Article I:
Name and Purpose
Sec 1: The name of this University Committee
shall be the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL of BROWN UNIVERSITY,
hereafter referred to as the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL.
Sec 2: The purpose of this organization shall
be to serve as an advisory board to the Office of
Residential Life regarding issues of Residential Living
at Brown University. These issues shall include, but
not be limited to, Program Houses, the Housing Lottery,
and Policy.
Sec 3: This organization shall make recommendations
to the Office of Residential Life. These recommendations
shall be non-binding on the Office of Residential
Life.
Article II: Membership
Sec 1: The membership of the RESIDENTIAL
COUNCIL will consist of thirteen students who are
currently enrolled at Brown University, and two to
four alternate members.
Sec 2: Members shall be appointed by the
UNDERGRADUATE COUNCIL of STUDENTS of Brown University.
The members shall be selected in accordance with their
regular procedures for appointing students to University
Committees. Alternate members shall be selected by
the same procedures, and shall be ranked by the UNDERGRADUATE
COUNCIL of STUDENTS. These rankings shall determine
the order in which alternate members become regular
members of the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL should any vacancies
occur.
Sec 3: Alternates shall have all the rights
and responsibilities of regular members, except that
they may not vote or second motions.
Sec 4: Each member shall make the utmost
attempt to attend every meeting. If a member misses
more than two meetings in a semester, for whatever
reason, they shall be dismissed automatically from
the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL. In this case, the highest-ranking
alternate will immediately become a voting member
of the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL.
Sec 5: Members may be subject to removal
from the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL as per Article II, Section
D of the Constitution of the Undergraduate Council
of Students.
Article III: Officers
Sec 1: The officers of the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL
shall be a Chairperson, a Secretary, and three Subcommittee
Chairs. The Subcommittee Chairs shall be the Program
House Chair, Housing Lottery Chair, and Policy Chair.
Article IV: Election of Officers
Sec 1: Elections shall take place at the
last meeting of the academic year, which shall be
attended by both incoming and outgoing members. Only
incoming members may vote for the officers.
Sec 2: Each officer shall hold office for
one academic year. Elected officers shall assume office
immediately upon election.
Sec 3: The offices shall be elected in the
following order: Chairperson, Program House Chair,
Housing Lottery Chair, Policy Chair, and Secretary.
Sec 4: Any member may be nominated for an
Office. No member may hold more than one office.
Sec 5: All elections shall be by a majority
vote of the members of the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL.
Sec 6: If an office becomes vacant, that
office will be filled by a Special Election at the
next regular RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL meeting. The procedure
shall be the same as that for regular elections. The
new officer shall hold office until the end of the
current academic year.
Article V: Duties of the Officers
Sec 1: The Chairperson
(a) The Chairperson shall be responsible
for the running of meetings. The Chairperson shall
follow the procedures outlined in these By-Laws.
(b) The Chairperson shall be the designated
contact person for the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL. The Chairperson
shall remain in contact with the Undergraduate Council
of Students, the administration, and shall be the
contact for any news organizations that seek information.
All resolutions of the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL shall be
disseminated by the Chairperson. This does not preclude
other members of the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL from sharing
their views on specific resolution after decisions
have been made public by the Chairperson.
(c) The chairperson does not vote on issues
except in the event of a tied vote.
Sec 2: The Secretary
(a) The Secretary shall take accurate minutes
of each meeting. The Secretary will be responsible
for insuring that a copy of those minutes are filed
in the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL file cabinet in the office
of Residential Life, and that a copy of the same minutes
is posted on the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL website. The
Secretary shall read these same minutes at the beginning
of each RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL meeting.
(b) The Secretary shall be responsible for
keeping track of attendance at meetings. The Secretary
shall notify any member who has been absent.
(c) It shall be the Secretary's responsibility
to excuse members from attendance at specific RESIDENTIAL
COUNCIL meetings, provided that they have a valid
excuse.
(d) The secretary shall notify the Chairperson
of members who have indicated that they will be absent
for a specific RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL meeting.
Sec 3: The Program House Chair
(a) The Program House Chair shall oversee
the responsibilities of the members with regard to
Program Houses. The Program House Chair shall assign
each program house to a member of RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL
to act as their liaison.
(b) In the event of the formation of a committee
to deal with specific Program House issues, the Program
House Chair shall chair that committee.
(c) It shall be the responsibility of the
Program House Chair to oversee the process of Spring
and Fall Review.
Sec 4: The Housing Lottery Chair
(a) The Housing Lottery Chair shall oversee
the housing lottery process. The responsibilities
of the Housing Lottery Chair shall include: publishing
the Grapevine, developing the lottery system, overseeing
outreaches designed to educate the members of the
Brown Community about the housing lottery and overseeing
the lottery itself.
Sec 5: The Policy Chair
(a) The Policy Chair shall be responsible
for bringing new policy to the attention of the RESIDENTIAL
COUNCIL.
(b) When specific policy changes are suggested,
the Policy Chair shall oversee a committee to investigate,
and if need be, implement the changes.
Article VI: Regular Meetings
of the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL
Sec 1: The RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL shall meet
every Tuesday during the academic year while classes
are in session. Meetings shall run from noon until
1 o'clock P.M.
Sec 2: Regular meetings of the RESIDENTIAL
COUNCIL may be canceled upon the vote of 2/3 of the
members of the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL.
Article VII: Special Meetings
of the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL
Sec 1: Upon the request of 2/3 of the members
of RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL, special meetings of the RESIDENTIAL
COUNCIL may be called.
Article VIII: Program House
Reviews
Sec 1: It shall be the responsibility of
the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL to conduct a yearly review
of every program house.
Sec 2: The RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL shall follow
the guidelines outlined in the PROGRAM HOSUE GUIDELINES
in conducting this review.
Sec 3: During the first semester, the RESIDENTIAL
COUNCIL shall conduct a review of program houses.
Program houses which the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL has questions
regarding shall be invited to attend this review.
The purpose of this review shall be to assist houses
which have had difficulties over the past year.
Sec 4: Program House reviews shall be closed,
excepting for the attendance of individual Program
Houses during the information session of their review.
Discussion sessions on each Program House shall be
closed, whether during an annual review or during
a regular RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL meeting, to all non-members
for the RESIDENTIAL COUNCIL, including the Deans of
Residential Life.
Article IX: Procedure of Meetings
Sec 1: The order of meetings shall be as
follows: