Ratified in May of 2005.

Amended in March of 2006.

Constitution

of the

Undergraduate Theatre Artists Society

U.T.A.S.

Ratified on May 6, 2005 by the Undergraduates of the Department of Theatre

and by the members of the Administrative Council for Theatre.

Amended on March 31, 2006

by the Undergraduates of the Department of Theatre.

PREAMBLE

We, the Undergraduates of the Department of Theatre, do hereby establish this constitution as a means to fully recognize and employ our objectives and goals through our organization within and around the University of Maryland theatre community.  By the ratification of this Constitution, the Administrative Council for Theatre (ACT) is hereby dissolved and all appropriate activities and membership are vested in UTAS. 

ARTICLE I.   TITLE

The name of this organization will henceforth be known as the Undergraduate Theatre Artists Society: UTAS. 

ARTICLE II.   MISSION

All Undergraduates in the Department of Theatre have the right to a quality education in an environment conducive to their learning. UTAS will strive to ensure & protect this right using all measures available & necessary.

UTAS will also act as the liaison between the students and faculty, along with other departmental organizations, to cultivate active connections and enthusiastic contributions within the university setting and the greater theatre community at large.

ARTICLE III.   MEMBERSHIP

UTAS welcomes everyone with a passion for enhancing the development of the Department of Theatre at the University of Maryland.    

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, personal appearance, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, or on the basis of the exercise of rights secured by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.  There are no membership dues or fees required to join UTAS.

ARTICLE IV.   EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1.   Responsibilities of Executive Board Officers:

1)     Co-Chairs: These two elected officers will be responsible for:

A)    acting as the liaisons between UTAS and the Faculty & other departmental organizations

B)    formulating the agendas for/moderating all community meetings

C)    selecting Undergraduate representation to other Departmental committees, such as the Faculty, Season-selection, Off Center, and GCAST committees/meetings

D)    handling summer preparations regarding preliminary meetings

E)    organizing and overseeing all elections.   

2)     Vice-Chair of Communications: This elected officer will be responsible for:

A)    controlling all aspects of publicity both inside and outside the department (campus list-serve postings, etc…)

B)    posting departmental posters, distributing fundamental class fliers, professorial fliers, etc…

C)    timely updates and maintenance of the callboard Calendar

D)    maintenance of the UTAS website

E)    overseeing the UTAS online newsletter “The Theatre Students’ Voice”, its email lists and send-outs.

3)     Vice-Chair of Community Advocacy:  This elected officer will be responsible for:

A)    organizing the Open House at the beginning of each year

B)    appointing and overseeing a Freshmen Liaison to UTAS

C)    serving as the primary organizer/contact-person for the high school outreach program (and any other community outreach initiatives)

D)    serving as the primary contact for Undergraduate student concerns within the Department

E)    recording & posting on the callboard all minutes at community meetings

F)    assisting the Off Center Committee in soliciting submissions each semester.

4)     Vice-Chair of Finance: This elected officer will be responsible for:

A)    handling all money: banking, exchanges, and allotments

B)    completing bi-annual SGA budget requests and attending SGA budget meetings and conferences.

5)     Vice-Chair of Social Events: This elected officer will be responsible for:

A)    coordinating all that is involved with the Annual Theatre Department Banquet

B)    taking a central role in the planning of the “The Night of Love & Sex”

C)    collecting ideas and coordinating all other social events (Movie Nights, “Kick-Nic”, etc…)

D)    acting as UTAS historian, collecting pictures and memorabilia of UTAS & Department events and seeing that they are preserved and passed on to future Executive Boards.  

6)     Vice-Chair of Workshops:  This elected officer will be responsible for:

A)    selecting, scheduling, and coordinating all UTAS sponsored workshops

B)    striving for an equal balance between performance-based workshops and design-based workshops.

Section 2.   Fundraising Committee

All Executive Officers will comprise the Fundraising Committee, charged with raising and maintaining funds necessary for the function of UTAS.

Section 3.   Secondary Committees

If necessary, any officer may create secondary committees of UTAS members and moderate/organize the individually structured committee meetings to assist with their duties.

ARTICLE V.   OPERATIONS

Section 1.   Elections

1)     Voting Eligibility: All Undergraduate Theatre students are welcome and encouraged to vote in the Executive Board elections.

2)     Officer Eligibility: All Undergraduate Theatre students are eligible to run for any Office on the Executive Board. 

3)     Election Process: Upon submission of a candidacy statement to the current Co-Chairs of UTAS, candidates are free to campaign for any Executive Office.  The current Co-Chairs are responsible for organizing and overseeing all elections.  Each position shall be selected by a simple-majority vote (half + 1 of all votes cast).  If only one candidate is seeking an Office, no election for that Office is required.  All Officers will be elected annually in the spring semester, to serve the following academic year.

4)     Impeachment: Any member of the Executive Board in violation of the organization’s purpose or Constitution may be removed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Board.  Complaints and requests for impeachment may be brought against any Officer by any Undergraduate and the Board is then inclined to vote on impeachment. 

5)     Vacancies: In the event of the absence of a Co-Chair, a special election will be held as soon as possible to fill that vacancy.  In the event of the absence of a Vice-Chair, the Co-Chairs will appoint a temporary replacement until a special election (if necessary) can be held.

Section 2.   Meetings

There will be monthly Undergraduate Community Meetings that generally focus on specific issue-topics and to which all Undergraduate Theatre student are invited.  There will also be bi-weekly Executive Board meetings and individually structured committee meetings.  These meeting dates are to be decided upon by the Co-Chairs.

ARTICLE VI.   ORGANIZATION PROPOSALS

1)     All Undergraduate students may submit proposals for UTAS or Amendments to this Constitution.

2)     The proposal will be recorded by the Executive Board, discussed at the next Executive Board meeting, and revised/voted on at the bi-monthly meeting.

3)     The proposal voted upon at that meeting is to be passed with a ¾ vote by the members present at that meeting or rejected.

ARTICLE VII.   AMENDMENTS

The following Amendments were proposed to this Constitution, supported by the UTAS Executive Board, and passed by the Undergraduate Theatre students on March 31, 2006:

1)     To add the following phrase to the Constitution: "All Undergraduates in the Department of Theatre have the right to a quality education in an environment conducive to their learning. UTAS will strive to ensure & protect this right using all measures available & necessary."

2)     To eliminate the UTAS Executive Board position of "Vice Chair of Departmental Relations", folding that position's duties into those of "Communication".

3)     To add the following duty to those of the Vice Chair of Community Advocacy: "To assist the Off Center Committee in soliciting submissions for each semester."

4)     To add the following duty to those of the Vice Chair of Social Events: "To act as UTAS historian, collecting pictures and memorabilia of UTAS & Department events and seeing that they are preserved and passed on to future Executive Boards."

5)     To change the mandated frequency of meetings for both UTAS Officers and Undergrad Community Meetings: (1) to make Officers' meetings every two weeks instead of the current weekly, (2) and to change the Undergrad Community Meetings to monthly meetings, instead of one every two weeks. (this proposal has been test-run for the past semester)

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