ARTICLE ONE:
Name

Section 1
The name of the club shall be Child Abuse Resistance Education for KIDS, a registered University of Florida club hereafter referred to in this constitution as CARE.

ARTICLE TWO:
PURPOSE AND ACTIVITIES

Section 1
Purpose

· To provide information about child abuse prevention to UF students, informing them about the issue, community-based opportunities, and resources.
· To explore ways to prevent child abuse in the larger Gainesville community, including after school care providers, public school teachers, Goys and Girls’ Club, YMCA, Child Abuse Prevention Programs, Child Advocacy Centers.
· To build UF student support for child abuse prevention programs in the wider community.
-To donate money from CARE fund-raisers to such community-based programs.
-To volunteer for child-abuse prevention charities in Gainesville.

Section 2
Activities
CARE shall sponsor all activities, including presentations, and programs, as described in Article II section1.  CARE is of a not for profit nature.

ARTICLE THREE:
MEMBERSHIP

Section 1
CARE will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, age, national origin, disability or sexual preference.  Membership shall be limited to registered UF students who are concerned about stopping child abuse.  Faculty, staff and student spouses may be associate members (associate members do not vote of hold office).

Section 2
A voting member is anyone who has completed the membership application.

Section 3
Membership term
CARE general membership shall be renewed annually.
ARTICLE 4:
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEES

Section 1
Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall be comprised of the following offices: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian.

Section 2
Officer Eligibility Criteria
Only a CARE voting member shall retain the right to hold office on the Board of Directors, provided the individual student meets the requirements specified in the handbook for student clubs.

Section 3
Terms
An officer’s term shall consist of one full calendar year.  Each term shall begin upon the member’s election into office.

Section 4
Responsibilities

 President
a. Shall oversee all internal business (Treasury, Secretary, Historian)
b. Shall oversee the coordination of members for events and functions
c. Shall run the meetings of the organization

Vice-President
a. Shall be a liaison to the University of Florida and the Gainesville community
b. Shall oversee community affairs.
c. Shall oversee committees appointed by the Board of Directors.
 

Treasurer
a. Shall keep all financial records of the organization.
b. Shall report the financial status of the organization to the Board of Directors.
c. Shall present a budget report to the general membership of the organization each semester.
d. Shall make all financial records available upon request.
e. Shall transfer money collected from fundraisers to Gainesville charities for abused children.

Secretary
a. Shall be responsible for taking and maintaining record of the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and the general CARE meetings.
b. Shall maintain a current membership list and a file of membership application forms.

Historian
a. Shall keep journals of CARE-sponsored activities.
b. Shall create scrapbooks filled with photographs of the CARE-sponsored activities.
 

Section 5
Vacancies
If either Director is unable to complete his/her term, another director shall be appointed from the Board of Directors to take his/he place. All other vacancies in the Board of Directors shall be open for a vote at a general meeting.

Section 6
Removal
A member of the Board of Directors shall be removed by a two-thirds majority vote by the Board of Directors in the event the member neglects to perform his/her responsibilities as stated in the constitution.

Section 7
Committees
Committees shall be created or dissolved as deemed necessary by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE FIVE:
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1
Nominations
Shall be taken from the general membership meetings prior to the election meeting.

Section 1
Elections
Shall be held at the discretion of the Board of Directors.  Advance notice of elections shall be given to the voting members at least two weeks prior to the nominations, unless it is an emergency election.  There shall be no absentee voting. Nominations will occur during the second general meeting and elections will occur during the following general meeting.  Secret ballots will be the method of election, and officers are elected by a 2/3 majority, and elections shall be held the end of the academic year.

ARTICLE SIX:
FACULTY ADVISOR

Section 1
The faculty advisor shall serve as a consultant to the Board of Directors and the club in general.  In addition, he/she shall serve as a liaison between CARE and the administration.  He or she shall be appointed by the Board of Directors.  The advisor’s term shall follow that of the academic year.  A faculty advisor is appointed the end of each academic year.

ARTICLE SEVEN:
AMENDMENTS

Section 1
The constitution may be amended at the discretion of the Board of Directors after desired revisions have been drafted, and shall be approved by a two-thirds majority of the voting members.

ARTICLE EIGHT:
HAZING AND HARASSMENT

Section 1
CARE agrees to adhere to the student guide and other laws, rules and regulations governing the University of Florida and its students.  Hazing by CARE members will be strictly prohibited.

Section2
No dues shall be required of any member.

Section 3
Members are free to leave and disassociate without fear of retribution or harassment..