Constitution Guide
Please STRICTLY follow this format including bullets and numbering.
Failure to include any of the points listed below will result in the delay of your organization’s
approval for the following academic year.
Items to remember when drafting your constitution:
All sections described below must be included in some form in the organization’s constitution and
by-laws.
All bolded/highlighted sections and clauses must be included verbatim in the organization’s
constitution.
These include:
o Article Three: Membership/Non-discriminatory clause
The non-discriminatory clause can only be altered for organizations with a religious
affiliation, national Fraternity or Sorority affiliation, or political affiliation.
o Article Four: Advisor clause
o Article Six: Impeachment clause
o Article Nine: Amendments clause
o Article Ten: Ratification clause
If you would like to make any changes to this format, speak with the Assistant Director for Student
Organizations before doing so.
Be sure to also provide the date the constitution was drafted (at the top) and any dates on which the
constitution was updated and ratified (at the end)—This is important for your organization to keep
record of when changes to the constitution were made.
ORGANIZATION NAME
Drafted on: (Insert Date)
Article One NAME OF ORGANIZATION
State the full name of the organization as well as the acronym if applicable. For
example, “The name of this organization shall be (insert name)”
Article Two PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION
State the purpose of the organization. You may also include the mission, goals,
objectives, etc.
Article Three MEMBERSHIP
The constitution MUST include this clause:
Membership in this organization will not be restricted on the basis of race,
color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation,
gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, pregnancy status or
genetic information.
State which people are qualified for membership
State that all active members must be currently enrolled GMU students with a
minimum academic achievement record defined as a cumulative grade point average
of at least a 2.0.
State the types of membership available. For example: active (currently enrolled
GMU students who attend meetings/functions and pay dues if applicable); associate
(may include members of faculty/staff, community members or students from other
schools); honorary (alumni or community members).
State what a member must do in order to be recognized as an
active/associate/honorary/etc. member
State what rights and privileges go along with each level of membership. For
example: Only active members may vote on matters (official or not) including
amendments, elections, and other motions brought forth in meetings.
State why and how membership privileges may be revoked
Article Four OFFICERS
State the titles and duties of the officers to be selected by the membership and
explicitly list out what is expected of each officer
State any minimum qualifications officer candidates must have such as class
standing, minimum GPA, etc.
State the length of the officer’s term and term limits, if any
State why and how an officer may be removed from their duties
At minimum, a tier 1 RSO should have a President and Treasurer. A Tier 2 RSO
must have 2 additional officers (V. P., Secretary, etc). However, if you would like to
have more officers, you may do so but only the aforementioned are required.
ADVISOR (TIER 2 ONLY)
The constitution MUST include this clause:
The primary advisor shall be a member of the faculty or staff at George Mason
University.
State how the advisor will be selected
State why and how the advisor may be removed from their duties
State that the advisor may offer guidance and support for the organization, but MAY
NOT have a vote
Article Five ELECTIONS
State approximately when elections will take place (usually April, and must take
place before the next RSO re-registration period to allow time for officer
transitions and an accurate, up-to-date roster).
Explicitly state details of the nominating procedure including the length of time
allowed for nomination, who is allowed to submit nominations, and the method for
submitting nominations.
State how nominees will present their qualifications.
Explicitly define the method that will be used for voting (usually secret ballot) and
who will be responsible for tallying votes (usually a group of members).
State procedure for runoffs in the event of a tie (if applicable)
State the procedure for transitioning of current and new officers (usually involves a
short shadow period in which new officers are familiarized with operating
procedures and necessary paperwork)
Article Six IMPEACHMENT OR RESIGNATION
Should an elected officer fail to perform the responsibilities or abuse the
privileges of their elected position, the officer shall be subject to impeachment
and removal from their office.
State the procedures for removing an individual from their official position should
they fail to perform the responsibilities or abuse the privileges of their elected or
appointed position in the organization.
State the procedures for an individual wishing to resign from their position.
State the procedures for appointing or electing a new officer to a position that has
been vacated should a current officer resign from their elected or appointed position
or should a current officer be impeached or removed from their position.
Article Seven MEETINGS
State how often the group will meet (weekly, monthly, etc.)
State who presides at the meeting
State whether the executive board has separate meetings and if so, how often
State attendance policy, if any
State what the quorum is (usually a simple majority of the active membership plus
one officer; or two-thirds of the active membership plus one officer)
State the procedure for calling special meetings
State parliamentary rules of order that will be used (usually the latest edition of
Robert’s Rules of Order)
Article Eight FINANCE
State procedure for determining amount of dues and when they should be collected if
any. For example: The amount of dues and the method of collection will be decided
by a majority vote of the executive officers at the beginning of each semester for
semi-annual dues or the beginning of each school year for annual dues.
Article Nine AMENDMENTS
State procedure for proposing and approving amendments to the constitution
The constitution MUST include the following clause:
Student Involvement must review all amendments in the same manner as a
completely new constitution.
Article Ten RATIFICATION
State how the constitution will be ratified
The constitution MUST include this clause:
This constitution shall become effective upon approval by a ¾ vote of the
membership, and a Student Involvement staff member.
Constitution Ratified on: (dates constitution is amended and ratified)
***If there are any additional articles that apply to your organization, place them after Article Eight
and before Article Nine. Consult the Assistant Director for Student Organizations before doing so.
