Dabney Hovse Bylaws

SECTION 1.01 - QUALIFICATIONS AND RIGHTS OF MEMBERSHIP Full membership is available to students of the California Institute of Technology (“the Institute”) who are currently enrolled or on temporary leave. All full members are granted equal and full ability to participate in house votes, hold office in Dabney, enter Dabney roompicks, attend social functions, and use house resources.

Social membership is available to students of the California Institute of Technology (“the Institute”) who are currently enrolled or on temporary leave. All social members are granted equal ability to attend social functions (subject to few exceptions) and use house resources.

The sole available membership level for alumni and students who have withdrawn will be special membership. Upon graduation, the membership status of all full and social members of good standing will automatically convert to special membership. Special members of Dabney need not pay dues and retain a heavily restricted ability to access house resources or attend social functions.

Other types of membership can exist and can confer any subset of privileges allotted by full membership. Members of the House must pay the dues associated with their membership type for each academic term they remain a member.

SECTION 1.02 - TERMINATION OR MODIFICATION OF MEMBERSHIP Membership of Dabney House is gained through Rotation or after an application is approved by a Membership Vote. Alumni and students who have withdrawn are not eligible to apply for House membership. Individuals can request the removal of their personal membership status at any time by notifying the Secretary, President, or another relevant member of Excomm. If membership is revoked, the individual must wait for a time period greater than one academic term before they are eligible to reapply for any type of Dabney membership. Membership may be revoked as part of an Institute-imposed sanction. If a member remains on temporary leave for at least 2 years, Excomm may, by unanimous consent, revoke or change their membership status.

SECTION 1.03 - DUES Members of the House must pay the dues associated with their membership type for each academic term they remain a member. Dues policy may be created and changed by a vote of either Excomm vote or the House. Dues policy must be accessible as an addendum to the Bylaws.

SECTION 2.01 - EXCOMM House offices consist of an Executive Committee (Excomm) and other non-Excomm offices. Offices can be set, created, and destroyed by a vote of the house. Excomm consists of the President, Vice President, Secretary, two Social Vice Presidents, and Steward, and any other offices specifically designated to sit on Excomm by a house vote. Standard elections for each office are held once per academic year.

SECTION 2.02 - RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICERS

The responsibilities of Excomm officers include, but are not limited to the following:

(A) President. The President shall preside at all meetings of Excomm. The President shall serve as the house's representative to the Institute's Interhouse Committee. The President shall reserve the authority to carry out the duties of other Excomm officers if necessary.

(B) Vice President. The Vice President shall organize events including, but not limited to, Thanksgiving dinner, Initiations, and Formal Dinner once per term. The Vice President shall develop an annual budget. The Vice President shall authorize and issue disbursements from the house funds. The Vice President shall preside over a capital improvement meeting once a term, excepting summer term, with items to be bought decided by member vote. The Vice President is the custodian of house funds and shall keep records in such a manner that will ensure adequate accountability. The Vice President shall assist other Excomm officers in their duties if necessary.

(C) Secretary. The Secretary shall maintain the mailing lists and organize elections, Rotation, and the lottery for occupancy at the physical location. The Secretary shall maintain the membership roster and preside over membership votes.

(D) Social VPs. The Social VPs shall organize House-sponsored social and recreational activities based on member suggestions and in the interest of positive alumni relations. The Social VPs shall manage the social budget and the retreat budget. The Social VPs shall notify members of activity-specific details. The Social VPs may authorize, fund, and assist other members in organizing House-sponsored social and recreational activities. The Social VPs shall meet with Institute administration to ensure Institute approval of the aforementioned activities.

(E) Steward. The Steward shall organize clean up of communal spaces and supplies. The Steward shall act as the liaison to the various Institute housing departments, requesting improvements to house property as well as making sure the members' requests are followed. The Steward shall sit on the Steward Committee.

SECTION 2.03 - RESPONSIBILITIES OF EXCOMM

Excomm may amend, remove, or ratify policy addendums to the bylaws to govern the actions and procedures of the house. In the absence of established policy, decisions can be made based on precedent and discretion of relevant officers. Changes to house policy will be approved by an Excomm vote.

Excomm must meet, at minimum, once per term in a format accessible to all full members of the House. A meeting must achieve quorum, defined as a majority of Excomm officers, with the exception of unusual or time-critical circumstances, in which a meeting may be held with the available officers.

SECTION 2.04 - REMOVAL OF OFFICERS AND VACANCIES IN OFFICE

Removal of a member from office will occur in the following circumstances:

(A) The announcement of resignation

(B) A vote of all Excomm officers, excepting the officer in question and anyone else holding the same office, to determine that member as unfit to hold office

(C) The passage of a recall vote

If a position opens due to resignation, the person leaving may specify an interim appointee subject to the approval of Excomm. Otherwise, Excomm will specify an appointee. The appointee will hold all duties of the position, excluding sitting on Excomm, until a special election can be held. In the case that an officer is unable to perform their duties for a known period of time, Excomm, with the consent of the affected officer, may choose to hold an election for an interim officer to serve in their place for that period of time. This interim officer will perform all duties of the given office, including sitting on Excomm, if applicable.

House votes are required for the following: (a) election of members to any Dabney office; (b) significant changes to house membership types, roompicks procedures, duties of any Dabney office, or house dues; (c) or by petition of 10 full members. House votes must be open to all full members and in rare circumstances can be opened to other types of membership with consent of full members via vote. Excomm is responsible for fairly administering house votes.

The proposed full text of any house vote must be made available to all voting members prior to the opening of the vote. Votes must then be open for at least 72 hours before closing. All voting members must be granted reasonable access to vote, change their vote before the close of the voting period, and cast an absentee ballot.

Exceptions may be enacted in the event that any house policy or part of these bylaws become impossible to enact without violating any applicable laws, coming into conflict with Institute policy (which can be communicated either verbally or through writing), or causing direct and significant harm to any person’s well-being. In cases of exception, Excomm may create temporary policy to supercede original policy without consulting the house so long as said policy is announced. Excomm may amend the temporary policy at any time. If the temporary policy is approved over the conflicting policy in a house vote, it shall replace the conflicting policy permanently and no longer be governed by the terms specified in this paragraph. If the original conflict no longer exists, Excomm can choose to either hold a vote between the original and temporary policies or to simply revert to the original policy.

In cases of question, Excomm is responsible for providing a reasonable interpretation of this document and other house policies.

Other house policies can be passed by Excomm to govern policies and actions of the house. In the absence of established policy, decisions can be made based on precedent and discretion of relevant officers.

Any proposed amendment or ratification of these bylaws shall pass only if supported by 2/3rds of people who cast non-abstaining votes.

THE SECRETARY SHALL BE THE HOUSE’S CHAMPION. THE ORIGINAL BEING THE ALMIGHTY CHAMPION DMAG!!!! LONG LIVE THE CHAMPION! Special thanks to Catrin for preserving this important message Cayla shall be known hereto as Honorary Champion and granted all rights of the house champion.