MISSION STATEMENT
To promote the principles of the Republican Party among the students at the University of Wisconsin.
To recruit University of Wisconsin students as members of the Republican Party.
To aid in the election of Republican candidates at all levels of government.
To develop political skills and leadership abilities among Republican students as preparation for future service to the party and the community.
ARTICLE I –Name
The name of this organization shall be College Republicans at UW-Madison (hereafter referred to as “the club ‘organization’”).
ARTICLE II –Purpose
Section 1. To promote the principles of the Republican Party among the students at UW-Madison.
Section 2. To recruit UW-Madison students as members of the club ‘organization’ and as members of the Republican Party.
Section 3. To aid in the election of Republican candidates at all levels of government.
Section 4. To develop political skills and leadership abilities among Republican students as ‘in’ preparation for future service by them to the party and the community.
Section 5. To cultivate good relations with other organizations both on and off campus
ARTICLE III –Membership
Section 1. Only enrolled UW-Madison students are eligible to become members.
Section 2. Membership shall last from September 1 until August 31. If a member graduates or takes time off from school after becoming a member, membership privileges will continue until August 31.
Section 3. ‘Membership is comprised of individuals who have paid dues and filled out a membership form. New members cannot be created the day of an election.’
Section 4. Membership allows for voting rights on organization decisions.
ARTICLE IV –Officers
Section 1. The officers of the club ‘organization’ shall be a Chairman, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Lower board positions can be appointed by the Chair if need be.
Section 2. The officers shall be elected at the last regular club ‘organization’ meeting of the first term of the school year and shall take office immediately upon election. Only members in good standing may be elected and serve as an officer.
Subsection A. Notice that the election of club ‘organization’ officers will occur at the regular meeting must be reasonably provided to all club members not less than two weeks prior to such a meeting.
Subsection B. Nominations of candidates for club officer positions shall be made from the floor at least one week prior by any club member in good standing.
Subsection C. Officers shall be elected by a majority of those club members in good standing who are present and voting. If no candidate receives a majority, the two top vote recipients will face each other in a run-off.
Subsection D. Election procedure shall be a secret ballot after nominee and candidate speeches, chosen by the Chairman in a manner consistent with the constitution and all University of Wisconsin policies and guidelines.
Subsection E. Vacancies occurring among the officers shall be filled at the next regular meeting after such a vacancy occurs provided that at least 7 days notice is provided.
Subsection F. ‘One must be a member to have voting rights’.
Subsection G. Nominee speeches must be in an appropriate manner chosen by the Chairman. All speeches must be given in an oral manner unless approved by the voting members of the executive board.
Subsection H. Nominees for elected office shall be allowed to submit a written statement of reasonable length, within a reasonable period prior to election determined by the chairman, to the Chairman for distribution to members in good standing.
Subsection I. No member shall be allowed to use official membership lists to contact any members of the club prior to elections on behalf of any nominee.
Subsection J. Elected club officers may not publicly endorse or nominate any member in good standing for elected office.
Subsection K. Failure to comply with any bylaw will result in automatic forfeit of nomination. Chairman will be responsible for providing guidelines to all members at least seven days prior to nomination meetings.
Section 3. The duties of the officers shall be as follows: 1. Chairman: To preside over all the meetings of the club and all meetings of the club officers; to manage all affairs of the club ‘organization’ and govern its official policies; to represent the club ‘organization’ in all capacities and be responsible for its actions; to vote on impeachment and financial matters. Also, within one week after being elected ‘by the first e-board meeting’, the Chairman must state in the Constitution’s by-laws the official duties of each Executive Board member. This public document, which expires ‘with the office’s term’ when the Chairman’s term expires, may be changed at any time pending notification of the Executive Board. 2. Vice-Chair: To preside in the absence of the Chairman; to perform such other tasks as the Chairman may assign; to vote on impeachment and financial matters. 3. Secretary: To prepare minutes of all regular club meetings; to send all official club correspondence; to coordinate preparation and distribution of club ‘organization’ publications; to vote on impeachment and financial matters. 4. Treasurer: To make financial reports to all regular club meetings; to receive and distribute club funds upon authorization of the Chairman; to coordinate fundraising activities, to vote on impeachment and financial matters.
ARTICLE V –Appointive Positions
Section 1. The Chairman shall select up to five members in good standing to become appointed members of the Executive Board.
Section 2. These appointees will each have a vote on all financial matters, such as the approval of spending and the determination of annual club dues.
Section 3. The Chairman ‘executive board’ reserves to the right to replace any appointee who, in the opinion of the Chairman ‘at 2/3 majority of the executive board’, has not performed adequately.
ARTICLE VI –Officer Impeachment
Section 1. Any member in good standing may bring impeachment charges on an officer. The vote will occur at a regular club meeting provided that a notice of impeachment has been received by the Chairman and Secretary and the club’s members have been notified at least seven days in advance.
Section 2. An officer may be impeached by either a 3/5 vote of the officers, or by a 2/3 vote of all members in good standing present at a regular club meeting.
Section 3. Immediately after impeachment, an election will be held to replace the impeached officer. Regular election procedure will apply, as any member ‘excluding the impeached officer’ in good standing, including the impeached officer, may run for the vacant position.
ARTICLE VII –Meetings
Section 1. The club ‘organization’ shall hold regular meetings not less than once monthly while school is in session, with a quorum requiring at least ten members.
Section 2. Regular meetings may be held at the call of the Chairman or of any of the five club officers. Notice of regular meetings shall be given to all club members in the most complete manner practical not less than one week prior to the meeting.
Section 3. The Executive Board, consisting of the officers and appointees, shall meet at least once a month, with a quorum requiring at least five Executive Board members.
ARTICLE VIII –Finances
Section 1. The Executive Board shall have the power to vote on annual ‘funds’ dues, with the chairman only voting to break ties ties going to the side the Chairman voted with.
Section 2. All spending must be approved by a majority of the Executive Board, ‘with the chair only voting to break ties’ with ties going to the side the Chairman voted with.
Subsection A. Expenditures of at least $50 must be approved prior to the expenditure.
Subsection B. For expenditures under $50, the Chairman has the option to vote on approval before or after the expenditure is made. However, if the expenditure fails to be approved within 30 days after it is made, the Chairman must reimburse the funds.
Section 3. All outstanding debt must be reconciled and paid by the day prior to the election of new officers. Any outstanding debt shall become the personal liability of the outgoing Executive Board members.
ARTICLE IX –Endorsements
No Republican candidate for public office, whether local, state, or national, shall be officially endorsed or opposed by the club ‘organization’ prior to a party primary or party endorsing convention or caucus; however, this shall not prevent any member from participating on an individual basis.
ARTICLE X –Rules of Order
‘All procedures not expressly outlined in this constitution shall be determined by Robert’s Rules of Order.’
ARTICLE XI –Amendments
Amendments to this constitution may be proposed at a regular club meeting by any member in good standing and adopted upon an affirmative vote by 2/3 of members in good standing present and voting at the next regular club meeting, provided however that no such amendments shall take effect without the approval of at least three club officers.
ARTICLE XII –Constitutional Questions
Any questions regarding the interpretation of this constitution shall be decided upon a majority vote of all members in good standing present and voting at a regular club meeting ‘pending approval by the executive board’.
ARTICLE XIII –Ratification
Upon approval of at least 3/4 of all UW-Madison College Republicans as of September 16, 2022, this Constitution shall be become the effective governing document of the UW-Madison College Republicans, superseding all prior documents.