JHU SGAThe 114th Session
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YCC Constitution 2023-24 [Voted on 1/21/2023]

Guiding / Constitution · 111th session · dated January 21, 2023 · updated February 14, 2024

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This document is from a previous session and is kept for the record. It may have been amended or replaced since.

Yale College Council Constitution

PREAMBLE {#preamble}

We, undergraduates of Yale University, as an essential component of the University, do hereby reaffirm the establishment of the Yale College Council to play an active role in shaping University policies and priorities. To this end, the Yale College Council will lend a voice to student concerns and opinions; shape University policy; protect student rights and freedoms; promote and finance undergraduate organizations; foster school unity and pride; and serve as a forum for the discussion and advancement of student ideas. As members of the city of New Haven, we also recognize the importance of our engagement with its residents, including but not limited to supporting local organizations, promoting events, and encouraging the Yale student body to be meaningfully involved in the city.

Contents

PREAMBLE 1

ARTICLE I: Name, Purpose, Structure, and Membership 2

ARTICLE II: The Senate 4

ARTICLE III: Executive Board 7

ARTICLE V: Teams and Committees 15

ARTICLE VI: Subsidiary Bodies and University Standing Committees 18

ARTICLE VII: Elections 20

ARTICLE VIII: Impeachment and Removal 23

Article IX: Referenda 26

ARTICLE X: House Rules 28

ARTICLE XI: Institutional Memory and Transparency 29

ARTICLE XII: Amendment Procedures 30

ARTICLE XIII: Dissolution 31

ARTICLE I: Name, Purpose, Structure, and Membership {#article-i:-name,-purpose,-structure,-and-membership}

Section I: Name The name of this organization shall be the Yale College Council (YCC).

Section II: Purpose The purpose of YCC shall be to pursue the objects stated in the preamble. The YCC shall serve as the primary liaison between the undergraduate student body and the administration, graduate schools, faculty, staff, alumni, and persons or groups outside of the University. Any issue affecting the quality of undergraduate life or education falls within the jurisdiction of YCC.

Section III: Structure The YCC shall be comprised of the following bodies:

  1. Executive Board, which includes three elected officers and a number of appointed officers as determined by the administration.
  2. The Senate, which includes Elected Senators and Delegates. Senate members will work year-round to research, draft, and implement policy broadly related to Academics, Student Life, and University Services.
  3. Events Committee (EC), which includes the Events Director and appointed members. The Committee can create Task Forces, which consist of several members, to pursue specific projects. In addition, the Committee can establish an event subcommittee, which will independently recruit new members from the student body at large to pursue large-scale productions.
  4. Spring Fling Committee, which includes one or more chair(s) and appointed members. The Spring Fling Committee is a standing events subcommittee devoted to the organization of the annual Spring Fling concert. The committee will select a chair or co-chairs through a process wholly determined by the Events Director in conjunction with the President and may recruit new members from the student body at large.
  5. Undergraduate Organizations Funding Committee (UOFC), which includes the Undergraduate Organizations Funding Committee Director and appointed Organization Finance Managers (OFM). This team is responsible for managing the allocation of funds and the provision of all other YCC-related resources to student organizations on campus.
  6. Business Team, which includes members appointed at the discretion of the Business Director. This team is responsible for, amongst other things, budget allocation and management, fundraising efforts, and sponsorships and student discounts.
  7. First-Year, Sophomore, and Junior Class Councils, which are subsidiary organizations of the YCC. These three class councils are led internally (FCC) or externally (SoCo and JCC) by elected Chairs or Presidents.
  8. Council Elections Commission (CEC), which includes members from the student body at large and is assembled before annual spring elections for YCC Senators and YCC officers (President, Vice President, Events Director, Sophomore Class Council President, Junior Class Council President.)
  9. Board of Trustees, which includes members appointed at the discretion of the Executive Board.

Section IV: Memberships Members of the YCC are divided into two membership tiers:

  1. Full-term Voting Members of the Senate - the right to vote on YCC Senate initiatives shall be reserved for the elected members of the Senate. The Vice President shall vote in the case of a tie.
  2. Full-term Non-Voting Members of the Senate - includes members of the Executive Board, Delegates, members of Focus Groups who are not elected representatives, members of Events Committee, members of Spring Fling Committee, members of the Undergraduate Organizations Funding Committee, members of the Business Team, members of the First-Year, Sophomore, and Junior Class Councils, members of the CEC, and members of the Board of Trustees. Such members are granted equal rights as voting members, except the right to vote.

ARTICLE II: The Senate {#article-ii:-the-senate}

Section I: Purpose The Senate shall be the primary forum for the discussion of undergraduate affairs. The Senate shall develop and execute projects that (a) address current issues raised by undergraduates and/or (b) further the mission of the YCC as outlined in the preamble.

Section II: Structure and Term Lengths The Senate shall be comprised of two (2) elected Senators from each residential college. Each Senator shall serve a one-year term starting on the first day of summer break and ending the last day of exam period in the following academic year. Senators elected in the fall, however, shall begin their terms on the day that they are elected and end on the last day of exam period in the same academic year. The Senate may begin convening immediately after elections, but will not be able to act on official business until the aforementioned term has started. Any undergraduate student may be elected to office, provided (a) they shall represent the college to which they currently belong and (b) they will not concurrently serve on the Executive Board.

Section III: Delegates Members of the student body at large may attend and participate in meetings of the Senate. Delegates are non-voting members of the Senate and shall be held to the same standards of attendance, conduct, and participation as elected Senators. To become a Delegate one must:

  1. Attend at least two Senate meetings.
  2. Notify the Vice President of attendance for Delegate status. The Delegate should then prepare a short, verbal statement outlining reasons for seeking membership.
  3. Win a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of approval from the Senate. The vote shall be conducted after said prospective Delegate has attended the prerequisite two Senate meetings.

Section IV: Basic Responsibilities For Senators

  1. Attend the weekly Senate meeting(s), propose and lead projects, and assist with YCC sponsored events.
  2. Serve as a liaison between the Senate and the Head of College, Dean, Class Council representatives, residential College Council members, and all students of their residential college. The Senator shall make themself available to students to hear complaints, offer suggestions, and solicit ideas and opinions.
  3. Attend meetings of their residential college council at least once a month and report on the current work of the YCC (barring conflicting YCC commitments).
  4. Hold at least one event per month specifically for the purposes of residential college outreach.

Section V: Projects The President and Vice President shall manage Senate projects. They shall, upon solicitation of Senators’ interests, assign projects to Senators, monitor the progress of each project, and provide guidance and assistance upon request. Each project shall be led by a Policy Chair appointed by the President and Vice President, and each Senator will be assigned to one or more projects. Senators shall be allowed and encouraged to create and lead their own projects outside of those created by the Executive Board. A list of all ongoing projects shall be compiled and made available to the student body at large via the YCC website.

Section VI: Focus Groups The Senate shall, from time to time, establish Focus Groups in order to collect student perspectives. Focus Groups shall be composed of members of the Executive Board, members of the Senate, and additional students with interest in or affiliation with the issue the Focus Group will address. Focus Groups shall convene at the discretion of the Executive Board member who manages the Focus Group.

Section VII: Budgetary Responsibilities The Senate shall approve the following year’s allocation of the YCC budget into specific funds. Funds, whether they be broad or narrow in scope, are general allocations of monies towards an aspect of YCC’s mission without naming each line-item explicitly. The YCC budget must include a Senate Discretionary Fund. This fund should consist of at least $30,000, unless the President, Vice President, and Business Director have a compelling reason to propose a lower amount, in which case they must clearly communicate this reason to the Senate prior to the Senate’s approval of the budget. The review and approval process shall proceed as follows:

  1. The Elected Members of the Executive Board with the assistance of the Business Director shall design several discrete Funds for the year and submit budget allocations to the Senate for review. In addition to the allocation of Funds, the Business Director may also present a tentative budget including specific line-items for the Senate’s reference.
  2. At the following Senate meeting, Senators shall discuss the allocations and may propose amendments. An amendment shall pass with a simple (1/2) majority vote.
  3. The Senate shall vote on the overall appropriations of funds as a package. The allocations shall pass with a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote. Any movement of money between funds throughout the year shall require a simple (1/2) majority vote.

The Senate may also, through budget proposals, vote to allocate money for particular projects or purposes throughout the year. Budget proposals shall primarily draw from the Senate Discretionary Fund, but can also allocate money from elsewhere in the budget, such as a surplus or emergency fund. A budget proposal shall require a simple (1/2) majority to pass.

Section VIII: Senate Votes The Senate shall be required to approve basic actions of the YCC. A vote will be considered legitimate if quorum is achieved, where quorum requires at least three-fourths of Senators to be voting. If a Senator is unable to attend a meeting, they may also vote by proxy, in which case they must send their votes to the Speaker prior to the Senate meeting. A proxy vote shall count as an excused absence, but a maximum of five proxy votes may count toward quorum. Members shall be able to abstain from any vote; by abstaining, they do acknowledge their presence by adding to the quorum but their vote is not held for or against the measure. The following actions shall be granted approval if they garner the corresponding vote:

  1. Establish event Subcommittee: Simple (1/2) majority.
  2. Appointment of Executive Board members, event Subcommittee Chairs, and when necessary Council Elections Commission Chair: Simple (1/2) majority.
  3. Administer a college-wide referendum: Simple (1/2) majority.
  4. Overall YCC Budget: Two-thirds (2/3) majority.
  5. Budget Proposal: Simple (1/2) majority.
  6. Delegate’s membership: Two-thirds (2/3) majority.
  7. Presidential veto override: Two-thirds (2/3) majority.
  8. Impeachment: Three-fourths (3/4) majority.
  9. Constitutional Amendment: Three-fourths (3/4) majority.
  10. Policy Proposal from a Committee: Simple (1/2) majority. Voting on non-budgetary policy proposals is not required, but should be done if feasible.
  11. General-purpose “Legislation” that modifies the operations of the YCC for the remainder of the Senate’s term (within the confines of the Constitution): Simple (1/2) majority.
  12. Any other business, as necessary: Simple (1/2) majority.

Every Senate proposal must specify its sponsors or co-sponsors, to ensure that the rest of YCC knows who to reach out to with questions. Anybody, including Senators, Delegates, members of the Executive Board, and members of the student body at large, may sponsor a Senate proposal.

The Senate cannot vote to provide monetary compensation to members of the Senate, Executive Board (including elected positions like the President and Vice President), or Class Councils without first holding a student referendum on the proposal in which (a) 50% or more of respondents vote yes, and (b) the total number of students who voted yes amounts to at least a third (1/3) of the undergraduate student body.

Section IX: Accessibility The Senate shall prioritize accessibility. All in-person meetings of the Senate shall be held in rooms and buildings that are mobility aid-compatible (e.g. can be accessed by elevator and ramp and has both entrance and bathroom doors equipped with an automatic door). All online meetings of the Senate shall be held in an accessible manner, with call-in options for every meeting. Lastly, all external and internal documents published by the YCC relating to the Senate should be d/Deaf and visually accessible (e.g. screen reader accessible).

Section X: Senate Leadership One member of the Yale College Council Senate shall serve as the Speaker of the Senate. This position shall be filled through an internal election within the Senate, which shall take place on the second meeting of a newly elected Senate, which, in the absence of extenuating circumstances, shall occur no more than a month after the conclusion of the YCC elections in the spring. All elected Senators or sworn-in Delegates may run for this position, provided that they have at least two full semesters of previous experience as a Senator or Delegate before the internal election. In the event that nobody with two semesters of previous experience declares their intent to run by the fourth day before the internal election, the position may be opened to candidates who do not meet the experience threshold. The term of the Speaker shall last from the day they are elected to this position by the Senate to the expiration of the Senate’s term. Although this office shall not contain term limits, incumbents, including Interim Speakers, shall participate in internal elections on an equal footing with other candidates, and shall not be afforded special treatment.

Someone interested in filling this position must notify the newly elected President and Vice President of their intent no fewer than four days before the date of the internal election, and shall submit a statement of no more than 250 words explaining the reason for their candidacy. Each statement shall be released for the Senate to consider no fewer than two days before the date of the internal election. In addition, on the day of the internal election, each candidate may give a two-minute verbal statement prior to the Senate vote. The vote shall be conducted via ranked-choice voting. The results of the internal election shall be announced at the end of the meeting or shortly thereafter, at the discretion of the President and Vice-President. The Vice President, as the chair of the CEC, shall administer this internal election.

A three-fourths quorum shall be necessary for the internal election to take place, and, if such a quorum is not reached on the second meeting of the Senate, then the election will be moved to the third meeting of the Senate, and so on and so forth. Given that a Senate term will begin without a Speaker, the member with the most seniority (in semesters as a Senator or Delegate) shall serve as the Interim Speaker, in order to provide input from the Senate during the critical first few weeks of an administration. Said Interim Speaker is notified of their position by the Vice President. If the member with the most seniority does not want the position, the member with the next-most seniority shall be given the opportunity to serve by the Vice President. If multiple members of the Senate have the same level of seniority and want the position, the Interim Speaker position shall be chosen by random lottery from among those members.

The Speaker of the Senate shall be removed from their position by a three-fourths vote in the Senate, in which case they shall remain a Senator or Delegate, unless they are also removed from the Senate through the impeachment process outlined in Article VIII. If the Speaker resigns or is removed from office, a new internal election shall be held to fill the position, consistent with the internal election procedure outlined above.

The duties of the Speaker of the Senate shall be to:

  1. Design and distribute Senate meeting agendas prior to the weekly meetings, with the advice of the Vice-President. This includes determining the schedule of Senate meetings, debates on Senate votes, and the consideration of constitutional amendments, although this list is non-exhaustive.
  2. Moderate Senate meetings in conjunction with the Vice President.
  3. Ensure the efficiency, transparency, and productivity of the Senate.
  4. Attend meetings of the Executive Board. Their role shall be to convey the concerns of individual senators to the Executive Board, as well as to convey the happenings of the Executive Board to the Senate.
  5. Accompany the President and Vice President to meetings with administrators, including the Yale College Dean.
  6. Participate in Senate votes, if an elected Senator.
  7. Meet individually with each Senator at least once per semester to solicit ideas and feedback, work with the Chief of Staff to take attendance at Senate meetings if necessary, and hold Senators accountable for their work.
  8. Function as a representative and leader of the entirety of the Senate.
  9. Appoint an Interim Speaker in the event that the Speaker cannot attend a meeting.
  10. Request administrators to speak to the Senate, contingent on majority Senate approval.
  11. Perform any additional tasks that the Senate shall determine.

ARTICLE III: Executive Board {#article-iii:-executive-board}

Section I: Purpose The Executive Board shall serve as the internal governing body of YCC. The Executive Board shall (a) work with the Senate to create yearly platforms and project ideas, (b) manage projects within each body of YCC, and (c) centralize and streamline communication between Yale students, the YCC, and the Yale Administration.

Section II: Elected Members The President, Vice President, and Events Director shall be elected independently by popular vote in an undergraduate general election (for election procedures, see Article VII).

Section III: Appointed Members The President-elect and Vice President-elect shall appoint the Chief of Staff, Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director, Business Director, Communications Director, and Policy Chairs as they see fit. To be appointed, all candidates must:

  1. Submit a completed Executive Board application to the President-elect and Vice President-elect. The Vice President-elect is responsible for creating and advertising this application.
  2. Pass a vetting process conducted by the President-elect and Vice President-elect. The vetting process for all applicants shall begin immediately after the application submission deadline elapses. During the vetting process the President-elect and Vice President-elect shall nominate one candidate for each position for Senate confirmation.
  3. If nominated, present their qualifications, goals, and other relevant information to the Senate in the form of a speech.
  4. Win a simple majority (1/2) vote of approval from the newly elected Senate.

Section IV: Length of Term Each Executive Board member, with the exception of the UOFC Director, shall serve a one-year term starting on the first day of summer break and ending the last day of exam period in the following academic year. The newly elected Executive Board and Senate may begin convening immediately after elections in order to organize themselves and prepare for their term, but will not be able to impact policy or take action on behalf of the undergraduate student body until the aforementioned term has started. The UOFC director will continue to serve in their role through the end of the next summer to ensure organizations have ample funding for the beginning of the school year.

Section V: Transition of Power No later than the end of summer following their term, the sitting executive board shall relinquish control of all communication, financial, and administrative accounts to the newly-elected executive board. It is the responsibility of each officer to meet individually with the current holder of their office to ensure that they are aware of any remaining duties or pending project(s) to which they must attend after taking office.

Section VI: The President The President shall be the chief executive officer of YCC. The President is the primary representative of YCC and the official voice of the Yale undergraduate community. The duties of the President shall be to:

  1. Lead the YCC and its subsidiary bodies.
  2. Serve as the primary liaison to all individuals and bodies outside of YCC.
  3. Advocate, implement, and enforce resolutions passed by the YCC.
  4. Serve as moderator of all Board of Trustee meetings.
  5. Present Senate initiatives and recommendations to the administration.
  6. Meet with representatives of the Yale University President’s Office, Yale College Dean’s Office, the Council of Heads of College, and other administrators on a regular basis.
  7. Appoint Executive Board members in conjunction with the Vice President.
  8. Convene meetings of the Executive Board on a weekly basis.
  9. Veto a Senate proposal, if necessary. The president may only veto an initiative after the Senate has voted. A veto may be issued up to a week after said vote.
  10. Convene and lead town halls open to students, faculty, and administrators
  11. Oversee the affairs of Spring Fling through the Events Director and report budgetary updates to the Senate.
  12. Perform any additional tasks the Senate and Executive Board shall determine.

Section VII: The Vice President The Vice President shall be second in line to the presidency and shall be the leader of the internal operations of the YCC. The duties of the Vice President shall be to:

  1. Lead the YCC in the absence of the President.
  2. Serve as moderator of all Senate meetings in conjunction with the Speaker.
  3. In the event that a vote of the Senate is tied, the Vice President shall be able to cast a vote.
  4. Create Senate meeting agendas in collaboration with the Speaker.
  5. Manage the list of projects the Senate pursues and oversee the completion of each project.
  6. Facilitate the Delegate membership process.
  7. Appoint members of University Committees (UCs) with the advice and consent of the Senate, upon reasonable request (see Article VI.III).
  8. Serve as liaison between USCs and the YCC.
  9. Accompany the President to meetings with the President’s Office, Yale College Dean’s Office, Council of Heads of College, and other administrators.
  10. Act as Chair of the CEC and review election guidelines.
  11. Serve as the primary manager of the Policy Chairs.
  12. Coordinate the referendum process on behalf of the YCC (see Article IX).
  13. Perform any additional tasks the Senate and Executive Board shall determine.

Section VIII: The Chief of Staff The Chief of Staff shall be the manager of the Executive Board and the primary manager of YCC internal communications. They shall be third in line to the presidency. The duties of the Chief of Staff shall be to:

  1. Assist the President and Vice President with logistics, Senate initiatives, and Communications.
  2. Manage communication between the Executive Board, the Senate and the additional bodies of the YCC.
  3. Facilitate attendance and voting within the Senate.
  4. Hold access to YCC’s email account to control communications in the absence of the Communications Director.
  5. Oversee recruitment efforts for all bodies of the YCC.
  6. Take notes at every Senate and Executive Board meeting.
  7. Perform any additional tasks the Senate and Executive Board shall determine.

Section IX: The Events Director The Events Director shall be the organizer of all events put on by the Yale College Council. The duties of the Events Director shall be to:

  1. Design YCC-sponsored events and present updates on new events to the President. Oversee the organization of YCC-sponsored events.
  2. Propose new events.
  3. Preside over the Events Committee and monitor projects led by its members.
  4. Manage the recruitment process of Events Committee and Spring Fling committee members.
  5. Appoint a Deputy Events Director with the consent of the President and Vice President from within the existing Events Committee. The Deputy shall perform tasks determined by the Events Director.
  6. Serve as an ex-officio member of the Spring Fling Committee.
  7. Oversee and collaborate with all Class Councils
  8. Perform any additional tasks that the Senate and Executive Board shall determine.

Section X: The Business Director The Business Director shall be the administrator of all YCC funds. The duties of the Business Director shall be to:

  1. Design and submit the YCC budget for Senate approval.
  2. Apportion, distribute, and record the movement of all funds appropriated to the student body at the direction of the Senate.
  3. Manage communications with the Yale College Business’ Office on all budget related issues.
  4. Publish an end-of-year report on YCC expenditures by the final week of April. The report should exclude any expenses that generally incur near or after that date.
  5. Lead YCC fundraising initiatives and external corporate sponsorships. Said sponsorships must be approved by a Senate vote and the President.
  6. Manage and recruit the Business Team.
  7. Manage thorough and timely reimbursements.
  8. Report to the Senate on the status of the budget on a monthly basis.
  9. Assist YCC Class Councils and Senators on executing high-cost initiatives.
  10. Account for budget appropriated to YCC-sanctioned events in conjunction with the Events Director.
  11. Perform any additional tasks the Senate shall determine.

Section XI: The Communications Director The Communications Director shall be the primary liaison between the YCC and the student body. The duties of the Communications Director shall be to:

  1. Manage the primary YCC email account and communications with the student body.
  2. Serve as the primary liaison between YCC and the media.
  3. Create and distribute a weekly newsletter with YCC updates to the student body.
  4. Manage and update the YCC website on a weekly basis.
  5. Manage YCC social media accounts.
  6. Coordinate the referendum process on behalf of YCC.
  7. Perform any additional tasks the Senate shall determine.

Section XII: The Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director The Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director shall be the distributor of YCC funding earmarked for registered Yale student groups. All UOFC Directors must serve as Deputy UOFC Director or Organization Finance Managers the fall semester preceding their year-long term. The duties of the Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director shall be to:

  1. Manage the Undergraduate Organizations Funding Committee (UOFC), its budget, and its Organization Finance Managers (OFMs).
  2. Manage the recruitment process of Organization Finance Managers (OFMs).
  3. Review all UOFC grant application decisions for accuracy.
  4. Manage a Deputy Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director appointed by the President and Vice President. The Deputy UOFC Director shall perform tasks determined by the UOFC Director for the fall semester preceding their term as UOFC Director.
  5. Create and distribute a decision recommendation executive summary to the Senate at the end of each semester.
  6. Facilitate the grant decision process between the UOFC and the Senate
  7. Facilitate necessary training of OFMs and Senators.
  8. Communicate information regarding student group registration and grant request processes to the student body.
  9. Ensure that checks are distributed to grant winners in a timely manner.
  10. Maintain and update the Guide for Undergraduate Organizations Funding
  11. Perform any additional tasks the Executive Board shall determine.

Section XIII: Policy Chairs Policy Chairs shall be the coordinators of Senate projects. Senators shall approve by vote the Policy Chair positions of the Executive Board for the year; these positions will be appointed by the elected Executive Board members. The duties of the Policy Chairs shall be to:

  1. Monitor the progress of Senate projects within their purview and communicate said progress to the Chief of Staff, the Vice President, and the Vice President.
  2. Provide guidance and assistance to Senators working on projects within their purview.
  3. Serve as a liaison between the YCC and student groups, task forces, committees, offices, or other bodies that are relevant to the projects within their purview and, when appropriate, facilitate collaboration.
  4. Manage any Focus Groups established to consider issues pertaining to their projects.
  5. Perform any additional tasks the Senate and Executive Board shall determine.

Section XIV: The City Director The City Director shall manage YCC projects related to the broader New Haven Community.

  1. Work on projects related to the New Haven - Yale Relationship
  2. Maintain communication with various community-resident based organizations and public officials
  3. Partner with Dwight Hall and other Yale organizations focused on the community
  4. Present local advocacy and activist demands to Senate and e-board.
  5. Appoint a Deputy City Director or confirm the President and Vice President’s appointment. The Deputy shall perform tasks determined by the City Director.
  6. Manage and recruit the City committee.
  7. Perform any additional tasks the Senate shall determine.

ARTICLE V: Teams and Committees {#article-v:-teams-and-committees}

Section I: Events Committee The Events Committee shall organize events that promote University spirit. Events organized by the Events Committee shall be open and accessible to all Yale Undergraduates. The Events Director shall design the events calendar for their year in office and shall be required to organize the events it includes. Members of the committee can continue to serve from year to year if they are re-appointed by the Event’s Director and new members are appointed by the Events Director through an application process in September. The YCC President will be an ex-officio member of all Events committees and subcommittees.

Section II: Event Subcommittees The Events Director, at their discretion, may recruit members for and establish a subcommittee to manage the production of a large-scale event that requires additional manpower for planning and execution over a long period of time. The Events Director shall also nominate a chair for the subcommittee who will be confirmed by the President. The Events Director shall manage the recruitment process of members for a newly formed subcommittee. Members of this subcommittee shall be designated affiliated members of YCC. The chair of the subcommittee shall present a summary of the sub committee's work on a semesterly basis to the President and Events Director.

Section III: Spring Fling Committee The Spring Fling Committee shall be composed of a chair, appointed members, and the Events Director ex officio. The Spring Fling Committee is a standing events subcommittee devoted to the organization of the annual Spring Fling concert. The committee will select a chair or co-chairs through a process determined by the previous year’s chairs and in agreement with the Events Director. The Events Director shall confirm all members and the appointment of chair(s) at their discretion. The chair or co-chairs of the committee shall regularly inform the President and Events Director of progress with Spring Fling planning, and shall include the Events Director in all confidential plans. At any time, the Events Director or President may remove a member of the Spring Fling Committee and/or a Spring Fling co-chair. Upon this happening, the role will be replaced through a process determined by the Events Director.

Section IV: Undergraduate Organizations Funding Committee (UOFC) The Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director shall present an overview of the funding cycle to the Senate and the Executive Board, including statistics on the amount of funding requested and allocated, the status of the UOFC budget, and a summary of the distribution of funds between various categories of student organizations. This overview shall be published on the YCC website. The Undergraduate Organizations Funding Committee (UOFC) shall consist of the Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director, a Deputy Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director selected by the Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director and approved by the President and Vice President, and at-large appointed members. Appointed members shall be solicited by application to the student body at the beginning of each year. Members may continue to serve year to year upon approval of the Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director. The committee shall oversee allocation of funds earmarked for student organizations. The committee will solicit applications from student groups and review these applications in a timely manner. The committee will also have a standing appeals process, separate from the main committee, to allow any organization the ability to challenge a decision by the committee. In addition, two members of the committee will be appointed to serve as Auditor Directors. These directors will review receipts from student organizations to ensure funds are utilized for the purposes laid out in funding applications received by the UOFC. The Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director shall present an overview of the funding cycle to the Senate and the Executive Board, including statistics on the amount of funding requested and allocated, the status of the UOFC budget, and a summary of the distribution of funds between various categories of student organizations. This overview shall be published on the YCC website.

Section V: Business Team The Business Team shall be in charge of seeking sponsorships, partnering with external businesses to secure discounts for Yale students, and pursuing any additional business initiatives at the discretion of the Business Director. The Business Team shall work under the supervision of the Business Director. Members of the Business Team shall be appointed by the Business Director through an application process in September.

Section VI: Board of Trustees The Board of Trustees serves to preserve the expertise of past YCC members and to improve the institutional memory of the organization by establishing a formal forum for such advisers to provide guidance, throughout the year, to the existing Executive Board.

  1. Members of the Board of Trustees are regarded as honorary full-term non-voting members of the YCC.
  2. Members are appointed for a yearlong term at the discretion of the President and Vice President at the start of their term.
  3. The Board of Trustees has no official authority.
  4. The Board should have at least three (3) members and no more than eight (8).
  5. The Board shall convene at the start of the academic year for a presentation of the proposed annual budget, calendar of YCC-sponsored events, and project list of policy initiatives.
  6. In addition, the Board shall meet at least two times each semester, during which the President is to present the YCC’s primary challenges and goals.
  7. The President and Vice President are encouraged to consult with the Board on an ongoing basis and to have its members serve as mediators in cases of severe conflict among the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VI: Subsidiary Bodies and University Standing Committees {#article-vi:-subsidiary-bodies-and-university-standing-committees}

Section I: Class Councils The First-Year Class Council (FCC), the Sophomore Class Council (SoCo), and the Junior Class Council (JCC) shall promote bonding, organize events, and address issues specific to their respective classes. The Class Councils are events subcommittees dedicated to building community within each Yale undergraduate class. The YCC shall provide each Class Council with a grant at the beginning of the fall semester and assist the Council’s operations. It shall be required that:

  1. Each Class Council ratifies its own constitution. The same document may be adopted from year to year. The YCC constitution shall supersede these constitutions if a discrepancy arises.
  2. Each Class President or Chair reports on its respective Council’s activities to the YCC Executive Board once a month.
  3. The Treasurer or Chair of each Class submits a preliminary yearly budget to the YCC Business Director at the beginning of the year. Additionally, all requests for funding must be submitted to the YCC Business Director.
  4. Two FCC members, at the end of their terms, volunteer to serve as official advisers to the subsequent year’s FCC.
  5. The FCC Executive Board (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Event Chairs) will be elected internally at the beginning of each semester in a process facilitated by the aforementioned former FCC members. The length of FCC Executive Board members’ terms will be one (1) semester.
  6. The SoCo and JCC Presidents start their terms on the last day of exam period in the Spring Term and end the same day the following year.
  7. The SoCo and JCC Presidents, at the end of their terms, serve as official advisers to the subsequent year’s Class Council.

Section II: YCC Preeminence Members of the FCC, SoCo, and JCC may be asked to participate in efforts in the production of events organized by the YCC. Within reason, members of these subsidiary bodies shall be required to participate. The Senate, through the process of normal business, shall have the power to alter the actions of any subsidiary body.

Section III: University Committees University Committees (UCs) refer to standing, university-wide, and ad-hoc committees, which are comprised of faculty members, administrators, and students in order to address a variety of issues pertaining to Yale College and Yale University. Certain committees have several undergraduate student members, who are nominated by the YCC in a process managed by the Vice President. The final appointment of students in determined by the Yale College Dean’s Office. Applications to fill vacancies on UCs will be solicited from the student body at large in the Spring semester according to a timeline formed in conjunction with the Dean’s Office. Applications for these committees will be read and reviewed by the Vice President, with interviews being conducted as necessary to vet candidates. A seat on the following committees will be reserved for the listed Executive Board member:

  1. President: Dean’s Advisory Committee; Provost’s Advisory Committee.
  2. Vice President: Dean’s Advisory Committee; Provost’s Advisory Committee
  3. Academics Director: Course of Study Committee; Committee on Teaching Learning, and Advising; Calendar Committee.
  4. Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director: Undergraduate Organizations Committee.
  5. Deputy Undergraduate Organizations Funding Director: Undergraduate Organizations Committee

Members of UCs nominated by the Yale College Council are encouraged to inform the YCC Executive Board of the agendas of their respective committees while still complying with the confidentiality agreements signed upon assuming their position on the committee. These communications are meant to aid the information-collecting process of student committee members, better align agendas between the committees and the YCC, and prevent overlapping communications to the student body.

ARTICLE VII: Elections {#article-vii:-elections}

Section I: Parameters Three (3) members of the Executive Board shall be elected by the student body at large. Each residential college shall elect two (2) representatives to the Senate and two (2) representatives to the First Year Class Council. The Sophomore Class Council President and the Junior Class Council President shall be elected by the sophomore class and the junior class respectively. All elected officials shall serve for their aforementioned terms. Elections shall be held during the second or third week of April. A student may run for two elected positions but cannot serve in two elected capacities concurrently.

Section II: Council Elections Commission The Council Elections Commission (CEC) shall determine specific election rules, monitor campaigns, and facilitate voting for the YCC. The CEC shall be established no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of the campaign period. The YCC Vice President shall chair the CEC. If the Vice President intends to run for an elected position that year, they must notify the President by March 1st. The President shall then nominate a replacement CEC Chair for Senate approval, by a simple majority vote. Four undergraduate delegates shall comprise the remainder of the CEC. The Chair of the CEC shall facilitate the appointment of the at-large members of the CEC through outreach to student group leaders, residential college council presidents, and other campus leaders. Members of the CEC may not support any candidate and must remain neutral and impartial during their time on the committee. The Senate shall be informed of the appointed members of the CEC and, upon reasonable request, require the Senate to hold a simple majority vote to approve of aforementioned CEC members.

Section III: Declaring Candidacy A prospective candidate for an executive-level position must submit to the CEC a declaration of candidacy no longer than 500 words and must also file a petition signed by 100 Yale undergraduates in order to run for office. A prospective candidate for the Senate must submit to the CEC a declaration of candidacy no longer than 250 words. All candidates must submit the required paperwork by the respective deadline listed in the annual Election Guidelines. Upon receipt of the completed paperwork, the Chair of the CEC shall notify the prospective candidate that they are eligible to run for office. To be eligible to run, candidates must be enrolled in a term of study in Yale College during the elections and be free of disciplinary action by a university disciplinary body that would otherwise preclude them from holding a student leadership position.

Section IV: Election Guidelines By submitting the documents defined in Article VII.III, a candidate shall agree to adhere to the regulations set forth in the annual Election Guidelines. A subsequent violation of the Election Guidelines shall result in disciplinary action by the CEC, including, but not limited to: reduction of spending amounts, prohibition on email use or postering, or disqualification from the election.

Section V: Voting Voters will be given the chance to cast one (1) vote, as verified by Yale NetID, for President, Vice President, and Events Director. Voters may cast two (2) votes for Senate, given that both seats are open in the college; and first-year voters may cast two (2) votes for their First Year Class Council Representatives. If a voter chooses to abstain, their vote in that specific race will not be counted. Voting for all elections shall occur over a single, well-advertised 48-hour window. The start and end times of the election shall be determined by the Chair of the CEC.

Section VI: Declaring a Winner for Executive-level Positions A candidate shall be declared the winner of their election if they:

  1. Receive more than 50% of votes cast for their office.
  2. Receive at least 40% of votes cast for their office and at least 5% more votes than the nearest candidate.
  3. Receive less than 40% of the number of votes and at least 10% more votes than the nearest candidate.
  4. If a race is uncontested, the sole candidate shall be declared the winner.

Section VII: Election Structure The CEC will decide the voting method – either ranked-choice voting or conducting a run-off election – to conduct elections three days prior to the mandatory information session for interested candidates.

If the CEC chooses to conduct a run-off election and it is required, it will occur between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes. The candidate within the run-off that receives the greatest number of votes shall be declared winner.

Section VIII: Fall Elections In the first or second week of September the Vice President shall facilitate elections for members of the First-Year Class Council. Each residential college shall elect two (2) representatives to the First-Year Class Council. In addition, during these elections the Vice President shall also hold elections within residential colleges that did not elect both of their Senators in April of the previous academic year.

The newly elected Sophomore Class Council President shall appoint members of the Sophomore Class Council. The newly elected Junior Class Council President shall appoint members of the Junior Class Council. All members of the relevant class will be eligible to serve on their Class Council, with no limitation of appointed members per residential college. Interested students must submit an application, created by the President of the relevant Class Council, which will be reviewed by the relevant Class Council President. Each Class Council must include at least ten appointed members. In the first or second week of September the Vice President shall facilitate elections for members of the First-Year Class Council and any vacancies in the Senate as defined above.

ARTICLE VIII: Impeachment and Removal {#article-viii:-impeachment-and-removal}

Section I: Recall The Vice President shall hold a recall election for any YCC member upon receipt of a petition that contains a 500-word justification for recall and the signatures of no less than one-third (1/3) of students eligible to vote for the position in question. The Vice President shall hold a recall election within two weeks of their receipt of the recall petition. All students eligible to vote in an election for the position in question shall be eligible to vote in the recall election. A three-fourths (3/4) majority of vote may remove the elected officer from office.

Section II: Removal for Attendance The Executive Board shall submit a tentative list of required events at the beginning of each semester and give one-week warning before making any unanticipated event mandatory. An Executive Board member or Senator shall be considered for removal from office upon their third unexcused absence from a Senate meeting or required event, or their fifth excused or unexcused absence. Absences are excused at the discretion of the President and Vice President and considered members are removed by the President and Vice President.

Section III: Impeachment The Senate shall hold a removal hearing for an Executive Board member or Senator upon receipt of a petition that contains a maximum 500-word justification for removal and the signatures of more than either (a) one-third (1/3) of Senators or (b) one-half (1/2) of Executive Board members. A petition must be submitted to the President by at least two cosponsoring Senate members at least one day prior to a regular Senate meeting.

Senate hearings regarding removal of a member of any status shall begin within one week of receipt of the petition and shall be presided over by the Vice President of the Yale College Council; in the event that the Vice President is the subject of the petition, the President of the Yale College Council shall preside over removal hearings. The removal process will proceed as follows:

  1. The sponsors of the impeachment proposal shall present their case for no more than ten (10) minutes. The accused person shall be given equal time to defend themself.
  2. Senate members shall question both the sponsors of the impeachment proposal and the accused person for no more than one (1) hour.
  3. The Senate shall vote on whether to remove the named person. All Senators and Executive Board members are eligible to vote. A three fourths (3/4) majority vote will result in immediate removal from office.
  4. In order to conduct the business of removal, a quorum shall be considered three-fourths of all Senators and Executive Board members.

Section IV: Removal of an Appointed Member The President and Vice President, in coordination, may remove an appointed Executive Board member or a Delegate from office at their discretion. An official statement of removal and reasons for dismissal must be submitted, in writing, to the dismissed member, the Executive Board, and the Senate in order for the dismissal to be final. If the dismissed member disagrees with the reasons for their dismissal, they may appeal their dismissal and invoke the process for removal of an elected member (per Article VIII, Section III). If any other member of the YCC would like to remove an appointed member from office, and if the President and/or Vice President are unwilling to remove said member from office, the process for removal of an elected member (per Article VIII, Section III) may be invoked.

Section V: Resignation Any member of YCC may resign by submitting a statement of resignation to the President and Vice President.

Section VI: Replacement of an Executive Board Member In the event that a member of the Executive Board is removed from or leaves office, the President shall nominate a replacement for confirmation by the Senate in a manner similar to that prescribed by Article IV, Section III. A simple majority (1/2) of the Senate is needed to confirm a new Executive Board Member. In the event that the President is removed from or leaves office, the Vice President shall assume the role of President and appoint, upon the advice and consent of the Senate, a new Vice President.

Section VII: Replacement of a Senator If a Senator vacates their seat for any reason, a Delegate from the appropriate residential college shall be appointed to fill the vacancy. If there are multiple Delegates from that college, the new Senator shall be selected at the discretion of the YCC Vice President to fill the vacancy until the next election. Should there be no Delegates from that residential college, the Vice President, in coordination with the President of that residential college council, will fill said seat by special appointment. The YCC Vice President shall be in charge of coordinating this special appointment.

Article IX: Referenda {#article-ix:-referenda}

Section I: Purpose A campus-wide referendum shall advise the Yale administration on a specific issue or policy based on the will of the undergraduate community. A referendum shall be held if a simple majority (½) of the Senate votes to hold one. The Yale College Council may also hold a referendum upon the petition of a Student Action Group (SAG) on a specific issue concerning the student body. Student Action Groups refer to an association of undergraduate students, whether informal or part of a registered student organization, who advocate for a referendum.

Section II: Petitioning a Referendum A referendum will be approved after a petition is successfully completed, presented to the YCC, and approved by a majority of Senators. A petition will win the right to a referendum if it:

  1. Has been submitted to the YCC within two months of its registration. A SAG may register a petition by submitting a written intent to petition and a proposed resolution to the YCC President. A petition must be registered by a SAG prior to obtaining signatures or canvassing. If two months elapse and the completed petition has not been submitted to the YCC, the petition shall be considered invalid.
  2. Contains the signatures of 10% of Yale undergraduates who knowingly consent to the sentiment of the proposed referendum.
  3. Wins a simple majority (1/2) vote of approval from the Senate. If the petition does not win said vote, the Senate will be said to have vetoed it, by default. This veto may be overturned with a secondary petition containing the signatures of 20% of Yale undergraduates. It is not necessary to obtain the original signatures for a second time.

Section III: Administering Referenda If a petition wins the right to a referendum, a referendum shall be administered over a well-advertised 96-hour window. The Communications Director shall administer the referendum via online voting and provide voters with statements advocating each side of the issue at hand. The referendum shall become binding to the YCC if (a) 50% or more of respondents vote yes, and (b) the total number of students who voted yes amounts to at least a third (1/3) of the undergraduate student body. Students who choose to abstain from the voting process shall be considered part of the student body that voted; by abstaining, they do acknowledge their presence by adding to the quorum but their vote is not held for or against the measure.

Section IV: YCC Mandate If the referendum becomes binding to the YCC, the YCC shall be required to send an official letter to the President of Yale University expressing the sentiments of the student body. In said letter, the YCC President shall request an official response from the Yale University President’s Office. If the referendum does not meet the aforementioned requirements, no further action shall be required of the YCC.

Section V: Campaign Restrictions Students may report instances of coercion to the Communications Director. It will be the Communication Director’s responsibility to investigate the SAG for illegitimate petitioning practices if one or more reports are filed. The Communications Director, with the approval of a simple majority (1/2) of the Senate, shall void a petition and/or referendum if they find ample evidence of coercion.

ARTICLE X: House Rules {#article-x:-house-rules}

Section I: Meetings Meetings of the Senate shall be held regularly, and at an established time and place to be chosen based on the availability of Senators.

Section II: Subsidiary Body and Committee Meetings Subsidiary body and committee meetings shall be held weekly, and/or at the discretion of the YCC President, relevant Director, or Executive Board of the subsidiary body.

Section III: Open Meetings All YCC meetings are open to the public except meetings of the UOFC, Executive Board, and Events Committee and subsidiary Events bodies.

ARTICLE XI: Institutional Memory and Transparency {#article-xi:-institutional-memory-and-transparency}

Section I: Executive Board Institutional Memory and Annual Transition All YCC reports and other primary documents from each year shall be preserved in an online storage system to be distributed to the succeeding Executive Board. Each YCC President and Vice President shall make every attempt to preserve institutional memory by providing a handbook, collection of materials, or other resources to their successors.

Section II: Senate Institutional Memory and Annual Transition After the end of a Yale College Council term, a committee of three to five Senators who served in the previous term, at least two of whom are at that point retired from their elected position, will serve as members of a Senate Transition Committee. The retiring Vice President will also be a member of the committee. This committee will exist for the month after the end of the term to provide insight and information for new Senators, and to ensure continuity and consistency. The committee shall be led by the Senate Historian from the previous YCC year. In the absence of a Senate Historian, the committee will appoint one member to lead.

Guidelines and requirements for this committee shall be as follows:

  1. Hold at least two info session-styled meetings for new Senators, in which they
    1. Present the function and structure of the YCC
    2. Outline the YCC Constitution
    3. Outline the funds available for Senators
    4. Explain the role of Senators in Residential Colleges, which an emphasis on holding office hours and being in contact with Heads of College
    5. Explain and show how to write a policy proposal
  2. Be available as a point of contact for new Senators for questions and guidance
  3. Create a “How To” Senator guidebook that includes all of the information shared in the info session(s) and pertinent information
    1. This guidebook shall be updated annually and preserved by the Senate Historian for reference

Section III: Accountability Information on the projects each elected Senator and Delegate is involved in, as well as records of their attendance, will be made public to the student body at large. This information will be publicly posted on the YCC website.

Section IV: Meeting Minutes All minutes recorded by the Chief of Staff or Communications Director at Senate meetings shall be made available to the Yale student body at large. Said minutes shall be published on the YCC website within a week of the meeting during which the minutes were recorded.

Section V: Student Inquiry Any Yale undergraduate may request information, voice their concerns, and share new project ideas with any member of the Executive Board and/or their college Senator(s). It shall be the duty of the contacted YCC member(s) to respond to this inquiry in an appropriate and timely manner.

ARTICLE XII: Amendment Procedures {#article-xii:-amendment-procedures}

Section I: Process Written amendments may be submitted by any member of the Senate or Executive Board. Upon submission, the amendment shall be taken up for a vote by the Senate within one month of submission.

Section II: Voting The Senate, with a quorum present, may vote to amend this constitution with a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote.

Section III: Updating the Constitution Upon passage of a constitutional amendment, the amendment shall be made public within five business days. The amended constitution shall be accessible to students via the YCC website once the amendment has been made. On the title page of the constitution, there shall be an indication of when the document was last updated.

ARTICLE XIII: Dissolution {#article-xiii:-dissolution}

Section I: Distribution of Funds In the event that the Yale College Council should be dissolved, all proceeds, monetary, or otherwise, shall be given to the Yale College Dean’s Office in order to promote the vibrancy and diversity of campus life. A portion of these proceeds shall be reserved for the establishment of a new Undergraduate Student Government.

Section II: Dissolution of Subsidiary Bodies A subsidiary body of the YCC shall dissolve if the YCC in its entirety dissolves, or upon the adoption of a resolution for the subsidiary body’s dissolution by two-thirds (2/3) of the Senate. Should an agency be dissolved, its funds, powers and responsibilities will be returned to the YCC.

ARTICLE XIV: Code of Conduct

Section I: Code of Conduct for Members

As stated in Yale’s Undergraduate Regulations, “Yale College is an academic community dedicated to the advancement of learning. Students freely associate themselves with the College and in doing so affirm their commitment to a philosophy of mutual tolerance and respect. All students admitted to Yale should understand the responsibility thus placed upon them. If any member of the community should interfere with its functions or show themselves unable or unwilling to assist in these functions, the community may find it necessary to protect itself by suspending or terminating that person's membership.”

The core mission of the Yale College Council is to serve the student body and each member is elected or appointed. Because of this, members of the YCC must hold themselves to a standard of conduct befitting of their position and that aligns with the purpose of YCC.

  1. Members of the YCC must faithfully abide by the rules and regulations laid out by the YCC Constitution.
  2. Members of the YCC must fulfill their responsibilities and duties to the best of their ability throughout their term.
  3. Members of the YCC must represent the organization in a positive, respectful, and ethical manner.
  4. No member of the YCC may inaccurately and inappropriately represent the views of the YCC as an organization as a whole publicly.
  5. Members of the YCC must maintain, at minimum, a level of professional courtesy and respect for their fellow YCC members and leadership.
  6. Members of the YCC must establish and maintain open lines of communication across the organization and with relevant student body groups or individuals.
  7. Members of the YCC must promote collaboration and cooperation with other members.
  8. Members of the YCC must strive to do what is best for their constituents and the YCC rather than for their own personal benefit.
  9. Members of the YCC must respect the opinions and views of other members, and be open to civil discourse and debate. However, any comment that is incendiary or harmful to a particular identity group will not be tolerated.
  10. No member of the YCC may lie, harass, bully, threaten, or otherwise abuse their position of power to directly or indirectly cause harm to another member of the Yale community.
  11. No member of the YCC may misuse funds from the YCC budget. All members must act knowing that the YCC’s budget largely comes directly from the student activities fee and thereby must be used to serve the student body in all external budgets.
  12. Members of the YCC are expected to have active participation in YCC matters. Beyond just attending mandatory meetings, they must take an active role on projects and policies throughout their term.

Section II: Violation of the Code of Conduct

Members of the YCC must hold each other accountable to the regulations outlined in the Constitution and the standards written in the Code of Conduct. If a member of YCC is found to have violated the Code of Conduct then action can be taken in a variety of forms, depending on the severity of the misdemeanor. Responses to violations of the Code of Conduct can include public apology, reprimand, removal, impeachment, or anything else determined by the committee.

Section III: Code of Conduct Committee

A Code of Conduct committee will be formed and composed of 4 members of the YCC at the beginning of each YCC term. The President and Vice President will review applications for the committee to determine their nominations. Each member of the committee must be confirmed by the Senate by the July Senate meeting.

The President and Vice President will act as ex-officio members, meaning that they will advise and oversee the committee; they will have no voting power. If the President and/or Vice President are the ones who violated the Code of Conduct, then they will relinquish their ex-officio status for their own case. All members of the Code of Conduct committee must make any conflicts of interest known on a case-by-case basis and the ex-officio members will determine whether or not the member can be involved for a particular case. Responses to violations of the Code of Conduct require a unanimous vote from every acting member of the committee. Complaints for violations shall be brought to the Code of Conduct committee from any member of the Yale community, and the committee will need to reach out to the person who violated the Code of Conduct in order to understand the full scope of the violation. The Code of Conduct committee must then fully convene in person in order to discuss the violation then vote on the response. To be removed or impeached, the procedures outlined in the YCC Constitution must be followed.