Lovett College

The Constituion and By-Laws

(March 2005)
THE CONSTITUTION OF LOVETT COLLEGE

PREAMBLE

The members of Lovett College establish this Constitution as the framework by which their common activities shall contribute to the quality of university experience within the spirit of the College system, and by which the rights and liberties of each individual shall be protected.

ARTICLE I. Name and Membership

Section 1. Name.

The name of this organization is Edgar Odell Lovett College, in honor of the first President of Rice University.

Section 2. Student membership.

The membership of Lovett College is determined by the College Masters in joint session and drawn from the undergraduate student body of Rice University.

Section 3. Master.

The Master is appointed by the Administration of Rice University.

Section 4. Resident Associates.

The Resident Associates are appointed by the Master with the advice of the Central Committee.

Section 5. Faculty, Community, and University Associates.

The Associates are appointed by the Master with the advice of the Associates Coordinator(s).

ARTICLE II. The Executive and Legislative Body

Section 1. Name and Composition.

The executive and legislative body of Lovett College shall be called the Central Committee. This body shall consist of College offices bearing the following titles:

• President
• Vice-President
• Secretary
• Chief Justice
• Academic Coordinator
• Activities Coordinator
• Associates Coordinator
• Cultural Coordinator
• Outreach Coordinator
• Properties Coordinator
• Social Coordinator
• Member-at-Large
• Freshman Representative
• Off-Campus Representatives (2)

Section 2. Meetings and Voting.

A quorum shall consist of nine offices (the presence of one officeholder constitutes the presence of that office). All meetings, including the place, date, and time set by the President, shall be announced to the College membership in advance. All meetings shall be open except those designated otherwise by the President. No official votes may be taken at a closed meeting. Each office of the Committee shall have one vote.

Section 3. Powers and Duties.

By a majority vote of those members present, the Central Committee shall:

a. Develop a program of action for the current school year and suggest programs for succeeding administrations.

b. Approve a tentative budget within the first month after changeover (installation of newly elected officers).

c. Subsequently outline necessary budgetary changes in harmony with the needs of the College.

d. Approve the fee structure to be paid my members of the College within the first month after changeover.

e. Approve or deny all expenditures over $100 and review all expenditures at every open meeting.

f. By a two-thirds vote of those members present, approve or deny all expenditures over $500.

g. Enact legislation governing conduct of the College membership and mechanisms of College Government operation.

h. Approve or deny Presidential appointments according to the Provisions of Article V, Section 3.

i. After approval by the Master, approve or deny the use of College facilities by groups working on non-Lovett College functions.

j. With the approval of any office involved, have the power to delegate specific constitutional duties to appointed officers.

k. Have the power to require equal amounts of service to the College by all new students.

l. Take action on matters which concern the general College welfare.

Section 4: Conflicts of Interest

Those with a budget and/or voting powers on the Central Committee must declare any and all possible conflicts of interest to the Central Committee prior to any votes or monetary gifts.

ARTICLE III. The Judicial Body

Section 1. Name.

The name of the judicial body of Lovett College shall be the Lovett College Court.

Section 2. Composition.

The College Court shall consist of the Chief Justice and four to seven Associate Justices

a. Chief Justice. The Chief Justice shall be elected by the College Membership as specified in Article IV of this Constitution.

b. Associate Justices.

1. The Associate Justices shall be appointed by a committee consisting of the incoming and outgoing Chief Justices and two committee members appointed by the incoming President.

2. Each of the Associate Justices shall be a sophomore, junior or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth year student) at the time of their appointment in the Spring.

3. No Justice may be on any kind of probation nor hold any other elected office in the College government.

Section 3. Powers and duties.

a. Judicial Review. The College Court shall interpret this Constitution and all College legislation.

b. Trial function. The Court shall determine, as specified in Section 4 of this Article, the guilt or innocence of all College members accused of violations of Lovett College or University rules. The Court shall also assess penalties for College members found guilty of such violations.

Section 4. Court Procedure.

a. Code of Judicial Procedure. All hearings shall be conducted in accordance with the Rice University Code of Judicial Procedure as it is from time to time amended by the University.

b. Jurisdiction.

The College Court shall have original jurisdiction over complaints against Lovett College members regarding:

1.Violation of Lovett College rules.

2.Violation of University Rules whose violation does not have significant consequences for the entire student body nor for the University as a whole.

c. Accusation.

1. Any accusation against a College member shall be written and signed by the complainant and submitted to a Justice.

2. After receiving an accusation, the Court may hold a hearing, investigate further, or take no action. The accused shall be notified in each case.

3. The Court shall notify the College Master of the filing of any accusation.

d. Pleas.

1. After notification from the Court that a hearing will be held, the accused has twenty-four hours to enter a plea. He or she may enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or guilty with extenuating circumstances.

2. Failure to enter a plea within twenty-four hours will be taken by the Court as a plea of guilty.

e. Hearings.

1. At least three Justices must be present to begin a hearing.

2. The accused has certain rights during a hearing, including the following:

a. To appear in person at the hearing.

b. To appear with a person chosen from the Rice community by the accused. Such a person may act as counsel during the hearing.

c. To request that such a person as specified in b. above be appointed by the Court. Such an appointee shall maintain confidentiality about the case.

d. To know the identity of each witness who will testify against him or her and to be present when those witnesses testify.

e. To cross-examine each witness who testifies against him or her.

f. To summon witnesses and produce evidence.

h. To argue in his or her own behalf.

i. To have access to a record of the hearing or trial.

j. To make a record of the hearing or trial.

k. To remain silent.

l. To sum up the case before the Justices retire for deliberation of the case.

3. If the accused fails to attend a hearing after proper notification, he or she forfeits his or her rights and may be tried in absentia.

4. Hearings shall be conducted in strict confidentiality.

5. A vote of at least three-quarters of the Justices present at a hearing shall be necessary to determine guilt or innocence. Their verdict shall be based on a clear preponderance of convincing evidence.

f. Sentences.

A majority vote of the Justices present at a hearing shall be necessary to determine the sentence when a verdict of guilty is rendered. A unanimous vote shall be required to assess a severe penalty.

g. Appeal and Review.

1. Appeals must be filed with the College President within twenty-four hours of the sentence. The Master shall act on all appeals.

2. The College Master must approve all decisions of the Court.

ARTICLE IV. Officers

Section 1. President.

The President shall be a sophomore, junior or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth-year student) at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she shall be obligated:

a. To act as Chairperson and member of the Central Committee.

b. To appoint any College member to serve in any position he/she deems necessary, subject to the provisions of Article V, Section 2 and ratification by two-thirds of the Central Committee.

c. To enforce verdicts and penalties rendered by the College Court.

d. To serve as liaison with the University administration and with other student government bodies.

e. To work with the Vice-President and Treasurer to create an overall budget and make necessary budget changes throughout the school year.

Section 2. Vice-President.

The Vice-President shall be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth-year student) at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she shall be obligated:

a. To act in the capacity of the President in his/her absence.

b. For the upkeep and improvement of Lovett College facilities.

c. To coordinate all elections for the College and to maintain dated and initialed records of the vote-tallying from all elections, referenda, and initiatives for a period of time specified by the Central Committee but not less than one month.

d. To coordinate the fair and equal service of all new students as determined by the CC.

e. To oversee and advise all coordinator positions with the guidance of the president.

f. To exercise his/her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee.

g. To exercise his/her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee.

Section 3. Secretary.

The Office of Secretary shall be held by one or two freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors (planning to become Rice fifth-year students) or any combination thereof at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she/they shall be obligated:

a. To record proceedings of the Central Committee at all of its regular and special meetings.

b. To distribute the minutes of regular Central Committee meetings to the Master and President of his/her and all other Colleges, and to the College membership.

c. To post minutes on the College bulletin board.

d. To keep files containing:

1. All available records of previous meetings of College governmental bodies.

2. All records sent to the Secretary and to his/her predecessors by other University bodies.

e. To conduct announcements at a regularly scheduled time to be determined by the CC.

f. To coordinate the usage of all Lovett bulletin boards.

g. To approve and regulate all postings placed on the commons door.

h. To make regular college announcements at lunch and/or dinner.

i. To exercise his/her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee.

Section 4. Chief Justice.

The Chief Justice shall be a sophomore, junior or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth year student) at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she shall be obligated:

a. To call for meetings of the Court.

b. To chair all meetings of the Court.

c. To act as a member of the Court according to the provisions of Article III.

d. To maintain at least one up-to-date copy of the College Constitution , to keep one up-to-date copy of the Constitution in the College Office at all times, and to make copies available to the Central Committee whenever called upon to do so.

e. To maintain a written dated file of each judicial decision of the Court. The contents of the file concerning a particular case shall be kept confidential among the defendant and the Court.

f. To act as Parliamentarian in meetings of the Central Committee and to offer advice regarding the changing of College rules.

g. To coordinate the parking and room jacks.

h. To be the chief enforcer of the college alcohol policy.

i. To exercise his/her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee.

Section 5. Academic Coordinator.

The Office of Academic Coordinator shall be held by one or two freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors (planning to become Rice fifth-year students) or any combination thereof at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she/they shall be obligated:

a. To act as a source of ideas concerning academic activities for the College.

b. To plan and coordinate all College-sponsored academically oriented activities and to see that such plans are executed properly.

c. To aid in arranging academic programs in conjunction with other University bodies.

d. To involve College members outside the government.

e. To be responsible for:

1. College courses

i. To execute the fall college course previously planned by their predecessor.

ii. To plan and execute the spring college course.

iii. To plan and organize the fall college course for their successor.

2. A test file

3. The Lovett Library
4. Organizing study breaks during finals.

f. To exercise his/her/their rights and duties as members of the Central Committee.

Section 6. Activities Coordinator.

The Office of Activities Coordinator shall be held by one, two, or three freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors (planning to become Rice fifth-year students) or any combination thereof at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she/they shall be obligated:

a. To act as a source of ideas concerning social and spirit activities for the College.

b. To plan and execute minor College-sponsored social events.

c. To plan and execute spirit-related activities for the College.

d. To provide public recognition and encouragement for members of Lovett College who engage in intercollegiate competitions and other competitions outside of Lovett College.

e. To exercise his/her/their rights and duties as members of the Central Committee.

Section 7. Associates Coordinator.

The Office of Associates Coordinator shall be held by one, two, or three freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors (planning to become Rice fifth-year students) or any combination thereof at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she/they shall b e obligated:

a. To act as a source of information about Associates' ideas for the college and to keep Associates abreast of college activities.

b. To plan and coordinate all Associate's Night programs and to see that such plans are executed properly.

c. To involve college members outside the government.

d. To encourage a closer relationship between students and Faculty Associates.

e. To be responsible for:

1. Inviting Associates to college functions.

2. Recommendations for new Associates.

3. Coordinating the Lovett Fellows discussion groups.

f. To find innovative ways to foster student/Associate interactions

g. To exercise his/her/their rights and duties as members of the Central Committee.

Section 8. Cultural Coordinator.

The Office of Cultural Coordinator shall be held by one or two freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors (planning to become Rice fifth-year students) or any combination thereof at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she/they shall be obligated:

a. To act as a source of ideas concerning cultural activities for the College.

b. To plan and coordinate all College-sponsored cultural events and to see that such plans are executed properly.

c. To aid in arranging cultural programs in conjunction with other University bodies.

d. To involve College members outside the government.

e. To exercise his/her/their rights and duties as members of the Central Committee.

Section 9. Outreach Coordinator.

The Office of Outreach Coordinator shall be held by one freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth-year student) at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she shall be obligated:

a. To coordinate community service projects for Lovett College members.

b. To develop relationships between Lovett College and off-campus organizations dedicated to community service.

c. To coordinate bi-annual Lovett College blood drives.

d. To coordinate Lovett College's programs for the appreciation of staff members.

e. To involve college members outside the government.

f. To exercise his/her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee.

Section 10. Properties Coordinator.

The Office of Properties Coordinator shall be held by one or two freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors (planning to become Rice fifth-year students) or any combination thereof at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she/they shall be obligated:

a. To act as a source of ideas concerning capital improvements for the College.

b. To be responsible for the development of those new capital improvements and for the maintenance of all non-facility capital items of the College.

c. To involve College members outside the government.

d. To keep a current and rolling inventory of all Lovett non-facility capital items.

e. To exercise his/her/their rights and duties as members of the Central Committee.

Section 11. Social Coordinator.

The Office of Social Coordinator shall be held by one, two, or three freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors (planning to become Rice fifth-year students) or any combination thereof at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she/they shall be obligated:

a. To act as a source of ideas concerning social activities for the College.

b. To plan major College-sponsored social events and to see that such plans are executed properly.

c. To work with other Rice University organizations on social activities.

d. To involve College members outside the government.

e. To exercise his/her/their rights and duties as members of the Central Committee.

Section 12. Member-at-Large.

The Member-at-Large shall be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth-year student) at the time of the regular annual election of officers. He/she shall be obligated:

a. To actively encourage the student membership to express their opinions on government matters.

b. To assist the Vice-President with all elections, referenda, and initiatives.

c. To exercise his or her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee, especially with regard to representing the opinions of the student membership.

Section 13. Off-Campus Representatives.

Each of the two Off-Campus Representatives shall be a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or Rice fifth-year student. Each shall be obligated:

a. To act as a source of ideas for promoting integration of on- and off-campus membership.

b. To actively encourage the off-campus membership to express their opinions on government matters.

c. To send notice of any upcoming elections to each off-campus College member at least five days before such elections.

d. To assist the Vice-President with all elections, referenda, and initiatives.

e. To exercise his or her rights and duties as members of the Central Committee, especially with regard to representing the interests of the off-campus membership.

Section 14. Freshman Representative.

The Freshman Representative shall be an entering freshman of Lovett College. He/she shall be obligated:

a. To encourage participation of new College members in the activities of the College.

b. To carry out the responsibilities delegated to him/her by the President.

c. To assist the Vice-President with all elections, referenda, and initiatives.

d. To assist the Vice President with new student service.

e. To exercise his or her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee, especially with regard to representing the interests of freshmen and new transfer students.

ARTICLE V. Elections and Appointments

Section 1. Requirements for elected officers, appointed officers, and candidates.

a. Requirements of standing.

1. Each candidate must be a student at Rice University and a member of Lovett College.

2. No candidate or officer may be on academic or disciplinary probation.

b. Residency requirements.

1. The President and Justices must live on campus during their terms of office.

2. One person holding the position of Properties Coordinator must live on campus during the term of office.

c. Number of officeholders per office.

1. The offices of Social Coordinator and Activities Coordinator may each be held by one, two or three persons jointly.

2. The offices of Academic Coordinator, Properties Coordinator, Associates Coordinator, Cultural Coordinator, Outreach Coordinator, and Secretary may each be held by one or two persons jointly.

3. All other offices may be held by one person only.

4. No one person may hold more than one elected office simultaneously.

d. Petitioning for candidacy.

Any eligible College member, as defined in this Article, may become a candidate for office by submitting a petition signed by twenty-five College members supporting his or her candidacy. Write-in candidates need not petition.

Section 2. Elections

a. Dates.

Dates for all elections shall be set and publicized by the Central Committee, with the stipulation that the Freshman and Off-campus Representatives shall be elected in the Fall before the beginning of the fourth week of classes.

b. Balloting.

All elections shall be by secret, preferential balloting.

c. Voter eligibility.

1. To vote in any election, a person must:

a. Be a student member of Lovett College of Rice University.

b. Be registered for at least one semester hour of credit at Rice University.

c. Have observed all appropriate election rules.

2. To vote in the election of the freshman representative, a person must be a freshman of Lovett College.

3. To vote in the election of the Off-Campus Representatives, a person must be an off-campus member of Lovett College.

d. Percentages.

All elections shall be decided by a simple majority of those who vote in that election in accordance with commonly accepted preferential balloting procedures.

e. Approval.

The Central Committee shall approve or invalidate all election results by a simple majority.

f. Lack of petitioners for office.

1. The President, with the approval of two-thirds of the Central Committee, shall appoint a member of the College to fill temporarily an office for which no one petitions.

2. Such an appointee shall have all of the powers and responsibilities of the office, including a vote on the Central Committee, and shall hold the office until such a time as someone petitions for and is elected to the office.

Section 3. Appointed officers.

The President shall nominate eligible College members to fill appointive positions. The Central Committee shall confirm or reject all such appointments by a two-thirds vote.

Section 4. Removal of Elected officers.

a. Grounds for removal.

An elected officer may be removed from office if:

1. He/she is absent from three successive regular meetings of the Central Committee and does not submit a written excuse acceptable to a majority of the Central Committee .

2. He/she becomes an ineligible officeholder according to Section 1 of this Article.

3. He/she misuses the powers of, or does not fulfill the duties of, his or her office.

b. Impeachment and removal procedures.

1. An officer may be impeached by a majority vote of the Central Committee or by a petition containing fifty signatures of College Members. Such a vote or petition must clearly state the grounds for impeachment.

2. After an impeachment, an officer may be removed from office by a three-quarters majority in a trial judged by the Central Committee and presided over by the Chief Justice. Should the Chief Justice be the defendant in such a trial, the President shall preside.

Section 5. Removal of appointed officers.

Any appointed officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the Central Committee. Appointed officers may be removed from office if they are eligible for removal under Section 4.a of this Article. Persons so removed are disqualified from further appointments during the academic year of their removal from office.

Section 6. Filling of vacancies.

a. Length of time.

No vacancy of any office specified in this Constitution may exist longer than ten school days, except for the Freshman and Off-Campus Representatives, whose offices may be vacant from graduation until the regular annual elections of these offices in the following Fall; however, by a unanimous vote of present members of the central committee, the vacancy period may be extended to six weeks from the date of vacancy.

b. Elective offices.

A vacancy in an elected office shall be filled according to Sections 1 and 2 of this Article.

c. Appointed offices.

A vacancy in an appointive office shall be filled according to Sections 1 and 3 of this Article with the exception that vacancies on the Court shall be filled by joint decision of the Justices, with the approval of the College Master.

ARTICLE VI. Referenda, Opinion Polls, Initiative, and Recall

Section 1. Legislative rights of College members.

The members of Lovett College have the right to legislative initiative and referenda as well as to recall of elected officers.

Section 2. Referenda.

a. Petitions.

Petitions calling for referenda shall contain the precise wording which will appear on the ballot and the signatures of fifty College members. The Central Committee may also order a referendum held.

b. Time limitation.

A referendum must be held within ten class days after a petition calling for one has been submitted.

c. Voting.

1. All College members are eligible to vote for or against any referendum.

2. Voting shall be by secret, non-preferential balloting.

3. Referenda must pass by a majority of those voting.

d. Binding.

The results of a referendum are binding on the Central Committee.

e. Recall of referenda.

1. To contest a referendum, the contesting individual(s) must submit to the Central Committee a written, signed statement of his/her/their reasons for contesting the referendum and a petition signed by no less than 50 members of the College stating their support of the proposed recall.

2. If such a petition is submitted to the Central Committee, a College-wide vote on the proposal must be made within two weeks. Approval by two-thirds of those student members voting in the recall election, with a simple majority of the College membership voting, is necessary in order for the original referendum to be recalled.

Section 3. Opinion polls.

The Central Committee may request an opinion poll of the College membership. The procedure for holding such polls shall be determined by the Central Committee; however, an opinion poll shall in no case be binding on the Central Committee.

Section 4. Initiative.

The exercise of the right of legislative initiative shall be governed by the same procedures as referenda.

Section 5. Recall of Officers

a. Petition. A petition requesting the removal of an officer from the Central Committee must

1. Clearly state specific reasons for the removal of the officer.

2. Be signed by no less than 75 members of the College stating their support of the proposed removal.

b. Recall election.

If such a petition is submitted to the Central Committee, a College-wide vote on the proposal must be made within two weeks. Approval by two-thirds of those student members voting in the recall election, with a simple majority of the College membership voting, is necessary in order for the officer to be removed from office.

Article VII. Amendments to this Constitution

Section 1. University Policy.

This Constitution may be amended perforce to conform to the adjusted administrative policy of the University.

Section 2. Other Amendments.

a. Petition.

A petition bearing both the exact wording of the proposed change and the signatures of twenty percent of the College membership must be submitted to the Central Committee to begin the process of amending this Constitution.

b. If such a petition is submitted to the Central Committee, a College-wide vote on the proposal must be made within two weeks.

c. Approval by two-thirds of those student members voting in the Constitutional Amendment election, or approval by a simple majority of the entire student membership of the College, constitutes passage of the Constitutional changes and amendment to the Constitution. Voting shall be by secret ballot.

ARTICLE VIII: Ratification Procedure

Section 1. Ratification.

This Constitution shall become effective upon approval of a majority of the College members voting in an election called for that purpose.

Section 2. Preservation of Existing Legislation.

All present College legislation shall remain intact until changed by the Central Committee or by referendum.

AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS

The by-laws to the Constitution of Lovett College may be amended by a majority vote of the Central Committee. Proposed changes must be presented in an open meeting of the Central Committee at least seven days before such a vote is taken.

By-Laws for the Treasurer

Article I. Appointment

The President, with the advice of the out-going Treasurer (if he/she is not reapplying), must nominate a treasurer for appointment within two weeks of the last set of Spring elections. This appointment is bound by Article 5, section 3 of the Constitution.

Article II. Eligibility

Section 1. Constitutional Requirements

Candidates must fulfill eligibility guidelines under Article 5, section 1 of the Constitution.

Section 2. Class

Candidates must be a sophomore, junior, or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth-year student) at the time of the regular annual election of officers.

Section 3. Accounting Background

Preference will be shown to candidates who have completed or are currently completing Accounting 305, or its equivalent, from Rice University at the time of appointment.

Article III. Obligations and Duties

The Treasurer shall be obligated:

1. To oversee all financial transactions regarding Lovett College.

2. To attend open and closed meetings of the Central Committee.

3. To provide a budget report of all expenses at open meetings.

4. To represent Lovett College at university-wide meetings regarding college financial activities, institutions, and policies.

5. To work with the President and Vice-President to create an overall budget and make necessary budget changes throughout the school year.

6. To require and review budget proposals for all expenditures by Lovett College over $100. 7. To involve Lovett College members outside the government.

7. To review the Lovett College fee structure annually and present these fees to the Central Committee for approval.

8. To involve Lovett College members outside the government.

9. To exercise his/her rights and duties as an associated member of the Central Committee.

Article IV. Accountability

The Treasure is subject to an audit led by the President, Vice President, Chief Justice, or delegated authority. These audits will be held as deemed necessary by an executive committee.

By-Laws on Lovett Representatives

Article I. Name and Purpose

Section 1. Names

Lovett College shall elect one of its members to each of the following offices:

a. Student Association Senator.

b. Rice Program Council Representative.

c. Honor Council Representative.

d. University Court Representative.

Section 2. Purpose

These officers, hereinafter referred to collectively as the Lovett Representatives, shall be non-voting members of the Central Committee whose purpose is to represent Lovett College in their respective University organizations, and to provide information to the Central Committee regarding these organizations.

Article II. Lovett Representative Officers

Section 1. Student Association Senator.

The Student Association Senator shall be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth-year student) at the time of the regular election of officers. He/she shall be obligated:

a. To represent the views and opinions of Lovett College at Student Association meetings and vote accordingly.

b To inform the Central Committee of the proceedings of Student Association meetings.

c. To exercise his/her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee.

Section 2. Rice Program Council Representative.

The Rice Program Council Representative shall be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth-year student) at the time of regular election of officers. He/she shall be obligated:

a. To represent the views and opinions of Lovett College at the Rice Program Council meetings.

b. To inform the Central Committee of the proceedings of the Rice Program Council meetings.

c. To exercise his/her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee.

Section 3. Honor Council Representative.

The Honor Council Representative shall be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth-year student) at the time of the regular election of officers. He/she shall be obligated:

a. To represent the views and opinions of Lovett College at Honor Council meetings.

b. To inform the Central Committee of the proceedings of Honor Council meetings and trials within the guidelines of confidentiality established by Honor Council policy.

c. To fulfill the roles of an Honor Council Member as outlined in the Honor Council Constitution and Bylaws.

d. To exercise his/her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee.

Section 4. University Court Representative.

The University Court Representative shall be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior (planning to become a Rice fifth-year student) at the time of the regular election of officers. He/she shall be obligated:

a. To represent the views and opinions of Lovett College at University Court meetings.

b. To inform the Central Committee of the proceedings of University Court meetings and trials within the guidelines of confidentiality established by University Court policy.

c. To fulfill the roles of a University Court Member as outlined in the University Court Constitution and Bylaws.

d. To exercise his/her rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee.

Section 5. Lovett Senior Committee

The Senior Committee shall be two juniors at the time of the regular election of officers. They shall be obligated:

a. To coordinate events for Lovett College seniors.

b. To represent the views and opinions of Lovett College at Senior Committee meetings and vote accordingly.

c To inform the Central Committee of the proceedings of Senior Committee meetings.

d. To exercise their rights and duties as a member of the Central Committee.

Article III. Eligibility

Section 1. Constitutional Requirements

The Lovett Representatives must meet the eligibility requirements established by Article V, Section 1 of the Lovett Constitution.

Section 2. Honor Council Requirements

The Honor Council Representative must also meet the eligibility requirements established by Article VI, Section 2 of the Honor Council Bylaws.

Section 3. University Court Requirements

The University Court Representative must also meet the eligibility requirements established by Article V, Section 2 of the University Court Bylaws.

Article IV. Elections

Section 1. Procedure

The election for the Lovett Representatives shall be governed by Article V, Section 2 of the Lovett Constitution and administered in accordance with the Lovett By-laws on Election Procedures.

Section 2. Restrictions on Campaigning

a. Campaigning for Honor Council Representative shall be restricted to methods explicitly allowed by Article VI, Section 1 of the Honor Council Bylaws.

b. Campaigning for University Court Representative shall be restricted to methods explicitly allowed by Article V, Section 1 of the University Court Bylaws.

Article V. Vacancies and Removal from Office

Section 1. Removal

The Lovett Representatives may be removed from office in accordance with Article V, Section 4 of the Lovett Constitution. The Honor Council Representative may also be removed by the Honor Council in accordance with the Honor Council Constitution and Bylaws. The University Court Representative may also be removed by the University Court in accordance with the University Court Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 2. Vacancies

Unless otherwise stated in the Lovett Constitution or By-laws, vacancies in the Lovett Representative offices shall be filled by nomination of the Lovett President, and ratification by a two-thirds vote of the Central Committee.

Section 3. Honor Council Vacancies

Vacancies in the office of Honor Council Representative shall be filled in accordance with Article VII, Section 1 of the Honor Council Constitution. Temporary vacancies may be filled according to Section 2 of this article.

Section 4. University Court Vacancies

Vacancies in the office of University Court Representative shall be filled in accordance with Article III, Section 1 of the University Court Constitution. Temporary vacancies may be filled according to Section 4 of this article.

By-laws for Room Assignment

Article I. General information.

The University regulations state that the masters of the colleges are responsible for the assignment of students to rooms. At Lovett, rooms are normally assigned by the College government according to the rules given in this section. The Chief Justice, under the advisement of the master, will carry out the details. The assignments will be based on a system of seniority with a lottery choosing among those with equal seniority. When decisions have to be made on matters not covered in this document, the final objective of those making the decision will be to allow residence to as many members as desire it and, second, to avoid disrupting compatible living groups.

Article II. Determination of Seniority.

Section 1. Point System

a. The room assignment procedure (called the room jack) uses the following point system:

• Freshman 1
• Sophomore 2
• Junior 3
• Senior 0

b. Definitions. For this procedure the student is classified according to the number of years he/she has been enrolled at Rice University in addition to the number of years the student has been enrolled at any other universities full-time when the room jack occurs. A person who has been out of school one semester will not have this counted against him.

c. Freshmen not offered on-campus housing for at least one semester during their first year will be assigned 1.1 points in the draw. This is to insure that all Lovett members have an equal opportunity, over a four year period, to live on campus.

d. The president of Lovett College shall have first choice of suites in the overall room jack, including singles, suiteless doubles, and quads. Who the President chooses to live with is at his/her discretion, but he/she must have the appropriate number of suitemates for the suite of his/her choice. The assigned point values of the suitemates are irrelevant.

Section 2. Four-year on-campus limit.

No Lovett member who has lived on campus for four years may participate in subsequent draws, except in the case where they are an elected Lovett officer required to live on campus.

Article III. Jack Procedures.

Section 1. Freshmen.

a. Number of spaces.

The College must hold a number of spaces to be specified by the Office of Admissions for incoming freshmen. These spaces are to be set aside before room jack.

b. Division among floors

Freshmen for the following year shall, as much as possible, be divided equally among floors of the College. The actual placement of freshmen in rooms will be done in the summer by the Master and available upperclassmen.

Section 2. Room sketch.

A sketch of the room locations in the College will be displayed at least one week before the jack for single rooms. The rooms saved for freshmen will be so designated.

Section 3. Chronological order of jacks.

The assignments will be made on the following schedule:

a. On the first day, there will be a jack for doubles (all 2 person suites).

b. On the next day, proof of payment of room deposit must be given to the College Secretary by all students desiring a room for the following year.

c. At least one week following the first day there will be a jack for quads (4 person suites). Persons awarded a room at any step are ineligible for further consideration, unless they give up the room prior to the next draw. At the time a room is given up, any future claim to that room by the student(s) awarded the room is forfeit. Rooms given up in this way will be filled from a waiting list. Those whose names are on a waiting list are still eligible for subsequent draws.

Section 4. Specific Jack procedures.

The awarding of rooms in question shall be according to the following procedure:

a. By seniority and by lot.

Groups will be allowed to choose rooms according to the number of seniority points the group maintains. Those groups with the most points will be allowed to choose first. A drawing will be held among the groups with equal sums of points. All persons and groups desiring assignment to rooms shall participate in the room jack. This shall be a random drawing (such as the drawing of cards, choosing lots, etc.). The rules of such a drawing shall be determined by the Chief Justice before room jack and must be approved by the Central Committee. The method of the drawing must remain consistent throughout each phase of the room jack.

b. Declaration of Intent and Groups

Prior to each jack, all groups wishing to participate in that jack must give their names to the College Secretary no later than 4:00 p.m. on the day of the jack. The names of the members of each group will be listed and the list posted so that people can see who has formed a group and who has not. All members of a group need not be present at the room jack. However, one member of each group (or an agent of the group having written permission from all members of the group) must be present and must choose a room when it is his/her turn to do so. Otherwise, the group will be given last priority.

Section 5. Offices with residency requirements.

a. Upperclassmen are guaranteed a room for themselves and their roommate (non-fifth-year students) in the final room jack if they hold an office with residency requirements.

b. Only one person of each office is so guaranteed a room. (This means, for example that if a senior-to-be and a sophomore-to-be hold the Properties Coordinator Office together, and the senior-to-be is on-campus for the next year, the sophomore is NOT guaranteed a room. If the senior were planning not to jack, the sophomore would be guaranteed a room.)

Section 6. Non-Lovett residency requirements.

Scholarship athletes guaranteed on campus housing by the athletic department guarantee a room for themselves and their roommate, provided they are otherwise eligible for and participate in room jack under Article II.

Section 7. Non-Exemption From Requirements.

Residency guarantees granted under this article do not provide exemption from any other procedural or eligibility requirements. All individuals with residency guarantees must follow all jack procedures, whether specified in these bylaws or determined by the CC, including, but not limited to: signing appropriate lists by the specified deadline, finding roommates and/or suitemates with whom to jack, and attending (or sending a valid proxy to) the jack itself. Should any of these requirements not be met, having a residency guarantee will not be grounds for receiving priority on the waiting list(s), invalidating the jack or any portion thereof, or withdrawing an offer of a room from another individual.

Section 8. Waiting lists.

a. Singles and double waiting lists.

Two waiting lists will be kept for those who were not able to get a room in the jack. Singles will be filled from a singles waiting list; doubles and quads from a separate waiting list.

b. Priority.

Priority will be first to those who will be undergraduates according to their jack lottery, then to transfer students, and then to those who will be fifth-year students according to their jack lottery. Any eligible student may be on one or both lists.

c. Declining an offer of housing.

Any student who declines an offer of a room will be moved to the bottom of the waiting list.

Section 9. Unfilled Spaces.

If spaces remain after rooms have been awarded to all students desiring to be on campus, the extra space will be filled with additional freshmen, transfers, and graduate students by the Master.

Section 10. Students not at Rice in the current semester or in the following Fall Semester.

a. Not at Rice during room jack.

1. Students who have attended Rice in the past and will be returning the following semester may enter the jack if they make prior arrangements with the Master and Chief Justice.

2. Anyone who so wishes to jack for a room, but is unable to attend the draw because of study abroad or other circumstances, must sign an agreement stating his/her intention to room with a specified college member; this statement must also designate the individual to pay his/her room deposit.

b. Not at Rice in the next Fall only. Students who will be away from Rice during the Fall semester may jack for a spot on the waiting lists for Spring Semester.

Section 11. Jacking with no intention of living on campus.

a. The College Court may, if it deems appropriate, penalize any college member found guilty of jacking with no intention of living on campus.

b. Any college member jacking with that person may also be penalized.

Section 12. Vacancies arising after room jack.

Rooms that become available during the two semesters following room jack because of people deciding to move off-campus or leave Rice will not be assigned according to the lottery but will be assigned by the Master so as to least disrupt living groups, using the waiting list as a strong guideline.

a. If college members of predominantly one sex are on the waiting list, but the vacancies are in suites occupied by the opposite sex, those suites may be shuffled to open a suite for those at the top of the waiting list.

b. If roughly equivalent numbers of both men and women are on the wait list, the rearranging will be as follows:

1. The individual at the top of the waiting list will be placed in the first open space of the same sex. If someone declines his/her allotted space, the space will be made available to the next individual on the waiting list.

2. If more than one space is available for the same sex, the person with the lowest seniority, by class, will be given the first person from the waiting list. Seniority within each class will be determined with a second jack if necessary. (For example, this means that a sophomore on-campus person whose roommate leaves gets a new roommate before a junior whose roommate leaves.)

By-laws for Parking Assignment

Article I. Eligibility.

Section 1. Eligibility to compete for a sticker.

To compete for a Lovett College parking sticker for Lot SC one must:

a. Be an on-campus resident of Lovett College.

b. Own a car either registered and insured in one's own name or in that of his/her parents.

c. Sign a list in the Secretary to the Master's office before the deadline set by the Central Committee.

Section 2. Eligibility to keep a sticker.

To keep a Lovett College parking sticker for Lot SC one must:

a. Meet the requirements of Article I.1.

b. Keep the car regularly in Lot SC. "Keeping the car regularly" shall be interpreted by the Central Committee if it finds such an interpretation necessary in dealing with specific parking sticker situations brought before it by the Lovett College membership.

Section 3. Single sticker.

No individual may have more than one vehicle registered for Lot SC.

Article II. Central Committee Stickers

There will be a South College Lot Parking spot reserved for the Lovett President. If the President chooses to accept the spot, he/she must pay the associated price for the parking sticker. If the President chooses to decline the spot, it will be made available to the Lovett College members in the regular Parking Jack.

Article III. Seniority and Parking "Jack".

Section 1. Seniority.

Class seniority determines rank in parking sticker eligibility (except 5th year students who have lowest priority).

Section 2. Jack.

When space does not permit all of the eligible members of a class to receive stickers, a random drawing will be held to determine seniority within each class. A draw will be held for the extra spaces in accordance with the rules outlined above.

Article IV. Special Circumstances

Section 1. Third-year "seniors".

Third-year students planning to graduate during the current year may petition the Central Committee requesting senior status for the purposes of parking jack.

Section 2. Exceptional circumstances.

Students demonstrating extreme exceptional circumstances may petition the Central Committee for special consideration in obtaining a parking sticker for Lot SC.

Section 3. Vacancies.

a. Parking spaces that become available due to graduation, transfer, or withdrawal of the student, or ineligibility under the requirements of section I.1 of these bylaws shall be reassigned by the Chief Justice.

b. All students eligible under section I.1 shall be eligible for the vacant space.

c. The method of assignment of vacant spaces shall be determined by the Chief Justice in accordance with the spirit of Article III.

Section 4. Transferability.

a. Parking spaces in Lot SC are granted to an individual and are not transferable except where explicitly stated in these bylaws.

b. An individual granted a space in Lot SC may transfer the parking sticker to a different vehicle by turning in his/her current parking sticker to the Chief Justice, as long as the new vehicle is owned by that individual and registered and insured in his/ her own name or in that of his/her parents.

BY-LAWS ON COURT PROCEDURE

Article I. Court Appointments

Section 1. Court Clerk.

The Court shall appoint from among the Court a Court Clerk. The Clerk shall keep minutes of the hearings and all preliminary hearings and investigations which shall be used by the Justices to aid in their decisions. The Clerk shall maintain a file of all minutes, which shall be available only to the College Master, the Court, and all future Courts. The Clerk shall also prepare briefs of the hearings, with the names of all persons involved to be deleted. The briefs shall be filed with the College secretary and shall be available along with the other College records to the members of Lovett.

Section 2. Court Advocates.

The Court may also appoint from the sophomore, junior, and senior members of Lovett College Court Advocates who are not Justices. The Court may ask an Advocate to investigate into the matter of an alleged infraction and to prepare a case against the accused. The accused may also request an Advocate for counsel or consultation.

Article II. Special Provisions

Section 1. Disqualification of a Justice from a hearing.

In the event that a Justice is involved in such a case (either as a witness or as the accused), the hearing shall be conducted by the remainder of the Justices. Any Justice may remove themselves from a hearing if they feel that they cannot judge the evidence with impartiality.

Section 2. Majority disqualification.

If more than two Justices disqualify themselves from the hearing, the case shall be turned over to the College Master.

Section 3. Unusual cases

Where no procedure for punishment is established, the Court shall exercise discretion in assessment of punishment.

Section 4. Enforcement of verdicts.

Enforcement of sentences submitted by the Court lies with the Central Committee and especially the President of the Central Committee.

Section 5. Refusal of the Court to hear a case.

The Court may elect not to hear a case. In such an event, the College Master shall decide what to do with the case. The Court may reprimand violators without a formal hearing, in which case no punishment shall be assessed.

Section 6. Arbitration of disputes.

The Court may arbitrate between two or more College members when no infraction of College or University rules has occurred, at the joint request of all members involved.

Section 7. Legislative and Constitutional recommendations.

The Court may recommend to the College government changes in or additions to the College Constitution, by-laws or rules.

Article III. The Accusation and Associated Procedures

Section 1. Submission of accusation.

In the event of the violation of a College or University regulation, a member of the College may call the infraction to the attention of the Court by submitting to a Court member a written and signed statement naming the violator or violators and describing the nature of the infraction with the date and place of occurrence. This statement shall be given to a member of the Court, who shall prepare copies of it for the other members of the Court. If the accusation is initiated by a Justice, he/she must abstain as a voting member of the Court during consideration of the accusation.

Section 2. Action of Court.

After receiving the accusation, the Court shall use its discretion to determine the action to be taken.

Section 3. Notice of hearing.

If the Court decides to hold a hearing, the Clerk shall deliver to the accused a copy of the accusation. The accused shall then be notified that he/she has twenty-four (24) hours to enter a plea.

Section 4. Failure to enter a plea.

Failure by the accused to enter a plea within twenty-four hours of notification of a hearing will be taken by the Court as an admission of guilt.

Section 4. Investigation of case.

If the accused pleads not guilty or guilty with extenuating circumstances, the Court or an Advocate shall investigate into the matter of the infraction.

Section 5. Notification of the date of a hearing.

The Court shall notify the accused of the date of any hearing not less than seventy-two hours before said hearing.

Article IV. The Hearing

Section 1. Dates

a. Evidentiary hearings.

If there is an evidentiary hearing, it shall take place, if possible, within one week, excluding holidays, after presentation of the accusation to the Court. The hearing need not be formal, but may be held to determine the extent of seriousness of the infraction.

b. Hearing to determine guilt or innocence.

A hearing to determine guilt or innocence shall take place, if possible, within two weeks, excluding holidays, after an evidentiary hearing, if there is one. If there is no evidentiary hearing, the hearing to determine guilt or innocence shall take place, if possible, within two weeks, excluding holidays, after the submission of an accusation to the Court.

Section 2. Closure of hearings.

All hearings shall be closed except to the Justices, Clerk, Advocate(s), Master, accused, and witnesses.

Section 3. Specific hearing procedures.

The Chief Justice shall open the hearing. He/she shall read the accusation in the presence of the defendant, who shall then enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or guilty with extenuating circumstances. Testimony then proceeds. Witnesses must testify and evidence be produced in the presence of the accused. Witnesses may be called by the Court Advocate or by the accused.

Section 4. Oath and procedures for witnesses.

Any witnesses shall be brought in separately and shall be sworn in by the Chief Justice as follows: "I will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in relation to the inquiry in which I am about to give testimony; and I will maintain secrecy about this hearing and the persons involved." If a witness is dismissed, he/she shall be subject to recall at any time during the hearing.

Section 5. Character witnesses.

No character witnesses may be heard.

Section 6. Record of the hearing.

The Court Clerk shall keep an audio and textual record of the hearing and shall file the record along with those of other hearings with the Chief Justice. These records shall be accessible only to the College Master, to the accused involved in the case, and to future Courts. The Clerk shall also prepare a brief of the hearing with all names deleted to be filed with the College secretary. After a verdict has been rendered and approved by the College Master, the Clerk shall post a brief notice informing that the hearing took place, giving the nature of the violation, the verdict, and the assessed punishment, if any. No names shall be given.

Section 7. Confidentiality.

The name or names of the accused shall be kept confidential by the Court, Advocates, and witnesses.

Article V: Deliberations

Section 1. Time.

After all testimony has been given, the Justices shall meet in private to reach a decision guilt or innocence. If a verdict of guilty is delivered, they shall also decide at that time upon a penalty.

Section 2. Record of deliberation.

The Court Clerk shall record the vote in the record of the hearing to be kept in a confidential file.

Section 3. Support of decision.

Once a decision is reached, the Court shall act in unanimous support of that decision.

Section 4. Review and Enforcement

a. The sentence shall be brought to the College Master for review within seventy-two hours of the hearing. If the sentence is not approved, the Court shall submit another sentence to the Master.

b. If the Master approves the sentence, the Court shall submit a written statement of penalty to the College President . The President shall act to enforce the penalty, maintaining confidentiality as strictly as possible. The College President shall notify the defendant of the nature of punishment within forty-eight hours after receiving the penalty from the Court. If no appeal is made, one week will be allowed to begin application of the penalty.

Article VI: Appeals

Section 1. Time limit.

The defendant has twenty-four hours after receiving notice of the sentence to present to the College President a written statement requesting an appeal of the case. If no appeal is made within twenty-four hours, it shall be understood that the defendant accepts the sentence.

Section 2. Review by Master.

If a request for appeal of sentence is made, the Master shall decide what action is to be taken.

By-laws on Election Procedures

Article I. Elections Committee

Section 1. Chair.

The Vice-President shall chair the Elections Committee.

Section 2. Members.

The Member-at-Large, the two Off-Campus Representatives, and the Freshman Representative shall serve as members of the Elections Committee. The President may also appoint additional members as necessary.

Section 3. Responsibilities.

The Elections Committee shall:

a. Suggest to the Central Committee the wording of ballots.

b. Post the election dates and petition deadlines determined by the Central Committee.

c. Ensure that poll supervisors are present at the polling place at the correct times.

d. Ensure that poll supervisors are adequately supplied beforehand with ballots, signature sheets, a ballot box, and a list of duties and regulations for poll-sitting .

e. Ensure that the votes are properly tallied.

f. Notify the President of the results of all elections as soon as the votes have been tallied.

Section 4. Disqualification.

Any member of the Elections Committee who is a candidate in an election may not serve on the Committee during that election.

Section 5. Additional responsibilities of the Chair.

a. To keep a file of all candidacy petitions, campaign expenditure reports, executed ballots, and sign-in sheets for one month after each election.

b. To keep a file of all tally sheets for as long as the results of the election shall be in effect.

c. To notify the Central Committee of any campaign expenditures over the amount specified in Article III of these Bylaws.

Article II. Chronological Order of Elections

Section 1. Spring Elections.

a. The Presidential election shall be held before any other elections. This election must occur before doubles room jack.

b. After the Presidential election, a simultaneous election for Vice-President, Chief Justice, and Secretary shall be held.

c. After the elections in II.1.b., simultaneous elections for all Coordinator positions, Member-at-Large, and Lovett Representatives shall be held.

Section 2. Fall Elections.

The Freshman Representative ,Off-Campus Representatives, and Senior Committee shall be elected in the Fall semester before the beginning of the fourth week of classes.

Article III. Eligibility of Candidates.

Section 1. Eligibility

Candidates must be eligible under Article V, Section 1 of the Constitution.

Section 2. Petitions.

Petitions must be submitted to the Chair of the Elections Committee or to his or her designate by a time approved by the Central Committee. Petition forms shall be supplied to the candidates by the Elections Committee.

Section 3. Expenditures.

Candidates may spend no more than $5.00 on their campaign. An itemized expenditure list must be submitted to the Chair of the Elections Committee before the polls close if any expenditures are incurred.

Section 4. Sole Candidacy

No person may be a petitioned candidate in more than one election held on the same day.

Article IV. Referenda

Section 1. Legislative Referenda

a. Petitions.

1. All petitions must conform to Article VI of the Constitution. They must contain the precise wording of the proposed legislation, as well as fifty signatures of College members supporting the proposed legislation.

2. Petitions may be submitted to the President or to the Central Committee in open meeting.

b. Ballots. All ballots must contain the precise wording of the proposed legislation, followed by:

_____ agree with proposed legislation

_____ disagree with proposed legislation

Section 2. Referenda for Constitutional Amendments

a. Petitions.

1. All petitions must conform to Article VII of the Constitution. They must contain the precise wording of the proposed change, as well the signatures of twenty percent of all College members.

2. Petitions may be submitted to the President or to the Central Committee in open meeting.

b. Ballots.

All ballots shall contain the old (if applicable) and new wording of the part of the Constitution under consideration, followed by:

______ agree with proposed new wording

______ disagree with proposed new wording

c. Absentee ballots.

Absentee ballots may be accepted if they are delivered to a member of the Elections Committee before the polls open. Such ballots must be signed by the voter.

Article V. Ballots for Officer Elections

Section 1. Preferential balloting.

All elections in which more than two candidates are running shall be by preferential balloting.

Section 2. Listing of duties.

All ballots shall contain the official duties of each office as listed in the Constitution. However, these duties may be posted at the polls and referenced on the ballot.

Section 3. Approval by Central Committee.

The Central Committee shall approve or disapprove all ballots prior to the opening of the polls.

Section 4. Absentee ballots.

Absentee ballots may be accepted if they are delivered to a member of the Elections Committee before the polls open. Such ballots must be signed by the absentee voter.

Article VI. Voting procedures

Section 1. Poll hours and location.

Poll hours and location shall be specified by the Central Committee prior to each election. Polls must be open for a minimum of one hour.

Section 2. Supervision.

All polls must be constantly supervised by an eligible voter who is approved by the Elections Committee and who is not a candidate in the election.

Section 3. Signature sheets.

a. Before receiving a ballot from the poll supervisor, each voter must sign a sheet stating: "I certify that I have not voted in this election, that I am eligible to vote in this election, and that I will not vote more than once in this election."

b. A separate signature sheet must be maintained for each election.

Section 4. Ballot box.

All ballots shall be kept in a ballot box from the time they are cast until they are counted.

Article VII. Tabulation procedures.

Section 1. Tabulators.

At least one member of the Elections Committee and one member of the Central Committee must be present to tabulate votes. Votes may not be tabulated with less than one College member present. Candidates may not be present.

Section 2. Time Limitation.

Votes must be tallied within twenty-four hours of the closing of the polls.

Section 3. Procedure.

The following procedure, to be known as "Revised Preferential Balloting Procedure of February 16, 1971," shall be followed for preferential balloting:

Step 1. All improperly marked ballots (agreed upon as improper by two members of the Election Committee) are marked "improper" and are disregarded in the vote count. They are kept on file by the Election Committee Chairman, however.

Step 2. All properly marked ballots are separated and counted on the basis of the first choice of the voter.

a. First choice abstentions are counted toward the total number of votes cast in that round. If the first round abstentions represent more than a 50% majority of total votes cast in that round, the election is automatically invalidated, and a new election must be held in which new candidates are given the opportunity to enter the race.

b. If the first round abstentions represent no more than 50% of the total votes cast in that round, and no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated from the race, and his/her stack of ballots is redistributed according to the voters' second preference.

Step 3. The candidate with the next smallest number of votes is eliminated from the race, and his/her stack of ballots is redistributed according to the voters' next preference. In this and all subsequent rounds of vote counting, abstentions are not counted toward the total number of votes cast in the round.

Step 4. Step 3 is repeated until some candidate receives more than 50% of the total number of votes cast in that round. That candidate is the officer-elect.

Step 5.

If it is impossible to arrive at a winner, a runoff will be held between the tied candidates.

Article VIII. Notification, Announcement and Approval

Section 1. Notification.

The Elections Committee Chair shall notify the President as soon as results are tallied. The President shall then notify all candidates of the results.

Section 2. Announcement.

After all candidates have been notified, the unofficial results of the election shall be posted.

Section 3. Approval.

a. At the first Central Committee meeting following the election, the Central Committee shall either approve or invalidate the election by a simple majority.

b. To contest an election, an individual (not necessarily a candidate) must submit to the President a written, signed statement of his or her reasons for contesting the election. Such a statement must be submitted before the Central Committee votes on the approval of the election.

By-Laws for Rice University Campus Police Substation

Article 1: Agreement

Section 1: Good Faith Agreement

The Lovett College Central Committee has entered into a good faith agreement with the Rice University Campus Police in regards to a substation at Lovett College, which is detailed below in Article II.

Section 2: Renewal of Agreement

This agreement is to be reviewed on a regular basis by the Lovett Substation Review Committee (including, but not limited to, the Lovett College Court, President, Masters and RAs), the Chief of Police, and College Campus Police Officers initially before December 31, 2000 and then during each subsequent spring semester. Extension of the agreement will be subject to these reviews and accomplished by a vote of the Lovett College Central Committee and a written letter of agreement from the Rice University Campus Police. The agreement can be modified or terminated by the Lovett College Central Committee upon recommendation of the Substation Review Committee.

Article II. Expectations

Section 1.

Lovett College expects that the Rice University Campus Police will maintain a relationship with Lovett College consistent with their relationship with other colleges.

Section 2.

It is the responsibility of both the residents of Lovett College and the Campus Police to keep open lines of communication to promote a healthy relationship.

Section 3.

The Lovett College Central Committee reserves the right to end the agreement and reclaim the space at any time, but only following discussions with the Campus Police and an independent evaluation conducted by the Substation Review Committee

Section 4.

To avoid conflicts with special events, the Lovett College Central Committee reserves the right to request that the substation not be used temporarily at any time.

Section 5.

The substation is created with the understanding that it will be used by the Campus Police only on an as needed basis, e.g. for filing of reports or confidential discussions with students, and that it will otherwise be free and open to the residents of Lovett College.

Section 6.

Lovett recognizes that it is the responsibility of the Campus Police to keep the Rice University campus safe. Lovett College expects the Campus Police to recognize that the Lovett College Court retains primary jurisdiction over Lovett College’s internal affairs.

By-Laws on Lovett College Fees

Article 1: Description of Fees

Section 1.

Lovett fees shall include those fees deemed appropriate by the Central Committee as provided for in Article II, Section 3, d. and will be applied to the budget provided for in Article II, Section 3, b.

Section 2

These fees will be separate from the Orientation Week fees and other fees established by Rice University.

Article II. Payment of Fees

Section 1. New Lovett Members

1. “New Lovett members” shall be defined as those students who are new members of Lovett College beginning with the Fall 2003 matriculating class and every matriculating class thereafter.
2. Upon their arrival for Orientation Week, all new Lovett members shall make a one-time payment constituting their Lovett fees for four years. New Lovett members who do not attend Orientation Week shall make this payment in a timely fashion to be determined by the Treasurer and Masters.
3. Transferring students shall confer with the Masters on the length of their stay or simply pay for four years less the number of years already spent at previous universities.
4. Students who stay within the College longer than the number of years initially paid for will pay no additional fees.
5. Exceptions shall be directed to the Masters.
6. New Lovett members shall have access to all public Lovett College facilities.

Section 2. Current Lovett Members

1. “Current Lovett members” shall be defined as all Lovett members who matriculated before Fall 2003.
2. Current Lovett members shall pay fees annually in an amount to be determined by the Central Committee as provided for in Article II, Section 3, d.
3. The fee paid by current Lovett members living on campus shall be no less than one-quarter of the fees paid by new Lovett members.
4. The fee paid by current Lovett members living off campus shall be the same as on-campus students if they receive an exterior key. If no exterior key is issued to an off-campus student, their fee will be less the laundry and computer fee.
5. Current Lovett members who pay for an exterior key or have a room key shall have access to all public Lovett College facilities.

LOVETT COLLEGE RULES

1. All Lovett members shall conduct themselves such that the amenities of other members shall not be violated; nor shall any member be forced, or threatened, to participate in any activity outside of those decided to be necessary for maintenance of the College.

2. The host is responsible for the conduct of his guests and for any inconvenience their presence may cause.

3. Destruction, defacing, misuse, or removal of property is prohibited. Any form of littering in the public areas of the College will not be permitted.

a. Objects may not be thrown or catapulted from any floor.

b. (Indelible) graffiti on balcony railing or in College restrooms is not allowed.

c. Private rooms may be entered and searched for specific items specified in advance by the President and/or Justices with the approval of the Master. (A member who feels his/her room has been illegally searched should file a complaint with a Court member.)