JHU Barnstormers: Constitution

The Barnstormers Constitution

Preamble

The purpose of the Barnstormers is to bring the opportunity to participate in all forms of theatrical productions to the Homewood community, while providing quality theater for that community.

Article I: Elected Officers

Section One: President

The President will:

together with the Business Manager, be delegated responsibility to represent the group in the Student Activities Commission (SAC) General Assembly and in matters concerning the SAC Executive Committee.
serve as the groupÕs representative for any organization that requires a representative from a theatre group, with the opportunity to delegate that responsibility.
act to ensure the smooth and harmonious operation of the group.
preside over all Executive meetings and General Assemblies.
preside over impeachment proceedings of other elected officers.
act as arbiter for all disputes among all members of the Barnstormers.
act to ensure, with the Executive Board, that the spirit of this Constitution is upheld, and when deemed necessary, the letter thereof, as well as any amendments or by-laws to this Constitution.
have one Executive vote, and a second vote in the event of a tie at an Executive meeting.
serve as the secondary financial officer.

Section Two: Business Manager

The Business Manager will:

together with the President, represent the group in the Student Activities Commission (SAC) General Assembly and in matters concerning the SAC Executive Committee.
act as and perform all the usual duties of a treasurer, including balancing the account and requesting vouchers for petty cash purchases
with the aid of and subject to the ratification of the Executive Board, submit to the SAC a comprehensive budget for the following year when requested.
with the Community Relations Chair, oversee all fund-raising activities.
allocate a budget from Barnstormers funds for each production, which the production staff will be authorized to spend.
be responsible for the acquisition and maintenance of start-up funds.
maintain a ledger.
have one Executive vote.
agree to take on a "Business Manager Elect" mid-way through the natural term, and train that person to begin voting and acting as the new Business Manager upon the end of that natural term.

The Business Manager Elect will:

attend board meetings.
assist the Business Manager with responsibilities as needed, specifically balancing the accounts and allocating a budget.
not have an Executive vote.

Section Three: Secretary

The Secretary will:

preside over meetings not attended by the President.
keep all members notified of upcoming group events, e.g. through the club newsletter.
maintain an updated list of group members and their status for the SAC, and for the use of the group.
assist the President in maintaining the smooth and harmonious operation of the group.
preside over impeachment proceedings against the President.
publicize General Assembly meetings to all members at least one week in advance of such a meeting in accordance with Article IV Section Five.
advertise the time and place of Executive Board meetings, including play selection meetings, and remind members of the General Assembly that they are welcome to attend.
make available all appropriate Executive meeting notes to the General Assembly.
be charged with the maintenance and preservation of the Constitutional document.
have one Executive vote.

Section Four: Vice President for Professional Productions

The Vice President for Professional Productions will:

head the production staffs of any professionally directed shows, including dramatic mainstage productions and the musical.
be responsible for hiring a director, musical director, and choreographer as necessary, as well as organizing appropriate production staffs, subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
act as a Box Office Manager for each performance at which admission is charged, or appoint a manager subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
have one Executive vote.
maintain, update, and pass down the Vice President for Professional Productions Guidebook.

Section Five: Vice President for Studio Productions

The Vice Presidents for Studio Productions will:

act as a liason for any student wishing support from the Barnstormers for a dramatic production, presenting such to the Executive Board for approval.
be responsible for specific productions, as determined by the Executive Board, and organize appropriate production staffs subject to approval by the Executive Board.
have one Executive vote.
act as or appoint a Producer for productions for which responsible.

The Community Relations Chair will:

with the Secretary and President, serve as the group's connection and liaison to the greater Hopkins and Baltimore community. The Community Relations Chair will focus specifically on fostering off-campus and alumni relations.
maintain a relationship with the Alumni Association and correspond with gift givers.
represent the interests of the acting/general assembly.
with the Business Manager, coordinate all fund-raising.
organize non-production-related activities for group members, including trips to see theatre.
though not necessarily a member of the production team, serve as the working liaison between a production and publicity venues.
have one Executive vote.

Section Six: Technical Positions

All Technical Officers, during their term in office, must regularly participate in technical work sessions. The technical officers are charged with the education of the technical crew in all technical matters. Each officer is charged with familiarizing the technical crew with their office, its responsibilities, and methods by which to fulfill those responsibilities.

The Technical Executive

The Technical Executive will:

be charged with the ultimate responsibility for all technical activities of the Barnstormers.
be in charge of the maintenance of technical equipment and property.
maintain a list of all members interested in technical work which shall be made available to any member who so requests.
serve as the technical representative for any organization that requires such representation, with the opportunity to delegate that responsibility.
be arbiter for any dispute in which s/he is involved should it involve a technical matter.
be able to appoint a member or members to fulfill all or part of the responsibilities of the office, on a temporary basis.
have one Executive vote.

The Technical Executive's decisions may be appealed to the Executive Board.

The Technical Director

The Technical Director will:

be responsible for the technical production of each show, which includes the construction and appropriation of scenic elements, the organization of running crews, and the condition of the backstage areas during each show.
be allowed to appoint a member or members of the Barnstormers to fulfill all or part of his/her responsibilities, and further, is required to make such appointments for at least two shows over the course of his/her term in office.
with the other technical officers, assign an individual to oversee the maintenance of items stored in the Barn, the East Baltimore storage facility, and the cage.
be responsible for maintaining communication within the technical crew and be responsible to the Technical Executive for the fulfillment of these duties.
be allowed to act as arbiter of disputes in which s/he is not involved which involve his/her responsibilities. These decisions may be appealed to the Technical Executive.
have one Executive vote.

Section Six: Technical Positions

The Technical Executive

The Technical Executive will:

be charged with the ultimate responsibility for all technical activities of the Barnstormers.
represent the technical crew on the Executive Board, and is empowered with one Executive Board vote.
be in charge of the maintenance of technical equipment and property.
maintain a list of all members interested in technical work which shall be made available to any member who so requests.
be responsible for maintaining communication within the technical crew.
be responsible for coordinating the scheduling of technical activities.
be arbiter for any dispute in which s/he is involved should it involve a technical matter.
be able to appoint a member or members to fulfill all or part of the responsibilities of the office, on a temporary basis.

The Technical Executive's decisions may be appealed to the Executive Board.

The Technical Director

The Technical Director will:

be responsible for the technical production of each show, which includes the construction and appropriation of scenic elements, the organization of running crews, and the condition of the backstage areas during each show.
be allocated one vote on the Executive Board.
be allocated one vote on the Production Board.
be allowed to appoint a member or members of the Barnstormers to fulfill all or part of his/her responsibilities, including the ability to attend and vote at Production Board meetings, and further, is required to make such appointments for at least two shows over the course of his/her term in office.
be responsible to the Technical Executive for the fulfillment of these duties.
be allowed to act as arbiter of disputes in which s/he is not involved which involve his/her responsibilities. These decisions may be appealed to the Technical Executive.

The Scenographer

The Scenographer will:

be responsible for the creation of designs. This includes scenic, sound, and lighting designs, and all designs which are deemed to be technical in nature.
be allocated one vote on the Executive Board.
allowed to represent the above mentioned interests to the Production Board, but is not allocated a vote.
be allowed to act as arbiter of disputes in which s/he is not involved which involve his/her responsibilities. These decisions may be appealed to the Technical Executive.
be allowed to appoint a member or members of the Barnstormers to fulfill all or part of his/her responsibilities for any show, and furthermore is required to make such an appointment or appointments for at least two shows over the course of his/her term in office.
be responsible to the Technical Executive for the fulfillment of these duties.

Article II: Executive Board

Section One

The Executive Board is chaired by the President and consists of the following permanent members: the President, Business Manager, Secretary, Vice President for Professional Productions, Vice President for Studio Productions, and the Technical Executive.

Section Two

The Executive Board, unless otherwise noted, will use a simple majority vote.

Section Three

The Executive Board may enact By-Laws to this Constitution by vote.

Section Four

The Executive Board shall be empowered to create committees on either an ad-hoc basis, or on a standing basis in which case said committee shall be written into the By-Laws.

Section Five

The Executive Board may propose amendments to this Constitution for ratification by the Barnstormers General Assembly.

Section Six

The Executive Board may override decisions made by the Production Board.

Section Seven

The Executive Board may determine which member of the Production Staff is primarily responsible for a given show.

Section Eight

The Executive Board is responsible for play selection. Play selection is to be reached by consensus of the Executive Board. Executive Board meetings in which play selection is to be discussed are to be announced and open to the General Assembly.

Article III: Production Board

Section One

The Production Board consists of the following permanent members: Vice President for Professional Productions, Vice President for Studio Productions, and the Technical Director. The Production Board will deal with the day-to-day necessities of production, to the exclusion of technical decisions.

Section Two

Each member of the Production Board has one vote in disputed issues. In the event of a tie, the Production Board Member who is primarily responsible for that particular production will receive two votes.

Section Three

The Production Board will report weekly, whenever possible and throughout the semester, to the Executive Board on the status of productions.

Section Four

Should the Production Board fail to satisfactorily resolve any issue, that issue can be appealed to the Executive Board by any member of the Production Staff, the Director, or the Technical Director of a particular production.

Section Five

The Production Board will be empowered to approve purchases made by production staffs with funds allotted for that show by the Business Manager, provided such purchases are approved by a majority vote of the Production Board.

Article IV: General Assembly

Section One

The General Assembly will consist of all members of the Barnstormers.

Section Two

Membership within the Barnstormers requires both enrollment at the Homewood schools and having auditioned for (or having been involved with some aspect of) at least one production during the previous two terms. If the status of any potential member is in question, the Executive Board will determine such status. Membership includes members of groups sponsored by the Barnstormers.

Section Three

Each member (including seniors) will have one vote in the General Assembly by voice or secret ballot as determined by the President. The General Assembly, unless otherwise noted, will use a simple majority vote of members present at the meeting.

Section Four

Amendments proposed for ratification by the General Assembly must receive a three-fifths vote.

Section Five

General Assembly meetings will be publicized to all members at least one week in advance by the Secretary.

Section Six

A General Assembly meeting may be called by the Executive Board, or any one-fifth of the members.

Section Seven

The General Assembly may overturn decisions of the Executive Board.

Article V: Elections

Section One: Eligibility

Members of the General Assembly who are full time undergraduates at the Homewood Schools are eligible for office. All nominees must be members in good standing, and must be present at the election. Members may only hold one executive office.

Section Two: Procedure

Elections will be presided over by the President, unless the President accepts a nomination for that particular office under vote. In such a case the Secretary will preside, unless the Secretary also accepts a nomination, whereby the President will appoint any other Executive Board member to preside.

The order of election will follow the order of offices as enumerated in Article I.

Nominations will require a second; the close of nominations will require a second and a voice vote to close.

Before the elective vote, any and every member will be given an opportunity to speak for or against the candidate.

Elections will be by secret ballot, except in the case of an unopposed candidate.

Elections will be by majority of the first vote. If no candidate receives a majority, a runoff will be conducted between the two highest vote receivers, where the candidate receiving a majority will be elected

An election will be held mid-way through the natural term of the Business Manager to elect a Business Manager Elect, to be trained and prepared to assume the role of Business Manager upon completion of the natural term of that current Business Manager.

Once a new Executive Board has been elected, they must convene to discuss production schedules for the upcoming year.

Article VI

Section One

Any Producer (Vice President for Studio Productions, Vice President for Professional Productions) may appoint a producer to head the production staff for any given production for which he/she is chiefly responsible.

Section Two

Such an appointment must be approved by both the Production Board and the Executive Board. After such an appointment has been made, the Executive Board may remove said appointment by two-thirds vote.

Section Three

The person receiving such an appointment may vote on the Production Board in the absence of the Producer making such an appointment.

Article VII: Vacancies

In the event that an elected officer cannot complete his/her term of office, a suitable replacement must be elected by the General Assembly.

Article VIII: Impeachment

An impeachment vote may be called for by a 5/7 vote of the executive board, or by a petition signed by 25% of the General Assembly.
Once an impeachment vote has been called for, an officer may be impeached by a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly.

Article IX

Section One

Should a significant number of undergraduate students express interest in providing a form of theatrical entertainment beyond that normally sponsored by Barnstormers, the Executive Board is empowered to charter that group under by-laws to this Constitution. These by-laws must conform to both the letter and the spirit of this Constitution and the SAC Constitution, and must be approved by the SAC Executive Board.

Section Two

Such a group will have a liaison selected in accordance with its by-laws, who will receive a vote on matters pertaining to that group on the Executive Board. When appropriate this liaison will be considered a Producer and have the rights and obligations associated with such an officer, including a vote on appropriate matters on the Production Board.

Section Three

The Barnstormers will provide all appropriate fiscal and material support for this group.

Article X: Establishment of Witness Theater as a Charter Organization

Article X is hereby established pursuant to Article IX of The Constitution of the Johns Hopkins University Barnstormers.

Article X is hereby dissolved pursuant to Article X, Section Six of The Constitution of the Johns Hopkins University Barnstormers.

Article XI

As approved by the General Assembly on April 21, 1998.

The Technical Director position will be filled by two persons, who will divide the duties of Technical Director as per their abilities, be that by show or by a division of types of Technical works, as in Lighting in Building. Their job descriptions will be approved by a board majority.

Article XII: Establishment of Throat Culture as a Charter Organization

As approved by the General Assembly on April 21, 1998.

These bylaws are established October 29, 1998 and updated April 17, 2002 pursuant to Article XII of the Constitution of the Johns Hopkins University Barnstormers.

Section One: Throat Culture Board

The Throat Culture Board ("Board") shall consist of the President of Throat Culture, the Director, and the Secretary.

Each member of the Board will have one vote in issues pertaining to Throat Culture, excepting the President of Throat Culture, who will have one vote plus a second vote in the event of a tie at a meeting of the Board.

Any member of the Board may be removed from office at any time by the Barnstormers Executive Board or the Throat Culture President.

The responsibilities of the Throat Culture Executive Board shall be:

1. Selection of material to be used at Throat Culture performances.

2. Approval of the selection of the Cast.

3. Organization of promotional materials prior to performances, including but not limited to:

campus posters

a web site

4. Deciding on dates for performances and the feasibility of more than one show a semester, subject to scheduling availability and Barnstormer Executive Board approval.

The Throat Culture Board will perform in these respects by meeting no less than once per month except after the last performance in a given semester, during which time no additional meetings are required until the following semester.

Section Two: The President

The President is ultimately responsible for producing each Throat Culture performance. The President also is responsible for overall delegation; including the right to overrule bylaws that specify specific responsibilities if in a particular semester a more appropriate delegation has been determined for a particular cast. The Barnstormer Executive Board has the right to overturn the PresidentÕs overruling, and require that the President conform to the bylaws.

Additionally, the President shall be responsible for:

1. Appointing Throat Culture Board members each semester (or, if more appropriate, each year).

2. Administrative issues relating to Throat Culture including, but not limited to: keeping rehearsal schedules and maintaining the Throat Culture member list.

3. Keeping the Cast informed of issues concerning Throat Culture.

4. Acting as a liaison between Throat Culture and external organizations (e.g. Union Sound, room scheduling).

5. Be responsible, along with the Business Manager of the Barnstormers, for reimbursing members of Throat Culture for any and all purchases made on behalf of Throat Culture.

Section Three: The Director

Those who apply for the position of Director do so directly to the President, with an application the President drafts and/or deems appropriate. After reviewing applications and conducting interviews, the President selects an applicant. Upon request by applicants, the President may select Co-Directors on a per-semester basis. The selection of the Director is contingent upon the approval of the Barnstormers Executive Board.

The position of Director is open to any current student of the Johns Hopkins University.

The Director will have artistic control over the Throat Culture production. If necessary, the Director may appoint an Assistant Director to aid in this process. The Assistant Director must be approved by the Throat Culture Board.

Section Four: Secretary

The responsibilities of the Business Manager are to:

1. Maintain the financial record for Throat Culture, working when necessary with the Barnstormers Business Manager.

2. Keep the Board and the Barnstormers informed of financial issues, assets, and obligations.

3. Act as a Box Office Manager in conjunction with a Barnstormer Executive Board member for each performance at which admission is charged, or appoint a manager subject to the approval of the President.

4. Take notes during Throat Culture meetings regarding ideas and issues raised, and present the notes to the President.

6. Produce or designate production of programs for the production.

Section Five: Throat Culture Cast

The Throat Culture Cast Members ("Cast") will be selected from an audition process to be held in the fall semester of each academic year and during the spring semester at the discretion of the Board.

Anyone affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University may choose to audition for the Cast. Auditions will be presided over by the Director and the President, who will select, prior to the auditions, an appropriate method to compare and select the applicants. The Director has primary cast selection, which is pursuant to the approval of the Board.

Those selected for the Cast shall be members of Throat Culture for the academic year in which they were selected, after which they may have to re-audition for membership at the discretion of the President.

Article XIII

As approved by the General Assembly on April 21, 1998.

Each board position described in the Barnstormer Constitution will have one full vote in each board decision, for a total of nine votes, excepting votes the Throat Culture President participate in, the number then being ten.