Bylaws of the MacGregor House Committee

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Article Table of Contents

• I. General
• II. Meetings
• III. Elections
• IV. Loss of Membership
• V. Referenda
• VI. Amendemnts
• VII. House Room Assignments
• VIII. Room Searches

These Bylaws shall be the operating procedure of the MacGregor House Committee.

ARTICLE II - MEETINGS

SECTION 1. REGULAR MEETINGS

Regular meetings of the House Committee shall be held weekly at 10pm Wednesday in the main lounge of each entry on a rotating basis, beginning with A entry each term, when school is in session, unless a diffeent time and place is fixed by the House Committee. If a majority of the voting members wish to cancel a meeting, they may do so by filing a written request with the House President.

SECTION 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS

Special meetings of the House Committee may be called by the House President, or upon request of any four voting members. Notice of special meetings shall be given by the House Secretary to all voting members of the House Committee at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

SECTION 3. CLOSED MEETINGS

All regular and special meetings of the House Committee shall be open to all persons unless declared closed to all except voting memers of the Committee or their proxies by a two-thirds vote of the Committee. No business may be transacted or votes taken in a closed session; only discussion my occur.

SECTION 4. QUORUM

A quorum shall consist of one-half of the voting members of the House Committee or their proxies. If it is found that a quorum is not present, the meeting may be held, but no business may be transacted and no votes may be taken.

SECTION 5. PROXIES

Only an Entry Chair may send a proxy to any meeting of the House Committee. The proxies must present written authorization to the Secretary before they may assume their seats. No proxy shall fulfill the duties fo any officer in the absence of that officer, or transfer this proxy to another person. Proxies must be residents of the entry they represent, and they shll have the full privileges of an Entry Chair during the meeting for which they have been authorized.

SECTION 6. SUSPENSION OF THE BYLAWS

Any portion of the Bylaws may be suspended at any meeting of the House Committee by a two thirds affirmative vote, such suspension to be in effect for not longer than the considerstion of a particular question.

SECTION 7. ORDER OF SUCESSION TO THE CHAIR

In the event of the absence of the President, the following shall be the order fo sucession to the chair: Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary. In the event that no officer of the House Committee is present, the meeting shall be canceled.

SECTION 8. ROLL CALL VOTES

Roll call votes shall be taken on all amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws, or when requested by any voting member of the House Committee. Roll call votes shall be taken alphabetically, with the presiding officer voting last.

SECTION 9. ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

The Organizational Meeting of the House Committee shall be held annually on the first Sunday of the Spring Semester. At this meeting the outgoing President shall call the meeting to order and the outgoing Secretary shall record the minutes. The outgoing Treasurer shall present the final report, in writing. Each Committee chair and the Secretary shall present in writing an itemized report of their expenses during the last budget period. The Secretary's report shall also include a listing of all amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws since the preceding Presidential election. All old business shall be transacted. Then the meeting shall be turned over to the President and elections shall prodceed in the following order: Secretary, Treasurer, members of the Judicial Committee, and UA Representative. All other offices shall be placed for election in alphabetical order. In these elections the voting shall be counted by the Secretary. Nominees must be present to be elected. The House Committee may, by majority vote, postpone any of these elections until the succeeding House Committee meeting.

SECTION 10. TABLING OF MOTIONS

Any motion shall be postponed definitely to the following meeting at the request of two boting members of the House Committee unless overridden by a three-quarters roll call vote of the voting members of the House Committee present at the meeting. This section of the Bylaws shall not be invoked more than twice for any one motion.

The purpose of this section shall be to allow Entry Chairs to discuss the proposed motion with members of their entry.

SECTION 11. DELAYING OF MOTIONS

Implementation of a motion approved by the House Committee may be delayed at the request of a voting member of the House Committee (for a period not to exceed 72 hours) for the purpose of allowing time for that individual to complete a formal referendum petition as per House Constitution.

If a proper petition is not submitted to the House President within 72 hours of the delay request, action may be completed on the motion as approved. Should a proper petition be submitted in time, all action on the motion shall be suspended pending the result of the referendum.

If the referendum fails to strike down the motion, the motion may be implemented as approved. a secondary delay cannot be granted.

The request for a delaly may be overridden, if, at the discretion of the President (and with the concurrence of the Vice-President), the motion constituted an emergency measure that required immediate action. This override would not preclude the formation of a referendum petition; it only has the power to deny a delay request.

ARTICLE III - ELECTIONS

SECTION 1. PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT

The President and Vice President shall be elected annually on the first Tuesday of December. Caondidates for these offices must be sophomores or juniors on the day of the election. Nominations for these positions shall be made by petition, to be signed by 20 percent of the residents of the House. Petitions shall be obtained from the Secretary beginning on the second Wednesday of November.

In order for the candidate's name to be placed on the ballot, the petition must be given to the Secretary not later than 56 hours before the voting begins. The Secretary shall post the petition cover sheets at the place of voting 24 hours before voting is to begin. Polls will be open from 8am to 7pm. No ballots shall be counted until the polls have closed.

SECTION 2. LOW-RISE-MEMBER-AT-LARGE

The Low-Rise-Member-at-Large shall be elected annually on the third Tuesday of the second semester. Nomination shall be made by petition, to be signed by 20 percent of the residents of the Low-Rise, defined as entries F, G, H, & J. All candidates must be a resident of the Low-Rise. All other procedures are as outlined above, Section 1.

SECTION 3. ENTRY OFFICERS

One Entry Chair shall be elected annually from each entry of MacGregor House at a time to be decided by the entry.

SECTION 4. ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

For each election, the President shall appoint an Election Committee, composed of the Secretary as Chair and up to seven other residents who are not candidates for office. The Election Committee shall post the candidates' statements on the official bullitain board at least 24 hours before the election. No candidate for office may sit at the polling place. Violation by candidates will result in forfiture of their candidacy. Candidates or their representatives may watch the tabulation of the votes. The Elections Committee shall post the result on the official bullitain board immediately after tabulation. The results posted shall include a listing of all candidates who recieved at least two first place votes.

SECTION 5. RECOUNTS

All ballots cast in an election shall be kept by the House Secretary for 10 school days during which time 10 percent of the qualified voters in the election may request a recount in the joint presence of themselves and the House Committee. If it is determined by the House Committee that a violation of the election procedures outlined in these Bylaws has occurred, the election shall be held again.

SECTION 6. VACANCIES

Vacancies shall be filled by elections to be held as soon as possible after an elective position is bacated. These elections shall be held in accordace with the established procedures. Vacancies in appointive positons shall be filled by Presidentioa appointment. All vacancies shall be filled only for the unexpired terms of office. The President shall declare an election to be held no later than May 10 if it is known that an elected officer will not be returning to the House for the fall semester.

SECTION 7. THE PREFERENTIAL SYSTEM

The ballots in all House elections shall be marked, counted and tabulated according to the preferential system, as follows:

1. All ballots shall be marked with a (1), (2), (3), or as many preferences as the voter chooses to indicate. (1) shall indicate the voters' first choice, (2) his or her second, and so forth, except that a single (X) or ( /) shall be considered a (1) vote.
2. Before tabulation, the total number of ballots cast shall be ascertained.
3. During tabulation, all ballots shall be distributed according to first place votes indicated tereon and the candidates crdited with as many first place votes as he or she has first place ballots. If any candidate has a majority of the total votes cast, including void votes, that candidate is elected.
4. All candidates having less than 5 percent of the total first place ballots shall be dropped after the initial tabulation, and his or her first place ballots shall be distributed to the second choices indicated. If any candidate has a majority of the total votes cast, that candidate is elected.
5. If no candidate has a majority, the lowest candidate shall be dropped, and the next consecutive choice indicated on his or her ballot shall be credited with a vote. If any candidate now has a mojority of the total votes cast, that candidate is elected.
6. If no candidate has a majority of the votes cast, this distribution process shall continue until some candidate has a majority, or there are only two candidates remaining. In the event where two candidates remain without a mojority, the candidate with the larger number of votes is elected, unless there is a tie, in which case the candidate with the greater number of first choice votes is elected.
7. If the two remaining candidates in (6.) are also tied on the original count, each shall be credited with two points for each first place vote he or she possess and one point for each second place vote he or she has recieved through the distributions; the tied candidate with the larger number of points is elected.
8. If, at any time before the final stage, there is a tie among the lowest candidates, the tied candidate who has the lowest number of first place votes shall be dropped first. If there is also a tie on first place votes, both candidates shall be dropped simultaneously.
9. No more than one candidate shall be dropped at any time, except as provided in (4.) and (8.)
10. If more than one peson is to be elected to the same office, or a vice-officer is to be elected, all other candidates shall be returned to the count and the process begun again, with the majority remaining the same. The second choices on the first place ballots of the person elected shall be distributed first.
11. Ballots shall be considered void if the preferences indicated have been exhausted in the distributions.
12. Void votes shall be deleted from the ballot and higher number votes renumbered accordingly.
13. Ballots shall be considered void at and beyond any point of discontinuity in the indication of preferences. All ballots to be valid must indicate a first choice. Ballots giving first preference to a choice other than (1) shall be void, except that a single (X) or ( /) shall be considered a (1) vote.

SECTION 8. TERMS

The term "elected by House Committee" and similar terms shall be defined as an election by the voting members of the House Committee. Also, the term "a vote of the House Committee" and similar terms shall be defined as a vote of the voting members of the House Committee.

ARTICLE IV - LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. HOUSE OFFICERS

The President and the Vice-President may be challenged by a majority of the House Committee. A hearing shall take place within two weeks, scheduled and presided over by the Judicial Committee Chair. At least a quorum of the House Committee must be present at the hearing. The House officer may be removed form office at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the House Committee after the hearing by a vote of three-fourths of the entire voting membership, by secret ballot, of the House Committee.

SECTION 2. NON-VOTING OFFICERS

The non-voting officers may be challenged by a majority vote of the voting members of the House Committee. They may be removed from office by a vote of three-fifths, by secret ballot, of the House Committee.

SECTION 3. RECALL OF VOTING MEMBERS

1. No voting member may be removed from office untila period of four weeks has elapsed since his or her election.
2. Residents must present to the Secretary a petition signed by at least one-half of the constituency of the voting member being recalled. The petition must bear the reason(s) for the recall.
3. Within three school days of the presentation of such a petition, the Secretary shall announce the election for the position in the entries concerned. The procedures described in Article II, Section 2, of these Bylaws shall apply to this election, with the following exceptions:

   (a) The name of the incumbent voting member shall be placed on the ballot auto matically; he or she need not obtain a nominating petition.

   (b) At least one week and no more than three weeks shall elapse between the start of the recall procedure and the election of a new voting member.

   (c) The voting member in question shall remain such throughout the proceedings.

ARTICLE V - REFERENDA

The Referendum Committee specified in the Constitution shall conduct all referenda, and the procedure related thereto. The Referendum Committee must conduct the reerendum within 10 school days after the presentation of the petition to the President. Five school days prior toa the referendum the Committee shall distribute to the residents of the House a sheet containing all information pertinent to the procedural aspects of the referendum. This sheet must be approved for distribution by three-fourths of the members of the Referendum Committee, who shall indicate their approval by signing the final draft. Thereafter, each side may publish its view on the question at hand, but such publications shall be reviewed by the entire Referendum Committee. The Committee shall perpare the ballots used in teh referendum, and shall count and tabulate the results. The ballot shall clearly state the question being voted on. The question shall be considered passed if there is a simple majority vote in favor of it, and at least 50 percent of teh residents of the House have voted in the referendum. The House Committee shall not have the power to reverse the referendum.

ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS

An amendment to these Bylaws must by proposed in writing and in the exact wording in which it is to be incorporated. A two-thirds affirmative vote by roll call is required for passage.

ARTICLE VII - HOUSE ROOM ASSIGNMENTS

SECTION 1. GENERAL

The method of assigning rooms within each entry shall be decided upon by that entry. An individual may transfer to another entry only with the consent of that entry. All openings appearing at the beginning of the year shall be filled by incoming freshmen or such upper-classmen as may be newly assigned to the House.

SECTION 2. ENTRY ASSIGNMENTS

After visiting all entries and given equal chance at all, all freshmen and newly assigned upperclassmen (hereafter referred to as new residents) shall fill out a preference card prepared by the Room Assignments Chair that clearly explains the location and gender of each entry. The new residents must rank all entries, in order of preference, (1) being the highest. Failure to fill out a preference card results in random entry assignment, after regular assignmants have been completed. All preference cards will be collected and brought to the Room Assignments Meeting. This meeting consists of two representatives from each entry, the House Officers, and the Room Assignments Chair (RAC). Freshmen will be assigned entries as follows:

1. The total number of preference cards shall be determined.
2. Each entry shall recieve all cards with that entry ranked first. For a given gender, if the entry has more first choices than it has available rooms, that entry may choose the new residents it wishes from among those first choices. After making all choices, unchosen cards are to be returned to the RAC for the next round. If an entry has more available rooms than first choices, it must accept all first choices, and wait for the next round.
3. After all new residents are either assigned their first choice entry, or their cards have been passed back to the RAC, he shall ascertain that all cards are accounted for, and then distribute cards to the entry ranked second with remaining rooms. If the entry marked second has no availible rooms, the RAC shall hold those cards for the third round. As before, if an entry has more second choices than remaining available rooms, it may choose from among those choices, and unchosen cards are to be returned to the RAC. If an entry has more rooms than second choices, it must accept those choices, and wait for the third round.
4. This procedure is to continue until all new residents have been assigned and entry.

SECTION 3. SPECIAL ROOMS

1. The 222 and 223 rooms of A, B, C, and D entries, and the 112 and 113 rooms of E entry are designated special rooms. Special rooms shall be made available for occupancy by such paraplegics as need room assignments in MacGregor.
2. If there is only one special room vacant during a change of room assignments in that entry, any paraplegics assignment to that room shall supercede the entry assignment.
3. If there are several rooms vacant, any entry with a vacant special room may, by request have the assignment of the special room determined by random selection.
4. If there are no special rooms vacant, one special room, in an entry with vacant rooms, shall be randomly selected from these special rooms where the occupant has spent less than two semesters, and shall be assigned to the paraplegic. The resident of that special room at the time of selection shall be required to move to another room in that entry, that room to be determined by the entry.
5. Should no special room become available as a result of applying paragraph 4., a special room within an entry with a vacant room shall be made available to any paraplegic by the assignment of the present occupant to another room in the entry, the present occupant to be designated by the House Committee.

SECTION 4. CROWDING

In the unfortunate event that MacGregor is required to be crowded, freshmen will be assigned to crowded rooms in the following manner:

1. Freshmen will be allowed to volunteer for crowded rooms on their housing preference cards.
2. If more than the required number of freshmen volunteer for crowded rooms, the required number will be selected at random from the volunteers to form the "crowding pool." Students in the crowding pool will be assigned to entries following the procedure outlined above, administered before the regular assignments proceedings.
3. Freshmen who have not volunteered to be crowded will be assigned to entries, by the procedure above.
4. Students within each entry will be assigned to fill the crowding pool using a lottery administered by the Room Assignments Chair.
5. Each entry chair will assign rooms, but students in the crowding pool must be placed in crowded rooms.

SECTION 5. DECROWDING

The MacGregor policy is to decrowd rooms as quickly as possible, in the following manner:

1. When a vacancy opens within the House, it will be designated as male, female, or neutral according to the make-up of the remainder of the suite. A student is considered eligible for that room if he or she is of the required sex and living in a crowded room.
2. An eligible freshman living alone in a crowded room must move into a vacancy.
3. If the vacancy has not been filled by (2.), and an empty single is in an entry with crowded rooms, the Room Assignments Chair will notify eligible freshmen in that entry of its availability. These freshmen will have 24 hours to choose to enter a lottery for that room.
4. If the vacancy has not been filled by (3.), the RAC will notify all eligible freshmen of its availability. These freshmen will have 24 hours to choose to enter a lottery for that room.
5. If the vacancy has not been filled by (4.), all eligible freshmen will be entered into a lottery for that room.
6. A student selected by any of the above lotteries must move into the vacancy, and within 48 hours of notification. This student may choose not to do so, but will be placed on the end of the rooming list for the Fall Semester of the next year, and will not be assigned a room until all incoming freshmen have been assigned according to the policy outlined above. This room assignment will be random among the appropriate rooms remaining vacant after the freshman assignments have been completed.

ARTICLE VIII - ROOM SEARCHES

SECTION 1. POLICY

It shall be the policy of the MacGregor House Committee that room searches should be used only as a last resort after all other reasonable means of solving the problem involved have been explored.

SECTION 2. AUTHORIZATION

All room searches must be agreed upon by a majority of the Judicial Committee.

SECTION 3. PROCEDURE

Room searches must be conducted in the presence of: 1. Either a Dean, a Campus Police Officer, or the faculty resident, and 2. Either the Entry Chair or the tutor of the entry being searched, and 3. One Judicial Committee member.

No one else shall be involved in room searches.