The MIT Shakespeare Ensemble

Constitution of the MIT Shakespeare Ensemble

Article I. Name and Purpose

1.1 The name of this organization shall be the MIT Shakespeare Ensemble, henceforth the Ensemble.
1.2 According to the Mission Statement, the Ensemble is a group of students and community members who are committed to forming an open and fun-loving community that is focused on learning the various aspects of theater through the exploration of Shakespearean and other related works. The “ensemble” is emphasized in recognition that every person is necessary for creating both a successful play and a welcoming community.

Article II. Membership

2.1 Membership is open to any MIT Community Member.

2.1.1 An MIT Community Member is

- a current MIT student
- an MIT faculty or staff member
- a significant other of one of the above
- an MIT Alum who was not a member of the Ensemble as a student

2.1.2 The Officers can contact student groups to verify the participation of anyone who does not fit one of the first four (4) categories.

2.2 The Membership of the Ensemble will at all times consist of at least five (5) MIT students and at least half of the Membership must be MIT students.

2.2.1 The Ensemble will not discriminate based on any characteristic listed in MIT's Nondiscrimination Statement.
2.2.2 Should the Ensemble choose to charge any monetary dues, there will be exceptions made for students that cannot afford these dues.

2.3 New Member: a ShakeDarte is anyone who participated in or is participating in a full term, IAP, or Summer show with the Ensemble that is not a Full Member.

2.3.1 A Darte may become a Full Member either at the Beginning or End of Term Meeting.
2.3.2 Dartes who have completed their Ensemble requirements and have expressed intention to become Full Members may participate in play choice and/or director choice.
2.3.3 For a Darte to become a Full Member, one

- must perform a Run Time Job if acting
- must do Build Hours
- must do Publicity Booth Hours if a current MIT student
- must do Put-in/Strike
- is encouraged to audition or to assume a technical position
- is encouraged to attend an Ensemble Class

2.4 Full Member: ShakeSpeare

2.4.1 Dartes who satisfactorily complete their term become Full Members.
2.4.2 As a Full Member, one

- must perform a Term Job
- must do Build Hours
- must do Publicity Booth Hours if a current MIT student
- must do Put-in/Strike
(The total hours required from Build Hours, Publicity Hours, and Put-in Hours may not total more than 18 hours. No more than 2 of these hours may be required between Put-in and performances.)
- must honor commitment to role or position if accepted
- is encouraged to attend an Ensemble Class
- must attempt to attend the general meetings described in 5.1
(The Chair will begin to collect scheduling information no later than one week before the earliest possible meeting date. In the event there are no times when the entire membership is available, the Chair will select a meeting time and members who expressed conflicts for that time will have fulfilled this requirement despite not attending.)

2.4.3 Full Members are encouraged to take classes offered by the Theater Arts Department.
2.4.4 For term shows, Full Members get preference for casting and assignment of production staff positions as described in Bylaw VI: Casting Policy and Bylaw VII: Production Crew Policy, respectively.

2.5 One may remain a Member (including Dart term) for five (5) years or one (1) year after graduation, whichever is longer.
2.6 When a Member's term is up, that Member becomes an Ensemble Alum.

2.6.1 As an Alum, one can participate in Ensemble affairs as described in Bylaw I: Alum Rights.

2.7 Inactive Terms

2.7.1 A Member may take a term off from the Ensemble and return the following term with Full Member status.
2.7.2 The full definition of an Inactive Term and related information are described in Bylaw III: Inactive Terms.
2.7.3 If a Member takes more than two Inactive Terms in a row, that Member must spend the returning term as a Darte before receiving Full Membership Status again, unless that Member has participated in the IAP show or Summer show between the Inactive Terms and has completed a Term Job during one of the Inactive Terms.
2.7.4 Students who take more than two terms in a row off because they are not enrolled in MIT for that duration may return to the Ensemble as a Full Member when they return as students. Once this length exceeds two (2) years, that student may be asked to spend that returning term as a Darte at the discretion of the Officers.

2.8 Ejection of Members

2.8.1 A vote of two-thirds majority of current Membership may revoke any person's membership for failing to fulfill responsibilities of membership.

Article III. Officers

3.1 There shall be five (5) officers: President, Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Officer-at-Large.
3.2 Any MIT Student who has been a Full Member for at least one term can run.
3.3 Officers are not required to take a term job.
3.4 Officer responsibilities

3.4.1 General Officer duties

- Each Officer shall be a model member of the Ensemble. This includes completing all membership requirements; filling production crew and cast positions when necessary; completing all tasks necessary to the smooth running of the Ensemble; and stepping in to fulfill another Officer’s duties if that Officer is unable to do so.
- An Officer shall not be permitted to take an Inactive Term during their year-long Officer term.
- Each Officer shall be committed to representing the general consensus of the Ensemble.
- Officers shall keep the Members as informed as possible about any changes that might be occurring.
- No Officer shall make a permanent decision without informing and asking the Membership for feedback or without the other Officers’ consent.

3.4.2 President

- The President shall act as liaison between the Ensemble and the community, including Theater Arts and other theater groups.
- The President is responsible for prompt response to email sent to ensemble-request.
- The President shall be responsible for ensuring that all constitutional amendments are lodged with the MIT Association of Student Activities.
- The President will be an MIT student distinct from the Treasurer

3.4.3 Chair

- The Chair shall have two main responsibilities, to chair and to whip.
- The Chair shall give adequate notice of all Ensemble meetings and shall chair all Ensemble meetings.
- The Chair shall act as the Ensemble's 'whip', ensuring that Members fulfill their responsibilities.
- If there are Members not fulfilling their jobs, the Chair must make sure that the jobs get done, either by doing them, or appointing someone else to do them.

3.4.4 Secretary

- The Secretary shall take and post minutes of all meetings.
- The Secretary shall ensure that all key lists, and other such documents are kept up to date.
- The Secretary shall communicate with the Campus Activities Complex to reserve box office, drop poster space, and rooms.

3.4.5 Treasurer

- The Treasurer shall handle all the Ensemble's finances including payment of bills, keeping track of budgets, and creating detailed budgets for the Producer.
- The Treasurer shall reimburse all Members with proper receipts promptly.
- The Treasurer shall be in charge of applying to grants.
- The Treasurer shall oversee all fundraising endeavors.
- The Treasurer shall be in charge of all signature lists and accounts.
- The Treasurer will be an MIT student distinct from the President
- The Treasurer shall be in charge of checking the mail box and distributing the mail to the appropriate Members.

3.4.6 Officer-at-Large

- The Officer-at-Large is responsible for all dedicated recruitment activities.
- The Officer-at-Large shall coordinate any and all activities for incoming new students during Orientation and Campus Preview Weekend.
- The Officer-at-Large is responsible for any publicity, of the Ensemble in general, unrelated to a show.
- The Officer-at-Large shall monitor the Membership and work to improve retention of Members from term to term.

3.5 In the event that an Officer becomes unable to fulfill the duties of that Officership

- The final decision regarding replacement of the Officer shall rest with the remaining Officers. A full election need not take place, but the appointment of a replacement shall be subject to approval by the Membership.
- If the officer in question is the President or Chair, the Officers should first consider replacement from within the Officership. The new President or Chair may take on the responsibilities of their new position in addition to their current Officer duties, or may ask that their old positions be otherwise filled.
- If the officer in question is the Secretary, Treasurer, or Officer-at-Large, the Officers should first consider promotion of a qualified Member into the Officership. This Member must fulfill the requirements for Officership listed in 3.2.

Article IV. Elections

4.1 Officers shall be elected at the end of each academic year.
4.2 Officers' terms of office shall run from their election until the election of new officers the following year.
4.3 Procedure of Election

4.3.1 At the election meeting, nominations and elections shall proceed in order of office (President, Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Officer-at-Large). The order can be changed at the discretion of the membership present at the meeting.
4.3.2 Candidature for an elected position requires a nominator and a seconder, both of whom must be Full Members. Candidates may propose, but not second, their own nominations. In order to stand as a candidate for election, a proposed candidate must accept a nomination. A Member may decline a nomination if that Member does not want the position.
4.3.3 After all nominations for a position are accepted or declined, nominees have the opportunity to briefly talk about why they want the position. Questions may be asked.
4.3.4 After all nominees are heard in full, they shall leave the room and the Membership shall discuss the decision at hand. Election shall be by simple majority of the Membership present, by show of hands unless any Full Member present requests a secret ballot. In the case of election by secret ballot, the Membership present shall nominate two (2) officers, who must not be candidates for election, to oversee the ballot.

4.4 Officer Removal

4.4.1

Article V. Meetings

5.1 General Meetings

5.1.1 There shall be a general meeting of the Ensemble on or near Registration Day of each Fall and Spring semester, henceforth referred to as Beginning of Term Meeting. At the Beginning of Term Meeting, any relevant business shall be discussed. Before a week has passed since the Beginning of Term Meeting, term jobs should be assigned to members.
5.1.2 There shall be a general meeting of the Ensemble during the week before final examinations commence in each Fall and Spring semester, henceforth referred to as the End of Term Meeting. At the End of Term meeting, any relevant business shall be discussed.
5.1.3 Dartes become members before any voting occurs.

5.2 A special meeting may be called at any time by the Officers or by petition to the Chair of twenty percent (20%) of the current Membership. The Chair shall give five (5) days e-mail notice of a special meeting, including agenda items. Additional agenda items may be posted up to three (3) days prior to the meeting, but no further items may be added after that time.
5.3 Quorum and Procedure

5.3.1 Quorum shall consist of three (3) officers plus one third of the remaining current Membership excluding Members who are taking an Inactive Term and are not in attendance. If quorum is not met, the meeting may proceed, but any decisions made at that meeting shall be subject to ratification at the next quorate meeting.
5.3.2 The Chair shall chair the meeting and ensure that it proceeds in an orderly fashion. The Chair may introduce formal rules of debate if deemed necessary. No rule of debate can restrict speeches to less than three (3) minutes and number of speakers to less than three (3) pro and con. Upon agreement of a simple majority of the Membership present, any agenda item may be tabled to the following meeting. Any Full Member and Darte may move motions with respect to any agenda item. With the exception of constitutional amendments, motions do not require a seconder and shall be passed by approval of a simple majority of the Membership present. All Full Members are entitled to vote on any issue. Ballot shall be by show of hand unless a Member requests a secret ballot. No motion shall be passed that contravenes any rule or regulation of the MIT Association of Student Activities.

5.4 Proxy votes are acceptable, in writing, for constitutional amendments, bylaws, and play or director choice only.

Article VI. Financial

6.1 Members wishing to be reimbursed for expenses that have been previously approved by the Treasurer relating to a production or Ensemble event must present reimbursement in electronic Request For Payment form (including electronic copy of the receipt) to the Treasurer. The deadline for submitting a reimbursement to the treasurer is as described in Bylaw V: Receipt Timeline.
6.2 The Treasurer shall reimburse the Member no later than

- six (6) weeks after the event for which the purchase was made, or
- the end of the funding cycle,

whichever is sooner.

Article VII. Casting and Production Crew Policy

7.1 The Casting Policies and Production Crew Policies for all Ensemble shows are as described in the Bylaw VI: Casting Policy and Bylaw VII: Production Crew Policy, respectively.

Article VIII. Bylaws

8.1 The Ensemble shall adhere to all rules described in the Bylaws of the MIT Shakespeare Ensemble, henceforth referred to as the Bylaws.
8.2 Violation of the Bylaws may never ipso facto be means for revocation or alteration of a person's membership status.
8.3 The interpretation is primarily the responsibility of the President, and secondarily the other Officers. In the case of conflict between the President and the other Officers, the issue shall be put to a meeting. In any case a vote of the majority of the Membership present at any quorate meeting may overrule the President's interpretation.
8.4 The process for amending the Bylaws is as follows:

8.4.1 Motions to amend the Bylaws do not need a seconder. Proposed amendments must be posted by the Chair no less than five (5) days prior to the meeting at which they are to be considered.
8.4.2 Amendments to the Bylaws may be passed individually or in groups at the discretion of the Officers. If twenty-five percent (25%) of the Membership requests that an amendment be considered and passed individually, it must be. The wording of amendments may be slightly altered at the meeting at which they are to be considered.
8.4.3 Amendments to the Bylaws require approval of a majority of the Membership voting at any quorate meeting, including proxy votes.
8.4.4 All votes on amendments to the Bylaws must include the option to abstain. Abstentions are not included in the count of membership present specifically for the amendment they are abstaining on.

8.5 The President may edit the Bylaws for spelling, punctuation, formatting, and minor grammatical mistakes as long as the edits do not alter the meaning of the bylaw. The President must notify the current Membership upon making such a change. If one or more of the following is true, the edit shall be put to a meeting and will be voted on like a normal amendment to the Bylaws:

- A majority agreement cannot be reached among the Officers.
- The Officers decide that the edit alters the bylaw's meaning.
- A current Member requests that the edit be put to a vote.

Article IX. Interpretation and Amendment of Constitution

9.1 The interpretation is primarily the responsibility of the President, and secondarily the other Officers. In the case of conflict between the President and the other Officers, the issue shall be put to a meeting. In any case a vote of the majority of the Membership present at any meeting may overrule the President's interpretation.
9.2 Motions to amend the constitution require a mover and a seconder and must be posted by the Chair no less than five (5) days prior to the meeting at which they are to be considered.
9.3 Amendments to the constitution require approval of a two-thirds majority of the Membership voting at any quorate meeting, including proxy votes.

9.3.1 All votes on amendments to the Constitution must include the option to abstain. Abstentions are not included in the count of the Membership voting specifically for the amendment they are abstaining on.

9.4 Any amendment passed shall be submitted to the Association of Student Activities by the President forthwith.
9.5 The President may edit the constitution for spelling, punctuation, formatting, and minor grammatical mistakes as long as the edits do not alter the meaning of the article. The President must notify the current Membership upon making such a change. These edits are subject to ratification primarily by a majority of the other Officers and secondarily by the current Membership. If one or more of the following is true, the edit shall be put to a meeting and will require approval from a two-thirds majority of the current Membership:

- A majority agreement cannot be reached among the Officers.
- The Officers decide that the edit alters the article's meaning.
- A current Member requests that the edit be put to a vote.

Article X. Affiliation with the Association of Student Activities

10.1 The MIT Shakespeare Ensemble agrees to abide by the rules and regulations of the Association of Student Activities, and its executive board. This constitution, amendments to it, and the by-laws of this organization shall be subject to review by the ASA Executive Board to ensure that they are in accordance with the aforementioned rules and regulations.

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Constitution last updated February 15, 2021 by nsniu