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Constitution of the Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community

(Ratified by the Provisional House Council on February 4, 2003, passed a general vote of the House Membership in March 2003)

I. Name

The Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community

II. Mission

To promote fellowship, scholarship, citizenship, and the general welfare of the members of the Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community.

III. Membership

Membership shall be of the following classes:

Active Members - All residents of the Sidney-Pacific Graduate Residence.
Honorary Members - Individuals who have rendered distinguished service to the Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community, to be elected by a two-thirds vote of the Sidney-Pacific House Council.
Visiting Members - Individuals not falling in the first two classes who are granted some of the privileges of membership.
Alumni Members - Individuals who were formerly Active Members.
Remote Members - Individuals who would be Active Members if not for extenuating circumstances, who are extended some or all of the privileges of Active Members according to the bylaws.

IV. House Council

The legislative and executive powers of the Sidney Pacific Graduate Community shall be vested in a Sidney-Pacific House Council, charged with representing the interests and furthering the Mission of the Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community, levying the House Tax and controlling the disposition of House funds for the benefit of Members, and controlling and promoting the use of the House avocational and recreational facilities. The House Council shall consist of a Hall Council, a Cabinet, and an Executive Council, each granted specific authorities as provided below. No member of the House Council shall hold more than one office therein.

Hall Council - The Hall Council shall consist of one Councilor from each Hall, elected by the Active Members of the Hall thereof for a one year term of office. No person shall be a member of the Hall Council who is not an Active Member. The Hall Councilors shall be charged with serving as a point of contact and representing the interests of their respective Halls to the House Council as well as organizing activities and encouraging interactions among the residents at the Hall level. The enumeration and demarcation of the Halls shall be provided in the Bylaws.
Cabinet - The Cabinet shall consist of the Chairs for each of the Standing Committees recognized by the House Council, as appointed by the Executive Council for a one year term of office. The enumeration and duties of the Standing Committees shall be provided in the Bylaws.
Executive Council - The Executive Council shall consist of five voting members: the President, VP of Resources and three others, each elected by the House Council to serve one year terms of office. The President shall designate one of these three to serve in his or her place in the event that the President is unable to perform the required duties. The Executive Council is charged with coordinating the actions of the House Council, setting the agenda and presiding at meetings of the House Council, representing the Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community to persons outside, presenting the budget for ratification by the House Council, and other duties as provided in the Bylaws. No person shall be a member of the Executive Council who is not an Active Member and a graduate student. Decisions of the Executive Council shall be made by majority vote, with the Housemasters and House Manager serving in an advisory capacity.

The House Council may enact legislation by a majority vote of those present at a House Council Meeting, however a two-thirds vote shall be required if proposed legislation countermands an existing policy enacted by the Hall Council, Cabinet or Executive Council, in which case the decision of the House Council shall take precedence. Voting rights for both legislation and elections will be distributed to the various offices (Hall Council position, Standing Committee of the Cabinet, or Executive Council position). The number of votes allocated to each office of the House Council shall be specified in the Bylaws.

V. Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees shall exercise the judicial powers of the Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community, administrate fair elections, act in an advisory capacity to the House Council, and assume other duties as requested by the House Council. The Board shall consist of at least three members, nominated by the Executive Council and confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the House Council, holding office so long as Active Membership is maintained. The Board shall elect a Chair from among its members for a one year term of office. No member of the Board may be a member of the House Council. Decisions of the Board shall be made by majority vote. Cases may be brought before the Board by petition, in writing, of any Member.

VI. Meetings

The House Council shall meet at least once every month at the call of the President. Meetings shall be announced and their agenda publicized at least one week prior to being held. A majority of the membership of the House Council shall constitute a quorum for House Council Meetings. A majority of the total votes allocated to the House Council shall additionally be required for quorum for holding votes (e.g. passing legislation, holding elections). Votes of yes, no, or abstain shall all count towards quorum. Robert's Rules of Order shall prevail, unless they are in conflict with the Constitution or Bylaws. Proxies may be submitted by petition in writing to the Executive Council. Meetings shall be open to all Members.

VII. Removal From Office

Impeachment - In the event of negligence of duties or of conduct unbecoming an officer of Sidney-Pacific, impeachment proceedings may be brought against a member of the House Council or Board of Trustees through petition, in writing, to the Magistrate by ten percent of the membership of the House Council or by ten percent of the Active Membership.
Magistrate and Review Board - If a member of the House Council is the party impeached, the Chair of the Board of Trustees shall serve as the Magistrate and the Board of Trustees shall serve as the Review Board. If a member of the Board of Trustees is the party impeached, the President shall serve as the Magistrate and the Executive Council shall serve as the Review Board. Each member of the Review Board shall have the right to recuse himself or herself from a case and appoint a replacement.
Review - If the impeachment petition has not been endorsed by a majority of the House Council, the Magistrate shall convene the Review Board to discuss the merits of the impeachment case. If it is determined by a two-thirds vote of the Review Board that the case is spurious or without merit, the impeachment proceedings shall end without finding.
Conviction - If the case for impeachment has satisfied or bypassed Review, the Magistrate shall notify the impeached officer of the time and place of the vote for Conviction, which shall take place during a House Council Meeting no less than two weeks and no more than two months after notification. The Magistrate shall officiate the proceedings, offering the impeachers the opportunity to state their case and the impeached officer or his or her designee their defense. The impeached officer or his or her designee will also be granted the option to make a statement immediately before the vote for Conviction. Conviction requires a two-thirds vote of the House Council and results in an immediate removal from office.
Removal of Cabinet Members - Cabinet members serve at the discretion of the Executive Council. In the event of a failure to perform the duties expected of their committee or of conduct unbecoming of an officer of Sidney-Pacific, Cabinet members may be dismissed, following the issuance of a written warning, by a majority vote of the Executive Council. Such dismissal is subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees.

VIII. Vacancies

Vacancies in the House Council shall be announced at the earliest possible House Council meeting, and filled by decision of the respective electing body before or during the following meeting. In order that House business may continue unimpeded, the Executive Council may use its discretion to make temporary appointments to fill vacant offices of the House Council. The Executive Council shall also make temporary appointments as necessary in order to retain the minimum membership of the Board of Trustees of three. In no case shall a temporary appointment last longer than three consecutive months.

IX. Amendments

Constitution - Amendments to the Constitution may originate in the House Council or by petition in writing by ten percent of the Active Membership. The Council shall vote on any amendments during the House Council Meeting following their announcement. Adoption requires a three-fourths vote of the House Council, followed by a majority vote of the Active Members voting in a referendum prior to the subsequent House Council meeting.
Bylaws - Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the House Council.

X. Ratification

Ratification of this Constitution and the appended Bylaws requires a three-fourths vote of the provisional House Council followed by a majority vote of the Active Members voting in a referendum. If passed, it shall take effect immediately.

XI. ASA Compliance

The Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community agrees to abide by the rules and regulations of the Association of Student Activities, and its executive board. This constitution, amendments to it, and the by-laws of this organization shall be subject to review by the ASA Executive Board to ensure that they are in accordance with the aforementioned rules and regulations.

Constitutional Amendments

Constitutional Amendment 1

The clause "Decisions of the Board shall be made by majority vote, with the Residential Life Associate serving in an advisory capacity." in Article V shall be amended to "Decisions of the Board shall be made by majority vote."

Constitutional Amendment 2

An additional section (e) entitled "Removal of Cabinet Members" shall be added to Article VII, "Removal from Office", to read as follows: Removal of Cabinet Members - Cabinet members serve at the discretion of the Executive Council. In the event of a failure to perform the duties expected of their committee or of conduct unbecoming of an officer of Sidney-Pacific, Cabinet members may be dismissed, following the issuance of a written warning, by a majority vote of the Executive Council. Such dismissal is subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees.

Constitutional Amendment 3

In Section IVb: - Replacement of "The Cabinet shall consist of one Chair, appointed by the Executive Council for a one year term of office, of each of the Standing Committees recognized by the House Council." with "The Cabinet shall consist of the Chairs for each of the Standing Committees recognized by the House Council, as appointed by the Executive Council for a one year term of office."

In Article IV:

Replacement of
- The House Council may enact legislation by a majority vote of those present at a House Council Meeting, however a two-thirds vote shall be required if proposed legislation countermands an existing policy enacted by the Hall Council, Cabinet or Executive Council, in which case the decision of the House Council shall take precedence. Voting rights of the various offices of the House Council shall be specified in the Bylaws.
with
- The House Council may enact legislation by a majority vote of those present at a House Council Meeting, however a two-thirds vote shall be required if proposed legislation countermands an existing policy enacted by the Hall Council, Cabinet or Executive Council, in which case the decision of the House Council shall take precedence. Voting rights for both legislation and elections will be distributed to the various offices (Hall Council position, Standing Committee of the Cabinet, or Executive Council position). The number of votes allocated to each office of the House Council shall be specified in the Bylaws.
and relocation of the above text to follow Section IVc.

In Article VI:

Replacement of "A majority of the membership of the House Council shall constitute a quorum, and" with "A majority of the membership of the House Council shall constitute a quorum for House Council Meetings. A majority of the total votes allocated to the House Council shall additionally be required for quorum for holding votes (e.g. passing legislation, holding elections). Votes of yes, no, or abstain shall all count towards quorum."

Add Article XI: ASA Compliance: - The Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community agrees to abide by the rules and regulations of the Association of Student Activities, and its executive board. This constitution, amendments to it, and the by-laws of this organization shall be subject to review by the ASA Executive Board to ensure that they are in accordance with the aforementioned rules and regulations.

Constitutional Amendment 4

In Section IVc: - Replacement of "The Executive Council shall consist of five voting members: the Chair of the Halls, elected by the Hall Council for a one year term of office and the President and three others, each elected by the House Council to serve one year terms of office." with "The Executive Council shall consist of five voting members: the President, VP of Resources and three others, each elected by the House Council to serve one year terms of office."

Constitutional Amendment 5

Add the following to Section III: - Remote Members - Individuals who would be Active Members if not for extenuating circumstances, who are extended some or all of the privileges of Active Members according to the bylaws.

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Bylaws of the Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community

(Ratified by the Provisional House Council on February 4, 2003, passed a general vote of the House Membership in March 2003)

I. Offices of the House Council

President - The President shall set the agenda and preside at meetings of the House Council and Executive Council, coordinate the activities of the Executive Council, and act as the chief representative of the Sidney-Pacific Graduate Community. The President shall have oversight of the Office of the President, consisting of the following Standing Committees:
1. Neighborhood Outreach Committee - Charged with the establishment of connections and promotion and facilitation of interactions between the Sidney-Pacific and surrounding communities.
2. Committee for Scholarly Interactions - Charged with the promotion and facilitation of scholarly, cross-departmental, and intellectual interactions among Members as well as the establishment of connections and promotion and facilitation of interaction between Members and MIT faculty.
3. Environmental Committee - Charged with the education of Members and facilitation of Members' efforts regarding conservation, recycling, and other environmental initiatives.
Chair of the Halls - The Chair of the Halls shall set the agenda and preside at meetings of the Hall Council and otherwise coordinate the activities of the Hall Council. The Chair of the Halls is further responsible for running the Internal In-House Lottery in accordance with the deadlines set by the Graduate Housing Office. The Sidney-Pacific Graduate Residence shall be divided into Halls according to floor and a North (Gray and Orange Wings) or South (Blue and Green Wings) designation as follows:
1. Floor 9
2. Floor 8
3. Floor 7
4. Floor 6
5. Floor 5 - South
6. Floor 4 - South
7. Floor 3 - South
8. Floor 5 - North
9. Floor 4 - North
10. Floor 3 - North
11. Floor 2 - North
12. Floors 1 and 2 - South
In addition to the duties as specified in the Constitution, each Hall Councilor shall be expected to reside on the same floor as at least part of their Hall.

In addition to managing the Hall Council, the Chair of the Halls shall have oversight of the following Standing Committee:
1. Interhall Committee - Charged with the development and oversight of resident-driven communities and events, as well as initiatives to improve the daily lives of residents.
Vice-President of Information - The Vice-President of Information shall be the member of the Executive Council charged with directing the information resources and communication efforts of the House Council, including the recording, filing and publication of House Council and Executive Council minutes, maintenance of records, publicity, and facilitation of external liaisons. The Vice-President of Information shall have oversight of the Office of Information, consisting of the following Standing Committees:
1. Web Committee - Charged with the development and maintenance of the Sidney-Pacific webpage and the SPIDir (Sidney-Pacific Information Directive) Database.
2. Publicity Committee - Charged with the design and distribution of publicity materials for the House Council and the management of the publicity efforts of outside agencies within the House.
3. Sidney-Pacific Television (SPTV) Committee - Charged with the development and scheduling of regular programming for SPTV, facilitation of House Council publicity efforts on SPTV, development and maintenance of a videographic record of life at Sidney-Pacific, and encouragement of resident involvement in SPTV programming development.
4. Social Media Committee – charged with advertising future events and publicizing past events on SP social media.
5. Archive/Photography committee - Charged with the development and maintenance of a written and visual record of life at Sidney-Pacific.
Vice-President of Residential Life - The Vice-President of Residential Life shall be the member of the Executive Council charged with directing the House-wide social and cultural activities of the House. The Vice-President of Residential Life shall have oversight of the Office of Residential Life, consisting of the following Standing Committees:
1. Cultural Committee - Charged with the organization and encouragement of activities for the cultural enrichment of Members and promotion of intercultural exchange, including but not limited to the SPICE program.
2. Social Committee - Charged with the organization and encouragement of activities that provide opportunities for social interaction among Members, the production of orientation resources, and the organization of a program of orientation activities for new Members entering in the Fall and Spring terms.
3. Brunch Committee - Charged with the organization of regular House brunches.
4. Coffee Hour Committee - Charged with the organization of weekly coffee-hour social events.
5. Outing Committee - Charged with the organization and encouragement of outdoor activities and promoting appreciation for the natural world.
6. Arts Committee - Charged with the development and maintenance of public art within the House and the encouragement of artistic expression and appreciation among Members.
Vice-President of Resources - The Vice-President of Resources shall be the member of the Executive Council charged with directing the use of House physical resources, avocational and recreational facilities and stewarding the financial resources of the House Council. The Vice-President of Resources shall have oversight of the Office of Resources, consisting of the following Standing Committees:
1. Athletics Committee - Charged with the organization and encouragement of athletic activities and the development and maintenance of the House Exercise and Game Rooms and other House athletic equipment.
2. Bikes Committee - Charged with the development, maintenance and direction of the Sidney-Pacific bicycle fleet.
3. Plants Committee - Charged with the development and maintenance of the Sidney-Pacific plants and education of Members regarding care and appreciation of plants.
4. Aquarium Committee - Charged with the development and maintenance of the Sidney-Pacific aquarium and education of Members regarding care and appreciation of aquatic creatures.
5. Audio/Visual Committee - Charged with the development, maintenance, and direction of the Sidney-Pacific electronic audio/visual equipment.
6. Music Committee - Charged with the development, maintenance and direction of the Sidney-Pacific Music Room and encouragement of musical expression and appreciation among Members.
7. Information Technology Committee - Charged with the development, maintenance, and direction of the Sidney-Pacific Resource Center and other House information technology equipment and education of Members regarding their use.
8. Committee of the Controller - Charged with the processing of House Council financial transactions and maintenance and reporting of House Council financial records.
9. Inventory Committee - Charged with the upkeep of the inventory database and the oversight of front-desk and main lobby resources.

II. Meeting Procedure

At the beginning of each meeting of the House Council, Robert's Rules of Order shall be suspended and the meeting shall be officiated at the discretion of the President. Any member of the House Council may, at any time during the meeting, require the reinstatement of Robert's Rules. All votes shall be conducted publicly and entered in the minutes of the meeting, except those involving elections, which shall be performed by secret ballot. Each member of the Executive Council and each Standing Committee with at least one chair shall receive one vote. Each Hall Councilor shall receive a (possibly fractional) number of votes equal to the total number of Standing Committees with at least one chair and non-empty Executive Council positions divided by the number of hall councilors. Before the house meeting, each Standing Committee with multiple members must choose one member (or a proxy) to vote on the committee's behalf and notify SPEC of their choice. Any proxies for other offices must also be submitted before the meeting.

III. Elections

Voters will be asked to rank a minimum of five candidates (or all candidates if their number is smaller than five) in order of preference and the votes will be counted using the Partial Preferential method. If no candidate receives a majority of first choice votes, the candidate with the fewest first place votes will be eliminated and that candidate's votes will go to the candidate that was listed as a second choice. This process will continue until a candidate receives a majority of the votes and is declared the winner. The first runner-up is determined by eliminating the winner from the votes cast and applying the partial preferential method as described above among the remaining candidates. This process is repeated until a complete order of finish for all candidates is determined. (In the event of a tie in a hall council election that cannot be broken by any other means, the Chair of the Halls may cast a deciding vote.) The winning candidate in any election shall be granted the option to accept office. If the option is not exercised within a time period specified by the trustees (not less than three days), it shall pass to the runners-up, in order of finish, resting with each for a period of one day, until the office is accepted.

Executive Council - The Sidney-Pacific Executive Council shall be composed of Members chosen annually by the House Council according to the following procedure.

Nominations shall open at either the February House Council Meeting or a special event in February or March where at least 80 Active Members are present. Nominations will remain open for a predetermined period of between ten and fourteen days. Any person qualified to serve on the Executive Council may be nominated by any Active Member, either verbally at the meeting/event where nominations open or in writing to the Board of Trustees. Nominees will be considered to have accepted their nomination when they submit a statement of candidacy to the Board of Trustees. Elections for all Executive Council positions with an accepted nomination shall take place concurrently at the first House Council Meeting held after the close of nominations. The Board of Trustees will preside over Executive Council elections, allowing each candidate to make a statement and respond to questions prior to the casting of the votes. All Executive Council positions will be elected by the full House Council. After elections, the Executive Council-Elect will commence transitional training until the subsequent House Council Meeting. The official term of office for the Executive Council-elects shall begin immediately at the start of the May house meeting.

When vacancies occur in the Executive Council, nominations will remain open until a nomination is accepted. Elections for all positions with an accepted nomination will be held concurrently at the first House Council Meeting after acceptance of a nomination according to the rules above.
Hall Council - The Sidney-Pacific Hall Council shall be chosen annually by Active Members residing in each hall.

Nominations shall open at the House Council Meeting where the Executive Council is elected. Any person qualified to serve on the Hall Council may be nominated by any Active Member verbally, at the meeting where nominations open, or in writing to the Board of Trustees. Nominees will have been considered to have accepted their nomination when they submit an application in the period specified by the Board of Trustees. Applications for HC positions must close at least one week after the election of the Executive Council.

Each Hall Councilor will organize a meet-the-candidates event for their Hall. Multiple halls can hold joint meet-the-candidates events. The Board of Trustees shall officiate the meet-the-candidates events.

Active Members of each Hall may cast their votes for a period of time (called the election period) advertised in advance by the Board of Trustees lasting no less than one week and no longer than one month. Newly-elected Hall Councilors shall take office at the start of the May House Council Meeting.

The Executive Council shall interview candidates before the election period opens. A majority of the Executive Council may disqualify any candidate if there are serious concerns about their fitness to perform hall councilor duties or at the recommendation of the Heads of House. Disqualifications should not be used to encourage candidates toward other office positions. If a candidate is disqualified by the Executive Council, the candidate may appeal to the Board of the Trustees, who will investigate and may override the disqualification with a majority vote. The appeals process may take no longer than one week. The election period for Hall Councilor elections may not open before all disqualifications have been issued and any appeals have been considered. Residents can only vote for remaining candidates. Elected hall councilors may be subjected to a background check at the discretion of the Heads of House at any time after the election. The Heads of House may inform the Executive Council about the fitness of an elected Hall Councilor for the position after they receive the results of the background check without disclosure of the background check information to the Executive Council. The Executive Council may decide to disqualify an elected hall councilor based on the concern of the Heads of House.

When vacancies occur in the Hall Council, the Executive Council may open the nominations immediately. Nominations shall remain open at least two weeks and until at least 3 days after the first accepted nomination. Hall Meetings will be organized for the Active Members of the respective Halls by the Executive Council or Board of Trustees. Any elections for all positions will proceed thereafter according to the rules above. If a Hall Council position remains vacant at the conclusion of an election, or if the associated nominations close without a candidate, then the Executive Council may appoint an eligible person to the position. Any Active Member of the associated Hall may request a simple majority confirmation vote on the appointment within one week of the appointment. All relevant residents must be informed of this right at the time of the appointment and provided a mechanism for anonymously sending feedback or vote requests to the Board of Trustees.

Candidates shall be subject to the following campaigning guidelines:
- Candidates may send campaign-related emails to halls for which they are running via the appropriate listserv.
- Candidates are not allowed to spend their own, individual money on any products or services related to a campaign or distribute any products or services as promotional materials to residents of halls for which they are running.
- However, candidates are allowed to use up to $20 of SP funding set by SPEC (via the established spending and reimbursement process) to host events for the residents of hallways in order to meet residents and promote their candidacy. Note that this is not required of candidates.
- Candidates may promote their candidacy by talking to individual residents.
- Candidates cannot receive public endorsements from members of the SP Hall Council, Executive Council, or Trustees.
Cabinet - The Sidney-Pacific Cabinet shall be composed of active members and/or students enrolled in an MIT graduate program or who have accepted an offer of enrollment in the subsequent academic year, appointed annually by the Executive Council. Terms of office shall begin at the start of the May House Council Meeting. The Executive Council-elect may appoint officers for transitional training purposes at any point. Such officers do not hold voting rights until their official term of office begins. The Executive Council-elect shall make a good faith attempt to fill the majority of offices listed in the bylaws via such appointments in advance of the May House Council Meeting. When vacancies occur in the cabinet, the Executive Council may make new appointments immediately. All new appointees may take office immediately or at the start of the first House Council Meeting after their appointment, at the discretion of the Executive Council.
Board of Trustees - The Sidney-Pacific Board of Trustees shall be composed of Active Members appointed for the duration of their time as an Active Member. They shall be appointed by the Executive Council and confirmed by the House Council according to the following procedure.

Candidates for membership on the Board of Trustees may be nominated by the Executive Council during any House Council Meeting. The nominee shall be subject to a confirmation vote by the House Council, requiring approval by at least two-thirds of the Valid House Council Votes, at the first House Council Meeting held at least two weeks after their nomination.

The Chair of Board of Trustees shall be a member of the Board of Trustees elected for a one-year term by the Board of Trustees according to the following procedure.

The election for the Chair of the Board of Trustees shall occur in April, on a date determined by the Chair and announced to the Trustees at least one week in advance. The Trustees shall meet on the specified date, and nominations for Chair shall be entered verbally, by any Trustee, during the meeting. The vote shall be held using a secret ballot, and the Chair-Elect shall take office immediately.

IV. Seniority Point System

A seniority point system shall be used to preferentially allocate vacant rooms, guest rooms, parking spaces and other limited resources among Members. Unless otherwise noted in the Bylaws, these points shall be awarded by the Executive Council, in consultation with the Housemasters and House Manager and with input from the House Council, Board of Trustees, and other Members. The points shall be awarded in the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms through the following (non-exclusive) channels:

Each Active Member shall be awarded one point per term of residence in Sidney-Pacific.
Each Member of the Cabinet and Hall Councils excluding the Executive Council shall be awarded up to a maximum of two extra points per term, to be determined by the Executive Council. Awards of more than one additional point should reflect the performance of the Cabinet Member or Hall Councilor as well as their commitment to go above and beyond their duty. Awards of less than one additional point should be accompanied by a recommendation of how to improve in their position.
Each Member of the Executive Council shall be awarded two extra points per term. In addition, each Member of the Executive Council shall be awarded up to a maximum of one additional extra point per term by a majority vote of that Member's House Councilors. This point should reflect the ability of the Executive Council Member to go above and beyond their duty.
Each Active Member not part of the House Council can be awarded up to one extra point per term for exceptional service to the community.

V. Remote Member Status

The Executive Council, in consultation with the Board of Trustees, may grant Remote Member status to an individual who would otherwise be an Active Member if not for extenuating circumstances, to provide the person with voting rights, the ability to hold positions requiring Active Member status, and other privileges typically granted to Active Members as deemed appropriate. This decision should take into account any recommendations made by the Heads of House based on information exclusive to them. This designation may be granted retroactively. An individual’s Remote Member status will be reviewed for renewal by the Executive Council twice yearly (each August and January) to determine whether the individual continues to qualify for Remote Member status. An individual may appeal the Executive Council’s decision on their Remote Membership status and subsequent renewals to the Board of Trustees, who, by a majority vote, may provide a supersessive decision.

Bylaw Amendments

Bylaw Amendment 1

Members of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority resident in Hall Floor 2 North shall not be included in the constituency of the Floor 2 North Hall Councilor, but represented in the House Council by the Kappa Alpha Theta representative in the Office of the President.

Kappa Alpha Theta Representation Committee - Charged with the representation of Kappa Alpha Theta interests in the House Council, the maintenance of open channels of communication between the Kappa Alpha Theta leadership and the Executive Council, and the promotion of interaction between Members and Kappa Alpha Theta.

Bylaw Amendment 2

In addition to the duties as specified in the Constitution, Hall Councilors shall be expected to reside in their respective Halls.

Bylaw Amendment 3

Each Active Member shall be awarded one point per term of residence in Sidney-Pacific.
Each member of the House Council shall be eligible for up to two points per term, awarded on the basis of service performed.
Members of Cabinet and Hall Committees who are not members of the House Council are eligible for one point for term, awarded on the basis of service performed and the recommendation of the relevant House Councilor.
Each member of the Executive Council is eligible for one point per term, awarded by majority vote of the members of the relevant Office, on the basis of service performed.
Any Member may be awarded a point on the basis of exceptional service to the House.

Bylaw Amendment 4

Add two committees to Bylaws: 1. Coffee Hour Committee: Charged with the organization of weekly coffee-hour social events. (in the Office of the Vice President of Residential Life) 1. Inventory Committee: Charged with the upkeep of the inventory database and the oversight of front-desk and main lobby resources. (in the Office of the Vice President of Resources)

Delete the phrase from the Bylaws:

Chair of the Halls: ... organize the weekly coffeehours in conjunction with the Hall Councilors,...

Bylaw Amendment 5

Modifications of Hall Designations for Floors 5 and 6 (in section lb - Chair of the Halls):

Delete: sections iv. (Floor 6 - South) and x. (Floors 5 and 6 - North).
Add: section iv. (Floor 6) and x. (Floor 5 - North).

Bylaw Amendment 6

In the Office of Resources section, delete the Environment committee.

Bylaw Amendment 7

In the Office of Information section: - Deletion of History/Library and Photography committees. - Addition of Archive/Photography committee - Charged with the development and maintenance of a written and visual record of life at Sidney-Pacific.

Bylaw Amendment 8

In the Office of Residential Life section, delete the Movie Committee.

Bylaw Amendment 9

In section 1b of the bylaws, Chair of the Halls: - The Chair of the Halls is further responsible for running the Internal In-House Lottery in accordance with the deadlines set by the Graduate Housing Office.

Bylaw Amendment 10

In section 1a of the bylaws, Office of the President: - Deletion of the Housefellows Liaison Committee. - Modification of the Committee for Scholarly Interactions - Charged with the promotion and facilitation of scholarly, cross-departmental, and intellectual interactions among Members as well as the establishment of connections and promotion and facilitation of interaction between Members and MIT faculty.

Bylaw Amendment 11

In section 1a of the bylaws, Office of the President, delete the Kappa Alpha Theta Representation Committee.

Trustee note: this amendment did not explicitly remove the text in the Chair of the Halls section: "Members of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority resident in Hall Floor 2 North shall not be included in the constituency of the Floor 2 North Hall Councilor, but represented in the House Council by the Kappa Alpha Theta representative in the Office of the President.". It was removed in Bylaw Amendment 25, but was not in effect between Amendment 11 and Amendment 25.

Bylaw Amendment 12

In section 1a of the bylaws, Office of the President, delete the Graduate Student Council Representation Committee.

Bylaw Amendment 13

In section 1a of the bylaws, Office of the President: - Addition of the Environmental Committee: Charged with the education of Members and facilitation of Members' efforts regarding conservation, recycling, and other environmental initiatives.

Bylaw Amendment 14

In section III of the bylaws:

Changing the amount of time that winning officer candidates have to decide whether they will accept the position. Change "if the option is not exercised within one week" to "if the option is not exercised within time period specified by the trustees (no less than three days)"
Provide a decisive end-rule in the case of ties in hall councilor elections that cannot be adjudicated by any other means III. Add "In the event of a tie in a hall council election that cannot be broken by any other means, the Chair of the Halls may cast a deciding vote."

Bylaw Amendment 15

In section 3a of the bylaws: - Modification of the election timeline - replace "Elections for all five Executive Council positions shall take place concurrently during the April House Council Meeting, which shall be held no fewer than three weeks following the March Meeting." with "Elections for all five Executive Council positions shall take place concurrently at a House meeting, which shall be held after the close of nominations."

Trustee note: the listed election timeline is ambiguous, since this amendment does not change the downstream text that still refers to specific named months. This section is replaced by Bylaw Amendment 28 and made unambiguous, so this is not a problem.

Bylaw Amendment 16

In the Office of Residential Life section: - Addition of Arts Committee - Deletion of Athletics Committee

Bylaw Amendment 17

In the Office of Resources section: - Deletion of Arts Committee - Addition of Athletics Committee

Bylaw Amendment 18

Change the Hall division under the CHair of the Halls to: The Sidney-Pacific Graduate Residence shall be divided into Halls according to the following: 1. Floors 1 & 2 South (Phase I); Floor 2 North (Phase II) 1. Floors 3 & 4 South (Phase I); Floor 3 North (Phase II) 1. Floors 5 & 6 South (Phase I); Floor 6 North (Phase II) 1. Floors 7 & 8 blue (Phase I); Floor 4 North (Phase II) 1. Floors 8 orange & 9 (Phase I); Floor 5 North (Phase II)