UMass History Club: Feinberg Lecture Series

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Feinberg Lecture Series

Every two years, the UMass Amherst History Department has the great honor of hosting the Feinberg Family Distinguished Lecture Series. This year-long series allows students, faculty and visiting scholars to explore a particular theme in depth. This year's theme is "Measuring the Value of Human Life." According to the event's website, the lecture series will:

Engage scholarship in history, bioethics, legal studies, the arts, and other realms to explore how value has been ascribed to human lives in courtrooms, labs, archives, boardrooms, and universities. Public lectures, panels, and film screenings will consider subjects ranging from the role of war and sacrifice in ancient societies to contemporary reparations movements. Events will examine efforts to compensate individuals and families for lives and limbs lost on the battlefield and in the workplace. We will consider attempts (from the religious to the technological) to purchase eternal life, and reflect on ways in which historians have measured and valued life stories. In sum, this exciting series investigates the many and varied approaches to the questions, what is life worth?

Check out the website for a schedule of events, as well as more information about the lecture series and Kenneth Feinberg, the UMass Alumnus after whom the series is named.

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Final Draft History Club Constitution

Article I. Name and Mission

The name of this Registered Student Organization (RSO) is the “University of Massachusetts Amherst History Club.” The UMass History Club seeks to bring together history enthusiasts from across the campus community to pursue activities reflecting our common interest. The Club is also a location for History majors to network with their peers and professors. The History Club acknowledges its special relationship with the History Department at UMass, and seeks to more fully integrate students into the Department and encourage them to take advantage of all the opportunities there. Finally, the History Club is committed to working on projects in the community that further historical or cultural study.

Article II. Membership

Section 1. All members of the Five College Consortium are eligible to join the UMass History Club. The Club is open to all undergraduates and to both History and other majors.

Section 2. There are three classes of membership active, inactive and honorary. Active members must have paid any necessary dues three weeks after they registered with the club. If a member does not pay their dues in a timely fashion then they are considered inactive until such time as they are paid. See Article VI regarding honorary members.

Section 3. Members are entitled to vote for officers and on ballot questions only if they have registered with the club and have paid necessary dues. In addition, only active members can be nominated or hold office.

Section 4. Number of meetings attended plus membership status shall determine priority on trips, with active members being given priority over inactive members.

Section 5. Members have a right to speak at all general club meetings. Members may put forth proposals, as outlined in Article IV Section 7

Article III. Officers

Section I. There shall be five officers President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary and Public Relations. Officers are to be elected by the general membership.

Section 2. All officers are strongly encouraged to attend at least ¾ of all meetings. Officers are expected to be active in recruiting and in advocating for the club.

Section 3. The Executive Council is made up of the five officers. The Council meets to discuss and present to the club on matters involving administration, finance and general issues. See Article VI.

Section 3. The President is the formal head of the History Club. The President calls and presides over general meetings and directs discussion at their discretion. The President is in charge of appointing committees and setting their mandates. The President is responsible for presiding over votes as necessary. The President is required to attend RSO officer training and maintain Signature Responsibility.

Section 4. The Vice President is to assist the President as necessary and complete all duties of the President if they are not able. If the President is removed or resigns, the Vice President shall assume the role of President until the next election cycle. The Vice President is responsible for taking attendance at all meetings and passing that information on to the Secretary. The Vice President is responsible for retrieving the key for 601 Herter prior to meeting and unlocking the room for meetings in a timely fashion.

Section 5. The Treasurer is responsible for all financial matters. This includes keeping accounts, bookkeeping, tracking due payments and all financial aspects of various History Club programs and activities. The Treasurer is responsible for coordinating the budget with the CSD and filing the proper forms. The Treasurer must send a monthly account summary to the President. The Treasurer must have Signature Responsibility.

Section 6. The Secretary is responsible for keeping minutes of meetings, maintaining and updating the club blog/website, and keeping the club records. Minutes include all that occurred during the meeting or activity and should be posted in a timely manner. Club records include copies of financial records, posters/flyers put out by the club, information relevant to club operations and any other information deemed pertinent.

Section 7. The Public Relations officer is in charge of promoting the club through activities including, but not limited to, flyers, tabling, RSO fairs and other written paraphernalia. The PR officer is responsible for being familiar with all regulations, both University and otherwise, regarding advertising activities.

Section 8. In the event of a resignation or impeachment the line of succession goes as follows: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary and Public Relations. If an officer post is vacated for whatever reason, then a special election must be held as outlined in Article IV. However, if the presidency is vacated then the line of succession is followed and no election is held.

Article IV. Elections and Voting Procedures

Section 1. All officers in the History Club are elected by a vote of 50% +1. If a tie occurs then another vote will be called until one candidate has achieved the necessary majority.

Section 2. Elections for club officers are to be held at the end of every semester on the last meeting of the semester.

Section 3. Nominations are due one meeting prior to elections. Nominations should include the candidate’s name, major, year and position desired. The candidate must then sign the nomination form. In order to be on the ballot a candidate must submit a signed nomination form.

Section 4. Officer elections are to be conducted by secret paper ballot. The ballot will list the officer positions with candidate names in alphabetical order. Candidate information will include name, major, year (as of taking office) and incumbency.

Section 5. Officer elections are to be presided over by the current President. Ballots are to be counted by the current Secretary and re-counted and confirmed by the current Vice-President. The President then certifies the results provided procedure has been followed.

Section 6. If the President deems that election procedure has not been followed then they must call for a re-balloting. The re-balloting must occur at the same meeting as that of the original election.

Section 7. Any active club member may put a proposal before the club. Proposals must be submitted a week before they are voted upon. Proposals should be submitted to the Secretary in writing.

Section 8. Proposals are passed upon a majority vote of the club present at the meeting. Voting on proposals will be by raised hand. The President will preside over the vote, the Vice-President will count the votes and the Secretary will record the result. The President will then certify the vote as passed or failed.

Section 9. Proposals are considered binding but may be overturned by majority vote. Proposals cannot amend or contradict any items outlined in the constitution. For amending the constitution see Article V.

Section 10. A proposal may not be used to abolish or in any way alter membership dues. However, a proposal may be passed to require the Executive Council to review the amount or necessity of membership dues for the upcoming semester

Article V. Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to the Constitution must be submitted in writing one meeting prior to being voted upon. The proposed amendment must contain exact information and wording.

Section 2. Voting for amendments follows the same procedure used for officer voting. A 2/3 vote of those present is necessary for the amendment to pass.

VI. Executive Council

Section 1. The Executive Council is comprised of the five officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Public Relations officer. The President is the presiding officer. If the President is absent for any reason then the standard line of succession is followed.

Section 2. Each member of the Executive Council has one vote on matters brought before the group. A simple majority is required to pass or decline an issue.

Section 3. The Executive Council is responsible for setting membership dues (if any). The Council must agree on a monetary amount.

Section 4. A proposal may not be used to abolish or in any way alter membership dues. See Article IV Section 10.

Section 5. The Executive Council is responsible for determining active and non-active membership. The Council hears all complaints regarding membership.

Section 6. The Council may submit a proposal before the club to grant honorary club membership to a person or persons who have demonstrated exemplary contributions to the UMass Amherst History Club or to the field of History.