Section 1: The name of the organization shall be Space Hardware Club at UAH, hereafter additionally referred to as “SHC.” 

Section 1: The purpose of the Space Hardware Club at UAH shall be to develop the next generation of engineers, scientists, and leaders by providing real-world experience in all aspects of developing aerospace-related hardware, conducting research, and performing STEM outreach in a safe and collaborative academic setting. 

Section 1: Membership to SHC shall be open to any student of the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

1. Membership benefits shall include:
   A. Access to SHC lab space, materials, and equipment at the discretion of Project Leads and Program Managers responsible for the lab space, materials, and equipment.
   B. The ability to appear and represent the club in public settings including, but not limited to: Outreach events, poster sessions, research publications, competitions, and networking opportunities.
   C. The ability to participate in Space Hardware Club educational resources such as university courses and seminars.
   D. Eligibility for travel on club-approved and/or club-funded trips.
   E. The ability to run for and hold positions on the Officer Board.
   F. The ability to propose or request funding for a Project.
   G. The ability to lead a Project.
   H. The ability to propose Constitutional Amendments or a Constitutional replacement.
   I. The ability to vote and count toward quorum in General Votes.

2. Additional benefits may be granted at the discretion of the Executive Board.

3. Membership benefits may be restricted at the discretion of the Faculty Advisor with recommendation from the Executive Board.

Section 2: SHC membership shall be granted through a membership form during the spring and fall semesters. The Executive Board shall determine the format of the membership form, whether it be written, electronic, or another format. Students who have been granted membership shall be henceforth known as Members.

Section 3: SHC does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender expression, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations, pursuant to and in addition to UAH’s non-discriminatory clause for RSOs: “Membership in registered student organizations shall be open to all students of The University of Alabama in Huntsville, without regard to race, religion, sex, disability, or national origin, except in cases of designated fraternal organizations exempted by federal law from Title IX regulations concerning discrimination on the basis of sex.” SHC shall provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for all Members.

1. Legal restrictions imposed by the U.S. government may restrict non-citizens from access to Projects dealing with export-controlled information. 

Section 4: A Member may become an Inactive Member through one or more of the following:

1. Failure to attend at least one General Meeting and participate in an Active Project, Officer Board position, or Committee role each semester, as determined by attendance records submitted to the Officer Board.

2. Failure to enroll in at least one course at the University of Alabama in Huntsville during the current spring or fall semester.

3. Asking to become an Inactive Member.

4. Failure to meet the academic standards described in Article III Section 8 for two semesters.

Section 5: Inactive Members, in compliance with Article III Section 8, may maintain access to membership benefits A, B, and C as defined in Article III Section 1.1, but shall not maintain other membership benefits. Exceptions may be made by the Executive Board or Faculty Advisor. 

Section 6: A Member may enter a probationary period at the discretion of the Faculty Advisor, with optional recommendation from the Executive Board. Probationary Members shall hold the same membership restrictions as laid out for Inactive Members in Article III Section 5. Additional probationary restrictions and probation period exit criteria shall be assigned at the discretion of the Faculty Advisor.

Section 7: Membership may be lost through one or more of the following:

1. Improperly representing SHC, as determined by the Faculty Advisor, with recommendation from the Executive Board.

2. Disrupting the accomplishment of the goals of the club, including the club’s requirement to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for all Members, as determined by the Faculty Advisor, with recommendation from the Executive Board.

3. Violating University policy, as determined by the Faculty Advisor or UAH campus authorities, with optional recommendation from the Executive Board.

4. Maintaining Inactive membership status for two consecutive non-summer semesters.

5. Ceasing enrollment at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Section 8: Membership status may change due to a Member’s academic standing. The academic requirements of the club are not meant to be punitive, but to promote academic success within the university, such that its Members may achieve graduation and gainful employment. The Faculty Advisor will receive reports of Members’ GPAs for the purpose of encouraging their academic success.

1. If a Member’s semester GPA is at or below 2.5 or their cumulative GPA is at or below 3.0, and the Member did not meet the qualifications for an email of concern the previous semester, the Member shall receive an email expressing concerns about their grades which shall include resources for improving their academics.

2. If a Member’s semester GPA is at or below 2.5 or their cumulative GPA is below 3.0, and the Member met the qualifications for an email of concern the previous semester, the Member shall become an Inactive Member and remain so, and shall be asked to not participate in club activities, until both their semester GPA is above 2.5 and their cumulative GPA is above 3.0.

3. Exceptions to the academic requirements above may be made by the club’s Faculty Advisor.

Section 9: Membership status shall be evaluated at the end of each spring and fall semester. If an Inactive Member once again meets all requirements specified in Article III Section 4.1 during the course of any semester and is not in violation of Article III Section 8, they may email the Officer Board and restore Active membership upon check in at the next General Meeting.

Section 10: The Executive Board or Faculty Advisor shall make final membership decisions in extenuating circumstances. 

Section 1: The Faculty Advisor(s) shall be a current faculty member of the University of Alabama in Huntsville responsible for the general independent advising of SHC.

Section 2: The Faculty Advisor(s) shall hold ultimate discretionary authority over this document, membership to SHC, and the activities of SHC.

Section 3: An Assistant Faculty Advisor may be appointed by the Faculty Advisor(s), and shall be a faculty, staff, or graduate assistant of UAH. The Assistant Faculty Advisor’s authority shall be determined by the Faculty Advisor(s). Assistant Faculty Advisor(s) may temporarily take on the role of Faculty Advisor in the event the current Faculty Advisor(s) are unable to fulfill their responsibilities.

Section 4: Faculty Advisor(s) positions shall be appointed and Assistant Faculty Advisor positions may be nominated by a hyper-majority vote of the Executive Board with approval from the university. 

Section 1: The purpose of the Officer Board shall be to oversee SHC’s Programs, finances, facilities, and oversee the activities of SHC’s Members and Official Projects. Section

Section 2: The Executive Board shall be a subset of the Officer Board, composed of the following voting positions: President, Vice Presidents, Treasurers, Secretaries, and all Program Managers.

Section 3: The non-voting positions of the Officer Board shall include Project Leads, Committee Heads, Club Trustees, and Temporary Officers.

Section 4: There shall be two offices each for Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. Those positions elected in the Spring semester shall be referred to as the Spring Vice President, Spring Treasurer, and Spring Secretary respectively, and those positions elected in the Fall semester shall be referred to as the Fall Vice President, Fall Treasurer, and Fall Secretary. Vice Presidents, Treasurers, and Secretaries elected outside of the regular election cycle shall be referred to by the title of the vacant position. Off-term shall refer to the position that is not up for re-election during the current semester.

Section 5: All members of the Officer Board shall be referred to as “Officers”, and members of the Executive Board shall additionally be referred to as “Executive Officers”.

Section 6: Each Executive Officer, with the exception of the Treasurers, shall be required to hold active membership in at least one Project.

Section 7: Each Executive Officer shall have only one vote.

Section 8: Each Executive Officer shall hold only one position on the Officer Board at any one time.

Section 9: The votes of Program Managers may be overturned by a simple majority vote of all Project Leads within their Program. If a Program only has one Project, the Project Lead may overturn the Program Manager’s vote with a simple majority vote with the President and Vice Presidents each having one vote.

Section 10: The President or Executive Board may create non-voting Temporary Officer positions for a specified duration on the Officer Board. Temporary Officers shall be appointed by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 11: The President, Vice Presidents, Treasurers, Secretaries, or any Program Manager may be impeached by the following procedure conducted in order:

1. Any Member(s) may email their rationale for the impeachment to the Faculty Advisor. The Faculty Advisor shall inform the Executive Board of the motion to impeach and its rationale.

2. The Member(s) desiring to impeach an Officer shall schedule a meeting with the Faculty Advisor before the next Officer Board Meeting. Other Officers may be invited at the discretion of both parties.

3. If the Member(s) still desire to impeach an Officer after meeting with the Faculty Advisor, and if a motion to impeach was not directed at that Officer during the previous General Meeting, they may bring a motion of impeachment to the next General Meeting. Once the motion is made, the Member desiring to impeach the Officer shall be allowed to make their case for impeachment, and the Officer shall then be allowed to respond. The Officer may be impeached by supermajority vote of Members at a General Meeting.

4. If the Officer is impeached by the Members at a General Meeting, the Faculty Advisor may approve their removal. Once the Faculty Advisor approves their removal, the individual in question shall be removed from their position. The removed individual shall not hold a position on the Officer Board for one calendar year.

Section 12: If there is a vacancy in a position of President, either Vice President, either Treasurer, either Secretary, or any Program Manager, then the position shall be filled by a Vacancy Election.

Section 13: Program Managers may be held to a Vote of No Confidence by the following procedure conducted in order:

1. Any Project Lead within their respective Program may forward a Motion of No Confidence at any Officer Board Meeting. A Program Manager shall not be held to a Motion of No Confidence for two months following their accession to the position. 

2. The Motion shall require a hyper-majority vote of all Project Leads within the Program, the President, and both Vice Presidents to pass. If the vote passes, the Program Manager shall no longer hold the duties and responsibilities of the position, and the Project Lead that initially made the motion shall be treated as an Acting Program Manager. The Acting Program Manager shall hold the duties and responsibilities of the position but shall not vote in place of the Program Manager. All Executive Board Votes of the Program Manager shall count as Abstentions while an Acting Program Manager holds their duties and responsibilities. At any time, the Acting Program Manager may return the duties and responsibilities of the position to the Program Manager, ending the process.

3. If the Acting Program Manager has not returned the duties and responsibilities of the position to the Program Manager at the first General Meeting following the Vote of No Confidence, a Special Election shall be held for the affected Program Manager’s position and the position of Acting Program Manager shall cease to exist. The newly-elected Program Manager shall not be held to a Motion of No Confidence for two months following the Special Election.

Section 1: The President shall preside over all General Meetings; serve as the official representative of SHC in all matters pertaining to the University; represent SHC to external bodies; act as the point of contact for all external matters involving SHC, delegating when necessary; guide SHC in upholding its purpose; and ensure that management gaps are filled if they arise. Powers not explicitly delegated in the Constitution may be assumed or delegated at the discretion of the President.

Section 2: The Vice Presidents shall preside over all Officer Board Meetings, perform any duties that the President designates them to complete, maintain SHC-sponsored communication channels, help represent the club to external bodies, and act as the point of contact for Members’ concerns. The Vice Presidents shall handle internal affairs, delegating when necessary. When concerns are expressed from within SHC, the Vice Presidents shall address them, involving other Executive Officers as needed. In the case of a vacancy of the position of President, a Vice President shall take the non-voting position of Interim-President while maintaining the position of Vice President. If there is a conflict between Vice Presidents about the assumption of Interim-President, the Interim-President shall be determined by a simple majority vote of the Executive Officers. The position of Interim-President, which shall hold all of the responsibilities and duties of the President, shall cease to exist with the election of a new President.

Section 3: The Treasurers shall supervise the budget within SHC; correspond with the Faculty Advisor about finances; give updates on the financial standing of SHC at all Officer Board Meetings; maintain parts order forms, current account balances, and Program and Project budgets; supervise the ordering process of SHC, delegating when necessary; and keep records of all purchases and expenditures.

Section 4: The Secretaries shall keep minutes and attendance of all General Meetings, Officer Board Meetings and Advisor Board Meetings, assist Vice Presidents in maintaining SHC-sponsored communication channels, make minutes and attendance public within a week after a General Meeting, Officer Board Meetings, or Advisor Board Meetings, read any relevant part of the Constitution or past Meeting minutes when requested, take Meeting attendance at all Meetings other than Project Meetings, monitor lists of Active and Inactive Members, monitor lists of Programs and Active and Inactive Projects, monitor the organizational structure of SHC, notify Members of opportunities to maintain Active membership status, send club-wide updates, and maintain the Constitution with any Amendments that are passed.

Section 5: The Program Managers shall oversee, approve, and keep readily available records of the overall budget and spending of their Program separate from the Treasurer’s documents, track order status, allocate money to the underlying Projects when necessary, organize the logistics of their Program including team travel and reimbursements, present a Program update containing relevant information at each Officer Board and Advisor Update Meeting, create Project budgets for the following election cycle, manage any facilities specifically allocated to their Program, coordinate external resources, and track Yearly Update Reviews by underlying Projects.

Section 6: The Project Leads shall oversee the budget and spending of their Project, create ordering forms relating to their Project, and maintain minutes and attendance of each of their Project Meetings, regularly report Project status to the Officer Board, maintain any online presence for the Project, and manage the operations of the Project including Project finances, timelines, goals, meetings, membership regulation, and internal organization. The Project Lead shall track active Project membership and shall share active Project member lists with their Program Manager twice per spring and fall semester.

Section 7: Committee Heads shall manage their Committees as determined by the Executive Board upon Committee creation.

Section 8: Club Trustees shall be appointed responsibility by the Executive Board via a supermajority vote for the management and use of club-wide licenses.

Section 9: All Officers shall attend weekly Officer Board Meetings and fill their section of the Meeting agenda or send a representative to attend in their place. Representatives of Executive Officers shall not vote or count towards quorum.

Section 1: The Executive Board shall have a Standard Officer Handbook which may be updated by a supermajority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 2: The Standard Officer Handbook shall supplement this Constitution and provide guidance on procedures or practices of the club or Officer Board that are not defined explicitly herein.

Section 3: Executive Officers shall create and maintain an Executive Officer Handbook titled according to their position. The Executive Officer Handbooks shall be updated at least once every election cycle by the Executive Officer in its position and shall be approved by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 4: Officers shall create and maintain an Officer Handbook titled according to their position. The Officer Handbooks shall be updated at least once every election cycle by the Officer in its position.

Section 5: The Executive Officer Handbooks and Officer Handbooks shall supplement the Standard Officer Handbook with additional detail regarding the best or proper way to carry out an Officer’s assigned duties.

Section 6: The Standard Officer Handbook, Executive Officer Handbooks, and Officer Handbooks shall be accessible to the Officer Board, and may be made accessible to Members at the discretion of the Executive Board 

Section 1: Official Meetings of SHC shall include General Meetings, Officer Board Meetings, Advisor Update Meetings, Project Meetings, Emergency Meetings, and Miscellaneous Meetings. A meeting shall not be an Official Meeting unless minutes and attendance are kept and made available to the Executive Board within a week of the meeting.

Section 2: A General Meeting shall be held at least once each month during the spring and fall semesters. General Meetings may be held at any time, including during the summer semester, at the discretion of the Officer Board. The President shall preside over General Meetings. Club updates, Elections, and General Votes may take place during the Meeting. Minutes from General Meetings shall be sent to Members within a week.

Section 3: An Officer Board Meeting shall be held weekly, and shall be presided over by a Vice President. Internal club business shall take place here, with votes from the Executive Board occurring when needed. Votes of the Executive Board may be made electronically outside the Meeting for time sensitive items.

Section 4: An Advisor Update Meeting shall be held at the convenience of the Faculty Advisor. During this Meeting the Officer Board shall inform the Faculty Advisor of the activities of SHC. This Meeting shall be open only to the Officer Board and to those that the Board wishes to include.

Section 5: Active Projects shall hold Project Meetings during the spring and fall semesters. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Executive Board. Project Meetings shall be presided over by the Project Lead or another Project member appointed by the Project Lead.

Section 6: An Emergency Meeting may take place when a specific issue needs to be resolved and may be requested by the President, either Vice President, or a majority vote by the Executive Board. Attendance at Emergency Meetings may be restricted at the discretion of the Faculty Advisor. If attendance is open to all Members, the Emergency Meeting may serve as a General Meeting by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 7: Miscellaneous Meetings other than these listed may occur, and shall follow the same guidelines as Official Meetings.

Section 8: Official Meetings shall not be held during the University’s final exam period. Exceptions may be made with the approval of the Executive Board and the Faculty Advisor. All requirements for recurring Meetings shall be waived during this time period. 

Section 1: The purpose of a Program shall be to consolidate oversight of a set of Projects with similar goals and resources, allowing the club to run efficiently and allocate resources appropriately among Projects as it grows.

Section 2: Programs shall have clearly defined goals which shall be in accordance with the club’s purpose outlined in Article II and shall be in alignment with and support of a range of possible Projects, as determined by the Executive Board.

Section 3: Programs shall oversee and encompass related Projects to allow resources and funding to be allocated properly and shall be in charge of a Program-wide budget that shall be utilized for Program-wide needs.

Section 4: Programs shall be in charge of handling travel and relevant expenses pertaining to travel for their underlying Projects, so that all underlying Projects are able to complete their goals.

Section 5: An Official Program shall be formed when there is approval of a proposed Program’s goals, budget, and organizational structure from the Executive Board by a supermajority vote.

Section 6: A Program shall have a Program Manager. In the absence of a Program Manager, an Interim Program Manager may be installed through a simple-majority vote of the Executive Board and Project Leads of the Program in question until the next General Meeting, and a Program Manager shall be installed for the remainder of an election cycle by a Vacancy Election at the next General Meeting. 

Section 7: A Program which contains Projects involving export-controlled information shall have a Program Manager who is a U.S. citizen.

Section 8: A Program shall oversee at least one Official Project. If a Program oversees no Projects, it shall be dissolved at the end of the current election cycle, and the position of Program Manager of that Program shall not be part of the next Spring or Fall Election.

Section 9: There shall be an Outreach Program. The Outreach Program shall organize events and activities that bring STEM education to the community, particularly secondary schools in neighboring counties; shall find Outreach opportunities for the club and inform the club of them; and may be responsible for club and university-wide events. The Outreach Program shall not be dissolved and may exist without subsidiary Projects at the discretion of its Program Manager.

1. The Outreach Program shall be responsible for Outreach events for the community external to UAH, and shall track the number of students reached.

2. The Outreach Program shall be responsible for Inreach events for the community internal to UAH.

3. The Outreach Program shall be responsible for Clubreach events internal to SHC.

Section 1: The purpose of a Project shall be to accomplish a specific goal in accordance with the club’s purpose defined in Article II, as determined by the Executive Board.

Section 2: Projects shall be a part of a Program that has goals related to the Project’s goals, as determined by the Program Manager of the desired Program and the Executive Board.

Section 3: Projects shall have a budget and timeline managed by the Project Lead and overseen by the Program Manager.

Section 4: To become an Official Project, a potential Project shall first present their goals to the Program Manager whose Program they wish to be under. Upon approval from the Program Manager, the proposer of the Project shall present an Mission Concept Review (MCR) to the Officer Board. The potential Project shall become an Official Project once the Executive Board approves all content of the MCR by a simple majority vote. An Official Project shall have a budget provided to it by the Program Manager.

1. A Mission Concept Review (MCR) shall be defined as a presentation of a Mission Concept which shall include the Project’s proposed parent Program, goals, budget, source of funding, team structure, timeline including deliverables, and any necessary safety considerations.

2. If a potential Project presents an MCR to the Executive Board and it is rejected twice within a single semester (fall, spring, or summer), the Project may not be presented to the Officer Board until the next spring or fall semester.

3. The vote to approve or deny the project shall occur no earlier than the Officer Board Meeting following the presentation of the MCR. This is intended to provide sufficient time for officers to give proper consideration for the project.

Section 5: If a Project wishes to move to a different Program or to significantly alter its Mission Concept, the Project shall present an updated MCR to the Executive Board, after which the transfer or alteration may be approved by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 6: An Official Project shall have a Project Lead appointed by a simple majority vote of the members of the Project.

1. A replacement Project Lead may be nominated by an existing Project Lead and confirmed by a simple majority vote of the Project's members, or appointed at any time by a supermajority vote of the Project's members.

Section 7: A Project shall be considered Properly Represented when its Project Lead attends or is represented at a minimum of two Officer Board Meetings within a given month during the spring and fall semesters. Projects shall become Inactive when they are Improperly Represented. The following shall apply to Inactive Projects, though exceptions may be made by a supermajority vote of the Executive Board in extenuating circumstances: 

1. If a Project fails to be Properly Represented for a month, the Project shall be considered Inactive and the Project Lead shall lose their vote to overturn their Program Manager during Executive Board votes. The Project shall be considered Active again by proper representation during the following month.

2. . If a Project fails to be Properly Represented for two consecutive months, the Project shall be unable to place orders and shall not be permitted to have launches or travel, and shall require a simple majority vote of the Executive Board with a recommendation from their Program Manager to be considered Active again.

3. If a Project fails to be Properly Represented for three consecutive months, the Project shall present the Project’s reason for inactivity and their plan to improve to the Officer Board, and shall require a simple majority vote of the Executive Board to be considered Active again.

4. If a Project fails to be Properly Represented for four consecutive months or one semester, whichever occurs first, the Project may be dissolved.

Section 8: A Project Lead may make a request to their Program Manager that their Project be placed On-Hold for a specified duration, following the guidelines specified in Article X Sections 8.1 and 8.2. Upon approval by the Program Manager, and then by a supermajority vote of the Executive Board, the Project shall be considered On-Hold, and shall not be subject to the Proper Representation requirements for the duration of the hold. Projects shall regain Active status following the approved hold duration.

Section 9: A Project Lead may be removed by a hyper-majority vote of the Executive Board with confirmation from a Faculty Advisor. Removed Project Leads shall not serve as a Project Lead for the rest of the semester.

Section 10: A Project may be placed on Probation by a hyper-majority vote of the Executive Board with confirmation from a Faculty Advisor.

1. 1.  Probationary Projects shall be assigned a probationary period of no less than two months and no more than one semester to present an updated MCR.

   2. All assigned Project funding shall be held during the probationary period and may not be used for other Projects so long as the probationary period ends before the end of the current club grant cycle.

   3. Project funding shall not be used by the Project during the probationary period without approval from a simple majority of the Executive Board.

   4. The Project’s updated MCR may be approved and the probationary period removed by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board. If the updated MCR is not approved, the project shall be dissolved. If the Project fails to present an updated MCR or the Project Lead declines to present an updated MCR during the probationary period, the Project shall be dissolved.

Section 11: Each Project shall be responsible for assisting the Outreach Program, in the planning and execution of one Outreach event each year between the spring and fall semesters. Each Project shall be responsible for the reporting of the event to the Outreach Program Manager, including the number of students reached.

Section 12: Projects shall be responsible for creating and presenting Yearly Update Reviews at least once per calendar year to track progress, budget, completed and uncompleted goals, timelines, outreach events, and active participation to the Officer Board. 

Section 1: The purpose of a Committee shall be to assist the Officer Board in the management of specific club activities, Projects, or miscellaneous duties, which shall be defined upon Committee creation.

Section 2: Committees and their responsibilities may be proposed by any Member at an Officer Board Meeting and may be approved by a supermajority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 3: Every Committee shall have at least one Committee Head.

Section 4: Upon Committee creation, or if there is a vacancy in the position, Committee Heads shall be confirmed by a supermajority vote of the Executive Board. Any Active Member may nominate themself or another for the position. Additional Committee Heads may be appointed by a supermajority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 5: Current Committee Heads may nominate an additional Committee Head or a replacement to be confirmed by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 6: Committee Heads may be suspended from duty by a supermajority vote of the Committee’s members. Suspended Committee Heads may be removed from office with a simple majority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 7: Committee Heads may be removed from office by a supermajority vote of the Executive Board.

Section 8: Committees may be dissolved by a supermajority vote of the Executive Board. 

Section 1: Quorum shall be defined as the minimum number of voting members present for a vote to be considered valid.

1. Quorum for Executive Board Votes shall be the number of Executive Officers that would be required to vote in support of a motion and for it to pass if all Executive Officers were in attendance.

2. Quorum for General Votes shall be three times the number of Executive Officers.

3. Quorum for Executive Board Votes involving export-controlled materials shall be reduced to the number of Executive Officers who hold U.S. citizenship.

Section 2: For Executive Board Votes, there shall be three different vote requirements.

1. A simple majority shall be defined as greater than one-half of Executive Officers.

2. A supermajority shall be defined as at least two-thirds of Executive Officers.

3. A hyper-majority shall be defined as at least three-fourths of Executive Officers.

Section 3: For votes involving export-controlled material, Executive Board Vote majorities may be adjusted to reference the number of Executive Officers holding U.S. citizenship rather than the total number of Executive Officers, in keeping with the same proportions of typical Executive Board Vote majorities.

Section 4: For General Votes, there shall be three different vote requirements.

1. A simple majority shall be defined as greater than one-half of present voting Members.

2. A supermajority shall be defined as at least two-thirds of present voting Members.

3. A hyper-majority shall be defined as at least three-fourths of present voting Members.

Section 5: All Election votes shall have an option to abstain, which shall count toward the number of voting Members but shall not count toward any other option.

Section 6: The method of Executive Board Votes shall be an open vote. A Vice President shall preside over the vote, calling for those in favor, then for those against, then for those who abstain. The votes shall be tallied and recorded in the minutes. Non-present Executive Officers shall be assumed to cast a vote to abstain, notated “absent-abstain.”

1. An absent-abstain vote by a Program Manager may be overturned by a majority of the Project Leads within the Program. If a majority of all Project Leads within the Program are not present, or if the vote of the present Project Leads does not represent a majority of all Program Leads within the Program, they shall be unable to overturn the vote.

Section 7: The method of General Votes shall be a secret ballot. Votes shall be submitted electronically to those presiding over the vote, or by another method at the discretion of those presiding over the vote such that the ballot remains secret. For a vote to take place at a General Meeting, at least a week’s notice of the General Meeting’s time and place shall be sent to all members of the club.

Section 8: General Votes shall be presided over by the off-term Vice President and the off-term Secretary and shall take place at a General Meeting. If either the off-term Vice President or the off-term Secretary positions are absent, the absence shall be filled by the President.

Section 9: In the event that a Meeting is not feasible, or for time-sensitive items, a virtual vote may be held following all voting procedures as outlined and with a time limit set by those presiding over the vote. Virtual votes shall be made available to all Members who are eligible to vote, with a time limit of no less than 24 hours. 

Section 1: Elections shall be conducted by a General Vote.

Section 2: SHC shall have a Spring and a Fall Election, with an election cycle of one year. The Spring Election shall take place no sooner than the March General Meeting and no later than the April General Meeting. The Fall Election shall take place no sooner than the October General Meeting and no later than the November General Meeting.

Section 3: The President and all Program Managers shall be elected at the Spring Election. A Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected at both the Spring Election and the Fall Election.

Section 4: Executive Officers elected in the previous Spring election cycle shall maintain their positions until they retire or until the last day of July, whichever is sooner. Executive Officers elected in the previous Fall election cycle maintain their positions until they retire or until the last day in December, whichever is sooner. Newly elected Executive Officers shall assume their position upon retirement of the previous Executive Officers or by the last day in July or December, whichever is sooner.

Section 5: If an Executive Officer is voted into a new office during their term, they shall hold their previous position until a replacement can be elected to serve the remainder of their term. The Executive Officer shall not at any time hold more than one vote.

Section 6: The Executive Board may choose by a hyper-majority vote or by direction from the Faculty Advisor to hold a Special Election at any point. A Special Election may end the term of the President, Vice Presidents, Treasurers, Secretaries, or any Program Managers. A Special Election shall be held in the same manner as the Spring and Fall Elections. The election cycle thereafter shall not deviate from the election cycle preceding the Special Election. The purpose of a special election is to replace an Executive Board position without enacting the restrictions of an impeachment on the one who currently holds the position.

Section 7: Vacancy Elections shall occur when there is a vacancy on the Executive Board. Vacancy Elections shall be held in the same manner as Spring and Fall Elections. 

Section 1: Any Active Member who has been in SHC for one election cycle, has not been impeached in the previous election cycle, and does not intend to cease enrollment at UAH within their term may be nominated for a position on the Executive Board.

Section 2: Nominations for the offices up for election at a General Meeting shall be collected by those who preside over the Election before the General Meeting in which the Elections are held. Nominations may also occur during the General Meeting at which the Elections are being held. A Member may be nominated for more than one position.

Section 3: Nominations for virtual Elections shall be made available at least two weeks before the Election and shall close 48 hours before the Election opens. Virtual Elections shall follow all other Election procedures as precisely as is feasible.

Section 4: The off-term Vice President or off-term Secretary shall notify all Members the day before the Election of all nominees by that point. Nominees shall accept or refuse the nomination. If an ineligible person is nominated, the nomination shall be thrown out

Section 5: Nominated Members who do not attend the General Meeting, in-person or virtually, at which the Election is being held shall be assumed to have refused the nomination, unless the Member notifies the Executive Board in advance of their intention to run for office.

Section 6: Once a Member is voted into an office, they shall be removed from the ballot for other positions.

Section 7: Voting shall occur in the following order: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Program Managers. Before every vote, Members running for the position being voted on may choose to make a short statement. Questions to the Members running may be asked following their statement. Questions and statements may be moderated by those presiding over the vote.

Section 8: For positions in which there is only to be one elected office, the Member with a majority of votes shall receive the position. If no Member reaches a majority, then the Member with the lowest number of votes shall be eliminated. Then, the voting shall take place again, in the same manner. For positions in which there are to be two elected Officers, there shall be multiple rounds of voting. In the first, the Member with the highest total votes shall receive the first position. In further rounds of voting, the voting shall take place according to the procedure for electing to one office.

Section 9: An initial round of voting may be held to reduce the number of candidates to three for an office with one position. The three candidates with the highest total number of votes shall be the only ones running for the position. After this initial vote, the Election shall proceed as normal with the reduced number of candidates.

Section 10: If abstain receives a majority vote, or the most votes for a position in which there are to be two elected Officers, the position(s) shall be left vacant and the vacancy procedure for the position shall be invoked as outlined in Article V Section 13.

Section 11: All motions and results of votes shall be recorded and validated by the current off-term Secretary and released following the Election. If there is no current off-term Secretary, the other Secretary shall carry out this duty. 

Section 1: All academic publications pertaining to SHC shall be approved by the Executive Board and the Faculty Advisor before the initial submission, barring extenuating circumstances.

Section 2: The Faculty Advisor shall reserve the right to review, disallow publishing, or require edits to be made before submission. 

Section 1: After a notification to the Executive Board at least one week prior to a General Meeting, an Amendment to the Constitution may be presented at the next General Meeting. To pass the Amendment, a supermajority General Vote shall be required.

Section 2: A replacement of the Constitution may be passed by a hyper-majority vote of the Executive Board and followed by a supermajority General Vote.

Section 3: The Secretaries shall maintain a record of all past versions of this Constitution and the changes made. The records shall be accessible to the Officer Board.