committee formed;

7. Meeting, as necessary, in GLC executive meetings with any or all of the following: the other GLC officers, the presidents of the governing councils, the CFS advisors, and guests by discretion;

8. The executive committee shall select that most recent past moderator to represent the GLC to the UFC.

9. Representing the GLC to various administrative offices, including (but not limited to) the President of the College, the Office of the Dean of the College, the Dean of the Faculty, Safety and Security, the Judicial Affairs Committee, the Organizational Adjudication Committee (OAC), Committee on Standards, and Student Activities;

10. Representing the GLC to various student organizations as necessary, including (but not limited to) the Student Assembly, COSO and its member organizations, and Programming Board.

C. The privileges of the Moderator shall include the following:

1. Remaining as a non-voting member of the GLC in all meetings except to break a tied vote;

2. Having the option of voluntarily and temporarily de-afiliating from his/her CFS organization to help maintain an unbiased view of the GLC and CFS community;

3. Making executive judgments as to what positions, initiatives, and events the GLC shall support either in principle or in sponsorship as specified in the Bylaws;

4. Inviting non-Council-members to GLC general and executive meetings as necessary, and politely refusing attendance to non-Council-members at his/her discretion;

5. Bypassing duties 1.1.B.9 and 1.1.B.10 by finding and appointing particular liaisons to individual offices or organizations from the entire pool of affiliated students in good academic standing;

6. Attempting to intercede with various administrative offices or student groups on behalf of individual organizations, governing councils, or the CFS community in general.

1.2. Treasurer

A. The treasurer is charged with the duties of maintaining the GLC budget, managing the UFC allocation, and keeping the GLC updated on its financial situations. The treasurer will be elected for three terms, spring, Fall and Winter. The treasurer will be selected by the Executive Committee of the GLC. The Executive Committee shall select the treasurer from applications that are presented to it. The applications must provide evidence of strong credentials that the treasurer is responsible, understands budgets, and will not be biased towards any of the sub councils. The treasurer will be selected at the second to last executive meeting of winter term. The candidate with the majority of the votes will be selected as the treasurer.

B. The duties of the Treasurer shall include, but not be limited to:

1. The treasurer shall keep updated and accurate financial records.

2. The treasurer shall report on the state of the finances at the first and last GLC meeting of the term. The treasurer shall update the GLC executives at their weekly meetings.

3. The Treasurer is responsible for paying for Safety and Security walk- throughs.

4. The treasurer shall chair the process of providing funding for the governing councils. The process itself is set forth in its subsection.

5. The treasurer shall author the GLC funding proposal to the UFC. The past treasurer will serve as the lead presenter in the UFC hearings in the spring. The new treasurer will serve as an observer. The second presenter will be from either the NPHC or NALFO.

6. The treasurer makes sure that the budget from member dues is separate from the UFC budget.

7. The treasurer shall not be paid.

8. The treasurer will prepare and submit financial materials to the CFS financial auditor.

1.3. Social Events Manager

A. The Social Events Manager is charged with the best possible prevention of policy violations as they relate to social events held by CFS organizations, and with administrative intercession on behalf of the organizations should a violation occur. The Social Events Manager shall be elected at the second to last GLC meeting of each term from among affiliated students, excluding the presidents of Greek organizations. For the sake of consistency, there is no limit on the number of terms for which a given person may be elected to this office as this is an integral position for the Council and its members, and for the prolonged existence of the CFS community.

B. The duties of the Social Events Manager shall include the following:

1. Working as a collaborative team with the Safety & Security department and with Student Activities;

2. Educating the Social Chairs and Risk Management Chairs of the GLC member organizations in event registration and general risk management strategies;

3. Working constructively with Social Chairs and/or Risk Management Chairs when policies are violated;

4. Working with Student Health Services to coordinate SEMP training for the organizations;

5. Working to ensure that the event registration process is fairly clear and administered fairly;

6. Selecting, training, and coordinating ride-along student monitors for Safety and Security (S&S) walkthroughs for registered events;

7. Acting as a source of advice or help to any member or member organization of the GLC;

8. Remaining as a non-voting member of the GLC during general meetings, and possessing one vote during executive meetings;

9. Attending meetings with the Assistant Dean(s) of Residential Life that involve policy violations by a GLC organization not regulated by the OAC;

10. Attending GLC general and executive meetings on a consistent basis;

11. Keeping the GLC officers and members informed of changes in College policy regarding Risk Management, alcohol distribution, or enforcement.

12. Identifying key issues confronting the social chairs of houses as well as the Greek system and then working to improve the situation.

13. The Social Events Manager shall not be paid.

1.4. Public Relations Manager

A. The Public Relations Manager is charged with the responsibility of maintaining the public image of the CFS organizations, the governing councils, and the GLC; and also with helping to coordinate the image of the CFS community in both local and outside media. The Public Relations Manager shall be elected at the second to last meeting of each term from among affiliated students in good academic standing, excluding the presidents of Greek organizations. The Public Relations Manager may not hold office for more than four regular terms (fall, winter, and/or spring) and one summer term.

B. The duties of the Public Relations Manager shall include the following:

1. Overseeing all public relations efforts on behalf of the GLC, and to act as an advisor to the governing councils and individual CFS organizations;

2. Handling all contact with non-campus media unless otherwise requested by any member of the GLC or the contacting media group, though the PR Manager has the ability to use his/her discretion in this matter;

3. Actively maintaining a Greek web page as specified in the bylaws;

4. Attending GLC general and executive meetings on a consistent basis;

5. Remaining as a non-voting member of the GLC during general meetings, and possessing one vote during executive meetings;

6. Keeping the GLC officers and members informed of articles and other media references to the CFS community or its composition;

7. Releasing at absolute minimum three articles in campus publications per term, as specified in the bylaws;

8. Interacting with administrators or student groups as necessary in conjunction with the Moderator or appointed liaisons.

9. The PR manager is responsible for maintaining the GLC website.

10. The PR manager will be responsible for publishing, on a termly basis, a newsletter to the campus talking about Greek achievements.

11. The PR manager will be responsible for compiling a weekly blitz of all of the activities of the Greek system. The PR chair will work with ORL to send this out to the campus. The blitz will contain all open Greek events and shall be organized as: 1. non-alcoholic; 2. Social; 3. Service…etc.

12. The PR manager will proactively work with the campus media outlets. At the beginning of each term he or she will present the media organizations with a list of all of the chiefs of the councils. The PR manager will follow up on all news articles to make sure all relevant parties are represented.

13. The Public Relations Manager shall not be paid.

1.5. Presidents of the Governing Councils

A. The governing councils, their interests, and the interests of their member organizations are represented in the GLC by the governing council presidents. They are required to speak and act both on behalf of their constituencies and the best interests of the governing council; and are asked to bring up policy changes, initiatives, or events during either general or executive meetings which might have implications for other councils.

B. The presidents of the governing councils are expected to attend GLC general and executive meetings. In executive meetings, each governing council is granted one vote. During executive meetings, they have the ability to bring up pertinent business and have direct input into the dealings and interactions of the GLC.

1.6. Presidents and Delegates of Greek Organizations

A. Each CFS organization is allowed one vote during general meetings. This vote may be presented either by the organization’s president or by a delegate to the GLC who is familiar with both his/her organization’s dealings and those of the campus in general. Each organization is required to have its president or delegate present at 80% or more of the meetings.

B. Any CFS organization has the option not to participate in the GLC and its proceedings. If this is the case, the president of the organization must contact the Moderator and make this intent known. The organization is thereafter excluded from Council activity until a rejoining is requested and presented to the Moderator for approval.

1.7. Internal Mediation Committee

A. The Internal Mediation Committee (IMC) serves to mediate disputes between organizations in different governing councils or between the governing councils themselves. The secondary function of the IMC is to handle investigations and decisions regarding the impeachment of officers.

B. The IMC’s composition shall include six members: the Moderator (or treasurer as necessary) as secretary and discussion leader; and one member chosen from each of the five Greek governing councils, not including executive members of the governing councils. Greek organizations’ presidents are allowed, as are general members, so long as the delegate is in good academic standing. Council officers besides the Moderator are not eligible to sit on the IMC unless requisitioned for information or evidence. Delegates to the IMC are selected internally by each governing council per term, as their presidents deem appropriate. The Moderator does not vote.

C. IMC hearings are held independently of other GLC meetings, at a time and place found convenient by the committee members and parties involved. During an IMC hearing, positions and evidence are heard from all involved parties, and the terms (proposed outcomes) of each party are proposed. A unanimous decision must be reached among the five voting members in order to resolve a hearing, or the hearing may be dropped by (also by unanimous vote).

D. The IMC may either choose to uphold one of the parties’ terms, or may assign their own. Possible terms may include the return of stolen property, a censure to any parties involved (delivered either privately or to the full GLC), the removal of a Council officer. Terms reached shall not encroach upon any individual’s or organization’s rights as expressed by any higher source of law or policy. Terms reached also may not change the GLC Constitution or Bylaws directly, but may serve as a recommendation to do so.

1.8 Special Committees

A. The Moderator will organize special committees on an ad hoc basis, and the Moderator shall be an ex-officio member of any committee created. These committees shall exist to focus on specific issues or to accomplish specific tasks (e.g. investigate and provide suggestions to improve faculty relations, or aid the PR Manager by performing sweeping updates of the GLC website). There is no restriction on composition. If a special committee lies dormant for an entire non-summer term, it is automatically disbanded and may be reformed when interest and scheduling permit.

1.9. Organizational Liaisons

A. Liaisons are appointed by the Moderator either of necessity or by request from any member of the GLC. Their sole purpose is communication, and so have input into the Council’s affairs, but no votes. Liaisons can be eliminated by the Moderator, the IMC, or by resignation.

Article 2. Voting Procedures

2.1. Changing the Constitution

A. Any proposal to change the GLC Constitution requires a vote of 2/3 of the member organizations. This can be achieved either during a meeting or via Blitzmail.

2.2. Changing the Bylaws

A. Any voting member of the GLC may introduce an amendment to the Bylaws.

B. A proposal to alter the GLC Bylaws requires either a majority vote (50% plus one) of the member organizations either during a meeting or via Blitzmail, or a unanimous vote during an executive meeting.

2.3. Voting Representation

A. Every Greek organization has one vote during general meetings only. Greek colonies are permitted to vote. The governing council’s representatives shall not possess votes during general meetings.

C. Governing council representatives each have one vote during executive meetings.

D. GLC officers, while having significant input on any given issue or item and much autonomy in their respective offices, do not possess official voting power during general or executive meetings.

2.4. Other Voting

A. A majority of those present at the GLC meeting is required to accept or reject any proposals made during a meeting.

B. All issues that require a vote will be called to a vote by the Moderator at the Moderator’s discretion, but any member of the Council can motion to bring an issue to vote; should that motion be seconded, a vote is forced.

C. Votes will be conducted by a show of hands unless otherwise recommended by any member of the Council, in which case a secret ballot will be conducted.

D. The following are valid voting possibilities: aye, nay, or abstain.

Article 3. Elections

3.1. Council Officers

A. The positions elected shall be: Moderator, Treasurer, Social Events Manager, and Public Relations Manager.

3.2. Nominations

A. Nominations for officers will be made at the second to last meeting of each term by the GLC Presidents for the Social Events Manager, Public Relations Manager.

B. Nominees must be members of Greek organizations who are in good standing, but shall not be an organization president.

C. All nominees must come to the elections and give a short speech. All of the present Council members will then have the opportunity to ask questions of the nominees. After the questions are answered, the nominees must exit while the Council discusses and votes on each office.

3.3. Voting

A. Voting may be conducted by a show of hands unless otherwise requested.

B. Once discussions are over, every voting member of the Council shall cast his/her vote. The president or delegate of each member organization of the GLC shall represent that organization. No proxy voting is allowed.

C. Candidates must receive a majority vote. If no candidate receives a majority, a run-off between the two candidates receiving the most votes shall be taken. In the case of a tie, the Moderator shall join to cast the deciding vote.

Article 4. Dues

A. The responsibility of collecting membership dues will fall upon the governing councils and the Treasurer. Dues shall be collected by the GLC each term unless specifically prevented by a majority vote of the Council. It is the responsibility of the Moderator and Treasurer to ensure that the process is carried out each term.

B. Council funds will be primarily attributed to paying for student monitors for S&S walkthroughs. Surplus funds can be used towards miscellaneous Council expenditures, co-sponsorship of events on campus, or philanthropic projects.

Article 5. Meetings procedure

A. GLC general meetings shall rotate between the various Greek organizations. A campus-central additional location shall be included in the rotation to represent the organizations that do not have physical plants in which to host meetings. Executive meetings shall be held.

B. The Moderator is charged with making a general meeting’s preliminary agenda available to the full Council at least two days in advance of the meeting.

C. The PR Chair is charged with taking minutes during general (and occasionally executive) meetings and distributing them as appropriate within two days of the meeting.

Article 6. Advisor

A. The advisor to the GLC is the staff of the Office of Residential Life; specifically the Assistant Dean of Residential Life or his/her designee.

Bylaws of the Greek Leadership Council

Bylaw 1: Use of Executive Judgment

A. Council officers are each allowed to make autonomous decisions regarding policy, proposed items, or interactions with other groups; especially with the conditions that a similar decision had been reached on a similar issue within the current or the directly previous term, and that there has been no significant membership or policy turnover since.

B. Non-executive endorsements, positions, or sponsorships on behalf of the GLC must satisfy two conditions: 1) a general consensus among the Council officers, and 2) a vote or general consensus among either the governing council presidents or the general membership.

Bylaw 2: Greek Website

A. The Greek website must include:

· A history of Dartmouth’s Greek system

· A description of each of the governing councils

· A listing of all chapters currently on campus

· A current list of all Council and governing council executives

· Links to governing council and chapter websites if applicable

· A listing of Recruitment dates and times for each council for the current term

· A listing of recent Greek-related publications articles with links where available

· The Constitution and Bylaws of the GLC

Bylaw 3: Articles to be Released Per-Term

A. The Public Relations Manager, with the approval of the Council officers, shall release three full articles in campus publications per term aimed at improving PR;

B. These articles can include, but are not limited to: position statements on behalf of the GLC, articles highlighting current CFS statistics, press releases about big/alumni weekends, or news of events that have gone very well;

C. The articles can subtly address any combination of the following audiences: the Dartmouth administration, the faculty and staff, unaffiliated students, and the Upper Valley community.

Bylaw 4: Temporal Limitations on IMC Hearings

A. The IMC must begin to hear or agree to drop a dispute within one week of the dispute being presented. Unless extenuating circumstances intervene, a resolution must be reached within two weeks of the dispute being presented;

B. Evidence of an individual’s or organization’s activity is not valid after three years;

C. Material evidence should be considered reasonably, though there is no set time limit for its consideration.

Bylaw 5: UFC funding:

GLC funding will come from organization dues and Undergraduate Finance Committee funding

GLC shall continue to levy dues to all member organizations of the GLC

GLC shall continue to request money from the UFC.

A. This money may be used only for events open to the whole campus non-alcoholic events.

B. The governing councils shall submit proposals to the Treasurer by the end of fall term

C. The executive committee shall earmark funds for each governing council according the council’s requests and what the executive council feels is fair. The GLC executives earmark a percentage of funds for each sub council.

D. The GLC must provide funds for annual programs

E. The Funding will be handed out via an application process, which is chaired by the treasurer

a. The funding requests shall be via paper and electronic application

b. The treasurer must maintain accurate records of the funding requests.

c. Each governing council will have a set amount of funds.

d. Once the funds for a governing council are spent the governing council must seek other funding sources

e. If the GLC has remaining UFC funds that remain unspent, the GLC executive committee may redistribute the funding.

F. The Treasurer shall prepare the UFC request

G. The Treasurer shall present the request to the UFC. The Past treasurer will be the lead presenter, the new treasurer will sit second chair.

Back