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CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF

THE MISSION COLLEGE SPEECH AND DEBATE CLUB
Article I. Name and Purpose of Organization

Section I. Name of Organization

I. The organization will be named the “Mission College Speech and Debate Club”, and
henceforth referred to as the “Club” in this constitution.

Section II. Purpose of Organization

I. To encourage the continuing development of communications skills among the students

enrolled at Mission College.
II. To facilitate a means by which the students of Mission College can participate in
collegiate level speech and debate competitions and events.
III. To provide an outlet to the students of Mission College to receive peer response,
critique, and constructive criticism regarding their public speaking abilities.
IV. To unify all students of Mission College who are interested in participating in intelligent
discussions and friendly discourse - in regards to subjects such as philosophy, history,
political science, or economics - with other students.
V. To provide a platform to the students of Mission College to improve their critical
thinking and reasoning abilities.

Article II. Membership

Section I: Requirements for Obtaining Membership

I. The Club will be open to all students currently enrolled at Mission College.
II. Students will become eligible to join the Club after attending two consecutive Club
meetings.

Section II. Membership Provisions

I. Club membership will not be restricted by race, color, sex, or creed.

II. There will be no hazing of Club members as stated in Section 10851, 10852, and 10853
of the Education Code of the State of California.

Section III. Membership Recall

I. Club membership may be revoked upon a Club member failing to attend four
consecutive Club meetings - unless due to extenuating circumstances beyond the Club
member’s control.
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Article III. Officers

Section I. Purpose of the Executive Council

I. The Club’s Executive Council shall generally oversee the direction of the Club in
accordance with the Club’s Statement of Purpose as outlined in Article I, Section II of this
constitution.

Section II. Composition of the Executive Council

II. The Club’s Executive Council shall consist of the President, Vice President, Public
Relations Representative, Director of Finance, Director of Activities, and Secretary.

Section III. Selection of the Executive Council (General Elections)

I. Elections for Executive Council positions will be held sometime prior to the last two
weeks of each academic year during the Spring Semester.
II. Secret ballots will be used to collect votes from Club members then collected, tallied,
and verified by the Club’s advisor and all club members present when elections were
held, immediately after all ballots are collected.

Section IV: Requirements to Maintain Executive Council Positions

I. All elected Club officers must adhere to the Code of Conduct regulations listed in the
Mission College Catalog.
II. All elected Club officers must maintain a cumulative 2.0 Grade Point Average.
III. All elected Club officers must hold a current Mission College Student Body Card.

Section V. Procedure for Removal of Executive Council Members

I. Executive Council members will become subject to a vote of dismissal from their current
position if they exhibit a general lack of interest in the Club, fail to provide the minimum
level of commitment required to fulfill the duties required of any individual in said
position as outlined in Article III, Section VII of this constitution, or fail to meet any of
the requirements to maintain an Executive Council Position as outlined in Article III,
Section IV of this constitution.
II. A vote of dismissal may only be called by a member of the Executive Council and voted
on by members of the executive council.
III. The member of the Executive Council named as the subject of the vote of dismissal must
be excluded from participating in the vote of dismissal.
IV. A vote of dismissal must pass with two-thirds vote in favor of dismissal by members of
the Executive Council, whereas votes will be counted in relation to rank among the Club
Hierarchy as outlined in Article VII, Section I, Clause IV of this constitution.

Section VI. Provisions for Resignation or Dismissal of Executive Council Members

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I. In the event a member of the Executive Council, excluding the Club President,
relinquishes their position as a member of the Executive Council or has been dismissed
from their position, the Club President will be granted the authority to appoint another
Club Member to that position until the next election.
II. In the event of the Club President’s dismissal or resignation, the Vice President will
immediately become the Club President until the next election.

Section VII: Duties and Powers of Executive Council Members

PRESIDENT
DUTIES
 Preside as chairperson at all Club meetings
 Call official votes on motions raised by Club members during meetings.
 Plan and coordinate Club meetings, events, and activities consistent with the
purpose of the Club as stated in Article I, Section II of this constitution in
cooperation with the Club’s Director of Activities and Public Relations
Representative.
 Call special or emergency meetings of the Club’s Executive Council.
 Liaison between the Club’s advisor and the Club.
 Settle disputes between Club members.
 Keep attendance records of all Club meetings.
POWERS
 The Club President may veto any motion passed by the Club’s Executive
Council or members unless the vote was passed by a two-thirds majority.
 The Club President may appoint Club members to Executive Council positions
not filled by General Elections or not required to be filled by General Elections.
o Any club member appointed to an Executive Council position by the
Club President must be

VICE PRESIDENT
DUTIES
 Preside as chairperson at any Club meeting(s) the Club President is unable to
attend.
 Plan and coordinate Club meetings, events, and activities consistent with the
purpose of the Club as stated in Article I, Section II of this constitution in
cooperation with the Club’s Director of Activities and Public Relations
Representative.
 Act as the central advisor to the Club President.
POWERS
 The Club’s Vice President will immediately become the Club’s President in
the event of the President’s dismissal or resignation.
 The Club’s Vice President shall act as a parliamentarian to the Executive
Council.

PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE

DUTIES
 Liaison between the Club and the Mission College ASB.
 Act as the official Club Representative at all speech and debate competitions
or events the Club sponsors or participates in.
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 Work in cooperation with the Club’s Director of Activities to plan and

coordinate promotional and fundraising events.
 Carry on official correspondence between the Club and all other organizations
at Mission College.
 Publicly advertise Club-sponsored activities and promote Club membership.
POWERS
 The Club’s Public Relations Representative shall act as a parliamentarian to
the Executive Council.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
DUTIES
 Act as a liaison between the Student Accounts Office and the Club to direct
and manage all funds credited to, or withdrawn from, the Club’s account.
 Maintain official Club records of all incoming funds and outgoing expenses.
 Present a financial report to the Executive Council, every month, outlining all
of the of Club’s incoming funds and outgoing expenses.
 Ensure registration and entry fees are paid or collected for any speech and
debate competition or event the Club wishes to attend or sponsor.
POWERS
 The Club’s Director of Finance shall act as a parliamentarian to the Executive
Council.

DIRECTOR OF ACTIVITIES
DUTIES
 Research and inform the Club of any outside speech and debate activities,
tournaments, competitions, or events pertinent to members of the Club.
 Receive assistance from the Club’s Public Relations Representative to plan and
coordinate events promoting Club membership.
 Chair and appoint committees charged with planning and coordinating
activities for the enjoyment and enrichment of Club members consistent with
the Club’s purpose as stated in Article I, Section II of this constitution.
 Chair a committee charged with developing and generating activities for the
enjoyment and enrichment of Mission College students.
POWERS
 The Club’s Director of Activities shall have the authority to establish
committees to assist with the planning and coordination of Club activities and
events.
 The Club’s Director of Activities may appoint one or more Co-Director(s) of
Activities to assist with all duties of the Director of Activities.
o The Club’s Co-Director(s) of Activities will be viewed as a
subordinate of the Director of Activities, and therefore will not be
considered to hold any position(s) on the Club’s Executive Council.
o The Club’s Co-Director(s) of Activities will receive the same number
of votes, and are subject to the same voting rules, as Club Members
as stated in Article VIII of this constitution.

SECRETARY
DUTIES
 Record, file, and provide copies of minutes of all Club meetings.
 Prepare Club agendas and provide copies to all members of the Club.
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 Maintain Club files including, but not limited to, all case materials to be used
in debate tournaments and competitions.
 Update this constitution with all amendments passed and provide public
access to a current version of this constitution to all Club members.
 Maintain current Club membership records.
POWERS
 The Club Secretary shall act as a parliamentarian to the Executive Council.

Article IV. Dues

I. No dues will be assessed or collected for membership to the Club.

II. If it is later determined that dues will be assessed for Club membership, dues and
initiation fees shall not be excessive.

Article V. Rules for Constitutional Amendments

I. Amendments to this constitution may be suggested by any member of the Club by
submitting a written petition to the Executive Council five business days before the next
Club meeting.
II. Petitions submitted to the Executive Council to amend this constitution will be treated
identically to motions and voted upon by Club members following the voting rules
outlined in Article VII of this constitution.

Article VI. Club Meetings

Section I. Frequency of Meetings

I. Meetings of the Mission College Speech and Debate Club will be held once every week,
unless otherwise agreed by the members of the Executive Council.
II. Meeting times and locations are subject to change on a semester-by-semester basis at
the discretion of the Club’s Executive Council.

Section II. Meeting Requirements

I. Official Club meetings must be held on campus and be open to any official of the college
or student association to attend.
II. The Club’s advisor must be present during all official Club meetings, activities, and
events.

Article VII. Voting

Section I. Methods of Voting

I. In the event that a motion is raised by an active member of the Club, concerning matters
which will affect the Club as an entire organization, the Club President must call an official
vote on the matter.
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II. An official vote may only be called by the Club President during an official Club meeting
following the Meeting Requirements stated in Article VI, Section II of this constitution.
III. After an official vote has been called by the Club President, a vote by show of hands will be
taken accordingly.
IV. Every individual in attendance of a Club meeting, at which point in time an official vote has
been called, will receive one or more vote depending on their official rank within the Club.
V. Votes will be counted in relation to Club rank as follows:
 President: 3
 Vice President: 3
 Public Relations Representative: 2
 Director of Finance: 2
 Director of Activities: 2
 Secretary: 2
 Club Member: 1

Section II. Voting Regulations

I. Official votes may only be called if a quorum is met.

II. The quorum necessary for an official vote to be considered valid will be the number of
members equal to forty percent of the total of the number of Club members at the time the
motion was raised.
III. A motion may only pass by official vote with a simple majority (fifty-one percent or more) in
favor.