Secular Student Alliance
Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Article I: Name
This organization shall be known as the Secular Student Alliance of Clarion University and referred to as “the
organization” within this document.

Article II.- Purpose
The purposes of the organization shall be to 1) promote and practice the open, rational, and scientific examination of
the universe and our place in it, 2) and that ethics and morality can be meaningfully based on rational and
humanistic ideals and values, 3) promote skeptical inquiry, 4) provide community for atheists, agnostics, humanists,
skeptics, naturalists and other freethinkers, 5) organize activities, such as forums for discussion, guest speakers, and
debates that educate Clarion University and the surrounding community, 6) foster acceptance of freethinkers, and 7)
advocate for the separation between church and state.
Article III: Membership
Section 1.
Membership shall be open to all Clarion University students, faculty, and staff, and community members. Only
students may be voting members. All may be non-voting members.
Section 2.
To become a member, one need only inform the Secretary. Membership runs from the day of informing the
Secretary to the day after the end of the Spring academic term. At any time during the Spring academic term a
standing member may express their desire to renew their membership for the following year.
Section 3.
Membership ends upon 1) end of the normal membership cycle without a prior request to renew, 2) the member's
request, 3) the member no longer being a student, faculty, staff or community member, 4) majority vote of the
membership at a properly announced meeting with quorum to revoke that person’s membership. Voting membership
becomes non-voting membership when a voting member is no longer a student at Clarion University.
Section 4.
Members who are removed by a vote may not join the organization again until the next academic year. Members
who are removed lose any officer positions they may have held within the organization.
Section 5.
In certain cases, honorary membership can be granted to those who cannot qualify as members. Honorary
membership is a symbolic way to show affiliation with the organization for interested parties and to give
organizational acknowledgment for the honorary member's support for the organization. Honorary members do not
have the privilege of voting. Honorary membership may be extended to anyone via a majority vote of the elected
officers.

Alumni membership can be granted to members of the group that have graduated from Clarion University of
Pennsylvania. Graduates will be given the option to be Alumni members at their discretion. Students that transfer
out but do not graduate cannot be Alumni members but can still be honorary members. Alumni members do not
have the privilege of voting.
Section 6
This organization and its members shall not discriminate against any individuals for reasons of race, color, creed,
religion, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, age, handicap, or veteran status.

Article IV: Funding
Section 1.
The organization has the power to levee annual dues against the membership. The dues must be approved by a
majority vote of the membership at a normal business meeting.
Section 2.
The organization will accept funding from the Clarion University Student Senate when it becomes available to the
group.
Section 3.
The organization reserves the option of conducting fundraisers as needed.

Article V: Officers
Section 1.
The elected offices of this organization shall be Chair, Vice-Chair for Activities, Treasurer, Secretary, and the
public relations director. Additional positions may be created via a majority vote of the elected officers.
Section 2.
Officers shall be elected at least a month before the end of each Spring term. Members shall be notified of a pending
election at least two weeks in advance. The elected officers shall appoint a nominating committee to recruit a slate
of officers before the election, though nominations can also be taken from the floor. Only voting members that plan
to remain voting members during the next year are eligible to run. Election shall occur by secret ballot of voting
members at a meeting with quorum. The candidate with the most votes wins; uncontested candidates win by default.
Terms shall begin at the general meeting following the election, and shall last until the terms of the next officers
begin. There is no limit on the number of terms an individual may hold office.
Section 3.
If for any reason an officer is unable or unwilling to fulfill their commitments, they may resign and the remaining
elected officers may appoint, via majority vote, replacement(s) who will serve until the next election period.
Section 4.
Elected Officers:

The Chair shall 1) organize and preside over meetings, activities and events, 2) be the official representative for the
organization, 3) maintain contact with related outside organizations, 4) ensure this Constitution is followed, 5) have
the final word in all decisions where a vote is not specifically called for in this document, 6) break any tie vote.
The Vice-Chair for Activities shall 1) plan, organize, and coordinate events for the organization, 2) be responsible
for reserving appropriate spaces for events, 3) thank all presenters.
The Treasurer shall 1) be responsible for all financial matters, 2) be responsible for keeping records and possession
(on behalf of the group) of all merchandise, 3) keep the organization current with all paper work that needs to be
filed with Clarion University, 4) prepare a budget for the following academic term by the last meeting of the current
academic term 5) if there is not an appointed secretary, the Treasurer shall take on the roles of processing
membership requests and keeping a current roster of all members., 6) keep a record of individuals and organizations
that have given money to the group (if applicable).
The Secretary shall 1) record the results of all votes taken, 2) record briefly what occurred at each meeting, 3)
collect attendance at each meeting, 4) process membership requests, 5) keep a current roster of all members.
The public relations director shall 1) coordinate the advertising and publicity of the group and its events, including
maintenance of the organization website 2) maintain contact with local media outlets, 3) create and maintain a list of
students who have expressed interest in the organization.
Section 6.
An elected officer may be removed by a majority vote of the membership. Officers and members shall have the
opportunity to present their sides at the meeting, before the vote. If the elected officer is removed, a new officer shall
be appointed as quickly as possible by majority vote of the remaining elected officers.

Article VI: Adviser
Section 1.
The advisory must be a full-time Clarion University faculty or administrative staff member. If the elected officers
deem it so appropriate, they may appoint two full-time faculty or administrative staff members as co-advisors.
Section 2.
The nature of the advisor's role shall be determined by the advisory. However, the authority of the chair and the
general membership of the organization trumps the authority of the advisory.
Section 3.
The advisory may be removed by a vote among the elected officers. The advisory can voluntarily remove herself or
himself. Prospects for a new advisory would then be contacted and a new advisory would be decided upon by the
elected officers.

Article VII: Meetings
Section 1.
General meetings shall occur at the discretion of the elected officers, but no less than once a semester.
Section 2.

Business meetings shall occur at the discretion of the elected officers. Prior notice of at least one week should be
given to all members.
Section 3.
Officers may call special meetings at any time for important matters. Prior notice should be given to all members as
soon as possible.
Section 4.
Voting may only take place at a meeting.
Section 5.
A quorum is 1/10 of the voting membership. If a quorum is not present, voting shall be postponed until the next
meeting. The number constituting 1/10 of the membership shall be determined by the officer in charge of keeping
the membership roster.
Section 6.
Meeting minutes shall be posted to the web site.

Article VIII: Committees
Section 1.
Possible purposes of committees will be to 1) take care of distributing out work equally on any given issue that the
committee is created to address, 2) brainstorm and create new ideas to present at the organization business meetings
3) work through different ideas and issue and focus them so that they can be presented to the general membership in
order to be voted on.
Section 2.
Any member or officer may propose the formation of a committee. The elected officers may create, structure and
dissolve committees through a majority vote.

Article IX: Amendments to the Constitution
Section 1.
Any member may propose a constitutional amendment. Members shall be notified at least two weeks in advance of a
pending vote on an amendment. The amendment shall be read aloud and discussed on the day of the vote and at the
meeting two weeks previous. An amendment can be adopted only by a two-thirds majority vote of voting
membership at a meeting with quorum
Section 2.
All changes to the Bylaws must be approved by the Student Senate, the Vice President of Student Affairs, and the
President of Clarion University.

Article X: Statements of affirmation or condemnation
Section 1.

Statements of affirmation would be an official declaration made by the organization that they support a certain issue
or action being taken by another group or individual. Statements of condemnation would be an official declaration
made by the organization that they denounce or condemn a certain issue or action being taken by another group or
individual.
Section 2.
Statements of affirmation or condemnation do not have governing power over the organization. They only serve to
let future generations of leaders and the public know where the organization stands on various issues.
Section 3.
Any member of the organization can propose an official statement of affirmation or condemnation at a meeting. For
discussion on the issue, another member of the organization member must second the statement. If there is sufficient
support about the issue among the group, it will be put to a vote in the next meeting, where every member present
will each be allowed up to but no more than 90 seconds to state officially why they are for or against the statement
of affirmation or condemnation. The Chair shall be responsible for keeping time. After all members are giving the
proper opportunity to speak, members may vote to allow another round of discussion, with discussion continuing
only if a majority of members present feels it is necessary. When discussion is finally done, a general secret ballot
vote among the general membership will be taken.
Section 4.
A statement of affirmation or condemnation can pass only by a two-thirds majority vote of voting membership at a
meeting with quorum.
Section 5.
A statement of affirmation or condemnation can be retracted in a process identical to the process for passing one.

Article XI: Dissolution
Section 1.
The organization may be dissolved upon a unanimous vote of members present where the vote is taken. Dissolution
may only occur at a general or business meeting, not a special meeting.
Section 2.
Quorum for a meeting with a dissolution vote is 3/10 of the current membership.
Section 3.
The organization may not dissolve while in debt or with a balance in the bank.

Article XII: Ratification
These Bylaws, and its amendments, shall become effective upon ratification by the members of the Secular Student
Alliance and following the approval of the Student Senate of Clarion University of Pennsylvania, the Vice President
for Student and University Affairs, and the President of Clarion University.