Environmental Coalition Constitution

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constitution of the environmental coalition (ECo)

Article I - Name
The organization to which this constitution applies will be known as the "Environmental Coalition" and this exact title will be used in addressing it. This organization is also abbreviated as ECo.

Article II - Purpose
The purpose of the Environmental Coalition is to create an organizational/educational resource center to foster a cohesive relationship within Berkeley's environmental community. This includes active involvement within the UC Berkeley community and the city of Berkeley in order to engage students and members of the community in actively sustainable living practices and in educating others on sustainability. ECo will also be the central hub of environmental activism on campus with resources for every environmental organization and student interested in becoming active in the sustainability movement. ECo shall also function as a lobbying power in Berkeley for the environmental movement.

Article III Membership
All persons interested in supporting the aforementioned purpose are eligible for membership. This shall include off-campus participants, who will be regarded as non-active members, as required by Berkeley Campus Regulations. Members will be invited to all events hosted by ECo and will have access to all of the resources of the ECo.

We affirm the following statement as required by Berkeley Campus Regulations: We will not haze according to California State Law; we will not restrict membership based upon race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, or handicap.

Article IV Officers
ECo shall have three levels of leadership: (i) Executive Board; (ii) ECo Council; (iii.) ECo Affiliates; (iv.) ECo Individuals.

Section A - Executive Board
The Executive Board shall all be an elected (see Article V) body of five students, one ex-officio member of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS), and ex-officio staff and faculty. The ECo Executive Board and shall serve a term of one academic year or, in the case of mid-term entrance, until the next regular elections. The Executive Committee shall act as the steering committee for ECo. Any decision of the Board must be decided at a vote where quorum (four of five officers) exists and according to Robert's Rules of Order. The first act of the Executive Board will be to elect a member from the Committee to represent the ECo in CACS. The Executive Board will run ECo and the office. It is preferred and recommended that the committee assign the following roles: executive director, office manager, outreach, recruitment, retention, and education coordinator, intern coordinator and programs manager, ASUC Sustainability Director, staff and /or faculty advisors.

i. Director of Operations
The Director of Operations shall act as the chief administrator for the ECo, coordinate financing, overseeing all activities and functioning of the center. The Executive Board must approve every expenditure of ECo. The Director of Operations shall organize and run meetings with the ECo Council and convene weekly meetings of the Executive Board. The Director of Operations shall submit a semester plan and budget each semester no later than two weeks into each semester to the Executive Board to direct the center for that period of time. The Executive Board will enact the semester plan after approval. The ECo Council must approve a budget at the first meeting of each semester. The Director of Operations shall submit the budget to the Council members at least seven days before the meeting. The Director of Operations must be one of the signatories.

ii. Office Manager
The Office Manager shall be in charge of the office of the ECo Center, its maintenance, design, supplies, and presentation. The Office Manager shall be in charge of office hours for all volunteers, interns, and Executive Committee Members. The Office Manager shall work with the Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Coordinator to coordinate with ECo Affiliates for the white board and affiliate updates. The Office Manager will also be the chief communicator with media, in charge of press releases and communications like the Website and the weekly newsletter update. The Office Manager will also be responsible for compiling a project database and will help facilitate the sharing of information between student groups. The Office Manager will act as the secretary at the Executive Board meetings and of the ECo Council.

iii. Outreach, Recruitment, Retention, and Education Coordinator
The Outreach, Recruitment, Retention, and Education Coordinator is the officer that will work directly with ECo Affiliates to address their concerns, needs, and to maintain favorable constituent relations as well as outreach to other friendly groups for coordinated events and for increasing the number of ECo affiliates.

The Outreach, Recruitment, Retention, and Education Coordinator shall also manage the tabling on Sproul, and publicity for events. The Outreach, Recruitment, Retention, and Education Coordinator will design and distribute the ECo brochure. Outreach, Recruitment, Retention, and Education Coordinator shall design and execute a dorm "Sustainable Living" program in each dorm at HallAss meetings.

iv. Intern Coordinator and Programs Manager
The Intern Coordinator and Programs Manager will work with the Executive Director on the programs part of the semester plan, coordinate outreach to interns, the alumni program for dorm Recycling Coordinators, facilitate a program with current Recycling Coordinators, and yearly events like Earth Day. The Intern Coordinator and Programs Manager will also make arrangements at mid-semester for the intern program for the following semester with a program for students to receive units for interning at the Center. The Intern Coordinator and Programs Manager will also be in charge of recruiting speakers, preferably at least one a semester, to lecture on an environmental topic of particular relevance.

v. ASUC Sustainability Director
The ASUC Sustainability Director will work with the ASUC on making the Student Union more sustainable as well as enhancing the general sustainability of the campus. The ASUC Sustainability Director shall also lobby the ASUC pursuant to any decision to do so by the ECo Council to realize its agenda and priorities. The ASUC Sustainability Director will be responsible for any and all relations with the ASUC like student group funding. The ASUC Sustainability Director shall also be responsible for pursing external contributions to ECo and organizing an annual fundraiser. The ASUC Sustainability Director must be one of the signatories.

vi. Staff and/or Faculty Advisors
These are positions for staff and/or faculty members for them to serve as advisors and partly as liaisons to the university administration and department administrations.

Section B ECo Council
ECo Council will consist of a representative from each ECo constituent student group. ECo council meetings are open to the public. The Council shall convene at least two meetings per semester. The Council must convene one of its meetings in the Spring Semester immediately after the filing deadlines have passed to run for ASUC offices for endorsement purposes. Votes in the Council shall be conducted in the parliamentary fashion of one vote per member. Official business may only be voted on if quorum (defined here as a majority) of Council members is present. All parliamentary actions shall proceed according to Robert's Rules of Order. The Executive Board shall appoint a parliamentarian to guide these meetings if necessary.

Members of the Council shall be on the council for at least one semester. Each club shall have the opportunity to change the club's representative by the last meeting of the Spring Semester before the ECo Executive Board has its elections and so the ECo Council can begin its planning for the next year with members who will be present next year.

Section C ECo Affiliates
ECo Affiliates are any environmental organizations or organizations with a pro-environment platform or agenda that registers with the ECo. Registration with ECo is always open. Upon registering with ECo, each affiliate will be asked to nominate or elect a member to sit on the ECo Council. ECo Affiliates are invited to all ECo events and have access to all of the ECo resources and benefits. ASUC-sponsored student groups as well as community environmental organizations are also eligible affiliates.

Section D ECo Individuals (Volunteers for ECo)
ECo Council meetings are open to the public and anyone is allowed to attend. The internship program is open to anyone interested in administering ECo regardless of affiliation with any environmental organization.

Article V Elections
Elections shall take place at the last meeting of ECo of the academic school year. The Executive Director shall notify the ECo Council and shall appoint someone not running for office to conduct the elections. Elections shall be conducted on a paper ballot and the results shall be tallied by one person and double-checked by another. Elections shall be conducted in the instant run-off fashion where Council members rank their choices in numerical order with the first choice receiving a one. Anyone who has attended at least one ECo Council meeting is eligible for candidacy.

Article VI Meetings
Meetings shall take place as described above.

Article VII Constitutional Amendments
Any Council member may propose an amendment by submitting it to the Executive Director who will then defer to the parliamentarian as to the actual conducting of the amendment process. All amendments must be submitted at least ten days prior to meetings of the ECo Council and will be voted on at these meetings. The Executive Director will then notify all Council members of the amendment proposal at least seven days prior to the ECo Council meeting. As required by Berkeley Campus Regulations, all amendments, additions, or deletions must be filed with the Student Activities and Services and with the ASUC Student Affairs Office.

Article VIII Impeachment and Removal of Executive Board Members
Members of the Executive Board only may be impeached and removed from their position but they will still maintain their position on the ECo Council. Members cannot be impeached from the ECo Council unless they profess an agenda contrary to that of ECo. Members of the Executive Board can be impeached and removed in a two-step process. First, the Executive Board must vote to impeach the other Board member and submit this decision to the ECo Council. The ECo Council will then vote on a paper ballot with a two-thirds supermajority vote on the removal of the member. Immediately following any removal additional elections must be held to fill the office.

Article IX Dissolution
Dissolution shall be decided by two-thirds majority of the Council members upon two consecutive meetings. Remaining funds will be donated to an environmental nonprofit organization or student group to be decided upon at the time of dissolution.


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Get Involved Events Resources Photos Links	constitution of the environmental coalition (ECo) Article I - Name The organization to which this constitution applies will be known as the "Environmental Coalition" and this exact title will be used in addressing it. This organization is also abbreviated as ECo. Article II - Purpose The purpose of the Environmental Coalition is to create an organizational/educational resource center to foster a cohesive relationship within Berkeley's environmental community. This includes active involvement within the UC Berkeley community and the city of Berkeley in order to engage students and members of the community in actively sustainable living practices and in educating others on sustainability. ECo will also be the central hub of environmental activism on campus with resources for every environmental organization and student interested in becoming active in the sustainability movement. ECo shall also function as a lobbying power in Berkeley for the environmental movement. Article III Membership All persons interested in supporting the aforementioned purpose are eligible for membership. This shall include off-campus participants, who will be regarded as non-active members, as required by Berkeley Campus Regulations. Members will be invited to all events hosted by ECo and will have access to all of the resources of the ECo. We affirm the following statement as required by Berkeley Campus Regulations: We will not haze according to California State Law; we will not restrict membership based upon race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, or handicap. Article IV Officers ECo shall have three levels of leadership: (i) Executive Board; (ii) ECo Council; (iii.) ECo Affiliates; (iv.) ECo Individuals. Section A - Executive Board The Executive Board shall all be an elected (see Article V) body of five students, one ex-officio member of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS), and ex-officio staff and faculty. The ECo Executive Board and shall serve a term of one academic year or, in the case of mid-term entrance, until the next regular elections. The Executive Committee shall act as the steering committee for ECo. Any decision of the Board must be decided at a vote where quorum (four of five officers) exists and according to Robert's Rules of Order. The first act of the Executive Board will be to elect a member from the Committee to represent the ECo in CACS. The Executive Board will run ECo and the office. It is preferred and recommended that the committee assign the following roles: executive director, office manager, outreach, recruitment, retention, and education coordinator, intern coordinator and programs manager, ASUC Sustainability Director, staff and /or faculty advisors. i. Director of Operations The Director of Operations shall act as the chief administrator for the ECo, coordinate financing, overseeing all activities and functioning of the center. The Executive Board must approve every expenditure of ECo. The Director of Operations shall organize and run meetings with the ECo Council and convene weekly meetings of the Executive Board. The Director of Operations shall submit a semester plan and budget each semester no later than two weeks into each semester to the Executive Board to direct the center for that period of time. The Executive Board will enact the semester plan after approval. The ECo Council must approve a budget at the first meeting of each semester. The Director of Operations shall submit the budget to the Council members at least seven days before the meeting. The Director of Operations must be one of the signatories. ii. Office Manager The Office Manager shall be in charge of the office of the ECo Center, its maintenance, design, supplies, and presentation. The Office Manager shall be in charge of office hours for all volunteers, interns, and Executive Committee Members. The Office Manager shall work with the Outreach, Recruitment, and Retention Coordinator to coordinate with ECo Affiliates for the white board and affiliate updates. The Office Manager will also be the chief communicator with media, in charge of press releases and communications like the Website and the weekly newsletter update. The Office Manager will also be responsible for compiling a project database and will help facilitate the sharing of information between student groups. The Office Manager will act as the secretary at the Executive Board meetings and of the ECo Council. iii. Outreach, Recruitment, Retention, and Education Coordinator The Outreach, Recruitment, Retention, and Education Coordinator is the officer that will work directly with ECo Affiliates to address their concerns, needs, and to maintain favorable constituent relations as well as outreach to other friendly groups for coordinated events and for increasing the number of ECo affiliates. The Outreach, Recruitment, Retention, and Education Coordinator shall also manage the tabling on Sproul, and publicity for events. The Outreach, Recruitment, Retention, and Education Coordinator will design and distribute the ECo brochure. Outreach, Recruitment, Retention, and Education Coordinator shall design and execute a dorm "Sustainable Living" program in each dorm at HallAss meetings. iv. Intern Coordinator and Programs Manager The Intern Coordinator and Programs Manager will work with the Executive Director on the programs part of the semester plan, coordinate outreach to interns, the alumni program for dorm Recycling Coordinators, facilitate a program with current Recycling Coordinators, and yearly events like Earth Day. The Intern Coordinator and Programs Manager will also make arrangements at mid-semester for the intern program for the following semester with a program for students to receive units for interning at the Center. The Intern Coordinator and Programs Manager will also be in charge of recruiting speakers, preferably at least one a semester, to lecture on an environmental topic of particular relevance. v. ASUC Sustainability Director The ASUC Sustainability Director will work with the ASUC on making the Student Union more sustainable as well as enhancing the general sustainability of the campus. The ASUC Sustainability Director shall also lobby the ASUC pursuant to any decision to do so by the ECo Council to realize its agenda and priorities. The ASUC Sustainability Director will be responsible for any and all relations with the ASUC like student group funding. The ASUC Sustainability Director shall also be responsible for pursing external contributions to ECo and organizing an annual fundraiser. The ASUC Sustainability Director must be one of the signatories. vi. Staff and/or Faculty Advisors These are positions for staff and/or faculty members for them to serve as advisors and partly as liaisons to the university administration and department administrations. Section B ECo Council ECo Council will consist of a representative from each ECo constituent student group. ECo council meetings are open to the public. The Council shall convene at least two meetings per semester. The Council must convene one of its meetings in the Spring Semester immediately after the filing deadlines have passed to run for ASUC offices for endorsement purposes. Votes in the Council shall be conducted in the parliamentary fashion of one vote per member. Official business may only be voted on if quorum (defined here as a majority) of Council members is present. All parliamentary actions shall proceed according to Robert's Rules of Order. The Executive Board shall appoint a parliamentarian to guide these meetings if necessary. Members of the Council shall be on the council for at least one semester. Each club shall have the opportunity to change the club's representative by the last meeting of the Spring Semester before the ECo Executive Board has its elections and so the ECo Council can begin its planning for the next year with members who will be present next year. Section C ECo Affiliates ECo Affiliates are any environmental organizations or organizations with a pro-environment platform or agenda that registers with the ECo. Registration with ECo is always open. Upon registering with ECo, each affiliate will be asked to nominate or elect a member to sit on the ECo Council. ECo Affiliates are invited to all ECo events and have access to all of the ECo resources and benefits. ASUC-sponsored student groups as well as community environmental organizations are also eligible affiliates. Section D ECo Individuals (Volunteers for ECo) ECo Council meetings are open to the public and anyone is allowed to attend. The internship program is open to anyone interested in administering ECo regardless of affiliation with any environmental organization. Article V Elections Elections shall take place at the last meeting of ECo of the academic school year. The Executive Director shall notify the ECo Council and shall appoint someone not running for office to conduct the elections. Elections shall be conducted on a paper ballot and the results shall be tallied by one person and double-checked by another. Elections shall be conducted in the instant run-off fashion where Council members rank their choices in numerical order with the first choice receiving a one. Anyone who has attended at least one ECo Council meeting is eligible for candidacy. Article VI Meetings Meetings shall take place as described above. Article VII Constitutional Amendments Any Council member may propose an amendment by submitting it to the Executive Director who will then defer to the parliamentarian as to the actual conducting of the amendment process. All amendments must be submitted at least ten days prior to meetings of the ECo Council and will be voted on at these meetings. The Executive Director will then notify all Council members of the amendment proposal at least seven days prior to the ECo Council meeting. As required by Berkeley Campus Regulations, all amendments, additions, or deletions must be filed with the Student Activities and Services and with the ASUC Student Affairs Office. Article VIII Impeachment and Removal of Executive Board Members Members of the Executive Board only may be impeached and removed from their position but they will still maintain their position on the ECo Council. Members cannot be impeached from the ECo Council unless they profess an agenda contrary to that of ECo. Members of the Executive Board can be impeached and removed in a two-step process. First, the Executive Board must vote to impeach the other Board member and submit this decision to the ECo Council. The ECo Council will then vote on a paper ballot with a two-thirds supermajority vote on the removal of the member. Immediately following any removal additional elections must be held to fill the office. Article IX Dissolution Dissolution shall be decided by two-thirds majority of the Council members upon two consecutive meetings. Remaining funds will be donated to an environmental nonprofit organization or student group to be decided upon at the time of dissolution.
Contact us at info@berkeleyeco.org