Environmental Science Students’ Organization Constitution
Department of Earth & Environmental Science
Acadia University
Article I: Name
The Environmental Science Students’ Organization
Abbreviations: ESSO
Article II: Objectives
- Promote camaraderie, student to student mentorship and partnership within the Earth & Environmental Science Department
- To host and/or promote events that encourage environmental stewardship, increase knowledge and understanding of the natural world and issues associated with it
Article III: Membership
- All students majoring in Environmental Science at Acadia University are de facto eligible for membership.
- Other Acadia students and faculty/staff members are eligible to apply for membership. Such applications must be accompanied by a statement of interest.
- An active member is an individual who pays yearly membership fees and subscribes to the Organization’s objectives. This person has voting rights and is invited to participate in ESSO sponsored events.
Article IV: Membership Fees or Dues
- $4 per person paid annually
Article V: Executive Officers
- President
- Vice president
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- ENVS Student Representative to Departmental Committee *
- Events Coordinator *
- First Year Representative *
- Webmaster *
* Positions may be held in conjunction with other executive positions.
Article VI: Duties
Of All Executive Members:
- Attend all executive meetings
- Attend Earth & Environmental Science Speaker Series
- Promote cooperation and camaraderie between all students and faculty within the Earth & Environmental Science Department
- Assist other executive officers in meeting their responsibilities as required
- Encourage fellow students to participate in ESSO, Fletcher Geology Club and Departmental sponsored events
- Uphold the Classroom Expectations outlined by the Earth & Environmental Science Department
- Recognize that through association all executive officers are representatives of the Earth & Environmental Science Department and Acadia University and should maintain professional conduct in all actions
- Read the constitution and sign a contract, indicating that the officer understands and agrees to the overall executive and position specific responsibilities as well as consequences of not adhering to the expectations set out in this document.
- May be called upon by ESSO and/or the Earth & Environmental Science Department to make presentations and act as a department representative to the campus and external groups and organizations
- A minimum GPA of 2.0 must be maintained during the entire term of office.
President:
- Schedule and direct ESSO executive meetings
- Oversee the other executive officers and assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities as required
- Act as a liaison to the Acadia Students Union, the Fletcher Geology Club, Acadia Environmental Society, Acadia Waste and Resource Education, Sustainability Office and the Arthur Irving Academy for the Environment. The President is expected to make contact with each of the above mentioned groups and when appropriate attend (or send an approved delegate) and partner in events to promote unity between the above mentioned groups.
- Primary student representative of the executive for ESSO, Earth & Environmental Science Department.
- Oversee the design, ordering and distribution of ESSO clothing
- Organizing and lead the Environmental Science Biannual General Meeting to be held in the fall to welcome new students and inform all students about ESSO, introduce the executive and inform the class of events.
Vice president:
- Fill the presidential duties when the President is absent
- Responsible for overseeing the election process
- Assist the President in maintaining good relationships with the Acadia Student’s Union, Fletcher Geology Club, Acadia Environmental Society, Acadia Waste and Resource Education, Sustainability Office and the Arthur Irving Academy for the Environment.
Secretary:
- Record the minutes of each executive meeting and distribute to the other executive officers
- Send emails to ESSO executive officers notifying them of meeting times and meeting agenda if applicable
- Responsible for advertising ESSO events in emails, posters and other forms of media to members, the Earth & Environmental Science Department and campus as required
- Write amendments to constitution as required
- Maintain files for ESSO
Treasurer:
- Responsible for collecting membership fees
- Responsible for maintaining the ESSO bank account and records
- Responsible for buying supplies
- Responsible for organizing fundraising events
- Maintain a record of membership fees and expenses
Departmental Student Representative*:
- Responsible for attending all Earth & Environmental Science Department meetings and reporting back to the executive
- Liaison between the Earth and Environmental Science faculty and students
Events Coordinator*:
- Responsible for organizing and overseeing all ESSO events: parties, social gatherings and field trips
- Work in partnership with the Fletcher Geology Club and Earth & Environmental Science for department and campus wide events
- Will aid the President when the need arises to partner with Acadia Students Union, the Fletcher Geology Club, Acadia Environmental Society, Acadia Waste and Resource Education, Sustainability Office and the Arthur Irving Academy for the Environment on events.
First year representative*:
- Must be a first year student
- Community builder between first year students, upper year students and faculty.
- Responsible for maintaining the ESSO section of the bulletin board in the Earth and Environmental Science Common Room.
Webmaster*:
- Responsible for designing and maintaining the ESSO website as frequently as required
- Will work with the Earth & Environmental Science Department when information needs to be shared on the department website and the student’s website
Note: The positions denoted with an (*) may be held in conjunction with positions of President, Vice president, Treasurer and Secretary when a suitable candidate cannot be found to fill these positions.
Article VII: Elections
Elections will take place in March of every academic year. Students can be nominated by ESSO members only and must fill out a nomination form with the signature of the person who nominated them. This form must submitted by the deadline set by the executive. Campaigning will be permitted within the time period designated by the executive. Campaigning must be in good taste and uphold the integrity and expectations of the Earth & Environmental Science Department and Acadia University.
When more than one candidate is nominated for a position there will be a members-only vote. The candidate with the highest number of votes will be elected for the position. If there is a tie, the executive will recast their votes and the candidate with the highest number of votes will assume the position. If another tie arises in the executive voting the President will act as the official tie breaker.
The election of First Year Representative will take place in September of the year when the office is to be held. When more than one nominee runs for a position there will be a members-only vote. The candidate with the highest number of votes will be elected for the position. If there is a tie, the executive will cast their votes and the candidate with the highest number of votes will assume the position. If another tie arises in the executive voting the President will act as the official tie breaker.
If the positions of President, Vice president, Secretary, Treasurer, Departmental Student Representative, Events coordinator and Webmaster are not filled in the March election they can be opened up to candidates in the September election and follow election protocol. If positions are not filled in the September election then they will be divided among and assumed by executive officers.
Article VIII: Meetings
- Executive meetings will occur every two weeks at a time agreed upon by all executive officers.
- If need arises special meetings will be called to deal with unforeseen circumstances
- Additional meetings may be held by various officers as required to meet their responsibilities
- A minimum of 50% of the executive officers must be present at a meeting to make decisions and pass motions
- Emails will be sent by the Secretary to remind executive officers of upcoming meetings and if applicable a copy of the meeting agenda will be sent out at this time
- Two Biannual General Meetings will be held primarily for the Environmental Science majors to inform them about ESSO, welcome the new students and discuss future events. All members of ESSO are invited to attend these meetings.
Article IX: Impeachment of Officers
Grounds for impeachment:
- Unacceptable absence from executive meetings, Earth & Environmental Science Department Speaker Series and ESSO, Fletcher Geology Club and Earth & Environmental Science Department sponsored events
- Not fulfilling the overall executive expectations
- Not fulfilling their position responsibilities
- Conduct that threatens the integrity and/or reputation of the Earth & Environmental Science Department and/or Acadia University
- GPA falling below 2.0
The offending officer will be formally notified with a letter of warning, signed by the President and faculty advisor. The officer will be given one month to reconcile, if satisfactory action is not taken the other executive officers will vote to impeach the offending officer. A majority of 75% agreement must be reached before the officer can be dismissed. The impeached officer will receive a formal letter of impeachment with reasons stated. All correspondence between the two parties will be kept in the ESSO files. This information is confidential and will only be viewed by the executive, faculty advisor and Acadia Student’s Union, as deemed necessary.
Article X: Finance and Audit
- Funds shall be obtained through membership fees and fundraising events which shall be organized and held as required
- Signing officers: Treasurer and President
- Fiscal Period: September to April
- The budget is to be approved by the Executive and ratified by the membership in March of each year.
Article XI: Constitutional Amendment
- Amendment of the constitution will be submitted to the ESSO executive, if deemed acceptable the amendment will be noted and posted on the ESSO website for member review. Members will be presented with the amendment and vote during election time to accept or reject the amendment. A 75% consensus must be reached in order to accept or reject the change. If accepted the amendment will be added to the constitution for the following election year. If rejected the amendment will be saved in the ESSO files.
Article XII: Property
- A 75% consensus must be reached by the executive for the purchase of required property. The signing officers will be responsible for supplying the funds required for the purchase. All properties will be purchased and a claim will be submitted with the receipt and the purchaser will be reimbursed in full.
- The use of property will be at the discretion of the executive.