Constitution
The following are hereby adopted as the Constitution and Articles of the University of Florida Mayors Council, a not-for-profit organization.
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of Mayors Council is to promote the general welfare of, and foster a sense of community among all residents living in the Village Housing system at the University of Florida. Regularly scheduled village meetings, as well as inter- and intra-village events are examples of how this organization will achieve the above-stated purpose.
II. MEMBERSHIP
All University of Florida students are eligible for membership in the Mayors Council. Spouses of University of Florida students are eligible for associate membership. The Mayors Council will be governed by an eight-member Executive Board, as described in Section III of this document.
III. OFFICERS
The offices comprising the Executive Board include the President, Secretary, Treasurer, and five Mayors (one Mayor per village). Executive Board officers must be full-time University of Florida students (as defined by their Academic Department) and residents of Village Housing.
The offices of President, Treasurer, and Secretary shall be filled according to the majority vote of the current Executive Board members. Officers may not vote for themselves. Mayors will be elected by the student residents of their respective villages.
The term of office of all Executive Board members is one year. There is no limit to the number of terms of office one person may serve.
The duties of the officers include, but are not limited to:
President: shall conduct meetings of the Mayors Council Executive Board and shall act as spokesperson for Mayors Council before other organizations; shall see that all provisions of this Constitution are followed; shall undertake any other duties as directed by the Mayors Council Executive Board.
Treasurer: shall keep all financial records of Mayors Council; shall report monthly Student Government statements to the Mayors Council Executive Board; shall prepare the annual budget to Student Government based on budgets submitted to the Executive Board by each village through its Mayor. In absence of the President, the Treasurer shall chair meetings of the Executive Board.
Secretary: shall keep minutes of all Mayors Council meetings and distribute copies to interested parties; shall retrieve the monthly Student Government financial statements.
Mayor: The Mayors are expected to be a positive influence for, and a valuable resource to their community. Mayors shall schedule and hold monthly meetings with the residents of their respective villages; they shall inform the residents of the issues and information discussed at Executive Board meetings; they shall represent the will of the village residents at Executive Board meetings; they shall be aware of their villages¡¯ financial situation and participate actively in their villages¡¯ budgeting process.
IV. ADVISORS
The Mayors Council shall be advised by two members of the University of Florida faculty or professional staff. It is desirable that these advisors be chosen from the professional staff of the Division of Housing of the University of Florida. The duties of the Advisors are to provide advice on how to promote the objectives of the Mayors Council and on how to comply with University of Florida rules and regulations. The Advisors are encouraged to attend and participate in Executive Board meetings.
The Advisors are elected for terms of two years. Whenever possible, the terms of the two Advisors shall overlap by one year. The Advisors shall be elected and/or removed at the same time and in the same manner as the President, Treasurer, and Secretary of the Executive Board. There is no limit to the number of terms an Advisor may serve.
V. VOTING
Each Executive Board member, excluding the President, is entitled to one vote in the Executive Board. The President is a non-voting officer except as described below.
Voting in the Executive Board may occur by proxy. In the event of a vote by proxy, the absent Board member must give advance notice to any Executive Board officer or to an Advisor.
Voting in the Executive Board may not occur unless a quorum if present. A majority of the Executive Board members must be represented in order to achieve quorum.
In the case of a tie in the Executive Board, the President of Mayors Council will cast the deciding vote. Additionally, the President may cast a vote to create a tie.
Village Mayor elections will be held every year. All student residents of each village may vote in its elections.
If a Mayor is unable to finish a term, the Executive Board may select a Mayor to complete the term.
VI. REMOVAL OF EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
A member of the Executive Board may be removed upon a vote of two-thirds of the Executive Board. Before voting on removal, the officer shall be provided five business days of advance notice and the opportunity to be heard by the Executive Board.
VII. MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
There shall be a minimum of one regular meeting of the Executive Board in each full month when classes are in session under the provisions of the University of Florida academic calendar. The President may call additional special meetings for any purpose.
A notice of at least one week shall be given in advance of all meetings.
All meetings shall be open to the public and governed by the letter and spirit of the State of Florida's Government in the Sunshine Law.
VIII. FINANCES
Mayors Council shall have an operating budget derived from Student Government funds, Vending Fund Revenues and any other funds as provided to the Mayors Council in compliance with the rules and regulations of the University of Florida.
Money received by Mayors Council for the benefit of the residents of Village Housing shall be distributed in accordance with budgets prepared by the individual villages and in response to special requests made to the Executive Board.
The Executive Board has the power to refuse to disburse funds that violate the Constitution of Mayors Council, the Charter / Constitution of an individual village, or the rules and regulations of Student Government or the University of Florida.
IX. AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION
This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Executive Board of the Mayors Council.
X. COUNCIL PROCEDURE
The Mayors Council shall be governed by this Constitution. All bylaws shall be established by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Executive Board. The provisions of this Constitution have supremacy over any bylaws.
XI. MISCELLANEOUS
The members of the organization will abide by the rules and regulations governing the University of Florida and its students.
No funds of this organization shall be disbursed for the personal benefit of any member of Mayors Council.
The President may appoint ad-hoc committees to address specific issues or concerns which may arise. Each committee would have a chairperson appointed by the President of Mayors Council. The chairperson will report back to the Mayors Council Executive Committee. The President may serve as an ex officio member of the committee.
Members are free to leave and disassociate without fear of retribution or harassment. There will be no hazing.
XII. NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
This organization shall abide by all University of Florida rules and regulations concerning the just treatment and protection of the rights of all individuals regardless of race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and ethnic or national origin.
XIII. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Constitution shall become effective immediately upon unanimous vote.
XIII. ATTENDANCE
Members of the Executive Board are expected to attend regular monthly meetings. In the event a member of the Executive Board misses a total of three (3) meetings within the year beginning after the February elections and until the January meeting, a motion will be brought up at the next Executive Board meeting by the Secretary to discuss the potential removal of the said Executive Board member.
There are two types of absences in the Mayors Council Executive Board meetings: full and excused. Excused absences count as an absence towards the aforementioned three-absence limit, and occur only in one of two cases:
1) When a Mayor sends a representative to an Executive Board meeting in his / her stead. The Mayor must have previously informed the President or an Advisor of his /her intentions. The President, Secretary, and Treasurer may not send a representative to Executive Board meetings.
2) In the event of an academic conflict. The academic activity in question must be documented in writing by the corresponding professor.
All absences not covered by the conditions of an excused absence are considered full absences and count fully towards the 3-absence limit.
