Comparative Literature Intra-Student Faculty Forum Constitution

Preamble

Preamble The primary mission of our student organization is to provide an academic forum for graduate students and professors and to facilitate exchange of academic projects.

Article I. Name

Article I. Name The organization shall be known as the Comparative Literature Intra-Student Faculty Forum, or CLIFF.

Article II. Purpose

Article II. Purpose The purpose of our student organization is to provide an academic forum for graduate students and professors and to facilitate exchange of academic projects. This will mainly take the form of the annual CLIFF conference, which is normally--but not necessarily--held during winter term. CLIFF will also organize brown bag talks, which may include mock job talks, manuscript workshops, mock dissertation defenses, and other informal presentations.

Article III. Membership

Section 1.

Article III. Membership Section 1. Membership to the CLIFF organizing committee is open to any graduate student in Comparative Literature. Participation in the CLIFF conference is open to all graduate students and faculty at the University of Michigan and is contingent on an invitation or acceptance by the organizing committee.

Section 2.

Section 2. Membership to the CLIFF organizing committee is on a voluntary basis. Participation in the CLIFF conference is contingent on an invitation or acceptance by the organizing committee.

Section 3.

Article IV. Officers

Section 1.

Article IV. Officers The organizing committee does not have a president or vice-president. The organizing committee may choose to designate a secretary to record and distribute information discussed at committee meetings. A treasurer will be designated in accordance with SOAR/MSA.

Section 2.

Section 3.

Article V. Operations

Section 1.

Article V. Operations Section 1. Any member of the organizing committee may become secretary or treasury.

Section 2.

Section 2. The positions of secretary and treasury are available on a voluntary basis. A simple majority of the organizing committee confirms the position.

Section 3.

Section 4.

Article VI. Finances

Section 1.

Article VI. Finances Section 1. The organization will maintain an MSA account. The conference will usually be funded in part through sponsorship by the Comparative Literature Department, Rackham, and other university departments or entities.

Section 2.

Section 2. The treasurer is primarily responsible for CLIFF's finances. Other members of the organizing committee will be designated as authorized signers for funds.

Article VII. Amendments

Section 1.

Article VII. Amendments Section 1. Amendments should be proposed at a meeting of the organizing committee.

Section 2.

Section 2. Any member of the organizing committee may propose an amendment.

Section 3.

Section 3. All members of the organizing committee must be present when an amendment is proposed. Consensus must be reached by all members of the committee before an amendment is accepted.

Article VIII. Registration Renewal

Section 1.

Article IX. Removal of Membership

Section 1.

Article IX. Removal of Membership Section 1. The treasurer may be removed from office on the grounds of incompetence or inappropriate use of funds.

Section 2.

Section 2. The organizing committee will meet to discuss the removal of the treasurer from office. The treasurer will be present to present his or her case. Consensus must be reached by all members of the organizing committee (excluding the treasurer) in order for the treasurer to be removed from office.

Section 3.

Section 3. Members of the organization may be removed for dereliction of duties or acting against the principles of the organization.

Section 4.

Section 4. The organizing committee will meet to discuss the removal of an organization member. The member will be present to present his or her case. Consensus must be reached by all members of the organizing committee (excluding that member) in order for the member to be removed from the organization.