The Harvard Classical Club: Constitution
Founded 1885

Preamble

We, the members of the Harvard Classical Club, in order to promote cooperation among the faculty and students, to establish a basis for order and to increase unity, promote fellowship, and provide for an exchange of ideas, do hereby ordain and establish this constitution.

Article One.  Name.

This club shall be called the Harvard Classical Club.

Article Two. Purpose.

The club shall continue to serve the aims which led to the organization of the Harvard Classical Club on October 23, 1885.  Meeting then in Stoughton 7, twenty-four teachers and students formed a group which would enrich the study of the Classics at Harvard through the exchange of ideas among its members and through the sponsoring of public meetings and which would further provide a center for fellowship among students and teachers of the Classics.

Article Three. Membership.

Membership is regularly open to all undergraduate and graduate students at Harvard University and faculty of the Classics of Harvard University, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, or physical ability.  Questions about voting shall be determined by the officers.  Only those persons who pay dues shall be considered members.

Article Four. Elections.

Election of the four elected officers of the Executive Board by the members shall normally be held at the March meeting of each year.  The officers taking office immediately upon their election, shall hold office for one year until the next election meeting.

Article Five. Administration.

Section One. Officers Defined:  The elected officers of this organization shall be the following: The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.  The Editor-in-Chief of Persephone shall be an ex officio member of the board with voting privileges and shall not be popularly elected. 

Section Two. Term of Office: The term of office each officer shall be for one year only, from the election at the annual meeting until a successor is chosen at the next annual meeting.

Section Three. Qualifications: Of the officers elected, at least two shall be undergraduates at the time of election, and all of them shall have been members at the time of the previous meeting. 

Section Four. Voting Procedures: 

A. During elections, voting shall be conducted by secret ballot, and members must be notified at least five days before an election.

B. A candidate must receive a majority of votes to be elected to an office.

 Section Five. Vacancies: 

A. Should a vacancy occur in the office of President, the Vice President shall become President, and the new President, with the concurrence of the Executive Board, shall name a qualified person to serve as Vice President.

B. Should any vacancy occur other than in the office of President, or should an officer default in the performance of his duties, the president, with the concurrence of the Executive Board, shall name a qualified person to serve for the remainder of the current term.

C. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, the newly elected officers, shall name a qualified person to fill the position.

Section Six. Removal from Office: 

A. Grounds for Removal: The Harvard Classical Club shall have the power to remove any of its officers as provided in this section. The grounds for such removal shall be the infraction of the rules of Harvard University and/or serious negligence in the discharge of the duties of that office.

B. Removal Procedures: The following procedures shall be followed in all proceedings leading to the possible expulsion of an officer and shall not exceed a 60-day time limit from the time of the resolution.

1. A resolution by the Executive Board to consider the removal of an officer can be introduced by any member of the Executive Board.

2. If said resolution to consider the removal of an officer should pass the Executive Board by a simple majority, adequate defense shall be made by the officer, by telephone, by mail, or in person, to all those who shall vote on the question of his removal. No vote shall be taken to remove that officer until he has finished presenting his defense.

3. After the officer in question shall have finished his defense, a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board shall be necessary to remove the officer. No officer shall be denied a response to proceedings aimed at his removal.

Article Six. Amendments.

Proposed amendments shall become effective upon ratification by a two-thirds majority.

Article Seven.  Bylaws.

Section 1. Bylaws: Bylaws not contrary to any provision of this Constitution may be established.

Section 2. Bylaw Procedure: Bylaws may be established, amended or appealed by a majority vote. Notice of proposed change of bylaws must be given at least one general session prior to final action on said change.
 
 

Bylaws

I. Dues: Dues shall be five dollars ($5.00) per member paid to the Harvard Classical Club, Boylston Hall, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.

II. Emblem – see above seal

III. Duties of the Officers

A. Duties of the President

1. Serves as the chair of the Harvard Classical Club Executive Board.

a. Must be an undergraduate throughout the whole term of office.
b. Presides at all meetings of the Harvard Classical Club Executive Board.
c. Stays aware of the activities of Harvard Classical Officers, and offers 
assistance where appropriate.
d. Maintains correspondence with all members of the Executive Board.
e.  Re-registers the Harvard Classical Club annually with University Hall.

2.  Promotes the activities of the Harvard Classical Club within the organization.

a. Speaks on behalf of the Harvard Classical Club as occasions arise.
b. Writes correspondence to members informing them of activities.

3. Represents the Harvard Classical Club by attending meetings and conventions of other organizations and by writing to members of Congress if the need arises.

4. Appoints, when necessary, a parliamentarian for a term to advise on rules of order during public and executive sessions.

5. Creates and appoints other positions as needed with the approval of the executive board.
 

B.  Duties of the Vice President

1. The Vice President shall execute the duties of the President in the event of the President's death, illness or inability to serve.
2. He or she is responsible for publicizing the Harvard Classical Club, promoting membership, and coordinating the Latin Table.
3. He or she is responsible for the hospitality of visiting speakers.

C.  Duties of the Secretary

1. Keeps an accurate record of club activity and of membership for the permanent record book.
2. Notifies all the members of meetings.
3. Conducts any correspondence as necessary for the club.
4. Compiles records for the annuals, files materials of historic interest, and properly safeguards all these materials.

D.  Duties of the Treasurer

1. Keeps an accurate record of all income and expenditure of the club.
2. Reports to the club at the President’s request.
3. Submits the records to the advisers for inspection at any time.
4. Receives and disburses funds from the Classical Club account. 
5. Maintains the custody of the account of the Classical Players during the interim between performances; however, during performances, control of this account is given to the performance producer for use by the Classical Players.  The Treasurer may not disburse funds from the account of the Classical Players.
6. He or she may not disburse funds from the account of Persephone.

E. Duties of the Editor of Persephone – these duties are those as stated by the separate constitution and administration of Persephone, who publishes under the name of the Harvard Classical Club, and with whom the administration of the Harvard Classical Club is associated.

IV. Within the Harvard Classical Club exists the Harvard Classical Players, who have the responsibility of presenting Greek and Latin plays. They may also organize informal readings of Greek or Latin plays.  The officers of the Harvard Classical Club shall choose a director and a producer of the play.  They will consider the qualifications of all those who express interest before selecting and may consult with whomsoever they desire before the selection.  They may themselves be candidates for the positions of director and producer.  Neither the director nor the producer need be a member of the Harvard Classical Club.  All undergraduate and graduate students of Harvard University may act in the play as well as hold such jobs as stage manager, costume director, et al.  A separate account shall be kept from year to year of the expenses of the Harvard Classical Players.  Any surplus funds in the account of the Harvard Classical Players after the production shall be used for the next production.

V. Within the Harvard Classical Club exists Persephone, a student journal published by the Harvard Classical Club.  The officers and editors of Persephone are elected separately and independently from those of the Harvard Classical Club Executive Board; however, their Editor-in-Chief will be an ex-officio voting member of the Harvard Classical Club Executive Board. All undergraduate students of Harvard University may apply to contribute to Persephone.  A separately suffixed account shall be kept for the expenses of Persephone. 

VI. Voting

          All business not covered in the Constitution shall be voted upon as follows: a majority of members present shall determine all questions and shall be conducted by a showing of hands unless at least one-third of the members present demand a secret ballot.