The Opensource Club Constitution
Isaac Jones - Martin Jansche - Michael Benedict
20 March, 2000
Preamble
It is important to recognize the danger that bureaucracy can get in the way
of doing cool things. To that end, this constitution is framed, and
should remain as only a loosely governing tool. If the bureaucracy of the
opensource club ever becomes a burden more than a tool, then the members
should at that time, re-frame this document to fix the situation.
Article I - Name, purpose and Non-Discrimination Policy
Section 1 - Name
This is the Opensource Club at the Ohio State University
Section 2 - Purpose
Our purpose is to write and advocate free software,
and to create a community of excellent programmers. We advocate free
software through creation of documentation, providing support, and
fighting cluelessness.
The club should take no "official" stand on political issues in debate
among the opensource community, should adopt no "official club
license," should not create strict guidelines for what kind of
software should be developed, should not create strict guidelines for
how a software project should be managed (including frequency of
updates, release models, code repository management, etc). Doing so
would violate the spirit of the Preamble. Individual software projects
can be managed however the individuals involved in the project see fit.
Implicit in this is that the club must allow advocacy of proprietary
software written for opensource platforms (for instance) or writing of
open source software for a proprietary platform (for instance) if some
of its members wish to do so. However, programs written by members of
the club, under the flag of the club, and distributed by the club should
meet some acceptable definition of open source software.
Section 3 - Non Dissolution Policy
In recognition of the importance of welcoming diversity for
the sake of creativity, and for the benefit of humanity, this club
welcomes all people.
Article II - Membership: Qualifications and categories of membership
Ohio State University guidelines demand that voting membership be
limited to currently enrolled students. The current model of
membership is that all people who attend meetings or are on our mailing
list are considered members. This kind of loose definition should be
preserved. No membership fee for joining the club should be charged.
If the distinction between voting members and other members becomes a
significant source of debate, that is a good indication that the club
should re-draft its constitution because bureaucratic things are
starting to become a burden.
Voting membership is defined by attendance at required meetings. Voting
members are required to attend required meetings.
Article III - Organization Leadership: Titles, terms of office, type of
selection and duties of the leaders.
The club should elect one leader whose title shall be Benevolent
Dictator. The traditional role of leadership is hereby rejected in
favor of the evolving model of this club. The Benevolent Dictator shall
be in office for one academic year. They should be elected because they
are respected by the club members and because of his or her technical
ability and knowledge of computers. The method of electing the
Benevolent Dictator is by vote with a simple majority, where a quorum
(3/4 of the voting membership) is present.
The Benevolent Dictator will probably be the hardest working member of
the club, and therefore needs the power to make unilateral decisions for
the sake of saving time. The Benevolent Dictator will not necessarily
have any control over software projects, since by the definition of
opensource software, code forks can happen when they need to, and no one
therefore has ultimate power over a software project.
A system of checks and balances is implicit in the fact that all people
are free to do as they please. If the Benevolent Dictator becomes
unreasonable, he or she will cease to be Benevolent, and therefore lose
their power.
The club should have a treasurer, and will need technical assistance in
maintaining computers, web pages, code repositories, and servers for the
operation of the club. The club will need help in organizing its
activities so that the Benevolent Dictator needn't do all of the
work. Positions of this sort should be on a volunteer basis with
appointment by the Benevolent Dictator where necessary.
All officers, volunteers, and the Benevolent Dictator are servants of
the club.
Article IV - Advisor: Qualification Criteria
The advisor should be a person of technical experience. Preferably
someone who has been involved in Opensource development. The advisor
must grok the goals of the club so that he or she does not get in their
way. The advisor exists to provide guidance, mentor-ship, and
cluefulness. The advisor's term is one academic year.
University guidelines demand that the advisor (or failing that, the
sub-advisor) "of student organizations must be full-time members of the
University faculty or Administrative & Professional staff."
Article V - Meetings of the Organization
The organization should meet however frequently it needs to in order to
"Get Things Done." Meetings can be formal or informal, can be in person
or over an electronic medium. The current model is that regular
organizational meetings are scheduled for every two weeks, and one or
two formal meetings are held every quarter. These "formal" meetings are
the required meetings for voting membership.
It should be recognized that those involved in individual software
projects will have meetings separate from the meetings of rest of the
club. It is encouraged, however, that all club members be invited to
these meetings.
Article VI - Method of Amending Constitution: Proposals, notices and
voting requirements
In the case that someone thinks that they need to alter the constitution
or by-laws (if any) for bug fixes, adding features, or compatibility
with new hardware, a quorum (3/4 of the voting membership)
must vote and the vote must be a 2/3 majority. Voting can be
in person or via some electronic medium provided that in either case a
reasonable amount of certainty of identity can be secured. Amendments
and changes should be taken advisedly and considered for a reasonable
amount of time before being implemented.
It is strictly discouraged that the constitution should be amended
frequently. If it is to be amended, and by-laws do not exist, this this
article (article VI) allows the creation of by-laws in favor of
amending the main body of the constitution (this document).
It is further strictly discouraged that any amendments or by-laws
restricting free commerce and creativity be created. New amendments or
by-laws should not conflict with the above stated purpose of the club.
Article VII - Method of Dissolution of Organization
Should the club be forced to dissolve itself, any and all assets
should be put toward the club's debt (if any). This includes university
owned equipment or university funds.
The remaining assets (hardware, operating funds, etc) should be donated
to a free software organization, like the fsf. 5 The organization to
which the assets are donated must be determined at the time of
dissolution by the Benevolent Dictator, with approval of the supervisor.
