Passed Unanimously by the Founding Members of the Law Republicans and the Student Bar Association (April 2004)
Charter for the NYU Law Republicans
Vision Statement
The purpose of the NYU Law Republicans is to bring a Republican voice to the academic dialogue of NYU Law. Recognizing NYU’s reputation as a liberal law school, the creation of the Law Republicans will establish an organized outlet for Republican debate and conversation. Realizing the challenges of maintaining an organization such as this at a law school like NYU, the Law Republicans will constantly seek new membership and encourage law students in their first year to take leadership roles. Unlike other organizations, this group’s focus is on political and public policy aspects of the Republican Party. Our goals include being leaders among the Republican organizations associated with colleges and universities in New York City and in the process reaching out to various other New York City Republican groups. The organization will emphasize coordinating and raising awareness of political activities at the law school and around New York City for law students to attend. Finally, one of the most important and continuing purposes of the NYU Law Republicans is to ensure mutual respect for Republican ideas and those who hold them within the law school community.
Article I. Name of the Organization
This organization shall be known as the NYU Law Republicans.
Article II. Purpose of the Organization
Section 1. To enhance the learning environment of NYU Law by giving Republicans a voice inside and outside the classroom.
Section 2. To create a forum through which NYU Law students may get involved in Republican political activities in the greater New York Area.
Section 3. To bring speakers, politicians, and candidates to NYU Law to increase the diversity of dialogue at student activities.
Section 4. To ensure mutual respect for Republican ideas and those who hold them within the law school community, thereby reducing the ostracizing effect of expressing such values.
Article III. Membership
Section 1. All registered J.D., J.S.D., and L.L.M. candidates at New York University School of Law may become members of the Law Republicans.
Section 2. The Law Republicans shall not exclude any individual from its general membership or its functions on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, or disability.
Section 3. In order to be a member of the Law Republicans, one does not need to be a member of the Republican Party
Section 4. In the event there is a dispute regarding membership status, such as if a member becomes disruptive to the organization’s listserve or activities, such a dispute shall be resolved by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board.
Article IV. Voting
Section 1. For organizational purposes, only the president, or the Executive Board member acting in his/her stead may call a vote on a proposal for action.
Section 2. Each member, including the Executive Board members will have only one vote.
Section 3. Majority voting by a show of hands shall be the method of issue resolution as to proposals for action by the Law Republicans.
Section 4. No action may be taken by the Executive Board unless quorum is met. A quorum shall be two members of the Executive Board and 3 members of the general membership.
Article V. Executive Board
Section 1. The purpose of the Executive Board shall be to serve as the administrative and leadership body for the NYU Law Republicans.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall consist of only the following five following positions, each position to be filled by only one member of the Law Republicans:
Clause 1. President. The responsibilities of the president shall include, but are not limited to, being the official representative of the organization and overseeing the broader activities and direction of the Law Republicans. The president’s role is to ensure the administrative aspects of the organization by arranging meeting times and places, maintaining the website and listserve, leading meetings and proposal voting in a smooth and professional manner, and organizing elections as long as they are not running for office in the next academic year. The president will also be in charge of organizing ad hoc committees in order to assist the other members of the executive board in effectuating the Law Republicans proposals. In addition to these duties, the president’s focus will emphasize recruitment of new members and grooming of younger members in order to take leadership positions for the future stability of the organization.
Clause 2. Vice President. The responsibilities of the vice president shall include, but are not limited to, providing assistance to the president; and serving in his or her stead in their absence. The vice president’s main duty will be in overseeing the budget of the organization: arranging the budget for the upcoming semesters, overseeing that accounts remain current, and going before the SBA to solicit further funds. In the event that the position of the president is vacated, the vice president will assume the position. In order to encourage stable leadership, only incoming 2Ls may initially run for the position of vice president, if however, there are no 2Ls willing to run, incoming 3Ls may run for the position.
Clause 3. Republican Organization Coordinator. The responsibilities of the Republican organization coordinator are to coordinate the Law Republicans activities with those of the national party, state party, college, and local Republican organizations. The main focus of this coordinator is to make the membership aware of other Republican events in the city as well as to make other organizations aware of the activities of the Law Republicans and facilitate cooperation and co-sponsorship between organizations. In the event the president and vice president positions are vacated, the Republican organization coordinator will assume leadership of the organization.
Clause 4. Events Coordinator. The responsibilities of the events coordinator are to plan and lead organization of events planned at the NYU Law School or at other locations. Their main focus is to arrange and organize the events the membership has decided to undertake, and to make those proposed events a reality. In the event the president, vice president, and Republican organization coordinator positions are vacated, the events coordinator will assume leadership of the organization.
Clause 5. Campaign Coordinator. The responsibilities of the campaign coordinator are to keep the organization updated on Republican campaign events and opportunities for law students to participate in the elections process in New York City. In the event the president, vice president, Republican organization coordinator, and events coordinator positions are vacated, the campaign coordinator will assume leadership of the organization.
Section 3. In the event that one of the executive board positions is vacated, the president may appoint a member to assume the position with the unanimous approval of the remainder of the executive board.
Section 4. All Executive Board members will have one vote.
Article VI. Election of Executive Board Members
Section 1. Any individual who wishes to run for an Executive Board position shall be a member of the organization as defined by Art. III of this document.
Section 2. Intent to run for an Executive Board position will be expressed at least one week prior to the annual election meeting to the President or the person delegated to oversee the election. In the event that no candidates are running for a position, the elections overseer is obliged to solicit candidates to run for the open position.
Section 3. All ballots will be secret and sent out via email to each member at least 3 days prior to the annual election meeting. The ballots will be collected by the election overseer at the beginning of the annual election meeting and counted outside of the presence of the general membership. If a member cannot attend the election meeting, they may vote absentee by sending their ballot to the elections overseer as long as it is received before the annual election meeting. Each member’s vote will constitute one vote. The ballots will be kept the following week and presented upon request of any member if any election outcome is contested.
Section 4. The winners of the Executive Board election will assume their positions at the end of the annual election meeting.
Article VII. Recall
Section 1. All elected Executive Board members are subject to recall by the General Membership. Any elected officer who is recalled shall be removed from office.
Section 2. To bring any recall proposal to a vote of the general membership by secret ballot, a recall petition shall be signed by half of the members.
Section 3. The Executive Board members not subject to recall shall administer a secret ballot voting procedure, whereby the member subject to recall will be recalled by the affirmative votes of 2/3rds of the membership.
Article VIII. Sunset Clause
In event that the NYU Law Republicans is disbanded, all monetary amounts remaining in the organization’s account will return to the Student Bar Association.