The Bryn Mawr College Hillel Constitution
Article I: Purpose
Bryn Mawr College Hillel is a student run organization whose purpose is to provide opportunities to explore and celebrate Judaism and Jewish culture, and to enrich the lives of the Bryn Mawr College community and its Jewish students. Such outlets may include, but are not limited to, the provision of religious services, the maintenance of a kosher kitchen, the sponsorship of educational events relating to Jewish issues, organization of Tikkun Olam (community service) events, and the support of events whose purpose is to bring together Jewish students on campus in a social environment focused on Jewish culture. Bryn Mawr College Hillel will endeavor to address the needs of Jewish students on campus and to encourage a sense of community between them by being pluralistic, welcoming, and inclusive.
Article II: Membership
All students are invited to attend events and become members of Bryn Mawr College Hillel.
Clause 1: Active Membership
All Bryn Mawr College students are welcome to become members of Bryn Mawr Hillel. An active member is defined as a student who has attended at least one Bryn Mawr Hillel event during that academic year. In cases of extended absence from campus, active membership is determined by the last semester that the student was on campus.
Article III: Executive Board and Officers
The officers of Hillel will serve as leaders in the entire Jewish community. All the officers of Hillel are expected to assist in event planning. All officers of Hillel are expected to assist in event planning and execution of Hillel events. In addition, each board member is expected to conceive and execute one non-Friday night Shabbat event (of any variety) per semester, except the Kehilah Chair, who is responsible for 3 events per semester. The board may create new positions as the need arises. The officers of the Hillel Board and their duties are as follows:
President: The president’s duties include leading board meetings, working with the Rabbinic Adviser on Jewish programming, serving as liaison between the Hillel board and the various offices of the college affecting Jewish life, and overseeing all Hillel events. They will additionally maintain contact with the board and the members of Hillel. . The President will also do everything in their power to ensure that the mission statement is upheld. Candidacy for president is restricted to those who have served before on the Hillel Executive Board.
Vice President: The Vice President shall preside over meetings and take executive responsibility in the president’s absence. They can and should mediate between members of the Executive Board. They will provide feedback and oversight to make sure that Executive Board members fulfill their responsibilities and make sure that events are running as smoothly as possible. In addition, The Vice president should assist the president in any way they can. The Vice President also has the task of delegating a rotation of responsibilities for board members at each event, ensuring that at least one board member arrives early to set up and schmooze, and at least one member oversees clean-up.
Treasurer: The treasurer manages the finances of Hillel, creates the budget in the fall and spring before the academic semester during which the treasurer serves, and works with the SGA, AMO, and Hillel of Greater Philadelphia to determine and oversee the overall budget of Bryn Mawr College Hillel. The treasurer will also bring a copy of an updated budget to the first board meeting of each month as well as write grants and keep track of reimbursements.
Communications Chair: The communications chair serves a multi-faceted role which may include taking notes at board meetings and managing all publicity for Hillel events. The Communications chair takes responsibility for a Hillel website, maintaining a current contact list, maintaining social media and the Hillel website, and writing weekly emails. The Communications chair may also serve as archivist, and is in charge of all communication between Bryn Mawr and other institutions.
Kehilah Social Chair: The Kehilah Social Chair is in charge of organizing the Hillel community, searching for opportunities for civic engagement, and leading social gatherings and cultural events. The Kehilah Chair is responsible for hosting 3 events per semester. The Kehilah Social Chair will also serve as the point person for the Social Action Committee.
Junior Treasurer: The Junior Treasurer will train under the Treasurer and assist the Treasurer in their duties. The Junior Treasurer will assume the role of Treasurer in the beginning of the following semester if the current Treasurer is not running for re-election. If the current Treasurer is running for re-election the Junior Treasurer can opt to continue their role as Junior Treasurer for the following year until the next special election in the Spring Semester. The Junior Treasurer is allowed to serve as Junior Treasurer for consecutive years. To be eligible for this position, the Junior Treasurer must be able to serve as treasurer the following year (i.e. not a senior, not intending to study away)
First Year Students of Hillel (FYSH) Coordinator: The FYSH coordinator, will be a first year student in charge of reaching out to all other first year students interested in participating in Hillel. It will be their duty to plan events and activities geared towards welcoming students and making them feel comfortable in their new environment. The FYSH coordinator will work with the other Executive Board Members to make this possible. They will also work with all other Hillel Executive Board members to develop their leadership skills within the Jewish community.
Rabbinic Advisor: The role of the Rabbinic Advisor is to assist the board religiously and spiritually in order to fulfill the mission statement and to encourage positive participation from the Jewish community. The executive board emphasizes that the Rabbinic Advisor will maintain constant open communication with the board regarding any and all actions pertaining to Bryn Mawr College Hillel. Bryn Mawr College was founded on the principle of self-governance, and therefore the Rabbinic Advisor mainly acts as a resource to connect Bryn Mawr College Hillel to Hillel of Greater Philadelphia.
Clause i: Attendance and Communication
Executive Board members are expected to attend the majority of all events. In the case of an absence, it is the responsibility of the absent board member to alert the entire board at least 24 hours in advance. In the case of an emergency, personal or otherwise, open communication should be maintained with the Executive Board, but of course absences in this instance are accepted. In the rare case that an Executive Board Member is unable to fulfill their responsibility, communication will be held in conjunction with appropriate action.
Executive Board members are expected to attend weekly board meetings as well as the majority of all events. If a board member’s attendance becomes a concern, the President and/or Rabbinic Advisor will discuss the attendance issue with the board member in order to raise concern and inquire about the reason for the absences, and it is up to their discretion as to what next steps will be taken. A board member may be asked to step down due to frequent unexcused absences.
Clause ii: Semesterly Meetings
The Executive Board will meet at the beginning of the academic year to define responsibilities for each board member as well as to establish the communication styles, conflict resolution methods, and other logistics and guidelines specific to that year’s board members. The board will then revisit these guidelines at the beginning of the spring semester and make changes as needed. The President, Vice President, and Rabbinic Advisor will lead these meetings.
Article IV: Elections and Appointments
Clause i: Executive Board Elections
Candidates must state their intention to run for an Executive Board Position at least 24 hours before Elections. Candidates must email the positions they intend to run for to the Rabbinic advisor. If candidates fail to do so before 24 hours in advance, they will be unable to run for a position on the executive board unless the position would be otherwise uncontested. If the position is uncontested the Rabbinic advisor must email to the Hillel Community that the position is uncontested and ask for students to run for that role. Students will be given up to one hour before elections to declare their candidacy via email to the Rabbinic advisor for an uncontested position.
Candidates are not allowed to spend money on their campaign
Elections are drop down. Before each election candidates must give a short declaration of interest of why they would be best for this position. First the President is elected, then the Vice President, then the Treasurer, then the Communications chair, then the Kehilah Social Chair. Candidates are allowed to run for one additional position if they are not elected to the position that they declared. For example, a candidate may declare their candidacy for President, then may run for one of the following positions: Vice President, Treasurer or Communications Chair.
One term of office is one school year. In the case of an officer’s need to resign, a replacement officer will be elected for the remainder of that term. In the case of a co-position resigning, the board will hold a discussion as to the necessity of a replacement. Anyone planning a leave of absence should notify the board immediately so that a replacement may be found. Elections are to be held toward the end of the spring semester, with additional elections as needed. Officers must be elected by a simple majority of the Hillel members physically present at the meeting when the elections are held. Votes will be tallied by private election. Any active member may be nominated for office in Hillel. All board positions should be filled.
Article V: Meetings
Hillel board meetings are to be held at the discretion of the board—with a preference for weekly meetings—and will discuss all topics pertinent to Bryn Mawr College Hillel. All board meetings are open unless otherwise specified by the board.
Article VI: Committees
As of Spring 2017, Hillel has created a Social Justice Committee who will read Jewish political theory and participate in civic engagement.
The board may create other committees as the need arises.
Article VII: Anti-discrimination policy
This student organization does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or any other protected status.
Article VIII: Ratification and Amendments:
The board will meet to revise and amend the constitution by their simple majority vote. Following this meeting, the Hillel community will be given the updated constitution. At elections the community will propose and vote on any additional amendments by simple majority. The constitution will then be ratified by simple majority of Hillel members present at elections.
Bryn Mawr College Hillel is a student run organization whose purpose is to provide opportunities to explore and celebrate Judaism and Jewish culture, and to enrich the lives of the Bryn Mawr College community and its Jewish students. Such outlets may include, but are not limited to, the provision of religious services, the maintenance of a kosher kitchen, the sponsorship of educational events relating to Jewish issues, organization of Tikkun Olam (community service) events, and the support of events whose purpose is to bring together Jewish students on campus in a social environment focused on Jewish culture. Bryn Mawr College Hillel will endeavor to address the needs of Jewish students on campus and to encourage a sense of community between them by being pluralistic, welcoming, and inclusive.
Article II: Membership
All students are invited to attend events and become members of Bryn Mawr College Hillel.
Clause 1: Active Membership
All Bryn Mawr College students are welcome to become members of Bryn Mawr Hillel. An active member is defined as a student who has attended at least one Bryn Mawr Hillel event during that academic year. In cases of extended absence from campus, active membership is determined by the last semester that the student was on campus.
Article III: Executive Board and Officers
The officers of Hillel will serve as leaders in the entire Jewish community. All the officers of Hillel are expected to assist in event planning. All officers of Hillel are expected to assist in event planning and execution of Hillel events. In addition, each board member is expected to conceive and execute one non-Friday night Shabbat event (of any variety) per semester, except the Kehilah Chair, who is responsible for 3 events per semester. The board may create new positions as the need arises. The officers of the Hillel Board and their duties are as follows:
President: The president’s duties include leading board meetings, working with the Rabbinic Adviser on Jewish programming, serving as liaison between the Hillel board and the various offices of the college affecting Jewish life, and overseeing all Hillel events. They will additionally maintain contact with the board and the members of Hillel. . The President will also do everything in their power to ensure that the mission statement is upheld. Candidacy for president is restricted to those who have served before on the Hillel Executive Board.
Vice President: The Vice President shall preside over meetings and take executive responsibility in the president’s absence. They can and should mediate between members of the Executive Board. They will provide feedback and oversight to make sure that Executive Board members fulfill their responsibilities and make sure that events are running as smoothly as possible. In addition, The Vice president should assist the president in any way they can. The Vice President also has the task of delegating a rotation of responsibilities for board members at each event, ensuring that at least one board member arrives early to set up and schmooze, and at least one member oversees clean-up.
Treasurer: The treasurer manages the finances of Hillel, creates the budget in the fall and spring before the academic semester during which the treasurer serves, and works with the SGA, AMO, and Hillel of Greater Philadelphia to determine and oversee the overall budget of Bryn Mawr College Hillel. The treasurer will also bring a copy of an updated budget to the first board meeting of each month as well as write grants and keep track of reimbursements.
Communications Chair: The communications chair serves a multi-faceted role which may include taking notes at board meetings and managing all publicity for Hillel events. The Communications chair takes responsibility for a Hillel website, maintaining a current contact list, maintaining social media and the Hillel website, and writing weekly emails. The Communications chair may also serve as archivist, and is in charge of all communication between Bryn Mawr and other institutions.
Kehilah Social Chair: The Kehilah Social Chair is in charge of organizing the Hillel community, searching for opportunities for civic engagement, and leading social gatherings and cultural events. The Kehilah Chair is responsible for hosting 3 events per semester. The Kehilah Social Chair will also serve as the point person for the Social Action Committee.
Junior Treasurer: The Junior Treasurer will train under the Treasurer and assist the Treasurer in their duties. The Junior Treasurer will assume the role of Treasurer in the beginning of the following semester if the current Treasurer is not running for re-election. If the current Treasurer is running for re-election the Junior Treasurer can opt to continue their role as Junior Treasurer for the following year until the next special election in the Spring Semester. The Junior Treasurer is allowed to serve as Junior Treasurer for consecutive years. To be eligible for this position, the Junior Treasurer must be able to serve as treasurer the following year (i.e. not a senior, not intending to study away)
First Year Students of Hillel (FYSH) Coordinator: The FYSH coordinator, will be a first year student in charge of reaching out to all other first year students interested in participating in Hillel. It will be their duty to plan events and activities geared towards welcoming students and making them feel comfortable in their new environment. The FYSH coordinator will work with the other Executive Board Members to make this possible. They will also work with all other Hillel Executive Board members to develop their leadership skills within the Jewish community.
Rabbinic Advisor: The role of the Rabbinic Advisor is to assist the board religiously and spiritually in order to fulfill the mission statement and to encourage positive participation from the Jewish community. The executive board emphasizes that the Rabbinic Advisor will maintain constant open communication with the board regarding any and all actions pertaining to Bryn Mawr College Hillel. Bryn Mawr College was founded on the principle of self-governance, and therefore the Rabbinic Advisor mainly acts as a resource to connect Bryn Mawr College Hillel to Hillel of Greater Philadelphia.
Clause i: Attendance and Communication
Executive Board members are expected to attend the majority of all events. In the case of an absence, it is the responsibility of the absent board member to alert the entire board at least 24 hours in advance. In the case of an emergency, personal or otherwise, open communication should be maintained with the Executive Board, but of course absences in this instance are accepted. In the rare case that an Executive Board Member is unable to fulfill their responsibility, communication will be held in conjunction with appropriate action.
Executive Board members are expected to attend weekly board meetings as well as the majority of all events. If a board member’s attendance becomes a concern, the President and/or Rabbinic Advisor will discuss the attendance issue with the board member in order to raise concern and inquire about the reason for the absences, and it is up to their discretion as to what next steps will be taken. A board member may be asked to step down due to frequent unexcused absences.
Clause ii: Semesterly Meetings
The Executive Board will meet at the beginning of the academic year to define responsibilities for each board member as well as to establish the communication styles, conflict resolution methods, and other logistics and guidelines specific to that year’s board members. The board will then revisit these guidelines at the beginning of the spring semester and make changes as needed. The President, Vice President, and Rabbinic Advisor will lead these meetings.
Article IV: Elections and Appointments
Clause i: Executive Board Elections
Candidates must state their intention to run for an Executive Board Position at least 24 hours before Elections. Candidates must email the positions they intend to run for to the Rabbinic advisor. If candidates fail to do so before 24 hours in advance, they will be unable to run for a position on the executive board unless the position would be otherwise uncontested. If the position is uncontested the Rabbinic advisor must email to the Hillel Community that the position is uncontested and ask for students to run for that role. Students will be given up to one hour before elections to declare their candidacy via email to the Rabbinic advisor for an uncontested position.
Candidates are not allowed to spend money on their campaign
Elections are drop down. Before each election candidates must give a short declaration of interest of why they would be best for this position. First the President is elected, then the Vice President, then the Treasurer, then the Communications chair, then the Kehilah Social Chair. Candidates are allowed to run for one additional position if they are not elected to the position that they declared. For example, a candidate may declare their candidacy for President, then may run for one of the following positions: Vice President, Treasurer or Communications Chair.
One term of office is one school year. In the case of an officer’s need to resign, a replacement officer will be elected for the remainder of that term. In the case of a co-position resigning, the board will hold a discussion as to the necessity of a replacement. Anyone planning a leave of absence should notify the board immediately so that a replacement may be found. Elections are to be held toward the end of the spring semester, with additional elections as needed. Officers must be elected by a simple majority of the Hillel members physically present at the meeting when the elections are held. Votes will be tallied by private election. Any active member may be nominated for office in Hillel. All board positions should be filled.
Article V: Meetings
Hillel board meetings are to be held at the discretion of the board—with a preference for weekly meetings—and will discuss all topics pertinent to Bryn Mawr College Hillel. All board meetings are open unless otherwise specified by the board.
Article VI: Committees
As of Spring 2017, Hillel has created a Social Justice Committee who will read Jewish political theory and participate in civic engagement.
The board may create other committees as the need arises.
Article VII: Anti-discrimination policy
This student organization does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or any other protected status.
Article VIII: Ratification and Amendments:
The board will meet to revise and amend the constitution by their simple majority vote. Following this meeting, the Hillel community will be given the updated constitution. At elections the community will propose and vote on any additional amendments by simple majority. The constitution will then be ratified by simple majority of Hillel members present at elections.
