Club Constitution

JAPANIMATION CLUB CONSTITUTION

Article I. Organization

Section 1. Name
The name of this organization is Japanimation. It may also be referred to as the Japanimation Club.

Section 2. Purpose
Japanimation is a non-profit student organization whose purpose is to enrich the academic environment by stimulating the growth and appreciation of anime, manga, and video games as well as creating an awareness and understanding of the Japanese culture.

Section 3. Time, Place, and Frequency of Meetings
Japanimation meets every Thursday during lunch in Room V6.

Section 4. Dues
Japanimation does not require dues for joining. However, club members may be asked to pay for certain optional items (i.e. club t-shirts, meals, trips, events, etc.).


Article II. Authority
Japanimation recognizes that it receives its right to function as an official organization from the Associated Student Body of Mt. Carmel High School in accordance with the Associated Student Body's Constitution and Associated Policy.


Article III. Membership

Section 1. Membership Requirements
Membership is open to any and all students, faculty, and staff of Mt. Carmel High School. No person will be rejected membership because of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, handicap, sexual orientation, age, class, or any other area of diversity. However, in cases where the safety of any member is threatened, the President reserves the right to ask a member to leave with a second motion from any other member of the officer board.

Section 2. Duties of Members
Members are expected to actively participate in the club, either by attending meetings/events, entering club contests, creating discussions, suggesting activities, interacting with other members, presenting recommendations or reviews, or any other individual contribution to the club.
Members are also encouraged to create an account on the official Japanimation Club website (www.japanimationclub.forumotion.net) for purposes of communication and discussion. While we do not require membership on the website, the club gives certain benefits (i.e. prizes) to those with an account who use the website to promote club activity.

Section 3. Good Standing
Japanimation defines a member in good standing as a member who has actively participated in the club through any of the activities listed in Article III, Section 2. A member in good standing also means that the member has not disrupted the club or ruined the club experience for the other members in any way. Only members in good standing shall be eligible to vote.

Section 4. Resignation
A member may resign by indicating the intention to the President either in person or via e-mail. The resignation becomes effective upon indication and will result in the closing of the member’s account on the club website.

Section 5. Revocation of Membership
If deemed necessary by two-thirds of the executive board or specifically requested by a super majority (75%) of the club members, a full membership may be revoked. The member will be notified and his/her account on the club website will be banned.

Section 6. Appeals
A member whose membership has been revoked may appeal to the President in writing via e-mail. The President will bring the issue up with the executive board. After discussion, the executive board will re-evaluate the member’s position. If there is no consensus or the revocation stands, the member may appeal, in writing, to the entire club at the next meeting. After discussion, the club will vote on the issue by show of hands. This decision is final.


Article IV. Officers and Elections

Section 1. Titles and Duties of Officers

A. President
The President is the head executive and shall be the official leader and representative of the organization. The President is the sole officer with Administrator status on the club website. He/she will be in charge of planning, organizing, communicating, and presiding over all aspects of the club. He/she is also responsible for assigning tasks to the other officers of the executive board, as well as training future officers as soon as they are elected.

1. Before Meetings
a. Prepare a presentation or an activity with the assistance of other club officers.
b. If necessary, meet with the club advisor to review the meeting and ensure that everything runs smoothly.
c. Ensure all club members are notified about the time and location of the meeting.
d. Ensure the meeting location is reserved and all appropriate paperwork has been submitted.

2. During Meetings
a. Call the meeting to order.
b. Review club announcements and reminders.
c. Encourage participation by all club members and visitors.
d. Answer questions and clarify information.
e. Initiate the presentation or the activity.
f. Present one section of the presentation if applicable.
g. Adjourn the meeting.

3. After Meetings
a. If necessary, review the meeting with the other club officers and the club advisor to discuss possible ways of improvement.
b. Plan a presentation or activity for the next meeting.
c. Plan and organize any future ASA (After School Activity) events.
d. Address all suggestions from the club website’s suggestion forum and questions, comments, or concerns.

4. Other Duties
a. Preside and exercise general supervision over all club activities.
b. Keep order at all club functions.
c. Create a budget.
d. Preside over the executive board.
e. Motion to spend club funds.
f. Serve as a liaison between Mt. Carmel High School, ASB, and the club.
g. Have final responsibility for ensuring that all anime/moving screenings and presentations are appropriate.
h. Attend the mandatory Inter-Club Council (ICC) meetings and report back to club members.
i. Maintain the club website by updating the Announcements forum, the Reviews & Recommendations page, the Calendar, and the Announcements module.
j. Moderate the club website by browsing the forums for new posts and ensure that they are appropriate.
k. Take suggestions for the music playlist, the BBAM (Big Board of Anime and Manga), videos page, and links page on the club website and update those areas accordingly.
l. E-mail important club announcements to the members if necessary.
m. Distribute club points (EXP) to active members of the club via the module on the club website.
n. Find students willing to teach lessons in drawing, origami, video editing, etc. and assist them in carrying out these lessons during a club meeting.
o. Create flyers and videos to advertise/promote the club.
p. Plan Club Rush.
q. Train the future President and other executive officers after elections in May.

B. Vice President
The Vice President is an executive officer and acts as an assistant to the President. The VP assists the President in carrying out his/her duties. In the absence of the President, the Vice President presides at club meetings/events and carries out all additional responsibilities normally done by the President.

1. Before Meetings
a. Assist the President in putting together a presentation or activity.
b. Review all member recommendation/review submissions, schedule the member presentations, and notify the member and the President (via e-mail or message on the club website) of this schedule.
c. Create powerpoint slides for any member presenting a recommendation or review during a club meeting.

2. During Meetings
a. Assist the President in club activities.
b. Present one section of the presentation if applicable.

3. After Meetings
a. Carry out any tasks delegated by the President.
b. Assist the President in planning a presentation or activity for the next meeting.

4. Other Duties
a. Take over the duties of the President in his/her temporary absence.
b. Take over the functions of all other officers that are unavailable.
c. Have final say in accepting or rejecting a recommendation/review submitted by a club member.
d. Schedule the meetings during which a member will present a recommendation/review.
e. Moderate the club website by browsing the forums for new posts and ensure that they are appropriate.
f. Take suggestions for the music playlist, the BBAM (Big Board of Anime and Manga), videos page, and links page on the club website and update those areas accordingly.
g. Find students willing to teach lessons in drawing, origami, video editing, etc. and assist them in carrying out these lessons during a club meeting.
h. Create flyers and videos to advertise/promote the club.
i. Assist the President with Club Rush.
j. Train the future Vice President after elections in May.

C. Secretary
The Secretary is an executive officer. He/she must record minutes for every club meeting. The Secretary assists the President in keeping permanent records for the club and copies of all minutes.

5. Before Meetings
a. Assist the President in putting together a presentation or activity.

6. During Meetings
a. Assist the President in club activities.
b. Present one section of the presentation if applicable.
c. Record the time of the call to order and the time of adjournment.
b. Record any spending of club funds.

7. After Meetings
a. Post minutes for every meeting under the appropriate topic on the club website.
b. File more permanent copies of minutes that include important club decisions, such as spending money.
c. Submit a copy of the minutes to the President.

8. Other Duties
a. Keep roster of all club members, including name, username, and contact information.
b. Maintain and update all paperwork with ASB.
c. Maintain a copy of the club constitution and the club handbook for reference when needed.
d. Give copies of the club minutes to the Treasurer or President when asked.
e. Moderate the club website by browsing the forums for new posts and ensure that they are appropriate.
f. Take suggestions for the music playlist, the BBAM (Big Board of Anime and Manga), videos page, and links page on the club website and update those areas accordingly.
g. Find students willing to teach lessons in drawing, origami, video editing, etc. and assist them in carrying out these lessons during a club meeting.
h. Create flyers and videos to advertise/promote the club.
i. Train the future Secretary after elections in May.

D. Treasurer
The Treasurer is an executive officer. He/she is responsible for maintaining accurate financial records for all expenditures. The Treasurer reports all money spent/collected and keeps track of the account balance.

1. Before Meetings
a. Assist the President in putting together a presentation or activity.
b. Meet with the club advisor once a month to get a report on the current account balance.

2. During Meetings
a. Assist the President in club activities.
b. Present one section of the presentation if applicable.
c. Motion to spend club funds.
d. Collect payments given by members for optional items (i.e. t-shirts, events, etc.).

3. After Meetings
a. Handle any club financial business and ensure that all funds are turned over to the Finance Office in a timely manner.
b. Submit any necessary Purchase Order (P.O) with the proper meeting minutes attached to the Finance Office when spending over $70 worth of money.
c. Submit Reimbursement forms to the Finance Office for smaller expenditures.
d. Submit deposits of club funds.

4. Other Duties
a. Attend the treasurer training conference hosted by ASB in the beginning of the year.
b. Assist the President in running Club Rush.
c. Plan and organize fundraisers when necessary.
d. Moderate the club website by browsing the forums for new posts and ensure that they are appropriate.
e. Take suggestions for the music playlist, the BBAM (Big Board of Anime and Manga), videos page, and links page on the club website and update those areas accordingly.
f. Find students willing to teach lessons in drawing, origami, video editing, etc. and assist them in carrying out these lessons during a club meeting.
g. Create flyers and videos to advertise/promote the club.
h. Train the future Treasurer after elections in May.

Section 2. Election of Officers

A. Executive Officer Elections

1. Date of Elections
Officer elections for the next school year shall take place during early May of the current school year.
In the event that the current President is a senior, elections shall take place during March of the current school year to ensure enough time to train a new President and instigate a smooth transition.

2. Nominations
Nominations for office will occur at least two weeks prior to the election and shall be made from the floor by any member in good standing. A person may be nominated for more than one office and may run for more than one office.
The President shall separate the candidates into groups of no more than four and no less than two people. The President shall instruct the candidates to work within their selected groups to produce a powerpoint presentation similar to the ones shown at the club meetings. The President shall not assist any of the candidates in any way beyond this point. The candidates are expected to put together a powerpoint presentation showcasing their individual ability to gather information/news/content related to the club. On the day of the election, all candidates must present their part of the presentation that they made to the entire club.

3. Voting
Votes shall be conducted by a secret ballot on the day of the election, after all candidates have presented their powerpoints. A plurality is all that is necessary to win an election. In the event of a tie, standing officers who are not running for the tied position must vote amongst themselves to make the final decision.

4. Limitations
No member may hold more than one position on the executive board. If a person is elected to more than one position, he/she must decide which position to take. Another vote will then be held to determine the winner of the other position(s).

4. Installment of Officers
Installment of new officers shall take place during the last meeting of the current school year. After having been trained by the current officer board since the day of the election, the new officers are expected to run the last meeting of the school year on their own.

5. Length of Service
The executive officers shall serve one full school year, starting from the last meeting of the current school year and ending at the second-to-last meeting of the next school year. The current officers do not run the last meeting of the school year. They will train the new officers to do so, after presenting the last few meetings together with the new officers.

Section 3. Checks and Balances
A majority of the executive board may vote to override another executive’s personal decisions regarding an aspect of his/her duties if the majority feels that the offending executive is doing his/her job ineffectively.


Article V. Impeachment

Section 1. Impeachment
Any executive of Japanimation can be impeached.

Section 2. Initiation
Impeachment may be initiated by petition, in writing, by a majority of the club members and presented by the members at a club meeting. The executive board will take the petition and put it into effect at the next meeting.

Section 3. Proceedings
At the next meeting, the members who signed the petition and the accused executive officer in question shall present their case to the entire club. After both cases are heard, a vote shall be taken by secret ballot. In the case of an absence, the case is decided in the favor of the attending party.

Section 4. Vote
Conviction of impeachment shall require a two-thirds vote by all club members present. A quorum of executives must be present for this vote to occur.

Section 5. Conviction
Conviction of impeachment shall result in a removal from office, loss of all privileges thereof, and a ban from the club website.

Section 6. Filling the Vacancy from Conviction
The filling of an office vacated by impeachment shall be conducted by a special election held in the manner of annual elections as defined in Article IV, Section 2.


Article VI. Meetings

Section 1. Organization of Meetings
Every meeting of Japanimation will begin with general club announcements and proceed with either a presentation, a showcase, an activity, or a lesson.

A. Presentation

1. Each presentation is a compilation of four sections, each contributed by a different member of the executive officer board. The President shall collect each part of the presentation and consolidate it into one powerpoint. The assigned sections for each officer rotate each week. Each officer is responsible for knowing which section they are assigned.

2. A presentation consists of:
a. News, releases, or general content related to anime/manga.
b. News, releases, or general content related to video games.
c. Interesting/weird news stories from Japan.
d. A special category decided by the executive officer in charge of that section for that particular week. The special category is whatever the executive officer wants to present that is related to the club. It may have a topic or may be completely random.
e. Any approved recommendation/review by a member or officer.

B. Special Showcase

1. A special showcase may be done in conjunction with a shortened presentation or entirely on its own. It consists of a special presentation directed toward one specific topic related to the club that may not be highlighted very often during regular presentations.

2. A special showcase may consist of (but is not limited to):
a. Videos
b. Images
c. Various discussion topics
d. Tutorials

C. Activity

1. An activity may be a game or any other miscellaneous task that is related to the club.

D. Lesson

1. A lesson is conducted by students (who may or may not be in the club) selected by the executive board. They voluntarily present a tutorial to the members.

2. A lesson may be on:
a. Drawing
b. Origami
c. Video Editing
d. Photoshop, Photo Editing, etc.
e. Sewing, Cosplay
f. Crafts

3. Lessons consist of a particular topic aimed at a beginner skill level.

E. After School Activity Meetings (a.k.a. ASA events)

1. These meetings take place after school and are planned by the President when time permits.

2. The site and exact time of the meeting will be decided during a club meeting before the event.

3. These meetings may be:
a. A video game day, where members bring game consoles and multiplayer games.
b. An animated movie screening.
c. Any other after school event decided by the club members and approved by the President.

4. Any room used for the meeting must be approved by the teacher who is in charge of that room.

5. The room’s condition must be the same after the meeting as it was before the meeting.

Section 2. Definition of Quorum in Regard to Voting
All members in good standing as defined in Article III, Section 3 can participate in elections.

Section 3. Standing Committees

A. Website Moderators

1. Appointment
Any member in good standing is eligible to be appointed to this committee. The entire executive board must approve before the member can be appointed. The member may choose to decline the appointment.

2. Duties
a. Moderate the club website by browsing the forums for new posts and ensuring that they are appropriate.
b. Find students willing to teach lessons in drawing, origami, video editing, etc. and assist them in carrying out these lessons during a club meeting.
c. Create flyers and videos to advertise/promote the club.

B. Forming New Committees

1. Proposal
Any member in good standing may submit a proposal, in writing, to the President at a club meeting to request for the formation of a new committee. The President will review the request with the executive board.

2. Approval
New committees must be approved by all members of the executive board.

3. Appointment
The member(s) requesting for the committee to be formed will automatically be appointed to the new committee. Other members will be appointed through the procedures highlighted in Article VI, Section 3.


Article VII. Amendments to the Constitution

Section 1. Method of Origination

A. Proposal
The Japanimation Club Constitution is posted on the club website in order to be accessible to all members. If any member in good standing feels that the constitution should be changed, he/she may submit an amendment proposal, in writing, at any club meeting.

B. Voting
The proposed amendments shall be voted on by secret ballot at the next club meeting with a quorum of officers present.

C. Passage
The passage of the amendments requires a two-thirds affirmative vote of all members present.

D. Adoption
The proposed amendments shall become operational after the President amends the document and resubmits it to ASB for approval.

Article VIII. Appropriation
All financial appropriations shall be made with consent of two-thirds of the members and must be recorded in the meeting minutes.
Approval from the Athletic Director, Financial Clerk and the ASB Advisor must be obtained in order for a purchase to be made.

Article IX. By-Laws

Section 1. Addition of By-Laws

A. Proposal
By-Laws for Japanimation may be proposed, in writing, at a club meeting by any member in good standing.

B. Voting
An immediate vote, after discussion, shall be taken by a show of hands.  A simple majority is necessary for passage, with a quorum of executives present.

C. Adoption
The proposed By-Laws shall become operational after the President amends the official club constitution and resubmits it to ASB for approval.

Section 2. Current By-Laws

A. Member Rules and Guidelines
The Japanimation Club requests that its members follow these guidelines:

1. Members must respect all presenters and instructors by maintaining a reasonable noise level.

2. Members must respect the opinions of other club members. Insulting or flaming of other club members based on their choice of genre, anime, manga, video games, or other opinions is not allowed.

3. Loudly bashing an anime, movie, video, or any other topic while it is being shown or presented is strictly prohibited. If members are repeatedly rude and disruptive during a showing or presentation, they will be asked to leave.

B. Suitability of Materials
The club will not show any materials inappropriate for school.

C. Violations
Violations of Japanimation’s By-Laws, institute policies, and any applicable local, state, and federal laws may result in any offending members being removed from club events, with the possibility of revocation of membership, as defined in Article III, Section 5.