The Constitution of The Free Software and Linux Club
1. Preamble
We, computer users of Utah State University and its community, believe that there should be software that is distributed along with the rights to freely use, copy, modify, and redistribute it. The licensing of much software produced today does not grant these rights.
2. Name, General Statements and Purposes
2.1 Name
* The official name of this organization shall be The Free Software and Linux Club with the acronym of FSLC.
2.2 Mission Statement
* The Mission of the Free Software and Linux Club is to promote the understanding, use, and development of Free Software.
2.3 General Statements
* The club shall operate as a non-profit organization. * The club shall abide by the applicable policies and procedures of ASUSU and The Utah State University Student Code. * The club shall promote the use of technology to increase Freedom. * The club may seek for the help of faculty, staff, private companies or any individual, in order to reach its purposes.
2.4 Purposes
* To promote and help others learn about Free Software and the GNU/Linux operating system, by making use of printed press, electronic press, events, symposiums, seminars, and the like * To increase public awareness of the incentives and advantages of using and developing Free Software. * To advertise, evangelize and promote existing Free Software solutions and their advantages(i.e. freedom, economic, reliability, extendability). * To help people install and use GNU/Linux and other Free Software. * To help the public understand and appreciate the terms of various software licensing and how these licenses affect users' rights and acceptable use. * To look for ways and means to support and maintain Free Software, since the great majority of the work done in this field is voluntary, and to encourage those seeking to learn more about software development to take advantage of Free Software. * To educate others about their rights in the digital age.
3. Membership
* Membership is open to everyone without regard to race, creed, color, sex, national origin, or disability. * To become a member, one must apply by filling out the membership form which will be provided at each general meeting as well as on the club website(fslc.usu.edu). The form will require a name, email address, and whether the applicant is currently registered as a student with Utah State University. In order for the applicant to be accepted for membership an Officer of the club must verify participation in the club by the applicant. Participation is defined as contributing to a club email list, IRC channel, or attending club meetings and events. * All members will be allowed to vote in all elections. If the number of non-students votes is greater than one-third of the total number of votes, then the non-student votes will be normalized so that the non-student votes will count for no more than one-third of the total number of votes. * After one year of inactivity in the club, members will be notified that their membership will be terminated, the member will have two weeks to show participation. If the member does not show participation within two weeks then the members name will be removed from the membership list.
4. Officers
4.1 General
* The Officers of this club shall consist of President, Vice-President, and Secretary. * Officers must be currently enrolled as students at Utah State University. * Only members of the club may run for office. * The Officers may create Administrative Positions, to assist in club operations, by unanimous vote. When this occurs, the Administrative Positions may be filled by appointment a simply majority vote of the Officers or by election, Administrative Positions may be expired by unanimous vote of the Officers. * All of the Officers and members who hold Administrative Positions must be an example for the other members of the club by striving to maintain the club principles.
4.2 Duties
President
* The President will direct the club and take care of legal and press issues and any other issues of relevance to the club. * The President shall take all ideas and plans for the club to the Vice President and other Officers, including the Administrative Positions, for consideration and approval. * The president may authorize the buying and selling of items. When items over the value of $50 are necessary, the decision will be decided by a two-thirds majority of all Officers and Administrative Positions.
Vice-President
* The Vice-President shall respond for the club in case of absence or sickness of the President. * The Vice-President shall work closely with the President and tasks will be split between the two. * The Vice-President shall take care of the financial matters of the club, including charging and collecting of fees, collecting money from the selling of any club materials or product, and the like.
Secretary
* The Secretary shall record all the meetings, decisions, press-releases, articles, acceptances and leavings of officers, and everything that should be recorded. * The Secretary shall also take care of all the documents of the club, and publish them in any form appropriate.
4.3 Elections and Removal
* Elections will be held before the 2nd to last week of spring semester of each year for each constitutional Office. Elected Officers will take Office on the USU graduation day. * All elections will be announced and a call for candidates will made at least two weeks prior to the election, on the club's announce mailing list. Voting shall take place on line, via the club's website (fslc.usu.edu). Voting will take place for at least five week days and for no more than seven days. * Any member who qualifies and submits his or her name to the appropriate Officer, as stated in the call for candidates, will be listed on the ballot. * If any Officer or member holding an Administrative Position shall decide to leave his or her post, he or she must notify the Officers at least fifteen days in advance. The new position may be filled by appointment by the Officers. * Any Officer or Administrative Position may be removed by a unanimous vote of the other Officers. If any Officer is removed the same procedures for replacing that Officer will be followed as if that Officer had resigned.
5. Financial Matters
* The club shall not provide monetary gain, incidentally or otherwise, to it's directors or membership except as payment for services rendered in the form of wages, salaries, or incentives.
6. About this Constitution
* This constitution may be revised and corrected, but any changes must be submitted and approved unanimously by the Officers and a simple majority of members. * The essence of the purposes of this club, which are in this constitution, shall not be changed. Corrections and revisions to this constitution may be made, but the essence and spirit of it can not, in any instance, be changed.