Garden Gnomes Bylaws

ARTICLE I            NAME

Section 1.                 The name of this organization shall be Garden Gnomes at San Diego State University.

ARTICE II             PURPOSE

Section 1                  The purpose of this organization is to promote sustainable agriculture by creating a sense of responsibility in the university community.

ARTICLE III         AUTHORITY

Section 1                  This organization is a recognized student organization at San Diego State University and adheres to all campus policies as set forth in the SDSU Student Organization Handbook.

Section 2                  This organization may establish Standing Rules to govern administrative and procedural matters (such as time and location of meetings, etc.).  Standing Rules shall not conflict with these bylaws. Standing Rules may be adopted, amended, or temporarily suspended by a majority vote present at an organization meeting where a quorum is present (advance notice is not required).

Section 3                  The rules contained in the most recent version of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for this organization and shall govern in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the organization may adopt. 

ARTICLE IV         MEMBERSHIP

Section 1                  Membership in the organization shall be open to those regularly-enrolled San Diego State University students.

Section 2                  This organization shall have associated members who are non-SDSU students or who do not meet the above criteria.  Associated members shall have all membership privileges except for the right to vote or hold office. By California State University policy, no more than 20 percent of the membership shall be individuals who are not CSU students (e.g., community members, students at other colleges, etc.).

Section 3                  Eligibility for membership or appointed or elected student officer positions may not be limited on the basis of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or disability. The organization shall have no rules or policies that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or disability.

ARTICLE V          OFFICERS

Section 1                  The officers of the organization shall be the Presindent, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary.  

Section 2                  Powers and Duties of Officers:

                                 a.   The President shall serve as the chief executive officer of the organization, shall preside at all meetings of the organization and shall prepare the agenda for meetings. The President shall be the official spokesperson of the organization, representing the policies, views, and opinions of the organization in its relations with the campus and community at large.  The President shall appoint all committees and committee chairs. The President shall have such further powers and duties as may be prescribed by the organization.

                                 b.   The Vice President shall preside at organization meetings in the absence of the President. The Vice President shall perform all legal duties assigned by the President.  The Vice President shall assume the office of President if the office becomes vacant.

                                 c.   The Treasurer shall handle all financial affairs and budgeting of the organization, maintain all necessary accounting records, and prepare monthly financial reports for the membership. Said records shall be maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Treasurer shall collect and deposit all dues and fees. The Treasurer shall maintain bank accounts in the organization’s name, requiring signatures of both the Treasurer and President for authorized disbursements.

d.      The Secretary shall take minutes at all meetings of the organization, keep these on file, and submit required copies to all organization members.  The Secretary shall be responsible for all organization correspondence and shall keep copies thereof on file. The Secretary shall maintain membership records for the organization.

Section 3                  Qualifications necessary to hold office in this organization are as follows:

California State University policies require that to be eligible for office, candidates must be in good standing and regularly enrolled students at San Diego State University.

California State University policies require that the President and Treasurer maintain a minimum overall 2.0 grade point average each term and not be on probation of any kind. The President and Treasurer must be enrolled in at least six units (three units for graduate and credential students) each semester while holding office. Undergraduate students with over 150 semester units or 125 percent of the units required for a specific baccalaureate degree objective, whichever is greater, or graduate and credential students with over 50 semester units or 167 percent of the units required for the graduate or credential objective, whichever is greater, are ineligible to hold the office of President or Treasurer.

No member may hold more than one office. No member may serve more than 5 years in the same office.

ARTICLE VI         SELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1                  The President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary are elected annually. Elections are held at the end of spring semester and shall take place at a regularly scheduled meeting of the organization at which a quorum is present. At least one week’s notice shall be provided for any meeting at which an election is to be held.

Section 2                  Nominations for officers shall be made at the regular meeting immediately preceding the election. Nominations may also be made from the floor immediately prior to the election for each office. Members may nominate themselves for an office.

Section 3                  The officers shall be elected in this order: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary.

Section 4                  Officers shall be elected by majority vote. If no candidate receives a majority vote, a runoff election shall be held between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes. In the event of a tie, there shall be a revote. If the result of the revote is still a tie, the election shall be decided by the flip of a coin.

Section 5                  Votes shall be cast by secret ballot; however, when there is only one candidate for an office, a motion may be made to elect the candidate by acclamation.

Section 6                  Officers shall assume office on the first date of fall semester and shall serve for one year.

Section 7                  If the position of President becomes vacant as the result of resignation, ineligibility or recall, the Vice President shall assume the office of President.  Vacancies in any other elected office shall be filled by an election held at the next regular meeting where the vacancy was announced. Nominations may be made at the meeting where the vacancy is announced, and nominations may also be made from the floor at the time of the election. The President may appoint an interim officer to fill the vacancy until the election is held.

ARTICLE VII       MEETINGS

Section 1                  Regular meetings shall be scheduled monthly during the academic year.

Section 2                  Special meetings may be called by the President or a majority of the Executive Committee. All members must be given a minimum of 24 hours notice prior to the meeting time.

Section 3                  Business cannot be conducted unless a quorum of the membership is present.  A quorum for this organization is defined as a majority of the voting membership. [Note: Organizations may choose have a lower quorum, such as one-third, or a specific number of members.]
 

Section 4                  Members must be present to vote. Absentee or proxy voting is not permitted.

Section 5                  In order to vote a member must be in good standing. [State what constitutes “good standing.” This may include payment of dues, meeting attendance requirement, academic requirement, etc.  If there is an attendance requirement, specify the number of excused and/or unexcused absences that results in loss of voting privileges, and define what constitutes an excused absence, if applicable.]

ARTICLE VIII      ADVISOR(S)

Section 1                  The organization shall appoint an individual employed as a faculty or staff member by San Diego State University to serve as the university advisor to this organization as required by the California State University. Auxiliary staff and student assistants are not eligible to serve as advisors.  The advisor shall fulfill the responsibilities specified in the SDSU Student Organizations Handbook. Advisors shall serve on an academic year basis or until their successor has been selected.

Section 2                  The organization shall also appoint a community advisor.

 ARTICLE IX         EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1                  The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected and appointed officers, with the advisor(s) serving as non-voting member(s).

Section 2                  The Executive Committee shall meet monthly during the academic year. Special meetings may be called by the President or a majority of the Executive Committee. All members must be given 24 hours notice of the meeting.  A quorum shall consist of a majority of the Executive Committee members.

Section 3                  When necessary, Executive Committee business can be conducted via email or via online meetings.

Section 4                  The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the organization between meetings and is authorized to take action when action must be taken prior to the next meeting.

Section 5                  The Executive Committee shall report to the membership all actions taken between meetings.  Except when it is too late to do so (such as when a contract has been executed), any actions taken by the Executive Committee may be rescinded or modified by the membership by a majority vote.

ARTICLE X          STANDING AND AD HOC COMMITTEES

Section 1                  The organization shall have the following standing committees: Membership and Nominations, Public Relations, and Garden.

Section 2                  The duties of each of Standing Committees is as follows:

                                 Membership and Nominations Committee

1.      Shall be responsible for updating the membership list, conducting membership drives, and enforcing membership policy.

2.      Develop a marketing plan for the recruitment, retention, development, and advancement of the organization.

3.      Place the Call for Nominations on the website in May. A reminder email will be sent two weeks prior to the deadline.

4.      Verify eligibility of potential candidates.

5.      Distribute a final list of potential nominees to members.

6.      Coordinate the voting process and announce the elected members.

                                 Public Relations Committee

Shall be responsible for the organization publicity in all aspects of the media, i.e. local newspapers, local radio stations, social network, and fliers.

                                 Garden Committee

Shall be responsible for the seed bank, maintaining an up to date inventory and develop the monthly garden reports. 

Section 3                  The President shall have the authority to establish ad hoc committees as may be necessary from time to time to carry out the work of the organization.

Section 4                  The President shall appoint the chairpersons and members of all committees.

ARTICLE XI         FINANCES

Section 1                  Membership dues shall be $0 per year.

Section 2                  This organization has the ability to assess the membership for special purposes. Assessments shall be determined by a quorum of the membership at a regularly scheduled meeting

Section 3                  The Executive Committee shall propose an annual budget to be voted upon no later than the second regular meeting of the academic year. Any unbudgeted expenditures shall be approved in advance by the membership. When financial decisions must be made between meetings, the Executive Committee is authorized to approve expenditures not exceeding $300.

Section 4                  Organization funds shall not be used to purchase or reimburse members for alcoholic beverages.

ARTICE XII          DISCLIPLINE OF MEMBERS

Section 1                  When a member believes that another member has engaged in conduct that is detrimental to the organization, a written charge may be filed with the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall review the charges and may conduct a preliminary investigation if deemed appropriate. If the preliminary investigation concludes that misconduct appears to have occurred, the Executive Committee shall conduct a hearing on the matter. The member alleged to have engaged in the misconduct shall be given at least 72 hours notice of the hearing and be given an opportunity to present a defense. By a majority vote, the Executive Committee shall determine whether misconduct occurred. If it determines that misconduct did occur, Executive Committee shall prepare a report to the membership of its findings and recommended sanctions, which may include expulsion, suspension, or lesser sanction(s) including, but not limited to, a reprimand, removal from office, a fine or corrective remedies.

 Section 2                  The membership shall review the hearing report in executive session, and the member accused of misconduct shall have an opportunity to rebut the information in the report. After providing a statement to the membership, the member accused of misconduct shall leave the room for the remainder of the deliberations.

 Section 3                  The membership shall vote first on whether the member has engaged in misconduct.  If by a two-thirds vote, the membership determines that misconduct has occurred, the membership shall then by a two-thirds vote, determine appropriate sanction(s). The accused member shall be immediately notified of the outcome.

 Section 4                  By a two-thirds vote, the membership may reinstate a member who has been suspended or expelled.

 ARTICLE XIII      AMENDMENTS

 Section 1                  Proposed amendments to these bylaws shall be presented to the membership, in writing, one meeting prior to the meeting where the amendment will be voted upon. The Executive Committee and shall review and make recommendations on all bylaw revisions prior to consideration by the membership.        
 
Section 2                  Bylaw amendments require approval by two-thirds of the voting members present at a regular meeting.  The amendment shall be effective immediately unless otherwise stipulated in the amendment.

 Section 3                  A copy of any amendments to these bylaws must be submitted to the Student Life & Leadership Office at San Diego State University within two weeks after adoption.

These bylaws were adopted on August 19, 2013.