Hampshire College Roosevelt Institute Unrecognized

Mission Statement
The Hampshire College Roosevelt Chapter serves the community of Hampshire College as a forum for policy debate in all forms. We are open to any interested member of the community to voice opinions on federal, state, or school policy. The interests of members will dictate the topics of each meeting, but we will focus on analyzing the language of policy and its interface with law and implementation. Interested members have the opportunity to draft policy under the Roosevelt Institute's guideline for their yearly publications of student work. Policy dialogue will be further facilitated through discussions, presentations, documentary screenings, professor talks, and guest lectures. Our group will collaborate with other chapters in the Five College Consortium at regional Roosevelt Institute events and potential local projects.

Chapter Constitution
The Chapter of the Roosevelt Institute at Hampshire College is hereby constituted by its founding students and subject to the following Articles:

Article I – Structure
Section I [General Membership] – This Chapter is open to all students, faculty, staff, visitors, and to all who may find themselves part of the Hampshire College community. This will lead to a general membership that is fluid, being contingent upon current interests, passions, and involvement of those who may join. There are no explicit requirements to become or remain a general member.

Section II – [Signers] – As required by Hampshire College CLA rules, this Chapter must have three signers to become and remain a recognized student group. These signers do not have any specific powers within the Chapter itself, but do have responsibilities to fulfill bureaucratic functions required by Hampshire College and to maintain this Chapter’s adherence to Roosevelt Institute requirements and guidelines as under Article II Section III.

Section II [Titles and Roles] – Certain projects may arise where it will be practical and beneficial to bestow temporary titles or roles to a specific member. The responsibilities of that title or role will be decided upon amongst the members involved with that project. A member will be given the title or role by unanimous consent of the members involved. The title and responsibilities specific to it are only in effect for the period in which the group of members remains working on the project.

Article II – Functions
Section I – [Laws] – The only laws/rules/guidelines that are to be observed are the deadlines, time-­‐lines, and other requirements set forth by the Roosevelt Institute in regards to Chapter functions and policy or project submissions. Any member may propose a law at any time who believes it will improve the Chapter, but must clearly demonstrate the need and effect while maintaining the absolute inclusion and participation of members defined in Article I: Section I. This discussion may involve only one or all members of the group. The group will decide upon the number of members involved in this process. After doing so, the Chapter may accept the law only through unanimous consent. Any laws accepted in such a manner must be subject to a revote at the first meeting of each semester. Unanimous consent is required to keep the law in effect or revise it at this time

Section II – [Amendments] – Amendments to this Constitution follow the same requirements and operations as defined in Section I. This is to the exclusion of the required revote at the beginning of a semester. An Amendment may be challenged or suggested at any time, but unanimous consent is required for the Chapter to allocate time for the discussion of the proposed Amendment.

Section III [Policy and Project Guidelines] – All policy papers and projects that will be submitted to the Roosevelt Institute are ultimately subject to the guidelines set forth by the Roosevelt Institute at the time. In addition to these requirements, all work must be conducted openly and transparently with a reasonable amount of presentations to the entire Chapter or signer.

Section IV [Transfer of Signership] – When a signer chooses to end his signership position, any member who has displayed commitment to the Chapter may become the new signer. In the event of multiple members wishing to become signers, the current signers may choose one after speaking to each candidate member individually and together by unanimous consent.

Section V [Community Operations] – Any person may become a member of this Chapter as under Article I Section I to present and collaborate on any form of policy proposal or review to be submitted to staff, faculty, administrative official, student group, local government, or other relevant policy passing apparatus. Any such work will have the option of being officially sponsored by this Chapter.

Section VI [Roosevelt Opportunities] – Any nominations for internships will be chosen by the signers under the same operation for transfer of signership as under Article II Section IV.

Article III – Perspective
Section I [Political Referendum] – The imperative of this Chapter is to serve as a collaborative forum between our members to debate, construct, and present policy proposals and reviews, or other relevant work, in a rational community dialogue. This imperative is contingent upon the ultimate and encompassing respect each member has for each other members as individuals. The collaborative forum will function so as to promote and encourage the presence of each member’s voice and ideas while limiting and mitigating dominance by an individual or faction. This is not to say that we denounce debate, arguments, or verbal battles. They are encouraged and are a vital element in writing policy. This group is fundamentally a utilitarian group, operating through dialogue and debate to educate ourselves on, and teach others, the creation of policy, the effects of policy, and the potential for novel policy. Under this light no form or process of thinking is privileged over others and we welcome all to participate and conflict under the Roosevelt Institute.