DePaul University Young Democratic Socialists of America

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I: NAME AND AFFILIATION

1. The name of the organization shall be DePaul University Young Democratic Socialists of America, hereafter referred to as “the Chapter.”
2. The Chapter shall be the DePaul University chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America, the youth wing of Democratic Socialists of America.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE & MISSION STATEMENT

1. Our mission is to educate and organize students and young people and to play a helpful and principled role in the movement for social justice. Within and throughout this struggle, we will articulate and defend the idea that true human liberation is impossible under capitalism. We seek social change which extends democracy into all aspects of life -- social, political and economic. This is the struggle for democratic socialism. Our vision of socialism is profoundly democratic, feminist, and anti-racist.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP & NON-DISCRIMINATION

1. Dues and Meeting Attendance:

1. Membership in the organization shall be open to students of DePaul University.
2. Membership, leadership, and activities will not be restricted on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, family relationship status, physical or mental disability, military status, genetic information or other status protected by local, state, or federal law.
3. Full Membership is defined as being dues paid or dues waived DSA members.

1. For new quarters, voting rights will carry over for full members of the previous quarter.

1. All members of the DePaul University campus community who are DSA members, regardless of dues payment status, will be considered full members after attending at least one event (meeting, lecture, discussion, movie screening, book reading, etc.).

1. To be eligible for candidacy in the Steering Committee, members must still be dues-paying or dues-waived members of YDSA.

2. As established in Article VIII, this bylaw may be amended at any regular meeting of the organization by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of full members, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to the existing Steering Committee at the previous regular meeting.

1. Members of the DePaul University campus community, regardless of affiliation with DSA National, will be considered partial members after attending at least one event (meeting, lecture, discussion, movie screening, book reading, etc.).

1. Partial Members are allowed to vote on resolutions that are brought before the general body and are allowed to vote in leadership elections.
2. Partial Members are not allowed to put forward motions to remove leadership, change meeting dates, or amend constitution.

2. General Body is defined as the entirety of the chapter, regardless of full or partial membership status.

2. Praxis Requirements:

1. In alignment with the Y/DSA’s Theory of Change, where (1) the capitalist class is the problem, (2) the working class is the agent of change, and (3) the way workers make change is by building a movement of the majority to fight for, our chapter will mandate our membership to fulfill one of the following quarterly requirements:

1. Attend a specified amount of book club reading sessions;
2. Lead a specified amount of lectures or presentations;
3. Participation in any of the committees: Public Relations, Political Education, Political Action.

1. This amount (x) will be determined at any regular meeting during the first month of the Autumn quarter (September), the Winter quarter (January), and the Spring quarter (April) by a two-thirds (⅔) vote.

2. Additionally, members are required to engage in a specified amount of mutual aid activity or community service per academic year.

1. This amount (x) will be determined at any regular meeting during the first full month of the Autumn quarter (October) by a two-thirds (⅔) vote.

3. As established in Article VIII, this bylaw may be amended at any regular meeting of the organization by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of full members, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to the existing Steering Committee at the previous regular meeting.

ARTICLE IV: STEERING COMMITTEE & DUTIES

1. The Steering Committee shall be composed of two (2) Co-Chairs, one (1) Secretary, one (1) Treasurer, one (1) Communications Chair, one (1) Political Education Chair, one (1) Membership Chair, one (1) Chapter Liaison, and one (1) First-Year Representative.

1. The Steering Committee may include positions other than those listed above to develop a more organized and coherent chapter representative of its membership and activity at its inception. These positions may change during election nominations, recall, through a two-thirds (⅔) vote as explained in Article VIII, or by other means listed in the constitution.

2. To be eligible for the Steering Committee, candidates must be dues-paying or dues-waived members of YDSA.
3. Candidates will nominate themselves no later than one week prior to the date of the election.
4. Elections shall occur on a meeting date during the last full month of the Spring quarter (May).
5. Elections will be held via ballot box.

1. Ballot box elections will be held in person, with votes cast on index cards in designated boxes by steering committee positions.
2. Votes will be counted publicly at the end of the meeting by the sitting steering committee.

6. All elections shall use Single Transferable Vote (STV):

1. Elections, except for that of the First-Year Representative, shall occur on a meeting date during the last full month of the Spring quarter (May).
2. Elections will be held via ballot box, with voters ranking candidates by preference.
3. Votes shall be counted using ranked-choice voting. If a candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, they will be elected.
4. If no candidate achieves a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates based on the next preference. This process continues until a candidate wins a majority.
5. In the event of a final tie after redistribution, successive votes or a predetermined tiebreaker will determine the electee.
6. This process shall be repeated at the final meeting of October, where a First-Year Representative shall be elected from a pool of exclusively First-Year chapter members.

7. The regular term of the Steering Committee shall last one academic year.

1. Steering Committee vacancies shall be filled via special election, to be announced within one week of a Steering Committee seat becoming vacant, and held no later than two weeks after the announcement.
2. The term of the First-Year Representative will last from their election in October to the expiration of the rest of the Steering Committee’s terms---the seat will be left intentionally vacant from September to October.

8. New steering committee members, except the First-Year Representative, shall be sworn on the first meeting of the new academic year (September).
9. Steering Committee members are subject to recall by petition with signatures of one-third (⅓) of the chapter’s membership. Submission of such a valid petition shall trigger a recall election to be held at the next in-person meeting. Membership shall be properly notified of such a vote.
10. Along with the recall process which may be initiated by members, members of the Steering Committee may be removed by:

1. A result of a grievance when they have been found to be negligent or mishandle their power and responsibilities, resignation.

1. Unilateral decision making, abuse of power, domineering discussion/coercing decisions in conversations, breaches of confidentiality or discretion, gross negligence of duties, and/or any other actions which constitute the need for an investigation into undemocratic behavior fall under the category of malicious mishandling of vested power
2. The accused party(ies)of the Steering Committee shall not be present in any meetings discussing their supposed transgressions or the resolutions to follow any investigations they are involved in.
3. Membership shall be notified in all cases of a change in the composition of the Steering Committee.
4. In the case of resignation, the resigning member must submit, in writing, electronically or physically, a formal notice of resignation which will include a stated reason for resignation and a date at which the resignation goes into effect at least two weeks before the resignation goes into effect, this member will be expected to continue to fulfill duties until their resignation goes into effect.
5. In any of these cases of removal of a steering committee member, a special election shall be called as outlined under Article IV, Section 7, Subsection A of this governing document.

11. The duties of the Co-Chairs shall be but are not limited to:

1. Facilitating general body and steering committee meetings, and setting the agendas for such meetings (subject to democratic approval or rejection).
2. Communicating with members of the YDSA National Coordinating Committee, staff, and members of YDSA’s national subcommittees.
3. Attending any school functions mandatory for organization presidents.
4. Ensuring that all action items taken on by Steering Committee members are fulfilled.
5. Representing the organization in interviews or other media coverage.
6. Representing the organization in any extra-chapter coalitions.
7. Representing the organization in any meetings with University Administration.
8. Serving as de facto parliamentarian in Full Member Meetings.

12. The duties of the Secretary shall be but are not limited to:

1. Taking minutes at general body and steering committee meetings.
2. Sending minutes to all members within twenty-four (24) hours of a meeting’s end.
3. To work, in collaboration with the Political Education and Communication chairs, on weekly communications for the chapter membership.

13. The duties of the Treasurer shall be but are not limited to:

1. Managing any funds under the chapter’s direct control.
2. Maintaining an active log of the chapter’s income and expenditures.
3. Filling out OSI grant request forms when necessary.
4. Fulfilling any Treasurer requirements listed by the Office of Student Involvement.
5. Reserving space for meetings, events, and tabling.
6. Making, in collaboration with the Chapter Liaison, requests for funding from local and national DSA bodies.

14. The duties of the Communications Chair shall include, but are not limited to:

1. Managing the chapter’s social media accounts in conjunction with any potentially appointed Social Media Manager, including: making posts, videos, and public-facing copy.
2. Leading outreach efforts for chapter events and campaigns.
3. Working in collaboration with the Secretary and Political Education Chair, on weekly communications for the chapter membership.
4. Maintaining connections with media outlets for any necessary coverage.
5. Assisting the co-chairs in media interactions and interviews.

15. The duties of the Political Education Chair shall include, but are not limited to:

1. Overseeing a robust program of education on revolutionary history, theory, and tactic.
2. Helping to facilitate trainings that concretely support chapter initiatives.
3. Composing statements on behalf of the chapter for non-chapter newspapers, newsletters, journals, or other media.
4. Collaborating with the Secretary and Communications Chair on weekly communications for the chapter membership.

16. The duties of the Membership Chair shall include, but are not limited to:

1. Maintaining an accurate and useful spreadsheet with all members and contacts of the chapter, accessible only to the Steering Committee.
2. Ensuring that all new members have a 1:1 scheduled with an experienced member within two (2) weeks of their first meeting.
3. Creating a welcoming chapter culture in conjunction with any potentially appointed Entertainment Coordinator through socials, membership engagement activities, and in-meeting entertainment---or whatever other means deemed necessary.

17. The duties of the Chapter Liasion shall include, but are not limited to:

1. Observing non-Executive Session meetings of the Chicago DSA Executive Committee
2. Meeting (when able) once a month with the Chicago YDSA representative on the Chicago DSA Executive Committee.
3. Delivering a weekly report on Chicago DSA activities to the chapter Steering Committee.

18. The duties of the First-Year Representative shall include, but are not limited to:

1. Building a strong pipeline for interested freshmen to get involved with the chapter
2. Maintaining a consistent YDSA presence at First-Year events
3. Maintaining a physical presence (posters, etc) in First-Year spaces (dormitories, etc.)
4. Representing the interests of freshmen on the Steering Committee

19. Alongside the Steering Committee, full members will be allowed to take positions as appointed officers, consisting of: 1 Social Media Manager, 1 Entertainment Coordinator, 1 DePaul Relations Coordinator, and whatever number of At Large Officers (ALOs) the Steering Committee deems necessary.

1. Finding of, notifying of, and appointment of these officers will be at the Steering Committee’s discretion.
2. All members will be notified of the appointment of an officer at the general meeting nearest to the date at which the officer was appointed, and also notified in the nearest general email communication.
3. The removal of an officer would be by simple majority vote of Steering Committee members.
4. These officers will not be given Steering Committee membership or rights, but will be expected to attend and speak at Steering Committee meetings.
5. It will not be possible for any member who is already a part of the Steering Committee to become an appointed officer.
6. These officers will be able to be tied to certain Steering Committee roles at the discretion of the Steering Committee.

1. For an officer to be tied to a role means that officer works closely and in conjunction with whichever Steering Committee member is filling that role as a part of their duties as an officer.

7. The duties of these officers shall be as-follows:

1. Social Media Manager will assist the Communications Chair in the creation of and management of social media posts and accounts.
2. The Entertainment Coordinator will assist the Membership Chair in the organization of socials, the procurement of any amenities for meetings, and any responsibilities deemed necessary for the general development of a friendly chapter culture.
3. The DePaul Relations Coordinator would assist the Steering Committee in general in maintaining communications with and relations with DePaul University in whatever capacity deemed necessary, be it simple email communications and outreach or anything larger, as well as maintain communications and relations with the Student Government Association at DePaul University.
4. ALO’s would fulfill any role or duty deemed necessary by the Steering Committee at appointment, and will be given specific instructions as to their duties and responsibilities by the Steering Committee at appointment.

8. At no time are any of these positions required to be filled by members, and the maintenance and appointment of these positions shall be at the discretion of the Steering Committee.
9. The position of a member as an appointed officer lapses at the end of the DePaul academic year along with the regular Steering Committee, barring any motion to the contrary during appointment.
10. An appointed officer can not be, under any circumstances, given their position for over 365 days without reappointment.

ARTICLE V: FUNDING

1. The organization shall be funded through the following means: fundraisers, chapter dues, contributions and scholarships from Democratic Socialists of America, fundraisers, and any approved financial assistance granted by the school.
2. All money transactions must be approved by the Treasurer.
3. The Steering Committee shall maintain a record of all financial transactions and accounts. These records shall be made available at any time by the request of any YDSA national officer and will be reported regularly to the membership of the Chapter.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

1. Regular meetings of the organization shall be held weekly. The day of the week and time will be determined at the beginning of every quarter.

1. Meeting times may be changed by two-thirds (⅔) vote of membership

2. Special meetings may be called by the Steering Committee. Votes and elections may not occur at such meetings.
3. Agendas for meetings shall be prepared by the Steering Committee and will be available at the request of members before a meeting.
4. A quorum for any meeting shall be one-third (⅓) of dues-paid or dues-waived members.

ARTICLE VII: POWERS

1. The Chapter shall have committees created if deemed necessary by membership. The formation of such committees shall be approved by a majority vote of the membership at a regular meeting.
2. The Chapter shall operate as a non-profit association and no profits may accrue to any individual within the organization.
3. Unless otherwise provided in these bylaws, decisions of the organization shall be made by a simple majority of those present and voting, with those abstaining from the vote not figuring into the determination of the majority required.
4. For purposes of any vote, the determination of the current eligible voting membership shall be private ballot (likely a folded index card or piece of paper). Votes will be counted immediately by the Steering Committee in the presence of members.
5. The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Chapter in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution, the Bylaws, or standing rules of the organization.

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

1. These bylaws with the exception of Article IX, may be amended at any regular meeting of the organization by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of full members, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to the Steering Committee at the previous regular meeting.

ARTICLE IX: HARASSMENT AND GRIEVANCE POLICY

1. As per the Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy of DePaul University, "no person shall be the object of discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, family relationship status, physical or mental disability, military status, genetic information or other status protected by local, state, or federal law in its employment or its educational settings".

1. Any potential violation of this policy and with the Code of Student Responsibility will result in the immediate referral to the Division of Student Affairs and through the Incident Reporting Form found on the DePaul website, as student organizations do not have the purview to adjudicate violations of the Code of Student Responsibility.

ARTICLE X: DISSOLUTION CLAUSE

1. Should the organization be dissolved due to lack of interest or other reasons, it is the responsibility of the current president to notify DePaul University Administration that they have disbanded and provide reason. The treasurer is responsible for ensuring all fundraising dollars go to Democratic Socialists of America and notifying DePaul University Administration that any allocated funding left will not be used.