MUUYACM Bylaws

Madison Unitarian Universalist Young Adult and Campus Ministry Bylaws
As adopted by membership, 9 February 2002

I. Who We Are

The Madison Unitarian Universalist Young Adult and
Campus Ministry (MUUYACM) is a worship-centered organization which
provides a spiritual home for young adults and students. We are not
age-exclusive, but are focused on the needs and experiences of people
aged 18 to 35 who wish to explore Unitarian Universalism.

II. Membership

A. Meaning. A member of MUUYACM has made an intentional decision to
be involved in the activities of the group.
B. Requirements. Membership is open to anyone who has attended two
MUUYACM events, such as worship services, business meetings, or
retreats, in the six-month period prior to becoming a member. To become
a member, one signs the membership book.
C. Renewal. One year after signing, a member may renew by stating
the intention to remain in membership. A member who does not state this
intention leaves membership, but is eligible to join again according to
the requirements in Section B. A member who wishes to remain in
membership must renew each year.

III. Steering Committee.
A. Meaning. A member of the Steering Committee has made an
intentional decision to be involved in planning activities for the
group. Steering Committee members are accountable to the members of
MUUYACM, to other members of the Steering Committee, and to the
Minister. Steering Committee members are invested in the future of
MUUYACM.
B. Requirements. Steering Committee membership is open to any
member of MUUYACM who has attended two Steering Committee meetings in
the six-month period prior to joining the Steering Committee. The
Co-Chairs shall maintain a list of Steering Committee members; to join
the Steering Committee, one tells a Co-Chair that one wishes to join.
C. Renewal. One year after joining the Steering Committee, a
Steering Committee member may renew by stating the intention to remain
in membership. A member who does not state this intention leaves the
Steering Committee, but is eligible to join again according to the
requirements in Section B. A member who wishes to remain on the Steering
Committee must renew each year
D. Expectations. Steering Committee members are expected to attend
meetings of the Steering Committee or to notify a co-chair of absences.
The Steering Committee may establish other expectations for its members.
E. Decision Making. The Steering Committee may determine its own
decision making process. If its members do not agree on a process,
decisions will be made by majority vote of the Steering Committee
members present at a meeting, except for certain matters as provided in
the Bylaws. A decision may only be made at a meeting when a good faith
effort has been made to publicize the meeting date, time, and location
to all Steering Committee members at least two weeks in advance.
F. Open Meetings. Steering Committee meetings are open to all
members of MUUYACM.
G. Removal. The Steering Committee may remove a Steering Committee
member who has shown a lack of accountability or a lack of respect for
the decision making process. A vote on removal requires that two-thirds
of current Steering Committee members be present. For such a motion to
pass, two-thirds of the Steering Committee members present must vote for
removal.

IV. Co-Chairs.
A. Meaning. The Co-Chairs are the elected leadership of MUUYACM.
They are accountable to the members of MUUYACM, to the Steering
Committee, to one another, and to the Minister.
B. Requirements and Duties. Two Co-Chairs are elected by the
membership of MUUYACM. The Co-Chairs are responsible for coordination of
the group's activities, including setting the agenda and facilitating at
Steering Committee meetings. They are also responsible, in conjunction
with the Steering Committee, for communication with other organizations.
Co-Chairs are members of the Steering Committee; the expectations which
apply to Steering Committee members also apply to Co-Chairs.
C. Terms. Co-Chairs are elected for a term which ends at the last
MUUYACM worship service or the last Steering Committee meeting in the
University of Wisconsin-Madison spring semester. The Steering Committee
may delay elections and the end of the Co-Chairs' term as needed.
D. Removal. To remove a co-chair, the Steering Committee must vote
according to the same process used to remove a Steering Committee
member. The membership of MUUYACM must then vote by a 2/3 majority of
active members present at a duly-called membership meeting to ratify the
removal.

V. Minister. The Minister, as understood in these Bylaws, is the
First Unitarian Society minister whose job description includes ministry
to MUUYACM.

VI. Decision Making.
A. Membership Meetings. A duly-called membership meeting is one
which is scheduled by the Co-Chairs and is publicized to the membership
at least two weeks in advance. A vote of the membership may only be
taken at a duly-called meeting. The publicity for the meeting must
include a list of votes to be taken.
B. Elections.
1. The Vote. Elections for co-chair are to be held by secret ballot
of the MUUYACM membership. They are to be held two weeks before the end
of the Co-Chairs' term, or as needed to fill a vacancy. Each member of
MUUYACM has as many votes as there are positions to fill but may vote
for each candidate only once. The person, or the two people, with the
largest number of votes, will win the election.
2. Ties. In the event of a tie between two or more candidates for
one of the Co-Chair positions, a second vote of active members shall be
taken immediately. The vote shall be taken from among the tied
candidates.
3. Repeat Ties. In the event that the second vote (see above)
produces another tie, the Steering Committee shall choose the Co-Chair
from among the tied candidates from the second vote.
C. Voting. An active member of MUUYACM is a member who has attended
at least two MUUYACM events in the previous six months. Only active
members are entitled to vote in an election, or in any other vote of the
membership. Members must be present during the vote in order to vote.
D. Authority.
1. Co-Chairs. The Co-Chairs, in ongoing collaboration with the
Minister, are empowered to make routine administrative decisions.
2. Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is empowered to
decide which activities MUUYACM will undertake, and to establish
policies and procedures which carry out the intent and purposes of these
Bylaws. The Steering Committee shall make these decisions in
collaboration with the Minister.
3. Membership. The membership of MUUYACM is empowered to establish
group positions on issues of concern to the wider community, and to
authorize the public use of MUUYACM's name or other actions regarding
such issues. Such positions or actions are authorized by a majority vote
of active MUUYACM members present at a duly-called membership meeting.
4. Override. The membership of MUUYACM may override any decision of
the Steering Committee by a 2/3 vote of active MUUYACM members present
at a duly-called membership meeting. The Co-Chairs must call a
membership meeting for this purpose as soon as reasonably possible upon
the request of at least three active MUUYACM members.

VII. Financial.
A. Covenant. Each year, the Steering Committee shall designate at
least two of its members to form a covenant with the Minister and the
MUUYACM Advisory Board regarding financial matters. The covenant should
describe, but is not limited to, how much money will be available for
MUUYACM to spend; the Minister's use of the authority to authorize
spending; and the Advisory Board's role in financial advising. The
Steering Committee members designated shall include both Co-Chairs; the
Steering Committee shall strive to include at least one other Steering
Committee member.
B. Decision Making. The Steering Committee is empowered to spend
the money available to MUUYACM according to its usual decision making
processes, except as provided in the next section. It may designate
funds to be available to the Co-Chairs or Minister for incidental or
operational expenses.
C. Large Expenditures. If a single decision would involve spending
more than ten percent of the money available to MUUYACM in a year, a
proposal to spend the money must be distributed to the members of the
Steering Committee at least one week in advance of the Steering
Committee meeting where the decision is to be made.

VIII. Reporting Relationships.
A. Activities. Twice a year, the Co-Chairs shall prepare a report
on MUUYACM's activities. The report shall be given to the Minister and
to the MUUYACM Advisory Board, and then to the First Unitarian Society
Board of Directors, and made available to other Unitarian Universalist
congregations in the Madison, Wisconsin, area. The report shall be made
available to the membership of MUUYACM.
B. Finances. Each year, the Co-Chairs shall prepare a report on
MUUYACM's finances. The report shall be made available to the members
of MUUYACM and to the MUUYACM Advisory Board.
IX. Amendments. These Bylaws may be amended upon approval from the
Steering Committee and the membership of MUUYACM. Steering Committee
approval requires that at least 2/3 of the Steering Committee members
present at a meeting vote to amend the Bylaws. At least 2/3 of the
members of the Steering Committee must be present at a meeting to hold
such a vote. Membership approval requires that 2/3 of the active members
of MUUYACM present at a duly-called membership meeting vote to amend the
Bylaws.