Harvard-Radcliffe Society for Creative Anachronism (HRSCA)

Constitution for the Harvard-Radcliffe Society for Creative Anachronism

Article I. Name

The name of the organization shall be the Harvard-Radcliffe Society for Creative Anachronism. It shall also be referred to as the Borough of Duncharloch, or simply, Duncharloch.

Article II. Purpose

The purpose of the Harvard-Radcliffe Society for Creative Anachronism is to research and recreate the arts and skills of pre-17th century civilizations.

Article III. Membership

1. Membership in this organization shall be open to all students in good standing currently enrolled in Harvard College, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, or physical disability.
2. Membership will also include such faculty members, staff, and graduate students as can contribute to the activities of the organization and health of the borough.
3. Membership shall be retained until the student severs relations with the University whether by graduation or otherwise. Membership will be retained during the vacations and recesses of the University.
4. All members shall pay such annual dues as may be designated from time to time. These dues shall be used to cover traveling, costuming, food, and admission to off-campus events.
5. Any member may resign at any time by filing a written resignation with one of the board members.

Article IV. Officers

1. The officers of the group shall consist of a president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, chatelaine, and public relations chair. These positions shall be referred to as Provost (or Seneschal), Co-Provost, Exchequer, Secretarye, Chatelaine, and Herald. There must be at least one Provost and Exchequer. The other positions may be filled as willing, and may be filled by more than one person. Other positions may be created as necessary.
2. All officers shall be registered undergraduates in Harvard College.
3. The Provost shall be the chief executive officer of the group and control of its activities and programs. The Provost will attend Council to represent the Borough.
4. The Co-Provost will share the duties of the Provost and assume the provost's duties when the Provost is unable to serve. For the purposes of continuity, the Co-Provost, if the Provost is in his/her last year as an undergraduate member of the organization, should be of such status as to be a member that next year. This is not binding in the case that a willing member of such status cannot be found.
5. The Exchequer shall have general charge of the financial affairs of the group. He or she shall keep accurate records of these affairs and be the principal person in charge of finding funding.
6. The Secretarye shall keep a record of all meetings of the group and of all activities and programs. He or she shall handle all formal correspondence between members and officers of the group. He/she shall be charged with the duty of producing a weekly newsletter of sorts, detailing upcoming events and a summary of the previous week's meeting for organization members. He/she shall work with the Herald to produce such a newsletter.
7. The Herald shall be in charge of publicizing organizational events to the general campus and shall work with the Secretarye to produce the weekly newsletter. The Herald may also be called upon to announce business to the organization members.
8. The Chatelaine shall be in charge of storing the organization's belongings, especially in the form of loaner costumes, loaner feast gear, and organization reference materials.
9. All officers are considered part of the officerial Board and are expected to attend Board meetings as called by the Provost or Co-Provost to discuss the state of the organization and plan and prepare organization events.

Article V. Elections

1. Officers shall be chosen annually by the members of the group. New officers are chosen during the month of April and become acting officers on the first day of summer recess. Their duties as officers shall terminate the last day of the following academic year.
2. Due to the comradic nature of the organization, there shall be two venues for becoming an officer. The first should be by appointment and general consent, in that: the Provost shall be appointed by the previous year's Provost and considered elected only if the current active members of the organization give their general consent. Other positions may be appointed by the Provost in the same way or put up by other active members, and must also be approved by the active membership.
3. If general consent cannot be reached or more than one person is nominated for a position, this including all posts including the Provost, then the organization shall hold a voting election among active members to decide who shall fill the officer positions for the next year.
4. If a formal voting election is required, the voted shall be decided by simple (50%) majority.
5. Any undergraduate member of the group may be nominated for election. Only those willing to fill the post, however, may be nominated or appointed. Nominations shall be filed with the incumbent Board at least two weeks prior to the election date. In the case of a voting election, the votes shall be by secret ballot, one vote per member, and members may vote by written proxy if necessary.
6. The Secretarye and Herald will be responsible for informing all members off the election and candidates, whether the election must be voting or non.

Article VI. Meetings

1. Meetings of the group shall be held on a regular basis for the purposes of determining policy, activities, programs, and other business. Special meetings of the group may be called by the Provost, Co-Provost, or any five members of the group.
2. The Provost and Co-Provost shall chair all meetings. If both officers are to be absent a meeting, they must appoint another Board member or other member to chair the meeting.
3. Members shall be notified of weekly and special meetings.

Article VII. Amendments

1. This constitution can be amended by general consent or by two-thirds majority vote of the active membership.
2. Any member may propose an amendment. Proposals must be filed with the Board prior to a meeting and must allow the Secretarye and Herald enough time to notify the membership of the upcoming vote. Amendments may be ratified at regular or special meetings.