THE oFFICIAL GOVERNING DOCUMENT OF THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DEMOCRATS
[Last Ratified: April 10, 2024]
The Columbia University College Democrats is a political organization for undergraduate students at Columbia University in the City of New York — and a member of the Columbia University’s Student Governing Board. Chartered to provide a forum for education, debate, and activism surrounding the broad principles of the Democratic Party, this organization shall help further the goals and interests of the Democratic Party: helping to better Columbia University’s campus, New York City, and the United States of America.
The Columbia University College Democrats, like the National Democratic Party, is a big-tent organization.
Article I. General Body
Section 1. Membership. The General Body of the Columbia Democrats shall consist of all members of the organization, and membership shall be open to all undergraduate students of Columbia University: Columbia College, Barnard College, the School of General Studies, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Additionally, all Columbia University affiliates shall have access to all events and meetings, unless specifically decided by the Executive Board.
Section 2. General Body Meetings. Throughout the academic year, there shall be a weekly general body meeting at a consistent day and time. This shall be determined by the Executive Board at the start of each year. All general body meetings shall be announced in an email forty-eight hours prior to the meeting, unless [by majority vote] the Executive Board decides to cancel or move the meeting.
Section 3. Diversity and Inclusion Pledge. Columbia Democrats are committed to an inclusive and equal community, where students of all identities and backgrounds are welcome and encouraged. There shall be no discrimination based on sex, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, nationality, or political belief — and the Executive Board should take affirmative steps to make the organization open and accessible. Furthermore, the Executive Board shall do whatever possible to host events in accessible spaces and work around any additional student needs.
Section 4. Other Events. Beyond weekly general body meetings, it is the responsibility of the Executive Board to host other events for the Columbia Democrats including, but not limited to, speaker events, canvassing events, group mixers, co-sponsored events, fundraisers, formals, and social events. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the Organizing Directors to plan a Lobby Trip in the Spring Semester and a Campaign Trip in the Fall Semester.
Article II. The Executive Board.
Section 1. The Governing Body. The governing Board of Directors for the Columbia Democrats shall be composed of the voting Executive Board and the non-voting Advisory Board. Together, they shall function as the institutional voice of the Columbia University College Democrats.
It shall be the responsibility of this Executive Board to advance the Democratic Party platform, elect Democratic candidates, and increase campus engagement with progressive values. To achieve this, the Executive Board has the exclusive authority to work with the Student Governing Board, organize events and trips, work with other political groups, and run the day-to-day business of the organization.
Section 2. The Executive Board. The Executive Board shall be composed of the voting officers of the Columbia Democrats: the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Programming Director, the three Organizing Directors, the Political Director, and the Media Director.
To the greatest extent possible, all decisions should be made by the full Executive Board. However, individual officers are empowered to make any necessary decision in line with their duties, as long as they keep the Board up-to-date with their activities. If an officer makes a decision in accordance with their duties, any other officer may make a motion to review (and alter) that decision. Any decision must be upheld by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
The term of the Executive Board shall begin at the conclusion of the Spring Election and shall end at the end of the following Spring Election. These are the officers elected to the Columbia University College Democrats --
Clause 2A. President. The President is the chief executive of the Columbia Democrats and the chief liaison to the Columbia Administration and the Student Governing Board. The President shall be the public face and spokesperson of the organization, and be responsible for the advancements of the interests of the Columbia Democrats and its mission. The specific duties of the President shall include --
Clause 2E. Programming Director. The Programming Director shall be responsible for planning, organizing, and executing all major programming and events for the Columbia Democrats. The Programming Director shall establish and lead the Events Committee, which shall be composed of the Social Chair, Speaker Chair, Community Engagement Chair, and other interested general body members. The Programming Director and the Events Committee shall – per semester – organize at least two speaker events, one community service event, one social event, and one formal in the spring semester. The specific duties of the Programming Director shall include --
In the course of the calendar year, the Organizing Directors are tasked with organizing one lobby trip and one campaign trip for the Columbia Democrats. With the support of the Executive Board, they shall plan, administer, and execute these trips. The three Organizing Directors shall decide on an internal method of decision-making for the planning, and they have the sole authority over the planning, budgeting, and participant application process (all applications will be read blind). However, all major decisions shall be reviewed and approved by the Executive Board as relevant.
All Board members must attend both trips and assist the Organizing Directors as needed: those attending the trips must adhere to the same expectations as all other trip participants. The Organizing Directors shall be the head authority during these trips.
Clause 2G. Political Director. The Political Director shall be responsible for leading the Columbia Democrats’ local, state, and national advocacy efforts: making sure that the Columbia Democrats have an effective role in policy and electoral conversations. They should work directly with lawmakers, establish relationships with other organizations, and spearhead opportunities for members to get involved in legislative advocacy efforts. They will be responsible for coordinating get-out-the-vote opportunities for candidates and organizing campaign opportunities for members.
The Political Director shall lead the Advocacy Committee — composed of Columbia Democrats’ members interested in policy, advocacy, and electoral matters. The committee shall function as a bridge between Columbia Democrats and involvement in advocating for progressive policy initiatives in Morningside Heights and the larger NYC area. Each semester, the Advocacy Committee will focus on several policy-centered advocacy, legislative projects, or electoral campaigns. These specific projects and policy areas shall be determined by the Advocacy Council and approved by the Political Director: the Political Director shall update the Executive Board on the workings of the Advocacy Committee.
These could include but is not limited to: advocating for certain bills in the New York City Council or New York State Legislature, working with local representatives to express specific policy goals in our State Assembly, State Senate, and City Council district, building coalitions with community organizations advocating for citywide and statewide progressive policy solutions, or canvassing and campaigning for specific Democratic candidates or issues.
Additionally, the Political Director shall be responsible for planning one advocacy event for the General Body per semester: this can include lobbying, canvassing, phone-banking, or letter-writing.
Clause 2H. Media Director. The Media Director shall be responsible for crafting and disseminating the message of the Columbia University Democrats: they shall manage all of Columbia University Democrats’ social media platforms and public-facing communications. The specific duties of the Media Director include --
The term of the Advisory Board shall begin after the conclusion of the Fall Election and shall end at the beginning of the Spring election. Possible positions for the Advisory Board include --
Clause 3A. Community Engagement Chair. The Community Engagement Chair shall be responsible for the promotion of community engagement within the New York City sphere. They should coordinate with the Executive Board, mostly the Events Director, to plan at least one community service event for the club per semester. The Community Engagement Chair should head community service projects and other community initiatives on behalf of the Columbia University Democrats.
Clause 3B. Social Chair. The Social Chair shall be responsible for the promotion of social activities and initiatives within CU Dems. They should coordinate with the Executive Board, mostly the Events Director, to plan at least one social event for the club per semester, along with assisting with planning the semester formals. They are responsible for working to increase the membership of Columbia Democrats and increase general body engagement. The Media Director may also appoint them to run the TikTok account.
Clause 3C. Speaker Chair. The Speaker Chair shall be responsible for the promotion of speaker events within CU Dems. They should coordinate with the Executive Board, mostly the Events Director, to plan at least two speaker events for the club per semester.
Clause 3D. Alumni Relations Chair. The Alumni Relations Chair shall be responsible for managing positive alumni relationships and accurate alumni information for Columbia Democrats. They should work with the Treasurer to promote financial alumni contributions and fundraising drives. The Media Director may also appoint them to run the LinkedIn account.
Clause 3F. First-Year Representative. The First-Year Representative shall be responsible for voicing the concerns and experiences of the club’s first-years to the Executive Board. Working with the Executive Board, they should organize the first-year members of the Columbia University Democrats to create the First-Year Committee. Together, they should plan at least one social bonding event for first-years and a general body meeting for everyone each semester. They may also work to organize other meetings of the First-Year Committee for social, political, or activism events.
Clause 3G. Mentorship Chair. The Mentorship Chair shall be responsible for providing guidance and institutional knowledge to the entirety of the Governing Board. They should, ideally, be an older member of the organization who has served on the Executive Board for multiple terms. The Mentorship Chair shall be an appointed position by the President (after the Spring Election), subject to the approval of the Executive Board. If necessary, the President may appoint additional Mentorship Chair positions in a given year.
Section 4. Officer Duties and Expectations. All Executive Board members shall be responsible for a number of tasks beyond their specific tasks. This includes attending executive board and general body meetings, completing administrative duties, and other general tasks. If an officer cannot fulfill their assigned task, they must inform and explain their situation in advance. Board members are also responsible for helping to recruit new body members, helping organize and run club events, and portraying a positive image of the Columbia Democrats in all public behavior.
At the start of each academic year, the Executive Board shall set specific Executive Board guidelines for the term including, but not limited to, attendance policies, conduct expectations, Board of Director operations, and other position duties.
Section 5. Executive Board Meetings. The Executive Board shall meet at least once a week during the academic year at a consistent time and place, unless the President decides to cancel the meeting for that week. Attendance at the weekly meetings and all events organized by the Columbia University College Democrats shall be mandatory for all members of the Executive Board. If an officer cannot attend they must inform the President and Secretary of the fact and why before the meeting or event.
Officers of the Executive Board shall be required to attend all weekly Executive Board meetings. Officers of the Advisory shall be required to attend every other Executive Board meeting.
Executive Board Meetings shall be open to the public, but a motion may be made to remove all non-officers for the remainder of the meeting when the debate requires privacy. Such a motion requires only a one-third vote in the affirmative to pass.
Section 5. Voting Procedures. Each member of the Executive Board shall have one vote in all decisions. The Advisory Board shall not have any vote. Two-thirds of all current officers constitute a quorum for business. At full capacity, there should be ten voting members of the Executive Board. The President shall determine the schedule of the votes; however, if a majority of the Executive Board motions for a vote, the vote must be held within 24 hours.
Voting can take place at any time and place, as long as a quorum is present. If a vote is taken virtually, a quorum of board members must acknowledge that they have received notice of the vote. For any in-person vote, proxy voting is acceptable as long as there is a clear line of communication between officers.
By a two-thirds vote, any officer who has a personal interest under debate may be removed until after the issue is decided; additionally, any officer may recuse themselves from a vote. If the Executive Board is tied on any decision, the President has the tie-breaking vote.
Clause 5A. Exceptions to Majority Vote. Except as otherwise noted, all decisions of the Executive Committee are made by a majority vote of the entire Executive Board, not just those present. Any statement released on behalf of the Columbia University Democrats requires a three-quarters majority vote in the affirmative to pass. Any endorsement released on behalf of the Columbia University Democrats requires a three-quarters majority vote in the affirmative to pass. Any co-sponsorship or donation request with an outside organization must be approved by a three-quarters majority vote.
Section 6. . If a member of the Executive Board violates their duties or the Columbia Democrats’ Constitution, the Executive Board has the ability to vote on their . Either three board members or five general body members must propose a motion to impeach. The officers in question must then be notified and given a chance to defend themselves. If two-thirds of the Executive Board votes in favor of removal, then the Executive Board must present its recommendation for removal to the General Body — and a removal hearing will be held.
The hearing must adhere to the following procedure: five minutes must be given to an appointee of the Executive Board to present the case for removal, followed by five minutes given to the officer being impeached to make a statement in their defense. There shall be ten minutes of open questions from the Board and Body to either party. Afterward, the general body shall vote — with all members who have attended three meetings during that current semester or four in the last two semesters are eligible. If a majority of the general body votes to impeach, the Executive Board member is removed from the Executive Board.
In the event that multiple board members are under , each will be given a separate hearing.
Section 7. Officer Vacancies. In the case of an officer vacancy, the position shall either be filled by appointment or special election, depending on the specific case.
Clause 7A. Fall Semester Vacancies. During the fall semester, a special election will be held two weeks after the announcement of the vacancy to fill any open position. Anybody who has attended two events in the current semester or three in the last two semesters (this one and the one prior) shall be eligible to both vote and run.
Clause 7B. Spring Semester Vacancies. During the spring semester, it is up to the discretion of the President to fill any vacant Executive Board position; however, a motion by two-thirds of the Executive Board can override the President’s decision.
The President may call a special election to fill the position (adherent to the same rules as in Clause 7A), appoint an eligible voter to the position (with the approval of the Executive Board), or leave the position vacant until the next election.
Clause 7C. Presidential Vacancy. If the Presidency becomes vacant, the Vice President (then Secretary and Treasurer) becomes the Acting President. No matter the semester, there shall be a special election within two weeks of the vacancy for the position, unless the Spring Election is in less than 4 weeks. All candidates for President must have a full year's experience on the Executive Board to be eligible.
Section 8. Policies and Institutional Memory. Before the start of both the Fall and Spring Semester (or during the first few weeks), the Executive Board shall conduct the Board Retreat, where the Executive Board shall plan events, schedule meetings, brainstorm ideas, and review Executive Board policies and the Constitution. The Advisory Board shall take part in the Spring Semester. This discussion is an opportunity for the Board to officially vote on continuing or discontinuing previous policies for the upcoming semester. The secretary shall maintain a record of these policies and institutional memory -- a record which will be made available to all board members as a constantly updated online document.
Article III. Elections
Section 1. General Procedure. There shall be two elections held each year: one within the first three general body meetings of the fall semester (the “Fall Election”) and one within the last two general body meetings of the spring semester (the “Spring Election”). The Executive Board shall determine specific dates of these elections at the beginning of each semester.
Section 2. Election Rules. All candidates shall sign a pledge as follows: “As a candidate for the Columbia University College Democrats Executive Board, I pledge to uphold the election rules as stipulated by the Executive Board and the Constitution.”
There shall be no campaigning or electioneering prior to the election: campaigning includes the use of campaign materials or any unsolicited communication asking people to vote for themselves. Unsolicited communication includes any electronic, verbal, or written communication that is initiated by the candidate themselves (including but not limited to emails, social media interaction, text messages) or someone the candidate has asked to campaign on their behalf. Candidates are, however, permitted to respond to questions if they are the one approached.
At least two weeks prior to each election, the Executive Board shall review and amend any rules or regulations for the election.
Section 3. The Spring Election. The Spring Election shall be held by the Executive Board on one of the last two general body meetings of the spring semester: the time and place shall be determined at the beginning of the semester. The spring election shall elect the members of the Executive Board (the voting members of the Board of Directors).
The order of the spring elections shall be as follows: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Programming Director, three Organizing Directors, Political Director, and Media Director.
Section 3A. Council of Elders. The Spring Election shall be presided over by a Council of Elders consisting of several (but at least two) seniors previously involved with the Columbia Democrats. They shall be appointed by the current Executive Board. The Council of Elders shall be responsible for voter registration, ballot counting, enforcing time limits, and running the election in an efficient manner.
Clause 3B. Voter Eligibility. All persons who have attended 3 Columbia Democrats’ events in the Spring Semester or have attended 2 events in both the Fall and Spring Semesters shall be considered eligible voters for the election. Additionally, all members of campaign and lobby trips shall be considered eligible voters. Social events are not considered qualifying events for voter eligibility.
The Secretary shall keep a list of eligible voters by keeping an attendance list of all events. This list shall be submitted to the Council of Elders, and they shall publish it to the General Body no less than a week before the election date.
Clause 3C. Candidate Eligibility. All voting-eligible members of the Columbia University Democrats are eligible to run for officer positions in this election. All candidates must be planning on enrolling as an undergraduate student at Columbia University for the entirety of the next academic year.
Candidates for President and Vice President must have previously spent a full academic year on the Executive Board.
Clause 3D. Election Administration. Three weeks before the Spring Election, the Executive Board shall publish a list of open officer positions and a candidate application to the General Body. The Elders (or the Executive Board) shall then compile and publish these candidate applications to the General Body at least 72 hours prior to the election. This application list shall be made available at the election.
Candidates who did not complete the application shall be eligible to run for the position from the floor without any prior notice, as long as they are otherwise eligible candidates.
Section 4. Fall Election. The Fall Election shall be held by the Executive Board on one of the first three general body meetings of the Fall Semester: the time and place of the election shall be determined at the beginning of the semester. It shall be administered by the President, assisted by the Vice President and Secretary.
The Fall Election shall elect the members of the Advisory for the Columbia University College Democrats. The exact number, description, and order of positions on the Advisory Board shall be determined by the Executive Board at least two weeks before the Fall Election.
Clause 4A. Voter Eligibility. All persons who have attended at least one event in the fall semester shall be eligible to vote. The Secretary shall keep a list of eligible voters by keeping an attendance list — and this shall be published to the general body, no less than 4 days before the election date.
Clause 4B. Candidate Eligibility. All persons who have attended at least one event in the Fall Semester shall be eligible to run for officer positions in this election. Social events are not considered qualifying events for voter eligibility. All candidates must be planning on enrolling as an undergraduate student at Columbia University for the entirety of the academic year and being present on the Morningside campus.
The Freshman At-Large Representative must be a first-year student.
Clause 4C. Election Administration. The Executive Board shall announce the open Director positions and the election rules at one of the first two general body meetings of the Fall. 72 hours prior to the Fall Election, the Executive Board shall then compile and publish these candidate applications to the General Body. This application list shall also be available at the election.
Candidates who did not complete the application shall be eligible to run for the position from the floor without any prior notice.
Section 5. Election Procedure. As each voter enters the room, their attendance shall be marked and they shall be given a single ballot. Only those who are present for every speech given for a specific position will be eligible to vote for that position — and anyone voting for a position must remain in the room until the election winner is decided. Absentee ballot or proxy voting will not be allowed.
The candidates shall be elected in the order determined by the Constitution, and each candidate (except for the three Organizing Directors) is elected separately. Unelected candidates are able to drop down to any and all down-ballot races. The results of each election will be announced immediately after they are determined, and voting for the next position may not start until the results of the previous elections have been announced. Candidates who have already been elected for one position may not run for another position in the same election.
Clause 5A. Speeches. For each position, candidates will be given the opportunity to give a speech: the order of the speeches shall be randomly determined by the Elders. The length of each speech shall be determined by the Elders but shall be at least 2 minutes for all voting positions — and 3 minutes for President and Vice President. Candidates who have dropped down from other positions will have half the time of the other candidates for their speech.
Clause 5B. Questions. After all candidates in a race have delivered their speeches, candidates shall be subjected to a question-and-answer-session. Each response will be limited to 30 seconds per candidate and a minimum of three questions should be asked for each position, the order of response shall be randomly switched for each question. Every question shall be posed to all of the candidates and must not be biased for or against any candidate. If the incumbent officer for the position is not running for re-election, they shall have the opportunity to ask the first question.
Clause 5C. Rank Choice Voting. All elections shall use an instant-runoff system. Voters must rank candidates according to preference from most preferred to least preferred, ranking as many or few as they want. If no candidate reaches a majority of the votes cast, then the candidate with the fewest top preference votes will be eliminated — and their votes will be redistributed to their second preference. This process will continue until one candidate emerges with a majority of the available votes.
In the case of a tie, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes shall be eliminated. If this is not possible, the one ranked least first and second shall be eliminated, this may continue until all the ranks are exhausted. If all else fails, the election shall be decided by an instant run-off vote of the incumbent Executive Board — and if this fails, the winner will be chosen by random chance.
The numerical tally of any election shall not be released to anyone beyond those absolutely necessary to the functioning of the election. This includes prior Executive Board officers, new Executive Board officers, and other candidates.
Section 6. Study Abroad. No person can run for a position if they intend to study abroad during any portion of that position’s term.
Candidates who are currently studying abroad may run for the Executive Board while abroad as long they will be back at Columbia by the time their term begins. They also must have attended three events in the last semester that they were on Columbia’s campus or four events in the last two semesters. Candidates must also be able to virtually join into the elections and read their speech and answer questions.
Article IV. Amendments and Revision.
Section 1. Amendments. An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed by a group of any three Executive Board members or any five General Body members — this must be done at least two weeks prior to the spring election. Proposed amendments must have specific language. Any proposed amendment shall be first put to the Executive Board, and if passed by a majority, the Executive Board shall submit the amendment to the Council of Elders for the Spring Elections. It must then be approved by two-thirds of the general body; afterwards, the newly elected Executive Board must ratify the amendment with a two-thirds vote.
Any amendments to the Constitution passed and ratified during the Spring Election shall not take effect until after the conclusion of the election and after the new Executive Board’s ratification.
Article V. Constitutional Convention.
Section 1. Calling a Constitutional Convention. There may come a time where drastic changes are required to the Columbia Democrats’ Constitution — beyond those procedures already outlined in Article IV, Section 1. In this event, either 10 General Body members or 4 Executive Board members must call for a Constitutional Convention at the one of the last two Executive Board meetings of the Fall or the first two meetings of the Spring.
If two-thirds of the Executive Board votes in favor of the motion, then the motion shall be presented to the General Body at the next general body meeting. If two-thirds of the General Body support the motion, it shall be approved.
Section 2. Constitutional Operation. To ensure the stable operation of CU Dems, the Constitution of the Columbia University College Democrats must account for the following:
Four core Executive Board positions: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer; an outline of duties for these Executive Board members and any additional Executive Board members; a clearly defined mission statement and statement of purpose; a definition and guidelines for what it means to be a member of the Columbia University Dems General Body; procedures for the election and removal of Executive Board members; procedures for the amendment process; the ability of E-Board members to finish their terms, as outlined in the current constitution; procedures for calling a constitutional convention
Section 3. Constitutional Committee. If the motion for a constitutional convention is approved, the General Body will convene a Constitutional Committee. The Committee will be composed of three Executive Board members, three General Body members, and the Chair. The non-voting chair shall be the President (if the President is not available, then the Secretary, then another officer). The Executive Board members shall be appointed by the Executive Board, and the General Body Members shall be appointed by the General Body.
The Constitutional Committee shall have full discretion during the drafting process for the creation or amendment of the constitution. Throughout the drafting process, the committee must hold votes as they finalize the language of each article. For final language to be adopted, the committee must provide two-thirds support of each proposed article or section. Once the entire constitution is drafted, the draft must receive three-quarters support from the committee. If it passes, the draft shall be released to the General Body.
The committee shall then hold at least one editing meeting for General Body members to propose changes. Only proposals that receive a two-thirds vote of the Committee shall be adopted into the draft constitution.
Section 4. Final Approval Procedure. After the editing meeting(s), the Committee must vote to approve the finalized constitution so that it can be presented for ratification. The Committee must provide final approval with a three-quarters majority vote. Afterwards, two-thirds of the Executive Board must vote for the approval of the new constitution.
Section 5. Ratification. Within two weeks of the Executive Board vote, the final draft of the constitution shall be presented to the General Body. Ratification requires a two-thirds vote by the General Body to be approved. If the Constitution is ratified, it shall take effect immediately.
Article VI. Addendum.
Section 1. Transition Period. For the fall term of the 2024-2025 Academic Year, the Executive Board shall be composed of 11 voting officers: the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Programming Director, Political Director, Media Director, and 4 Organizing Directors. The fourth Organizing Director is a hold-out of the prior Executive Board structure from the old Constitution. This fourth Organizing Director’s term shall end at the end of the Fall 2024 Term, and the Executive Board shall have 10 voting officers moving forward.
[Last Ratified: April 10, 2024]
The Columbia University College Democrats is a political organization for undergraduate students at Columbia University in the City of New York — and a member of the Columbia University’s Student Governing Board. Chartered to provide a forum for education, debate, and activism surrounding the broad principles of the Democratic Party, this organization shall help further the goals and interests of the Democratic Party: helping to better Columbia University’s campus, New York City, and the United States of America.
The Columbia University College Democrats, like the National Democratic Party, is a big-tent organization.
Article I. General Body
Section 1. Membership. The General Body of the Columbia Democrats shall consist of all members of the organization, and membership shall be open to all undergraduate students of Columbia University: Columbia College, Barnard College, the School of General Studies, and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Additionally, all Columbia University affiliates shall have access to all events and meetings, unless specifically decided by the Executive Board.
Section 2. General Body Meetings. Throughout the academic year, there shall be a weekly general body meeting at a consistent day and time. This shall be determined by the Executive Board at the start of each year. All general body meetings shall be announced in an email forty-eight hours prior to the meeting, unless [by majority vote] the Executive Board decides to cancel or move the meeting.
Section 3. Diversity and Inclusion Pledge. Columbia Democrats are committed to an inclusive and equal community, where students of all identities and backgrounds are welcome and encouraged. There shall be no discrimination based on sex, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, nationality, or political belief — and the Executive Board should take affirmative steps to make the organization open and accessible. Furthermore, the Executive Board shall do whatever possible to host events in accessible spaces and work around any additional student needs.
Section 4. Other Events. Beyond weekly general body meetings, it is the responsibility of the Executive Board to host other events for the Columbia Democrats including, but not limited to, speaker events, canvassing events, group mixers, co-sponsored events, fundraisers, formals, and social events. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the Organizing Directors to plan a Lobby Trip in the Spring Semester and a Campaign Trip in the Fall Semester.
Article II. The Executive Board.
Section 1. The Governing Body. The governing Board of Directors for the Columbia Democrats shall be composed of the voting Executive Board and the non-voting Advisory Board. Together, they shall function as the institutional voice of the Columbia University College Democrats.
It shall be the responsibility of this Executive Board to advance the Democratic Party platform, elect Democratic candidates, and increase campus engagement with progressive values. To achieve this, the Executive Board has the exclusive authority to work with the Student Governing Board, organize events and trips, work with other political groups, and run the day-to-day business of the organization.
Section 2. The Executive Board. The Executive Board shall be composed of the voting officers of the Columbia Democrats: the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Programming Director, the three Organizing Directors, the Political Director, and the Media Director.
To the greatest extent possible, all decisions should be made by the full Executive Board. However, individual officers are empowered to make any necessary decision in line with their duties, as long as they keep the Board up-to-date with their activities. If an officer makes a decision in accordance with their duties, any other officer may make a motion to review (and alter) that decision. Any decision must be upheld by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
The term of the Executive Board shall begin at the conclusion of the Spring Election and shall end at the end of the following Spring Election. These are the officers elected to the Columbia University College Democrats --
Clause 2A. President. The President is the chief executive of the Columbia Democrats and the chief liaison to the Columbia Administration and the Student Governing Board. The President shall be the public face and spokesperson of the organization, and be responsible for the advancements of the interests of the Columbia Democrats and its mission. The specific duties of the President shall include --
- Running the executive operations of the Columbia University Democrats.
- Leading executive board and general body meetings — and ensuring that all officers are completing their designated responsibilities and tasks.
- Coordinating with Columbia’s Administration and dealing with all necessary bureaucratic tasks.
- Managing and planning long-term goals for the Columbia Democrats: setting a unified agenda and course of action for the term.
- Co-managing long-term goals and initiatives of the organization alongside the President and leading Executive Board and General Body meetings if the President is not available.
- Networking with local, state, and national political organizations to find job opportunities, political connections, and fundraising posts for the Columbia University Democrats.
- Communicating with other Columbia organizations for events and co-sponsorships, maintaining positive relationships with groups on campus.
- Finding opportunities (job, internship, or experiences) and connections for the General Body and organization as a whole.
- Overseeing the Advisory Board — and ensuring they are completing their responsibilities.
- Assisting the President in coordinating with the Administration as needed: managing room reservations, responding to emails, and keeping internal records.
- Keeping minutes during executive board meetings, recording any official votes, and updating the calendar and internal records.
- Responding to any emails, and working with the Vice President to maintain strong, positive relationships with other political and campus organizations.
- Sending out the weekly newsletter and sending any necessary communications from the Executive Board for the General Body.
- Keeping an attendance list of general body members and executive board members, and publishing a list of eligible voters before each election.
- Maintaining the institutional knowledge of the organization, understanding the Constitution, and ensuring that the organization’s guidelines and rules are up-to-date.
- Maintaining a budget throughout each year, keeping a record of all transactions made by the Columbia University Democrats, and submitting it to the SGB at the end of the year.
- Developing a fundraising strategy for the Columbia University Democrats with the President and Vice President, and working to execute a fundraising campaign to raise outside funds.
- Ensuring that all funds allocated by the Executive Board are dispensed promptly and providing all food and supplies at sponsored events or, if not able, appointing someone.
- Applying for grants and sources of funding through Columbia University — and working with the other officers to help them do so for their specific responsibilities.
Clause 2E. Programming Director. The Programming Director shall be responsible for planning, organizing, and executing all major programming and events for the Columbia Democrats. The Programming Director shall establish and lead the Events Committee, which shall be composed of the Social Chair, Speaker Chair, Community Engagement Chair, and other interested general body members. The Programming Director and the Events Committee shall – per semester – organize at least two speaker events, one community service event, one social event, and one formal in the spring semester. The specific duties of the Programming Director shall include --
- Running the Events Committee: coordinating between the Social, Speaker, and Community Engagement Chair to ensure that the number of constitutionally mandated events are planned.
- Planning, organizing, and executing major programming and events: contacting potential speakers and liasoning with Columbia’s administration.
- Overseeing event logistics and budgeting, including space bookings, technology, catering, publicity, advertisement, and decor.
- Collaborating with other Executive Board members for other events.
In the course of the calendar year, the Organizing Directors are tasked with organizing one lobby trip and one campaign trip for the Columbia Democrats. With the support of the Executive Board, they shall plan, administer, and execute these trips. The three Organizing Directors shall decide on an internal method of decision-making for the planning, and they have the sole authority over the planning, budgeting, and participant application process (all applications will be read blind). However, all major decisions shall be reviewed and approved by the Executive Board as relevant.
All Board members must attend both trips and assist the Organizing Directors as needed: those attending the trips must adhere to the same expectations as all other trip participants. The Organizing Directors shall be the head authority during these trips.
Clause 2G. Political Director. The Political Director shall be responsible for leading the Columbia Democrats’ local, state, and national advocacy efforts: making sure that the Columbia Democrats have an effective role in policy and electoral conversations. They should work directly with lawmakers, establish relationships with other organizations, and spearhead opportunities for members to get involved in legislative advocacy efforts. They will be responsible for coordinating get-out-the-vote opportunities for candidates and organizing campaign opportunities for members.
The Political Director shall lead the Advocacy Committee — composed of Columbia Democrats’ members interested in policy, advocacy, and electoral matters. The committee shall function as a bridge between Columbia Democrats and involvement in advocating for progressive policy initiatives in Morningside Heights and the larger NYC area. Each semester, the Advocacy Committee will focus on several policy-centered advocacy, legislative projects, or electoral campaigns. These specific projects and policy areas shall be determined by the Advocacy Council and approved by the Political Director: the Political Director shall update the Executive Board on the workings of the Advocacy Committee.
These could include but is not limited to: advocating for certain bills in the New York City Council or New York State Legislature, working with local representatives to express specific policy goals in our State Assembly, State Senate, and City Council district, building coalitions with community organizations advocating for citywide and statewide progressive policy solutions, or canvassing and campaigning for specific Democratic candidates or issues.
Additionally, the Political Director shall be responsible for planning one advocacy event for the General Body per semester: this can include lobbying, canvassing, phone-banking, or letter-writing.
Clause 2H. Media Director. The Media Director shall be responsible for crafting and disseminating the message of the Columbia University Democrats: they shall manage all of Columbia University Democrats’ social media platforms and public-facing communications. The specific duties of the Media Director include --
- Managing all of Columbia Democrats’ social media platforms (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Linked-in, Twitter, etc.) and posting content to actively promote the interests of the Columbia University Democrats.
- Creating any posters and flyers (physical or digital) necessary for the organization, and working to poster physical flyers across campus (recruiting other officers as needed).
- Managing the Columbia Democrats’ website and making sure it is up-to-date and relevant.
- Maintaining contacts for all campus and local media and being responsible for handling all media questions.
The term of the Advisory Board shall begin after the conclusion of the Fall Election and shall end at the beginning of the Spring election. Possible positions for the Advisory Board include --
Clause 3A. Community Engagement Chair. The Community Engagement Chair shall be responsible for the promotion of community engagement within the New York City sphere. They should coordinate with the Executive Board, mostly the Events Director, to plan at least one community service event for the club per semester. The Community Engagement Chair should head community service projects and other community initiatives on behalf of the Columbia University Democrats.
Clause 3B. Social Chair. The Social Chair shall be responsible for the promotion of social activities and initiatives within CU Dems. They should coordinate with the Executive Board, mostly the Events Director, to plan at least one social event for the club per semester, along with assisting with planning the semester formals. They are responsible for working to increase the membership of Columbia Democrats and increase general body engagement. The Media Director may also appoint them to run the TikTok account.
Clause 3C. Speaker Chair. The Speaker Chair shall be responsible for the promotion of speaker events within CU Dems. They should coordinate with the Executive Board, mostly the Events Director, to plan at least two speaker events for the club per semester.
Clause 3D. Alumni Relations Chair. The Alumni Relations Chair shall be responsible for managing positive alumni relationships and accurate alumni information for Columbia Democrats. They should work with the Treasurer to promote financial alumni contributions and fundraising drives. The Media Director may also appoint them to run the LinkedIn account.
Clause 3F. First-Year Representative. The First-Year Representative shall be responsible for voicing the concerns and experiences of the club’s first-years to the Executive Board. Working with the Executive Board, they should organize the first-year members of the Columbia University Democrats to create the First-Year Committee. Together, they should plan at least one social bonding event for first-years and a general body meeting for everyone each semester. They may also work to organize other meetings of the First-Year Committee for social, political, or activism events.
Clause 3G. Mentorship Chair. The Mentorship Chair shall be responsible for providing guidance and institutional knowledge to the entirety of the Governing Board. They should, ideally, be an older member of the organization who has served on the Executive Board for multiple terms. The Mentorship Chair shall be an appointed position by the President (after the Spring Election), subject to the approval of the Executive Board. If necessary, the President may appoint additional Mentorship Chair positions in a given year.
Section 4. Officer Duties and Expectations. All Executive Board members shall be responsible for a number of tasks beyond their specific tasks. This includes attending executive board and general body meetings, completing administrative duties, and other general tasks. If an officer cannot fulfill their assigned task, they must inform and explain their situation in advance. Board members are also responsible for helping to recruit new body members, helping organize and run club events, and portraying a positive image of the Columbia Democrats in all public behavior.
At the start of each academic year, the Executive Board shall set specific Executive Board guidelines for the term including, but not limited to, attendance policies, conduct expectations, Board of Director operations, and other position duties.
Section 5. Executive Board Meetings. The Executive Board shall meet at least once a week during the academic year at a consistent time and place, unless the President decides to cancel the meeting for that week. Attendance at the weekly meetings and all events organized by the Columbia University College Democrats shall be mandatory for all members of the Executive Board. If an officer cannot attend they must inform the President and Secretary of the fact and why before the meeting or event.
Officers of the Executive Board shall be required to attend all weekly Executive Board meetings. Officers of the Advisory shall be required to attend every other Executive Board meeting.
Executive Board Meetings shall be open to the public, but a motion may be made to remove all non-officers for the remainder of the meeting when the debate requires privacy. Such a motion requires only a one-third vote in the affirmative to pass.
Section 5. Voting Procedures. Each member of the Executive Board shall have one vote in all decisions. The Advisory Board shall not have any vote. Two-thirds of all current officers constitute a quorum for business. At full capacity, there should be ten voting members of the Executive Board. The President shall determine the schedule of the votes; however, if a majority of the Executive Board motions for a vote, the vote must be held within 24 hours.
Voting can take place at any time and place, as long as a quorum is present. If a vote is taken virtually, a quorum of board members must acknowledge that they have received notice of the vote. For any in-person vote, proxy voting is acceptable as long as there is a clear line of communication between officers.
By a two-thirds vote, any officer who has a personal interest under debate may be removed until after the issue is decided; additionally, any officer may recuse themselves from a vote. If the Executive Board is tied on any decision, the President has the tie-breaking vote.
Clause 5A. Exceptions to Majority Vote. Except as otherwise noted, all decisions of the Executive Committee are made by a majority vote of the entire Executive Board, not just those present. Any statement released on behalf of the Columbia University Democrats requires a three-quarters majority vote in the affirmative to pass. Any endorsement released on behalf of the Columbia University Democrats requires a three-quarters majority vote in the affirmative to pass. Any co-sponsorship or donation request with an outside organization must be approved by a three-quarters majority vote.
Section 6. . If a member of the Executive Board violates their duties or the Columbia Democrats’ Constitution, the Executive Board has the ability to vote on their . Either three board members or five general body members must propose a motion to impeach. The officers in question must then be notified and given a chance to defend themselves. If two-thirds of the Executive Board votes in favor of removal, then the Executive Board must present its recommendation for removal to the General Body — and a removal hearing will be held.
The hearing must adhere to the following procedure: five minutes must be given to an appointee of the Executive Board to present the case for removal, followed by five minutes given to the officer being impeached to make a statement in their defense. There shall be ten minutes of open questions from the Board and Body to either party. Afterward, the general body shall vote — with all members who have attended three meetings during that current semester or four in the last two semesters are eligible. If a majority of the general body votes to impeach, the Executive Board member is removed from the Executive Board.
In the event that multiple board members are under , each will be given a separate hearing.
Section 7. Officer Vacancies. In the case of an officer vacancy, the position shall either be filled by appointment or special election, depending on the specific case.
Clause 7A. Fall Semester Vacancies. During the fall semester, a special election will be held two weeks after the announcement of the vacancy to fill any open position. Anybody who has attended two events in the current semester or three in the last two semesters (this one and the one prior) shall be eligible to both vote and run.
Clause 7B. Spring Semester Vacancies. During the spring semester, it is up to the discretion of the President to fill any vacant Executive Board position; however, a motion by two-thirds of the Executive Board can override the President’s decision.
The President may call a special election to fill the position (adherent to the same rules as in Clause 7A), appoint an eligible voter to the position (with the approval of the Executive Board), or leave the position vacant until the next election.
Clause 7C. Presidential Vacancy. If the Presidency becomes vacant, the Vice President (then Secretary and Treasurer) becomes the Acting President. No matter the semester, there shall be a special election within two weeks of the vacancy for the position, unless the Spring Election is in less than 4 weeks. All candidates for President must have a full year's experience on the Executive Board to be eligible.
Section 8. Policies and Institutional Memory. Before the start of both the Fall and Spring Semester (or during the first few weeks), the Executive Board shall conduct the Board Retreat, where the Executive Board shall plan events, schedule meetings, brainstorm ideas, and review Executive Board policies and the Constitution. The Advisory Board shall take part in the Spring Semester. This discussion is an opportunity for the Board to officially vote on continuing or discontinuing previous policies for the upcoming semester. The secretary shall maintain a record of these policies and institutional memory -- a record which will be made available to all board members as a constantly updated online document.
Article III. Elections
Section 1. General Procedure. There shall be two elections held each year: one within the first three general body meetings of the fall semester (the “Fall Election”) and one within the last two general body meetings of the spring semester (the “Spring Election”). The Executive Board shall determine specific dates of these elections at the beginning of each semester.
Section 2. Election Rules. All candidates shall sign a pledge as follows: “As a candidate for the Columbia University College Democrats Executive Board, I pledge to uphold the election rules as stipulated by the Executive Board and the Constitution.”
There shall be no campaigning or electioneering prior to the election: campaigning includes the use of campaign materials or any unsolicited communication asking people to vote for themselves. Unsolicited communication includes any electronic, verbal, or written communication that is initiated by the candidate themselves (including but not limited to emails, social media interaction, text messages) or someone the candidate has asked to campaign on their behalf. Candidates are, however, permitted to respond to questions if they are the one approached.
At least two weeks prior to each election, the Executive Board shall review and amend any rules or regulations for the election.
Section 3. The Spring Election. The Spring Election shall be held by the Executive Board on one of the last two general body meetings of the spring semester: the time and place shall be determined at the beginning of the semester. The spring election shall elect the members of the Executive Board (the voting members of the Board of Directors).
The order of the spring elections shall be as follows: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Programming Director, three Organizing Directors, Political Director, and Media Director.
Section 3A. Council of Elders. The Spring Election shall be presided over by a Council of Elders consisting of several (but at least two) seniors previously involved with the Columbia Democrats. They shall be appointed by the current Executive Board. The Council of Elders shall be responsible for voter registration, ballot counting, enforcing time limits, and running the election in an efficient manner.
Clause 3B. Voter Eligibility. All persons who have attended 3 Columbia Democrats’ events in the Spring Semester or have attended 2 events in both the Fall and Spring Semesters shall be considered eligible voters for the election. Additionally, all members of campaign and lobby trips shall be considered eligible voters. Social events are not considered qualifying events for voter eligibility.
The Secretary shall keep a list of eligible voters by keeping an attendance list of all events. This list shall be submitted to the Council of Elders, and they shall publish it to the General Body no less than a week before the election date.
Clause 3C. Candidate Eligibility. All voting-eligible members of the Columbia University Democrats are eligible to run for officer positions in this election. All candidates must be planning on enrolling as an undergraduate student at Columbia University for the entirety of the next academic year.
Candidates for President and Vice President must have previously spent a full academic year on the Executive Board.
Clause 3D. Election Administration. Three weeks before the Spring Election, the Executive Board shall publish a list of open officer positions and a candidate application to the General Body. The Elders (or the Executive Board) shall then compile and publish these candidate applications to the General Body at least 72 hours prior to the election. This application list shall be made available at the election.
Candidates who did not complete the application shall be eligible to run for the position from the floor without any prior notice, as long as they are otherwise eligible candidates.
Section 4. Fall Election. The Fall Election shall be held by the Executive Board on one of the first three general body meetings of the Fall Semester: the time and place of the election shall be determined at the beginning of the semester. It shall be administered by the President, assisted by the Vice President and Secretary.
The Fall Election shall elect the members of the Advisory for the Columbia University College Democrats. The exact number, description, and order of positions on the Advisory Board shall be determined by the Executive Board at least two weeks before the Fall Election.
Clause 4A. Voter Eligibility. All persons who have attended at least one event in the fall semester shall be eligible to vote. The Secretary shall keep a list of eligible voters by keeping an attendance list — and this shall be published to the general body, no less than 4 days before the election date.
Clause 4B. Candidate Eligibility. All persons who have attended at least one event in the Fall Semester shall be eligible to run for officer positions in this election. Social events are not considered qualifying events for voter eligibility. All candidates must be planning on enrolling as an undergraduate student at Columbia University for the entirety of the academic year and being present on the Morningside campus.
The Freshman At-Large Representative must be a first-year student.
Clause 4C. Election Administration. The Executive Board shall announce the open Director positions and the election rules at one of the first two general body meetings of the Fall. 72 hours prior to the Fall Election, the Executive Board shall then compile and publish these candidate applications to the General Body. This application list shall also be available at the election.
Candidates who did not complete the application shall be eligible to run for the position from the floor without any prior notice.
Section 5. Election Procedure. As each voter enters the room, their attendance shall be marked and they shall be given a single ballot. Only those who are present for every speech given for a specific position will be eligible to vote for that position — and anyone voting for a position must remain in the room until the election winner is decided. Absentee ballot or proxy voting will not be allowed.
The candidates shall be elected in the order determined by the Constitution, and each candidate (except for the three Organizing Directors) is elected separately. Unelected candidates are able to drop down to any and all down-ballot races. The results of each election will be announced immediately after they are determined, and voting for the next position may not start until the results of the previous elections have been announced. Candidates who have already been elected for one position may not run for another position in the same election.
Clause 5A. Speeches. For each position, candidates will be given the opportunity to give a speech: the order of the speeches shall be randomly determined by the Elders. The length of each speech shall be determined by the Elders but shall be at least 2 minutes for all voting positions — and 3 minutes for President and Vice President. Candidates who have dropped down from other positions will have half the time of the other candidates for their speech.
Clause 5B. Questions. After all candidates in a race have delivered their speeches, candidates shall be subjected to a question-and-answer-session. Each response will be limited to 30 seconds per candidate and a minimum of three questions should be asked for each position, the order of response shall be randomly switched for each question. Every question shall be posed to all of the candidates and must not be biased for or against any candidate. If the incumbent officer for the position is not running for re-election, they shall have the opportunity to ask the first question.
Clause 5C. Rank Choice Voting. All elections shall use an instant-runoff system. Voters must rank candidates according to preference from most preferred to least preferred, ranking as many or few as they want. If no candidate reaches a majority of the votes cast, then the candidate with the fewest top preference votes will be eliminated — and their votes will be redistributed to their second preference. This process will continue until one candidate emerges with a majority of the available votes.
In the case of a tie, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes shall be eliminated. If this is not possible, the one ranked least first and second shall be eliminated, this may continue until all the ranks are exhausted. If all else fails, the election shall be decided by an instant run-off vote of the incumbent Executive Board — and if this fails, the winner will be chosen by random chance.
The numerical tally of any election shall not be released to anyone beyond those absolutely necessary to the functioning of the election. This includes prior Executive Board officers, new Executive Board officers, and other candidates.
Section 6. Study Abroad. No person can run for a position if they intend to study abroad during any portion of that position’s term.
Candidates who are currently studying abroad may run for the Executive Board while abroad as long they will be back at Columbia by the time their term begins. They also must have attended three events in the last semester that they were on Columbia’s campus or four events in the last two semesters. Candidates must also be able to virtually join into the elections and read their speech and answer questions.
Article IV. Amendments and Revision.
Section 1. Amendments. An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed by a group of any three Executive Board members or any five General Body members — this must be done at least two weeks prior to the spring election. Proposed amendments must have specific language. Any proposed amendment shall be first put to the Executive Board, and if passed by a majority, the Executive Board shall submit the amendment to the Council of Elders for the Spring Elections. It must then be approved by two-thirds of the general body; afterwards, the newly elected Executive Board must ratify the amendment with a two-thirds vote.
Any amendments to the Constitution passed and ratified during the Spring Election shall not take effect until after the conclusion of the election and after the new Executive Board’s ratification.
Article V. Constitutional Convention.
Section 1. Calling a Constitutional Convention. There may come a time where drastic changes are required to the Columbia Democrats’ Constitution — beyond those procedures already outlined in Article IV, Section 1. In this event, either 10 General Body members or 4 Executive Board members must call for a Constitutional Convention at the one of the last two Executive Board meetings of the Fall or the first two meetings of the Spring.
If two-thirds of the Executive Board votes in favor of the motion, then the motion shall be presented to the General Body at the next general body meeting. If two-thirds of the General Body support the motion, it shall be approved.
Section 2. Constitutional Operation. To ensure the stable operation of CU Dems, the Constitution of the Columbia University College Democrats must account for the following:
Four core Executive Board positions: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer; an outline of duties for these Executive Board members and any additional Executive Board members; a clearly defined mission statement and statement of purpose; a definition and guidelines for what it means to be a member of the Columbia University Dems General Body; procedures for the election and removal of Executive Board members; procedures for the amendment process; the ability of E-Board members to finish their terms, as outlined in the current constitution; procedures for calling a constitutional convention
Section 3. Constitutional Committee. If the motion for a constitutional convention is approved, the General Body will convene a Constitutional Committee. The Committee will be composed of three Executive Board members, three General Body members, and the Chair. The non-voting chair shall be the President (if the President is not available, then the Secretary, then another officer). The Executive Board members shall be appointed by the Executive Board, and the General Body Members shall be appointed by the General Body.
The Constitutional Committee shall have full discretion during the drafting process for the creation or amendment of the constitution. Throughout the drafting process, the committee must hold votes as they finalize the language of each article. For final language to be adopted, the committee must provide two-thirds support of each proposed article or section. Once the entire constitution is drafted, the draft must receive three-quarters support from the committee. If it passes, the draft shall be released to the General Body.
The committee shall then hold at least one editing meeting for General Body members to propose changes. Only proposals that receive a two-thirds vote of the Committee shall be adopted into the draft constitution.
Section 4. Final Approval Procedure. After the editing meeting(s), the Committee must vote to approve the finalized constitution so that it can be presented for ratification. The Committee must provide final approval with a three-quarters majority vote. Afterwards, two-thirds of the Executive Board must vote for the approval of the new constitution.
Section 5. Ratification. Within two weeks of the Executive Board vote, the final draft of the constitution shall be presented to the General Body. Ratification requires a two-thirds vote by the General Body to be approved. If the Constitution is ratified, it shall take effect immediately.
Article VI. Addendum.
Section 1. Transition Period. For the fall term of the 2024-2025 Academic Year, the Executive Board shall be composed of 11 voting officers: the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Programming Director, Political Director, Media Director, and 4 Organizing Directors. The fourth Organizing Director is a hold-out of the prior Executive Board structure from the old Constitution. This fourth Organizing Director’s term shall end at the end of the Fall 2024 Term, and the Executive Board shall have 10 voting officers moving forward.