Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Constitution of The Enosinian Society

“Enosis”

Thought is deeper than all speech,
Feeling deeper than all thought;
Souls to souls can never teach
What unto themselves was taught.

We, like parted drops of rain
Swelling till they meet and run,
Shall be all absorbed again
Melting, flowing into one.


Since the year 1822 C.E., The Enosinian Society has marshaled under its banner young people of this prestigious University dedicated to the search for knowledge, wisdom, and truth through earnest, spirited, public discourse on the most important issues of the day. Whereas the traditions of the Enosinian Society, in their most dignified form, have for years enriched the lives of students of this University and the inhabitants of this fair capital city; whereas our University and our polity are in need, now more than ever, of channels for rigorous, interrogative debate on the principles which inform our worldviews and guide our actions; we the Executive Board of The Enosinian Society of The George Washington University do ordain and establish this Constitution with the aspiration of providing to and protecting for our members, present and future, a forum for exchange and edification, actuated, as our predecessors noted, by a “desire of improving ourselves in knowledge, eloquence and every accomplishment by which we may be the better prepared for any station in life.”

Signed on this day, September 30, 2009 C.E.,

Eshawn Rawlley, President Presiding

Alex Shoucair, Speaker of the House Presiding

Samuel Pursch, Treasurer Presiding

Solomon Steen, Secretary Presiding

Comprising the Executive Board of The Enosinian Society in its 187th year of foundation.





Article I: Society Chronicle

Section 1: May the following particulars be submitted to history:

i. The official name of this Society is The Enosinian Society of The George Washington University.
ii. This Society was founded in 1822 and most recently restored in 2004
iii. The official motto of this Society is “Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci” (“He gets every vote who mixes the practical with the pleasurable”) attributed to the poet Horace.
iv. The modern location of the House of this Society is The Honors Building, located at 714 21st St. NW Washington, DC 20052

Section 2: This Society, as long as it may exist and thrive at The George Washington University in the city of Washington in the District of Columbia, shall respectfully abide by all the policies issued and enforced by the University.

Article II: Membership in Society

Section 1: The various appellations of members of this Society as well as the requirements of acquisition thereof are the following:

i. To become an Associate Member of the Society, a person must be recognized on the floor by Speaker of the House.
ii. To become an Esteemed Member of the Society, a Learned Member must deliver a paper address.
iii. To become a Ranking Member of the Society, one must be student of The George Washington University and be appointed to serve as a member of the Executive Board.
iv. To become an Honorary Member of the Society, one must be nominated and confirmed by the Executive Board.

Section 2: The Society shall discriminate no persons on the basis of race, gender, nationality, religion, ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation.

Article III: The Executive Board

Section 1: All appointed to the Executive Board must pledge the following oath before assuming the duties of their office:

“I hereby affirm and uphold the Constitution of this Society, and resolve to faithfully and to the best of my abilities execute the duties of the office of which I am about to enter, and promise to pursue Knowledge, Wisdom, and Truth with humility, civility, and grace for the sake and benefit of this University, my Country, and all mankind.”

Section 2: The Offices of the Executive Board and duties thereof are the following, in order of Rank:

i. The President shall solely, in all instances unless specified otherwise, reserve the power to call, commence, and adjourn all meetings of the Executive Board, appoint persons to the Executive Board with the advice of the members of the Executive Board presiding and with the purpose of filling vacancies both present and impending, establish at his or her discretion adjunct committees with the express assignment of assisting the Executive Board by the direction of that body in the administration of the Society and comprised of members of the Executive Board presiding and/or other members of the Society, request of the Speaker of the House the commencement of each House session and make all motions to vote during each House session, affirm in conjunction with the Speaker of the House session summaries for publication, endorse or veto any action taken by the Speaker of the House including the suspension of any or all House rules, veto any action by the Sergeant of the House, and serve as the official ambassador of the Society with the privilege of signing all documents on behalf of the same.
ii. The Speaker of the House shall solely, unless in instances specified otherwise, reserve the power to commence, preside over, and adjourn each House session, yield and retain command of the floor and suspend any or all House rules, cast a vote on a resolution only in the event of an evenly divided result produced by the House, affirm the results of all floor votes on resolutions before the House, affirm in conjunction with the President session summaries for publication, and serve for the duration of one term only, with a term equal in length to a semester of study at The George Washington University.
iii. The Treasurer shall solely, unless in instances specified otherwise, reserve the power to manage the finances of the Society, complete the application of renewal of the Society charter of registration in the records of the Student Association, request all co-sponsorships, negotiate all business deals, and conduct all monetary transactions on behalf of the Society, and serve as the liaison between the Society and the Student Association of The George Washington University.
iv. The Secretary shall solely, unless in instances specified otherwise, reserve the power to hold and interpret the Constitution of the Society, tally in cooperation with the Sergeant of the House all floor votes and announce the results to the Speaker of the House during session, prepare each session summary which shall include the number in attendance, the names of paper speakers, as well as the results of any floor votes in a fair and legible style to present to the President and Speaker of the House for affirmation and publication to the record, enter the names of Associate, Learned, Esteemed, Honorary, and Ranking members of the Society to the record, and submit an other business papers, notes, correspondence, and bulletins related to and/or commissioned by the Society and/or the Executive Board or one of its members.
v. The Sergeant of the House shall solely, unless in instances specified otherwise, reserve the power to open and close the House, present the members of the Society to the House, schedule, announce, and publicize all sessions of the House, and admit and dismiss any person into the House during session.

Section 3: The Executive Board, acting as the whole of its members or in its fullest temporary capacity, is empowered to perform the following acts, with each officer representing one vote unless in instances specified otherwise:

i. Produce before the commencement of each season a schedule of House sessions and a corresponding card of resolutions that shall be presented before the House during each session.
ii. Issue a call for and brief paper speakers who will present opening and closing arguments for each resolution before the House.
iii. Nominate and confirm, by way of majority vote, with the Speaker of the House casting a second vote in the event of a tie, persons for induction into the Society as Honorary Members. Each member of the Executive Board may nominate one and only one person for consideration of honor per term; the Executive Board may hear and accept recommendations of persons for consideration of honor from non-Ranking Members.
iv. Revoke the earned status, by way of majority vote, with the Speaker of the House casting a second vote in the event of a tie, of any Associate, Learned, Esteemed, and Honorary member.
v. Instruct the Sergeant of the House to forbid the future entry into the House by any member who has demonstrated blatant and sustained contempt for House rules, conducted him or herself in a continuously disorderly manner, or who is otherwise deemed unfit for attendance in the House, by way of majority vote, with the Speaker of the House casting a second vote in the event of a tie.
vi. Review and overrule any act of the President not related to the procedural oversight of a meeting, including its call, commencement, and adjournment, by way of majority vote, with the Speaker of the House casting a second vote in the event of a tie; the President must abstain from voting on matters concerning the review of presidential acts.
vii. Exercise any powers necessary for the effective administration of the Society not explicitly reserved to the respective Offices of the Executive Board.

Section 4: The censure, impeachment, and/or dismissal of a member of the Executive Board shall adhere to the below due process, with each officer representing one vote in all cases not otherwise specified. A meeting of the Executive Board shall not be adjourned while a vote on a resolution of censure, impeachment, or dismissal is pending; the officer toward whom any one of the above resolutions is directed shall abstain from casting a vote on the same:

i. Stated grounds for the censure, impeachment, and/or dismissal of any member of the Executive Board must be made known by a member of that body. A member of the Executive Board is subject to censure, impeachment, and/or dismissal if his or her actions, behavior, speech, or demeanor is contradictory to the oath of his or her office sworn to and the spirit of the Society, and detrimental to the preservation of and adherence to the traditions and aspirations of the Society, with the interpretation of specific cases in which the applicability of such charges is appropriate reserved to the judgment of the members of the Executive Board.
ii. To censure a member of the Executive Board, a member of that body, during a meeting of the same, must motion to introduce a resolution of censure, which may only be directed at one member of the Executive Board at a time, on stated grounds congruent with the offenses enumerated in the Clause i of this Section.
iii. A member of the Executive Board, not being the same to introduce the resolution of censure, must second this motion.
iv. If the qualifications defined in Clause ii and Clause iii of this Section are met, the President must call a vote of the Executive Board on the resolution of censure. If the resolution of censure is directed toward the President, the Speaker of the House instead shall call a vote on the resolution.
v. If the resolution of censure clears the Executive Board, the officer to whom the resolution is directed is immediately issued a censure of disapproval by the Executive Board. If the vote on the resolution of censure is evenly divided, the Speaker of the House shall cast a second vote; if the resolution of censure is directed at the Speaker of the House, the President instead shall cast a second vote.
vi. To impeach a member of the Executive Board, a member of that body, during a meeting of the same, must motion to introduce a resolution of impeachment, which may only be directed at one member of the Executive Board at a time, on stated grounds congruent with the offenses enumerated in Clause i of this Section.
vii. A member of the Executive Board, not being the same to introduce the resolution of impeachment, must second this motion.
viii. If the qualifications defined in Clause vi and Clause vii of this Section are met, the President must call a vote of the Executive Board on the resolution of impeachment. If the resolution of impeachment is directed toward the President, the Speaker of the House instead shall call a vote on the resolution.
ix. If the resolution of impeachment clears the Executive Board, the officer to whom it is directed is immediately issued a writ of impeachment. If the vote on the resolution of impeachment is evenly divided, the Speaker of the House shall cast a second vote; if the resolution of impeachment is directed toward the Speaker of the House, the President instead shall cast a second vote.
x. An officer issued a writ of impeachment is afforded the right to defend his or her actions against the offenses alleged or offer an admission of guilt of the same to the members of the Executive Board.
xi. To dismiss a member of the Executive Board, he or she must be issued a writ of impeachment and afforded the appropriate rights subsequently activated congruent with Clause ix and Clause x of this Section. A member of the Executive Board must then motion to introduce a resolution of dismissal on stated grounds, directed at the member of the Executive Board presently impeached.
xii. A member of the Executive Board, not being the same to introduce the resolution of dismissal, must second this motion.
xiii. If the qualifications defined in Clause xi and Clause xii of this Section are met, the President must call a vote of the Executive Board on the resolution of dismissal. If the resolution of dismissal is directed toward the President, the Speaker of the House shall instead call a vote on the resolution.
xiv. If the resolution of dismissal clears the Executive Board, the officer to whom the resolution is directed is immediately and permanently dismissed from his or her office and duties thereof and is invalidated as a member of the Society. If the vote on the resolution of dismissal is evenly divided, the Speaker of the House will cast a second vote; if the resolution of dismissal is directed toward the Speaker of the House, the President instead shall cast a second vote.

Section 5: Should any officer of the Executive Board be removed or relieved from the duties of his or her office, the President shall appoint a successor to fill the vacancy. Should the President be removed or relieved from the duties of his or her office, or resign without appointing a successor, the Speaker of the House shall appoint a President.

Section 6: Should the need arise for a meeting of the Executive Board in conditions of emergency and in the confirmed and unavoidable absence of the President, the Speaker of the House shall with the express consent of the President retain the right to call such a meeting and all subsequent meetings as deemed necessary, and shall serve as Acting President for their duration in addition to fulfilling the duties of his or her office sworn to.

Section 7: No person shall hold the title of more than one office at a given time.

Article IV: Rules and Procedures of the House

Section 1: All of the below statutes must be affirmed by all present in the House prior to the recognition of speakers.

i. The consumption of food and beverage, with the exception of water, is prohibited on the floor.
ii. The use of profanity is prohibited on the floor.
iii. The use of electronic devices is prohibited on the floor.
iv. All who wish to take the floor must appeal, when prompted, for recognition by the Speaker of the House.
v. All speakers must argue on behalf of the proposition or the opposition.
vi. A speech on behalf of the proposition must be followed by a speech on behalf of the opposition, and vice versa.
vii. Opening speeches, floor speeches, and closing speeches may not exceed ten, three, and five minutes in length respectively; speakers may yield the floor at any time.
viii. All speeches must end promptly upon the sounding of the gavel by the Speaker of the House; all appeals for additional floor time or suspension of time limitations must be sustained by the Speaker of the House.
ix. Speakers may deliver one and only one floor speech during a House session.
x. Speakers may, but are not compelled to, recognize requests by floor members for points of information limited to the clarification of the content of a floor speech and which may not be used to advance an argument; points of information may not be requested of paper speakers during opening speeches.
xi. The Speaker of the House reserves the right to retain the floor at any time in the absence of a presidential veto.
xii. Resolutions shall be cleared or rejected by and only by a floor vote; the Speaker of the House may only cast a vote in the event of a tie.

Section 2: All House sessions should, but are not compelled to, emulate the following ceremony:

i. The Sergeant of the House shall open the House.
ii. The President shall request of the Speaker of the House the commencement of session.
iii. The Speaker of the House shall commence the session.
iv. The Speaker of the House shall recognize the opening arguments of the proposition paper speaker.
v. The Speaker of the House shall recognize the opening arguments of the opposition paper speaker.
vi. The Speaker of the House shall recognize any floor opinions.
vii. The Speaker of the House shall recognize the closing arguments of the opposition paper speaker.
viii. The Speaker of the House shall recognize the closing arguments of the proposition paper speaker.
iix. The President shall motion for a vote on the resolution before the floor.
ix. The Speaker of the House shall recognize this motion and call for a vote on the resolution before the floor.
x. Members of the floor may, but are not compelled to, cast a yea or nay vote by entering the House foyer through designated proposition and opposition entranceways. The Secretary shall note all yea votes while the Sergeant of the House shall note all nay votes; no vote by proxy shall be noted.
xi. After consultation with the Sergeant of the House, the Secretary shall announce the final vote tally to the Speaker of the House.
xii. The Speaker of the House shall announce and affirm the clearage or rejection of the resolution by the House.
xiii. The Speaker of the House shall announce the adjournment of the session to the President.
xiv. The Sergeant of the House shall close the House.
xv. The Secretary shall prepare a summary of the session and submit it to the record.

Section 3: In the absence of any member of the Executive Board, the next highest ranking member shall ascend to serve as acting officer of the unrepresented office, and so on.

Article V: Ratification of and Amendment to Constitution

Section 1: The ratification of this Constitution by the unanimous consent of the Executive Board of The Enosinian Society presiding shall be sufficient for the establishment of this document as the supreme law of the Society so ratifying the same.

Section 2: Any and all deletions, additions, or alterations of any kind to this Constitution once established must be approved by the unanimous consent of the Executive Board presiding, and shall be noted in this document as amendments listed in the order of their enactment and accompanied with the corresponding date of their adoption.

Article VI: Dissolution

Section 1: Should at any time this Society, as it has once and more times during its long history, become extinct for want of membership, leadership, capital, or any and all reasons which may solely or in conjunction result in the dissolution of our union, be it resolved the following responsibilities to be bequeathed to any who preside over such disbanding and any who may endeavor to preserve or restore this Society to its present form as delineated in this document:

i. The record of this Society, including, upon its ratification, this Constitution, shall be submitted to and preserved by the Melvin Gelman Library of The George Washington University in the city of Washington in the District of Columbia, and its affiliate branches.
ii. An oath of office (pursuant to Article III, Section 1 of this Constitution) must be rehearsed aloud by any person of the requisite mental fortitude and physical capacity in order to assume the duties of the office of the presidency in which all powers of appointment reside (pursuant Article III, Section 2, Clause i of this Constitution) so that he or she may reestablish the Executive Board (the composition of which shall be pursuant to Article III, Section 2 and subject to all statutes established in Article III of this Constitution) for the purposes of administering the Society.
iii. The Executive Board, acting as the whole of its members, must re-ordain and reestablish this Constitution in the dormant form of its discovery before resolving to alter this document in any way (in a manner pursuant to Article V, Section 2 of this Constitution).

Amendment I
Ratified October 7, 2009

The word “three” as it appears in Article IV, Section 1, Clause vii shall be replaced with the word “four.”

Amendment II
Ratified December 12, 2009

Section 1: The words “a Learned Member” as they appear in Article II, Section 1, Clause ii shall be replaced with the words “an Associate Member.”

Section 2: The word “Learned” as it appears in Article III, Section 2, Clause iv shall be omitted.

Section 3: The word “Learned” as it appears in Article III, Section 3, Clause iv shall be omitted.

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