On January 19, 2003, 92 of our voting members (out of 98 votes) ratified the Club's Constitution (100 ballots were issued; 2 ballots were spoiled - not returned; 98 votes were counted: 92 votes to ratify; 6 votes to not ratify). We thank you all for your active participation!

This Constitution is the result of a long process which included many discussions and much thinking. This text will guide Club board members in making decisions in the best interest of the Club, which should ultimately result in everyone's great enjoyment of ballroom dancing.

CONSTITUTION OF THE BALLROOM DANCE CLUB
Ratified January 19, 2003

PREFACE
The Club was founded in September 1989 by a group of faculty, staff, and students consisting of Vern Fath, Sanne Krummel, Loren Levy, Steve Mandell, Mary McKitrick, Ken Powell, and Brigit Taylor.
In 1999, Uluc Saranli, acting Club president and Ph.D. student, called for the first elections and the drafting of a club constitution. On the 8th of April, 2000 the first elections were held and a provisional constitution was enacted.

I. NAME AND DEFINITIONS
The name of the Club is the Ballroom Dance Club, which may be called the, "BDC", or, "Club". "University", refers to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor campus. "Students", refers to degree-candidates at the university, high school students or enrolled students at other colleges. "Team", refers to the affiliated Club of University students who have committed to compete in ballroom dancing under the banner of the University of Michigan.

II. PURPOSE
The Club shall focus on educating students in all aspects of ballroom dancing. "Ballroom dancing" is a class of partner dancing which includes Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Viennese Waltz, and Quickstep / Peabody. The Club shall also promote other forms of partner dancing such as, "Latin American", and, "American Rhythm". The Club shall regularly offer in University facilities a curriculum of valuable ballroom dancing lessons, instructional workshops, a venue for social dancing, funding and promotion of competitive ballroom dancing among University students, and other educational programs.

III. MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open to everyone. Membership shall be established and continued by paying annual Membership dues and abiding by the Club Rules. Members in good standing shall be entitled to attend all events organized by the Club and shall be entitled to vote in club elections and General Membership Meetings. Most events shall require the payment of additional fees.
For the purposes of setting levels in the Club fees, and imposing any necessary limitations on the Club's size, priority shall be 1) students, 2) Alumni, University Faculty and Staff, and 3) the general public.
Honorary Members shall be formally recognized by the Board as Members who have made a significant contribution to the Club. Honorary Members shall be exempt from annual Membership dues for the period of their Honorary Membership.

IV. CLUB GOVERNMENT
A. Executive Board.
The governing body of the Club shall be the Executive Board of Directors, or "Board". Every April, the Club shall elect five (5) volunteer Club Members to represent the Club as Officers for one year terms beginning September 1st. The Officers shall commission ten (10) volunteers to serve as Directors. The Officers and the Directors shall constitute the Executive Board of Directors, and shall have voting rights at Board Meetings. The Board shall execute the Club's goals, appropriate monies to the Team, pay the Club's bills, enter the Club into contracts, administer Club business, register the Club with the Michigan Student Assembly every year and otherwise perpetuate the Club, enforce decorum, and otherwise serve the sole and exclusive interests of the Club and the Team. All Board Members shall be subject to the Board. The Board shall be subject to the Club. The Board shall be fully accountable to the Club and shall produce periodic reports to keep the Club fully informed. The Board shall make a summary report of its proceedings available to the general Membership. Board Members may have an unlimited number of Assistants who may attend and participate in Board Meetings but Assistants shall not vote in Board Meetings. The Board may invite Expert Professionals to attend Board Meetings and advise the Board on relevant matters. Board Meetings shall be held at least once per calendar month. All Board Members are expected to attend Board Meetings. Additional Board Meetings shall be called within 30 days from when requested by at least 20% of the Board Members. Between the April election and the September 1 beginning of their term, newly-elected and incumbent Officers shall both be invited to and entitled to vote in Board Meetings, but the number of Board Members required for a quorum shall not increase. Board Members shall make known any conflicts of interest, and shall abstain from voting on any issue in which they or their business will be paid from Club monies. Voting rights on money appropriated from the Club to the Team, money for the Team's sole benefit, shall be limited to Board Members who are not Team Members, with the exception of elected Officers, who may vote on such appropriations and also be Team Members. Professional dancing teachers shall not be Board Members, unless the Board agrees otherwise. There shall be no limit to how often a Club Member may serve on the Board.

B. Code of Regulations, Rules, Bylaws.
Club Members shall abide by the published, written policies of the Club as collected in the Club document, "Code of Regulations". Club Members shall abide by the rules of the Michigan Unions, which host most Club events. The Board shall add, change, delete, enact, publish, update, distribute, and otherwise maintain the Club's Code of Regulations, Bylaws, or Rules. All additions, deletions, and modifications to the Code of Regulations shall be agreed to by the Board Members at Board Meetings, made in writing, dated and published. All who contract to the Club shall agree to Club Rules. Violators may be penalized. The nature of the penalty shall be determined by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board. Penalties shall include the Member temporarily being barred from Club events and revocation of Club Membership.

C. Club Monies and Banking Institutions.
The Club shall maintain its monies at an account with the Student Organization Accounts Service (SOAS) and/or the University of Michigan Credit Union. All cash shall be properly handled so as to prevent the occasion for the appearance of impropriety.

D. Vacancies and Overlaps in Board positions.
Club Members may hold up to two (2) Board positions, but shall have no more than one vote at Meetings. A special election for any vacant Officer position shall be scheduled within thirty (30) days after the vacancy occurs. The Board shall try to fill vacancies. In the event that the Board cannot fill vacancies, the Board shall try to fulfill the responsibilities of the vacant position. In the event that the Board cannot fulfill the responsibilities of the vacant position, the Board shall admit responsibility for the unfulfilled events.

V. OFFICERS.
Officers shall be elected for one (1) year terms, starting September 1st. All Officers shall be volunteer Club Members. Students shall be encouraged to be Officers. Officers shall hold Officers Meetings in November to confirm each Director. All Officers shall vote at this Meeting. If required, Officers may hold Officers Meetings to add, change or delete Directorship positions without extending the executive powers nor diminishing the overall responsibilities of the Board. Such changes shall not require amendment to this Constitution, but shall be published as changes to Section, "VI. Directors".

A. President.
The President shall be responsible for calling and conducting Officers, Board and General Membership Meetings, setting Meeting agendas, calling votes on club proposals when appropriate, ensuring that the Club Membership is kept fully apprised in writing of all Board decisions, and overseeing all other Board functions. The President shall be a student of the University and shall have been a Member of the Club at least two semesters, and shall have one full term, one year, of experience as a Board Member prior to running for office.

B. Vice-President.
The Vice President shall assist the President with the President's responsibilities and shall preside in Meetings in the President's absence. The Vice-President shall be a student of the University. The Vice-President shall take primary responsibility for the Club Curriculum.

C. Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for all of the Club's financial accounting and budgeting, including keeping track of the Club income and expenses and presenting regular financial summaries to the Membership. The Treasurer shall have one full term, one year, of experience as a Board Member prior to running for office.

D. Secretary.
The Secretary shall take minutes at all Board Meetings and make the minutes available to the Membership, update contact information for Board Members, announce upcoming Meetings, and maintain various Club documents. The Secretary shall have been a Member of the Club for at least one semester prior to running for office.

E. Student Advocate.
The Student Advocate shall keep track of Membership statistics and promote student participation in the Club by directing the publicity efforts and providing a channel for student feedback. The Student Advocate shall be a student of the University. The qualifications for elected office shall be waived in the absence of qualified nominees.

VI. DIRECTORS.
Directors shall be appointed for one (1) year terms, starting in November, or immediately when assuming a vacant position. All Directors shall be volunteer Club Members. Students shall be encouraged to be Directors. Directors may invite non-voting assistants to Board Meetings.

A. Curriculum Director.
Schedules classes and hires professional dance instructors, subject to Board and Membership feedback and according to facilities availability.

B. Music Director.
Handles the selection and purchasing of music equipment and CDs, and supervises the handling of music during Club activities.

C. On-Campus Publicity Director.
Directs adequate advertising of Club activities through various channels such as participation in Festifall, allocation of bulletin board space on the Diag, newspaper ads, and other means as deemed appropriate.

D. Off-Campus Publicity Director.
Supplies information on Club events to radio stations, newspapers, and cable TV stations which provide free announcements for educational organizations, develops and implements paid advertising campaigns.

E. Volunteer Teacher Director.
Supervises the recruitment, selection, and training procedures for volunteer Club teachers who provide introductory level dance instruction in regular Club events.

F. Facilities Director.
Manages relations with the scheduling offices throughout campus and arranges Meeting space for all Club activities, including regular events, workshops, parties, General Membership Meetings and Board Meetings.

G. Competition Committee Director
Organizes an annual ballroom dancing competition.

H. Party Director.
Organizes dance parties three times every year. Works with other Directors to organize the music, decorations, announcements, and planning of the parties.

I. Team Director.
The Team Director acts as the official liaison between the Team and the Club. The Team Director requests an appropriation from the Club for the Team once each Fall and Winter semester, and reports to the Club on behalf of the Team.

J. Web Site Director.
Manages and updates the Club web site and the general Membership e-mail list, forwards e-mail questions.

VII. MEETINGS AND ELECTIONS.
Officers Meetings shall be held in November to confirm Directors, and as necessary to add, change, or delete Director positions. Board Meetings shall be held every calendar month to conduct Club business. General Membership Meetings shall be held in April to elect Officers, and at least two other times annually to provide a forum for concerns and ideas. Members shall be notified of General Membership Meetings at least one week in advance. Elections shall be every April. At least three weeks prior to the election the Board shall notify the general Membership of the exact date of the April election and shall announce that nominations for office have opened. Nominations shall be made by presenting the candidate's name and Office to any Board Member. Any Member may nominate any other Member, including himself/herself. Ballots shall be distributed as early as possible on the day of the election. The day of the election and distribution of the ballots and notifications shall be made so as to encourage the fullest participation.

VIII. QUORUM
At monthly Board Meetings, a quorum shall be the presence of a majority of the people on the Board.
At General Membership Meetings fifteen (15) Members shall constitute a quorum. Meetings with fewer Members present than this constitution requires for a quorum must be adjourned without business being conducted.

IX. REFERENDUM AND RECALL
Executive Board Members, including Club Officers, may be removed from their position by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board, following a thirty (30) day period in which the Board Member being impeached shall present his defense. If the Member in question is not present at the Meeting at which the motion to impeach was made, then he or she shall be notified in writing that the motion to impeach was made, and shall have an additional thirty (30) days to present his defense. If a board member is absent from three consecutive monthly club board meetings a motion of impeachment shall be made for the offending member at this third meeting of absence. As the member in question shall not be present, the vote on this motion will be held at the following monthly board meeting.

XII. TEAM AFFILIATION AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS
The Club may formally associate with local, state, national, international, or commercial organizations if the Board determines that the association will benefit the Club. Such associations shall be reviewed and renewed every September.

A. Team.
The Club exists in unique affiliation with the UM Ballroom Dance Team. For their mutual benefit these two organizations maintain a strong formal and informal relationship. The Team shall have its own officers and government. The Team shall serve as the competitive dance organization for students and to fulfill this purpose shall receive support from the Club in the form of financial appropriations and shared activities. The Club shall appropriate no less than $1- and no more than 49% of its unbudgeted cash reserves each semester to the Team in response to requests for appropriations from the Team. "Unbudgeted cash reserves", refers to cash for which the Club has not made plans. In the absence of an approved budget, the Club's budget for one semester will be a minimum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000-) per semester. Immediately after approval by the Board, appropriated monies shall be transferred from the Club to the Team. The Club monies shall be maintained separately from the Team monies. The Club shall request the Team to supply dance demonstrations, dance instruction, and other volunteer services. Team Membership is recognized as follows: Only students may be Team Members and represent the University of Michigan at competitions. Team Members compete under the banner of the University of Michigan at least once per semester beginning one semester after joining the Team.
"Advanced" Team Members are those who are able to and actually partake in regularly teaching Team beginners. The Club shall not distinguish Team Members any more or less strictly than the Team defines its members.

B. Michigan Student Assembly.
The Club shall maintain recognition by the Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) as a student organization and shall enjoy certain privileges as a result of this recognition.

C. Student Organization Accounts Service, University of Michigan Credit Union.
The Club shall be a banking customer of the Student Organization Accounts Service and/or the University of Michigan Credit Union.

XIII. AMENDMENTS
Amendments to this Constitution shall be proposed at General Membership Meetings, and shall be voted upon at the first, subsequent, General Membership Meeting. Amendments shall be adopted upon approval by no fewer than two-thirds of the voting general Membership.

XIV. RATIFICATION
This constitution shall be ratified upon approval by no fewer than two-thirds of the voting Membership.