Constitution and By-Laws of the Club

Swim Team

I. Statement of Purpose………………………………… 2
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II. Membership Requirements…………………………… 2
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III. Officers and their Duties and 2
Responsibilities…………………..
i. Co-Presidents………………………… 2
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ii. Advisor………………………………… 3
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iii. Coach…………………………………… 3
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IV. Procedure for Maintaining Continuity…………… 4
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i. Elections…………………………………… 4
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ii. Resignation……………………………… 5
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iii. Replacement of impeached or 5
resigned officers……..
iv. Impeachment of officers…………… 5
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V. Finances……………………………………………………… 5
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VI. Constitution Amendments and 6
Interpretations……………….....
i. Amendments to the 6
Constitution……………………
ii. Precedents and Constitutional 6
Vagueness…………
iii. Implied Powers………………………… 6
…………
VII. Dissolution Clause…………………………...………… 6
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I. Statement of Purpose
This swim team was created in order to offer interested Yale
students the opportunity to meet to improve their swimming skills and
to compete at an intercollegiate, non-varsity, level. We are an inclusive
group, welcoming male and female swimmers of all levels. The Club
Swim Team is committed to being a transparently run organization.

II. Membership Requirements

o Members must be students of Yale University.
o Members are defined as persons who attend at least one
practice a month.
o Competition is not mandatory but regular attendance and
payment of dues are required for eligibility to compete.
o Non-payment of dues will result in removal from the roster
and inability to compete in meets. It will also result in
ineligibility to run for administrative positions or to vote in
any elections.

III. Officers and their Duties and Responsibilities

o Officers are held accountable to the members of the Club
Swim Team and are required to provide information on the
status of the organization upon request by any member of
the organization.

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i. Co-Presidents
o There will be two co-presidents who will share, as
determined by these two, all administrative duties
involved in the efficient running of this team. Their
duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
 To serve as liaisons between the club and the
Club Sports Office
 To ensure compliance with all regulations and
guidelines
 To attend or assign someone to attend all club
sports meetings
 To ascertain that the club’s financial
commitments are met
 To maintain a current budget balance
 To submit all forms, scores and reports on time
 To complete and submit accident reports
 To be responsible for rental vehicles and their
legal and safe use
 To keep the club advisor apprised of all club
activities
 To conduct safe practice sessions during the
coach’s absence
 To check the club mailbox and email regularly
 To transact all financial matters with the Club
Sports Office, including reimbursements
 To ensure that all drivers have taken Yale’s
Driver Awareness Course
 To ensure that all travel policies are adhered to
 To follow all guidelines set forth in the Club
Sports handbook
 To organize competitions
 To organize regular gatherings of team
members outside of practice to ensure
development of a cohesive team
 To ensure that the team always has a coach
and advisor

ii. Advisor
o There will be an advisor whose duties are as follows:
 To attend club meetings (not Club Sport Council
meetings unless student officers are
unavailable)
 To assist the club in decisions, scheduling and
budgets

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  To attend and support home games and
matches as personal time allows
 To inform others at the University of the Club
Sports Program
 To work with the co-presidents
 To be aware of all club activities
 To be aware of the club’s traveling schedule
and away contacts
 To attend practices at least occasionally
 To serve as a source of information
 To accompany the team if traveling abroad
 To enforce all Club Sport and University policies
 To act in a mature and responsible manner
 To check all club travel plans and enforce all
school policies

iii. Coach
o There will also be a coach, who may or may not also
serve as the advisor. The duties of the coach are as
follows:
 To offer instruction and training in fulfillment of
the club’s Statement of Purpose, in order to
help members improve in their swimming and
to help prepare the club as a whole for
competitions.
 To attend and support home games and
matches as personal time allows
 To work with the co-presidents
 To be aware of all club activities
 To be aware of the club’s traveling schedule
and away contacts
 To attend practices at least occasionally
 To accompany the team if traveling abroad, if
personal time allows
 To enforce all Club Sport and University policies
 To act in a mature and responsible manner

IV. Procedure for Maintaining Continuity

i. Elections

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o Co-presidency positions will be assigned by
democratic election at the end of every
academic year and newly elected officers will
assume their roles at the beginning of the
successive academic year. Only regular dues-
paying members are eligible to vote.
o Candidates must be regular attendees for at
least one semester immediately prior to the
elections to run for these positions and must
not be in debt to the club team at the time of
running. Exceptions, for instance in the case of
study abroad, shall be considered under the
discretion of the co-presidents.
o Candidates are not nominated. They must
choose to run and must submit candidacy
statements to co-presidents. The deadline for
submission of statements will be set by the co-
presidents.
o Officers must be currently enrolled
undergraduates of Yale University.
o All voting for Club Swim Team official positions
shall be conducted by a closed ballot simple
plurality system. For each position, members
must submit exactly two names on the same
ballot sheet to prevent one person voting for
the same candidate twice.
o Elected officers must have a minimum of 33%
of the votes to hold office.
o In the event that there is a tie in the voting,
there shall be a run-off between the tied
candidates. If there is still a tie, the tie-
breaking vote shall be cast by the presiding
members.
o The co-presidents shall serve a term of one
school year (fall semester followed by spring
semester). The co-presidents shall be eligible
to run for reelection at the end of their term.
o The process shall include speeches, and voting
for each office. Speaking time shall be
determined by the co-presidents, who will
preside over the entire process.
o In the event that both co-presidents run for
reelection, the election process will be presided
over by the advisor or coach.

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 ii. Resignation
o All Club Swim Team officers wishing to resign
shall present a formal letter of resignation to
the other officers stating their reason(s) for
resigning. The letter shall be read publicly at
the next practice and a general email will be
sent out to the members.

iii. Replacement of impeached or resigned

officers
o Upon vacancy of any officer positions,
emergency elections will be held within two
weeks to fill the position.

iv. Impeachment of officers

o A Club Swim Team officer may be removed
from office by a democratic two-thirds majority
vote of eligible members at a meeting
convened for this purpose.

V. Finances
o The Club Swim Team is a non-profit organization and
cannot, under any circumstances, function to make a
profit.
o A record of all income and expenses and supporting
documentation is to be maintained at all times by the
current co-presidents. This information is to be passed onto
newly elected officers before the end of the term of the
former co-presidents.
o Dues are to be determined by the co-presidents and must
be paid by the second swim practice of the month. Refunds
for persons not wishing to join will be available until the 4th
swim practice of the month.
o Non-payment of dues will result in removal from the roster
and inability to compete in meets. It will also result in
ineligibility to run for administrative positions or to vote in
any elections.
o Financial information should be accessible to any member
of the Club Swim Team on request.
o Only the co-presidents shall have access to Club Swim
Team bank accounts and have the right to sign checks in
the name of the Club Swim Team.

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 o The co-presidents shall make all decisions regarding
disbursement of funds so as to best achieve the
organization's purpose.

VI. Constitution Amendments and Interpretations

i. Amendments to the Constitution
o Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws
may be made only by democratic vote. A
general meeting must be called by the co-
presidents and a minimum of a two-thirds
majority of regular dues-paying members
present at the meeting is required for
amendments to be made. Amendments shall
serve as permanent changes to the
constitution.

ii. Precedents and Constitutional Vagueness

o The co-presidents shall serve as the primary
interpreter of the constitution.
iii. Implied Powers
o The co-presidents shall be empowered to
perform all acts deemed necessary and proper
in order to fulfill the goals of the Club Swim
Team.

VII. Dissolution Clause

o In the event that the Club Swim Team should dissolve, any
remaining assets shall be distributed to Yale College.