The Dead Language Latin Club
+Vinctrix causa diis placuit, sed victa Catoni+
Bylaws: Draft 2.1 7/19/06
Current staff:
Sponsor: Robert F. Gotcher, Ph.D.
President: Nathaniel Gotcher
Vice-President: Lauren Zelinski
Secretary-Treasurer: Stephen Zambo
Key to abbreviations:
DLLC=Dead Language Latin Club TC=Technology Coordinator
P=President PL=Ordinary member of the club (pl. PLS)
VP=Vice-President EC=Executive Committee
ST=Secretary-Treasurer SP=Sponsor
Section A: The Sponsor, Executive Committee and Ordinary Members
A.1 The Sponsor
Anything and everything is subject to the approval of the DLLC SP, who may do, regulate, change, or otherwise make decisions about anything and everything concerning the DLLC as he sees fit or chooses.
A.2 The Executive Committee
The EC will consist of the PR, VP, ST, and TC. Extra positions and/or officers may be added to the EC by a Mandatum (see Section B). Regulation of the DLLC is the ordinary prerogative of the EC, not the PLS. The EC should distribute work more or less evenly among itself and is free to delegate work to PLS (see Section A.7).
A.3 The Plebeians
The PLS will consist of persons who wish to join the DLLC and are qualified to do so according to current DLLC norms and standards (see Section F).
A.3 The President
The P is the spearhead of the EC. Should the processes of Section B fail for some reason, final decision in case of controversy is the prerogative of the P alone. The ordinary work of the P is to direct the DLLC within the vision of the SP. If there is, at any given time, an equal amount of work to be done between the three members of the EC, and more work arises that is not by nature peculiar to the roles of the VP or ST, it is the P’s responsibility to do that work.
A.4 The Vice-President
The VP is in charge of Spirit and Outreach. As such, he is the primary spokesman for the DLLC, and his ordinary work involves shaping the ethos of the club and attracting people to become a part of that ethos.
A.5 The Secretary-Treasurer
The ST is responsible for administerial work and keeping the treasury.
A.6 The Technology Coordinator
The TC is responsible for maintaining the DLLC weblog and executing other technological projects assigned by the EC.
A.7 Ad Hoc Committees
Ad Hoc committees may be created by Closed Vote (see Section B.4) for the purpose of advancing the Mission Statement of the DLLC.
A.8 Acting Officers
Acting officers (see Section C.6) hold all the responsibility and power of ordinary officers, with the exception that they only hold office until the P dismisses them.
Section B: The Mandatum
B.1 The Context of a Mandatum
Should a controversy arise concerning the direction of the DLLC, the P may decisively settle it by issuing a Mandatum.
B.2 The Power of a Mandatum
The P may, subject to the SP, decide anything concerning the direction of the DLLC by issuing a Mandatum. All PLS and members of the EC must obey the Mandatum.
B.3 In the Absence of the President
If the P is not present, the VC may issue a Mandatum. If the VC is not present, the ST and TC may jointly issue a Mandatum. If the ST and TC are not both present, or do not agree, all DLLC members may vote on the controversy. Each head is worth one vote. If the vote ties, voters may not be disposed of; the SP must be summoned. If the SP is not available, the matter should be decided intellectually; that is, he/she who demonstrates the best knowledge and understanding of the Classics should be authorized to issue a single Mandatum.
Section C: Elections and Depositions
C.1 The Time of Elections
Elections are ordinarily to be held on the last club meeting of the year.
C.2 The Power of Elections
Elections will determine which DLLC members hold EC offices for the next year.
C.3 The Process of Elections
Speeches and debates between candidates for position are ordinarily to be held on election day, although if all DLLC members have access to the internet, speeches may be sent via email prior to election day. The length and nature of speeches and/or debates may be regulated by the EC. Time should ordinarily be allotted for the PLS to ask the EC candidates questions. All this being done, elections proceed as votes in the absence of appropriate Mandatory Authority, with these exceptions:
a) A tied vote may not be settled by Mandatum
b) By appropriate method, votes should be kept as confidential as possible
C.4 Involuntary Deposition
By an vote of all current DLLC members, present or not present, any member of the EC may be deposed from office in a peaceable manner. An election for the vacant position should then be held promptly (See Section C.6).
C.5 Voluntary Deposition
A member of the EC may resign from office at any time under these conditions:
a) He/she gives at least two weeks notice before leaving office
b) He/she remains in office until the day after a DLLC meeting
C.6 In Case of Deposition
In case of deposition, an acting officer (see Section A.8) should be immediately appointed by the P to fulfill the duties of the deposed officer until an election can be held. However, if there is advance notification that a deposition may or will occur, arrangements should be made to hold an election before the departure of the officer, so that an acting officer will not be necessary.
Section D: The Treasury
D.1 Use of the Treasury
A decision concerning how treasury funds are to be used may be made by:
a) Unanimous consent of the EC
b) A vote of all DLLC members, present or not present
Section E: Meetings
E.1 The Meeting Process
The layout of any given meeting will be determined by the EC. However, the meeting plan should be created in such a way as to strive for excellence in the goals of the Three A’s (Academics, Ambiance, and ’Agiosity).
E.2 Meeting Times and Locations
The times and locations of meetings will be determined by the EC.
Section F: DLLC Norms and Standards
F.1 Membership Status
To become a member of the DLLC, ten U.S. dollars must be surrendered to the SP and the applicant must currently be pursuing study of some sort in the Classics and have some background in Latin.
F.2 Conduct Expectations
At meetings, no member is allowed to engage in disorderly conduct. In Wisconsin, someone who engages in disorderly conduct is “a person who engages in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud, or otherwise disorderly conduct....” Disciplinary action may only be enacted by the SP, parents, or legitimate city, county, state, country, or international authority, with the exception of the United Nations.
F.3 Catholicity
The DLLC is sponsored by the Greater Milwaukee Catholic Home Educators; therefore, its activities should directly or indirectly reflect the ideals of its patrons.
