Revised June 2005
1.1 Rules, codes, laws set forth by the Federal, State, local, and University ruling bodies shall take precedence over the rules set forth in these Bylaws. University ruling, bodies to which the Outing Club is a subject, include the Student Organization Office, the Union Council, the Risk Management Department, the Fleet Vehicles Office, the Wisconsin Union Directorate, and the Hoofer Council. If rules, codes, and laws set by these ruling bodies conflict with these Bylaws, it is a responsibility of any Executive Board member who is aware of these conflicts to inform the Executive Board. The President, Vice President, or their designee shall modify these Bylaws to reflect the rules, codes, laws. The Executive Board need not vote on these changes, but shall be informed about them.
1.2 The Hoofer Council representative from the Outing Club shall be the President, the Vice-President, or their designee. The designee shall be approved by simple majority of the Executive Board.
1.3 The Student Organizations Office’s primary contact person for the Outing Club shall be the President, the Vice-President, or their designee. The contact person shall be a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, have an e-mail address, have a mailbox at the Hoofer Offices, and have a position on the Executive Board. It is the responsibility of the primary contact person to register with the Student Organixations Office at the beginning of the fall semester, and update any information about the Outing Club in the Student Organizations Office files as needed.
2.01 Student status at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is not necessary for any particular Executive Board office, but the majority of the Executive Board shall be students.
2.02 Voting rights are granted to each person who is a member of the Executive Board, excluding the Club President. Each voting member shall have one vote, except in cases of a tie vote, where the Club President may vote to break the tie. If a member holds two or more offices he/she only has one vote.
2.03 All members of the Executive board who are not (a) Activity Group Chairs, (b) the Water Safety Chairperson, (c) the Club President, (d) the Treasurer, and (e) Vice-president, shall be appointed by the Club President as needed, and approved by a 2/3 majority of the Executive Board. Suggested members are (1) Accessibility Coordinator, (2) Boating Instruction Coordinator, (3) Equipment Chair, (4) Fundraising Chair, (5) Librarian, (6) Membership Chair, (7) Publicity Chair, (8) Secretary, and (9) Web Chair. The Executive Board shall have a right to eliminate any of these positions when vacant. For this a simple majority is sufficient.
2.04 Meetings of the Executive Board shall be called by the Club President or by a majority of the voting members of the Executive Board. The meeting must be announced at a general Club meeting and on the Club homepage at least six days before it is to take place. The meeting announcement shall specify time, location, and major business to be discussed, although an agenda need not be posted, or distributed.
2.05 Quorum of the Executive Board shall consist of a majority of the individuals who are members of the Executive Board. During any regularly scheduled meeting, quorum is not needed to carry out any business such as passing of motions, unless any voting member objects to not having a quorum. The question of quorum shall be in that case restricted only to particular business at hand, not to the whole meeting.
2.06 Voting in absence is acceptable on a specific issue or on all issues presented at any Executive Board meeting. Each member may vote via the Forum of the Club homepage. In case the Forum is not accessible votes can be mailed directly to the President.
2.07 Rules governing the meetings of the Executive Board shall be set by the President, or by the presider of the meeting, or by the simple majority of the Executive Board. Any meeting rules not specified shall be set by the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.
2.08 Duties of the Executive Board shall be to make policy decisions. These shall include but not be limited to: the expansion of the Club into new interest areas, membership and guest policies, formulation of bylaws, approval of the annual budget, general equipment use policy including the reimbursement of car owners for Club trips, and liaison between the Outing Club and other organizations.
2.09 Specific policies for an individual Activity Group shall be set by the Activity Group Chair, subject to approval by 2/3 of the Activity Group. Nothing contained in the Activity Group Policies may violate these Bylaws. All policies approved by the Activity Group shall be presented in writing to the Executive Board at the beginning of a regularly scheduled Executive Board meeting, and shall be entered into the minutes of the meeting. It is the responsibility of the Activity Chair to provide copies for each Executive Board member present. The Executive Board may do any of the following:
(a) Not discuss the presented rules, which will amount to automatic approval of the presented rules. At the end of the meeting, the presented rules shall be binding.
(b) Discuss the presented rules and accept them.
(c) Discuss the presented rules, reject them, and ask the Activity Chair to rework these rules in concert with the activity group members.
(d) Discuss the presented rules and modify them. In this case, it is not necessary for the Activity Chair to rework these rules.
(e) Table the discussion of the presented rules until the next meeting. In such a case the presented rules will not be binding.
Nothing contained in the Policies and Procedures may violate these Bylaws. The binding rules shall be incorporated into the Policies and Procedures of the Outing Club.
2.10 Approved policies and procedures have to be posted on the Club Homepage within two weeks of passing. Existing policies and procedures have to be confirmed by a majority of the pertinent Activity Group within five years of their most recent approval. If changes are made to existing Policies and Procedures an approval from 2/3 of the pertinent group is needed. Changes are to be made public on the Club Homepage within two weeks after passing. If the specific group has been abolished in the meanwhile the Executive Board takes over the responsibility for the Group’s Policies and Procedures and acts on them according to 2.11.
2.11 Specific policies for other areas of the Club where committees are non-existent shall be written and presented to the Executive Board by the Executive Board member responsible for that area. These policies will become binding, and incorporated into the Club’s Bylaws, or into the Policies and Procedures of the Club only after approval by the Executive Board. Nothing contained in the Policies and Procedures may violate these Bylaws. Approved policies and procedures have to be posted on the Club homepage within two weeks of passing. Existing policies and procedures have to be confirmed by a majority of the Executive Board within five years of their most recent approval. If changes are made to existing Policies and Procedures that were initially initiated and passed by the Executive Board or were inherited from and abolished Activity Group, an approval from 2/3 of the Executive Board is needed. Changes are to be made public on the Club homepage within two weeks after passing.
2.12 Absence of the President will precipitate in assumption of presidency by the Club's
Vice-President. Absence of the Club President shall be declared by the Vice President or by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board.
2.13 Free membership in the Outing Club shall be granted to all members of the Executive Board for the duration of their term of office. In order to hold an Outing Club office, a person must be a member of the Wisconsin Hoofers. The Club Secretary shall maintain a list of all of these and any other honorary memberships.
2.14 Lockdowns of club equipment or cages in the event of an emergency (any situation that requires attention prior to the next executive board meeting) or safety problem shall require the approval of the Club President and at least three other Executive Board members. In addition, prior to instituting a lockdown, the Club President shall attempt to notify all executive board members.
3.1 Membership within any Activity Group shall be automatically granted to all Club members who attend a meeting of that Activity Group.
3.2 New Activity Groups may be created by a 2/3 vote of all of the voting members of the Executive Board. The Chair of such a newly created Activity Group shall become a member of the Executive Board.
3.3 Abolishment of an Activity Group may be done only by a 2/3 vote of all of the voting members of the Executive Board and subsequent approval of the motion by a vote of the Club membership during the annual Club elections. Inactivity of an Activity Group or merging with another Activity Group are the only valid reasons for its abolishment.
3.4 Meetings of the Activity Group shall be called by the Activity Group Chair or by a majority of the voting members of the Executive Board. The meeting must be announced at a general Club meeting and on the Club homepage at least six days before it is to take place. The meeting announcement shall specify time, location, and major business to be discussed, although an agenda need not be posted, or distributed.
3.5 Activity group chair are elected annually. An activity group chair can only hold position for a maximum of 12 months without being reelected. The meeting at which the election is to be held must be announced for that purpose on a general membership meeting at least one week in advance and be posted on the Club Homepage for at least one week prior to the election. If an Activity Group Chair has not been elected within one month after the time specified by the Activity Group, the Club President shall appoint a person to fill the position, subject to the simple majority approval of the Executive Board.
3.6 Other leadership positions in an Activity Group may govern areas such as trips, instruction, legislation, and equipment. The Activity Group Chair shall fill these positions by appointment, but if more that one person is suggested to fill a position, the choice shall be made by a simple majority vote of the entire Activity Group.
The Water Safety Board shall have sole authority to establish safety standards and to certify leaders and participants in all Outing Club aquatic activities. The Water Safety Chairperson is the executive officer of the Water Safety Board and is entrusted with the authority to act in its behalf in accordance with its bylaws. Decisions of the Water Safety Board may be appealed only to the Water Safety Board and may not be nullified by the Executive Board. The Water Safety Code shall become part of Article IV of these Bylaws. The Water Safety Code also regulates the procedure of electing the Water Safety Chairperson.
5.1 Nominations for Club President, Vice-President, and Treasurer shall be accepted from any current Club member except the candidates themselves. All candidates must be current Club members.
5.2 Club President nominations shall open during the general Club meeting on the first Tuesday of April and run for a full week. The list of candidates shall be posted on all of the Outing Club bulletin boards and the Club Homepage at that time. After the nominations are closed, the candidates will be asked to present their qualifications and plans for their office if they are elected, and to answer any questions that Club members may care to ask. Elections for Club President will open after the discussion by the candidates, and will remain open until the beginning of the following Tuesday general Club meeting, at which time the ballots will be counted and the results announced. If no candidate receives 40% or more of the vote, a runoff election between the two candidates receiving the most votes shall be held. The list of candidates shall be posted on all Outing Club bulletin boards at that time. The balloting for the runoff election shall begin as soon as the results of the original election are announced and the ballot box shall remain open until the beginning of the general Club meeting on the following Tuesday, when the ballots shall be counted and the results announced.
5.3 Vice-President nominations shall open immediately after the election for the Club President opens. Nominations shall close immediately after the deciding results for the Club President are announced. The same procedure for discussion by the candidates, posting of candidates' names, and balloting shall be followed as for the election of the Club President.
5.4 Treasurer nominations shall open immediately after the election for the Vice-President opens. Nominations shall close immediately after the deciding results for the Vice-President are announced. The same procedure for discussion by the candidates, posting of candidates' names, and balloting shall be followed as for the election of the Club President.
5.5 The ballot box shall be presided over at all times by an official appointed by an impartial member appointed by the Executive Board.
5.6 Voting is open to all current Club members. In order to vote, a Club member must present his/her Outing Club membership card, and sign his/her name and card number.
5.7 Assumption of the elected offices of the Club President, Vice-President and Treasurer shall be the first of May.
6.1 A vacancy can be created by the resignation or recall of an officeholder, can be declared by an officeholder, or can be declared by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board if the officeholder is deemed to be negligent in fulfilling the duties of the office, such that club is hindered operationally.
6.2 A vacancy in the office of President is filled by the Vice-President, as outlined in Article II, Section 12. If both the offices of President and Vice-President are vacant, a new President and Vice-President are appointed by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board.
6.3 A vacancy of Vice-President or Treasurer is filled within one month by a member appointed by the Club President with the approval of the Executive Board by simple majority vote.
6.4 A vacancy of an Activity Group Chair position is filled by an Activity Group member elected to that position during an Activity Group meeting. If an activity chair has not been elected within one month, then the Club President shall appoint an activity chairperson to fill the vacancy, subject to the approval of the Executive Board by simple majority vote.
7.1 A recall hearing must be scheduled if a petition giving cause why the hearing should be called is presented to the Executive Board. The petition must be signed by a total number of Club members that exceeds 15% of the total votes cast at the election of the said representative.
7.2 A recall notice must be produced by the Executive Board upon reception of the recall petition. By majority vote, the Executive Board must specify the representative to be recalled, the reason for the recall, and the time, date and place of the hearing and vote. The recall notice must be posted on all Club bulletin boards at least six days prior to the meeting at which the recall hearing is being convened. The representative being recalled must be notified at least six days prior to the meeting at which the recall hearing is being convened.
7.3 Recall vote shall take place at the end of the hearing. The representative shall be recalled if 2/3 of eligible voters present at the hearing vote to do so.
8.1 We advocate a standard of conduct that will enhance personal growth of any of our members in any of our activities in accordance with our mission statement. To this end any behavior that hinders development of another on the basis of their race, gender, cultural background, ethnicity, sexual orientation is strictly forbidden. Examples of prohibited behavior include, but are not limited to:
(a) using or threatening to use one's leadership or instructional status in the Club to bring about favorable decisions of another member in return for sexual favors, or accepting offers from a member to bring out a favorable decision;
(b) making unwanted sexual advances, or physical contact commonly understood to be sexual in nature towards another, and the behavior is understood to be unwanted;
(c) making repeated comments or gestures, or displaying visual materials to another member which can be commonly considered demeaning to their race, gender, cultural background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.
8.2 Dismissal from the Club of a person who continues the behavior outlined in section 8.1 after being informed that it is unwanted or demeaning is possible.
8.3 Redress may be initiated by a member who has been discriminated against or demeaned in accordance with the actions outlined in section 8.1, by informing the specific Trip Leader, Activity Group Chair, or any member of the Hoofer Outing Club Executive Board (hereafter referred to as leaders) of the infraction.
8.4 Leader must take immediately whatever actions necessary to stop the unwanted behavior outlined in section 8.1, once informed of the offending behavior. If the allegedly injured party is not satisfied, they may request the leader to inform the Hoofer Outing Club President within 48 hours of receiving the complaint, or within 48 hours of return from a Club sponsored trip.
8.5 The President must confirm with the injured party, in writing and within 48 hours from receipt of the complaint, the exact nature of the complaint, and options for redress. The President must carry out an investigation to include questioning of the allegedly injured member, the allegedly offending member, and any other persons that can assist in determining whether the behavior in question violates the standard of conduct.
8.6 Dismissal of the offending member from the Club can be requested immediately by the President, if a violation is found by the majority of the Executive Board. The Executive Board does not power to discipline the offending member beyond this.
8.7 The President must resolve the matter, with confirmation in writing, within fourteen days from receipt of the complaint. If this is not satisfactory to the alleged injured member, they may seek further redress from the Dean of Student's office, or other appropriate party.
8.8 Failure to comply to the procedures in article 8 by any leader, the allegedly offending member, and the allegedly injured member, is also subject to dismissal, based upon majority vote of the Executive Board.