Constitution

Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Women in Leadership Series (WILS).

Article II: Statement of Purpose
The purpose of this organization shall be to provide a forum for students and other members of the Penn community to promote female leadership on campus and beyond

Our hope is that this organization will promote a heightened awareness of women’s issues in acquiring leadership positions. In our efforts to examine these issues we hope to provide undergraduate women with constructive solutions they can apply at Penn and in their careers.

Article III: Establishment of Membership Responsibilities
This organization shall be comprised of an Executive Board of 14-18 members and a general body of unlimited proportions. 

The Executive Board shall be populated by members who have been selected through an application and interview process held by the current board at the end of the each semester.  A candidate may be selected after a two-thirds majority vote in their favor.

In keeping with the organization’s democratic origins each member of the Executive Board shall be titled Co-Chair.

In addition, each member will take on a specific role during each academic year.  Members may nominate themselves or may be nominated by others for a specific position.  Positions will be decided by a simple majority vote.
These roles will include, but are not limited to:

Section I: Event Chairs
There shall be one to three events chairs per each event.  Events may include, but are not limited to, the Freshman Women’s Dinner, Fall and Spring Speakers, WILith Fair, Career Services Panel, and the Year-End Banquet. 

The duties of the event chairs shall be all logistical and organizational affairs for the event including venue selection, coordination with any guest speakers or performers, event publicity, and delegation of responsibilities to other Executive Board members.

Section II: Treasurer
The duties of the treasurer shall be to manage reimbursements for the expenses of the organization as well as its accounts with the Office of Student Life and the Student Activities Council.   The treasurer will also be in charge of all fundraising activity for the organization including grant proposals and seeking donations. 

Section III: Secretary
The secretary shall possess all administrative responsibilities including but not limited to;

  1. The transcription of minutes at weekly meetings
  2. The upkeep of weekly attendance records

Section IV: Publicity
Publicity responsibilities will include but are not limited to;

  1. The procurement of necessary materials for the publicizing events
  2. The arrangement of logistics with the Office of Student Life, fellow Executive Board members, and other appropriate institutions for advertising purposes
  3. Circulation of event advertisements through various channels so as to inform the Penn community of upcoming events

Section V: Alumni Relations
The Alumni Relations role shall be filled by a graduate of the preceding year who demonstrated a passionate commitment to the organization.  She shall maintain the formal network and foster communication between alumni and the current board informally and through events. 

Section VI: Liaisons
The duty of a liaison shall be to attend meetings of the particular organization and report pertinent information to the Executive Board.  The liaisons shall include;

  1. Penn Consortium of Undergraduate Women
  2. Trustees Council of Penn Women
  3. Student Activities Council (Treasurer)

Article VII: Membership Upkeep
Membership shall be defined by two types of roles;

Section I: Board Members
A board member will be considered in good standing provided that:

  1. She has no more than 3 absences per semester.  Upon further excused or unexcused absences, the rest of board will reevaluate.
  2. Each board member is expected to take an active role as a liaison or chair for a specific event.

If a member is deemed in poor standing in accordance with the aforementioned rules, that member may be removed by two-thirds vote of the executive board. 

Section II: General Body
Any undergraduate who would like to be a part of the WILS organization may do so either by attending events or being a part of the listserv. 

Article VIII: Meetings
Executive Board meetings will be held weekly and on a more regular basis as needed.  Members shall be notified of meetings via e-mail.  Organizational decisions shall be made via majority vote of at least two-thirds of the executive board.  All executive board members are eligible to vote as long as they are in good standing. 

Article IX: By-Laws
Any board member may propose an amendment to the constitution or a bylaw by proposal at a meeting.  Upon two-thirds majority regarding such an amendment, it may be incorporated into the constitution. 

Article X: Ratification
Ratification of the constitution will be contingent upon a unanimous vote. 

Article XI: Affiliation
The Women in Leadership Series will have formal affiliations with the following organizations:

  1. Trustees Council of Penn Women (TCPW)
  2. Penn Consortium or Undergraduate Women (PCUW)
  3. Student Activities Council (SAC)

Other affiliations may be established on an ad hoc or as needed basis.