College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Undergraduate Student Council

Constitution
We, the undergraduate students of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences of The Pennsylvania
State University, in order to form a representative union of the student body of the College of Earth and
Mineral Sciences, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
Undergraduate Student Council.
I. Purpose
This College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Undergraduate Student Council, hereafter referred to as the
Council, provides a vital link between students, administration, and community in an attempt to enrich
the intellectual and social atmosphere of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, hereafter referred
to as the College.
These goals are achieved through the organization and implementation of College-wide social events
programs, recruitment activities, and service opportunities. The Council is dedicated to making
improvements, wherever needed, as voiced by the students of the College. In addition, the Council is
the student governing body of the College. The Council reserves the right to be informed of all
organized student activities within the College.
II. Membership
Section i: Active Membership
Any registered undergraduate student of the College shall be granted active membership in the Council
upon attendance of two consecutive Council meetings within a semester. The majority of members in
the Council (50% + 1 of the active membership) must be undergraduate students. Additionally, a
minimum of at least 10 active members must be maintained by Council at all times. Members declared
as active upon conclusion of the previous semester may return the following semester as active
members. Only active members may hold office, vote, preside, officiate, or solicit funds on behalf of the
Council.
Section ii: Associate Membership
All undergraduate students of the University not eligible for active membership who are interested in
furthering the purposes of the Council may be associate members by meeting one of the two following
conditions:
A. An undergraduate student of the College who is unable to attend meetings regularly.
B. An undergraduate student of Pennsylvania State University who has attended two consecutive
meetings.
Section iii: Terms of Membership
Any member who misses two consecutive meetings without prior notice and approval by the Council
Secretary will receive non-active status until the membership is renewed as described in Article II:
Section i. Any member not considered active at the end of the semester will be removed from the roster.
Section iv: New Membership and Recruitment
A. Any and all new members will be given full disclosure during recruitment, including but not limited to
the disclosure of:
A. Organizational documents (Constitution, Bylaws, Manuals, etc.)
B. Organization events and activities
C. A list of responsibilities of members
D. A copy of the University Hazing policy, prescribed by Policies and Rules for Student Organizations

(These document will be available upon request by the Office of Student Activities).
B. All members, including but not limited to new members and recruits, reserve the right to refrain from
participating in any activities without consequence, based upon personal/religious beliefs, personal
values, or moral reserve as defined by the member.
C. Any and all interaction/activity between members and/or new members will be limited to guidelines
stated by university policy, as well as local, state, and federal laws.
III. Executive Board
Section i: Right to Hold Office
Only full-time students who meet active membership and position requirements may hold appointed or
elected office. The right of these students to hold office shall not be denied or abridged because of
ethnicity, age, gender, religious preference, sexual orientation, disability, or academic standing.
Section ii: President
A. The President of the Council shall be an active member for the current semester and have been an
active member for the previous semester.
B. The President shall have full parliamentary power as presiding officer at the meetings of the Council.
The President shall be vested with executive powers and shall serve as chairperson of the Council.
C. The President has the power to make or break a tie during a vote of the general Council.
D. The President shall have full power to create and disband all committees he/she deems necessary to
carry out the work of the Council, but may not disband any of the Chairpersons listed in Article IV:
Sections ii-v.
E. The President shall have sole power to veto any legislation passed by the Council.
F. The President shall serve as representative to any standing College committees as needed, or shall
appoint a Council member to serve in his/her place.
Section iii: Vice President
A. The Vice President shall be an active member for the current semester and have been an active
member for the previous semester.
B. In the event of resignation or disqualification of the President, the Vice President shall assume the
duties and powers of the President.
C. In the event of the absence of the President at a general meeting, the Vice President shall assume
the position of chairperson and associate powers of the Council, except veto power, for that meeting.
D. The Vice President shall maintain and update the Constitution, and present all amendments to the
Council for approval by active members. E. The Vice President shall be in charge of all external affairs
of the Council.
Section iv: Secretary
A. The Secretary shall be an active member in the Council for the current semester.
B. The Secretary shall take minutes at all general Council meetings.
C. The Secretary shall maintain a complete list of membership, attendance, and e-mail addresses of all
current members.
D. The Secretary shall be in charge of all official correspondence for the Council.
E. The Secretary shall announce general Council meetings more than 48 hours in advance, except in
the case of emergency meetings.
F. The Secretary shall contact the EMS Student Center with all announcements to be included in the
weekly Undergraduate Newsletter.
G. The Secretary shall oversee the work of the Webmaster and Advertising Chair.
H. The Secretary shall have a full working knowledge of the bylaws of this Constitution and a general
knowledge of Robert's Rules of Order.
I. The Secretary shall maintain all constitutional records.
Section v: Treasurer
A. The Treasurer shall be an active member in the Council for the current semester.
B. The Treasurer shall keep accurate records of the financial status of the Council and shall make
available a financial statement at each general meeting.
C. The Treasurer shall handle all funds according to the guidelines contained within University Policy
and of the Associated Student Activities Office.
D. The Treasurer shall make arrangements for refreshments at all general Council meetings, budget
permitting.

E. The Treasurer shall oversee the work of the Fundraising Chair.

Section vi: Director of Activities
A. The Director of Activities shall be an active member in the Council for the current semester.
B. The Director of Activities shall oversee all committees concerning Council- and/or College-wide
events.
C. The Director of Activities shall be responsible for all Council- and/or College-wide events that do not
fall under the responsibility of an existing committee.
D. The Director of Activities shall be responsible for providing updates on events that fall under his/her
responsibility as stated under Article III: Section vi: C.
Section vii: Term of Office
The term of office for all Executive Board positions shall be one academic year. Each officer will begin
his/her term at the start of the fall semester and will end with the last meeting of the spring semester.
There is no limit on the number of terms he/she can serve.
Section viii: Impeachment
A. An officer may be impeached for malfeasant conduct or any act that is in violation of University Policy.
B. A minimum of three active members will be required to move to enact impeachment proceedings
against a member of the Executive Board.
C. Quorum is necessary for conducting impeachment proceedings.
D. The impeachment vote shall be held after impeachment proceedings have been enacted but not be
held until the officer in question has been given the opportunity to defend his/her position. A two-thirds
majority vote of present active members shall be required to impeach.
Section ix: Vacancies
A. Any vacated position within the Executive Board shall be filled by election by the Council.
B. All active members are eligible to be nominated and elected in accordance with standard election
procedure. Nominations and elections will both occur during the first meeting after the position becomes
vacated following election guidelines as expressed in Article VII: Section iii. The term of office will be the
remainder of that term for which the vacating officer was elected.
C. If elections cannot occur as expressed in Article VII: Section iii to fill the vacated office, the office will
be filled as selected by the President and as approved by the Executive Board.
Section x: Participation
A. Members of the Executive Board must participate in at least three-fourths of all Council sponsored
activities, outside of general meetings.
B. Participation in said events shall be evaluated at the end of the fall semester and before the spring
elections.
C. Failure to meet this requirement shall make the Executive Board member eligible for impeachment as
outlined in Article III: Section vii.
IV. Chairpersons
Section i: Eligibility and Selection
A. Only full-time students who meet active membership and position requirements may be eligible to
apply for a Chairperson position.
B. Nominations for Chairperson positions must be submitted to the President prior to the selection
process, which may take place following the second or third general meeting of the semester, at the
discretion of the Executive Board.
C. The Executive Board shall meet to discuss and/or interview candidates before selecting the
Chairpersons listed in Article IV: Sections ii-v. D. Upon election, Chairpersons may establish a formal
committee of Council members to assist in performing duties under their power at his/her discretion.
E. Chairpersons may be required to attend meetings of the Executive Board at the Board's request.
Section ii: Advertising Chair
A. The Advertising Chairperson shall be responsible for maintaining the Student Council bulletin board,
located in the ground floor of the Deike Building.
B. The Advertising Chairperson shall create advertisements and notices involving meetings, programs,
and College-wide events organized by the Council or the College and distribute them amongst the
Council for posting. The Chairperson will be responsible for removal of these notices.

Section iii: Fundraising Chair

A. The Fundraising Chairperson shall be responsible for the generation and implementation of
fundraising activities.
B. All fundraising inventory shall be maintained by the Fundraising Chairperson.
C. The Fundraising Chairperson shall be responsible for notifying the Treasurer of all transactions that
take place.
Section iv: Webmaster
A. The Webmaster shall maintain the official Council web page, located at www.ems.psu.edu/sc.
B. The Webmaster shall maintain an electronic history of the Council's activities.
C. The Webmaster shall be responsible for any technology-related issues concerning the Council.
Section v: Service Chair(s)
A. The Service Chair shall be responsible for organizing Council participation in community service
related events at the College, University, and community levels.
B. The Service Chair shall be the point of contact with any organization with which the Council
coordinates service events with.
Section vi: EMEX Chairs
A. Three EMEX Chairpersons shall exist; Logistics, Alumni/Faculty Relations, and Advertising.B. The
Logistics Chair shall be in charge of the creating EMEX program of events and organizing each event.
C. The Alumni/Faculty Relations Chair shall be in charge of the communication between the faculty and
staff of each department as well as the communication between College alumni.
D. The Advertising Chair shall be in charge of promoting EMEX throughout the College.
Section vii: Casino Night Chair(s)
A. The Casino Night Chairperson(s) shall be responsible for organizing and executing the Colleges
annual winter formal, Casino Night.
Section viii: Relay for Life Chair(s)
A. The Relay for Life Chairperson(s) shall be responsible for soliciting funds to benefit the Colleges
Relay for Life team.
B. The Relay for Life Chairperson(s) shall be responsible for organizing the Councils participation in the
Pennsylvania State Universitys Relay for Life
V. Committees
Section i: Membership
A. Any active member or associate member can serve on any number of committees.
B. The head of a committee shall be determined by the process outlined in the committees Article. If no
process exists, the head of a committee shall be determined by the members of that committee through
a majority vote, as defined in Article VIII: Section ii.
C. Committee heads may be required to attend meetings of the Executive Board at the Board's request.
VI. Committee Benefiting the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon
Section i: Mission Statement
The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Committee Benefiting the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance
Marathon , hereafter known as the THON Committee, is a family of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and
supporters. As an extension of the intrinsic passion and close-knit community of the College, members
serve as outstanding leaders at Penn State by excelling academically while providing dedicated support to
the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, the Four Diamonds Fund, and families whose lives have
been touched by pediatric cancer. We provide our adopted families with emotional stability and build
relationships that we will cherish far into the future. Our unwavering commitment keeps us motivated to
fundraise relentlessly and honorably, while remembering what THON is truly about: helping the families.
We are One College, One Love, One Fight.

Section ii: Board of Directors

A. Eligibility
1. Full-time students who meet active membership and position requirements may be appointed
or elected as a Director. Full-time associate members may be appointed or elected as a
Director at the discretion of both the Student Council Executive Board and the THON
Committees Board of Directors.
B. Executive Director
1. The Executive Director shall have full power as presiding Director of the THON Committee.
2. The Executive Director shall be in charge of all official correspondence for the THON
Committee.
3. The Executive Director shall oversee the work of the 4DRE and Media Liaisons.
C. Family Relations Directors
1. Family Relations Outreach Director shall maintain all communication between the families and
the THON Committee.
2. Family Relations Events Chairperson shall plan and execute all family and inter-committee
social events.
D. Canning Director
1. The Canning Director shall plan and execute all canning trips on weekends designated by the
Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.
2. The Canning Director shall plan and execute all canvassing trips.
E. Donor and Alumni Relations Director
1. The Donor and Alumni Relations Director shall maintain all communication between the
alumni, faculty, staff, and donors.
2. The Donor and Alumni Relations Director shall oversee the work of the Faculty and Staff
Liaison.
F. Fundraising Director
1. The Fundraising Director shall plan and execute all alternative fundraising events for the
committee.
2. The Fundraising Director shall oversee the work of the Merchandise Liaison.
G. Director Elections
1. The order of elections will be as follows: Executive Director, Family Relations Outreach
Director, and Family Relations Events Director. The order that the other positions are elected
is at the discretion of the THON Committees Board of Directors.
2. Each candidate gets two minutes to speak, two minutes for questions, followed by two
minutes of discussion about the candidate. A motion to extend questions or discussion can be
granted.
3. Both the families and committee members will vote for the Executive Director and Family
Relations Directors.
a. Applications for these Director positions will be filled out prior to elections by the
candidates and provided to the families for review.
b. Only those who apply prior to elections may run for the positions during elections.
c. The total family vote will be weighted as a maximum of one half of the attending
committee members and one third of the total vote. This portion is to be divided
equally between the families. For example, if sixty THON Committee members
attend elections, thirty votes will be divided equally between the families. If three
families are voting, they each receive ten votes towards their preferred candidate.
d. If the families are unable to attend, they are asked to pick their top candidate for
director and then rank their top three candidates in order of preference for Family
Relations Directors. The families portion of the vote for Family Relations Directors
will be granted to their top candidate.
e. The candidate with the most combined family and committee votes will be elected as
Directors.
4. Only committee members will vote for Canning Director, Donor and Alumni Relations Director,
and Fundraising Director. The candidate with the most votes will be elected.

Section iii: Liaisons

A. Eligibility and Selection
a. Full-time students who meet active membership and position requirements may be eligible to
apply for a Liaison position. Full-time associate members may be eligible to apply for a Liaison
position at the discretion of both the Student Council Executive Board and THON Committees
Board of Directors.
b. Applications for the Liaison positions must be submitted to the Executive Director prior to the
selection process.
c. The Board of Directors shall meet to discuss and/or interview candidates before selecting the
Liaisons listed in Article VI: Section ii: B, C, and D.
B. 4DRE Liaison
a. The 4DRE Liaison shall coordinate and execute all recycling for the Four Diamonds Recycling
Effort on behalf of the THON Committee.
C. Media Liaison
a. The Media Liaison shall coordinate all media; including social media, photography, and other
visual media on behalf of the THON Committee.
D. Merchandise Liaison
a. The Merchandise Liaison shall plan and execute all merchandise orders for the THON
Committee.
E. Faculty and Staff Liaison
a. The Faculty and Staff Liaison shall communicate with and inform faculty and staff of THON
Committee topics.
Section ix: Dancer Selection
A. Each candidate gets two minutes to speak followed by two minutes for questions. A motion to extend
questions can be granted.
B. The committee members and families will vote for the dancers.
a. Applications for dancing will be filled out prior to elections and provided to the families for
review. Only those who apply prior may run for dancing during elections.
b. Families vote for half of the dancers allotted to College by the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic
Dance Marathon. In the case of an odd number, round down.
c. The total family vote will be weighted as a maximum of one half of the attending committee
members and one third of the total vote. This portion is to be divided equally between the
families. For example, if sixty THON Committee members attend elections, thirty votes will be
divided equally between the families. If three families are voting, they each receive ten votes
towards their preferred candidate.
d. If the families are unable to attend elections, they are asked to give their top candidates for
dancing. The families portion of the vote for dancers will be granted to their preferred
candidates.
e. The candidates with the most overall votes will be elected as dancers.
VII. Student Government Representative
Section i: Definition
A. The Student Government Representative shall be an undergraduate of the College and in good
academic standing.
B. The University Faculty Senator shall act as a liaison between the University Faculty Senate and the
Council by attending the meetings of both bodies. The Faculty Senator shall serve as the delegate to
the Academic Affairs Committee of the presiding student government.
C. The Representative to the presiding student government shall act as a liaison between the student
government, its Academic Affairs Committee, and the Council by attending meetings of all three bodies.
D. The Student Government Representatives must report their activities in the University Faculty Senate
and Academic Affairs Committee of the presiding student government to the Council during the Council
meeting following the meeting of those bodies.

Section ii: Election

A. The Student Government Representative shall be elected by a University-wide ballot. The election
shall be supervised by the presiding student government, in accordance with their Elections Code.
B. The University Faculty Senator shall be elected by a College-wide ballot. The election shall be
supervised by the Student Council, in accordance with the University Faculty Senate Elections Code.
Section iii: Term of Office
A. The Student Government Representatives will begin their term at the start of the following academic
year's Academic Affairs Committee of the presiding student government.
B. The term shall last for the duration of that academic year's Academic Affairs Committee of the
presiding student government.
Section iv: Removal from Office
A. Failure of the Student Government Representative to fulfill the requirements of Article VI: section i-iii
is cause for removal from office. Such removal shall require a two-thirds vote of the Council.
B. After removal of the Student Government Representative, a new representative will be chosen or
elected to the position, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the presiding student
government.
VIII. Advisor
A. The Council has the option of retaining an advisor. This advisor may be appointed by the President at
his/her discretion. The advisor must be a faculty or staff member of the College.
B. The appointment of an advisor can be contested by the Council and overturned by a majority vote.
C. The Council has the authority to remove an advisor with a majority vote. Notification must be given to
the former advisor if he/she is removed.
IX. Internal Affairs
Section i: Meetings
A. Frequency of Meetings
1. General meetings will be held every other academic week in the Fall and Spring semesters.
2. The President has the authority to call an emergency meeting of the Council or the Executive Board
no less than 24 hours prior to the emergency meeting.
B. The agenda of a general meeting shall be as follows:
I. Call to Order
II. Attendance
III. Open Forum
IV. Reports
A. Executive Board
B. External Affairs
C. Chairpersons
D. Committees
V. Old Business
VI. New Business
VII. Comments for the Good of the Order
VIII. Adjournment
C. Speaking Rights
1. Any person in attendance has the right to express his/her concerns or opinions during the Open
Forum.
2. Any active member may speak at any time during the meeting, given that he/she is acknowledged by
the Chairperson.
3. General meetings shall be open to the public.
Section ii: Voting
A. Only active members, except the Chairperson, may vote. The exception is made in Article III: Section
ii: C.
B. Quorum shall be represented by 50% + 1 of the active membership of the Council.
C. If quorum is present, a majority of the quorum will be represented by 50% + 1 of the voting members
present.
D. If quorum is not attained at a general meeting, the Council may decide to open online voting with a
majority of present active members for any applicable legislation that is listed on the agenda for that

meeting. Online voting may not be used for impeachment.

Section iii: Elections
A. Nominations
1. Any active member may nominate an active member for an office, providing that the individual meets
the guidelines of an office, by contacting the president and informing of them of the nomination. The
individual nominated must then confirm the nomination in order for it to be valid.
2. An individual may nominate himself/herself to run for an office.
3. Nominations for officers will be accepted up until the time of election.
4. Elections will take place during the second to last general meeting of the spring semester.
B. Conditions and Requirements for Election
1. Quorum must be present to hold an election for all Executive Board positions.
2. The active members shall cast secret, written ballots for the candidates of their choice. Each active
member shall have one vote.
3. If no one candidate receives majority after the first round of voting, then the two candidates receiving
the highest number of votes shall be voted upon in a new election for that position.
4. Votes are to be counted by an impartial representative of the Council, as chosen by active Council
members. All votes shall be available for recount at the request of any member.
5. In the event of a discrepancy in vote counts, the Council will conduct a re-vote.
Section iv: Legislation
A. The Council has the authority to propose and enact legislation within its body.
B. Resolutions are a type of legislation that will mandate the Council to follow a specific course of action
within the authority of the Council.
C. Position Statements are a form of legislation that expresses the position of the Council to other
organizations or individuals within the College on an issue within the authority of the Council.
D. Legislation introduced to the Council for consideration follows the following procedure:
1. All legislation must be sponsored by a minimum of two active members and may not be sponsored by
the President.
2. All legislation must be submitted to the President at least three days before the general meeting
where it is to be voted upon.
3. The President may disregard this deadline at his/her discretion.
E. The Council shall subscribe to the following legislative procedure:
1. Sponsors introduce the legislation.
2. Immediately following the introduction, the Council shall debate the legislation in question consistent
with debate procedures and motions outlined in Robert's Rules of Order.
3. The Council must approve or deny legislation or amendments according to the vote requirements
outlined in Article VII: Section ii.
4.The legislation shall then be forwarded to the President for approval or veto.
5. Presidential vetoes may be overturned by a two-thirds vote of the present active members.
Section v: Finances
A. All Council funds are to be deposited and handled exclusively through the Associated Student
Activities in 240 Hetzel Union Building (HUB).
B. Dues shall not be collected from Council members.
C. The Executive Board shall have the authority to release funds in an emergency if said funds are
needed before the next general meeting. The council must be notified by the Executive Board of its
doings within 24 hours of the funds being released.
X. Amendments
Section i: Conditions of Amendment
A. Any active member of the Council may propose an Amendment to the Constitution.
B. Amendments to the Constitution shall be voted on one meeting after being brought to the floor of the
Council.
C. The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the present active members of the Council.
This vote may only be conducted when a quorum is present.
D. If an active member is unable to attend the meeting at which an amendment will be voted upon,
he/she may submit an absentee vote to the Secretary up until the beginning of said meeting.
E. Changes to Section VI must be approved by the THON Committee Board of Directors and Council
Executive Board..

Section ii: Approval for Amendment

All amendments are subject to the approval of the Office of Student Affairs.
XI. Parliamentary Authority
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (9th Edition), by Henry M. Robert III, shall be used as a
reference at the President's discretion in regard to situations not covered by the Constitution.
XII. Availability of the Constitution
Copies of the Constitution shall be made available to anyone upon request. All Executive Board
members shall have a copy of the present/working Constitution.