ATHEIST AND AGNOSTIC SOCIETY OF CORNELL CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I – Name
Sec 1. Organization Name: This organization shall be known as the Atheist and Agnostic
Society of Cornell, also known as AASC.
ARTICLE II – Affiliations
Sec 1. Affiliations: The AASC is currently affiliated with no other organizations.
ARTICLE III - Purpose
Sec 1. Purpose: The mission of the Atheist and Agnostic Society of Cornell is to
organize, unite, educate and serve people that promote atheist and agnostic ideas, the
ideals of scientific rationality, secularism, and human-based ethics. The organization
exists to provide community and support for atheist, agnostic, and secular students,
provide education on atheist and agnostic ideas through invited speakers and organized
debates, promote humanistic social values, and advocate for reason-based public policy.
ARTICLE IV - Membership Requirements & Limitations
Sec 1. Eligibility: Membership shall be open to all Cornell University students, faculty,
staff, and community members.
Sec 2. Discrimination: No person shall be denied membership based on race, color,
creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual preference, age, marital status,
citizenship or handicap.
ARTICLE V - Officers
Sec 1. Term and Limits: Officers serve for one full academic year after being elected.
Officer terms start at the beginning of the academic year. No person shall serve more
than two consecutive years in the same officer position.
Sec 2. Elections: During the first business meeting of the spring semester nominations for
officer positions should be accepted. Officers can also be self-nominated. During the next
business meeting, elections should be held according to the procedures outlined in the
bylaws. Officers should then train the officers-elect so that they should be able to
effectively run the AASC before the end of the academic year.
Sec 3. President: The duties of the President are to be as follows:
1. To preside over business and social meetings.
2. To call and preside over emergency meetings.
3. To direct and supervise the planning and running of AASC events.
Sec 4. Vice President: The duties of the Vice President are to be as follows:
1. To take on the duties of the President and/or Secretary in their absence(s).
2. To communicate with any Cornell student organization, outside organization, or
other person on the behalf of the AASC.
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3. To reserve rooms or other campus space for future AASC events and meetings.
4. To issue invitations to and make arrangements for speakers or other visitors on
behalf of the organization.
Sec 5. Treasurer: The duties of the Treasurer are to be as follows:
1. To manage the funds of the AASC, including maintaining a budget and issuing
payments.
2. To apply for funding from the SAFC each academic year.
Sec 6. Secretary: The duties of the Secretary are to be as follows:
1. To keep attendance records for all meetings.
2. To record and distribute minutes of all business and emergency meetings.
3. To send reminder emails to AASC members before all meetings and events.
4. To update the AASC electronic mailing lists with new members.
Sec 7. Impeachment: An officer may be relinquished of his or her duties with a simple
majority vote of all voting-eligible members during a business or emergency meeting.
Voting eligibility is defined as officers and members who have attended at least 2 prior
business meetings.
Sec 8. Emergency Replacement: In the event an officer position is unfilled, an election
should be held during the next business meeting.
ARTICLE VI - Organization Advisor
Sec 1. Selection: During the first business meeting of each academic year, an advisor
should be selected according to normal voting procedure.
Sec 2. Term: The advisor shall serve his or her duties for one academic year and is
allowed to serve in future consecutive years indefinitely.
Sec 3. Emergency Replacement: If the advisor is unable or unwilling to perform his or her
duties, a new advisor should be selected during the following business meeting.
ARTICLE VII - Meetings
Sec 1. Purpose: Business meetings are to conduct votes on referenda and hold elections.
Social meetings are to announcement upcoming events, promote community
involvement, hold discussions, and hold general elections.
Sec 2. Frequency: Business meetings will be held monthly. Social meetings will be held
bi-weekly.
Sec 3. Emergency Meetings: Emergency meetings should be announced whenever
members need to vote on a matter quickly. All emergency meetings must be announced
no less than 24 hours in advance. All emergency meetings must be held on campus.
ARTICLE VIII - Quorum
Sec 1. For Business Meetings: No business meeting may begin until at least 2/3 of
voting-eligible members are present. Voting eligibility is defined as officers and
members who have attended at least 2 prior business meetings.
Sec 2. For Officer Elections: There is no quorum necessary for general officer elections.
General officer elections will be held at social meetings with all members eligible to vote.
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Sec 3. For Emergency Meetings: No emergency meeting may be held without at least 2
officers present.
ARTICLE IX - Referendum
Sec 1. Propositions: Propositions must be proposed and voted on at business and
emergency meetings. Propositions should be discussed before a vote is held.
Sec 2. Voting Procedures: When proposition discussion ends in more than three options,
multi-choice (approval) voting should be used to cull the list to no more than three
options. Single-choice voting should then be used, with simple majority required to
declare a winner. In the event no option receives a simple majority, a final vote should be
held, disallowing abstentions, with the option receiving the most votes declared the
winner.
Sec 3. Limitations: Amendments to the constitution and officer elections may not be put
forward as propositions.
ARTICLE X - Amendments to the Constitution
Sec 1. Proposing Amendments: Amendments to the constitution must be put forward and
voted on at a general meeting.
Sec 2. Voting: All members present have a single vote and a 2/3rds majority is required.
ARTICLE XI - Ratification
Sec 1. Ratification: Ratification of the constitution must be put forward and voted on at a
general meeting.
Sec 2. Voting: All members present have a single vote and a 2/3rds majority is required.
