Liceo de Cagayan University

Senior High School Main Campus

RNP Boulevard, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

OF Liceo SHS-Main Debate Circle

S.Y. 2022 – 2023

PREAMBLE
We, the students and our adviser, promote confident communication, critical thinking, and
advocacy. Help improve learners’ ability to form balanced, informed arguments and to use
reasoning and evidence for the general welfare of the students of Liceo SHS-Main Campus,
establish this Constitution of the Debate Circle.

ARTICLE I: NAME AND DOMICILE

Section 1: This club shall be known as the “Liceo SHS-Main Debate Circle”
(also known as Debate Circle).
Section 2: The Debate Circle shall be a versatile, educational, honorific, non-political,
non-profit, and non-sectarian club.

Section 3: The club is established at the Liceo de Cagayan University Senior High School
Main Campus,RNP Boulevard, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City

ARTICLE II: PHILOSOPHY

Section 1: The Liceo SHS-Main Debate Circle believes in the following guiding principles:

a) Promotes the use of argumentation and debate as tools to engage students

in critical thinking and develop educated, informed, and confident voices that
improve life opportunities.
b) We seek a world where each student can grow their voice and have
opportunities to meaningfully and authentically exercise their voice in public
discourse throughout their life.
c) We take every experience as an opportunity to improve our and our
stakeholders’ capabilities.

ARTICLE III – OBJECTIVES

Section 1: Objectives
a) To provide students with a valuable educational activity with a primary
emphasis on debate competition;
b) To present public debates, host debate competitions, and instructional
institutes, and expose the circle and the surrounding community to the
democratizing and dialectical educational benefits of debate;
 c) To offer debate activities that improve critical thinking, research skills, ethical
argumentation, advocacy, analysis, persuasion, oral presentation, listening,
organization, teamwork, group problem solving, citizenship, and leadership;
d) To represent Liceo de Cagayan University SHS-Main Campus on local,
regional, national, and international debate circuits to spread the noble,
scholarly reputation of the institution as well as the Debate Circle therein.

ARTICLE IV – COMPLIANCE REGULATIONS

Section 1: Non-Discrimination. The Debate Circle agrees that it will not discriminate on the
basis of race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and
expression, political opinions or affiliations, and genetic information.

Section 2: Sexual Harassment. The Debate Circle agrees that it will not engage in any activity
that is unwelcome conduct of sexual nature that creates a hostile environment. Behaviors that
could make a hostile environment include sexual harassment (which could include inappropriate
sexual comments), sexual misconduct, dating violence, and stalking.
Section 3: No Hazing. The Debate Circle agrees that it will not initiate, support, or encourage
any events or situations that recklessly, by design, or intentionally endanger the mental or
physical health or safety of a student for any purpose. Including but not limited to initiation or
admission into or affiliation with any student group or organization. Any member or officer who
will engage in such an act will automatically be enlisted for suspension of participation in any
activities planned and implemented by the club. If proven guilty of such activity, members of the
club will undergo due process following the Code of Conduct of Students.
Section 4: Responsibility to Report. If this organization becomes aware of any such conduct
described in this article, The Debate Circle will report it immediately to the authorized body for
preliminary investigation.

ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Membership in this club is open to all enrolled students of Liceo de Cagayan
University SHS-Main Campus. All members and associate members are free to
leave and disassociate without fear of retribution, retaliation, or harassment.

ARTICLE VI - STUDENT ORGANIZATION ADVISOR

Section 1: A Liceo de Cagayan University SHS-Main Campus faculty member (1)

shall preside over the club at all times.

Section 2: The club advisors serve the purpose of

a) Representing the club as a faculty representative
b) Advising the club as to the possible outcomes of its decisions
c) Occasionally, coaching the team in principles of forensics (speech and
debate)
d) Handling matters that students are unable to take care of due to some sort of
 inhibiting factor

ARTICLE VII: OFFICERS

Section 1: Qualifications - Officers of the Debate Circle should be bona fide students of
the Liceo de Cagayan University SHS-Main Campus and should meet the
following requirements:
a) Grade of 90 or better in all subjects;
b) Officers must not have any substandard grades in all grading perids of the
current year prior to the election, and
c) No disciplinary case.

Section 2: Executive Board - The Executive Board shall be defined as consisting of the
following: Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Secretary, Deputy for Public
Communication, Deputy for Training, Conveners, and Deputy for Financial
Affairs. Any action called for from the Executive Board must have the
involvement of all Executive Board members. All officers serve one school year
and are eligible for re-election, with no term limits. In the absence of the Prime
Minister, duties fall down the chain of command. The order of succession shall
be as is the order below.

ARTICLE VIII - TASKS OF THE OFFICERS

Section 1: The Prime Minister shall:

a) Set the aims of the circle, delegate responsibilities to the body, and preside over
meetings. The PM manages the internal club and ensures that they carry out
their duties effectively. The President is the presumptive Union representative.
b) Primarily, the office of PM includes fulfilling a leadership role by setting goals
or a specific tone for the club during the term of office, performing
administrative duties as assigned by the bylaws, and presiding at the
meetings.
c) The PM does not vote except in three situations: 1) if the president's vote
would break a tie vote; 2) if the president's vote would create a tie vote, or 3)
if the vote is taken by ballot
d) The PM is responsible for enforcing the rules and decorum of the circle and
weighing between the pros and cons in a controversial situation

Section 2: The Deputy Prime Minister shall:

a) The DPM is responsible for assisting the adviser, the PM, and other officers
b) The DPM works closely with the PM to ensure that all the tasks of the official
duties are completed.
c) The DPM is responsible for supporting and maintaining the team’s reputation
d) The DPM works closely with the secretary to keep accurate records.
e) The DPM is responsible for delegating and disseminating all important matters to
the circle.
f) In the absence of the PM the DPM will act as the chair

Section 3: The Secretary shall:

 a) The Secretary is responsible for setting the agenda and taking notes at meetings,
as well as assisting the PM in ensuring the members complete their tasks.
b) responsible for keeping all the records of the organization, preparing the agenda,
handling correspondence, sending notices of meetings to members, taking and
recording the minutes, and performing other administrative duties assigned by
the organization.
c) Keeping all the records of the organization (including committee reports) on file
and keeping an up-to-date list of all the members.
d) Maintaining the official documents of the club, including the bylaws, rules of
order, standing rules, correspondence, and minutes. The secretary keeps the
bylaws and other governing documents up-to-date with any changes made
through the amendment process.

Section 4: Deputy for Public communications (2) shall:

a) The DPC is responsible for all circle’s promotion, advertising, and

communication. They control the Union’s media platforms (for example,
Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, website, et cetera) and ensure they are
regularly updated. Any questions or requests by external club or individuals
are handled by the DPC, who either responds or refers the query to the
appropriate member.

Section 5: Deputy for Training (2) shall:

a) They are responsible to improve the standard of argumentation of all members

and are responsible for frequent debate training sessions. They provide
support and feedback to members.
b) They plan the training schedule and are responsible for carrying out
workshops that are effective and fun for members with a diversity of skill sets.

Section 6: Conveners(s) shall:

a) Conveners(s) shall be responsible for organizing Union debate tournaments.

They manage the logistics of the tournament, including registration,
participation management, allocation, and on-the-day communications.

Section 7: Deputy for Financial Affairs (2) shall:

a) The DFA controls the Union’s finances and is responsible for its financial health.
They are responsible for making payments on the circle’s behalf. They also
marshal fundraising and grant applications.
b) Giving members receipts for their dues.
c) Keeping records that will allow a committee to audit the books at the end of the
fiscal year. For example, the treasurer should record which members have paid
their dues and when bills are paid (and the check number of the payment).
d) Balancing and reconciling the checking account

ARTICLE IX - MEETING AND QUORUM

Section 1: Regular Meeting of the Debate Circle shall be every Friday from 1:00 –
 2: 30 at the designated area. The meeting shall be canceled in case the
scheduled meeting falls on a holiday.

Section 2: Special Meeting. The adviser may call for a special meeting at
any time that will be convenient to all members when deemed necessary.

Section 3: Majority (50% + 1) of the Circle members shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE X - RESIGNATION AND IMPEACHMENT

Section 1: Resignation of any Debate Circle Executive shall be in writing and subject to the
approval of the body.

Section 2: Should any member of the Executive be accused of being delinquent of duties, an
impeachment process must proceed in the following manner:
a) A group of at least five (5) active members shall call for an impeachment hearing
before the Executive Board.
b) During the impeachment hearing at the next scheduled general meeting, only one
person shall offer testimony against the accused, followed by a defense of the
accused, which may be presented by the accused personally or through a
representative.
c) If any member of the Executive Board shall find just cause for impeachment, that
member shall call for an impeachment vote to be held at the meeting following the
meeting at which the announcement of the vote is made.
d) A two-thirds vote of the active membership shall be required for the removal of office.
In the case of the Policy, only active members who participate in that specific activity
may vote. This vote concludes the impeachment process.

Section 3: Officer Vacancies

a) In the case of a vacancy of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister will
become PM and a special election for the DPM will take place at the meeting
following the one (1) week at which nominations are made and two (2) weeks
following the vacancy.
b) In the case of a vacancy of any office other than PM, the office in question shall be
filled by a special election to take place at the meeting following the one (1) week of
nominations that are made and two (2) weeks following the vacancy.

ARTICLE XI - EXTRANEOUS CIRCUMSTANCES CLAUSE

Section 1: In the event that unforeseen, extraneous circumstances arise that demand an
immediate response from the Executive Board, or otherwise inhibit the team’s
ability to strictly follow the procedures outlined in this Constitution, the Executive
Board may override said procedures so long as the following conditions are met:
a) The team advisor has been consulted.
b) There is a unanimous vote from all members of the Executive Board.
 ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION

Section 1: Amendments to this constitution may occur by a 2/3 vote.

Section 2: Every member of the club shall receive the opportunity to vote, whether they
are in physical attendance of the hearing or not. If they cannot be contacted within 48
hours of the hearing, their vote is forfeited and the motion will pass (or not pass), by
calculating the votes that were properly collected, either at the hearing or electronically.

Section 3: Amendments shall be presented to the executive board. The executive board will
determine if such an amendment shall be deemed relevant by the board. If an endorsement is
made, the amendment must pass two (2) consecutive readings before a quorum of the active
members by a two-thirds vote. If the amendment passes both the first and second reading, it
shall be added to the constitution. If the amendment fails either the first or second reading, it
shall be considered dead.
Section 4. In either the first or second reading, a vote may be made to send the amendment
back to the executive board for re-writing. This vote may not be made once the amendment has
failed reading and thus should be made prior to a vote in favor of or opposed to the amendment.
Section 5: Eligibility to vote on amendments must be determined by the active membership.
Section 6: Upon amending the constitution, it will immediately be submitted directly to the ALA
Coordinator for review and approval.

Authors:
Advisor: Nelson E Alon lll
(PM)
(DPM)
(Secretary)
(Secretary)
(DPC)
(DPC)
(DFT)
(DFT)
(Conveners)
(Conveners)
(DFA)
(DFA)
(Commissioner)