Constitution

v.2024.12.07

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ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Mount Holyoke College Autosave Video Game Club, referred to as Autosave. 

ARTICLE II: ORGANIZATION MISSION, PURPOSE, AND AFFILIATION

The mission statement of Autosave shall be to provide members of the Mount Holyoke College (MHC) community a fun, safe, and welcoming environment to engage in gaming as a hobby; to find and support others with shared interests; and to promote discussion of video games as a healthy pastime, medium, art form, and potential career.

The purpose of Autosave shall be to gather MHC community members in playing and watching others play video games, as well as to make gaming more accessible to all, especially those who may not otherwise have the means to access them.

We hope to gain new members with varying levels of skill and interest in video games and to keep current members who want to see Autosave grow.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Membership Eligibility

Membership in Autosave is open to all persons without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual preference, gender identity, gender expression, socioeconomic status, age, marital status, citizenship, or disability. All Mount Holyoke College students may be members.

Hazing will not be used as a condition of membership in this organization. All active members will sign the yearly anti-hazing waiver as required by Massachusetts Commonwealth law.

Section 2: General Membership Expectations

To be considered a member of Autosave, one must simply attend meetings. Due to the easygoing and casual atmosphere of Autosave, a member can remain in good standing solely through attendance (which is not recorded) and being kind and considerate to all other club members. A member may leave meetings and/or unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time. Membership is open to students from any of the Five Colleges. Any member in good standing may vote for the games played in each meeting and in officer elections.

Section 3: New Member Recruitment

Recruitment of new members will take place at the Involvement Fair each semester. New members may also join Autosave at any time by coming to a weekly meeting. Members or prospective members may join or leave the Autosave mailing list at any time.

ARTICLE IV: EXECUTIVE BOARD OF OFFICERS

Section 1: Elected Officers

The officers shall consist of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Media Manager, Librarian, and Senator. These officers will be responsible for all administrative duties of Autosave.

The eligibility for an officer of Autosave is open to anyone who is interested in participating in elections. A member who is interested in running for a position may look to the following qualifications for eligibility: 

  1. The candidate must attend or plan on attending multiple consecutive meetings and they must have actively participated during those meetings. 
  2. The candidate possesses a strong desire to lead and to strengthen the club by filling an officer role. 
  3. The candidate is willing to put in the necessary time to fulfill their commitment. 
  4. The candidate has a positive attitude and is friendly towards others.
  5. The candidate must not be on medical, judicial, or personal leave, and they may not be studying abroad.
  6. The candidate may be a part time student, provided they are able to fulfill the responsibilities of their role and help lead Autosave.
  7. The candidate must be a current student at Mount Holyoke College.

Section 2: President (Point of Contact)

The President shall have the power to establish and maintain operation procedures for Autosave. They will be able to call and lead meetings, organize events and activities, and answer for the actions of the other officers. It is suggested, but not required, that the President have previous leadership experience, such as a prior position on the board. They will be an Authorized Signer for Autosave, and thus will need to complete the relevant required training in a timely manner. The President must be an officer in Embark. Other responsibilities include: 

  1. Managing annual recognition, required trainings, constitution submission, and compliance with Office of Student Involvement policies.
  2. Completing all necessary administrative duties (i.e., finding meeting rooms, reserving spaces, etc.) or delegating these responsibilities to other officers. 
  3. Organizing and being prepared for meetings, including ensuring that all planned games are ready to be projected on the meeting room’s screen.
  4. Maintaining relationships with Autosave’s sister organizations, Bellatrix and Renegades.
  5. Acting as a liaison between Autosave and the Office of Student Involvement.

Section 3: Treasurer (Authorized Signer)

The Treasurer will serve as an Authorized Signer for the SGA Business Office. They will work with the SGA Ways and Means Committee to apply for funding. They will be knowledgeable about the guidelines set by the Business Office and Ways and Means and teach other members about them. The Treasurer will periodically need to submit a funding form in order to secure funding for club activities and so should remain aware of any upcoming funding deadlines and the club account balance. Other responsibilities include: 

  1. Coordinating donations for fundraising events or streams. 
  2. Recording and maintaining records of money spent and/or collected.
  3. Keeping track of the club’s budget, including voluntary donations from lending gaming equipment or supplies to other student organizations or individuals. This should be done jointly with the Librarian. 
  4. Attending the club’s audit at the end of each semester.

Section 4: Vice President

The Vice President shall assist the President in all matters pertaining to Autosave and the administrative duties. In the absence of the President, the Vice President will assume the President’s role and lead any meetings. Other responsibilities include: 

  1. Acting as a “Jack of All Trades” for the club and being able to assist other officers with any club-related task(s) they may need help with. 
  2. Acting as the event liaison and helping the President with event planning and streams. The Vice President should take a leading role on this front. 

Section 5: Media Manager

The Media Manager shall keep tabs on and update Autosave’s online presence (YouTube, WordPress, Instagram, Facebook,etc.). It is their primary responsibility to write and send the weekly newsletter, at the discretion and delegation of the President and/or Vice President. This should usually be sent out at least 24 hours before the meeting. Other responsibilities include: 

  1. Creating and distributing polls for events or game suggestions, then keeping track of results.
  2. Checking the club’s emails (autosavemhc@gmail.com) regularly and responding on behalf of the club (though this responsibility can be shared among the officers depending on the nature/content of the email).
  3. Maintaining the club’s YouTube channel by creating thumbnails for videos and working in conjunction with the librarian to set up streaming.
  4. Updating the club’s WordPress website as needed. The “Board Members” page should be updated every semester.
  5. Posting events, announcements, etc. on the Autosave Facebook, Instagram, etc. on a semi-frequent basis.

Section 6: Librarian

The Librarian will manage Autosave’s gaming consoles, equipment, supplies, and Steam gaming account. Other responsibilities include: 

  1. “Renting” out consoles, such as Autosave’s Wii, and our games to people who would like to use them.
  2. Keeping notes of suggested (but voluntary) donations made by other orgs or individuals that borrow Autosave’s equipment. This should be done jointly with the Treasurer.
  3. Bringing consoles or laptops to meetings as needed. 
  4. Making timely requests to Media Services for any needed equipment.
  5. Acting as a liaison to the LITS help desk when technical difficulties arise.
  6. Being familiar with setting up a YouTube stream (done in conjunction with the media manager) and doing so for events like Extra Life.

Section 7: Senator

The Senator will attend weekly senate meetings and report pertinent news to other officers.

Section 8: Terms of Service

There is no set term length for officers of Autosave. Officers may serve their role for as long as they are willing and able to, until they resign, graduate, or are removed. New officers assume their role at the start of the semester after they have been elected, provided the circumstances do not require that they start immediately.

Section 9: Elections

The election of officers will be based on intent to run, which is often declared by filling out a Google Form (or its equivalent) sent out by the Media Manager. If running for a currently vacant position, candidates may declare their intent to run at any point in the semester. Candidates should be in good standing when they fill out their intent-to-run. They should be ready to provide their reasoning and motivation for becoming an officer on the Autosave board during a meeting. 

Candidates are encouraged to contact their predecessors about their desired position to meet and discuss their responsibilities. The election process will be club-wide and will be run by Autosave’s departing officers.

Elections may be held during a regular meeting by a show of hands, provided a large portion of members are present, or through an anonymous poll sent to all current members. Votes will be counted by the departing officers. Prior to voting, time should be set aside during a meeting for the candidates to describe why they are running for the position. When multiple candidates are running for a position, no formal quorum is required and the result will be decided by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the current officers will reach an agreement on which candidate to elect. When only one candidate is running, at least one third of votes obtained must be in favor of electing the candidate.

Section 10: Responsibilities

Each officer, both elected and appointed, shall be responsible for their duties as listed in this constitution. Each officer shall also be responsible for establishing and maintaining a working relationship with the General Membership, Executive Board, and all other officers, advisors, chairs, committees, and staff necessary to perform their duties.

Section 11: Removal of an Officer

The removal process is initiated by the board with a majority vote on the removal of an officer. Once the other officers have reached a majority, the decision moves to the general membership of Autosave, at which point a referendum will be held to explain the situation. The subsequent vote must receive a 2/3 majority of the members in order for the removal to pass.

An officer may be removed from their position if they egregiously and/or repeatedly do not perform their duties to the point where Autosave’s ability to function is affected. Any officer may be removed if they are not willing to contribute or do not represent the club’s core values of fun, positivity, and accessibility. If an officer treats a member of the club with contempt, that is also grounds for removal.

A previously removed officer may run for a position and be re-elected provided at least one semester has passed since their removal and the issues prompting their removal have been thoroughly resolved.

Section 12: Officer Transitions

Each officer shall maintain a record of their position, including budgets and activities of the office, to provide to incoming officers following elections. Outgoing officers shall also make every effort to assist in the transition process, including helping to ensure that incoming officers are aware of their responsibilities.

Section 13: Vacancies

In the event of an unplanned vacancy on the board, the officers will have the power to appoint a member to the position, with the exception of the Office of the President. If the Presidency is the vacant position, the Vice President will immediately fill the President’s role. For any other position, officers on the board will canvas for volunteers to fill the position at the following meeting. If there is more than one candidate, a quick election will be held, with a simple majority vote to win. In the event of a prolonged vacancy, the other officers will work together to fulfill the responsibilities of the vacant position.

ARTICLE V: CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Section 1: Conflict Resolution Plan

In the case of conflict between Autosave members (officers or otherwise), Autosave officers should reach out to the involved individuals to mediate a conversation to attempt to resolve the issue. In the event that no resolution can be reached this way, Autosave officers will reach out to the Office of Student Involvement and/or the Ombuds Office to meet with the involved individuals and develop a plan to resolve the issue.

ARTICLE VI: ADVISOR

Section 1: Advisor Selection

In the event that Autosave is without an advisor, the officers will search for and reach out to a faculty member with relevant experience in leadership, organization, and technology.

Section 2: Advisor Responsibilities

The advisor for Autosave should be able to help organize livestream events and answer administrative questions as needed by the board. Upon selection, the officers will meet with the advisor to collaboratively decide on the advisor’s specific role.

Section 3: Advisor Terms of Service

At the end of each academic year, the Autosave officers will meet with the advisor to decide whether or not the same advisor will serve for the following year.

ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS

Section 1: Officers

The officers will meet as needed to discuss leadership transfer, livestream planning, or any other topic relevant to the functioning of Autosave. Any officer may request a meeting, and the involved officers will work together to schedule it. It is not required for all officers to be present at every meeting.

Section 2: All Members

Meetings are held on a weekly basis on Saturday nights, starting at 7:00 PM and ending when the room reservation is over, when the projector shuts off, or when no board members remain (whichever happens first). The person leading the meeting (usually the President or Vice President) is required to stay until the last member leaves.

Section 3: Meeting Structure

The first hour of a meeting typically consists of playing Jackbox games, as determined by the members present at the meeting. The remainder of the meeting will be spent playing the game for that meeting, as decided by a poll sent out before the meeting. Meetings will be held in a physical location on campus, and will only take place during the academic year.

Section 4: Quorum and Referendum

No quorum is required to conduct meetings, and members of Autosave are free to come and go as they please.

Section 5: Decision Making and Voting (Non-Election)

All decisions made by the club will be made democratically. Excluding officer removal (which is a two-thirds majority), most decisions or polls will be won by a simple majority.

ARTICLE VIII: FINANCES

Section 1: Ways and Means Guidelines

As a registered Mount Holyoke College Student Organization we will comply with the Ways and Means Guidelines. We understand that not all projects and events will get fully funded.

Section 2: Fundraising

Fundraising is not required. It is up to the discretion of the board and the club to decide whether Autosave will fundraise. In fundraising for itself, Autosave should be mindful in following Ways and Means Guidelines. The Treasurer should be certain to keep track of all funds given to the club. The method of fundraising will be left to the board’s own discretion. Examples include selling Autosave stickers, hosting a gaming auction, etc. Autosave may also fundraise for a charity during a livestream event.

Section 3: Yearly Streams

Future officers should strive to have two charity event livestreams per year: one in the fall, and one in the spring. Autosave holds a tradition of the 12-13 hour Extra Life stream that fundraises for a hospital of the board’s choice (though a local hospital is suggested). The spring stream is usually shorter, and the recipient charity is selected each year. Food should be provided during the Extra Life stream.

ARTICLE IX: JURISDICTION

Section 1: Code of Conduct

All members are required to follow local, state, and federal laws. The Autosave Video Game Club is subjected, as a recognized student organization, to the rules, regulations, and policies of Mount Holyoke College including but not limited to the Honor Code, Student Handbook, and Student Organization Handbook.

ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS AND RATIFICATION

Section 1: Ratification Process

Any Autosave officer may suggest changes to the constitution at any time. Current board members will vote on any changes, with a two-thirds majority required to ratify them. Amendments to the constitution will take effect at the start of the next semester, provided the circumstances do not require that they take effect immediately.

ARTICLE XI: DISSOLUTION

Section 1: Statement of Dissolution

Autosave will be dissolved by a two-thirds majority of quorum votes to do so, or when the Student Organization fails to complete the College’s required recognition process for two consecutive academic years. In the event of the Student Organization’s dissolution, all Student Organization financial assets become property of the Student Government Association and shall be added to allocation designated for recognized student organizations. All additional assets become property of the Office of Student Involvement.

ARTICLE XII: COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

Section 1: Attendance

Autosave has no concrete attendance policy, though those who aspire to become officers should attend often. People may drop in and leave freely.

Section 2: Social Expectations

Autosave members should be kind and considerate of others, both within and outside the club, regardless of prior experience or identity. Members should strive to create a welcoming environment where everyone feels safe and able to interact with others.

Section 3: Emails

Aside from the weekly newsletter from the Media Manager, there is no deadline for responses or schedule for email communication. However, the officers should aim to answer club-related query within 48 hours of email receipt (barring holidays and weekends).

Section 4: Livestreams

During livestreams, the BioShock games are not to be played. It is a curse upon Autosave to try and stream BioShock for any reason, and it creates too many technical difficulties that will generally increase the stress levels in the room by about 500%. To reiterate, the following games are BANNED from any and all streams that Autosave may partake in (though they may be played at normal meetings at the officer’s risk):

  • BioShock 
  • BioShock Remastered
  • BioShock 2 
  • BioShock 2 Remastered
  • BioShock Infinite 

Section 5: Microaggression Response Procedures

If a club member commits a microaggression against another club member for the first time, they will be taken aside by a member of the board and informed why their actions were problematic and how the club does not tolerate that kind of behavior. If the behavior is repeated, the member will be asked to have a meeting with the board and a representative from the DEI office. If the behavior is repeated a third time, this will be considered grounds for expulsion from the organization. If a club member says or does something intentionally or maliciously discriminatory towards another club member, this will also be considered grounds for expulsion. 

ARTICLE XIII: THE HOARD

Autosave, as one of the three organizations contributing to The Hoard, will abide by its Bylaws. 

  1. In accordance with those Bylaws, Autosave shall have a Will in its Constitution (or a plan to make one) at all times.
  2. In the event that Autosave goes defunct, its items stored in the Hoard shall go to Renegades. If another organization arises with a similar purpose to Autosave, after five years have passed since Autosave’s dissolution, Renegades should give those items to that organization.