Article I: Name and Purpose

Section A: Name

The name of this organization, a faculty & staff organization at Texas A&M University (TAMU), shall be the GLBT Professional Network.

Section B: Purpose

The goal of this organization is to encourage and support the professional development of its members through the development and enhancement of opportunities for networking, peer support, education, and communication. The objectives are as follows:
To sponsor and support educational, social, and mentoring activities;
To support departmental, college, and university efforts to recruit and retain gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) faculty and staff;
To work with the administration to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for GLBT undergraduate and graduate students at TAMU;
To create opportunities for interaction and communication between GLBT Professional Network members; and
To work with administrators to establish policy positions and recommendations which express the sentiment of its membership on issues relevant to its mission.

Article II: Membership

Section A: Eligibility

Membership in GLBT Professional Network shall be open to all GLBT faculty, staff, and graduate students of Texas A&M University (TAMU). Membership may also be extended to GLBT persons unaffiliated with TAMU, but working/residing in the Bryan/College Station (B/CS) area. Sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity (or any other factor, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, nationality, veteran status, or religion) shall not be deterrents to inclusion of additional individuals at TAMU, or B/CS, who indicate a desire to become members, and are interested in advancing the presence, quality of life, educational opportunities, and professional status of GLBT persons at TAMU, and in the B/CS area. Members are neither required not expected to be "out" (make their sexual orientation or gender identity public) to any extent beyond the level the Member is comfortable.

Section B: Classifications

1) Dues-Paid Member:
A Dues-Paid Member shall be defined as any person who has paid dues for the current term, at set forth below. Dues-Paid Members shall have the right to vote in elections and on all issues brought before GLBT Professional Network. Officers and committee members in the organization must be Dues-Paid Members, except as otherwise indicated below.

2) Non-Voting Member:
Non-Voting Members are those persons who have not paid dues for the current term, regardless of affiliation with TAMU. Non-Voting Members are welcome at all organization meetings and events, but may not hold offices in the organization, serve on committees, nor may they vote in elections or on policy issues.

Section C: Privacy

The GLBT Professional Network shall not share, lend, or sell its member list or member contact information to any other organization, agency, individual, or corporation. GLBT Professional Network shall take all reasonable precautions to ensure that member privacy is protected. Names and contact information for officers and committee chairs shall, by necessity, be public, but otherwise membership status shall not be published or revealed without the prior consent of the member.

Section D: Dues and Dues Term

Membership dues shall be $20 for any person eligible for membership (see II.A). A Dues-Paid Member's dues term shall begin when the member pays dues and will last until the day before the first upcoming May meeting.

Article III: Organization and Leadership

Section A: Officers

Officers shall be elected by a simple majority of those Dues Paid Members present at the May meeting. Officers may serve multiple terms.

1) Elected Positions

a. President
The President shall schedule, organize, and preside over all meetings. The President shall have the authority to appoint additional committee chairs and committee members as necessary and appropriate to carry out the mission and activities of the GLBT Professional Network.

b. Vice President
The Vice President shall assist the President, and serve in her place if the President is absent. The Vice President shall also work with the Secretary on media relations and publicity.

c. . Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt and disbursal of all funds collected or spent on behalf of GLBT Professional Network. The Treasurer shall additionally be responsible for completing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 990-T and shall be responsible for ensuring that the GLBT-PN satisfies all its obligations as a non-private Not-For-Profit organization (IRS Code 501(c)(3)). When necessary the Treasurer will handle correspondence with the IRS including filing the form 990-T if requested or required to do so as outlined in letter 947. All materials relevant to the conduct of this position must be surrendered at the May meeting proceeding elections.

d. Secretary
The Secretary shall take notes of all meetings and be responsible for distributing them to the members. The secretary will also coordinate media relations and other publicity activities in order to enhance the awareness of the entire TAMU community of the mission and activities of GLBT Professional Network.

2) Removal from Office
In the event of misappropriation of funds, failing to perform officer duties as set forth in the Constitution, or representing the organization without the permission of the EC; elected officers may be removed from office by at 2/3 majority of voting members present at the regular meeting where removal from office is being voted upon. Notice of officer removal must be announced in the agenda of the meeting according to the agenda guidelines governing regular meetings. If an officer is removed from office, the EC shall appoint an officer to serve until an election for the position can be held at a Regular meeting.

3) Term Vacancies
If an elected officer leaves, or is removed from their position, during the term year, then the President shall appoint an interim replacement until the next regularly scheduled meeting at which time the vacancy may be filled by election of the general membership. If the President relinquishes their position, then the Vice President shall perform the duties of President until a replacement is elected as stated above. If an appointed officer shall relinquish his or her position, the President, with the approval of a majority of the Executive Committee, shall appoint a replacement to fulfill the term.

Section B: Committees

1) Executive Committee
The Executive Committee (EC) voting members shall consist of the four elected positions. The previous term's President may serve on the EC as "Past President" in an ex officio (non-voting) capacity. The chairs of all standing and ad hoc committees who are not elected officers shall also be ex officio (non-voting) members.

2) Membership and Fundraising Committee
The purpose of the Membership & Fundraising Committee (MFC) is to identify and pursue potential funding sources for GLBT Professional Network activities and operations, and find ways to publicize the organization and increase active membership. The Vice President shall serve as chair of the MFC.

3) Additional Committees
The President and/or membership may appoint temporary or ad hoc committees for specific purposes with the approval of the EC.

Section C: Web Page Oversight

The GLBT-PN Website will be maintained by a person appointed by the EC and coordinated by the Secretary. The GLBT-PN Website will maintained on a server such that the appointed person will have access to it.

Section D: Listserv Moderation

All GLBT-PN Listservs to be monitored by the GLBT-PN President to ensure mutual respect in communication. Personal attacks will result in removal from listserv until the President decides reinstatement is appropriate. Other inappropriate comments will receive a warning followed by removal from the listserv on second offense. Appeals may be made to the EC for reinstatement of removed members.

Article IV: Meetings

Section A: Regular Meetings

The President will schedule at least one Regular Meeting per month. At least 8 members or 10% of total voting membership, whichever is greater, must be present in order to conduct business. Voting business shall be restricted to items present on an agenda, which will be made available to the membership at least seven days in advance of the regular meeting. In matters of discussion related to organization business, the president will moderate the discussion. The President may also choose to postpone discussion of an issue until the next Regular or Special meeting, where the issue must be readdressed immediately after any officer announcements. Roberts Rules of Order shall be used as procedure for any event not addressed by the Constitution.

Section B: Executive Committee Meetings

The President shall schedule at least one Executive Committee (EC) meeting each month. To hold a meeting the EC must be notified at least 7 days in advance. A quorum of 3/4 of the voting EC members shall be necessary for the holding of an EC meeting. Voting and non-voting EC members may send agenda requests to the President at least 2 days before a meeting and the President shall place them on the agenda. The agenda must be made available to the EC at least 1 day before the meeting. EC meetings may be held electronically with a unanimous consent of the EC members. Dues-Paid members may address the EC at the beginning of the EC meeting, so long as notice is given to the President or EC at least seven days in advance.

Section C: Other Committee Meetings

The committee chair shall determine the procedures, policy, medium, schedule, reporting, duration, and organization for their committee. They will confirm their decisions about these issues with the EC prior to the formation of the committee and will conduct business according to the final approval of EC until the committee is dissolved. At the end of the committee's preset duration, the committee chair can appeal to the EC for an extension on the committee's existence.

Section D: Special Meetings

The President may call special meetings for the conduct of GLBT-PN business as long as members are notified 7 days in advance of the meeting. Special Meetings will be conducted under the same guidelines governing Regular Meetings.

Article V: Amendment and Ratification of the Constitution

Section A: Amendment
This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the voting membership present at any official regular meeting of the GLBT Professional Network, provided no less than two weeks' written notice has been provided to all GLBT Professional Network members of the fact that changes are being proposed and of their general scope.

The individual(s) proposing such changes shall be responsible for notifying the President two meetings in advance in order to coordinate the notification of membership. Changes outside the general scope announced cannot be considered at such a meeting, but can of course be proposed for consideration at a future meeting provided that the same requirements for prior written notification are met.

Section B: Ratification
This Constitution shall become the official governing document of the GLBT Professional Network upon review and consent of 4/5 of the active membership at the time of ratification.

Ratified on May 5, 2003