CRIMINAL JUSTICE CLUB CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS Drafted February 11, 2016 Article I. Name Section 1.01 This organization shall be referred to as the Criminal Justice Club. Section 1.02 CJC will be the recognized short form abbreviation of the Criminal Justice Club. Article II. Purpose Section 2.01 The purpose of the CJC is to provide students the opportunity to achieve a better understanding of the US Criminal Justice system by encouraging active engagement to support our local communities and law enforcement agencies in assessing and confronting social problems. Section 2.02 The CJC also aims to broaden students knowledgebase by attending legislative sessions, judicial hearings, and networking with law enforcement personnel to achieve insight to the current state of affairs. Section 2.03 The CJC shall provide all available resources during local disasterrelief efforts and any exigent circumstance in which public assistance is requested. Article III. Membership Section 3.01 Active CJC membership status shall be granted to any Black River Technical College students who are, or have been, enrolled in at least one Criminal Justice course, who have a current GPA of 2.25 or higher, and who do not have felony convictions.
Section 3.02 Active CJC membership is defined by attending no less than one CJC meeting per semester, and participation in at least one community service activity, and one fundraising event per school year. Section 3.03 Honorary membership status may be granted to CJC alumnus, law enforcement personnel, and U.S. Military Veterans, who remain active in CJC programs. Article IV. Officers and Committees Section 4.01 The CJC shall have the following officer positions: President, Vice- President, Treasurer, and Secretary. Committees may be created and adopted by an officer of the CJC, with approval of the Executive Committee and the CJC Advisor. Section 4.02 All officers form the Executive Committee, which is responsible for the planning and management of all activities by the CJC. Section 4.03 The Executive Committee may create bylaws and officer positions, as needed by the CJC. Section 4.04 The CJC Volunteer Committee is open to all active CJC Members interested in providing Community Service assistance tailored towards advancing emergency-response education and participation of the CJC. The Vice-President shall serve as the Chair of the Volunteer Committee. Section 4.05 Officer candidates must be currently enrolled, full-time students of Black River Technical College, and cannot be on academic probation. Section 4.06 The CJC officer candidates shall be elected by secret ballot vote on the 2 nd Thursday of February every year. Upon election by a majority vote,
officers shall take office on March 1 st. All CJC officer positions serve a one-year term. Section 4.07 The Executive Committee may appoint a member of the CJC as an interim-officer to fulfill vacant positions with a 2/3 vote, until the next election is held. Article V. Advisors Section 5.01 The CJC must have at least one advisor, who is a full-time faculty or staff member of Black River Technical College. The CJC Advisor shall be actively engaged in the CJC and regularly attend meetings. Section 5.02 Article VI. Amendments Section 6.01 The Constitution of the Criminal Justice Club may be amended, or a new Constitution may be adopted, at a meeting of the Executive Committee by a 2/3 vote and approval by an advisor. Criminal Justice Club Bylaws 1. Name 1. The organization shall be referred to as the Criminal Justice Club. 2. The recognized short form for the Criminal Justice Club is the CJC. 2. Purpose 1. The CJC s objective is to enhance our students education of the US Criminal Justice system by promoting awareness of social-issues within our communities and actively participating in public assistance programs. 2. The CJC also aims to provide insight of the broad-array of careers within the Criminal Justice system through networking with local law
enforcement officers, attending legal hearings, and exploring the interdisciplinary 3. The CJC shall encourage a positive and professional community outlook towards all law enforcement officers and personnel. 3. Membership and Dues 1. Membership status shall be granted to students, who are enrolled in a Criminal Justice course at Black River Technical College, who do not have felony convictions, and who apply by 2. Membership status shall be affirmed upon receipt of the $25.00 yearly Criminal Justice Club dues from qualified applicants. 1. All current members shall submit applications and have paid dues by March 1 st of each year to retain active membership status. 2. The Executive Committee may award honorary membership status to CJC alumnus, law enforcement personnel, and U.S. Military Veterans, who are actively engaged in CJC programs. 3. Active membership is defined as attending no less than one meeting per semester, participating in one community service activity and one fundraising event per school year. 4. No person shall be considered for membership whose occupation or activities are inconsistent with the objectives and principles of the CJC. 5. Membership status shall be revoked, including officer or Committee status, upon violation of the Black River Technical College code of conduct, or violation of the law pertinent to inappropriate conduct by the high standards held to members of the CJC as student representatives. A committee made up of the Advisors, President, and Vice- President shall investigate the allegations and a hearing may be held to consider continued membership status. 6. The Executive Committee may request special assessments and fees for certain CJC events. 4. Officers and the Executive Committee 1. The CJC shall have the following officer positions: President, Vice- President, Treasurer, and Secretary.
2. All officer positions form the Executive Committee, in which all of the CJC business shall be conducted through. 3. Bylaws shall be reviewed each year during the interim election period, with representation from the sitting officers to induct new officers, and serve as advisee s to ensure the continuity of the Executive Committee s ongoing activities, and the fulfillment of all obligations and commitments made by the CJC. 4. Bylaws may be revised by a majority vote of the Executive Committee and approval by the CJC Advisor. 5. Each officer shall adhere to the guidelines of the Black River Technical College Registered Student Organization responsibilities and obligations found in the BRTC Student Handbook. All officers must retain academic requirements and may not serve while on scholastic or disciplinary probation. Officers are expected to demonstrate a high quality of professionalism as official representatives of the Criminal Justice Club and Black River Technical College. 6. Officer Positions are one-year terms, from February 15 th -March 1 st of the following year. 7. The CJC organizational structure and the duties of each officer are as follows: 1. The President holds the responsibilities of: 1. Chief representative of the Criminal Justice Club with relations to the Black River Technical College and other Registered Student Organizations. 2. Management and oversight of the CJC activities, meetings, and resources. Accountable for the fulfillment of the duties and obligations in all official business with the CJC. 3. Scheduling and running the business portion of Executive Committee meetings and CJC meetings. 4. Ensuring that all of the CJC s yearly membership renewal forms are properly filed, and verifies compliance of all CJC activities and members in respect to the Registered Student Organization guidelines, and the Codes of Conduct within the BRTC Student Handbook. 5. Supporting all of the CJC members, and addressing any concerns brought to the attention of the President, and to
ensure that activities in planning remain consistent with the purpose of the CJC. 6. Serving to promote an encouraging and professional environment for CJC members to engage in educational open discussions. 7. Protecting the integrity of the CJC by demonstrating a highlevel of involvement in all functions of the CJC. 2. The Vice-President is responsible for: 1. Assisting the President and CJC members. 2. Fulfilling the duties assigned to the office of the President, in the absence of the President. 3. Chair of the CJC Volunteer Committee, and organizing one scheduled CJC Volunteer activity each spring. 4. Recruitment of active CJC members to the Volunteer Committee. 5. Providing educational and networking opportunities with external organizations to members of the CJC. 3. The Treasurer is responsible for: 1. Incorporating the CJC agenda into the SGA Appropriations Committee Regulations, and oversight of appropriations application requests. 2. Maintaining an accurate and verifiable record of all transactions, account balances, and inventories. 3. Adopting and management of at least one fundraising opportunity each semester. 4. Ensuring all accounts are balanced and that all debts of and to the CJC have been settled before the end of the fall semester. 5. Providing financial records directly to the CJC Advisor, as requested. 4. The Secretary is responsible for: 1. Recording of all CJC meetings and activities. Written transcripts shall be converted to a Word document for distribution to the Executive Committee and the CJC Advisor, and then filed as the original document.
2. Maintaining an accurate roster of current CJC membership status, and attendance records to the CJC meetings and activities, of all CJC members. 3. Identifying and advancing opportunities to communicate with the student body, an awareness of the CJC s purpose, activities, and presence at BRTC. 4. Evaluating local media and news for relevant Criminal Justice System events and raise awareness within the Executive Committee for further analysis. 5. Vacancies 1. An officer position may be declared vacant by the President and Vice- President when any officer of the Executive Committee is absent without sufficient cause from two consecutive meetings. 2. A vacancy will be declared upon resignation of an officer. The Vice- President shall enact provisional duties of the vacant office to the Executive Committee, until the vacant office is filled in accordance with the CJC Constitution and bylaws. 3. The Executive Committee shall announce vacant offices to the CJC membership for no less than seven school days before a special election is scheduled, and nominations from all qualified candidates will be accepted until 1500 on the 1 st school day of the week the special election is scheduled. 4. The vote will be cast by a secret ballot in a sealed box under the supervision of an Executive Committee member at a designated place, open to all active CJC members. Voters shall be registered as attendants of a meeting. Provisions may be made to allow absentee votes. 5. The Executive Committee will close the ballot and convene to tally the votes. The candidate with the majority will be declared and the office will be considered filled until the next term. 6. The CJC Advisor reserves the right to select an appointee to vacant offices. 6. Elections 1. Available officer positions will be announced at the opening meeting of the spring semester. Nominations will be accepted until February 15 th. The Vice-President is an automatic nominee for the President. 7. Voting
1. An established time and place shall be announced by March 1 st to allow a vote. The votes shall be cast by secret ballot. The Executive Committee is responsible to guarantee the legitimacy of the process. 8. Activities and CJC meetings 1. CJC meetings will be held three times per semester. Announcements of the meetings shall be made available to all CJC members. 2. All CJC activities will be governed by an appointed committee of CJC members, with an Executive Committee member as the Chair, and operates as an entity of the CJC and BRTC. Activities will be planned and announced during CJC meetings.