2024-2025
1.1 – The official name of the organization will be ― The Association of Mathematical and Computer Science Students.
1.2 – The Association of Mathematical and Computer Science Students (AMACSS).
2.1 – The purpose of AMACSS will be to represent, advocate for and enhance the university experience of students in the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences.
2.2 – AMACSS will enhance the educational, recreational, social, and cultural environment of the University of Toronto at Scarborough by:
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2.2.1 – Fostering a collective vision and purpose among all program students in the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Toronto at Scarborough
2.2.2 – Serving as a comprehensive resource for students in computer and mathematical sciences who need assistance and guidance with their education
2.2.3 – Encouraging interaction and the exchange of ideas between students and faculty in the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences and working with the Department in order to facilitate long-term growth and improvement.
2.2.4 – Acting as a voice for all students in the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Toronto at Scarborough, addressing and relaying their concerns to the administration, faculty, and other student organizations where appropriate.
2.3 – AMACSS fundamentally serves a non-profit function within the University of Toronto at Scarborough, and will not engage in activities that are essentially commercial in nature.
2.4 – AMACSS is an independently recognized organization working within the community of the University of Toronto at Scarborough.
3.1 – Membership in AMACSS is open to all students, staff, faculty and alumni of the University of Toronto at Scarborough.
3.1.1 – There shall be two (2) non-mutually exclusive categories of membership in AMACSS:
3.1.1.1 – General Membership
3.1.1.2 – Exclusive (Paying) Membership
3.1.2 – General membership shall only include all students enrolled in a Computer Science, Mathematics, or Statistics program at the University of Toronto at Scarborough, as well as all students (alumni) who have completed any of the aforementioned programs.
3.1.3 – Exclusive membership shall be open to any persons desirous of membership in AMACSS (including general members), as per 3.1.
3.2 – The term of membership for AMACSS will be from September 1 to August 31 each year.
3.3 – Each member shall be afforded the following rights through membership in AMACSS:
3.3.1 – The right to participate and vote in group elections and meetings;
3.3.2 – The right to communicate and to discuss and explore all ideas;
3.3.3 – The right to organize and engage in activities/events that are reasonable and lawful;
3.3.4 – The right to freedom from discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, or sexual orientation;
3.3.5 – The right to be free from censorship, control, or interference by the University on the basis of the organization’s philosophy, beliefs, interests or opinions unless and until these lead to activities which are illegal or which infringe on the rights and freedoms already mentioned above;
3.3.6 – The right to distribute on campus, in a responsible way, published material provided that it is not unlawful.
3.4 – Each member shall possess the following responsibilities relative to participation in AMACSS:
3.4.1 – Support the purpose of the organization;
3.4.2 – Uphold the values of the organization;
3.4.3 – Contribute constructively to the programs and activities offered by the organization;
3.4.4 – Attend general meetings;
3.4.5 – Abide by the Constitution and subsequent official organizational documents;
3.4.6 – Respect the rights of peers and fellow members;
3.4.7 – Abide by University of Toronto policies, procedures, and guidelines;
3.4.8 – Abide by the Laws of the Land, including but not limited to the Criminal Code of Canada.
3.5 – AMACSS will collect a mandatory membership fee from each exclusive member each year. This fee will be proposed as part of the operating budget presented to general members for approval at a valid general meeting.
3.6 – AMACSS values and respects the personal information of its members. AMACSS secures its membersʼ information at all times and will not supply names or other confidential information to third-parties.
3.7 – AMACSS will protect the privacy of member information and must use it only for the delivery of service and not for commercial gain.
3.8 – Faculty Advisor(s): A number of members of faculty from the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences not exceeding 50% of the number of executives are eligible to serve as Faculty Advisors within AMACSS for a term matching that of the executive that confirmed them under the following terms:
3.8.1 – A member of faculty may be nominated for this role either through self-nomination or by any member of the executive.
3.8.2 – Confirmation in the role of faculty advisor shall require a simple majority vote of the executive.
3.8.3 – This position is non-exclusive and therefore multiple advisors are possible.
3.8.4 – A faculty advisor shall be considered an honorary executive of the association but will not have voting rights.
4.1 – The executives of the organization shall include:
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4.1.1 – Co-President
4.1.2 – Vice-President Academics
4.1.3 – Vice-President Finance
4.1.4 – Vice-President Outreach
4.1.5 – Vice-President Campus Life
4.1.6 – Vice-President Special Events
4.1.7 – Vice-President Marketing
4.1.8 – Vice-President Technology
4.1.9 – First-Year Representative Coordinator
4.1.10 – Advisor
4.2 – All executive positions are voluntary, non-paid positions open to all undergraduate student members enrolled at the University of Toronto at Scarborough.
4.3 – The term for all positions extends from date of hiring of each year (most likely summer) until August 31st of the following year.
4.4 - The term for First Year Coordinators and Representatives will be from their date of successful hiring until August 31st of the following year.
4.5 – The broad responsibilities of each executive position are as follows:
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4.5.1 – Co-President
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4.5.1.1 – Oversee and manage the organization, maintain the integrity of the association, and ensure all events and functions align with the mission of the association.
4.5.1.2 – Act as the official representative of the association in formal business.
4.5.1.3 – Serve as the official signing officer of the association.
4.5.1.4 – Oversee the financial and organizational stability of the association.
4.5.1.5 – Enable the transition and continuity of the association from year to year.
4.5.1.6 – Fulfill the responsibilities of any vacant executive position or ensure they are fulfilled by another party.
4.5.1.7 – Attend all Departmental Student Association Council meetings, except in exceptional circumstances, in which case a designate may be sent.
4.5.1.8 – They must not be a current executive of any other Departmental Student Association during the time of the Presidency.
4.5.1.9 – If they wish to be on a work term during the Fall or Winter semester, a previous agreement with the association Vice Presidents should be made.
4.5.1.10 – He or she is required to implement one (1) new improvement/feature during their term.
4.5.2 – Vice-President Academics
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4.5.2.1 – Encourage and participate in discourse among students in computer and mathematical sciences regarding their concerns and perspectives with respect to their education and academic programming.
4.5.2.2 – Communicate concerns and ideas raised among students in computer and mathematical sciences to the administration, faculty, or other student organizations as appropriate, and work to address those concerns in a proactive and constructive way.
4.5.2.3 – Foster an awareness of students’ academic rights and entitlements among students in the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences.
4.5.2.4 – Serve as a point of referral for students in the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, directing them to other resources and services as may be most appropriate to their needs.
4.5.2.5 – Act as an official representative of the organization in business pertaining to the academic activities of the Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences.
4.5.2.6 – Responsible for scheduling, planning, preparing, booking, and marketing of review seminars for CMS courses during midterm and final exam seasons
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(i) Note that the marketing of review seminars may involve posting on Facebook groups and pages as well as advertising in classes.
(ii) Seminars will only be held for courses that AMACSS has representatives for.
4.5.2.7 – Manage and oversee all of the disciplinary representatives.
4.5.2.8 – Oversee the operations of academic-related clubs, i.e. Mathematics Club and Programming Club.
4.5.2.9 – Serve as President in the event that the office is vacant or the President is otherwise unable to serve.
4.5.2.10 – Serve as a secondary signing officer.
4.5.3 – Vice-President Finance
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4.5.3.1 – Oversee the financial resources of the association.
4.5.3.2 – Produce monthly financial reports as required by the President.
4.5.3.3 – Produce a financial report that includes in-out of financial resources, as well as revenue and expense every four months (or every semester).
4.5.3.4 – Provide guidance for the budget of each event.
4.5.3.5 – Serve as treasurer and manage the budget.
4.5.3.6 – Serve as a signing officer for the bank account.
4.5.3.7 – Manage reimbursements.
4.5.3.8 – Communicate with the President as necessary.
4.5.4 – Vice-President Outreach
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4.5.4.1 – Create, update, and maintain sponsorship packages.
4.5.4.2 – Find potential sponsors and maintain relationships with external organizations.
4.5.4.3 – Organize and run Careers and Advancement events.
4.5.4.4 – Serve as a primary point of contact with external organizations if the President or either Vice Presidents are not available, or if they have already been appointed as the primary point of contact by the President.
4.5.4.5 – Responsible for organizing, planning, preparing, and running all the Careers and Advancement events, which may include but not limited to career workshops and networking nights.
4.5.4.6 – Attend regular meetings and events as scheduled by the President.
4.5.4.7 – Candidate for this position can be registered in one of the Management programs.
4.5.5 – Vice-President Campus Life
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4.5.5.1 – Organize, plan, and run campus life events.
4.5.5.2 – Ensure events cater to the social and recreational needs of students.
4.5.5.3 – Coordinate with the Marketing team for event promotion and the Outreach team for connections for events.
4.5.5.4 – Manage the Campus Life Team.
4.5.6 – Vice-President Special Events
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4.5.6.1 – Organize, plan, and run special events such as the annual CMS Gala.
4.5.6.2 – Ensure events align with the broader goals of AMACSS of community integrity.
4.5.6.3 – Coordinate with the Marketing team for event promotion.
4.5.6.4 – Plan major events months in advance by coordinating with the Outreach team and the Co-Presidents.
4.5.6.5 – Manage the Special Events Team.
4.5.7 – Vice-President Marketing
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4.5.7.1 – Promote AMACSS events and seminars through social media and in-class announcements.
4.5.7.2 – Assist in the promotion and maintenance of all events pertaining to AMACSS.
4.5.7.3 – Maintain communications by responding to messages and maintaining social media accounts.
4.5.7.4 – Assist in creating and outreaching sponsorship packages.
4.5.7.5 – Manage the Marketing Team.
4.5.8 – Vice-President Technology
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4.5.8.1 – Oversee the technologies of the association and maintain day-to-day operations.
4.5.8.2 – Maintain the AMACSS website, social media pages, and mailing lists.
4.5.8.3 – Manage IT Directors and the Technology Team.
4.5.8.4 – Act as a communication channel between the President and IT Directors.
4.5.8.5 – Responsible for outreach and maintenance of open-source initiatives in the CMS community.
4.5.9 – First-Year Representative Coordinator
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4.5.9.1 – Serve as a liaison between the executive and first-year students.
4.5.9.2 – Inform first-year students about the club’s workings.
4.5.9.3 – Identify areas of need and communicate them to the executive.
4.5.9.4 – Manage the First-Year Representatives Team.
4.5.9.5 – Assist other directors with various duties as needed.
4.5.10 – Advisor
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4.5.10.1 – Provide advice and guidance to the executive team as needed.
4.5.10.2 – Serve as a resource for institutional knowledge and historical context.
4.5.10.3 – Attend executive meetings and events upon request by the current Co-Presidents.
4.5.10.4 – Advisors include past Presidents and selected former executives who are not currently part of the club but have served in the past and are deemed valuable by the current Co-Presidents.
4.6 – In addition to the duties and responsibilities outlined in section 4.5, each executive is required to post and keep regular office hours.
4.7 – From time to time, individual executives may be required to accompany the President to Departmental Student Association Council meetings.
4.8 – The executive positions collectively will form a committee that acts as the primary steward of the organization.
4.9 – This committee is collectively responsible for the day-to-day decision making of the organization including but not limited to monitoring finances, event planning and execution, member services, and advocating on behalf of members to Administration and student government.
4.10 – This committee cannot make any amendment to the Constitution without the approval of the general membership at a valid general meeting, except in the following circumstances, in which case a simple majority vote is required to ratify an amendment:
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4.10.1 – The amendment proposed is purely cosmetic in nature, or
4.10.2 – The amendment proposed only corrects grammatical, typographic or other errors, without changing the content of the Constitution, or
4.10.3 – The amendment proposed is required by the Department of Student Life, and it is impossible to hold a general meeting in time to present the amendment to the general membership. In this case the general membership must be informed of the changes at the earliest convenience.
4.11 – Any executive of the organization except the President may resign, provided that notice of such resignation is made in writing and delivered to the President. Unless any such resignation is, by its terms, effective on a later date, it shall be effective on delivery to the President, and no ratification by the organization shall be required to make the resignation official.
4.12 – The President may resign provided that notice of such resignation is made in writing and delivered to the executive committee at a valid executive meeting. Unless any such resignation is, by its terms, effective on a later date, it shall be effective on delivery to the executive committee, and no ratification by the organization shall be required to make the resignation official.
4.13 – Any vacancy of executives shall be filled by the President or designate of the organization until such a time where a by-election is held, a permanent appointment occurs, or a hiring process is conducted.
4.14 – Any vacancy of the President shall be filled by another executive committee member as outlined in section 4.5 until such a time as a by-election is held, a permanent appointment, or a hiring process is conducted.
4.15 – Executives are required to create year-end reports summarizing their achievements and progress within AMACSS.
4.16 – When a meeting is being called, a form must be made available at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting detailing the time, place, topics, and required attendance of the meeting.
5.1 – The non-executive roles will support the activities and functions of the organization, assisting the executive team in achieving the goals of AMACSS.
5.2 – Teams:
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5.2.1 – Academics Team
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5.2.1.1 – Assist in organizing and running academic-related events and seminars.
5.2.1.2 – Support the Vice-President Academics in communicating with students and faculty.
5.2.1.3 – Help manage review seminars for CMS courses.
5.2.2 – Finance Team
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5.2.2.1 – Assist the Vice-President Finance with financial reporting and budgeting.
5.2.2.2 – Help manage reimbursements and financial records.
5.2.3 – Outreach Team
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5.2.3.1 – Assist in creating and maintaining sponsorship packages.
5.2.3.2 – Help find potential sponsors and maintain relationships with external organizations.
5.2.3.3 – Support the organization and running of Careers and Advancement events.
5.2.4 – Campus Life Team
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5.2.4.1 – Assist in organizing and running campus life events.
5.2.4.2 – Support the Vice-President Campus Life in ensuring events cater to students' social and recreational needs.
5.2.5 – Special Events Team
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5.2.5.1 – Assist in organizing and running special events.
5.2.5.2 – Support the Vice-President Special Events in ensuring events align with AMACSS goals.
5.2.6 – Marketing Team
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5.2.6.1 – Assist in promoting events and seminars through social media and in-class announcements.
5.2.6.2 – Support the Vice-President Marketing in maintaining communications and social media accounts.
5.2.7 – Technology Team
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5.2.7.1 – Assist in maintaining the AMACSS website, social media pages, and mailing lists.
5.2.7.2 – Support the Vice-President Technology in day-to-day technology operations.
5.2.7.3 – Help with outreach and maintenance of open-source initiatives.
5.2.8 – First-Year Representatives Team
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5.2.8.1 – Serve as liaisons between the executive and first-year students.
5.2.8.2 – Inform first-year students about the club’s workings.
5.2.8.3 – Identify areas of need and communicate them to the executive.
5.3 – Other Roles:
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5.3.1 – Director of Mathematics (Academics Team)
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5.3.1.1 – Represent the interests of Mathematics students.
5.3.1.2 – Assist in organizing academic events related to Mathematics.
5.3.2 – Director of Computer Science (Academics Team)
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5.3.2.1 – Represent the interests of Computer Science students.
5.3.2.2 – Assist in organizing academic events related to Computer Science.
5.3.3 – Director of Statistics (Academics Team)
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5.3.3.1 – Represent the interests of Statistics students.
5.3.3.2 – Assist in organizing academic events related to Statistics.
5.3.4 – Director of Internal Communications (Outreach Team)
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5.3.4.1 – Manage internal communication within AMACSS.
5.3.4.2 – Assist in organizing outreach events and initiatives.
5.3.5 – Director of External Communications (Outreach Team)
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5.3.5.1 – Manage external communication with sponsors and other organizations.
5.3.5.2 – Assist in organizing outreach events and initiatives.
5.3.6 – Director of Social Media (Marketing Team)
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5.3.6.1 – Manage AMACSS social media accounts.
5.3.6.2 – Assist in promoting events and seminars.
5.3.7 – Director of Design (Marketing Team)
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5.3.7.1 – Design promotional graphics for print and social media.
5.3.7.2 – Create digital content for AMACSS.
5.3.8 – Director of Technology (Technology Team)
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5.3.8.1 – Maintain and update the AMACSS website along with other tech related initiatives like open source projects, skill based workshops and bots.
5.3.8.2 – Assist in integrating activities and objectives with technical solutions.
5.3.9 - Director of Special Events (Special Events Team)
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5.3.9.1 – Assist in organizing and running the CMS Gala through inventory management, connecting with the Outreach team
and handling operational tasks.
5.3.9.2 – Working closely in-line with the VP Special Events to ensure a smooth planning process.
5.3.10 – Course Representatives
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5.3.10.1 – Serve as liaisons for students in specific courses.
5.3.10.2 – Communicate course-specific concerns to the Academics Team.
5.3.11 – Finance Associate
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5.3.11.1 – Assist the Finance Team with financial tasks and reporting.
5.3.12 – Outreach Associate
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5.3.12.1 – Assist the Outreach Team with sponsorships and event organization.
5.3.13 – Campus Life Associate
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5.3.13.1 – Assist the Campus Life Team with event planning and execution.
5.3.14 – Special Events Associate
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5.3.14.1 – Assist the Special Events Team with event planning and execution.
5.3.15 – Marketing Associate
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5.3.15.1 – Assist the Marketing Team with promotions and communications.
5.3.16 – Technology Associate
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5.3.16.1 – Assist the Technology Team with maintaining digital resources and day-to-day operations.
5.3.17 – First-Year Representative
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5.3.17.1 – Serve as a liaison between the executive and first-year students.
5.3.17.2 – Inform first-year students about the club’s workings.
5.3.18 – Photographer
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5.3.18.1 – Attend events and take photographs for marketing purposes.
5.3.18.2 – Ensure photos are available quickly after events.
5.4 – Hiring process. The associate members will be hired by a valid hiring committee of at least two (2) executive members, one of whom must be the President. The hiring committee must be approved by at least a majority of the executives.
5.5 – It is the responsibility of the executives to recruit associate members and motivate them to complete their tasks. This is a volunteer position.
6.1 – The process for removing a member or executive may be initiated when a committee of no less than three (3) non-executive general members and two (2) executives appointed by the general membership to investigate a complaint determines that:
6.1.1 – A member or executive has engaged in unlawful actions or activities;
6.1.2 – A member or executive has violated the Constitution;
6.1.3 – A member or executive has violated University of Toronto policies, procedures, or guidelines;
6.1.4 – A member or executive has violated the rights of a fellow member;
6.1.5 – A member or executive has not fulfilled their organizational responsibilities;
6.1.6 – Other criteria deemed to be appropriate by the Executive Committee in consultation with and approved by a majority of the general membership.
6.2 – The following exceptions are made for the removal of members who have not fulfilled their organizational responsibilities:
6.2.1 – If a team member is unable to fulfill their responsibilities due to being on an out-of-town co-op, they cannot be removed
6.2.2 – If a team member is unable to fulfill their responsibilities due a family, medical emergency, or mental health emergency, they cannot be removed
6.2.3 – There will be a time limit for the executive’s absence before they are removed from the organization. This time limit is at the discretion of the President and Vice-Presidents.
6.2.4 – The President and Vice-Presidents will discuss who will cover the executive’s role during their absence
6.3 – The process for removing a member or executive may also be initiated when:
6.3.1 – A petition calling for a vote and bearing the signatures of a majority of the general membership is submitted to any member of the executive.
6.3.2 – A motion for a removal vote is put forward by any member of the executive and passed by a simple majority vote of the executives. The individual facing potential removal vote is entitled to vote on the motion if they are an executive or be given an opportunity to explain themselves if they are a non-executive general member.
6.4 – The removal of members and executives will be facilitated by a three-tier procedure which operates as follows:
6.4.1 – First Tier:
6.4.1.1 – The executive or member will be warned both verbally and in writing that their behaviour constitutes grounds for removal from the organization and that it should cease effective immediately.
6.4.2 – Second Tier:
6.4.2.1 – Initiated because the member or executive has violated section 6.1 after receiving a First Tier warning relative to a particular action or behaviour.
6.4.2.2 – The President will be responsible for contacting the executive or member and facilitating training or suggesting best practices on how to correct the issues of concern.
6.4.2.3 – The President must address all complaints in writing by formulating an action plan and timeline to correct any issues involving executives or members within fourteen (14) calendar days.
6.4.2.4 – The executive or member accused of violating section 6.1 will be given fourteen (14) calendar days from receiving the Presidentʼs written response to demonstrate progress or correction of behaviour.
6.4.3 – Third Tier:
6.4.3.1 – Initiated because the member or executive has violated section 6.1 after receiving Second Tier warning relative to a particular action or behaviour.
6.4.3.2 – The removal vote must take place at a valid executive meeting of the membership. A representative supporting the motion for removal and the executive member facing removal (or an individual they designate), may speak for up to five minutes each.
6.4.3.3 – The removal of an executive officer requires a simple majority vote of all of the members present at a valid executive meeting. The executive member facing removal is entitled to vote on the motion.
7.1 – The funds of the organization shall be expended pursuant to the operating budget approved by the Co-Presidents and the Vice-President Academics.
7.2 – All Budgets shall be prepared by the Vice-President Finance in accordance with the organization’s priorities as determined by the executive committee in consultation with general members at a valid general meeting.
7.3 – The Vice-President Finance shall present a proposed operating budget for the next fiscal year to the general membership for its consideration at the final general meeting.
7.4 – The operating budget shall be the major budget for the fiscal year and provide for all expenditures of the organization for the subsequent year.
7.5 – The banking business of the organization, or any part thereof, shall be transacted with such bank, trust company or other firm or body corporate as the Executives may designate.
7.6 - Officers or other persons as the Executive may designate, direct or authorize from time to time and to the extent thereby provided.
7.7 – The President(s) and the Vice-President Finance shall be the sole signing authorities of banking instruments for the organization.
7.7.1 – Executives will be required to submit funding approval requests whenever funds are needed. This request must be submitted a minimum of 5 business days ahead of time
7.8 – AMACSS will ensure that proper and accurate financial records are maintained and passed on to incoming executives following each yearʼs elections.
7.9 – AMACSS will accept full financial and production responsibility for all activities it sponsors, plans, or executes.
7.10 – A financial report must be made available to the general members on a monthly or semesterly basis (decided by the President) detailing profits, expenses, and transactions that AMACSS has made within that period. These reports should be easily accessible through a medium such as the AMACSS website.
8.1 – The purpose of General Meetings is to provide a forum for executives to overview the activities of the organization and solicit feedback from members, to engage in policy-making, to propose amendments to the constitution, and to report on the financial status of the organization.
8.2 – Calling Meetings
8.2.1 – An annual general meeting is required each March, which may coincide with elections as in Article X.
8.2.2 – Additional general meetings may be called at the discretion of the executive.
8.2.3 – A notice of any general meeting must appear on the associationʼs website and must be distributed through a general mailing list. Additional publicity is encouraged.
8.2.4 – Members can petition for meetings; 20 signatures require the executive to schedule a meeting within a month.
8.2.5 – Any motion that is indicated on this petition of members shall be automatically included in the agenda for the general meeting.
8.3 – General Meeting Agenda
8.3.1 – The executive normally determines the agenda for a general meeting.
8.3.2 – All executives are expected to make brief progress reports on their activities at every general meeting.
8.3.3 – Items for discussion at a general meeting must be circulated with the original notice of meeting
8.3.4 – Items may be added to the agenda, from the floor, with a simple majority. Motions to remove an executive are not valid from the floor.
8.3.5 – Amendments to the Constitution may only be made at a general meeting.
8.4 – Conduct of Business
8.4.1 – The President shall normally chair a general meeting. The President may request an external chair and may also be forced to do so by a majority vote of the executive prior to the meeting date.
8.4.2 – General meetings will be facilitated by a Chairperson selected by the general membership from the executive committee. The Chairperson shall be responsible for:
8.4.2.1 – Formulating and distributing an agenda for each meeting no later than two (2) days before the meeting;
8.4.2.2 – Ensuring appropriate conduct and leading the meeting in an efficient, reasonable manner;
8.4.2.3 – Moderating the discussion at meetings according to the agenda;
8.4.2.4 – Suspending members from participating in meetings for constitutional or procedural violations.
8.4.3 – Quorum for the conduct of business at a general meeting shall be twelve (12) members.
8.4.4 – Each member of the organization shall be entitled to one (1) vote at a general meeting except the Chairperson who shall only vote in the event of a tie.
8.4.5 – Any question at a valid general meeting shall be decided by a show of hands.
8.4.6 – Whenever a vote by show of hands occurs, a declaration by the Chairperson that the vote upon the question has been carried, carried by a particular majority, or failed shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
8.4.7 – In case of an equality of votes at a valid general meeting, the Chairperson of the meeting shall have the deciding vote.
8.4.8 – Members are eligible to hold up to five (5) proxies from other members.
8.4.9 – The chair of the meeting, or designate, will be responsible for collecting and verifying notices of proxy.
8.4.10 – Proxies are valid only for the conduct of business at the general meeting and shall bear no relation to any elections within the association, even if those elections are held in connection with the general meeting.
8.4.11 – For the conduct of elections at a general meeting neither the President nor any other member is eligible to chair, for the duration of those elections, if he or she is to be a candidate.
8.4.12 – The quorum requirement of twelve members, present either physically or by proxy, shall not apply to elections.
8.4.13 – The procedure at meetings of members shall be governed in accordance with the process outlined in Appendix A.
8.5 – Minutes
8.5.1 – A record of minutes from each general meeting shall be made publicly available to all members.
8.5.2 – Minutes of all general meetings must be recorded and maintained for reference purposes.
9.1 – The purpose of executive meetings is to provide a forum for the organizationʼs executives to discuss and make decisions on day-to-day matters affecting the organization.
9.2 – Executive meetings will be facilitated by the President of the organization. The President(s) shall be responsible for:
9.2.1 – Formulating and distributing an agenda for each meeting;
9.2.2 – Ensuring appropriate conduct and leading the meeting in an efficient, reasonable manner;
9.2.3 – Moderating the discussion at meetings according to the agenda.
9.3 – The executive will meet regularly throughout the year.
9.4 – The frequency of executive meetings occurring between May 1 and August 31 will be left to the discretion of the executive committee.
9.5 – Executives are required to attend meetings and respond to requests regarding their availability in order to schedule such meetings.
9.6 – The executive may meet on additional occasions at the discretion of the President(s) or any two members of the executive.
9.7 – Executive meetings are restricted to executive members only.
9.8 – Quorum of any executive meeting shall be established by the presence of a simple and clear majority of the total executives for the organization.
9.9 – Minutes of all executive meetings must be recorded and maintained for reference purposes.
9.10 – A summary of business conducted at any meeting of the executive shall be made publicly available to all members.
9.11 – Each member of the organization shall be entitled to one (1) vote at a valid executive meeting.
9.12 – Any question at an Executive Meeting shall be decided by a show of hands.
9.13 – Whenever a vote by show of hands occurs, a declaration by the President(s) that the vote has been carried, carried by a particular majority, or failed shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
9.14 – In case of an equality of votes at an Executive Meeting, the motion will be recorded as having failed.
9.15 – The President(s) may, with the consent of the majority of executives, decide to adjourn these meetings from time to time.
10.1 – Emergency meetings can be called for extenuating or unforeseen circumstances that may arise from time to time.
10.2 – These meetings must abide by the respective rules outlined in Articles VII & VIII depending on the nature of the meeting.
10.3 – Notice of these meetings must be provided a minimum of 24 hours in advance through e-mail.
10.4 – Less notice for emergency meetings may be provided at the discretion of the President(s) in agreement with a minimum of five (5) general members.
11.1 – Elections
11.1.1 – Each academic year, all executive positions (excluding hired positions) in the association become open to all general members of the association. The general members are eligible to run for election to fill the executive positions in the following academic year. Any candidate running for the position of President(s) must have previously served as an executive member of the association.
11.1.2 – A notice of elections will be made by the President(s) no later than February 28th and shall include the date and time of a general meeting to be held for the purposes of conducting elections. This notice must appear on the association’s website and must be distributed through a general mailing list. Additional publicity is encouraged.
11.1.3 – A general meeting for elections will be held in March of each academic year, no sooner than two weeks following the original notice.
11.1.4 – At the meeting every general member is entitled to run for any position for which he/she is eligible and will be elected in the sequence in which the positions appear in this Constitution, beginning with the President(s) and proceeding through the Discipline Representatives. Candidates may declare their interest in any position at any time up until the election for that position takes place. Each candidate will then have an opportunity to speak at the meeting about his or her qualifications and intentions.
11.1.5 – Each member of the association may participate in the election for each position and is entitled to cast one vote for each position.
11.1.6 – The candidate who receives the most votes for each position wins that position. Candidates who are not elected may run for another position if any remain.
11.1.7 – In the case that there may be vacant positions they may be filled through by-election under similar conditions at any time with appropriate notice or by a hiring process determined by the executive.
11.1.8 – If an error in the process is found, the election should be re-held at the final General Meeting with a new election oversight committee.
11.1.9 – Candidates who run for a position unopposed must receive two-thirds majority of the total eligible votes at a valid general meeting in which an election is held to be declared the winner of that election.
11.1.10 – Quorum for elections shall be twelve members.
11.2 – Voting Process
11.2.1 – All votes held in presence at the general membership shall be a closed ballot forms.
11.2.2 – These must be a general discussion hold prior to any vote occurring.
11.2.3 – All ballots must be folded once and placed in a ballot box.
11.2.4 – Counting of Ballots
11.2.4.1 – Ballots must be counted immediately following the vote in the presence of the general membership.
11.2.4.2 – A recount must be requested immediately following the initial count at general membership.
11.2.4.3 – In the event of a tie or a one vote difference between candidates a recount must occur in front of the general membership.
11.2.4.4 – If there is still a tie following a recount, a new vote will take place.
11.3 – Hiring Executive
11.3.1 – A notice of hiring will be made by the President(s) no later than July 1st and shall include the details of all hired positions. This notice must appear on the associationʼs website and must be distributed through social media or a general mailing list. Additional publicity is encouraged, in order to reach as much of the general student population as possible.
11.3.2 – A hiring committee shall be appointed by the incoming President(s) to interview candidates for hired positions. The composition, size and guidelines of this committee are at the discretion of the incoming President(s), but must be approved by a simple majority of executives.
11.3.3 – The hiring committee shall conduct interviews as directed by the incoming President(s), and present their choices of executives for omnibus ratification to the first executive meeting of the new executive term, i.e., the first executive meeting after March 31st.
11.3.4 – The only grounds for failing to ratify the appointments of the hiring committee shall be irregularities in the hiring process. In this case all appointments shall be annulled and the hiring committee reformed as per Section 11.2.2.
11.3.5 – No person that serves on a hiring committee whose executive appointments fail to be ratified shall ever again be eligible to serve on a hiring committee.
11.3.6 – The newly ratified candidates shall be considered executives of the association immediately upon completion of the ratification process.
11.4 – Leadership Changes: In the case that there is no standing President(s), given three Vice Presidents (Academics, Campus Life, Technology) they may carry forward without a standing president in the following suggested way:
11.4.1 – VP Academics oversees academic reps, seminars, room bookings, marketing seminars and communication with academic department and professors.
11.4.2 – VP Campus Life oversees events team, marketing team, design team and all activities related to organizing and marketing events
11.4.3 – VP Technology oversees IT Directors and maintains website, online communication and newsletters
11.4.4 – The VP Finance and VP Outreach will report to the three standing Vice Presidents.
11.4.5 – All Departmental Student Association matter and administrative responsibilities in terms of relations and communication with the CMS Department, Department of Student Life and SCSU is evenly split between the three Vice Presidents.
11.4.6 – The three Vice Presidents must come up with an agreement to split roles and responsibilities at the beginning of their term and clearly communicate the work split to their team.
11.5 – Online Elections Contingency Plan: In the case where elections cannot be held in-person, the contingency plan should be put in place with the following guidelines:
11.5.1 - A sign-up link would be shared in all social media a week in advance, asking students to sign-up to attend elections. Students who sign up will be asked to provide a confirmation that they are CMS students.
11.5.2 - The elections should be moved online using Zoom which will be only accessible for students who confirmed their enrollment in the CMS department.
11.5.3 - For every round, a link will be provided for attendees to submit their vote, which they can only access by using their emails, or an inbuilt survey depending on the platform selected for elections.
11.5.4 - Voting process should allow for anonymous voting, but ensure voters are restricted to only those in attendance
12.1 – The organization may, by resolution passed by simple majority of the general membership, make, amend or repeal this constitution or certain sections therein.
12.2 – Notice of a meeting called to consider such a resolution shall be given as follows:
12.2.1 – Notice of the full text of the proposed constitutional amendment shall be given to each member at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting called to consider the change;
12.2.2 – A summary of the rationale for the proposed amendment shall be given to each member at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting called to consider the change.
12.3 – Amendments to the constitution require the approval of a simple majority of the members present at a valid general meeting (a general meeting that has achieved quorum).
12.4 – The general membership must have the final say on amendments to the Constitution.
13.1 – All outgoing executives are required to transfer all organizational resources used relative to a particular role over the course of the preceding year to new executives upon leaving the position.
13.2 – All outgoing executives are responsible for providing a detailed report to incoming executives that stipulates the status of ongoing projects in their portfolio and evaluations of previous projects and programs that they lead
13.3 – All outgoing and incoming executives will participate in a joint training session occurring no later than the end of May each year to assist with the transition between new executive teams.
14.1 – The association will conform to Provincial and Municipal Health Regulations when events held at the University of Toronto at Scarborough include the sale and/or service of food items.
15.1 – AMACSS will abide by all pertinent University of Toronto policies, procedures, and guidelines. Where the University’s policies, procedures, and guidelines conflict with those of AMACSS, the University’s policies, procedures, and guidelines will take precedence.
16.1 – The University of Toronto at Scarborough does not endorse AMACSSʼ beliefs or philosophy nor does it assume legal liability for the groupʼs activities on or off campus.
17.1 – AMACSS agrees to provide the name of the bank, the branch number and address, transit number, bank account number, and a list of all signing officers for all bank accounts opened in the organization’s name to the Department of Student Life.
17.2 – The outgoing executive team each academic year will completely transfer all bank accounts opened in the organization’s name to the new executive team by permitting the removal of the names of the current signing officers from the accounts, and forwarding all banking materials such as checkbooks to the incoming executives.
1.1 – The Chairperson may call the meeting to order only if a quorum of executives and non-executive general members is present in person. If a quorum does not exist, the meeting is not qualified to conduct business. A general member may not appear by proxy or mail ballot.
1.2 – The meeting must be open to all applicable general members. General members must receive notice of the meeting in accordance with the Constitution.
2.1 – The first draft of the agenda is prepared by the Chairperson prior to the meeting. Agenda items should ordinarily appear in the order set forth in these rules of order.
2.2 – The agenda belongs to all general members. The agenda may be modified only by a majority vote. This power should only be used when necessary as proper functioning of meetings and the organization requires advance planning.
2.3 – At this point in the agenda, general members may add or delete items from the agenda and may change the order of presentation.
2.4 – When possible, changes to the agenda should be done by acquiescence of all general members. Formal voting on the agenda is only necessary where it appears to the Chairperson that there is a disagreement.
3.1 – The minutes need not be read aloud but they should be entered into the organizationʼs official minute ledger upon approval by the general membership.
3.2 – The minutes are prepared by either the secretary or some other individual appointed by the general membership to act as recording secretary. Any general member may suggest changes to the minutes before the general membership adopts them. The suggested changes should be set forth in the minutes for the record, and then the general membership should adopt or reject such changes.
3.3 – Minutes should state precisely each motion considered by the general membership, and identify the general members voting in favour, against, or abstaining, and whether the motion was carried. Minutes need not reflect the comments made except in those instances when the member desires to make his/her comments recorded.
3.4 – When possible, changes to the minutes and adoption of the minutes should be done by acquiescence of all general members. Formal voting on the minutes is only necessary where it appears to the Chairperson that there is a disagreement.
4.1 – Executives may report their findings or recommendations to the general membership at this point of the agenda.
4.2 – The full report should be presented and then general members, in turn, may ask questions or comment. It is not appropriate to make motions or discuss items of business during this portion of the meeting.
4.3 – This time should also be used for any presentations to be made to the general membership.
5.1 – It is the custom and practice of most organizations to allow general members an open forum to ask questions and speak about their concerns to an executive after a report has been provided.
5.2 – Strict time limitations should be imposed by the Chairperson and these limitations must be enforced. Each general member should address the Chairperson regarding an issue and must speak courteously and to the point.
6.1 – All items that were tabled during previous meetings must be revisited during the business portion of the agenda occurring after executive reports.
6.2 – The general membership may vote to postpone consideration of any old business or it may remove any item from consideration.
6.3 – Except in the case of emergency business, all new items of business are heard only after all of the old items have been addressed by the general membership.
6.4 – All business must be conducted in the form of motions or resolutions adopted by a vote of the general membership.
7.1 – When an item of business is to be discussed, the Chairperson announces the item to be discussed and opens the floor to discussion.
7.2 – No general member may speak until recognized by the Chairperson. No general member may interrupt the speaker who has the floor.
7.3 – The Chairperson may impose reasonable time limitations. All time limitations must be uniformly imposed upon all of the general members. The speaker shall be given a one-minute warning before time runs out. By vote of a majority of the general membership, time limits may be extended.
7.4 – The Chairperson is to recognize each general member in turn. Discussion shall be limited to the item of business at hand, and the Chairperson shall have the authority to take the floor from a speaker who does not limit discussion to the item of business at hand.
7.5 – No general member may speak to an issue for a second time until all other general members have had the opportunity to speak to it for the first time. Likewise, no general member may speak to an issue for a third time until all other general members have had the opportunity to speak to it for a second time.
7.6 – When it appears to the Chairperson that all general members have had the opportunity to fully discuss the matter at hand, the Chair should announce that the item of business is ready for a vote.
8.1 – There are 3 basic motions for each item of business:
8.1.1 – A motion to adopt a specific action by the board.
8.1.2 – A motion to postpone the item to another meeting (including fact-finding assignments to a person or committee).
8.1.3 – A motion to remove an item from consideration.
8.2 – The general membership is limited to discussing one item of business at a time, but there are no limits to the number of motions that may be considered as to how to dispose of that item of business.
8.3 – After the general membership has had the opportunity to discuss each motion presented for consideration, the Chairperson will call each motion presented to a vote.
8.4 – The fact that a motion has been adopted or failed does not prevent the item of business from being added to the agenda in the future and all motions may be reconsidered at any time by the general membership.