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Table
of Contents:
Preamble
Whereas
it is necessary, in order to fit ourselves for varied duties
of life, to cultivate a correct mode of speaking and to qualify
through practice to express our views in an effective manner,
and Whereas experience has abundantly proven that these ends
can in no way be more speedily accomplished than by forming
a society for such purpose, Therefore, we the undersigned have
organized a society and have adopted for our government the
following Constitution:
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Article
I
Name
and Object of the Society
The
name of the Society shall be the Demosthenian Literary Society
of the University of Georgia. It shall be the object of the
Society to promote the cause of science and truth by the cultivation
of oratory and the art of debate at weekly meetings.
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Article
II
Meetings
Section
1. Meetings of the Demosthenian Literary Society shall be
held in the Upper Chamber of Demosthenian Hall on North Campus
at 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays when class is in session during Fall
and Spring Semesters.
Section 2. Meetings may be held during Summer Semester
or when classes are canceled, but such meetings shall be considered
unofficial and will neither be entered into the official record
of the Society, nor will they require a quorum in order to convene.
Section 3. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised
shall govern the Society except in cases where it conflicts
with the Constitution.
Section 4. Meetings of the Demosthenian Literary Society
shall be moved from their assigned date by a three-fourths vote
of the Society, provided that there are three-fourths of the
full-voting members of the Society present for the vote.
Section 5. The President may call special meetings of
the Demosthenian Literary Society, provided that the meeting
is announced two weeks before the date of the proposed special
meeting. Announcements may be posted in the lower chamber. Special
meetings may also be called by a three-fourths vote of the Society,
provided that three-fourths of the full-voting members of the
Society are present and that the vote is taken two full weeks
before the date of the proposed special meeting.
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Article
III
Parliamentary
Procedure
Section 1. A point of information may not pertain directly
to debate.
Section
2.
There shall be a time limit of five minutes on the addresses
of members and guests unless the Society grants an extension
by a three-fourths affirmative vote. The President’s inaugural
address, the Historian’s “History of the debating Societies”
speech, Orations, Declamations, all farewell addresses and a
petitioner’s maiden address will not be timed.
Section
3. Adjourning the meeting shall require a two-thirds majority
vote. Closing debate on a question shall require a simple majority.
Section 4. Any member may move for reconsideration of
any motion, but such a motion may be made only one time.
Section 5. When a sitting President steps down to speak
on a resolution, the sitting Vice-President becomes the sitting
President.
Section 6. Roll call debate on a subject of sufficient
interest, prominence, or controversy may be initiated at the
request of any member in the Society with the concurrence of
two-thirds of the Society. The Society may vote to delay the
debate for one week in order to permit each member to research
the question. All members including officers shall speak. Guests
may address the Society after the members have spoken.
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Article
IV
Order
of Business
1.
Calling to order the Society
2. Roll Call
3. Reading and approval of the Minutes of the previous
meeting
4. Recognition of those present for the first time
5. Recognition of those present for the second or
third time
6. Recognition of Alumni present
7. Appointment of the Critic
8. Program
9. Petitions for membership
10. Petitions for reinstatement of membership F
11. Committee Reports
12. Announcements from the Chair
13. Special Elections
14. Old or unfinished business
15. New business
16. Adjournment
(a) The Critic’s report
(b) Remarks from the Chair
(c) Remarks from the Floor
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Article
V
Membership
Requirements
Section 1. Any student registered at the University of
Georgia shall be eligible for membership in the Society. Membership shall not be denied to any person because of age, race, sex, religion, hanidcap, sexual orientation or national origin.
Section 2. One may petition the Society for membership
after attending three Meetings, two of which must be consecutive,
delivering a maiden address, and passing a written membership
test. The petitioner shall be admitted to the Society upon an
affirmative vote of three-fourths of the full-voting members,
provided a quorum is present. The President shall deliver the
Oath of Membership to all new members.
Section 3. A full voting member shall be anyone who has
attended four consecutive meetings of the Society and fulfilled
the membership requirements of the Society. Full-voting members
may vote on any issue before the Society, including membership
petitions, elections, and constitutional amendments.
Section 4. Voting on all issues before the Society, shall
be restricted to members on the current roll.
Section 5. Any member who is absent for three consecutive
meetings during a semester, or who is absent for seven meetings
at any time during a semester, shall be stricken from the roll.
Excused absences are permitted at the discretion of the Secretary.
An excuse for an absence must be submitted before the meeting
immediately following the absence. Otherwise, the absence will
remain unexcused. Members who have been stricken from the roll
due to excessive absences may be reinstated to the roll upon
a three-fourths vote, provided there is a quorum of full-voting
members present.
Section 6. A full-voting member who leaves the University
of Georgia or leaves the Society upon graduation shall be considered
an alumnus member. Upon returning and becoming properly enrolled
in the University again, any alumnus member may resume full-voting
status upon a vote of three-fourths of the full-voting members
present, provided there is a quorum present.
Section 7. Alumni shall be entitled to all the privileges
of members except those of voting, holding office, and being
able to have keys to the Hall. When in the Hall they shall be
subject to all the rules and regulations that govern the members.
Section 8. One shall be eligible for honorary membership,
who possesses distinguished worth of character and such intellectual
attainments as will reflect honor upon the Society. All such
proposals for honorary members must be submitted in writing
to the Society, and must bear the signatures of at least three
full-voting members.
Honorary members shall be accepted into the Society by a three-fourths
vote of the membership provided a quorum of full-voting members
is present. All persons chosen as honorary members shall be
notified in writing of their honor by the Secretary.
Section 9. Honorary members shall be entitled to all
the privileges of membership except voting on any issues before
the Society, holding office, and having keys to the Hall.
Section 10. Any member may be granted a leave of absence
at the President’s discretion provided there is a valid reason
such as extended illness which would cause one to temporarily
withdraw from classes for the duration of a Semester, a class
scheduled at the time that Demosthenian meets, or a case in
which one has exchanged to a different university or college
through the University of Georgia. Special exceptions to these
cases may be granted by the President, provided it is approved
by a majority of the Judicial Council.
Section 11. Members who are on a leave of absence shall
not be counted toward quorum, may not hold office, may not vote
on matters pending before the Society, and shall not be subject
to dues.
Section 12. Votes to extend membership or reinstate former
members shall be taken by ball and vase.
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Article
VI
Officers
of the Society
Section 1. The officers of this Society shall be President,
Vice-President, Chief Justice, Associate Justice, Treasurer,
Hall Administrator, Secretary, Historian, Sergeant-at-Arms,
Librarian and Custodian. The officers shall rank in the order
named.
Section 2. All officers, save the Historian, the Hall
Administrator, and the Treasurer, shall be elected for a term
of one semester. Officers may run for re-election, but no person
may hold the same office in the Society for more than two semesters,
save that of Associate Justice, which may be held for a total
of up to three semesters. No person may hold office on the Judicial
Council for more than four semesters. Historians, Hall Administrators,
and Treasurers shall be elected for a term of one year during
Spring Semester elections.
Section 3. The election of officers shall be held on
the next to the last regular meeting of each Semester. New officers
shall be inaugurated on the night of the election.
Section 4. No person shall hold two offices at the same
time, save for the office of Historian.
Section 5. All officers shall continue in office until
their successors are elected and sworn into office.
Section 6. The candidate who wins a majority of the votes
cast shall be elected to the office.
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Article
VII
Office
of the President
Section 1. Members of the Society shall be eligible to
be elected President provided they shall have been a member
for three of the four semesters immediately prior to that semester
in which they will serve, and provided further, that they have
earned at least twenty-four points toward a Speaker’s Key.
Section 2. Newly elected presidents shall deliver an
inaugural address at the first regular meeting of the Semester
they were elected to serve, in which they shall present to each
member a specific written list of objectives for the Society
to accomplish in the coming Semester.
Section 3. The President shall present a written statement
of progress toward these objectives by the eighth regular meeting
of the semester.
Section 4. Newly elected presidents shall read the section
of E. Merton Coulter’s College Life in the Old South that deals
with the Literary Societies before they give their inaugural
address.
Section 5. The President shall hold monthly executive
meetings to discuss the state of the Society and pressing business.
These meetings shall include the President, the Vice-President,
the Chief Justice, the Treasurer, and the Hall Administrator.
Section 6. The president shall preside over all meetings,
assess fines, and enforce the Constitution.
Section 7. When assessing fines the President must issue
the fine in writing within a reasonable period, and include
the infraction, the date of the infraction, and the amount owed.
The Presedent shall also present a copy of this record to the
historian.
Section 8. The President shall relinquish the chair when
debating any question before the Society and shall not resume
the chair until the main motion has been put to a vote.
Section 9. The President shall appoint an Adlatus who
shall advise the President on Parliamentary questions. The Adlatus
may also address the Society on parliamentary law whenever necessary.
Section 10. At the beginning of each meeting the President
shall appoint a Critic who shall criticize and report on the
following before the close of each meeting: errors of grammar
and delivery, debate of speakers, and irregularities of officers
and individual members.
Section 11. At the beginning of each Semester the President
shall appoint a Censor Morum to investigate the morals and conduct
of the members of the Society without respect to time or place,
in order to insure correct behavior on the part of the membership.
The Censor Morum shall report the conduct of members before
the Society under committee reports for reproof and correction,
and these reports shall be as frequent as necessary. The Censor
Morum shall pledge to defend virtue and morality. Failure to
fulfill this pledge shall be sufficient grounds for removal
by dismissal or impeachment.
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Article
VIII
Office
of the Vice-President
Section 1. Members of the Society shall be eligible to
be elected Vice-President provided they shall have been a member
for two of the previous three semesters immediately prior to
that semester in which they will serve, and provided further,
that they shall have earned at least twenty points toward a
Speaker’s Key.
Section 2. The Vice-President shall be the ex officio
member of all Committees.
Section 3. The Vice-President shall appoint the chairmen
and members of the committees; these appointments shall be submitted
first to the President and subject to presidential approval.
Section 4. It shall be the duty of the Vice-President
to hold a meeting of all chairmen on at least two occasions
each Semester. The purpose of these meetings shall be to announce
and discuss goals for each committee, to assess the progress
of the committees, to recognize outstanding contributions, and
to work on solutions to any problems.
Section 5. It shall be the responsibility of the Vice-President
to keep the President informed on the progress and the activities
of the committees.
Section 6. The Vice-President shall time the speeches
and signal the amount of time remaining in a speech to the audience.
Section 7. After any prospective member has given a maiden
address before the Society, the Vice-President shall escort
all petitioners and guests downstairs until after the vote has
been taken.
Section 8. After all prospective candidates for an office
have given their speech before the Society, the Vice-President
shall escort all candidates and guests downstairs until after
the vote has been taken, but the Vice-President may return to
the upper chamber for debate after the candidates have been
escorted.
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Article
IX
Office
of the Secretary
Section 1. Members of the Society shall be eligible to
be elected Secretary provided they shall have been a member
for two of the previous three semesters immediately prior to
that semester in which they will serve, and provided further,
that they shall have earned at least twelve points toward a
Speaker’s Key.
Section 2.The Secretary shall keep an alphabetical roll
of the members and honorary members of the Society, adding the
names of new members and honorary members as they are accepted
into the Society. The Secretary shall announce the presence
of a quorum to the President at each meeting.
Section 3. The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings
of the Society, fines, and of the motions proposed to the Society,
and shall read at each subsequent meeting the minutes of the
preceding meeting.
Section 4. The Secretary shall place a copy of the minutes
of the previous meeting in the Library at the end of each meeting.
Section 5. The Secretary shall compile and publish a
telephone and address list of all members by the second meeting
of the Semester.
Section 6. Secretaries shall preserve all papers they
have accumulated during their term of office and turn them over
properly sorted and neatly labeled, passing on all the necessary
papers to the archives at the end of their term.
Section 7. Secretaries who fail to deliver the completed
minutes of their term by the fourth meeting of the following
Semester shall forfeit the points they earned as Secretary.
Any officer-elect who has previously served as Secretary, and
is delinquent in the submission of the minutes from the semester
in which they served, shall be removed from their new office
after the 4th week of the semester they have been elected to
serve. They shall be reinstated to that office upon the submission
of the minutes.
Section 8. It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary
to obtain or otherwise insure the obtainment of the Portrait
for the Wall of Fame within one academic year.
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Article
X
Offices
of the Judicial Council
Section 1. Members of the Society shall be eligible to
be elected to the Judicial Council provided they shall have
been a member for two of the previous three semesters immediately
prior to that semester in which they will serve, and provided
further, that they shall have earned at least twelve points
toward a Speaker’s Key.
Section 2. The Judicial Council shall be composed of
three members, the Chief Justice and two Associate Justices.
Two members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 3. The Chief Justice shall be elected by the
Society from the three Justices newly elected. The unsuccessful
candidates for the position of Justice shall be returned to
the Upper Chamber prior to the election of a Chief Justice.
Section 4. The Chief Justice shall assist during ball and
vase voting.
Section 5. The Judicial Council shall judge all questions
concerning the interpretation of the Constitution of the Society.
Its decisions shall be final in these questions unless overruled
by a two-thirds vote of the Society.
Section 6. The Judicial Council shall represent the Society
in questions arising with other societies concerning intercollegiate
and intersocietal debates. In this respect, the Council shall
act as a panel to choose the members of the debate team. Any
such decision of the Judicial Council may be overruled by a
two-thirds vote of the Society.
Section 7. The Judicial Council shall keep a record of
all points earned toward Speaker’s Keys.
Section 8. The Judicial Council shall authorize the awarding
of Speaker’s Keys and diplomas.
Section 9. The Judicial Council shall judge and organize
the Oration and Declamation. While allowed to participate, no
council member shall be eligible to win.
Section 10. The Judicial Council shall keep an up-to-date
copy of the Constitution in the Library of the Hall at all times.
Section 11. The Judicial Council shall evaluate membership
tests and advise the president of the results. The Judicial
Council shall keep on file a copy of the correct answers to
the membership test.
Section 12. . The Judicial Council shall keep a record of
the minutes of all Council meetings which shall include the
Justices present, the motions made to the Council, the major
points of the arguments for and against, the votes and any statements
made by the Justices.
Section 13. The Chief Justice shall inspect the Treasurer’s
books and report to the Society the status of the Society’s
finances at least once a Semester.
Section 14. The Chief Justice shall distribute to new
members, upon their admission to the Society, a copy of the
Constitution.
Section 15. The Chief Justice shall grant all keys and
shall maintain a file of all extant contracts for keys to the
Hall. The Chief Justice shall also maintain a list of all those
who have received a current working key through the society,
and shall verify this list with that of the Treasurer at least
once a semester so as to account for every key made for the
society. Removal from the list shall only occur when a key is
returned or proven to be damaged beyond working condition.
Section
16. Should the Judicial Council lack a quorum, any question
that would normally be sent to the Judicial Council should be
presented to a majority vote of the Society.
Section 17. In any question directly involving a Justice,
that Justice shall not be counted in determining a quorum of
the Judicial Council or in the vote on that question.
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Article
XI
Office
of the Treasurer
Section 1. Members of the Society shall be eligible to
be elected Treasurer provided they shall have been a member
for two of the previous three semesters immediately prior to
that semester in which they will serve, and provided further,
that they shall have earned at least twelve points toward a
Speaker’s Key. They shall be elected during the Spring Semester
elections to serve the following year.
Section 2. The Treasurer shall keep a record of all financial
dealings of the Society.
Section 3. Under no condition shall the Treasurer spend
the Society’s funds without approval of the finance committee.
Section 4. At the end of each month, the Treasurer will
deposit any hall rental donations received from the Hall Administrator.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall collect all dues.
Section 6. The Treasurer shall have the authority to
appoint one deputy to aid with the execution of the duties of
the office. In the event that the Treasurer is unable to fulfill
the duties of the office, the Deputy Treasurer will act as interim
Treasurer until such a time as a special election for that office
can be held.
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Article
XII
Office of the Hall Administrator
Section
1. Members of the Society shall be eligible to be elected
Hall Administrator provided they shall have been a member for
two of the previous three semesters immediately prior to that
semester in which they will serve, and provided further, that
they shall have earned at least twelve points toward a Speaker’s
Key. They shall be elected during the Spring Semester elections
to serve the following year.
Section 2. The Hall Administrator will have the power
of appointing a deputy and an assistant to aid with the execution
of the duties of the office. In the event that the Hall Administrator
is unable to fulfill the duties of the office, the Deputy Hall
Administrator will act as interim Hall Administrator until such
a time as a special election for that office can be held.
Section 3. The Hall Administrator shall be responsible for
renting the Hall. The Hall Administrator shall maintain records
of rental contracts. Hall Administrator shall also be responsible
for letting renters into the hall. The Hall Administrator will
be permitted two extra keys, marked solely for use as Hall Administrator,
and an assistant who may allow renters into the Hall when the
Hall Administrator is unable to do so.
Section 4. The Hall Administrator shall maintain a list
of all those who have received a current working key through
the society, and shall verify this list with that of the Chief
Justice at least once a semester so as to account for every
key made for the society. Removal from the list shall only occur
when a key is returned or proven to be damaged beyond working
condition.
Section 5. The Hall Administrator will maintain a calendar
that lists all of the scheduled hall rentals and other Society
related events. The Hall Administrator shall regularly keep
the Society informed of upcoming hall rentals.
Section 6. The Hall Administrator will keep a record
of all renters who disrespect or damage the Hall. This record
may be taken into account when renting the Hall.
Section
7. At the end of each month, the Hall Administrator will
give the Treasurer any hall rental donations collected.
Article
XIII
Office
of the Historian
Section 1. Members of the Society shall be eligible to
be elected Historian, provided they shall have been a member
for two semesters prior to the semester in which they will serve.
Historians shall be elected during the Spring Semester elections
to serve the following year.
Section 2. Historians shall prepare a written history
of the Society covering the year for which they are elected.
This history shall be read to the Society at the annual Spring
Banquet.
Section 3. The Historian shall place the Historian’s report,
all newspaper articles, historical papers, and correspondence
pertaining to the Society in the current correspondence file
in the Georgia Room of the Main Library.
Section 4. The Historian shall maintain the scrapbooks
of the Society, securing newspaper articles, autographs, and
other matters of interest to the Society.
Section 5. The Historian shall deliver a speech once each
Semester on a topic of interest pertaining to the history of
the Society or debating societies in general.
Section 6. The Historian will have the responsibility
of acting as the Society’s liaison to the Archives, and will
be responsible for taking important Society documents to the
Archives for safekeeping.
Section
7. The Historian shall have the authority to appoint one
deputy to aid with the execution of the duties of the office.
In the event that the Historian is unable to fulfill the duties
of the office, the Deputy Historian will act as interim Historian
until such a time as a special election for that office can
be held.
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Article
XIV
Office
of the Sergeant-at-Arms
Section 1. Members of the Society shall be eligible to
be elected Sergeant-at-Arms provided they are a full-voting
member of the Society.
Section 2. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall prevent disruption
in the Hall, eject unruly or boisterous members, visitors, and
trespassers, assist in the voting by vase and ball, and assist
in collection of fines and dues, if necessary.
Section 3. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall prosecute officers
for neglect of duty, entering into the minutes the names of
the defendants and offenses for which they stand charge, and
notifying them in writing at least one week before the trial.
Section 4. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall not drink any alcoholic
beverage during the All-Night Meeting, and will ensure that
the Demosthenian Literary Society remains in accordance with
the University alcohol polices.
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Article
XV
Office
of the Librarian
Section 1. Members of the Society shall be eligible to
be elected Librarian provided they shall have been a member
for at least one full semester prior to the one in which they
will serve.
Section 2. The Librarian shall have custody of the Society’s
manuscripts, catalog the Society’s books, update the library
database, and supervise the reading room.
Section 3. The Fall Semester Librarian shall order a
copy of the Pandora. The Spring Semester Librarian shall be
responsible for obtaining the reserved copy of the Pandora.
Section 4. The Librarian shall give at least one Librarian’s
Address before the last regular meeting before elections, informing
the Society of the books which are late or missing from the
library and the fines amassed on these books. The Librarian
shall have the responsibility of collecting the books and the
fines, assisted if necessary by the Treasurer and the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Section 5. The Librarian shall have the authority to
appoint one deputy to aid in the execution of the duties of
the office. In the event that the Librarian is unable to fulfill
the duties of the office, the Deputy Librarian will act as interim
Librarian until such a time as a special election for that office
can be held.
Section
6. The Librarian shall have the power to suggest books for
the Society to buy to replace books that have been lost or stolen.
Section 7. The library shall be divided into two sections,
a reference section and a circulation section.
Section 8. Regular reference books may be checked out
and removed from the Hall for a twenty-four hour period with
the permission of the Librarian. The late fee shall be one dollar
per day. Special reference books may not be removed from the
Hall under any circumstances. The penalty for this offense shall
be five dollars per day.
Section 9. Books in the circulation section may be checked
out for two weeks and renewed for an additional two weeks through
the Librarian. These subsequent renewals are subject to termination
by the Librarian on the demand of a Society member who desires
to use the book.
Books in the circulation section may not be removed from
the Hall unless they have been checked out.
The penalty for overdue books shall be a fine of ten cents per
day including breaks in the academic year. A fine of five dollars
will be levied in addition to the replacement cost of the book
for books that were lost or damaged.
Section 10. The procedure for checking out a book shall
be as follows: Members shall sign their name, date, the title,
and the author of the book in the record book placed in the
library. Books shall be checked in by the Librarian or by placing
them in the marked area.
Section 11. The Librarian shall reshelf books used in
the Hall which have not been checked out.
Section 12. Library regulations shall be posted in the
library. Use of the library shall mean that the user agrees
to abide by the rules. For gross and repeated violations of
these regulations, library privileges may be revoked.
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Article
XVI
Office
of the Custodian
Section 1. Members of the Society shall be eligible to
be elected Custodian provided they shall have been a member
for at least one full semester prior to the one in which they
will serve.
Section 2. The Custodian shall maintain the beauty of
the Hall and its furnishings by keeping it clean and neat.
Section 3. The Custodian shall have the ability to announce
cleaning meetings and award points, with the discretion of the
President, for the participation of members.
Section 4. The Custodian shall perform or supervise the
performance of those acts, which are necessary to maintain the
comfort of the members during the meetings.
Section 5. The Custodian shall put out the flags each
morning and take them in each evening barring inclement weather.
Section 6. The Custodian shall keep an inventory of all
Hall property worth more than fifty dollars.
Section
7. The Custodian shall have the authority to appoint one
deputy to aid in the execution of the duties of the office.
In the event that the Custodian is unable to fulfill the duties
of the office, the Deputy Custodian will act as interim Custodian
until such a time as a special election for that office can
be held.
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Article
XVII
Office
of Faculty Advisor
The Faculty Advisor shall be elected annually by a two-thirds
vote of a quorum of members in the Spring Semester or whenever
necessary. The Secretary shall notify the proper University
official of the Society’s choice.
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Article
XVIII
Elections
Section 1. Candidates will be nominated two weeks before
the elections, and the floor will be closed to nominations a
week before the elections. Furthermore, candidates may be nominated
for multiple offices.
In
cases where no candidate is seeking an office at the time of
the election, candidates will be nominated at the time of elections
for the office.
Section 2. In case of Special Elections the nominations
will be held during special elections.
Section 3. Candidates for elected offices are required
to speak from the stump. Candidates will have seven minutes
to speak and will be required to answer questions from the floor
for three minutes. No candidate may be in the upper chamber
while a candidate for the same office is giving a speech from
the stump.
Section 4. The order of nominations will be President,
Vice-President, Secretary, Judicial Council, Chief Justice,
Treasurer, Hall Administrator, Historian, Sergeant-at-Arms,
Librarian, and Custodian.
Section 5. Proxy or absentee voting must be approved
by a two-thirds vote of the Society before the start of elections.
Members voting by absentee must submit their votes in writing
to the President before the start of the meeting.
Section 6. Members who are not present at the time of
the election may not be elected to any office unless they have
previously informed the President in writing of the offices
to which they will accept nominations. They may then be nominated
for only those offices that they so designated.
Section 7. If no candidate wins a majority, the candidates
who received the two highest vote totals shall compete in a
runoff election to be held immediately after the results of
the first election are announced. Absentee ballots shall be
counted in runoffs if the votes still apply to the candidates
running for office.
Section 8. All contested elections shall be voted upon
by ball and vase if two candidates are running, or by paper
ballot if more than two are running.
Section
9. The acting President, acting Vice-President, acting Secretary,
and Justices who are not candidates for the office shall count
the votes for all election.
Section 10. Members who are on leave of absence may run
for office during elections for the offices of the Semester
following the Semester in which they are on leave. The member
on leave must resume active membership if elected or forfeit
the office.
Section 11. In the case of a vacancy in any office,
the President shall announce a special election to be held one
week thereafter.
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Article
XIX
Committees
Section 1. The following shall be the six standing committees
of the Society: The Finance Committee, the Programs/Special
Events Committee, the Public Relations Committee, the Alumni
Relations Committee, the Hall Preservation and Administration
Committee and the Digital Media Committee.
Section 2. The permanent members of the Finance Committee
shall be the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the
Treasurer (as Chairman), the Hall Administrator, the Chief Justice,
the Faculty Advisor, and two additional members of the Society
appointed by the President.
Section 3. The Finance Committee shall assume all financial
duties of the Society. The Finance Committee may spend no more
than fifty dollars per Semester on its own authority to pay
incidental expenses of the Society. Expenditures above this
amount must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Society.
Section 4. The Finance Committee shall budget funds at
the beginning of each Semester.
Section 5. No member shall have the power to purchase
anything in the name of the Society or render the Society liable
for any indebtedness of any nature without the prior permission
of the Finance Committee and the approval of the society.
Section 6. At least once a month the Treasurer, acting
as the Chair of the Finance Committee, will give reports on
the finances of the Society. These reports must be accepted
by the Society to validate the Actions of the Finance Committee.
Section 7. The permanent members of the Hall Preservation
and Administration Committee shall be the President, the Hall
Administrator (as Chairman), the Chief Justice, the Faculty
Advisor, the Historian (as Deputy Chair), Custodian, the Deputy
Hall Administrator, and the assistant appointed by the Hall
Administrator.
Section 8. The duties of the Hall Preservation and Administration
Committee to administer, maintain, protect, and preserve Demosthenian
Hall.
Section 9. Any person, organization, or representative
of the University who desires to use the Hall for any purpose
may do so only with the prior written permission of the Hall
Preservation and Administration Committee. The Hall Preservation
and Administration Committee will obtain final approval from
the Society before granting permission to use the Hall.
Section
10. The Hall Preservation and Administration Committee may
charge rent and shall require a security deposit for the use
of the Hall. Furthermore, the Hall Preservation and Administration
Committee shall use the Hall Administrator’s record of all renters
who do not respect or damage the Hall to sanction unruly renters.
The Hall Preservation and Administration Committee will obtain
final approval from the Society before sanctioning any unruly
renters.
Section 11. The Spring Banquet, the Mock Election, Resolution
Camps, and all Society awards, with the exception of the Speakers
Keys and the Oration and Declamation, will be the responsibility
of the Programs/Special Events Committee.
Section 12. The All-Night Meeting, including speakers, food,
and other planning, and the annual newsletter will be the responsibility
of the Alumni Relations Committee.
The Alumni Relations Committee shall be a yearlong committee
chosen at the beginning of the Fall Semester.
The Alumni Relations Committee, before publishing the newsletter,
shall present it to the Society for approval.
Section 13. The Public Relations Committee shall have
the responsibility of organizing the Fall and Spring activities
fairs, posting flyers on campus, and promoting programs and
events.
Section 14. The Digital Media Committee shall have the responsibility
of maintaining the list serve and website.
Section 15. The Committee Chairs shall have the duty
to appoint, from the members of the committee, a deputy chair.
These deputy chairs shall have the responsibility of aiding
the Chair in the execution of the duties of the committee. In
the event that the Chair is unable to fulfill the duties of
the office, the Deputy Chair will act as the interim Chair until
such a time as the Chair can resume the duties of the Committee.
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Article XX
Conduct
of Members
Section 1. The President, Vice-President, and Secretary
shall be required to wear proper attire while occupying the
bench. For male officers, this shall be a coat, tie and slacks.
For female officers, this shall be a dress, a skirt, or dress
slacks of suitable formality. No one may occupy the bench positions
during the meeting who is not similarly attired.
Section 2. All members shall attend the meeting in neat
and proper attire.
Section 3. Any member who arrives late to a meeting shall
pay a fine of twenty-five cents.
Section 4. Any member who is absent from a meeting shall
pay a fine of twenty-five cents.
Section 5. When about to make a report, motion, or address,
members must rise to their feet and address the chair by saying,
“Mister/Madame President.” They shall not proceed until they
have received notice from the presiding officer. The chair shall
settle all claims by members to the floor. The penalty for failure
to address the chair properly shall be twenty-five cents.
Section 6. Members addressing the Society shall preface
their remarks as follows: “Mister/Madame President, (the name
of the faculty advisor, if present), Officers, Demosthenians,
and guests,” after which they may proceed to the text of their
speech. The penalty for failure to address the Society in the
proper manner shall be twenty-five cents.
Section 7. Questions to the speaker shall be succinct
and neither of a vague and rambling nature, nor intended as
a statement on the part of the questioner. Also, a questioner
may ask only two questions of a speaker. The penalty for violating
these guidelines while questioning a speaker shall be twenty-five
cents.
Section 8. For failure to address the Society during
the course of a regular meeting the penalty shall be a fine
of twenty-five cents. This penalty can be avoided by the presentation
of a speech of no less than three minutes or no more than five
minutes in length during “Old or unfinished business” at the
next regular meeting of the Society. For each progressive week
this fine shall be doubled, not to exceed four dollars.
Section 9. For delaying, interfering with, or obstructing
the orderly process of the Society the penalty shall be a fine
of fifty cents or more.
Section 10. Conversation between members and/or guests
is disorderly. The penalty for this disorderly conduct shall
be a fine of twenty-five cents or more.
Section 11. Any member who sleeps or sits in an inappropriate
position shall be fined twenty-five cents or more. One member
may stand before each fireplace for not more than five minutes
at a time.
Section 12. Profane, abusive, or inappropriate language
or charges or imputations casting gross or insulting reflections
on individuals of the Society either in debate or during the
course of debate shall be disorderly. The penalty for these
offenses shall be a fine of twenty-five cents or more. The words
Damn Yankee when used together shall not be considered profanity.
Section 13. . The name of the “illiterary society” shall
not be allowed to profane the upper chamber of the hallowed
Demosthenian Hall. The penalty shall be a fine of one dollar.
The Hagan letter of 1936, the championship debate plaque, and
the impeachment trial evidence do not fall under this ban.
Section 14. Any member who damages or defaces any portion
of the Hall or its furniture, books, or other property shall
be held personally liable for the replacement or repair of the
damaged article whether the damage was intentional or not. In
addition to the liability, the member shall be fined ten dollars.
Section 15. Anyone smoking or using an open flame in
any portion of the Hall shall be ejected from the Hall and fined
five dollars or more.
Section 16. Food and drink is not allowed in the Upper
Chamber during any regular meeting or special event, save after
2:00 a.m. on the evening of the All-Night meeting when drink
will be allowed.
Section 17. Any individual, member or guest, who is disruptively
intoxicated within Demosthenian Hall shall be thrown out of
the Hall (forcibly if necessary) by the Sergeant-at-Arms or
any members needed to perform such a task. The individual shall
be permitted to re-enter the Hall upon a three-fourths vote
of the members present.
Section 18. Any member sitting in the designated seat
of the Faculty Advisor shall be fined one dollar.
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Article
XXI
Fines
and Appeals Procedures
Section 1. For all officers the fines shall be doubled,
with the exception of the fine imposed due to dereliction of
duty.
Section 2. For the second occurrence of the same offense
of the evening the fine shall be doubled, the third tripled,
and so on.
Section 3. When members are reported for two offenses,
one of which necessarily involves the other, they shall only
be fined for the greater of the two.
Section 4. No fines may be appealed until they are paid
in full to the office of the Treasurer.
Section 5. Within two weeks of receiving a fine, any
member may appeal a fine to the Judicial Council, which shall
have the power of deciding whether the offense was contemptuous
in spirit or intent. Within two weeks of the decision of the
Judicial Council, the decision may be appealed to the Society.
A two-thirds vote of the Society shall be required to overturn
the Judicial Council’s decision. Appeals to the Society may
occur only after the immediate business on the floor has been
settled.
Section 6. In cases where the infliction of a fine to
the strict letter of the law would be manifest and gross injustice,
or where the offender is a new member who has been present less
than four times and pleads ignorance, no fine shall be levied.
Section 7. Any member who is in arrears in the payment of
fines shall be denied the floor. The right to vote shall not
be infringed upon or denied.
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Article
XXII
Disciplinary
Action
Section 1. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall, upon the written
petition of one-third of the full-voting members of the Society,
present articles of impeachment against any officer believed
guilty of any serious offenses against the well being of the
Society. Upon the written petition of one-third of the full-voting
members of the Society, the Judicial Council shall appoint a
member of the Society to present articles of impeachment against
the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Section 2. Impeached officers shall be removed from their
office by a two-thirds vote of the full-voting members present.
No action may be taken on a question of impeachment unless three-fourths
of the full-voting members on the Society’s roll book are present.
No officer shall hold the powers and responsibilities of their
office while on trial for impeachment.
Section 3. The Judicial Council will preside over the
impeachment. The Sergeant-at-Arms will prosecute all impeachments,
except in cases where the Sergeant-at-Arms is being impeached.
All defendants will have the ability to appoint someone to defend
them.
Section
4. Any member shall be expelled by a two-thirds vote of
the full-voting members present. Calls for and charges of expulsion
shall be handled in the same manner as those of impeachment.
No action may be taken on a question of expulsion unless three-fourths
of the full-voting members on the Society’s roll book are present.
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Article
XXIII
Fees
Section 1. All full-voting members shall pay dues of
twenty dollars per semester.
Section 2. Members who fail to pay their dues by the
end of the fourth meeting of the semester shall pay a late fee
of one dollar per meeting for up to six meetings, when they
shall forfeit their membership and be removed from the rolls.
New members shall have no less than four weeks in which to pay
their dues.
Section 3. Former members who wish reinstatement in the
Society must pay a reinstatement fee of one dollar in addition
to their regular dues after they receive a vote of reinstatement.
Section 4. To receive a Hall key a member must make a
ten-dollar deposit.
Section 5. Special fees to finance worthwhile projects
must be approved by a majority of the members present, provided
there is a quorum. The penalty for non-payment of special fees
is the same as for non-payment of dues.
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Article
XXIV
Keys
to Demosthenian Hall
Section 1. Members may obtain a key to the hall provided
they have attended nine meetings as a member, have filled out
a key agreement and filed it with the Chief Justice, and have
paid their key deposit to the Treasurer.
Section 2. Departing members who return their working
key to the Society will be refunded the full amount of their
key deposit. Keys must be returned promptly upon departure from
the Society. The Treasurer shall refund the key deposit, provided
sufficient notice has been given, and notify the Hall Administrator
and Chief Justice.
Section 3. Departing members who do not return their
key or who hand down a key to a current member upon graduation
forfeits their key deposit. Departing members who do not return
working keys may also be subject to the Student Judiciary for
disposition at the discretion of the Chief Justice. Members
handing down keys shall be responsible for cutting off at least
one node of said key so as to destroy them, to be verified by
either the Chief Justice or Hall Administrator.
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Article
XXV
Honors
Section 1. The activities that shall give credit toward
receiving a Speaker’s Key shall be as follows:
A.
Attendance: If a member is present at two-thirds of the meetings
of the Society in one Semester, four points will be awarded,
but no more than a total of eight points may be earned in this
way.
B.
Points shall be awarded to officers as follows:
President
12 points per semester
Vice-President
9 points per semester
Chief
Justice 9 points per semester
Associate
Justice 6 points per semester
Treasurer
3 points per semester
Hall
Administrator 3 points per semester
Secretary
9 points per semester
Historian
3 points per semester
Sergeant-at-Arms
5 points per semester
Librarian
6 points per semester
Custodian
6 points per semester
For assisting the Treasurer, Hall Administrator, Custodian,
Historian, or Librarian, 1 point may be awarded. Prior approval
of the Treasurer, Hall Administrator, Custodian, Historian,
or Librarian shall be necessary for the point claim to be official.
For these offices, a maximum of two people per semester may
claim points in this manner.
C.
Participation in a Program:
(1)
Official representation of the Society through speaking before
any outside group, 1 point. Prior approval by the President
shall be necessary for representation to be official.
(2)
For any part of a program, 1 point.
(3)
For winning Oration, 1 point.
(4)
For winning Declamation, 1 point.
D.
All-Night Meeting: Attendance until the end of the meeting,
1 point.
E.
Committee Points:
(1)
Committee Chairs may be awarded three points at the discretion
of the President for successful committee performance.
(2)
The committee Chair may designate 1 point to outstanding members
upon approval of the President.
F.
Contributions to the Society:
(1)
The President may award 1 point to members who perform outstanding
contributions to the Society.
(2)
A member may earn 1 point for successfully recruiting a person
into membership in the Society.
Section 2. Any member who has earned thirty-two points
is eligible for a Speaker’s Key. It shall be the responsibility
of the Chief Justice to inform members of their eligibility
and to determine if they desire a Speaker’s Key. Any member
who has met the qualifications for the Speaker’s Key but does
not wish to purchase one may receive a certificate instead.
A member may both purchase a Speaker’s Key and receive a certificate
if they so desire.
Section 3. A Demosthenes Award shall be awarded each Spring
Semester to most improved speaker. This vote shall be by secret
written ballot. The recipient’s name shall be engraved on a
plaque.
Section 4. An Albert B. Saye Award shall be awarded each
Spring Semester to a current active member of the Society who
has performed outstanding service for the Society. This vote
shall be by secret written ballot. The recipient’s name shall
be engraved on a plaque.
Section 5. A Larry Blount Award to honor an outstanding
new member shall be awarded each Spring Semester to a current
active member who has been a full-voting member for no more
than two semesters. The Society shall choose the recipient from
the current members, and the vote shall be by secret ballot.
The recipient’s name shall be engraved on a plaque.
Section 6. Upon graduation from the University of Georgia,
members shall be presented a diploma by the Society, provided
they have been full-voting members of the Society for two consecutive
semesters, including the Semester in which they will graduate.
Section 7. Once members attain the necessary thirty-two
points needed for their Speaker’s Key, they shall no longer
earn points.
Section
8. The Wall of Fame, designated for the portraits of Demosthenians
who have made outstanding contributions to their state and country,
shall be maintained by the Alumni Relations Committee, which
shall search out potential candidates, accept nominations from
the membership, and research each candidate’s qualifications.
Section
9. When nominees for the Wall of Fame are presented to a
quorum of full-voting members, no other nominations shall be
accepted from the floor. Members will accept one candidate,
which must then be ratified by a vote of two-thirds of a quorum
of full-voting members at the meeting following the selection.
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Article
XXVI
Amendments
Section 1. When altering or repealing any portion of
the Constitution, a proposed amendment must be presented in
writing to the Secretary and be read to the Society at least
one week before a vote is taken.
Section 2. Adoption of an amendment shall require a two-thirds
vote of a quorum of full-voting members.
Section 3. An amendment to the Constitution, once voted
upon, shall be barred from reconsideration by the Society for
one full semester (15 weeks).
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Article
XXVII
Traditions,
Miscellany, Oaths
Section 1. The Society may award a Brick heap Award to
persons who have committed a deed worthy of the Brickheap. The
Society may give up to three Brickheap Awards per year, with
no more than two in any given semester.
Section 2. It is a tradition to hold with the Brickheap
Illiterary Society a joint meeting, not more than semesterly,
and not less than annually.
Section 3. It is a tradition to hold with the Brickheap
Illiterary Society a structured, formal debate, not more than
semesterly, and not less than annually.
Section 4. There shall be held an All-Night meeting on
the Saturday closest to February 19. The meeting shall last
from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Section 5. The Society’s emblem shall consist of the
letter Epsilon for emblema, under which there shall be the altar
of friendship, with the grasp of two hands; below the base of
the altar and to the left shall be the letter O Hominios, the
letter U for the contraction KAI immediately under the base
of the altar, and to the right and below the altar the letter
Phi for Philias.
Section 6. The Demosthenian Literary Society shall not
officially endorse any candidate for a public office. Any resolution
which may be construed as an endorsement must contain a disclaimer
stating that the resolution is not an endorsement by the Society.
Failure to comply with this rule will result in the nullification
of the resolution.
Section 7. The following books shall always remain in
the cabinet and will not be available for general circulation:
College Life in the Old South, The Letters of Demosthenes, and
the bound copies of the Minutes of the Demosthenian Literary
Society.
Section 8. The oath for new members shall be as follows:
“I, (name), desiring to cultivate a correct mode of speaking,
to qualify through practice, to express my views in an effective
manner, and to enjoy the fellowship of other students, working
towards the same ends, do solemnly swear (or affirm), that I
will uphold the Constitution of the Demosthenian Literary Society
(so help me God).”
Section 9. The oath for officers shall be as follows:
“I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm), that I will uphold
the Constitution of the Demosthenian Literary Society, and that
I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of my office
(so help me God).
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