house_documents:constitutions:bower
This is an old revision of the document!
Table of Contents
Bower House Constitution
Preamble
We the members of Bower House Cooperative, in order to form a sustainable and just cooperative recognize that it is necessary:
- A.To promote a clear awareness to the membership of their responsibilities and obligations towards the house and surrounding ecosystems; furthermore
- B.To ensure that said responsibilities and obligations are discharged in a manner efficient, practical, and harmonious; also
- C.To maintain Bower House financially and physically in the soundest possible condition; moreover
- D.To protect the individuals, living in the house, of minority opinion from harsh and unjust rules;
Hereby create this constitution to govern over the Bower House Cooperative:
Article I: Definitions
- A. ‘Constitution’ shall refer to this document in its entirety.
- B. ‘Bower House Cooperative,’ ‘Bower House,’ ‘Bower,’ and ‘house’ shall be defined as the building located on the property: 127 Whitehills Drive, East Lansing, Michigan 48823.
- C. ‘Student Housing Cooperative,’ and ‘SHC’ shall refer to the body that owns the Bower House Cooperative.
- D. A ‘member’ is any person who has ever held a valid contract with Bower House Cooperative.
- E. An ‘active member,’ or ‘house member’ is any member currently living in Bower House privy to the following conditions:
- 1. Has a valid contract with SHC.
- 2. Is currently in good financial standing with SHC.
- F. A ‘guest’ is anyone staying at Bower House for any length of time without having signed a contract.
- G. ‘Active membership,’ or ‘membership’ is the total number of individuals who are active members, or the entire group of active members.
- H. A ‘house meeting’ shall be defined as a congregation of house members assembled to transact business pertaining to the internal operation of Bower House subject to the rules and regulations set forth by this constitution.
- I. The ‘constitutional addendum,’ or ‘addendum’ will be where passed rules and regulations will be placed. The addendum is not apart of the constitution, but a supplement to it.
- J. ‘Meat’ will be defined as an animal byproduct that is typically derived from the death of that animal.
- K. The term ‘personal living space’ is defined as the individual room that an active member lives in.
- L. A ‘common room’ shall be defined as any room that is not an active member’s personal living space.
- M. An ‘Ecosystem’ is a synthesis of all flora, fauna, and biological processes that interact with and are affected by membership of Bower house.
Article II: Scope
- A. This constitution shall be subject to all laws and regulations set forth by the United States of America, the State of Michigan, and the City of East Lansing.
- B. This constitution shall be subject to all rules and regulations set forth by the Michigan State University Student Housing Cooperative (MSU-SHC) and all of its respective governing bodies.
- C. This constitution shall supersede and null all previous constitutions initiated by Bower House Cooperative.
- D. This constitution shall supersede any rules or regulations that were implemented under its governance.
- E. All rules and regulations made under the governance of this constitution shall be placed in the addendum section of this constitution upon the approval of the active members during a Regular House Meeting.
Article IV: Governance
- A. All rules and regulations imposed upon the members and guests of Bower House shall be adopted at house meetings or be stated within this constitution.
Article V: House Meetings
- A. A Regular House Meeting shall be a house meeting composed of the active membership subject to the following:
- 1. Quorum shall consist of anyone who attends the meeting.
- 2. Will be held on the first, third, and fifth (when applicable) Sundays of each month during the periods of time when Michigan State University classes are in session.
- 3. A facilitator for a meeting shall be selected at the previous house meeting. In the event that no facilitator was selected at the previous house meeting, a vote of active members will determine the current meeting facilitator.
- 4. The agenda for the meeting shall be distributed all house members a minimum of 48 hours prior to meeting time.
- 5. Will have the ability to vote on any business that concerns Bower House.
- 6. Decisions at a house meeting will pass by a majority vote, unless otherwise described in this constitution.
- B. An Emergency House Meeting shall be a house meeting composed of active members subject to the following:
- 1. A minimum of 48 hours notice will be given to all active members. When called, a brief agenda must be announced.
- 2. Will have the ability to vote on any business that concerns the structural integrity of Bower House, legal issues, or SHC decisions.
- 3. Shall not have the ability to implement new rules, regulations, or fines.
- 4. All decisions made at an Emergency House Meeting shall be subject to review at the following Regular House Meeting.
- 5. Can be called by any member of the house.
- C. All house meetings are mandatory. If a member does not receive approval from the facilitator to miss a given meeting, then they shall be fined $10.
Article VI: Rules
- A. All members and guests are expected to read and heed all rules implemented in the manner dictated in Section C of Article VI.
- B. Any member or guest who violates a rule is subject to a fine as prescribed by that rule and/or this constitution.
- C. Rules shall be implemented in the following manner:
- 1. Suggested rule is brought up during a Regular House meeting.
- 2. Is passed in the manner prescribed by Article V, Section A, Subsection 6.
- 3. Is written, posted, and added to the addendum section of this constitution.
- D. Any rule not added to the official constitution addendum shall not be enforced.
house_documents/constitutions/bower.1559498827.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/06/02 11:07 by itadmin